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Gus Kenworthy and boyfriend Matthew Wilkas split

The couple dated for nearly four years

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Gus Kenworthy and Matthew Wilkas. (Photo via Instagram)

Olympic freeskier Gus Kenworthy and his boyfriend Matthew Wilkas have split after nearly four years.

“Gus and Matt are taking time apart,” a rep for the couple told People. “They love and support each other and remain close friends.”

According to Page Six, a source reveals that the couple “drifted apart.” They reportedly split right before the Fourth of July. Page Six also reports that Wilkas has already been seen on Grindr.

Kenworthy, 27, and Wilkas, 41, met on Instagram in 2015 and began dating in November 2015. The couple made history when cameras caught them kissing at the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea in 2014. It was the first gay kiss involving an Olympian to be televised.

They shared Birdie, a Jindo/Labrador mix, who they saved from a dog meat farm in South Korea.

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Happy #NationalComingOutDay everybody! That doesn’t mean that today is intended to pressure anybody to come out before they’re ready. Instead today is a gentle reminder to us all to live our lives honestly and authentically and not allow anybody else’s expectations to force us into silence. Coming out is an extremely personal journey that each person should do on their own time when they feel ready, safe and comfortable. There is no “right” way nor a right time to come out. It’s all up to you! If you happen to be struggling in the closet then I hope today can be a beacon of hope for you. Click the hashtag to see and read stories of others who have walked the same trail that you’re maybe now just finding yourself embarking on. Sometimes it can feel like a tough path to walk but I promise it will be worth it in the end. There is no feeling more liberating, fulfilling or freeing than accepting and acknowledging who you are and then sharing your true self with the world. We all deserve to live our lives authentically and unabashedly. When you live your truth, unafraid and unapologetically, you make it easier for someone else to do so. Representation is how we break down barriers, combat discrimination, and make positive change in the world. Although you may feel alone in the closet there is a community out there that sees you, hears you and not only accepts you but is actually waiting with open arms to embrace you. Good luck! ❤️?????

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Literally @rightordoyle’s life. ?

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This is V_nice!

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PHOTOS: Equality Prince William Pride

Fourth annual event held in Old Town Manassas

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Muffy Blake Stephyns performs at 2025 Prince William Equality Pride. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The fourth annual Equality Prince William Pride was held at the Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 17.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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PHOTOS: Blade Summer Kickoff Party

Gov. Meyer speaks at annual Rehoboth event

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Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer speaks at the Washington Blade's 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on Friday, May 16. (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

The Washington Blade held its 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on Friday, May 16. Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer spoke along with State Sen. Russ Huxtable, CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Kim Leisey, Blade Editor Kevin Naff, and Clear Space Theatre Managing Director Joe Gfaller. The event raises funds for the Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which was awarded to AU student Abigail Hatting. 

(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)

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Lucky Pollo stretches its wings at 14th and U

Come for the chicken, stay for the cock

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Lucky Pollo opened its doors last week above District Eagle.

In some fowl fiction foreshadowing, a gay-owned chicken joint has come home to roost on U Street, taking a page from the chicken window subplot on the HBO show “Looking.”

Last Friday, Lucky Pollo – much more than just a takeout window – stretched its wings atop the busy nightlife corner of 14th and U Streets NW.

Behind the poultry production place is Zach Renovátes, a D.C.-based nightlife operator and managing partner of LGBTQ venues Bunker and District Eagle, as well as the LGBTQ event production company KINETIC Presents.

Renovátes opened Bunker in February 2023 and District Eagle in January of this year. Lucky Pollo is the third in his growing gay empire, though this time there are noshes.

“Lucky Pollo was meant to be fun and a little provocative,” Renovátes said.

Based around its Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, Lucky Pollo is a quick-service restaurant boasting a small menu of poultry and sides. Renovátes says that the dishes are deeply rooted in Peruvian culinary tradition, “a playful experience alongside seriously good food.”

Lucky Pollo’s signature chicken is steeped in a dozen-plus-spice marinade for 24 hours. The meat is then slow-roasted, rotisserie-style, over oak-wood charcoal. Chicken options include quarter, half, and whole.

Helming the kitchen at Lucky Pollo is Chef Luis Herrera, who brings Peruvian recipes passed down through three generations, including his grandmother Laura’s original creations.

Beyond the full bird, the menu features Peruvian-inspired sides like yuca fries (“I personally love these,” says Renovátes) and fried plantains, as well as comfort classics such as mac and cheese and mashed potatoes, and bowls, wraps, and salads. Herrera oversees development of the multiple sauces (including staff favorite, the “secret green sauce”), crafted in-house using traditional Peruvian ingredients.

Lucky Pollo, in its streetside perch, is an independent concept from District Eagle, open to the public and staying open late (3 a.m. on weekends) to serve both nightlife guests and the wider U Street crowd hungry for late-night bites. However, just beyond the kitchen, tucked in the back lies a vintage 1950s candy machine—labeled “Out of Order,” which serves as the door leading to subterranean District Eagle.

Renovátes notes that when District Eagle is open, security staff will maintain a strict two-line policy, ensuring that those seeking meat to eat will not get entwined with those looking to gain access to District Eagle.

Lucky Pollo unites the need for sustenance with the idea of a bit of fortune, given its motto, “Get Lucky” and the whimsical brand mascot: a leather-booted chicken perched on a horseshoe. Renovátes and his District Eagle business partner had always been interested in opening a restaurant, and the Lucky Pollo space was indeed lucky: It already came with a functional kitchen. Plus, he says, the nearby fast-casual places around 14th and U streets “don’t offer a lot of quality options,” so opening the chicken spot “was a no-brainer.”

The space, designed by NYC creative Jasin Cadic, blends theatrical street-art-style vibes with Keith Haring-inspired wall prints, neon signs, and ceiling-hung chicken figurines —”some edgy, some sweet,” says Renovátes —creating an immersive, playful atmosphere. Lucky Pollo and District Eagle maintain separate amenities for their respective customers.

Lucky Pollo opened last week with a competition to devour a whole rotisserie chicken in the fastest time, with the winner earning $1,000 and a framed spot on the restaurant’s “Wall of Fame.” The opening also featured other games and prizes, and a full crowd spilling out the door.

“We want it to be a great place to eat, but also serve as a playful front for something completely unexpected.” Renovátes says.

On weekends especially, he jokes, the motto will be, ‘Come for the chicken, stay for the cock.’”

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