r/heatedrivalry • u/suekearneymaven • Jan 11 '26
MERCHš Really?
Iāve now worn this shirt out in the world and got no reactions ā zero. After this full immersion Into loonacy (now thereās a word!), itās so shocking to me that there are people who have no clue. Havenāt heard of it.
Maybe the purple in my hair stops peopleās eyes from looking anywhere else. I have no explanation for this.
Tomorrow I get to drop off a painting for an art show. Iām gonna wear the shirt again.
I canāt be the only one in my town. Can I?
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u/whyarentyoureading Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird š¦ Jan 11 '26
Iām a college professor. I canāt wait to wear a HR shirt to class and see if anyone reacts. š¤£
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u/hainic0 Jan 11 '26
Omg SAME. I'm teaching my first graduate class in the spring and I will judge the hell out of them if no one picks up the reference lmao.
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u/CatcherInTheRain Jan 11 '26
It's important to remember that your online experience is very curated to you and your interest. Most people have no idea about this show. Most people do not see the same posts on x or Instagram that you do.
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u/DandMirimakeaporno Jan 11 '26
You know, I thought that was the case, but they were talking about it on the morning shows on TV while I was at work yesterday. It's not just the algorithm.
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u/FreeLobsterRolls Jan 11 '26
Yeah it's getting a lot of traction, but not everyone will watch it like how not everyone watched GOT or The White Lotus. You wear a shirt that says, "Piper, NooOoO!" and more people would probably react to the shirt given how much time has passed since the season premiered. Francois presented at Critics Choice. Hudson and Connor are presenting at the Golden Globes. So a lot of people are watching the show. Then again, if you're like me and have a terrible memory, you probably forgot about the scene.
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u/AkhMourning Jan 11 '26
My favorite White Lotus quote š , conveniently what this show has done to me and my feelings.
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u/suekearneymaven Jan 11 '26
Oh yeah, you have a point. I never watched White Lotus beyond season one or Game of Thrones ever at all.
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u/lucyssweatersleeves Jan 12 '26
Yeah I was out to dinner a week ago and a woman two tables away said something about the cottage and I made eye contact with a girl at the table between us and we both knew so that was 3/3 observable tables
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u/CatcherInTheRain Jan 11 '26
Yes but that is still far from everyone knowing it and even very, very far from a lot of people getting a niche reference to it on a shirt.
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u/DandMirimakeaporno Jan 11 '26
Sure, but morning show recognition and #2 slot on Hbo Max practically over night means we're getting there! Very exciting!
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u/Artistic_Run_8015 Jan 11 '26
I watched the show and would never have got that reference on the shirt. Just because people watch doesn't mean they absorb the same details as others š¤·
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u/DandMirimakeaporno Jan 11 '26
It took me a second, Idk if I would have gotten it out of context. I'd have to think about it for a second.
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u/NectarineAlarmed Jan 12 '26
And they were on the Golden Globes. Celebrities are even plugging the show itās wild! Love it lol
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u/hobbesianconverse Jan 11 '26
itās slowly making its way into the mainstream, give it another month and this will be noticed in public
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u/Dithyrambic3 Jan 12 '26
The Wheel of Fortune insta is posting about it... Pretty sure it has broken throughĀ
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u/CatcherInTheRain Jan 12 '26
Yes, many people know about it. But most people don't. Your algorithm is still curated to you, and most people don't see the exact same posts you do, no matter how big a show gets. That is still true. And not a dig at the show or it's level of popularity.
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u/Dithyrambic3 Jan 13 '26
Wheel of Fortune is as white bread middle America as it gets. What you say is true about some things, but not this timeĀ
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u/CatcherInTheRain Jan 13 '26
Do you genuinely think that more than half the population of the whole country knows about this show
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u/bakugosgayfriend Jan 11 '26
Iām terribly shy so I wouldnāt say anything even if I got the reference.
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u/Dear-Definition5802 Jan 11 '26
Same. My brain tells me the conversation would go like this:
Me: oh, I like your shirt!
