Heated Rivalry and Cool Media Training

February 2026

Media Training for the Best Version of Yourself

Courtesy HBO Max/Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, stars of Heated Rivalry

If you’re a human on the internet, you’ve heard of the Canadian hockey show that’s become a worldwide phenomenon: Heated Rivalry. The show follows two rising hockey stars, played by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, as they launch a steamy affair that becomes a tender romance.

HudCon — as the two are lovingly called by fans — have taken over the internet during the show’s media push, with Hudson’s penchant for raunchy soundbites powering several viral videos. A recent Teen Vogue interview featured the duo reading fan tweets to each other, with one post begging Hudson to “never get media training.” Hudson confirmed that he has been media trained, debunking the idea that actors who are authentic in interviews can’t have been coached. But every PR pro knows that effective media training allows the spokesperson to be themselves — not a robot regurgitating the same talking points.

In nonprofit public relations, knowing how clients speak is just as important as what they say. We help our clients convey their message without sacrificing their personality, highlighting the humanity behind their organizations.

Authenticity in Action

Courtesy American Brain Foundation/Michelle Heritage

Relatability is a core tenet of Momentum’s media relations strategy for the CEO of the American Brain Foundation, Michelle Heritage, who has a brain condition herself. She is game to share this personal connection to her organization, which funds brain research, in interviews and opinion pieces. Her most recent op-ed that was published in USA Today leads with it:

“If not for years of brain research, I would be living in unending, unremitting pain. My head would be twisted to one side, and I’d cope as best I could with a diet of old-timey muscle relaxants and painkillers. Some muscles would atrophy, while others would become abnormally large. But brain research permits me to live with my cervical dystonia, a relatively rare brain condition, with no pain.”

Any good media relations agency working in nonprofit public relations will stress the importance of being true to yourself when speaking with reporters — or writing a thought leadership piece. Here, Michelle used quotable language to connect to the audience reading her piece.

Credit: New York 1/Greg Silverman

Greg Silverman, CEO of the West Side Campaign Against Hunger, talks smartly and sharply about food insecurity. Whether he’s unpacking SNAP policy to reporters or advocating for a more robust safety net on air, Greg’s got a rare mix of clarity and message discipline and always brings punchy sound bites to the table.

Even so, media training has helped him go further, by tightening his storytelling for different outlets, sharpening his TV-ready catch phrases and refining his approach to emphasize audience-first messaging.

Credit: Fox 5 NY/Lisa Gitelson

Earned media for a summer camp can be challenging to secure when it is the dead of winter. So Momentum’s media relations strategy for getting Lisa Gitelson, CEO of The Fresh Air Fund, on Good Day New York, banked on three concepts. First was connecting The Fund to something a lot of New Yorkers relate to — being stuck inside when the elements aren’t cooperating.

Second was connecting to a newsworthy topic — steering clear of too much screen time. Third — pitching an activity for anchors to do with our client during the segment in the studio. Momentum’s media training for Lisa helped her get talking points across while doing the activities. She organically shared information about The Fresh Air Fund’s camps, volunteer opportunities, year-round programming and ways to get involved, all while engaging with the anchors and decorating a cookie.

Be Prepared

Media training doesn’t tell you what to say as much as it offers guidance on how to say it. Senior Editor & Strategist Andrew Smith has seen how effective media training works on both sides of the interview. Here’s why he strongly recommends it:

People facing a reporter’s microphone should be prepared on not just what to say, but how to say it. They should know how to dress and how to act. A good reporter is as much an observer as a listener, and will pay attention to a lot of things about you in addition to the words you say. They’ll be observing:

  • Tone of voice
  • Facial expressions
  • Reliance on notes
  • Fidgeting, sweating or stammering

Reporters will then feel free to use those observations in a story if necessary. Most people are not naturals at answering questions with the goal of telling their own story. Media training as practiced in nonprofit public relations aims to help potential news subjects handle unexpected or difficult questions, talk about crises, handle themselves at an event and speak humanly and authoritatively.

Read more about Andrew’s experiences here.