'White Lotus' Hunk Lukas Gage Wants to Normalize Rimming

One of the funniest moments on television last year occurred on HBO Max's "The White Lotus," when Armond (Murray Bartlett) and Dillon (Lukas Gage) were interrupted while rimming. In the scene they are caught in flagrante delicto with Bartlett's head deep within Gage's butt cheeks.

At the time Bartlett told Digital Spy the scene was meant to shock, in part because rimming is not part of the lexicon of sexual acts seen on screen.

"In the context of this scene, we wanted to be shocking, and, you know, it is shocking," Bartlett told Digital Spy.

"But I also love that it's not something that we see very often. In terms of the function of the scene, I think the shock value of that for people who are not used to that kind of... configuration of intimacy [laughs], is really brilliant."

He continued: "It felt right in terms of the shock value. And it felt great in terms of: 'Let's show something that is a natural part of sex for a lot of queer people.' "

You can watch the moment at "The Sword."

Gage expressed his agreement on "Watch What Happens Live" on Sunday night, explaining to host Andy Cohen that it was his idea to include what he called "salad tossing" in the episode.

"Lukas, CBC wants to know how awkward it was filming the salad tossing scene in 'White Lotus?' Did you exfoliate or manscape any differently to prepare?" asked Cohen.

"As a blond, a natural blond, I'm naturally a little smoother. So no exfoliate, or a little exfoliating was needed, but no trimming or no waxing."

"That's so specific," quipped Cohen. "And was the rimming, did you tell me, was that your idea?"

"It was my idea," Gage responded. "Yeah, I thought we should normalize rimming.... I think that, like, ass eating needs to be talked about more. In the script it was sex, and I – we've seen sex on TV, let's have some ass eating."

Prior to the episode being aired, Gage told AV Club: "I can't wait for my ass to get retweeted all over the Internet."

He also posted an IG of a photo of himself and Bartlett with the caption: "watch my ass on @thewhitelotus tonight," dated August 1, the night the episode aired.

"Me and Murray actually came up with idea of the ass eating because we've seen sex so many times, but how many times have we seen someone getting their salad tossed?" Gage told Bustle.

"The scene was filmed with an intimacy coordinator on set," wrote Men's Health, "and Gage had nothing but positive things to say about the experience and Bartlett as a scene partner, calling him 'one of the most talented, sweetest, kindest humans and actors in the world.' "

As for his personal life, the website TV Over Mind wrote: "It's not often he shares too much of what he's up to in his life. He's got a lot going on, and he shares some travel shots, but he's not sharing too much of his personal life. He doesn't share much about his love life, his personal life, or what he's up to otherwise."

Check out these pics from his IG: