Jonathan and Jaymes are back from celebrating Pride abroad and talking to listeners on live calls. They answer listener questions and hear listener stories of pride and coming out.
There’s inspiration, laughs, and even tips on love and relationships. Everyone’s individual and personal narratives together paint a prideful picture of how far we’ve come! This episode has enough love to travel the world 10 times over! It’s truly a worldwide collaboration of pride!
This is Pridecast with Jonathan Bennett James on I Heart Radio. What's up, everybody, Welcome to a new episode of Pridecast with your host me, Jonathan Bennett. And I'm sorry about this energy level. My husband, the one and only sexy James Vaughan. Well, you know, it's the end of Pride your home from a long vacation. By the way, I forgot to say, podcast is a place where you can celebrate love, laughter, and hopefully get a little bit of inspiration and a reminder to be proud of who you are. We say that every time I love a tagline. We say that every time. Baby, I'm doing so well because we just got back from our long trip to Lisbon. And Lisbon did I say Lisbon? Baby? Is there no d on the world over here? Bennett? Okay, first off, you have all this ergy because you got back several days ago. I just got back, so I am quite the jet twenty hour flight and he got off the flight and he looked so hot. I was like, how does my husband get off of a plane for twenty hours and looked like absolute just sexiness. Well, thank you, big, I think you just missed me, is what I think. It was. But the cool thing was I got to experience Lisbon Pride. How was it, babe? I didn't get to without the d Lisbon, Portugal. Yes, very good. How was it you, Karmen san Diego. Tell me. So we were out there with our travel company, Outbound. We were doing our inaugural cruise. If you want to know more information Outbound, go to I am outbound dot com. Always plugging the business. Don't want to relax. Just just just let him enjoy it, Okay, go ahead. So we were out there and the last part of the trip was Lisbon Pride. But because my husband had to come back to get ready for his homework movie he's going off to film, he left before we got to Lisbon Pride. So I got to experience and it's the first Pride back since the pandemic. And it's really cool when you go to these international prides because they're different, they're different than the prides were used to in America. Well, first off, there's is I think we're getting there in America. I think we're remembering that, you know, pride started as a protest and people are remembering to kind of do that more in the States too, that we are continuing to still fight, but they they really really have a grasp on that, I think in a lot of these European countries especially. And we were there right as they announced what happened with the craziness here with Row versus Wade, and there were so many little pop up moments on stage of just protest and speaking out and taking a stand. But what was very cool about Lisbon Pride, or maybe I'm just that old now, there was a lot of younger people there, so I got to see a lot of like the younger kids, which always gives you hope when you see the next generation showing up and turning out. So after Jonathan left, my friend Jeremy was with me. Onto Jeremy, what's up, and we were we were going out and experienced Lisbon and so we were really excited because they didn't realize they had ball culture there and so they had one of the houses perform, And that speaks to the other thing I was gonna say about Lisbon Pride was so beautifully diverse because there were so many people from all over the world there, but this house performed and they performed on stage for like forty five minutes, and they must have done like one thousand sixty two death drops, dips, she blams, whatever vocabulary you use on it, and it was it was. It was wild, baby, it was just it was honest. When you say it was a ball, well yes, but babies. Yes, the whole thing was just absolutely but it was shoulder to shoulder packed. It was. It was just Pride is back. Like Pride is back. It's in full business. And um, Lisbon was cool because it's like I didn't speak the language, but I still feel like I understood everything that was going on because pride is what universal. We didn't practice that, We just came up with that. I don't, well, do you know what you missed while you were at Lisbon? Pride? The dog got a haircut. I know, he looks very handsome. Dog are cut and I did laundry. Thank you for doing that. I got us already for everything. Are they texting us for you to go? And I'm just reading our producers. So sometimes when we're doing our show, producers text text us what's going on while they're listening. So I'm just reading one of the text and they just saying, we've got some callers. That's what we're doing. We got colors. We're doing a live show. We've never done this before, but I just wanted to say that