Arts & Entertainment
Lil’ Nas X becomes first out CMA winner

Lil’ Nas X has become the first out gay performer to win a Country Music Association Award.
The 20-year old artist received his CMA in the “Musical Event of the Year” category, sharing the prize with collaborator Billy Ray Cyrus for their remix of “Old Town Road.” Their song spent 20 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Lil Nax X expressed his excitement on Twitter, retweeting the CMA’s post announcing the win with the comment, “LETS GOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! ?⚡️”
The musician has already made an impact in the industry despite his young age. Last summer, he he won “Song of the Year” at the MTV Video Music Awards, becoming the first out gay man to win in the category.
Lil’ Nas X had come out not long before the MTV awards, ending Pride month by making the announcement – somewhat cryptically – on Twitter.
First, he tweeted “some of y’all already know, some of y’all don’t care, some of y’all not gone fwm no more. but before this month ends i want y’all to listen closely to c7osure.”
The tweet ended with a rainbow emoji.
The lyrics of the song referenced in the message include the lines:
“I know, I know, I know it don’t feel like it’s time
But I look back at this moment, I’ll see that I’m fine
I know, I know, I know it don’t feel like it’s time
I set boundaries for myself, it’s time to cross the line.”
To make his intention clearer, the musician then issued a second tweet featuring a detail from the album’s cover art, a rainbow-colored skyscraper in the city skyline.
After his coming out, the majority of his followers expressed their support for the singer, with a few saying they didn’t care and even fewer expressing disapproval.
Sports
‘Heated Rivalry’ stars to participate in Olympic torch relay
Games to take place next month in Italy
“Heated Rivalry” stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will participate in the Olympic torch relay ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics that will take place next month in Italy.
HBO Max, which distributes “Heated Rivalry” in the U.S., made the announcement on Thursday in a press release.
The games will take place in Milan and Cortina from Feb. 6-22. The HBO Max announcement did not specifically say when Williams and Storrie will participate in the torch relay.
Bars & Parties
Here’s where to watch ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ with fellow fans
Entertainers TrevHER and Grey host event with live performance
Spark Social Events will host “Ru Paul’s Drag Race S18 Watch Party Hosted by Local Drag Queens” on Friday, Jan. 23 at 8 p.m.
Drag entertainers TrevHER and Grey will provide commentary and make live predictions on who’s staying and who’s going home. Stick around after the show for a live drag performance. The watch party will take place on a heated outdoor patio and cozy indoor space.
This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
The DC Center is hosting a watch party for an episode of the 10th and final season of “Queer Eye,” which was filmed in D.C. The screening will be held on Friday, Jan. 23 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Center.
The screening will last 45-55 minutes, with community time both before and after the episode. Drinks and snacks will be provided and organizers promise a “surprise or two.” For information on tickets, visit the DC Center’s website.
