Conservatives in Panic Over Gay New Year’s Eve Kiss on CNN
Right-wing X users were apoplectic over the depiction of a same-sex kiss during CNN's New Year's Eve broadcast.
A same-sex kiss that aired on national television drove conservative viewers into a hateful frenzy, who immediately posted to X their disgust with the image.
The kiss, glorious and sweet, took place in New York City’s Times Square after the famous ball was dropped at the stroke of midnight. It was caught by a CNN camera operator during the airing of New Year’s Eve Live with hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.
The kiss was also aired on broadcasts of other major television networks, including ABC News and CBS, which switched to CNN’s coverage to glimpse the crowd at the iconic Times Square ball drop.
Social media was instantly set ablaze, with people both celebrating and denouncing the decision to focus on the international gay couple, who were wearing a pair of “Planet Fitness”-branded hats. Some detractors even argued that the kiss was too prolonged and too intimate for television.
One X user, referring to the kiss as “sloppy,” lamented that ABC News had cut to the CNN feed and hypothesized that the portrayal of the kiss was a “psychological operation which was designed to intrude on Middle America.”
It seems as though other networks showed the same kiss at midnight. The kiss wasn’t organic; the interracial gay couple was separated by crowd control barriers. This was a psychological operation which was designed to intrude on Middle America.
— Jonathan Bowen (@BostonByBirth) January 1, 2024
That same user then doubled down. “I have no issue with either gay relationships or interracial relationships; that’s, obviously, not the issue. The issue? An interracial gay couple is not representative of Times Square, New York City, the Stare (sic) of New York or the United States.”
He followed up with another post, reading, “If the networks were going to go with the interracial gay kiss, those networks should’ve made the kiss less graphic, because, honestly, it was gross.”
If the networks were going to go with the interracial gay kiss, those networks should’ve made the kiss less graphic because, honestly, it was gross.
— Jonathan Bowen (@BostonByBirth) January 1, 2024
“The first kiss shown by nearly every media outlet, CNN, ABC, CBS, was this: A salacious, sickening, interracial gay tongue lashing session. Out of literal millions present, they chose this to send a message to you. They are ramping up the psyop. Nothing is by accident,” wrote another user, promoting the psychological operations narrative.
The first kiss shown by nearly every media outlet, CNN, ABC, CBS, was this:
A salacious, sickening, interracial gay tongue lashing session. Out of literal millions present, they chose this to send a message to you. They are ramping up the psyop.
Nothing is by accident. pic.twitter.com/tTuOzLFNqe— Kiki (@kikisknees) January 1, 2024
Others accused the TV networks of being “groomers” for allegedly exposing children to the display of affection, though presumably most underage children were in bed before midnight.
“I started off my 2024 with watching two silly boys kiss. @CNN not cool!” wrote one user.
I started off my 2024 with watching two silly boys kiss. @CNN not cool!
— Randy Griffen (@randy_griffen) January 1, 2024
“Every child across America watched two gay men kiss as the ball dropped to being in 2024. Every channel broadcasting the ball drop simultaneously broadcasted a scene most children have not yet been exposed to: Fox News, CNN, CBS: groomers,” wrote another.
Every child across America watched two gay men kiss as the ball dropped to bring in 2024. Every channel broadcasting the ball drop simultaneously broadcasted a scene most children have not yet been exposed to: Fox News, CNN, CBS: groomers
— Katherine (@ConservativeKTM) January 1, 2024
Others speculated the two men were “paid actors” and that the kiss was “scripted.”
the gay guys who kissed at midnight on CNN were definitely paid actors
— Mr. Molar & the Teeth Brushers (@joe_skii_18O) January 1, 2024
CNN decided to ring in the new year with 20-minutes of gay innuendos, gay references and this delightful kiss which definitely was not carefully scripted. #cnn #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/aFplKICFPX
— Tyler Cybulski (@tyler_cybulski) January 1, 2024
Some users mocked those outraged by the kiss.
“An interracial gay couple ISN’T representative of NYC?” tweeted one user to the man who had speculated about the kiss being part of a “psychological operation.”
an interracial gay couple ISNT representative of nyc?
has jonathan bowen stepped inside nyc lately, or like at all https://t.co/pKBU5wWpU0
— sav (@savendermenace) January 1, 2024
“everyone homophobia jumping out with this cnn gay kiss,” another user noted of those claiming to be “outraged.”
everyone homophobia jumping out with this cnn gay kiss
— soph 🇵🇸 (@bluntbunnny) January 1, 2024
Still others pointed out the hypocrisy, as other “first kisses” broadcast on air have involved straight participants.
“I’m not sorry that straight people were ‘uncomfy’ watching CNN’s coverage of NYE. That was a normal kiss and nothing worse than I had to watch Jenny McCarthy kiss strangers on NYE growing up,” wrote a third. It’s 2024. Get over it.”
I’m not sorry that straight people were “uncomfy” 🥺 watching CNN’s coverage of NYE. That was a normal kiss and nothing worse than I had to watch Jenny McCarthy kiss strangers on NYE growing up. It’s 2024. Get over it.
— Lane Sipe (@sipe_lane) January 2, 2024
“All the people complaining about the gay midnight kiss on CNN tonight,” wrote one X user, attaching a meme of a character from Stranger Things saying, “He’s just some angry old man who hates joy.”
All the people complaining about the gay midnight kiss on CNN tonight https://t.co/1mqgVy1MB2
— Ariel 🍄 🎄 Christmas void week 🎄 (@JoesTxGirl) January 1, 2024
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