Detoxicity: By Men, About Men, For Everyone

DetoxPod 188: Courtney Brame (Educator)

Happy New Year, friends!
Our first episode of 2025 spotlights Courtney Brame, who is doing a ton of work around men's mental health and erasing STI stigma. He's the founder of SPFPP (Something Positive for Positive People), which supports people who are living with herpes. He also founded SELFED, which promotes emotional wellness for men and recently hosted a symposium for Black men's emotional wellness, which is how he and I came into contact. Our conversation sits at the intersection of race, sexuality and wellness. We discuss Courtney's journey to becoming an educator, we ponder whether safety might be an issue with regards to the lack of straight Black men in wellness spaces, we talk about yoga therapy and changing the face of what yoga is to make it accessible to others, and we talk about cancel culture and how that can kill curiosity. Hope you enjoy this conversation!

DetoxPod 187 : Tristan More (Podcaster/Friend)

Tristan More and I have been friends for over a decade. We've touched on a lot of the topics we discuss over the course of this conversation many times over the years, but never this much in depth. Through the hour we spend together, we chat about everything from grief and loss to the evolution of our particular relationship. The meat of the episode, I think, relates to Tristan's evolution as a spiritual being and his struggles with the ways Christianity is practiced in the present day. We don't talk about this at all in the episode, by the way, but it's probably worth mentioning that Tristan has a podcast called Interjections that you should also check out. I hope you enjoy our conversation!

DetoxPod 186 : "Fin" (Host, "Normalizing NonMonogamy Podcast")

Hey Folks!
Happy to bring you an episode co-starring "Fin", the co-host of the podcast Normalizing NonMonogamy. He, with his spouse "Emma", also leads a community of hundreds of other polyamorous, non-monogamous, and lifestyle-curious people. Fin and I discuss his journey through nonmonogamy, which started back in his college days. We chat about creating and cultivating community and being a container for the feelings and emotions of others. We also talk about Fin's personal journey, which includes repression, dealing with loss, and issues with control and trust, and how this all came to a head (as it did for a lot of us) at the height of the pandemic. I hope you enjoy our conversation!

DetoxPod 185 : Damon L. Jacobs (Therapist/Activist)

Hey Folks! I'm excited to bring you this latest conversation, starring Damon L Jacobs, a licensed marriage and family therapist. In our chat, we discuss the intersection of mental health and sexual health. Damon shares shis personal journey of growing up gay, the impact of the AIDS crisis, and the evolution of sexual health awareness. He emphasizes the importance of body image, self-acceptance, and the role of pleasure in relationships, while also addressing the cultural influences on sexuality and the shift towards non-monogamy. The conversation highlights the significance of community, vulnerability, and finding joy and purpose in life, culminating in Damon's YouTube series "Tub Talks" that fosters open and honest discussions.

DetoxPod 184: Nore Davis (Comedian/Actor)

Nore Davis is a comedian, writer and actor. He has appeared on "Succession", "Boardwalk Empire", and "Last Week Tonight", in addition to a lengthy list of talk show appearances. His new special Element: A Solo Show Film is available on his website and covers several of the topics we wind up talking about in this episode.
Our conversation explores themes of healing, emotional vulnerability, and the impact of trauma on individuals and communities. We touch on the influence of religion and the intergenerational transmission of trauma. Nore and I touch on everything from superheroes and tattoos to inner child healing, the impact of family dynamics, the fear of being alone, and the importance of self-awareness. We also touch on the concept of freedom after death and the legacy we leave behind.
Nore is a thoughtful, deep cat. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

DetoxPod 183 : Josh Gondelman (Writer/Comedian) Returns!

I first interviewed comedian and writer Josh Gondelman way back in Episode 39, a conversation that took place nearly four years ago. So we had a lot to catch up on. We talk about the world opening back up and how that’s had an effect on Josh’s career and personal life.  I give a shout out to his substack newsletter, and what it feels like to give advice (or more accurately: pep talks) to others. The conversation delves into empathy, social interactions, and the importance of understanding different perspectives. In this part of the conversation, Josh and I discuss the importance of growing and cultivating community. They talk about maintaining friendships and being upfront about friendship intentions. Josh emphasizes the value of being a fan of your friends and using social media mindfully to support and appreciate others. We also touch on the reticence towards earnestness and the societal pressure to be cool or aloof. I do like the zero and five birthdays, and in advance of Josh’s upcoming 4-0, we talk about what that milestone feels like for him. Josh is an amazing talented (and kind) human, and I’m psyched to welcome him back to the show.

DetoxPod 182: Jayson Greene (Journalist/Memoirist/Novelist)

In this episode, I’m chatting with Jayson Greene, a journalist and author based in Brooklyn, NY. Jayson is probably most-well known as a senior editor at the influential music site Pitchfork, and we kick off our conversation by discussing what got him into music journalism and writing in general. Jayson’s memoir, “Once More We Saw Stars” is a tragic account of loss, and we also touch on that. The greater part of the conversation, though, focuses on societal expectations of masculinity and how it’s impacted both our lives. Jayson shares his personal experiences of being bullied and feeling like he didn't fit (and still doesn’t fit) the traditional masculine mold. How does that traditional masculine mold help us or hurt us? How does not subscribing to gender norms affect the way we walk through the world, the way we interact with others, the way we parent? What does queerness mean? Jayson also asks me some fairly probing questions that cause me to think about issues like psychological safety and how I interact with that concept in my regular life. It’s a really great conversation, and an hour in, we realized that there was no way we were gonna touch on everything we wanted to in the time we had. So stay tuned for part 2, coming soon!
Jayson's IG: greenejayson

DetoxPod 181 : Isaac Knox (Comedian/Guinness Book Record Holder)

Hi Friends! In this episode, I interview Isaac Knox, a comedian and freestyle rapper (and Guinness world record holder!) Isaac shares his journey of becoming a freestyle rapper (because, do people dream about doing this as kids?) and his decision to move to New York. Isaac shares stories about intentionally living in his car for fairly lengthy periods of time-- on two occasions, and emphasizes the importance of staying connected to communities and institutions that need change, rather than completely disengaging. Isaac speaks passionately about his faith and being connected to the church. He also reflects on his personal journey of healing and growth after the end of his marriage.
I hope you enjoy!