Pridecast, because of all the support of everyone, podcast is the number one podcast in the entire world. It is literally the best podcast ever made, says my aunt Lorie. But I also believe that to be true as well. So it's cool to say that. We can say we're the number one podcast in the world, thinks aunt Lorie. Because she said that, So because she said it, I can say it. So we want to get all the callers and all the people that listen to us, all of you listeners who are become such of our part of our podcast family. We want to talk to you and figure out what we get. A lot of people that will message us to say, hey, it's really cool, did you have to talk? We would talk if you talk to some people that weren't celabs, And I was like, that's a really good idea, because if we're trying to share these stories of inspiration and have a place where boys included, let's do it. So that is what today is all about. Today is about having podcast listeners call in and joined the conversation, and we're also celebrating the fact that my botox has finally taken effect, and that moment when it freezes and you feel it freeze and you know that you're going to be good for the next six months. What a relief. This is my husband. Every time before he goes to start a movie, he has this fit about like spot on his right change you just let's get to our collars everybody single time. So please, when you see him in his next movie, say WoT I can't who's on the line? So how do we do this? We take a color well, you know we should do baby, but let's cut the commercial. We'll find out how it works, and then we'll come right back and we'll start talking to our podcast like I can't wait. Hey, it's Daniel Fisher, Wilfrid and Right or Strong. But you may know us as Tapanga, Eric and Sean from the t G I. F. Staple Boy meets World. What are we all doing together as adults in two acting so carefree and hilarious. Well, we started a podcast called pod Meets World where the three of us are going to sit down almost thirty years later, to watch every episode of the show and talk about what we remember and what we don't. None of us have seen an episode since it aired back in the nineties, So we'll be witnessing our middle part haircuts, potted t shirts, and teenage overacting for basically the first time right along with you, and we'll be joined by guests from Boy Meets World like Bill Daniels, Trina McGee, Matthew Lawrence, and our beloved Nagas Leonora from the Maigborly advice of Mr Feenie who plays with squirrels to cutting my hair on TV for the very first time to that time I joined A colts will break down the good, the bad, and the nostalgic ugly, So be sure to subscribe to Pod meets World on the I Heart radio app, Apple podcasts, or anywhere where you listen to podcasts. Welcome back to Pridecast, the live edition, the Live call edition. This is our live color episode. Alright, let's take our first time caller longtime listener who is Oh my gosh, let's just jump into these thebody can hear us. But who's the first caller this patched through the week. Do we have on the line. This is Kyle from Chicago. Kyle from Chicago, longtime listener first time caller. Welcome to the show. Wait, I know this voice though right away. This is one of our friends that was actually just on the trip in Portugal with us. Kyle, what's going on? I know you're gonna call hello. Yeah, just just so little jetlag. Um. And I was listening to the podcast and I was shamed for missing the excursion to send my actions and then also, okay, wait, talk about it, yeah, because because did If you didn't hear last week's episode, we did it from the ship as we were cruising through Portugal and Spain, and so we did the first part with a live audience of our outboundaries that were on board, and so we're talking a little bit about the trip and UM, no an excursion. But now, in my defense, Kyle, I thought you were in the room when I said it, and if you hear on podcast, I kind of drop off afterwards, and I thought I was shading you in person, and then when I realized you weren't there, I just kind of like sunk back and let Jonathan start talking. So, why did you miss the excursion? Tell us about it? And what excursion was this? I couldn't tell you what excursion it was. Um, but I can tell you that the night before was Wiggs and Wine night. Tell us about wigs and wine night? What was it? I didn't I didn't actually go. I didn't go. I didn't go. My sister Ariel went Kyle a great time. She had so much fun at Wiggs and Wine night as Ariel that she just couldn't link up to go to the excursion the next day. Rush didn't set her alarm. Okay, you know what that happens when when the wigs come out, everything goes crazy. So I totally I understand James went as Kyle. Can you tell all of our listeners about what James looked like running around the boat in a wig? To hang on? Before any of y'all shade me from my appearance, I want you to know we talked with us a