THE Podcast
This podcast features “coming out” stories and more, from members of our greater LGBTQI+ community including some of our documentary film’s participants—diverse in background, spanning generations—in an aim to document and preserve an oral history that reinforces and celebrates our strength, brilliance, vision and evolution. Read more
This podcast is recorded at the Newsstand Studios at 1 Rockefeller Center in NYC.
Season 3
July 10th, 2024
SARA ELISE is a multidisciplinary creative, splitting her time between Brooklyn and The Catskills, New York. She works primarily in the hospitality, well-being, and food industries and is the co-founder and designer of Apogeo Guest House, a boutique hotel concept space in Nicaragua that centers QTPOC, as well as the founder of Harvest & Revel, a NY-based sustainable event catering + design company.
She is the author of A Recipe for More, her debut book released with Harper Collins in May 2023.
Sara Elise has been featured in Dazed, Autostraddle, Playboy, Interview Mag, Essence, Afropunk, mindbodygreen, Bon Appetit and Healthy-ish, Well + Good, Nylon, StyleLikeU, and them, among other publications. And was named one of BK Magazine’s 50 Most Fascinating People in 2022.
She has been invited to speak and host workshops at places like Brown University and Squarespace and has modeled for brands like Sephora, Mercedes Benz, Bombas, Instagram, MCM, AG Jeans, Madewell and more.
As an autistic Black & Indigenous femme, she spends much of her thoughtspace contemplating pleasure + pain, collective joy + healing, otherness, embodiment, remembering + reclaiming, self-destruction, and growth— and how inextricably those concepts are linked. To that end, Sara Elise has deep interests in ritualization, BDSM, relationship dynamics, and the development of decolonized personal awareness and well-being.
With all of her work, she aims to challenge our collective reality by first reimagining and then creating alternative systems and spaces for Black & Indigenous people of color and LGBTQIA2S+ people to thrive.
You can join her community-making on Instagram, and find more of her writing at saraelise.substack.com.
Recorded live on May 17th, 2024 at City Lore Gallery, 56 E 1st St in NYC. Special thanks to Molly Garfinkel, Gwen Shockey, Riyah Lerner, Jessie Levandov & Wanda Acosta.
This episode is produced by Karen Song
March 27th, 2024
TEREZ MYCHELLE is a thespian, entertainment executive and
administrator working with LGBTQIA+ Global Foundations.
As a trained thespian, and entertainment executive Terez has produced shows in community theatre, off Broadway, concerts, and managed tours.
Terez is a GLAAD Media Award winner, New York City Supportive Housing Trailblazer Award, Unity Fellowship Church L.I.F.E Award and Black Pride Trailblazer Award recipient respectively. She is a Brand Ambassador for the International LGBT Arts and Culture Music Festival.
She resides in New Jersey with her wife, R&B Diva Monifa Carter, and their fur baby, Brave.
Recorded at The Newsstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC. Special thanks to Joseph Hazan & Karen Song. Produced by Wanda Acosta
January 25th, 2024
In May 2017, Uli Schackmann and her loyal canine companion, Jackson, took off on a six-thousand-mile solo bicycle trip from Alaska to Key West, Florida, to raise money and bring attention to the cause of HIV/AIDS. What began as a daring dream-come-true quickly became a physically and emotionally challenging adventure as Uli battled her own fears and the elements, surviving encounters with bears, rattlesnakes, cougars, and other wildlife. However, her most profound and life-changing encounters were with the people she met along the way—complete strangers who exhibited to Uli, a gay woman and a U.S. immigrant, both the best and the worst of humanity during a very divided time in America.
Uli’s Journey – Angels along the Way
Uli’s website
AMFAR
Recorded at The Newsstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC. Special thanks to Joseph Hazan & Karen Song. Produced by Wanda Acosta
October 6th, 2023
MURRAY HILL is a NYC legend, comedian, TV host, MC, an international entertainer, a relentless shtick slinger, larger-than-life personality, and freewheeling ad-libber. He plays Fred Rococo in Bridget Everett’s Somebody Somewhere (HBO). The show was awarded many “Best of 2022 & 2023” Awards, including “Best New TV Series” from AFI and was just renewed for a third season. He hosts the new competition show Drag Me To Dinner (Hulu). He can be seen on Amy Schumer’s Life & Beth and Welcome to Flatch (FOX) and upcoming in Paul Feig’s movie Grand Death Lotto (Amazon Studios).
