Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang - "No Straight Art" (w/ Leland)

Episode Date: March 27, 2019

Brett McLaughlin, known professionally as Leland, joins Matt and Bowen to spill the tea on writing music for Troye Sivan, Daya, Selena Gomez, Boy Erased, and The Other Two. They discuss Troy' and Leland's hit song Bloom bringing talk about anal sex into mainstream pop culture, Leland's experience catering the Golden Globes and years later being nominated for one, and the strong community of LGBTQ song writers he's a part of.---MERCH! MERCH! GET YOUR LAS CULTURISTAS MERCH!https://www.teepublic.com/stores/las-culturistasLAS CULTURISTAS HAS A PATREON! For $5/month, you get exclusive access to WEEKLY Patreon-ONLY Las Culturistas content!!https://www.patreon.com/lasculturistasSUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS TODAY!CONNECT W/ LAS CULTURISTAS ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER for the best in "I Don't Think So, Honey" action, updates on live shows, conversations with the Las Culturistas community, and behind-the scenes photos/videos:www.facebook.com/lasculturistastwitter.com/lasculturistasLAS CULTURISTAS IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST. LAS CULTURISTAS IS PRODUCED BY EMMA FOLEY.http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/las-culturistas/ Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City are back. I love that. I love that. Oh my gosh. Welcome. And last season's drama was just the tip of the iceberg. You're recording us? I am disgusted.

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My latest episode is with Jelly Roll. This episode is one of the most honest and raw interviews I've ever had. We go deep into Jelly Roll's life story from being in and out of prison from the age of 13 to being one of today's biggest artists. I was a desperate, delusional dreamer. Be a delusional of today's biggest artists. I was a desperate delusional dreamer. Be a delusional dreamer.

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And the question was, should the boy go back to his father in Cuba? Mr. Gonzalez wanted to go home and he wanted to take his son with him. Or stay with his relatives in Miami? Imagine that your mother died trying to get you to freedom. Listen to Chess Peace, the Elian Gonzalez story, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Forever! Dog! Look, man. Where? Oh, I see. Wow. Bowen, look over there. Wow, is that culture?

Yes. Oh, my goodness. Wow. Las Culturistas. Ding dong. Las Culturistas calling. You know, we were just talking about brunch. We sure were.

It's a Sunday. I was there even today. I've been robbed of brunch recently. I need a good brunch. That's because you're often tired on Sundays. But you know, for the right brunch, I get up. You know, I was saying it can be difficult to find a... What is your ideal brunch situation?

Is it more drinks, less food, or going in on the food and you have a drink? You know me. I'm not a huge drinker. And you know me. I'm a functional alcoholic. So then, what do we do? If I want to eat brunch with my best friend, Matt Rogers,

where do we go? Because we're want to eat brunch with my best friend Matt Rogers where do we go because we're on two different diametrically opposed sides I would say that I'd be willing to put you first no I mean

the food the food sometimes it depends on the food how about that it depends on the food and here's the thing a lot of these brunches now

it's not about the food anymore it's about the drinks and it feels so ass backwards i don't know i feel like what when i hear the word brunch what i get excited about in my heart gut and loins is a bloody mary i'm like i'm gonna have a bloody mary fuck there better be cheese on the skewer right honestly i'll tell you what i need stuff cheese i love a good cheese and i love meat in my bloody mary oh yeah sorry bitch a little i do a folded little thing of salami oh fold up the

bacon and put it on a stick yes all right so here's the thing i won't say the name of the institution but i used to work at an institution i shared this with you and our guests but there is a place in new york you can go and $25 for all you can eat buffet that includes one drink. You can choose a Bloody Mary, a mimosa, or a Guinness. That's a hint. But the gag. But the gag is on with the food, they have a raw bar.