little last week shading you were hitting you. If I had a butt like that, I'd wear that as well. Liberating it was to throw. I know I wasn't pretty, you guys, because I had learned that, like in Drag, I'm not pretty. I tried that before, so I found like a different version. I kind of like it was my own kind of like redneck woman, if you will Messica Simpson and U Mesica Simpson to have the wig and the outfit, like you can tell me nothing. I was strutting up and down him hallway. So go on, Kyle to tell m you go for it. Tell him by my look. Well mind you that James also wore the tube top as a headband the night before, right, so it was a little stretched out, right, it was a little stretched out. Um no shoes, which makes sense, I mean James and in high heels is he literally would have hit his head. I can't walk on beals, and so that's why I did barefoot. But what you're saying is she was beautiful. And I'm telling you, if you've never thrown on any any type of moment, to allow yourself to just bend gender a little or a lot, it's actually really liberating and it's really fun. And trust me, I will be doing it again and probably to a much more, hopefully glamorous level. Please don't because I like your country bumpkin. It's so bad, it's good. And also, Kyle, can we talk about what is but looked like in the gene shorts unbelievable? Well, thank you, I appreciate you were it was literally the Hints podcast, we're talking about your butt. Okay, let's before let's just transition and Kyle, we we ask all of ours so loves when they come on here, what their favorite part of being a member of the LGBTs community is. What's your favorite what's your favorite what's your favorite part about being gay? My favorite part about being gay is the power to change the narrative, uh, and to really think about like where we are uncomfortable in the past, or where we were challenged in the past. Um. And as we get older and kind of grow into our authentic selves, we get to really challenge that narrative and be like, was that really how it was? Or was that just how I was feeling at the moment. So I think that's my favorite part about being gay, is that I have this power now to change the narrative. Um and my children family helped me do that. I mean, get out of my comfort zone. That's my Kyle, listen, Thanks that that's the beautiful answer. Thanks for jumping on to explain your absence. All you missed the next day was the most beautiful view of the Durau River ever imaginable. So I'll send your pictures Kyle. We love you, buddy. We love you, Kyle. I love you so much. I'm so proud of you. Guys. Keep doing what you're doing and I'll see you soon, okay, because I can read it from my producers and Jonathan Camp. Up next, we have Angelo from Tampa. Angelo, Angelo, Hey buddy, what's up? Happy Pride? Angelo, Pride Angelo the Fan Angelo, Happy Pride, Guys, what's going on in Tampa? Pride? We had just had a big Pride over in St. Petersburg this weekend. How abood people show up? It was? It was phenomenal. It was phenomenal. St. Pete the biggest umach exactly. Oh my gosh. Where was it on that main street there by? What's the really cool club that we went to? Uh, the cocktails on It's on Central Avenue, like the main gay drag there by. Content yep, Oh my gosh. I love that. We were just there. We were just there with Eileen with our favorite ye are lesbian moms that lived there. We just went to St. Petersburg and we got to explore gay gay and St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg is very gay. It's amazing. Oh yeah, very very gay. Oh yeah. From St. Petersburg is fantastically gay. That's it's like gay cap of except for Key West and Florida. Oh my gosh, we loved it. I was like I had to, you know, maybe next year you guys are coming to be the Grand Marshals. That would be fantastic. Oh my gosh, babe, can you imagine if we were Grand Marshals? All I want to do I want to be on a float in a parade. That's like a dream. I can't. I want to do it so bad. Wait, Angelo, what was the vibe for Pride? Like there? What was the what was the energy? Like? It was like it was really high octane. I mean, everybody was just loving everybody. We really had no issues at all. There was hardly any protests this year. Yeah, don't forget. You know, we had this is the first prode in two years. Here we go out the COVID. So, like I said, we had about fifty thousand people show up for the night parade, which was awesome because you know, it was so hot here, kind of like in Palm Springs. You know, it was like ninety eight degrees, but you know, you you know, but the problem is the humidity is like nine percent also, but it was it was phenomenal. It was phenomenal. People just everybody was partying like it was the last Pride of history or something. It was amazing. There's something so fun about pride to just like you're all in that mindset and it's like running around shot shouting happy pride to people. Like it's so much