Kameron Martinez of “America’s Got Talent” and Emilio Botello of Netflix’s “Sugar Rush” barely spoke when they first met — but their second meeting ended with a kiss.
Kameron Ross Martinez remembers being “completely uninterested” when first meeting Emilio Angel Botello at a Labor Day pool party in Dallas in 2019, hosted by Justin Johnson — better known as drag performer Alyssa Edwards from “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
“Lio was there with his ex biz partner who was also his ex — it was like a hi-bye kind of thing,” Mr. Martinez recalled.
Mr. Martinez, a longtime friend of Mr. Johnson, had attended many parties hosted by Alyssa Edwards. Mr. Botello, who goes by Lio, was new to the scene, having met Mr. Johnson after appearing on the Netflix baking competition show “Sugar Rush” in 2019.
Mr. Johnson had asked Mr. Botello to make desserts for the Labor Day party and invited him to attend as well.
About a month after the party, on Oct. 13, 2019, Mr. Botello, 36, and Mr. Martinez, 35, crossed paths again. Mr. Martinez was out with Mr. Johnson at Station 4, a gay club in Dallas.
This time there was a strong interest for both of them. “If people could have heart eyes, Kam had them,” Mr. Botello said. “It was the strangest shift of energy. So, it was my turn to act a little cool about it.”
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