So you could pay $25 get an all you can eat buffet including a drink and in that buffet is oysters and clams, which I'm sorry, but that is a steal you steal that's a steal and you are someone who is a gag deferred love it raw loves an oyster list and you're someone who's like oh my god this is from fucking chesapeake you you fucking know where they're from well i i have had to in my years as a servitress yes have had to know all about the

oysters and where they come from and what the qualities and characteristics of oysters are. Now, before we bring our guest in, I would love to go into it. Give a quick little primer on where oysters come from, what's important in oysters, what should I look for in oysters? So oysters can come from, you know,

the ocean, they can come from the Gulf, they can come from lakes, they are in lakes. Yes. I personally, for me, it's like if you're gonna have the ocean they can come from the gulf they can come from lakes they they are in lakes yes um i personally for me it's like if you're gonna have an east coast or west coast oyster choice i always go with an east coast oyster because i when i have an oyster i want to taste the ocean i want like it to be salty and as they say briny which means and a lot of people don't know that briny means like it tastes like the ocean it's salty that's what that is west coast oysters i find are very creamy and i'm not into that no and almost cucumbery oh which is sort of nice

but i find them like gloopy and gloopy gloopy and i like salty and salty salty and malty i and i've the gulf oysters from the gulf of mexico I don't think so, honey. Wow. They taste like the mud. The mud. And it's actually rule of culture number 18. Gulf oysters, they taste like the mud. The swamps and the marsh. Now, I, but so it doesn't really matter where it's coming from. Like a Chesapeake oyster is the same as like a fucking Long Island sound oyster? Well, okay.

Because as you go further up the coast, Okay, here's what I want to know. they often get more salty. So I actually, whenever I have the choice and a good institution has like a heavy, wide array of oysters,

I will pick the furthest up. So like Maine oysters are even better. Like New Brunswick. New Brunswick, Canada. Yes, bitch. Not even Jersey. Not even Jersey.

Actually, never Jersey. Nova Scotia. Prince Edward Island. Miss Nova Scotia, come Actually, never Jersey. Nova Scotia. Prince Edward Island. Miss Nova Scotia coming to the stage. Miss Nova Scotia. That would be good for a Canadian queen. Absolutely. Miss Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan. That's my drag name. Saskatchewan. I think that's a really good one. Thunderfuck, yeah. Saskatchewan. Yes. I love that.

Oh, if I were in the house of Thunderfuck, that would be my first name. Saskatchewan? No, it's just Saskatchewan Thunder i love that if i were in the house of thunderfuck that would be my first name saskatchewan no it's just saskatchewan thunderfuck alaska nebraska saskatchewan right i love that mine would be um uh miami oh which doesn't work i guess let me tell you who and what works okay but we're gonna talk about our guest, but do you know what I just realized? What? He is someone who is truly at the intersection

of everything that we like. Think about it. Drag race. I'm not not gagged. Drag race, like music, songwriting,

comedy, like all of it. Bitch, forget about it. It's all the best of all those things. It's all the best. And that's the thing. It's all the best

of all those things. He's not this person who is like waiting in mediocrity like, you know, me let's say. Why do you do that? I'm just saying like sometimes I'm just like, oh God, I'm just like, I can't even do this one thing right. But this is someone who does all these things

so well. Remarkable. Yeah. I mean, I didn't mean to throw myself under the bus. And you know what? That really makes me uncomfortable that you did that. I'm sorry. Because a lot of people look up to you. That's right. And to see you downplay yourself. Including myself.

Including myself. Including our guests. And listen, he just used his gorgeous voice. Oh. And speaking of voice. Gorgeous voice. Oh my God. Speaking of voice, you go.

You go. No, I'm just saying this is a fucking artist. An artist. The credits come rolling down. Why don't you give them? Songwriter for Troye Sivan. Come on. Collaboratrist.

Collaboratrist. Selena Gomez, Ali X. Miss Selena. Miss Selena. And he has his own single out, middle of a heartbreak that I love. It's very good. He did a cover of Run Away With Me

by Carly Jepsen. I adore. When someone's trying to cover a song, taking a big swing like that, you better go for it. You better serve it. You better serve it and swing for the fucking fences. And he hit a home run.

Home run, grand slam even. Grand slam. Which is bigger than a home run for all you gays at home. For Run Away With Me, like the gay song of the last five years. Come on. And also we want to say, doing all the music for the other two,

which we've been talking about on this podcast, and now you know it's because you're a guide for it too. I love the show. And the music is so good in the show. And excuse me, Golden Globe nominee. Golden Globe nominee for Boy Erased. Miss Revelation. Miss Revelation.

Literally such a beautiful song. Beautiful. So beautiful. When I first heard it, I was like, ooh. Yeah, it got me. Come on. It really got me. And this is the thing,

and we're gonna talk to our guest about this, but someone who has been able to deliver us these moments of culture, these queer moments of culture. Gag. Gag. Cultureista in the house. Cultureista in the house.