better than like a happy New Year or a happy birthday? Are happy anything? Like? I just I love the camaraderie of pride and and I'm so glad it's back and we're doing it. I'm thrilled, Angelo, Angelo, Can I ask a question, how old are you? And you can say your real age or your fake age whatever you want. Now, I'll tell you my I'll tell you my real age. I'm sixty eight years old, Okay, sixty eight years old. So for you, for you, Angelo, Pride has probably evolved in these different cities in so many ways. Can you think back, Angelo, to the first Pride you ever went to and where it was? Yep, what was it part going to? Like? Back in um, I was in New York. I'm from New York originally, so it was it was in New York. I think it was nineteen seventy eight or seventy nine. And it meant it was so much different than it was more of a protest than it was a party, you know, I mean people are partying. We had our floats with the naked men, and but it was a different vibe. It was all about you know, the free career. Get used to it. It was the fight. Yeah, it was a big It was a big fight. You know when I'm very lucky because my husband, you know, we've been together. It will be thirty years next year legally, man, we got legally married when it became legal, when the Supreme Courts legalized. But we've been together since nineteen thirty years. Do you hear that? All you have a little queer kids listening right now. Thirty year relationship. That's beautiful, Angelo, And it was. It was a relationship that was born in the middle of the fight when things weren't even lead, when it wasn't even legal yet. When when we were still in the middle of the fight, they decided did that, Hey, we're together and we're married, and that's such a beautiful thing. Was the middle of the fight. It was like, you know, it was the middle of the aids pandemic. You know people, but people have to understand out there is UM and I'll maybe I'll be totally honest. I'm I'm HIV positive. I have business. It's not you know. Just get healthy. I eat right. I exercise three times a week. You know, for sixty eight years old. I'm not bragging. I'm in fantastic shape. You know you have to you just have to do a life change. It's all inspirations for being gays. About is fighting and winning and thanks for coming on. Inspiring buddy. Quick questions, Yeah, what questions do you have? When? When are you going to um have the new three trips posted for out cash. I mean we're going to have those. Sorry about that. You got a baby? You got baby? I don't. I'm gonna angelo. You know me, you're you're fans of the show. You we've we've become part you know of your life. Now, you know me. I'm gonna say the wrong facts. I'm going to say next week is that when it happens, actually baby, that is yes, July one, the first round of trips will be public July one, and there cast my husband and I I celebrating our thirty anniversary. We're gonna come on one of your trips next year. That's gonna be our thirty anniversary year. That's amazing. I would we would love that we had um, we had we had a thirty anniversary in this past Yeah. We just had a anniversary on the Dura River. Yeah. I love that we had a couple that was only had been together for fifty three years. That's really cool. It's a great place to celebrate your got a wrong baby, our producer, did you know? Just text us? July one is Friday, July one, Friday, Angelo, get them mother hot. The cabins are going. We got but we have some more calls and we want to make sure we get to everybody but Angelo real quick. Before you go, what's your what's your favorite part about being gay? My favorite part of being gaged the love you feel. I love this out there and being able to be your true self. That's right, baby, No better thing. Thank you so much for joining us. Well, we'll see you outbound. Okay, absolutely, thank you. Okay, let's see what's up. We love you too. Buddy. Ashley is up next from Peachtree City, and our our producer says, she just loves you guys. Ashley. So I met you guys at Christmas Contune, New Jersey, but I met James Spurs and I invited James to be in my photo with Jonathan, and he showed up one with one arm in the wheelchair. I'm the hot mess, honey, I'm the hot mess. Let's be honest. Okay, I'm the hot mess. But yes, I remember you from you wouldn't in my lap, Jonathan. You thought you were going to hurt me. And James is like, nope, I know what she wants. And he hopped on but he also has actually actually yes, he is a much weight, bubblier butt than I do, so it's more padding. I wanted that to be on you know. That was my gift to you. This is one of my favorite people. Your picture actual you. You gave us a photo of us and we still have it. We still have it. And I actually just got back to Rama Drama, and I know you guys are busy and on your cruise and everything, but I missed you guys so much there. It was amazing, But I'm like, who was it was? It like it was like Ryan Pavey. It