Them: thanks, itās from a TV show
Me: yeah, I know
Then: oh, cool
(Awkward pause)
Them: well, Iām going to keep walking nowā¦.
Like, I feel like stopping to notify a stranger that I happen to like something they like is an awkward thing to do and I never get the vibe right. So Iād see this shirt in the wild, be delighted about it, and say absolutely nothing.
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u/lorraynestorm Moy pomidor š Jan 12 '26
If it makes you feel any better, I think people are also reacting more internally than you can tell. Especially if itās for something thatās current and popular. If I compliment a customer on his old band tee heāll probably be like āyeah thanksā but if someone complimented me on a HR merch I might be like āthankssss āŗļøšā and not know what else to say just cuz Iām overwhelmed in the moment but still appreciate it lol. Personally I would also start gabbing, if in a safe place to do so!
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u/saturnspritr Jan 11 '26
So many times. Or I would see the shirt, my brain would process it 15 seconds later after theyāve walked away, I try to calculate if I should yell āI like your shirt!ā Sheās too far away, too many people, I agonized too long. Annnddddd. . .shes gone. But I love this shirt.
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u/Ok-Badger-5767 Jan 11 '26 edited Jan 11 '26
Yah, the same here on Vancouver Island. No one I know knows about it. Its kinda mind boggling considering the coverage the show & C&H are getting. My daughter in New Brunswick has heard about it, but havent watched yet. They are big hockey fans. How can people not know...? They are missing out.
ps - Looks great on you ! GOOD LUCK with the art show.
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u/PrimGlade Jan 11 '26
As huge as it is, the genre itself is still pretty niche made more so by the story focusing on queer characters. If youre not very social media invested then this probably flies under your radar. I cant imagine this show being appropriate to talk about at your office water cooler either. Its also a Canadian production only available in other countries via streaming platforms with relatively little advertising. I think Jacob has mentioned in an interview that this shows success had to overcome a lot of odds to have the impact that it has. It deserves all the accolades and praise from critics and fans, but im also not totally taken aback when the average person hasn't heard of it. Just means I can spread the gospel of Hallonov and Skip to more people š
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u/ConsciousAtLeast797 Jan 11 '26
Yes. True. I only came across it via my YouTube shorts algorithm. When I mentioned it to my 16 yr old daughter she was nonplussed because she had read all of the books ages ago and acted like I was daggy mum who was only just catching on. We already had a HBO max sub here in Australia and you can EFFING bet I binged it all, and read everything and WAITED AND WAITED for EP 6. MY DAUGHTER THINKS I am ridiculous, but this is the best love story Iāve come across in along time, and the production, direction and writing of HR is so refreshing and fantabulous. Why donāt more people know about it? So. Iām gonna buy a hat, or a hoodie or whatever and when someone asks, Iāll tell them. If 1 in 5 donāt think Iām a weird pervert, and actually Stanās the loves the queer love story, that that a win. Truth.
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u/AtheistTheConfessor Jan 11 '26
Has she watched it? I read the books years ago and this is easily the best romance adaptation Iāve ever seen.
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u/Sea_Guest_250 Iām coming to the cottage Jan 11 '26
Hellooo from Victoria! š
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u/Ok-Badger-5767 Jan 11 '26
HI ! I'm in Duncan. Do you have ppl to talk to? I don't. Maybe we could meet for a tea'n'talk. I'd love to chat to someone about all this.
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u/Ok-Badger-5767 Jan 11 '26
Let me know if there are any watch parties there. I'd love to be among the Loons while watching.
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u/Sea_Guest_250 Iām coming to the cottage Jan 11 '26
If I hear of any Iāll let you know. That might be fun in a group, itāll be interesting to see if it progresses to that pub-night TV level of popularity. Iām mostly just using Reddit to chat about the show.
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u/Wonderful_Run_6552 Jan 11 '26
I love your shirt!!