We are so excited to have with us, Leland! Hello. Hi. Hi. Okay, also you came to Game show the other night And I was gagged that you came

Stop it I had the best time I was in tears Laughing I couldn't believe When you showed up I was like Hello gorgeous

Oh my gosh No I I'm in New York For the weekend And I wanted to Take advantage Of everything Of the culture

I am exhausted Honestly You must be Completely exhausted so has it been just like a lot of press for the other two like kind of just bopping around it's been so much press I think I've had one 10 minute phone call are you in New York a lot like you more and more one of my best friends in the world lives here and I just I love being here but no I did have some press but I wanted to come for the premiere party and just to spend it with everyone I am so grateful to be a part of that show and everyone attached to it

and I also wanted to corner and meet Molly Shannon did you do this? successfully she was so lovely talk us through I walked up to her and was playing that game of where you're behind the person you want to meet whether in another conversation. And her manager introduced himself to me.

And I was like, oh, I worked on the show. I would love to meet Molly. And he goes, oh, let me help you. And he inserts himself into the conversation. And he looks at Molly and he goes, oh, you have a piece of lint on you. Also, I'd like for you to meet Leland. And it was genius. That's so good.

Was it her manager or like publicist? Her manager. Okay. Genius. Those managers are good at that. But that is such a good little stratagem to be like, oh, let me fix this.

Oh, how about this? Oh, by the way. It was choreographed beautifully. Wow. She was so lovely and so engaging in everything. She is, in my eyes, and I know our eyes an icon icon a comedy icon not not just a comedy icon but like an icon cultural icon yeah we we talked about um her with chris and sarah like it's it's really cool to see someone

like her who really is so talented and iconic and deserves it have this sort of like resurgence like in chris's film other people amazing yeah it's unbelievable just as a performance as a tribute to to chris's mother like you know what i mean like it's just this incredible piece of work and she is so amazing in that film and to see the dramatic work that she does in this show and obviously the comedic genius oh my god it's truly just like we're so lucky that

she because you know you imagine that like during that time of being a woman in comedy in the 90s it can't have been easy to maintain longevity and be able to stay but just to know that she is still one that we can watch i'm obsessed listen completely she's one of the few snl people who got her thing to be a movie yes like that is a huge deal like they don't that doesn't really happen

anymore and back then i feel like it was still sort of wow it really doesn't happen doesn't happen you're right like she was she was in that last sort of moment of like SNL things becoming movies. And it immediately became a cult classic. It's absolutely a good movie. Before it came out. Yeah. That has memes that never got the opportunity to become memes because of social media,

but did what didn't happen. But like the smelling the armpits, that would be a meme today. So we have homework to do. Yeah, we truly do. And even the, at least my, well, Evian,

at least my name isn't, I'm not named after bottled water like so funny and the what a triumphant ending at the talent show and like such a good movie

oh my god I totally forgot about that and to know that she's as nice as she is talented yes so nice oh my god I had to walk away

like I had to in the conversation she was so incredibly sweet wow I could not believe it oh my god that is what you want to hear yes and you're having i mean okay so you're you're here for press you're here for

the premiere of the other two but also you are like in the thick of fucking awards season right now like this is like you went to the goddamn globes as a nominee as a nominee honey and oh i was i was that was a really incredible night yeah you. You were telling me last night about the food drama. I didn't know there was food drama at the Golden Globes. That is what I would talk about. What was the food drama? I need to know. No, so if you have to do the red carpet, you show up about 15 minutes.

You get to your seats about 15 minutes before the show starts. Lights are flashing. Bells are ringing. They're saying, everyone, please take your seats. Yeah. You immediately, you forget that you're sitting around everyone. Every celebrity. Yes.

Everyone. Michael Douglas was next to me. Catherine Zeta-Jones was next to me. And then you look at your table and you're starstruck again. And so dinner is served an hour and a half before. But I took it upon myself and as a representative of my table yes to ask questions and i found the food and uh it's in like the back bar area and so during a commercial break while everyone else is running to meet celebrities i went and loaded up two plates

of sandwiches and shared them with our table oh my god God. So who was at your table? Who were you sitting with? Uh, we had, uh, Topher from that 70 show. Wow. Lovely. Uh, we had Lena Ray. Is that her?

Lena Waithe. Lena Waithe. Lena Waithe. Yes. Yes. Yes. Lena Waithe. Uh,

and she was so lovely. Everyone's so, and then, uh, there were a couple, uh, people that I did not just recognize. Yeah.

