ESPN New Year’s Eve Kiss Controversy: Scott Van Pelt Under Fire

8 million views and counting. What started as a celebratory midnight moment in Times Square has spiraled into a national debate over media sensitivity. A New Year's Eve kiss between two men, broadcast live on ESPN, unexpectedly shifted the spotlight from the couple to the reaction of veteran anchor Scott Van Pelt.

The ESPN New Year’s Eve Kiss Controversy Explained

On December 31, 2025, Ricky Locci, a physical therapist, and his boyfriend DJ Petrosino, an interior designer, were approached by a production assistant. They were asked to kiss for the cameras as the ball dropped. While they expected the footage to stay on the local jumbotrons, it was instead aired during SportCenter's national coverage.

The controversy ignited when Scott Van Pelt appeared to stumble over his words and display visible discomfort when the couple appeared on screen. Critics on X (formerly Twitter) labeled his reaction as "disgusted," with some segments of the internet calling for his termination, while others argued he was simply caught off guard by the unplanned visual.

The Couple Speaks Out Amid Viral Outrage

Despite the heated online discourse, Locci and Petrosino have taken a remarkably calm stance. Speaking with OutSports, they defended Van Pelt. "Our interpretation was just that he was surprised and didn't want to say the wrong thing," Petrosino explained. The couple noted that while they found the situation "funny," the majority of direct feedback they received was heartwarming and positive.

However, the incident highlights a persistent cultural gap. A 2025 GQ survey on masculinity revealed that only 28% of American men feel comfortable seeing two men kiss in public. This statistic underscores why such a brief televised moment can still ignite such a massive firestorm in 2026.