was like Ryan Pavey, Tyler Hines, all those boys. It was just and you guys were in Florida, right, so it was like a battle of the abs, like everyone's just abs were like they're like like literally, Delta can't yet. It was hot, but it was awesome. Oh my gosh, Ashley, well we missed. We will be hopefully at the next one, but will be at all the Christmas ones coming up as usual. So wait, we gotta explain. It will be a new Jersey hopefully. I'm trying to do California. What is rama? Drama rama? It's it's like Christmas con without the Christmas. Yeah, it's just this con is the is the is like the biggest Christmas convention in the world. It's sponsored by That's for Entertainment and I think Hallmark sponsors it too, um And it's a convention for all the Christmas fans and all the people are in the Christmas movies to get together and like meet each other. And it's one of the most expiring things I've ever done, is go to Christmas con because you you get to meet the people that you make, that you make the movies for, and they like see how much these movies touch their hearts and how big of a part of their of the holiday season. These movies are for them and it's it's really special. Wait can I just because like Ashley, I just I think you're freaking awesome. And I there's a lot of people that like we breezed past it really fast. We like in twenty seconds, explain your story who you are, because I think people listening that would really help. I'm an arm and fut because doctor screw up and they thought I had cancer and appuciated my arm. But I have a rare condition. My muscles are literally turning to bone. I'm a human statue. I am pretty like ninety and mobile. I can't walk, I can't move. My parents like are my full time caregivers. Like I'm literally like laying in bed almost nine at a time because it's comfortable. So and there's nine in the world with this condition. And I'm the only imputee because doctor screwed up thinking I had cancer when I didn't. And so when we've met you, you're in a wheelchair and you are getting around in there, and like, I just god you, like you know, like when you meet people and they just have like a light You're one of those people. Um, I just I think you're so inspirational. What's your I'm giving your Instagram Go follow her, Go go follow her. One arm it's the number one arm bandit underscore flip flop. Yeah, I just I think you're awesome and I and we love you and we appreciate your support phenomenal. Know that you have all of our support all the time. I love you. Got her and I'm like, I will be in New Jersey as long as I was. I almost miss drama drama because I was in the hospital two weeks ago. I couldn't move, like my foot was numb. I was like scared, like I couldn't It was awful, Like I couldn't even get my wheelchair. Was that bad. But as long as i'm I'm good now and I'm medicine, I'm healing and I can fly okay, because I did do rama drama, But fingers crossed, I will be at New Jersey because I do not want to miss you guys again, laugh and smiles on everybody's faces because that's who you are. I love it. Alright, Ashley, we're good talking to you. We'll talk to you soon, you too, alright, James, who's up next? Up next? We are heading to Chicago. Let's go to Chicago, Wendy City. We're talking to Jabari. Hey, Jabari's up, say hi, Jabari Hey. Jonathan. Oh my gosh, this is just so unreal. I remember watching Mean Girls so many times? Was I in that? And yet pushed back? Thank you so much. That's that's what James says. That's what James says. What so back then, back then? Johnathan? Um, did you know you were gay? Back then when you were making that, like when you were in that movie? Great question. Um, yes, I knew I was gay. Since everyone says when did you know you were gay? And I said, when did you know you were straight? Because the same time that you knew you were straight was the same time as I knew I knew I was gay. Um, but I was just a different time in Hollywood, so I couldn't really like be myself. I couldn't be out. So I was a super queer, super super queer when I was shooting that movie. Um, super gay, but I but I just didn't. I couldn't tell anyone except like my close family and friends because it was just a different time. So you know, I had pressure from Yeah, it was a different time and now we're at a place where I get to be myself. And and you know you you were afraid if you if you came out, you would lose your jobs and you would never get hired again. But on the contrary, I came out, and what did I do when I came out. I it was the opposite. The opposite happened from what I thought was gonna happen. I thought when I came out publicly that my whole world was going to collapse. But if you're listening right now and you're thinking about coming out, don't know if you should, let me be the person to tell you right here, right now, in this moment, that when I came out, my whole life changed for the better. Instantly, everything