Photo: Patrick James Miller
Murray’s infamous holiday show,
A Murray Little Christmas has been a perennial sold-out destination for a decade at Joe’s Pub in NYC.
Look out for Murray Hill’s Memoir to be published in 2025.
Recorded at The Newsstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan.
Season 2
February, 28th, 2023
PATRICIA FIELD, is a native New Yorker and one of fashion’s greatest visionaries whose multi-faceted career has spanned more than five decades.
Her distinctive approach to dressing is evident through her work as a costume designer. Field single handedly changed the way women dress through the HBO series Sex and the City and it’s feature films. For her work on SATC Field won an Emmy Award and received five nominations for Best Costume Design.
Field also received an Academy Award nomination for the film, The Devil Wears Prada as well as continued recognition for her work on television series such as Ugly Betty, Hope & Faith, and most recently for the hit Netflix series, Emily in Paris.
Field is also a seasoned retailer, establishing her eponymous boutique in New York City in 1966, which remained a fashion landmark for 50 years.
In 2016 Field sold her iconic retail property and launched a new concept, ARTFASHION. Born out of her long personal ties to New York art community legends like Keith Haring and Basquiat, ARTFASHION now sees Field as curator, working with an impressive group of today’s talented visual artists who, under Field’s guidance, have applied their unique aesthetics to hand painted one-of-a-kind clothing.
Recorded at The Newsstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan.
In February 2023, Patricia published her memoir,
Pat in the City: My Life of Fashion, Style, and Breaking All the Rules, where she chronicles everything from love, passion, culture, and the phenomenon that occurs when all three intersect with art.
January 7th, 2023
CARL CAPOTORTO, is a writer, and actor best known for his portrayal of Little Paulie Germani on HBO’s The Sopranos, and has appeared in several classic indie features, including Five Corners and Mac. He is a native New Yorker, born and raised in the Bronx, and lives in Manhattan. He is also the author of Twisted Head: An Italian-American Memoir (Random House, 2008), based on his solo show of the same name. His plays have been presented at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center (three seasons), Yale Repertory Theatre, the Vineyard Theater, Theater for the New City, and many other venues around the country.
In this episode, Carl talks about growing up in the Bronx, discovering the liberating effects of Disco for a young gay man, his experience playing a tough guy on The Sopranos and the joy of living life authentically despite the challenges of family and self discovery.
Recorded at The Newsstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan.
December 11th, 2022
MICKALENE THOMAS is a multidisciplinary artist and one the the most well know contemporary artists in the art scene today. She is a queer identified, African American women working and residing in Brooklyn NY. Her visual work examine ideas around femininity, beauty, race, sexuality, and gender.
In this episode, Mickalene speaks about her complex relationship with her mother, who inspired and influenced her photography and paintings, and set a trajectory for her visual work, as well as personal recollections on her journey of self awareness, queer liberation and coming to terms with the past.
Mickalene Thomas’s work is held in many collections, including, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Brooklyn Museum, The Guggenheim Museum, The Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Studio Museum of Harlem among many others.
Photo: © Mickalene Thomas
Recorded at The Newsstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan.
Follow: @mickalenethomas
September 25th, 2022
REBECCA WEINBERG is an Emmy Award winning Fashion Stylist, Costume Designer and Brand Ambassador, she is best known for her creations and styling on the hit tv series Sex & the City. Rebecca is a tastemaker, a visionary and a downtown NYC queer personality.
In this episode, Rebecca shares her childhood memories of growing up with her single mom, her adventures during those rebellious teen years, falling in love for the first time and her emancipation to New York City after coming out to her mom.
You can follow Rebecca on Instagram @rebeccaweinbergstyle
Recorded at The Newsstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan.
June 14th, 2022
LAUREN FLAX is a shapeshifting DJ, producer and activist.
Lauren began her career in the underground Detroit music scene where she evolved her style into techno, house, and electro music. More recently she is producing and recording her own music and we are pleased to showcase some of her music throughout this episode.
You can follow Lauren on Spotify and Instagram @laurenflax
Recorded at The Newsstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan.
April 3rd, 2022
ZUHAIR NASHER is a queer-identified, first generation Yemeni-American man born and raised in Queens, New York. He is a risk manager in the financial services and technology industries, and a marriage officiant, presiding over weddings and ceremonies throughout the country.
For more information and bookings, visit: http://www.wordsthatlast.com.
Recorded at The Newsstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan.