Right. Um, and then they announced the nominations for Best Animation. And it ended up that they were the directors and producers for Spider-Man. Wow. And we won. And so immediately there was a loyalty and a camaraderie between our table. We were all crying.

Our table won. Our table won. You said we won and you did we win. You won. Yes, we won. And that's like when the nominations came out, what I adore about my group of friends is instead of like posting an Instagram story of congratulations, like my friend Leland was nominated.

It was we are nominated. We are nominated. And I would not want anything other than that. Yeah. And so you were there because you wrote the song Revelation with Troy. Yes. Yeah. Troy and Jonesy. From Boy Erased. From Boy Erased. Yeah. And my God. And so you were there because you wrote the song Revelation with Troy. Yes. Yeah. Troy and Jonesy.

From Boy Erased. From Boy Erased. Yeah. Jonesy. Yeah. And Jonesy from Sigur Rós. Who I love and have loved since he did the music for We Bought a Zoo. We Bought a Zoo.

Wow. Yeah. I love him. Oh, bitch. This is a Sigur Rós fan from fucking like high school. Yeah. Oh my God. He is so sweet.

Jonesy. He was so lovely to work with. And Troy called me one day and uh and i was i think i was on my way to a session and he was like what are you doing today and i said nothing because i know i know to say if he's calling yeah uh like 12 30 there's a reason there's four yeah it's for a reason and um and he's like what are you doing today and i said nothing and he's like do you want to come over and uh work on this song for boy erased we have to turn it in like tonight and i said of course of course of course and uh we went i went over to his house

and we wrote the song and then went to the studio that afternoon recorded the initial version of the song for them to temp in the movie and uh and then you know there's like a lull of where you don't really hear anything and then you see the scene. And so, yeah, Troy, I am just beyond for the many, many, many things he's done since we started working together. But that was very special. He did not have to do that and did. And I am so grateful for it. It's truly like that is something that has changed my life.

Well, he obviously like believes in and loves your talent and like wanted you in the room. And you're like, that's incredible. So sweet. You're exceptional. So congratulations. I mean, thank you. But you're just that thing where you're just looking around and it's all these famous people is truly overwhelming and insane. Right.

Yeah. And I don't necessarily like get starstruck. It's just it's that moment of where you see all these familiar faces and you're like, wait, I don't know you. I recognize you. And there were some great moments and met some great people. And the table next to us was Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph. Those are people that I get more starstruck in front of just because they were so much more in my life yeah uh than some of the other like uh stars but i mean dick van dyke for me that was the one that i just lost it

i would have yeah i would have it was a really good i mean just being there for that glenn close speech had to be fucking crazy oh my god yes yeah so incredible yeah yeah there was a lot of moments that were great great moments and i also saw bowen running around i was running around for the golden globes which is insane um but just i because i was out there as people were coming in and i was looking for you i was like where's leland but then it was just this thing where it was that same thing where i was like oh i don't know these people but this is like so many this is so many famous people in one place. This is so overwhelming. It felt like I stepped into the TV. It was truly, truly crazy.

Everywhere you look, it's someone different. It's the thing of don't stare ever, but who do I focus on? I can't land on a neutral thing. Not for nothing, was your competitor that evening, but just to be in the same room as Gaga. I had to go up to the Crazy Rich Asian table.

She was at that table. I was like this, I was within feet of one of Gaga's assistants. Something, like a piece of some food had fallen onto the dress and like sort of waterily stained it. Oh my God. And so these assistants are like scrubbing it out as Gaga's just sitting there. What a moment to see.

Gaga's just sitting there regally like, like just looking incredible and I was like, this is, that's Lady Gaga. That's like my fucking hero and then whatever, this is all happening.

But, but my whole thing is that like the globe is like I particularly love because it's like, Oh, me too. It's a comedy event. Yeah,

it feels low stakes. It's low stakes, it's fun, it's boozy. I think my favorite moment of the night was on the red carpet. There's where they like send you off to do the actual step and repeat. Right. Alone.

No publicist. No one can go with you. It's just talent. Just talent. And so Troy and I find ourselves in this line. And in front of us is John C. Riley. Uh-huh.

And Will Ferrell. No, but Step Brothers. One of my favorite movies. The best. The best. And then Carrie Russell. Yeah.

