Detoxicity: By Men, About Men, For Everyone

DetoxPod 92 : Jay Kumar (Journalist/Podcaster)

Jay Kumar has been a professional in the journalism world for over three decades. He's been podcasting for more than 10 years. I guested on Completely Conspicuous (one of his two shows) way back in 2012, and again in 2015. In addition to being a podcast pro, Jay is also a second-generation American who has lived in two of the three North American countries. He talks about culture shock (maybe not as crazy when you move to the U.S. from Canada), raising two awesome young women, the mistakes his parents made that he didn't, his incredible love for a diverse array of music, and he might still be a little sore about missing his after-prom (because his mom forbade him). Listen on for more on Jay, and make sure you check out his other, more music-centered show, Stuck in Thee Garage.

DetoxPod 91 : Grant Palmer (Educator/Academic)

Grant Palmer is an educator and academic based in Southern California. Our conversation starts with music, which is only fitting because music is how Grant and I connected. From there, we uncover a somewhat turbulent young life marked by several medical mishaps. As with most of Detoxicity's guests, self-discovery and enlightenment is the name of the game here. Grant discusses how he intends to use his privilege to help less fortunate people, he discusses what it's like to raise a stepchild, and he ponders his future as a potential caretaker. It's a typically wide-ranging discussion that I hope you enjoy!

DetoxPod 90 : ”White Hart Josh”

Honesty can sometimes have real-world consequences, so when a guest requests anonymity, I'm happy to grant it.
My guest for this episode is known as "White Hart Josh". He's based in New England--the tiny town of Providence, RI, to be exact. Josh and I explore quite a bit during our conversation. Freemasonry makes its way into the DetoxPod lexicon, as Josh discusses the society he belongs to. He talks about his experiences in mentorship, and what that's meant to him. He also discusses his experiences in the world of BDSM and how he's recently come to terms that he is "something other than straight". It's a deep dive into human complexity, and I hope you enjoy the conversation.

DetoxPod 89: Glen Phillips (Singer/Songwriter)

In this episode of Detoxicity, I have the pleasure of sitting down with Glen Phillips. Glen has been touring and releasing records for over three decades, as a solo artist and as the frontman and principal songwriter for the band Toad the Wet Sprocket. During our conversation, Glen discusses how he felt as an incredibly sensitive young man, he extols the virtues of community-based singing, and talks about making more of an effort to reach across the table, as it were, and find ways to relate to folks who may exist on different sides of the political spectrum. Glen also reels off the names of several books that have helped him along his journey, so you might want to take some notes! Check out our conversation.

DetoxPod 88 : Brandon James

Remember Episode 85, which I recorded in Mexico at the Desire resort? Well, a lot of people who were on that trip with me have interesting journeys to talk about, and over the next few weeks and months, you'll be hearing their stories, starting with this one!
 
Brandon James grew up in rural Indiana, with all of the conservatism that a rural Indiana upbringing might imply. Yet there was always a pull in his mind, saying that he wanted a different life. Now, living in the Bay Area, he is putting together that different life.Our conversation charts his personal evolution. We cover extroversion, ADHD, fraternities and communal structures, and much much more. Enjoy the conversation!

DetoxPod 87 : Martin X. Henson (Activist/Organizer)

Martin X. Henson is an activist and organizer who makes his home currently in Boston, MA. Martin founded and is the executive director of an organization called the BMen Foundation, which helps provide safe spaces and mental health support for Black men. During our chat, Martin talks about what led him to work as an advocate and activist, discusses the occasionally dicey relationship between Black men and mental health, and considers the future of the recent political uprisings in the U.S. He also shares his self-care regimen and ponders the difference between Southern American racism and Northern American racism. 

DetoxPod 86 : Nick Kizirnis (Songwriter/Musician)

This episode's guest is Nick Kizirnis (AKA Nicky Kay), a musician and software engineer based out of Dayton, OH. Nick's thirty year journey through music and his journey as a designer are pretty divergent, but we cover both topics during our chat. In addition to finding out how Nick fell in love with music and what performing and listening to music does for his mental health, we discuss Nick's attachment to and investment in his local community. We also talk about how his creative process and self-care rituals intersect (it involves getting up really early in the morning!) and we dive into family life; specifically raising two children who are now young adults and being married for nearly a quarter-century.

DetoxPod 85: Swingset Takes Desire! Crossover Episode

As some of you know, I occasionally co-host a podcast called Life on the Swingset, which is about progressive sexuality and alternative relationships. Several of the podcast regulars, including Dylan Thomas and Ryan Bentham, have appeared on Detoxicity multiple times. 
 
Each year, the Life on the Swingset crew ventures down to Mexico to spend a week in paradise at the Desire resort. The Swingset takeover is an inclusive environment in which sex-positivity is encouraged, but also where intellectual, emotional and sexual curiosity is explored and growth in all of those facets can be gained. When I was invited to take part in this year's festivities, I knew that I'd get a lot of food for thought when it came to masculinity. The episode of Detoxicity I recorded on the resort does not disappoint at all.
 
This episode is co-hosted by Dylan Thomas, was recorded live at Desire, and features several voices outside of the two of us. For the sake of discretion, the men that participate will not be named, but during this discussion names are tertiary to the greater conversation about manhood and personal growth, and how this week in paradise led to further discussions about racism and ethnic stereotypes, the undoing of decades of conditioning regarding relationship structures and sexuality, and we collectively try to figure out how to bring the spirit of curiosity and inclusion that's fostered during this week into our regular lives.