Jill Biden Bid $35K To Appear on This Popular TV Show: ‘Worth a Shot'
Dr. Jill Biden is such a big fan of queer hockey series Heated Rivalry that she tried to get herself a walk-on role in the show.
At the NYC LGBT Community Center's Center Dinner, the former first lady took part in a live charity auction, bidding $35,000 for the chance to appear on the show's upcoming second season.
After the event, Biden publicly acknowledged the loss-and the cause-on social media, posting that, while she “won't be heading to the cottage after all,” the night was still “worth a shot” in support of the LGBT Community Center.
Why It Matters
The 2025 series Heated Rivalry quickly became a cultural moment following its release last year.
Meanwhile, the New York Center Dinner is one of the LGBT Community Center's most-significant annual fundraisers, bringing together donors, creatives and allies from across entertainment, fashion and politics.
Biden's interest in the show has gained particular interest because of the mix of cultural moment and a prominent figure.
What To Know
Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney and producing partner Brendan Brady were honored at the event with the Cultural Impact Award for their work on the series. The award was presented by Rachel Reid, author of the Game Changers book series on which the show is based.
Center CEO Dr. Carla Smith praised the creators ahead of the event, saying the series has “elevated and centered queer characters as fully realized leads whose desires, conflicts and tenderness are treated with dignity.”
Other honorees included Brooks Brothers CEO Ken Ohashi, with a musical performance from Melanie C of the Spice Girls.
While the former first lady confirmed that she had bid on the opportunity to appear in the second season of the Heated Rivalry series, the package ending up selling twice to two bidders at $125,000 each.
In a post on X on April 17, Biden wrote: “Guess I won't be heading to the cottage after all-but it was worth a shot! What a wonderful evening supporting @LGBTCenterNYC.”
The post gained more than 430,000 views and prompted responses including: “Guess we'll have to start a petition for a special guest appearance anyway!”
Another X user wrote: “You're an icon for this.”
What Happens Next
While Biden won't be making a cameo appearance, season 2 of Heated Rivalry will adapt Reid's novel The Long Game and is expected to premiere on HBO Max in April 2027.
Filming is set to begin this summer, with lead actors Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams returning, alongside an expanded ensemble cast.
Newsweek's reporters and editors used Martyn, our Al assistant, to help produce this story. Learn more about Martyn.
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This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 5:38 AM.