Jacob Tierney’s book, undead dogs & Conan Gray’s cover: 10 things we’re obsessed with this week

Your weekly list of books, bears and bops to catch up on.

Mark Mark
Oct 18, 2026 - 20:00
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Three-panel image. From left to right: Conan Gray performs into a microphone, the book cover for

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve spent the last seven days consumed by tales about Kelly Clarkson, a magic shop, and a singing bird.

But don’t worry, we’ve been keeping tabs on the biggest LGBTQ+ stories of the week to get you quickly up to speed.

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Basically, a gay tennis film has us hot and bothered, Girls is getting a revival, and Josie Totah is having a moment.

Plus, Ronan Farrow dove into “gAI,” Matt Bomer celebrated a birthday, and a gay advice columnist is getting a second act.

Otherwise, there’s been plenty of books, bears, and bops to catch up on.

Below, dive into the 10 things we’re obsessed with this week.

1. I’ll Believe in Anything: The Making of Heated Rivalry Season 1 by Jacob Tierney

While we anxiously await Heated Rivalry Season 2, Daddy Jacob Tierney, a.k.a. the hit series’ queer creator and director, has blessed us with a deeper look into our favorite fictional hockey players’ love story with a new behind-the-scenes book, on sale for $22.38 on Amazon.

In I’ll Believe Anything, Tierney and his production share their collection of annotated scripts, featuring intimacy choreography, set details, costuming decisions, and a complete look at how their Crave original series turned into a worldwide phenomenon, thanks to the little cottage that could.

2. Maple Chai + Sweet Cream Candle

Gay Candle Co's Maple Chai-Sweet Cream Candle is pictured in a black glass jar and a white glass jar, sitting side-by-side.
Image Credit: LGBTQ Outpost

Because you can’t go to bottomless brunch everyday, Gay Candle Co. is offering a slightly more sustainable option with their Maple Chai + Sweet Cream Candle, available for $42 on LGBTQ Outpost.

The queer-owned business, which hand pours their wooden-wicked candles in Washington and Minnesota, promises to bathe your room in whiffs of pancake, syrup, and Sunday morning cinnamons rolls, without the odor of sticky cheap mimosas.

3. Gay-approved Halloween costumes

The nice thing about being gay on Halloween is you only really have two choices: Jockstrap and a scary mask or niche internet reference. But with the holiday weekend quickly approaching, you don’t have much time left to make your decision.

Thankfully, as gay comedian Sean Corcoran pointed out, the past year has blessed us with plenty of options for the latter, from the gay man who stole Madonna’s Coachella outfit, to pig-friendly Circe and Rose Bean Polansky.

I’d also place my bets that Spirit Halloween has seen a reasonable uptick in sales for Kelly Clarkson and sexy bird costumes, too.

4. Da Bears Crewneck

A black crewneck sweatshirt featuring an illustration of two muscular hairy men kissing and the words, "I Heart Chicago Bears."
Image Credit: Boss Dog Art Dept.

While our hetero bros and athletic gays obsess over their fantasy sports leagues, the rest of us can show our pride for the Chicago Cubs, er, bears with this playful crewneck, available for $60 online from Boss Dog Art Dept. Now, don’t these two look like such close teammates?!

5. Conan Gray does ADÉLA

ADÉLA is the moment — just ask TikTok, Nicole Kidman, or the TouchTunes machine at your local gay bar. But if you’re yet to be acquainted with the Slovak songstress, Conan Gray’s soaring stomp-clap rendition of her irresistible bop “Ain’t in LA” for Triple J’s Like a Version is the perfect introduction.

6. The cutest way to eat Halloween candy

A decorative Hello Kitty in a skeleton costume jar is pictured in front of an orange background. On the left, the jar is pictured closed. On the right, it's pictured open and filled with candy.
Image Credit: Urban Outfitters

Calories from candy don’t count if they come from a container as adorable as the Sanrio Hello Kitty Skeleton Ceramic Snack Jar, available for $21.99 from Urban Outfitters. This 6-inch tall receptacle gives a spooky twist to storing your favorite snacks, sweets, trinkets, or p*ppers. Hey, her name is hello kitty after all!

7. Whatever the heck Alexander Skarsgård is wearing

No one knows how to dress for a press run like Pillion star Alexander Skarsgård, whose “Lick my worm” tee is the exact style I’d expect to see from the man who lived in halter tops last fall.

Naturally, this is all in service of a movie where he’s portraying a sexy man made entirely from wicker, which, thank goodness, is finally hitting theaters next weekend.

8. A beautiful day in the gayborhood

This video of a gay man who reached out to his next-door neighbor and was instantly clocked as LGBTQ+ by another gay person is precisely why living in New York City is an unparalleled experience.

Sorry, but Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me” music video is shaking.

9. A Dachshund that’s shockingly low-maintenance

A plastic skeleton of ghostly looking Dachshund is pictured in front of an off-white background.
Image Credit: Target

Finally, a Dachshund that requires no house training, food, water, or sitter when you decide to spring on a weeklong trip to Puerto Vallarta. To be fair, there’s something equally scary as there is silly about this Halloween skeleton dog decoration, on sale for $10.50 from Target.

That said, I just know some gay would do numbers with this bony-faced little guy as a dog dad influencer.

10. Deborah Vance officiating her gay assistant’s wedding

OK, so this isn’t technically an episode of Hacks, but this footage of Jean Smart officiating co-star Mark Indelicato’s wedding, captured by none other than Hannah Einbinder, is another reminder that this is the best show and cast ever.

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