Harry Styles shares gay kiss with SNL star in wild opening monologue as he addresses ‘queerbaiting’ claims

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Harry Styles sparked a huge reaction from fans when he shared a kiss with Saturday Night Live cast member Ben Marshall during his opening segment on the show.

Ugh, can you BELIEVE it? He’s being attacked again! It’s just ridiculous. People are actually criticizing him for, like, being too accepting and playful with gender expression, and for giving a nuanced performance as a gay character! They’re calling it ‘queerbaiting’ just because he doesn’t feel the need to label everything about his personal life. Honestly, it’s infuriating! He’s just being himself, and they’re trying to tear him down for it. It’s like they want him to fit into a box, and he refuses! It’s so frustrating to watch him constantly defend himself against these ridiculous accusations.

Queerbaiting is a marketing tactic where creators suggest a romantic relationship between characters of the same sex, but never actually confirm it. This is done to attract LGBTQ+ viewers without alienating audiences who might be prejudiced against same-sex relationships.

The pop star, 32, directly addressed the claims while hosting the show this weekend, and also reminisced about when he hosted in 2019.

He recalled that people used to focus a lot on his outfits and even accused him of ‘queerbaiting.’ Then, with a dramatic flourish, he asked his dad, ‘Did it ever cross your mind that you might not know everything about me?’

He concluded his speech by kissing Marshall, then looked directly at the camera and playfully announced, ‘That’s what you call queerbaiting.’

The kiss happened after a playful conversation about Liam Payne’s new album, titled ‘Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.’

I was absolutely cracking up when he said he ‘loved’ the title, especially when he followed it up with ‘What’s better than kissing all the time?’ It was such a silly, sweet thing to say! Honestly, I was as excited as Chloe Fineman when she practically jumped onto the stage hoping he was talking about her!

Okay, so he said he doesn’t want to kiss all the time! I know, I know, it sounds awful, but honestly, he said it like it was nothing! Poor Sarah Fineman just completely deflated right there – she looked so heartbroken when he just… brushed her off. It was like she asked for the moon and he offered her… nothing. I’m still reeling, honestly. He’s perfect, even when he’s unintentionally crushing someone’s soul!

Harry Styles mentioned that kissing can be wonderful, and then his co-star, Sarah Sherman, came onstage. However, she quickly became embarrassed when Styles added that it’s only great if both people are skilled and kind.

After mentioning a flattering physique, Ben Marshall walked onto the stage, where Styles playfully asked him, “What are you doing here?”

Marshall playfully asked Styles, “You called it a ‘tight little bum,’ so where’s my kiss?” Styles responded with a laugh, “Come on, Ben, that’s no small asset. You’ve got a lot to carry back there!”

Marshall stated a fact, and Styles playfully replied, ‘Whatever,’ before pulling him close for a kiss that sent the crowd into a frenzy.

People watching at home loved it too, immediately heading to X, previously known as Twitter, to share their excited reactions, often using phrases like ‘Y’ALL. IM SCREAMING,’ along with crying emojis.

Someone celebrated quickly shutting down people they accused of ‘queerbaiting,’ while another joked that Ben Marshall will definitely find himself a handsome boyfriend to kiss.

One fan expressed disbelief that the topic of ‘queerbaiting’ came up, while another excitedly pointed out, ‘Ben kissed Harry – how many people can actually say that?!’

Fans were shocked and excited, reacting to a kiss between Harry Styles and Ben Marshall with comments like ‘Did they just kiss?’ and ‘I wish that was me!’

That night, Styles had a busy job – he was both hosting and performing as the musical guest, and he played his new song, ‘Dance No More’.

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2026-03-15 14:48