Oh, yeah. And then behind us who walked right up was Taraji P. Henson. Oh, my God. And she looked stunning. Yeah, no, she doesn't show up

looking anything less than 100%. No, and so we had a good 15 minutes of lead time conversation before you step onto the carpet. And there's three points where you stop, you take pictures, they say shift, you move to your next point, take picture, shift. And so we had quite a bit of time

for like troy taraji and myself to chat and she was so lovely we were like oh this is this is our first time and she goes oh my gosh she's like i've only been here three times she was so lovely so sweet and then uh we let her go ahead of us on the for the photo op and because we wanted to watch yeah she's a superstar and so she's like just chatty chatty chatty and then steps out and they announce her name hand on her hip movie smize troy and i audibly screamed and distract and like we accidentally distracted her initial moment but she loved it but we audibly screamed because it was just a moment. Watching the movie star become the movie star.

Yes. And she inspired me. And I had my moment and Troy screamed for me. That was a really fun moment. I'll tell you who else looked absolutely beautiful. I think the best dressed. Well, I will shout out Nicole. Nicole Kidman looks unbelievable.

And she never plays on the red carpet. Never. Miss Reginamins looks unbelievable. And she never plays on the red carpet. No, no, no, never. Miss Regina King. Regina King. That pink, that rose metallic thing. Oh my God. That bustier. Stunning.

I think new. It knows she's winning these awards. Oh yeah. You know what I mean? And showing up. She's collecting hardware. She's collecting hardware. Now, I, okay, so let's get into it.

I am just so in awe of, like, everything that you do. Talk about how you got your start with songwriting. I mean, like, whatever. It's so basic, but, like, what is your day-to-day? Like, just, yeah, walk us through. Yeah, how do you find yourself in the position of even working with Troy? Or just writing your own stuff. Yeah, I mean, I am from South Mississippi.

And so from the time of growing up, I just tried to take advantage of every single opportunity, all the songwriting opportunities offered in South Mississippi. Of course. And, and would do things like open up for Jesse McCartney at the mall. And I still remember like running, racing to buckle to buy a shirt. The buckle.

Oh my God, buckle. Before the performance and, and performing and things like the Mrs. Mississippi pageant. I was the entertainment at the local casino. And that was a big moment. That was a big moment. Of course.

No, of course. It was ridiculous. And then when I went to school, I went to college in Nashville at Belmont. And there was very much a culture of songwriting there. And everyone, they had showcases, the pop showcase. My mom was so smart. She wanted me to go to a Christian school. And so she was genius. She brought me to visit the school the week in the pop showcase was happening.

And so I was, that was it. I was like, I have to be here. I looked at the state. I have to be, she knew to take you to the pop showcase. She knew. She knew. And so I ended up going to Belmont. And because they had the pop showcase, urban showcase, Christian showcase, country, our whole group of friends were made up of people who sang all that type of music. So I became the songwriter that wrote songs for all of them to perform in those showcases. Wow. So I would co-write with friends or write songs alone and then would go to these showcases and see I would co-write with friends and, or write songs alone and,

and then would go to these showcases and see our friends perform these songs. And that was my first taste of writing for another artist, writing for someone else and ended up through, through the woman who was in charge of the Mrs. Mississippi pageant. She worked at a casino in South Mississippi and, and a songwriting manager

came through one time and she gave him my information he reached out to me I sent him a couple songs and he ended up getting me a publishing deal

wow the strangest it was not a Nashville connection that ended up getting me actually into the songwriting community like world

it was through it was through the director of the Mrs. Mississippi pageant. That's so funny. Wow. Wow. You never know.

You never know. How old were you at that point? I was 20. Wow. Wow, that's cool. So it was just a couple years ago. Sure. Yes, yes.

But is that like a weird, not weird, is that like just like a full circle thing where you're like, oh, this gig that I thought was just like, I'll do, I'll do whatever, I'll do whatever gig I can do whatever gig i can and then that bore fruit in this other incredible way no i will never forget her i have to i'll thank her in here and now sharon coleman sharon coleman there you go sharon come on sharon thank you um yeah and then so i moved as soon as i graduated one of the hardest things i've ever done was like leave my whole group of friends in nashville and move to la and uh and then i thought moving to la I genuinely thought I'm gonna be here two months

and write for Beyonce I have a publishing deal I'm in it's the same publisher as her John Platt who uh signed me to my first publishing deal signed Beyonce signed Jay-Z signed Drake he is a legend he's an uh he's amazing um and I said like I'm gonna move to LA and write for Beyonce it's over it's not like totally out of the realm of possibility I had a lot of I grew up listening

only to Christian music not by choice we've heard that a lot on this podcast really so interesting yeah I mean all of my first concerts

if I like said my actual first concert that I consider my first it would be Britney Spears but my actual first one was a Christian boy band called For Him. For Him!

Those boys were For Him. Yes. I love that. And I'm For Him. But yeah, so then that did not happen. I did not write for Beyonce. Could have. And I would love to.

That is, of course, on the bucket list. It's great to put that out there. I truly feel like anything is possible, especially with the things that I've somehow been able to find my way into. I truly feel like anything, anything is possible. But no, I had to hustle in LA. I worked a million jobs. I would say I was in LA for probably five years

before I made a dime from songwriting. Wow. What did you do? I catered. I catered the Golden Globe after party. Wow. At the hotel? At the hotel.

What a fucking amazing full circle thing. I'm sorry. Did you go over to the caterers at the party and say, you guys are all revelation? Oh my gosh. I did actually um i catered uh i catered kim kardashian's wedding to chris humphrey you have to be kidding okay well what's the tea i am on the e special shut up wow did it feel weird yes of course it did they didn't tell us what we were going to.

But I'd figured it out. I Googled it in the bus on the way there. I knew where we were going. I knew the date was happening. And that was crazy. And I had the best time, actually. I felt like a guest. There were so many servers there.

It was an easy job. And I actually had the Jenner table. Oh, my God. Yeah. I. It was an easy job. I didn't, I, but, and I actually had, um, I had the Jenner table. Oh my God. Yeah. I had the Jenner table. There was a moment where, um,

where Kathy Hilton and I are holding a chair as Christiana is standing on it. Oh my. Dancing. Everyone was, it was such a lovely experience. Like it really was. Earth, wind and fire was the wedding band.

Wow. I mean, come on. Robin Thicke was played the first dance it was i had a great time that sounds amazing that's a moment yeah yeah um i catered the vmas and my friends were nominated oh my god i gave champagne to lady gaga oh like i yeah wow you've had some amazing moments both catering and as a guest yes yeah yeah yeah and i made a lot of actually i made a lot of moments, both catering and as a guest. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I made a lot of, actually I made a lot of my friends through catering.

Cause it's all like, it's all actors or comedians or whoever. And, uh, we had a really good time. And so I catered, I taught songwriting in a college for three years. Wow.

Um, I was an assistant to the director of P90X. Wow. I wrote some of the jingles songs in the background of P 90 X. I have like, I'm, I'm exhausted. I like have done.

And that, that's just like three of the 30 jobs that I did during that time. Um, and then finally like, and I, but, and I always thought too, I was like,

it's going to work out. Yeah. It's going to work out even if it's like two, three, four, five, six, seven years.

And thankfully it did. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, yeah, that's, that's fucking to work out. It's going to work out, even if it's like two, three, four, five, six, seven years. And thankfully it did. Yeah. I mean, yeah, that's fucking how it goes. Everyone that I always, some people will ask like, I want to move to New York, but I don't know how. I'm like, literally no one knows how.

No one knows how. No one knows how to move to New York or LA. You just go. You have to work jobs that you may not like. And you have to grind and do one thing every day that reminds you why you're there. Absolutely. That was my rule for myself.

I was like, every single day, no matter if I was busy doing something else, I'm going to do, see, feel, like just one thing every day that reminds you of what you're there to do. Exactly. And that's enough. You simply make it work. Yeah. When we made Troy's first album, I had a full-time job. Wow. And they didn't know that. I didn't really tell anyone. This is Blue Neighbor and they didn't know that I didn't really tell

anyone yeah I didn't tell anyone I was just like oh yeah the session is at 1pm on Wednesday I will be there I'll figure it out oh my god We're friends like that. Who needs enemies? You ain't seen nothing yet. Here's to being Germanic. With the Real Housewives of Potomac. Oh my gosh, can I take this in? It's going to be amazing. New York City.

Everyone is a gossip. No one gets a happier life. Salt Lake City. We don't wear costumes, we wear fashion. And below deck sailing out. You broke the rules and now you're here getting upset. Watch all new seasons on Bravo or stream it on City TV+. Let's have a real good time.

I'm Julian Edelman. I'm Rob Gronkowski. Guess what, folks? We're teammates again. And we're going to welcome you guys all to Dudes on Dudes. I'm a dude, you're a dude, and Dudes on Dudes is our brand new show. We're going to highlight players, peers, guys that we played against, legends from the past, and we're just going to sit here and talk about them.