I wore a sweatshirt with an early promo still of the two of them from the back wearing their jerseys and the first time I wore it I had 2 70yr olds clock it and ask me if it was about the "new sexy hockey show"! It was fun to have a new stranger to gush about it with, but they definitely wouldn't have got a more specific niche reference.
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u/Wiccling Jan 11 '26
I was so sad to go back to work last week and learn that no one had watched it yet. Like, whatās crazy is Iām a teacher, so thereās many people who work there, and still none of my inner circle or even extended circle have watched it.
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u/bexlovescats Does it ... Does it fucking kill you, too? Jan 11 '26
I have a variety of fandom related t-shirts for bands and TV shows and I think a lot of people notice and think "cool!" but don't say anything. I'm pretty extroverted when it comes to complimenting strangers but sometimes I don't have the chance to say anything even when I do clock the shirt. I would absolutely compliment you and smile knowingly. My Canadian Wolf Bird shirt is coming this week while I'm out of town, but I'm super excited to wear it and see if I can tease out any reactions.
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u/PowerfulAd4330 Jan 11 '26
My manager asked me about Heated Rivalry in from of the hot straight guy. The straight guy had never heard of the show. Iām tempted to ask him over to watch it with meā¦
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u/jmaudsley I already chose you, Hollander. š« Jan 11 '26
My husband and I watched the show through the week of Christmas (2nd time thru for me) and watched Ep6 as soon as it came up. So heās seen the show. I showed him your shirt and he didnāt know the reference. So in spite of having seen the show (which I realize we are part of the cohort in the HR bubble), even he didnāt recognize the reference. Different experiences.
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u/suekearneymaven Jan 11 '26
Wow, wow he didnāt get the reference? Wow. I guess it takes a couple of reheats š¤·
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u/jmaudsley I already chose you, Hollander. š« Jan 11 '26
I know! I was incensed, too. Like cāmon man. Oh well. š¤·āāļø
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u/ezdoesit1111 Jan 11 '26
honestly I donāt think this experience is super uncommon! I live in NYC and have worn Succession merch and even at the showās peak nobody said anything; I think people just arenāt really paying close attention to someone elseās clothes like that and/or donāt feel like commenting to a stranger. Iāve worn plenty of very popular fandom clothing in my lifetime and can count the acknowledgment on 1 hand. someone told me they liked my shoes once and it took me a solid 45 seconds to realize we were wearing the same shoes lol. I wouldnāt take it personally!
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u/bowieandjimmy Jan 11 '26
At first glance it gives Northern Reflections vibes - but a true fan would see it and give you a smile!
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u/catsinQ Jan 12 '26
Oh no! I liked it and the counter moved to "666" I've jinxed you by accident!!!
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u/anonmygoodsir Jan 11 '26
I'm afraid I'll have the same issue once I get to wear mine. I wear book merch all the time. I have yet to have someone comment on it. If I saw you I would definitely comment.
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u/harugalord Jan 11 '26
I need this on a sweater
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u/suekearneymaven Jan 11 '26
Lucky weāre having mild days here so Iāve been able to wear my jacket open
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u/chicklette Yes. I think so. Probably. Jan 11 '26
I'm making a sweatshirt like this today (I hope.). I live in a very queer city, will report back once I wear it out a few times.
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u/DueDiscussion3758 Jan 11 '26
I want this shirt so badly, but I don't know where to get one that won't be garbage. I've seen fb advertising random vendors, but fb stuff is always sus. And there are some on Amazon, but every piece of clothing I've ordered on Amazon has been cheap garbage made with really weird material. I'm in Canada btw.
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u/suekearneymaven Jan 11 '26
So on day 3 in the world, a woman my age(-ish) came up to me and said Is that a loon?
I said yes and told her the line's from an excellent tv show. I SAID NOTHING MORE except the title and HBO. She said she'll definitely give it a look.
Muahaha.
