January 09 2026, 08:15 
A New Year’s kiss between Ricky Locci and DJ Petrosino in Manhattan’s Times Square went viral after it aired on the ESPN cable sports network, receiving a somewhat awkward and surprised reaction from the network’s anchorman.
While the couple says they’ve received a lot of online hate after a right-wing social media account shared a video of their broadcast kiss, they’ve also received lots of love and were happy to provide positive queer representation to viewers in more conservative areas.
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“It’s been an interesting mix of reactions!” Locci told Outsports. “We’ve had a lot of support, with people saying the kiss warmed their hearts, that they were so happy for us or that they needed to see that, especially after this last year.”
Locci, a physical therapist on Broadway shows, also runs a personal training company focused on LGBTQ+ health and wellness. His partner, DJ, works in interior design and has previously performed in New York City for over a decade as an actor and dancer. The two have been dating for just over a year.
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The couple said that an ESPN production assistant asked if they wanted their kiss televised, and then had the couple wear two mandatory Planet Fitness-sponsored hats while they awaited the midnight countdown for their now-viral smooch.
“We thought it would just be shown on the Jumbotrons,” Petrosino said. “We didn’t know it was going to be televised. We kiss all the time, so we didn’t think it was that big of a deal.”
After the kiss, the couple went to a local piano bar and saw ESPN air their embrace. When their friends told the other patrons that it was them on the TV screen, some of the bar patrons cheered in celebration. Soon after the kiss aired, people started contacting the couple through various messaging and social apps, expressing love and support.
“We got a lot of love, not just some people we knew, but people all over the internet that just appreciated it,” Locci told Out magazine.
While ESPN anchorman Scott Van Pelt seemed caught off guard when the same-sex smooch aired on his network, Locci said he found his reaction funny, as did many social media commenters who interpreted Van Pelt’s reaction as either one of disapproval or titillation.
“It’s crazy how you saw people take his reaction and try to make the worst out of it. I guess they’ll interpret it the way that they want,” Locci said. Noting Van Pelt’s hesitation when commenting on the kiss on-air, Locci added, “It speaks to the nature of the society that we’ve created that he didn’t want to say the wrong thing.”
“Some people are like, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s disgusted!’ And others are like, ‘He’s aroused!’ Our interpretation was just that he was surprised and didn’t want to say the wrong thing.”
Petrosino added, “With it being on a sports network, where people kissing in general is not seen much, it’s unexpected in and of itself.”
“Given our political climate right now, I think any kind of visibility is important. Even if we think it’s already been said and already been out there, I don’t think we can [push for visibility] enough,” Petrosino told Out.
Locci agreed, saying that their broadcast kiss may mean even more to ESPN viewers who live in rural areas or red states.
ESPN’s footage was also shared by anti-LGBTQ+, right-wing social media accounts.
“We got a lot of hate,” Locci told the aforementioned magazine, adding that social media commenters said that they should be slaughtered and accused them of pushing propaganda and corrupting children.
It’s heartwarming to see that, while everyone else is spending New Years with family and friends, ‘End Wokeness’ was screen recording gay people kissing https://t.co/RxYyTZT4Cm
— no context memes (@nocontextmemes) January 1, 2026
However, in an emotional Instagram post, Locci wrote, “In my 20s I struggled… with depression and coming out. In my 30s I kissed my boyfriend on National television after having one of the best years of my life.”
“Loving yourself and finding confidence is a constant work in progress. Some days you can feel like the most confident person in the world and others you can feel like the smallest. It’s important to love both versions,” he said.
“Patience is a virtue,” Locci told Outsports, “and loving yourself is how you can really embrace your queer identity. Then a relationship like the one we have will come along. For some, it may be easy to find. For others, it may be hard. But it doesn’t mean that it’s unattainable.”
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