And we'll get into the types of dudes. What kind of types of dudes are there, Gronk? We got studs, wizards. We got freaks. Or dudes dude. We got dogs. Dogs. We'll break down their games.

We'll share some insider stories and determine what kind of dude each of these dudes are. Is Randy Moss a stud or a freak? Is Tom Brady a dog or a dude's dude? We're going to find out, Jules. New episodes drop every Thursday during the NFL season. Listen to Dudes on Dudes on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm Cheryl Swoops, WNBA champ, three-time Olympian, and basketball Hall of Famer. I'm a mom and I'm a woman. I'm Tarika Foster-Brasby, journalist, sports reporter, basketball analyst, a wife, and I'm also a woman. And on our new podcast, we're talking about the real obstacles women face day to day. See, athlete or not, we all know it takes a lot as women to be at the top of our game. We want to share those stories about balancing work and relationships, motherhood, career shifts. You know, just all the s*** we go through.

Because no matter who you are, there are levels to what we experience as women. And T and I, well, we have no problem going there. Listen to Levels to This with Cheryl Swoops and Tarika Foster-Brasby, an iHeart Women's Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports. On Thanksgiving Day, 1999, a five-year-old boy floated alone in the ocean. He had lost his mother trying to reach Florida from Cuba. He looked like a little angel. I mean, he looked so fresh.

And his name, Elian Gonzalez, will make headlines everywhere. Elian Gonzalez. Elian. Elian. Elian. Elian. Elian. Elian Gonzalez. Elian. Elian. Elian. Elian. Elian. Elian Gonzalez. At the heart of the story is a young boy and the question of who he belongs with.

His father in Cuba. Mr. Gonzalez wanted to go home and he wanted to take his son with him. Or his relatives in Miami. Imagine that your mother died trying to get you to freedom. At the heart of it all is still this painful family separation. Something that as a Cuban, I know all too well. Listen to Chess Peace, the Elian Gonzalez story, as part of the My Cultura podcast network,

available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I would, whenever I would book something, I booked a fucking recurring thing. This is a year ago. Oh, by the way, John Glazer Loves Gear. You can watch it now on TruTV. Oh, yes, bitch.

But I was, I had to ask for work off. I was like, well, and like, that was like a huge battle. And like, they were very, very generous with my time. But it was like, this thing where it was like, I was, I had a nine to five up until yeah like six months ago where it's just you go and like you're you might not like this version of your life yet right like you invest in stuff you have to completely so then what was your form of like doing maybe it wasn't one thing a day but like what were your little pockets of time that you could steal like what would you be doing like it was still just treating

myself like i was a working songwriter wow great. Great. You know, I would write songs at night, write songs on the weekends. And I was setting up sessions and running my calendar like I was a working writer. And I would take meetings with my publisher because I was still published at the time. And, you know, there were moments where I could tell they were frustrated because I didn't have a lot of availability. But they also understood that I was doing what I needed to do. And I think they respected that. Yeah. So I would just write songs. And thankfully one of those sessions, we would get paid also to, I mean, I was like, I need a hundred bucks, 200 bucks, whatever. And we would get paid to write songs with young artists who wanted to come or whose parents, whose parents would send them to LA to to write songs for a weekend or whatever.

My friend Gino called and he said, hey, there is this girl who's here for the weekend. I used to teach her voice in Pittsburgh. Do you want to come and write a song with us? And I was like, absolutely. And went and we wrote a song in about realistically 45 minutes. And I was like, so nice to meet everyone. I have to go back

to work. Love you guys. And that song ended up being hideaway by Daya. Oh my God. And, uh, and it was, and that was, I love that.

I love her. And I love that song. I love her. She is a gem. She is so talented. I love her. I can't say enough good things about her. She knows I love her.

And, uh, and so that ended up being that song. Yeah. The break. And, uh, shortly after that, I think within like a few weeks of hideaway coming out or hideaway doing well on radio uh youth came out and started doing well so i was teaching that was such a moment it was so special and so i was

teaching at the college at the time so i was teaching a voice lesson uh and and had like two songs on the radio at the time and i was like okay yeah that's when you really start to sink in let's uh let's there's i see a light at the end of the tunnel that is amazing how did you meet troy i met troy through one of my dear friends tyler oakley tyler oakley! That's amazing. The potential future guest of the show. I want that man on this. I will make, I promise, I will make that happen.

we both had such positive interactions with him on Twitter. Good. For our respective antics. But you know, so, I would love.

