Detoxicity: By Men, About Men, For Everyone

DetoxPod 63: Relationship Round Table (feat. Dylan Thomas, Kevin Patterson & Ryan Bentham)

This episode of Detoxicity brings back three former guests; relationship/sexuality experts Dylan Thomas, Kevin Patterson and Ryan Bentham. All three men are versed in traditional and non-traditional relationships; romantic, platonic, monogamous, polyamorous, etc. This discussion further explores their individual and ongoing journeys through love, partnership, sex and exploration.
 
Topics covered include parenthood, jealousy and letting go, queerness and self-definition, and many more. It's an open, honest discussion that travels a lot of ground in just an hour. 

DetoxPod 62 : Adam Weiner (Low Cut Connie)

Adam Weiner is the face and the main voice behind Low Cut Connie, a rock and roll band that's gained fans as diverse as Barack Obama and Elton John. In the last year and change, Adam's fame has grown thanks to his web series Tough Cookies. Created during the pandemic, it has gained a new legion of fans and has hosted guests including members of Sly & The Family Stone, Darlene Love and Joan Osborne. An album called "Tough Cookies: The Best of the Quarantine Broadcasts" was released last month.
 
In our interview, Adam talks about being invested in his "art bubble", the music, film and books that keep him going. We also talk about the differences between his stage persona and his private demeanor, we pay tribute to the greatness of Prince Rogers Nelson, and Adam tells us all that he learned beginning his performing career in New York City's gay piano bars.

DetoxPod 61 : Dr. Mike Friedman Interviews Mike Joseph

A few episodes ago, in the name of changing things up a bit, I went from being the interviewer to being the interviewee, and the show got some of the best feedback we've gotten so far. So, because I have no shame in flogging a dead horse, I'm subjecting myself to the interview process once again. This time, my interviewer is Dr. Michael Friedman, who was the guest on the very first episode of Detoxicity a bit over a year ago.
 
Dr. Mike is a practicing psychiatrist who also hosts a podcast called Hardcore Humanism in which he has interviewed many of my favorite musicians about mental health. We talk about how masculinity has been challenged over the years through athletics, and I discuss my own competitive nature and how I feel it's been a blessing and a curse. We also go in depth about outsider syndrome and privilege, and how folks go down the path of self-awareness...or not. If you ever wanted to know what a therapy session of mine sounds like--only with the therapist being an actual friend of mine- here's me and Dr. Mike.

DetoxPod 60: Manny Humlie

Manny Humlie is 1/3 of the band We Three, whose big claim to fame was a stint on America's Got Talent a few years ago. In the years since AGT, We Three have become a major recording and touring act (pre-COVID, obviously), and Manny and I discuss his sheltered upbringing, which involved him being home schooled for most of his life. We also talk about the role religion and music played in his upbringing, what drives him to learn more about the world, the pain of losing a parent, and what it's like to get married at a young age.
 

DetoxPod 59 : Logan Nielsen

Logan Nielsen is the co-host and producer of the Josh Johnson Show, a podcast that you can hear just about anywhere. He is also the host of The Nielsen Brothers Podcast along with (duh) his two brothers. He is also a stand up comedian and a writer and a substitute teacher. Like many of our guests, Logan wears many hats and he talks about all of them over the course of our episode.
 
Logan gave me a ton of material to work with over the course of the hour we spoke, from sustaining a traumatic head injury as a teenager to being a divorcee by the time he was 30. We also talk about his current life in Iowa, becoming podcast-famous, and the things that have led him to living in the moment and not putting off personal gratification until some unknown time in the future, which is something that I personally believe in very strongly.
 
This conversation definitely exceeded my expectations, and I'm happy to bring it to you. Here's Logan Nielsen. 

DetoxPod 58 : Kevin McCaffrey

Comedian, writer and actor Kevin McCaffrey got his big break on The Late Show with David Letterman. Kevin currently hosts the podcasts Sex & the Cidiots and Away Games (a Chicago Cubs podcast) along with a comedy show on Sirius XM every Wednesday. During this episode, he touches on what led him to pursue comedy (as well as the life of a creative that happens to be married to another creative). Other topics discussed include being a "Dad figure" to his two younger brothers, a somewhat complicated relationship with alcohol, and self-care routines.
Check out Kevin's Twitter and Instagram. 

DetoxPod 57 : Louie Pearlman Interviews Mike Joseph

Over the past few months, I've been asking friends for constructive criticism regarding Detoxicity. Several people mentioned that although they enjoy the podcast, I don't do enough talking. Of course, these people are my friends and are maybe tuning in because they want to hear me talk. If you're not my friend and want to give me your honest opinion, find me on IG and shoot me a message!
 
With that in mind, I decided to become the interviewee in this episode. The interviewer, in this case, is Louie Pearlman, a writer and actor that I talked to all the way back in Episode 4. In this episode, I talk about my upbringing in a somewhat repressive environment, my passion for music, mentorship, and a recent middle age personal discovery. I hope you enjoy this episode, and please drop a comment if you want to hear more conversations like this.

DetoxPod 56 : A Conversation About Race, Pt. 1 (With Sammy Pisano & Christopher Cruz)

To say that racism is a pox on the United States of America is to understate the case greatly. While some people have only gotten hip to the injustices faced by all people of color, but especially Black people, as social media has gained traction in the last decade, every racial minority knows what it's like to encounter racism. For people like me (a Black man), the indignities of being othered are as normal as brushing your teeth, whether you're trying to get a bank loan approved, trying to shop, or just walking down the street. It's an ever-present menace.
 
This episode features a loose conversation about race. By loose, I mean two things. One, the conversation is super casual and two, while racism is a through line, it's not the only topic covered. If you're a regular listener to Detoxicity, you'll recognize and welcome back the gentlemen joining me for this conversation: Sammy Pisano and Christopher Cruz are previous guests, and their thoughtful takes (as well as the mutual respect and chemistry we have with one another) compelled me to bring them back. Over the course of our chat, we talk about everything from the 2016 and 2020 elections to educating our White friends to the diversity that exists within the Black & Latin communities.