A harem of hunks turned out for a “Heated Rivalry” lookalike contest in New York Metropolis on Sunday — attracting a crowd of scorching and bothered women and men who cheered and leered on the contestants vying to resemble the characters in HBO’s homoerotic hockey drama.
Over a dozen hopeful lookalikes clad in hockey jerseys took heart stage by Mercer Playground in Greenwich Village, the place they acted out scenes from the steamy Canadian sequence — stripping down and even making out — within the hopes of being topped most carnal Canuck of the lot.
Fifty-dollars was on the road for every of the 2 winners — with 25-year-old Ryan Heffernan taking dwelling the crown for many resembling “Heated Rivalry” character Shane Hollander, and 28-year-old Tyler Gaul being named the Ilya Rozanov lookalike.
The win wasn’t shocking for both of them.
Each Heffernan and Gaul informed The Submit they’ve been stopped by strangers searching for to take photographs with them and insisting they seem like the present’s studly stars — Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie — because it was launched on HBO in November.
“Random individuals have been taking photos of me,” Heffernan mentioned.
“I used to be very assured,” he added. “I got here right here alone as a result of I knew I used to be going to win.”
For Gaul, it was his girlfriend who first insisted on his resemblance to Storrie, who performs a Russian ice hockey participant and the captain of the Boston Raiders — in a secret relationship together with his rival, Hollander, performed by Williams, the Ottawa-born captain of the Montreal Metros.
“She informed me I seemed precisely like Ilya, after which most individuals in my life and her life began to say the identical precise factor,” Gaul mentioned.
Each winners watched the sequence — which initially aired on Canadian streaming service Crave — after being launched to it by the girlfriends.
“It’s clearly very provocative, however that’s nice,” Gaul mentioned.
“I used to be simply impressed {that a} present form of that provocative and intense is getting as common as it’s,” he mentioned. “It’s nice to have the illustration and simply having the ability to see, like love and intercourse portrayed on TV that’s not usually proven.”
It wasn’t instantly clear who organized the competition. However the true present on Sunday afternoon was the titillated crowd that braved the chilly to catch somewhat warmth from heart stage — with effectively over 100 individuals filling the sidewalk whereas baying ravenous eyes on the contestants.
The watchers waved rainbow hockey sticks as hopefuls delivered strains from the present or shed their jerseys to indicate off six-packs — with some even planting passionate kisses on one another, sending the gang wild.
Attendees mentioned the hit present had clearly struck a twine with the general public.
“It’s these two individuals which are principally closeted, they’re appearing like straight males. And I believe that most of the people finds that enticing,” mentioned Benji Pearson, a 26-year-old scholar.
“Perhaps this can open the door for like different gayer exhibits,” he mentioned. “Extra homosexual stuff.”
