Why James LaRosa, creator of VH1’s sports drama, put gays in the game.
By Brandon Voss
A pro doesn’t pass when the ball’s in his court. “I didn’t grow up with a lot of gay characters on television,” says James LaRosa, creator and executive producer of Hit the Floor, VH1’s soapy drama about NBA cheerleaders and players in Los Angeles. “Having your own show lets you play in a playground of your reality, and my reality is gay people and all sorts of faces walking the street. I love that I can represent all the people who weren’t represented for me back in the day.”
Hit the Floor, which returns January 18 for a third season, introduced a surprise gay storyline in season 2, pairing closeted basketball star Zero (Adam Senn) with sports agent Jude (Brent Antonello). “I knew there would be a gay storyline eventually, but it needed to happen organically and make sense,” LaRosa says. “The overwhelming response to these characters has been a highlight of my career.” The hot couple, dubbed “Zude” on social media, hasn’t just scored him points with gay fans. “I hear from so many women who just want these two guys to adopt a puppy together. And because we’re set in the world of professional sports, the last bastion of pure testosterone, I think it’s had a positive effect on straight guys, too.”
But if his gay storyline has inspired tolerance or acceptance among viewers, consider it a bonus shot. “I don’t write politically, so I didn’t have an agenda to change the world,” says LaRosa, who has written TV movies such as Everybody’s Doing It and Spring Break Shark Attack. “For me, what was most important was creating a relationship that anyone could be invested in. If those characters change people’s opinions about gay people, that’s great.”
At the end of last season, Jude gave Zero an ultimatum: He doesn’t want to be together unless they can go public with their relationship. Will Zero pull a Jason Collins and come out? “It’s going to be a battle of wills,” LaRosa says. “Jude wants one thing, Zero wants another, so season 3 is about their dance. Yes, it’s a gay storyline, but it’s not so gay that everyone can’t relate to it. It’s a love story with high stakes.”
LaRosa is hesitant to share any more spoilers about Zude, but he does tease that the show’s sex scenes only get hotter. “We definitely push boundaries, because the entire cast is incredibly fit and willing to go there,” he says. “It’s a skin carnival for sure.”
Next, January 2016.