September 17th, 2021
ANDREA SMITH is an original patron of Sundays at Café Tabac, and a participant in the upcoming documentary film based on those fabulous Sunday nights in NYC circa 1993.
Originally from Washington DC, Andrea arrived in NYC as a model working with some of the biggest names in fashion, and became a sought after muse. After the tragedy of 911, Andrea decided to change careers and became a canine specialist recognized by the ASPCA of NYC for her fearless dedication and praised in Time Magazine for her dog care system.
dreadogworld.com
Recorded at The Newsstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan.
June 11th, 2021
ELINA STREET is a Franco-American filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY and co-director of “The Lesbian Bar Project,” the documentary film and campaign dedicated to raising awareness for the alarming trend of lesbian bar closures nationwide. Elina and her team have also created a fundraising project with the help of Jagermeister’s #SaveTheNight campaign, to raise $200K in critical funds to help save our bars.
In this intimate interview, Elina shares with us the seeds of this project through her coming out story and the vital role New York City’s lesbian bars played in her own self-discovery and empowerment.
You can watch Elina and Erica’s film at lesbianbarproject.com and we urge you to also consider making a donation through their website, to help save our bars.
The fundraiser runs only until the end of June, so please support this effort without delay.
Recorded at The Newsstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan.
May 21st, 2021
SUE WICKS is a Hall of Fame basketball legend, LGBTQ activist and a New Yorker.
Her distinguished career is defined by records set and numerous accolades, MVP, all-star game and gold medal honors. She played forward in the WNBA for our very own hometown team, the New York Liberty since its inaugural season and was awarded the 2001 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award and was consistently voted fan favorite.
Whether on or off the court, her characteristic humility and empathy makes it no surprise that she was, and still is a natural leader and a role model, especially for women, girls and LGBTQ people. Notably, Sue is the rare pioneer who paved the way for professional athletes to be out during their career.
Even now in her role as owner of Violet Cove Oyster Company in Long Island, she is making her mark as an oyster farmer and environmental activist for New York’s waterways.
violetcoveoysters.com
billionoysterproject.
Recorded at The Newsstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan.
April 10th, 2021
Part 1 & 2
TARA RODRIGUEZ BESOSA (she/they/ellx), born, raised and based in Borikén (Puerto Rico), works at the powerful intersection of queer community and food sovereignty, often sharing how queer and agroecological practices are essential for the transition from extractive to regenerative food systems, as well as collective models and shared resources that empower those who grow, cook, and work towards decolonized bodies and lands.
She is co-founder of projects ranging from a DIY architect-run gallery in Brooklyn, to El Departamento de la Comida in Puerto Rico, to arts venues like El Local en Santurce and a collective queer land project, OtraCosa.
• In part 1, Tara recounts her coming out story to her beloved “abuelita”, her grandmother and the importance of self realization and acceptance.
• In part 2, Tara discusses how queer farming practices are used to create resilience through food sovereignty and more.
Recorded at The Newstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan.
Photo credit: Ana Paula Teixeira
Season 1
June 17th, 2020
WANDA ACOSTA is the Producer/Co-creator of the Sundays at Café Tabac documentary feature film, and a stalwart icon in lesbian nightlife in downtown New York City. She has been creating and producing events in NYC for over 25 years, and is the 2020 recipient of the LGBTQ Community Advocacy Award presented by the Leslie Lohman Museum of Art. In this episode, she recounts her coming out story as a young woman in the early 1990’s at the height of lesbian visibility and a turning point for queer culture and lesbian empowerment.
June 23rd, 2020
JACQUELINE WOODSON is a writer of books for children and young adults, the recipient of the 2020 Macarthur Genius Award and The National Book Award for her 2014 book, Brown Girl Dreaming. She was awarded National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature for 2018-2019 by the Library of Congress, and the Hans Christian Andersen Medal this year. Her latest book Red at the Bone was released last year and was an instant New York Times best seller and New York Time Notable book of the year, as well as Oprah’s Best Books of 2019. In this episode, she talks about coming out to her super religious family in the 1980’s.
July 2nd, 2020
KAREN SONG is the director and producer of the Sundays at Café Tabac documentary, where she is able to pay homage to a space and community central to her coming of age.
She is a queer-identified, Korean-American woman, born and raised in New York City. She is a film director working across various dramatic, documentary, and commercial platforms, with narrative feature film projects currently in development.