everything flourished, and I got to fall in love with the love of my life. It was just everything changed. I got hired to play, I made history on Hallmark Channel by being the first same sex couple. Like, all the things happened, and it was just it was a flourish of of riches. So if you're thinking about it, do it on your time. But it really was great for me. Yeah, Jabari speaking of that, because we know what it's like for like an actor to do that. What was it like for you when when you came out? What did you find that was different in liberating for you? Hello? The fun of live shows. Next up, we have Katie from Franklin, Tennessee, because she's the only time I see. What's up, Katie, Katie to talk to you. It's so good to talk to you. What's it like in Tennessee right now? It's pretty warm, but it's really pretty. It is hot? Yes, Wait, real quick, where's Franklin? Because I know Morristown? Is that by Morristown? No, it's just south of Nashville, like twenty minutes south of now. Okay, yeah, I should just say I'm from Nashville. Make sure that way everybody knows what I'm talking about. Okay, tell us what you said. You have a question. Okay, so my question it's kind of off topic. But James, are you going to be doing any more music? Oh? My god, the question, James? Because because answer then? Um? Yeah, it's so baby, stop can you not he's mimicking me singing? Um, I don't know, because like it's weird. So let me just I'm gonna make this real short. But there's like a long story to it. So like twenty years ago, when I was trying to make it in the music industry, nobody would let me be out, and it was this terrible thing and it really like gave me a bad taste in my mouth for the music industry, and like to the point that I remember I was touring and like I went and dyed my hair black as like a protest to the label because if that was going to do something. But I, you know, I was just trying to like do anything, and no one would let me be myself. No one would let me be out. And then like ten years ago, I tried to do my own thing, and like it was just kind of like doing some like silly music with some friends to see if it became anything. And even then it was like I wasn't getting the support to be my authentic self and be out and be gay. Like I shot this music video and the and the people that we hired to do the video ended up but editing like the majority of the gay stuff out of it, and I was so mad and so like I've always had this thing, like it was such a battle too then like get to just beat myself and then now fast for to like I didn't even get back into music again into like I went to propose to Jonathan and I wrote that song for him because I was like, wait a minute, I forgot to have the skill set I should do this, and um it was the first time I got to authentically be me in music and I really loved it. Like I was saying a country love song to the man I was gonna propose to, you know, like that was really cool to get to do. So. Um, the I guess short answer to that, because I now went on the tangent would be I think I do like I think I want to do, but I want to do country and I still don't know if like country is ready for it. Um. Also like I'm a little I'm a little old for the industry now because you know, you've got to be like a spring chicken, like you know, in your twenties. But um, I do think that like in my future, like maybe this is the nudge I needed, Like I would like to do a little bit of music, um because like why not some some gay country love songs and iout some gay country breakup songs because you know, I could go back to my past and pull some inspiration there would it. Tie is a very good friend of ours. We loved Tie, and you know he has a new album coming out, right, Yes he does, Yes, he does. I might be saying something I'm not supposed to say and Tie. If I'm not supposed to say this and you listen to this, I'm so sorry. Standing in the Whiskey is a new song, and so we've heard all this new stuff, right, Yeah, it's one of my favorite country songs of all time. It's so good. It's like classic country with kind of like a pop So yeah, it's um, it's yeah, he's he's so he's doing it right. So hold, maybe I just called Tie and be like, hey, do you want let me do some music? But wait, we should have Tie on the podcast. What's it called Standing on the Whiskey? Is it out yet? No? Baby, that's what supposed to be saying. Oh is this a song that people know? It's the he's you've heard it. What I'm saying is like the name of it is out, like we're not doing anything, like we're not okay, it's okay, cool, it's it's it's it's is it not like a fantastic song because it's like it's traditional country, but then it's also updated. And then Jonathan is now playing a little great song I wrote for him off a spot of into the Microphone Days. I've been following you for years. I mean, I'm Clakers online. I have loved you since before I even knew about Jonathan. So that's how I came into this. I'm a James fan. Oh my gosh, Katie, Okay, I like it. I'm a James. I'm a James fan too, so please take him. I just adore you both so much, um my partnered. I just celebrate our twelve year anniversary the beginning. You guys are just you inspire me. I'm like, you guys are just so out and proud. I'm like, dang, I love your love and I want more James music. All right, I'm going to wait before before you go there, I want to ask you because twelve years, what's this? What's the secret to twelve years in a in a in a beautiful close relationship. What's the secret? Well? We laugh, We laughed a lot. It is never boring. We laugh a lot. And I think, honestly, for us, we have our own individual interests and she, my partner, is obsessed with great white sharks. Seriously, she goes once a year and twins with great white sharks' whereas me, I love boy bands, so I go see nu kids on the block all over. So she lets me go do my thing, and then he goes those first things and it's just it works. Well, that's kind of like us. I like to do anything that's fun and he doesn't. Yes, Jonathan David, don't act like you are all the fun in this relationship. And that's it. Hey, Katie, listen, adore you. I just have that. Jabari came back because he got cut off, so I want to get him before we go anywhere else. So, Katie, thank you so much, just so nice to talk to you. Lots of love to you and your girl. Thank you, Katie. All right, let's go back Jabari. We're gonna pretend like he like you didn't leave. We got you. Jabari's back. Yeah, I'm back. That just cut me off. That's okay, boy, have technical difficulties. It happens, live show. Anything can happen, Okay, Okay. So it's like you said back then, when you were in the movie, you you knew about your sexual orientation, right, and then you couldn't be out with your family and friends. Well I was out with my family and friends, just not publicly. So it was like I knew that if I came out publicly it would be career suicide because it was a different time, and that's what people would tell me, that that's what would happen. But then what happened was I came out, and when I came out publicly, all the things I thought that were going to be bad, we're actually amazing. Like I actually instead of my fear was that I, you know, wouldn't work again and wouldn't get jobs. In quite the contrary, when I came out, I got a whole slew of jobs, and I found love, and I released a ring, and I made history and I got nominated for Glad Awards. Right now, what was it like for you? Your journey? So, my journey. So I I'm a two thousands kids, So like back in third grade. I was in the third grade, like in the late two thousand. So, oh my god, did you just say you were in the wait? Are you? How old are you? I'm one going on, Oh my god, I've never felt so old in my life. Come on, come on, youth, let's go Okay. So yeah, I was in the third grade back in that school year, and I picked up this book that had unicorns in it because I was just like, you know what, this is one I want to read. And then the girl came up to be and she was like, ship, why are you gad? I was just like, what are you talking about? Now? I'm not, And she's just like, and why do you read those ponies books? I was just like, okay, well if I read them, so what's what's back to you? And secondly, a book that somebody reads is not determine their sexual orientation. Again, my rights are in my right. You are right, baby, keep keep reaching. Yeah. So back then I read that type of book because like, I just didn't care about what others thought. And when I got to the fifth grade two years later, I volunteered to do like a female part in like some book that we read, and they were just like, dude, I don't just like what I can play a female part if I want to check with your guys. Was opinion okay. Then it wasn't until like when I went then when I got to high school, there was this girl who was always asking me the same question hey, do you like girls? I don't, just like yeah. She chats on asking me that over and over, and then I started questioning myself do I like girls or do I like guy? And then when I got to tenth grade, then I was just like, Okay, yep, I like guy. And then that t grade hit. Yeah, tenth grade hits and you're like, oh, yep, definitely like guys. Uh huh yeah. And then I got to the eleventh grade and I was just out and proud that's right. And they were so how freeing is that when you finally have that moment when you're out. Yeah, it felt so good, Like I was a little nervous to do it at first, with then when I saw when people were like friendly with it, I was just like, Okay, this, I don't have to be shy about this anymore because the people that love you. Because if people that love you Jabari are gonna love you. And if if there's I would say, if there's anybody, you lose when you come out, they didn't really love you. They weren't there for you, and that's okay. That's okay to know that those people were seasonal and it's okay to let them go because now you're gonna have these people that you will meet and make genuine connections with because they're gonna know who you truly are and really love you for you. That's the beautiful thing. But Bari, I want to commend you for how brave you were to be yourself all along the way, for whether it was reading the My Little Pony books, which I loved, by the way, or whether it was you know, taking on that part of the of the female character. Like that's beautiful because you don't know who you inspired in those moments to be themselves, so that's inspirational to us. So thank you for sharing that with this, Jabari, we appreciate you calling Yesterbari. Thank you so much. Jobar. We're gonna go to commercial and we will be back. Well that was fun. I mean we've never done a live episode, but I think we want to do more of them. If you had a fun time today, go to our Instagram and comment let us know if you like this live episode, because we had a lot of fun doing that and getting to meet all of you that listen and support us. And if we didn't get to you today because we do have a time limit on this stuff, leave a message at that number, and we'll trying to pull some more of those in and then later episode. Yeah. Absolutely, And but before we go, since this is podcast, keeping with tradition, we have to know what happened this week in gay history, because in order for us to move forward, we always have to remember where we came from. So, James, what happened this week in gay history? Baby, this week in gay history, the most epic We're not gonna take it anymore happened. It's the week of stone Wall, Baby, it is the week of Stonewall, June nineteen sixty nine, those early morning hours when they say we have had enough, and those beautiful trans women of color started it and made it happen and pride was born. I mean, it's it's it's stone Wall Week. That's allot to celebrate. I could give you all the facts and figures on it, but you guys know Stonewall, You know exactly what it was about and how it turned into the next year being the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, which was that first pride and it got us to where we are now. I mean, without that, we weren't that podcast. Literally, it's in the name pridecast without stone Wall, without that iconic, amazing night where people finally stood up and started making change that has made our lives so much easier for us. Now, it's I mean, it's it's the It's the best gay history there is to me. I think this is the gay history week. So what happened in gay history? Gay history happened in gay history this week. And if you were listening and you do not know all the ins and outs of Stonewall and what happened, I'm constantly still learning to. I think it's just such an amazing thing for us as queer people to know. So make sure you educate yourself and celebrate those people that started it all this week. And also, James, let's shine our big gay spot they can we do all the work right now on this last part, Baby, let's shine our big gay spotlight on a member of the l g B t Q plus community that we think is doing extraordinary things. Who are you shining your big gay spotlight on this week? I was just talking to him on Instagram. I was trying to get him to jump on to be one of our callers, but we ran out of time. So I'm trying to talk about Charlie Sprinkman and give him my big gay spotlight this week, because here's what he did. If you know, when we travel, we're always like, where's the gay place? Like I wish we knew, like, where's the gay restaurant, where's the gay spot to go? And we just kind of look for the flag, right, and that's what we do because for the rainbow flag. Yes. Well, Charlie was like, wait a minute, this is weird that there's not one central place where we can just go to look and find out where all the lgbt Q plus owned businesses are. Right, So he created something that he has named Everywhere is Queer and it's a map that launched in January. It's got over nine hundred and fifty businesses on including florist, gym's, pizza joints, breweries, et cetera for every US state and people can add themselves on there. It's so they can say that this is a place, this is our place that's owned and operated by our community, is a place that's for our community. Is so smart. I think it's so cool that Charlie did it. You can actually follow on Instagram as where it's at. Everywhere is queer. He's got so much stuff on there. I just I just think it's it's so incredibly cool that Charlie did that. Charlie, thank you for being a trailblazer for the community. And please accept my big gay spotlight. All right, and that was our big gay spotlight for this week. Thank you guys so much for joining us to wrap it up like it's reading Rainbow every time, but always like that with that, but up up, and guys, just go out there and be super gay. We'll see you later. Letter