Access Hollywood Wants to Know: Will Gay Romance Hurt Scandal's Ratings?

While gay sex is missing on most of television, Scandal continues pushing the envelope and getting attention.

Access Hollywood did a series of interviews about whether an intimate scene went too far on this week's episode involving the gay chief of staff and a professional sex worker. We won't give away what happens (check out this recap if you really want to know).

Host Billy Bush admired the show's creator, Shonda Rhimes, for being fearless in portraying same-sex relationships consistently with the way she would straight ones. But he also is curious if it will come with consequences.

"If you look at Scandal fans in the Bible Belt, or wherever else, or hardcore conservatives, they're going to recoil at that right there," predicted Bush. "It will be interesting to see what the ratings are next week."

Watch clips from the scene below and the report from Access Hollywood: