Metrosource Minis: The LGBTQ World & Beyond

Murray Hill is larger than life. He’s got a big personality, a positive outlook, an infectious style of banter, and an endearing demeanor. It is all presented in a colorful package, suit and all. But it is not just a persona. After chatting with him for just a few minutes, it is clear that he is the real deal. Talking to him is like talking to everyone’s favorite guy at the bar. He’s got stories, jokes, and opinions on life. He’s also got a lot of talent that has taken him from the New York club scene to the stage and screen. You never know where he is going to pop up, from cameos in films to burlesque, from opening for rock bands to performing at parties for Liza, from performing in his one-man show Murry Hill As Himself to co-starring in the hit HBO show Somebody Somewhere. He’s a throwback to classic Hollywood in the style of Benny Hill and Sammy Davis Jr. but with modern flair. He’s unapologetically queer and has moved our community forward in media representation, but without pomp and circumstance, just a lot of heart.In this episode, we talk about the challenges Murray overcame in his youth, the importance of the New York City scene in the 90s, being true to yourself, the power of persistence, Murry’s touring one-man show, the power of his HBO show Somebody Somewhere, having a little grace with Arnold Schwarzenegger, the power of comedy, and even a little Liza.Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez. @alexanderisonairCheck out our in-depth chat with him in the current issue of Metrosource or at Metrosource.com  For info on Murray’s tour head to Mistershowbiz.com

Listeners of Sirius know John Arthur Hill for his weekly, witty repartee and queer comedic look at life and pop culture as co-host on Andy Cohen Live and on his own show, The John Hill Show. Social media lovers know John for his sexy thirst traps, viral song parodies, and funny one-on-ones. Musical theatre aficionados have seen John in Broadway’s Hairspray and The Boy from Oz and from Off-Broadway’s Bare. Reality TV fans have seen his work on Top Chef, Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List, Project Runway, Watch What Happens Live, and more. Combine all of that with John’s live touring shows and stand-up, you wonder how this man has time to sleep…and workout. He is an entertainment industry renaissance man and his journey to today has been a winding one.In this episode, we talk about his growing up in Texas, being raised in a Christian environment, his theatre life including Broadway with Hugh Jackman, his sober journey, getting into radio and TV production, body image, being authentically comedic, dealing with haters, maintain mental health, his latest standup show John Hill is Gooning, dating, and much more. Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez  @AlexanderisOnAirCheck out our in-depth chat with John in the current issue of Metrosource or at Metrosource.com  

Chris Stanley is just a bundle of fun and positivity. He’s been heating up the content creator scene for over 5 years, becoming one of the first LGBTQ+ creators on TikTok to go viral, for a video featuring his mom reacting to explicit lyrics on a gay lip-sync video. From travel vlogs and meme videos to street interviews and heartfelt life sharing, he’s amassed well over 300 million views on his content, garnering the attention of Madonna herself. He is one of the fastest-growing queer content creators on the scene. And he does all the work himself. In this episode, we talk about his growing up, coming out, how he got into being a content creator, going viral, his love of the bear community, what the future holds in store, his message to his fans, and more.Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez @alexanderisonairCheck out our in-depth chat with Chris in the current issue of Metrosource or at Metrosource.com 

Modi Rosenfeld is one of those comedians who doesn’t need to try and be funny, he just is. Talking to him is like talking to that cool guy you met at a party, he’s not setting up one-liners, he’s not performing for you, he just is talking about real life through his point of view – and it’s very entertaining. Now, in a career that has taken him from being a Merrill Lynch international banker to a stand-up comedian (with a little Yeshiva University’s Belz School of Music cantoring studies for good measure), he recently premiered and is now touring his debut comedy special, Know Your Audience. And he knows his audience well. His special is a funny, intimate, and sometimes provocative look at his Jewish faith and – gasp! – his homosexuality. Yes, the two can survive together quite successfully in the world that Modi has created for himself.In this episode, we have a lively conversation about his love for his religion and heritage, his journey from banking to comedy, coming into his sexuality, celebrating his relationship, the coexistence of religion and being gay, the power of comedy, the hypocrisy of cancel culture, working with his husband, building bridges between communities, and so much more.Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez IG: @AlexanderIsOnAirYou can check out my in-depth chat with Modi in the current issue of Metrosource available on newsstands or at Metrosource.com. To find out when Modi is coming near you, head to ModiLive.com 

She’s baaaack! After a 20-year retirement from the business, actor and comedian Marsha Warfield is back on the scene, openly out, and has a lot to say. Politics, coming out, her role as a black woman in society, and even pizza… at age 70 she’s not shying away this time. Not even meaning to, Marsha made national fame for her role as Roz in Night Court during the ‘80s and ‘90s. This year, she returned to the role for the reboot, and as life imitates art, her character is also out and proud and newly married to a woman. Representation has certainly come a long way. In this episode, Marsha gets candid and talks about growing up in Chicago’s South Side, her early stand-up career that happened almost by chance, packing up and moving to Los Angeles, working on The Richard Pryor Show, getting cast on Night Court, staying in the closet, coming out of the closet, coming back to the biz and Night Court, her take on the entertainment industry, finding love and marriage, and a lot more.Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez. @alexanderisonairCheck out our in-depth chat with her in the current issue of Metrosource or at Metrosource.com 

Kathy Griffin is one of the most resilient entertainment personalities on record. Living life as an open book, we have been witnessing her career triumphs as well as her personal and public low points. Hitting the road with her new show tour, My Life on the PTSD-List, and having just announced her Fall extension hitting up Carnegie Hall and The Chicago Theatre among a long list of others, she is once again using her voice to cause a sensation on behalf of the LGBTQ community, those who suffer from PTSD, and those who give a damn about the future of the nation. A recent cancer survivor and being diagnosed with PTSD, she is hitting the stage maybe a bit more delicate, but no less fierce. What was supposed to be a quick, formal interview turned into a lively and revealing conversation with Kathy about some of the bumps in the road, grief, the power of comedy, her activism as an ally that actually started when she was a kid, of course we talked politics, and even have a pop-up appearance from E. Jean Carroll who was in Kathy’s hotel room when we chatted, we talked about Kathy’s amazing parents, and we got all the scoop on Kathy’s new tour. And kids, she needs our help. Check out the part of our chat where we talk about Kathy’s three-year court case that is happening in Tennessee, all because she stood up for our community on social media. Why hasn’t the media made a bigger deal out of it? Good question. If she loses this fight, it will set a precedent for capturing hate action on social media. Time to rally the troops!Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez. @alexanderisonairCheck out our in-depth chat with her in the current issue of Metrosource or at Metrosource.com  For info on Kathy’s tour head to KathyGriffin.net 

Travina Springer is wasting no time making her mark in Hollywood as an actor and comedian. She is a refreshing, down-to-earth dose of optimism and positivity, while at the same time exuding that spark and passion that has made her instantly recognizable on the screen. Last year she made her debut in the Marvel Universe for her role in Ms. Marvel, one of the franchise’s most ambitiously diverse pieces to date. She can currently be seen in NBC’s hit show, The Irrational, renewed for season 2, holding her own opposite the show’s star, Jesse L. Martin. Comedy has been a constant in Travina’s life. She’s been a member of UCB Comedy, performed in the CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase, her stand-up was featured on the reboot of BET’s Comic View, and she’s taken the stage at powerhouses like Flappers, The Comedy Store, and The Ice House. She uses her comedy to bring up social themes that play a big part in her life. She is a shining star on the rise.In this super fun chat, we talk about her moving around a lot as a kid, the power of comedy, the hot topic of free speech in comedy, being part of the Marvel Universe, her conversion to Islam and the role that spirituality plays in her everyday life, what it’s like to be part of NBC’s The Irrational (her first major, primetime show), and more.Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez. @alexanderisonairCheck out our in-depth chat with her in the last issue of Metrosource or at Metrosource.com  

Joel Kim Booster has done just about everything in Hollywood. Producing, writing, acting, podcasting, hosting, and stand-up, he’s mastered them all. His most ambitious project, Hulu’s Fire Island, which he wrote, produced, and starred in, was welcomed with both critical and audience praise. This spring, he reprises his role as Nicholas, alongside Maya Rudolph, for season 2 of AppleTV’s hit series, Loot.His work in the entertainment industry has focused the spotlight on his identity as a gay, Asian actor, progressing the talk of Hollywood’s need for diversity even further.In this intimate chat, we cover his early family life, discovering his culture at a later age, having to move out and make it on his own after coming out, getting into Hollywood via comedy, the evolution of Asian and LGBTQ representation in the media, censorship of comedians, supporting other LGBTQ community members, the new season of Loot, and so much more.Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez. @alexanderisonairCheck out our in-depth chat with him in the current issue of Metrosource on newsstands or at Metrosource.com

Adam Berry, paranormal investigator and co-host of the Travel Channel’s Kindred Spirits, released his debut book, Goodbye Hello: Processing Grief and Understanding Death Through the Paranormal this last holiday. Sound a bit morbid for a gift? Not so. The book, thoroughly entertaining, is a positive and hopeful look at the afterlife through stories from Adam’s encounters, supernatural research, and psychology. Add Adam’s touch of queer sensibility and style of storytelling, and you have a touching book that serves as a comfort to those struggling to come to terms with grief and the end of life, themes that can play a heavy hand for those going through loss. Adam began experiencing the paranormal when he was a kid in his childhood home. But it wasn’t until a visit to Gettysburg, in a scene like a movie, that his relationship with the paranormal world would become his life’s journey. After appearing and winning the reality show Ghost Hunters Academy, he and his partner in crime, Amy Bruni, would build their own legacy in the paranormal world with their TV show Kindred Spirits. In this episode, we chat with Adam about the paranormal experience that started it all, understanding grief through the paranormal, life after death, coming out, being part of the LGBTQ community, his theatre work, we tackle the subject of God’s existence, and so much more! It’s a wild ride!Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez.You can purchase Adams’ book Goodbye Hello wherever you get your books, and check out our in-depth chat with him in the current issue of Metrosource on newsstands or at Metrosource.com

This season, Showtime premiered the series Fellow Travelers, an ambitious, beautifully woven multi-era-spanning love story between two men as they fight the odds of societal norms, family pressure, and personal demons. Starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey in undeniably career-topping performances, the series is based on the novel by Thomas Mallon and brought to television by Academy, Emmy, and Golden Globe-nominated writer and director, Rony Nyswaner. No stranger to telling our stories, Ron has been infiltrating Hollywood with subjects that include homosexuality, AIDS, homophobia, and LGBTQ activism, in works that include Philadelphia with Tom Hanks, Showtime’s Soldier’s Girl, and The Policeman with Harry Styles. His craft captures characters in a gripping and visceral way, something that was inspired by dealing with his sexuality in his youth.In this episode, we talk with Ron about how being an outsider as a kid shaped his future career, we also talk about religion, the evolution of Hollywood, overcoming addiction, loss, being an openly gay writer in the 80s, expressing gay sexuality on the screen, and gay activism; we also chat about the behind the scenes look at Fellow Travelers, finding the joy in struggle, and more. Yeah, we talk about it all! Check it out.Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez.You can watch Fellow Travelers on Showtime and check out our in-depth chat with him in the current issue of Metrosource on newsstands or at Metrosource.com