July 24th, 2020
LINDA VILLAROSA is an award-winning author, journalist, educator and activist, she is a contributing writer and editor for the New York Times Magazine, the NYT at large and its Science Times, where she covers race, inequality and health. She authored 3 books, was the former executive editor of Essence Magazine, and is the current director of the journalism program at the City College of New York where she teaches reporting, writing and Black Studies
In this episode, Linda shares with us here, her truly inspiring and uniquely public coming out story.
September 3rd, 2020
LESLIE COHEN is someone you might’ve often seen, but not necessarily have known it was her. She and her partner of 44 years, Beth Suskin, sit out in front of Stonewall in NYC, all day everyday. They were the models that posed for George Segal in 1979 and are immortalized in the sculptures at Christopher Park in front of Stonewall.
Segal, despite being a highly established artist at the time, had a hard time finding models brave enough to pose for the statues that would commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots which marked the birth of the gay liberation movement.
Leslie was also one of the five women who in 1976, created the first club owned and operated for women by women—the legendary Sahara at 1234 Second Ave at 65th Street in New York City. Her legacy of contributing to our community and history is rich, and it is rooted in love. Foremost. Love for her Beth, and love for her community.
Leslie has just published her memoir The Audacity of a Kiss, Love Art & Liberation through Rutgers University Press which will be out Fall/Winter of 2021/2022.
You can also find out more about Sahara online at storiesofsahara.com
September 25th, 2020
KIMBERLY BLISS is a Philippine-born, Buffalo-bred and Brooklyn-based novelist for hire. Her work has appeared in Hobart and Dime Show Review. She was a 2020 resident at the New Orleans Writers’ Residency, and this summer’s guest fiction editor at Hobart. She is currently working on her Great American Novel set in the Philippines, Leaving Manila.
Find her online at kimberlybliss.com and Twitter @blisster.
Recorded at The Newstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan
November 13th, 2020
JAVIER PERAL is an internationally known sound stylist, music producer and music director, renowned for his intrinsic approach to sound design. He is one of the most sought-after names for fashion show soundtracks, as well as creating music for art videos, performance and film.
Born and raised in Madrid, Javier has been a fixture on the music scene since arriving in New York City in the early 1990s, where he was a DJ at the beloved East Village queer space, Wonderbar.
In this episode, Javier brings us to his teen years in Madrid, where he discovers his sexuality, goes to his first gay club, gets outed by his mom and more.
Recorded at The Newstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan. Photo: Robert Mapplethorpe
December 23rd, 2020
SAM FEDER is an award-winning director and producer whose films explore the intersection of visibility and politics along the lines of race, class, and gender in trans lives, while working towards higher ethical standards in filmmaking. His current film, Disclosure (streaming now on Netflix), which world-premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2020 to high acclaim, thoroughly examines the history of transgender representation in film and television, revealing how Hollywood simultaneously reflects and manufactures our deepest anxieties about gender.
His previous film, Kate Bornstein is a Queer and Pleasant Danger—portrait of trans icon Kate Bornstein—was named one of the best documentaries of 2014 by The Advocate, and won the James Aronson Award for Social Justice Journalism, among many other best feature film awards. His films were most notably programmed by the Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, CPH:DOX, MOMA PS-1, The British Film Institute, The Hammer Museum, and were featured in hundreds of film festivals globally. In this episode, Sam reflects on the mechanisms of coming out as he navigates his family, friends, and queer community, and discusses the paradox of trans visibility today, which led to the creation of Disclosure. Recorded at The Newstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan.
January 26th, 2021
SHERRY VINE, (a.k.a. Keith Levy) has been performing her hilarious comedy shows, which features her “live” singing and saucy renditions of hit songs for over 30 years, earning her the title of Drag Legend.
In this episode, we hear Keith’s joyful coming out story amidst the growing pains of self identity, and the hilarious reality of having to come out “twice”, once as a queer man and second, as a drag performer.
She is the star and writer of her own variety show, She’s Living For This, which is currently streaming on Hulu and can be seen in numerous movies and TV shows. She is a founding member of Theatre Couture, and is The Queen of YouTube, where her video parodies have been viewed over 19 million times.
Sherry recently moved to LA where she can be seen as “Blanche” in Golden Girlz Live, Battle of The Bitches (with BFF Jackie Beat) and is enjoying living the showgirl life.
Sherry is currently touring her new one “woman” show Hollywood & Vine.
www.sherryvine.com
youtube.com/misssherryvine
instagram: @misssherryvine
Recorded at The Newstand Studio at 1 Rockefeller Plaza in NYC with Joseph Hazan.