Veteran ESPN host Scott Van Pelt has gone viral following a flustered on-air moment during the network’s New Year’s Eve coverage, after reacting awkwardly to a same-sex kiss caught live on camera.
As 2026 rang in, ESPN’s broadcast of the Times Square ball drop was hosted by the 59-year-old SportsCenter anchor, who has helmed the late-night edition of the show since 2015. The live coverage featured scenes of partygoers celebrating with confetti — and plenty of kisses — as the clock struck midnight.
“Yeah… Live makeouts on SportsCenter. Get into it,” Van Pelt quipped as the camera panned across the crowd, showing various couples kissing to celebrate the New Year.
NEW: ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt visibly disgusted after two men making out popped up on his screen during New Year’s coverage.
“Yeah… Live makeouts on Sports Center. Get into it,” he said in response to the normal couples.
“Ohhhhhhhh! What are we….” he said in response to the gay… pic.twitter.com/gkPFmJA9ng
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 1, 2026
However, things took a turn when a same-sex couple appeared on screen sharing a kiss. Van Pelt’s tone quickly shifted, and his visibly uncomfortable reaction was captured in real-time.
“Ohhhhhhhh! What are we…,” he started, before cutting himself off mid-sentence. Quickly pivoting, he added: “What do we got? We got love in the air.”
Throwing his hands up, he continued with a smile: “Who’s having a good time? Happy New Year, everybody!”
A clip of the moment was quickly shared across social media and has since racked up over 7.1 million views on X.com. The reaction online has been divided — some viewers were amused by the host’s flustered response, while others expressed disappointment.
“Now everyone’s gonna come after him,” one commenter predicted.
Another joked: “Live TV really said ‘no script, just vibes.’ You can literally see the moment he realises, ‘oh this is LIVE live… act normal.’”
One viewer focused more on the broader picture, writing: “Not even about who’s kissing — it’s that SportsCenter was NOT ready for New Year’s makeout cam. Broadcasting chaos at its finest.”
A different take from another reply suggested: “I think what caught him off guard was it flashed on the screen after he said ‘yeah get into it’.”
Though the moment may have been fleeting, its viral spread underscores how even brief unscripted reactions can spark debate in the era of live TV and social media.
