At Hollywood Life’s Young Hollywood Awards last week you could try the always fun one degree of separation from Miley Cyrus game. Want to play? A few of M.C.’s fellas were in attendance. There was current BF Liam Hemsworth and ex-BF Nick Jonas, who each received awards. And then there was also presenter and Cyrus grind partner Adam Shankman or “one half of America’s famous dance duo” as host Mario Lopez put it.

Although Liam and Nick didn’t interact at the ceremony, they each gave Miles a special shout-out in their own right…

Yummo Liam, who received the Young Hollywood Breakthrough Award, made sure to thank his “beautiful girlfriend” during his acceptance speech. There was lots of oohing and awwing from the crowd, but we don’t think it was coming from the Jonas section.

When we caught up with Nick, who won the Young Hollywood Award for Artist of the Year, we just had to get his thoughts on “the new Miley.” She’s got her sexy new video and certainly is successfully distancing herself from the Hannah Montana image she has publicly professed she’s dying to shed.

Nick’s response was brief, but kind of amazing:

“She’s a good friend. So…ya, that’s what’s important.”

Ummm, in other words, you’ll support your one true love no matter how much more risqué she gets? Somehow we doubt that’s what he meant but we Niley lovers can only dream. Right?

Really though, the response seemed just a tad more passive aggressive than anything when the youngest and cutest JoBro matter-of-factly chimed in.

Wonder what the underlying tension is there… We could only hope sexual (just kidding), but really, something’s up with the hot-and-cold couple of good buds.