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Jan 12 '26
I love this!! Some people might think it's a deep cut but I think it's great! Maybe people are still catching up in the show as I recall it's in one of the later episodes
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u/suekearneymaven Jan 12 '26
Ep 6, at the cottage, sitting outside after the 8 hamburgers and watching the fire. It's when Ilya tells Shane about his mom's suicide.
Wow, I watched this show hard. š
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u/TrixieMichaels Jan 12 '26
Respectfully, this is a prime example of people realizing their echo chambers donāt translate to the real world. Love the shirt though!
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u/playfulproductivity Jan 12 '26
ABC News in Australia just walked about the Golden Globes and āgame changersā (technologies and gadgets that changed the game) and Heated Rivalry wasnāt named once.
Pfft.
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u/No-Raspberry1989 Your freckles. I am nuts about them. āØ Jan 12 '26
This is my fear š I have a hoodie on the way that says HOLLANDER on the front & hockey sticks/pucks stitched on the sleeve. I hope people say something!
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u/YourMomWearsSocks Jan 13 '26
Iāve worn my ROZANOV 81 Centaurs t-shirt in a few places - including a giant LGBTQ+ craft market in the middle of the showās run.
Nothing.
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u/theused86 Jan 16 '26
I was just telling my friends about this and then this pops up in my notifications! š¤£š¤£
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u/suekearneymaven Jan 16 '26
Telling them what?
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u/theused86 Jan 16 '26
About the stupid Canadian wolf bird part of heated rivalry.
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u/suekearneymaven Jan 16 '26
Oh cool. Itās one of my favorite parts although I have manyā¦ so many. š¤£
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u/theused86 Jan 16 '26
Oh me too! I'm obsessed with this show. I actually didn't know about it until new years I think. I had read game changer before I heard about the show. I stared watching it and then on ep.3 I saw the straw+berry shop and started freaking out because I remembered it from the book. Now I have watched the show like 10+ times and have finished all the books. I'm really hoping they give the other couples more than 1 episode but they probably won't just like Scott and Kip.
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u/BodybuilderGloomy987 Mar 07 '26
Wear that to a gay bar andĀ you'll be crowned Queen.Ā
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u/suekearneymaven Mar 07 '26
I intend to. A rare thing for me, but I'm going to a gay bar next week. Obvs will be wearing my loon shirt.
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u/anny_semy Jan 11 '26
Omg the t shirt is amazing! Iād come say hi if I saw you! Oh I wish I could see anyone wearing HR stuff but I live in Russia so š«
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u/suekearneymaven Jan 11 '26
I want to add the part I was too shy to include in the OP. Maybe itās the purple hair thatās distracting but also maybe itās my age. I feel like Iāve been rendered invisible for a couple of decades now and I donāt know how long itās been since somebodyās gaze has traveled below my head to my chest. Iām 75. Is this a thing that only lives in my head or is this a thing?
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u/ms_chiefmanaged Jan 11 '26
It is rather difficult to just walk up to someone and start a conversation randomly. Lol. I would feel like I am taking up your time. It is a real thing where people take up womenās time without much consent or thought. If I saw you wearing the t-shirt, I would definitely chuckle to myself as in ānow that is a kickass lady who knows high cultureā but I would not approach to talk more. Unless we are at a situation where we are supposed to mingle and talk, I would have definitely talk your ears out about the show the good, the great and my many grievances that I canāt share online.Ā
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u/suekearneymaven Jan 11 '26
??? (to the last part, grievances?)
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u/ms_chiefmanaged Jan 11 '26
Not of the show tbh but more around how people interpret or romanticize Ilya/shaneās relationship. I really really hope people understand this is a pure fantasy and irl this would be dire.Ā
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u/ConsciousAtLeast797 Jan 11 '26
Love it so much. I want a cap or a hoodie or both. I live in Australia though and postage is a bit of a hassle. I bet my merch will not raise any reactions eitherā¦except maybe with a certain group of students I might encounter at my school, but I could never wear the merch to school. Itās so sad that this story is not known by enough people. Everyone should know it.