That time Zachary Quinto had a steamy gay sauna hookup on TV—before he was out
Zachary Quinto is one of our most prominent out gay leading Hollywood men. From the villain of Heroes to the heroic Mr. Spock in Star Trek to everything in between, he’s been one of our favorite LGBTQ+ stars to watch on stage and screen.But even before he was out, Quinto was still giving the gays everything they want.
Back in the 2000s, the actor nabbed one of his first series regular roles on the oft-forgotten meta-comedy So NoTORIous on VH1, which premiered its first episode 17 years ago this past weekend.For those who need a refresher, the peculiar stylization of the show’s title is due to the fact that it’s about the actress Tori Spelling, get it?
Or, rather, it’s about a lightly fictionalized, comedically exaggerated version of Tori Spelling.Much like in real-life, Tori is a “nepo baby” actress trying to live a life out of the tabloids and navigate a career out of the shadow of her über-successful TV producer father, Aaron Spelling (who largely goes unnamed in the series and is only ever heard, not seen).Weaving in and out of every episode is Tori’s close circle of friends, which includes Quinto’s character, Sasan, a bisexual Iranian-American man who’s out to everyone except his parents.In the second episode, Tori makes the shocking discovery that her new date (played by hunky Joe Manganiello) is part of a Scientology-like church cult, which he tries to lure her friends into.
While there, Sasan notices the church’s attempts to “turn” gay guys straight, recognizing a golden opportunity to score dates with some eligible bachelors. (The mid-2000s were a wild time!) The standout moment—and, honestly, the one moment you’ve probably seen online even if you’ve never watched any So NoTORIous—comes when Sasan sidles up next.