Yes, Tyler is, Tyler is like, I mean, people throw this term around, but he is like a true connector. He connects people. Yeah.

In this way. I had no idea. Oh my god, that's so great. So he just like, he was like, around, but he is like a true connector. He connects people in this way. I had no idea. I'm like, that's so great. So he just like, he was like, Tyler is one of my best friends for five or six years. He's one of the first people I met when I moved to LA and when he moved to LA. And so I remember he said,

my best friend Troy is about to be in LA. He is a new artist. You need to write with him. And he told Troy, he's like, my friend Brett is a songwriter or Leland is a new artist. You need to write with him. And he told Troy, the same, he like my friend Brett is a songwriter or Leland is a songwriter. You need to meet him. So Tyler, I was playing shows in LA at the time and Tyler brought Troy and we snuck Troy in because he was underage. And, uh, and I think he was like also 17. And so my friend Allie, who ran the club, uh, looked at Troy and she was like, don't you pick up any alcohol?

Because she didn't want to get fired, you know. Of course. And so, yeah, it was Tyler that really connected us and we wrote a few days later for the first time. Wow. So anytime something special happens, like whether Troy and I are a part of something, I always still like thank Tyler. Yeah. Because he connected those dots and made that happen. That's amazing. I always still like think Tyler because he connected those dots in me that happened.

That's amazing. So when you guys are working together in, in the studio and you guys are early, wherever you guys are writing. So, um, is there one of you guys, does he come with like a general idea of what he wants to say?

Like, does he come with lyrics? Like what, how does that work? I mean, it's different every single time as I'm sure like collaborating with people varies and, and how the idea starts. Um, but sometimes but sometimes yeah he'll

have he will have the title uh he'll have a story or nothing and we just talk right uh and we just talk about what's going on in his life or my life or another co-writer who's in the room or a story that we heard but generally i mean i would say everything every single song that's ended up on an album has been authentic to him about something going on in his life. And so it will, it can also start with one of us sitting down at the piano and starting a melody. Maybe that inspires something. We both have, I have lists of titles or words in my phone. And so does he or lyrics or poetry that we look through.

But then also sometimes it's like, it's also not that deep. Like sometimes it is. Sure, sure. And then sometimes it's not. Yeah, I know. I mean, it's very interesting. Like I do not music in the way that you do it,

but like music in the way that I do it for like comedy purposes. But it's so interesting. Like sometimes the stuff that you really will work was written in 15 minutes. Exactly. And then you can labor over something forever and it's the same thing with sketches or comedic ideas it's like the stuff that you

labor over often like will just never be what these things that fly out of you are yeah and then i sometimes i'll forget even why i thought of it right like it's like right yeah you know what i mean like so how much of bloom are you on is that i? I did eight out of ten songs. Yeah. Co-wrote with him. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Eight out of ten songs. And then we worked with Max Martin's team on some of them.

That is so cool. It was insane. Oh, my God. That is insane. Neither of us take that for granted. Yeah. We had written quite a few songs for Bloom. And then we took a very quick four day trip to Stockholm

to meet with Max he was not there but his team he has producers that are amazing they're all Oscar the Oscars they're called the Wolf Cousins is the term of the collective and so we were there for four days

and there's a little bit of this pressure being like okay we hopefully will leave with, but also we just want to write great songs. And if we don't, it's okay. Like as long as we leave with a good song. Yeah. So Stockholm is where you go to kind of get the hints. And, uh, during that trip, the first day of writing, I think it was the first day we wrote

my, my, my. And we had that feeling and we actually celebrated by drinking champagne and eating oysters. Oh, yes. Come on. We love an oyster. We love an oyster. I love knowing that Troy loves an oyster. Loves. That's phenomenal. Okay, so My My My, you write

and you're kind of like, okay, this is different. It just felt special and it felt different. It just felt very him. And that. And it just felt very him. And that's the most important thing always. And then the next day we wrote Bloom. Wow. And we wrote it with Peter Svensson from the Cardigans. Oh, yes.

I love the Cardigans. Oh, my gosh. Working with him, yes, I bow down. It was so special. But they, Peter and oscar holter who produced uh run away with me yes um who produced bloom they were really focused on melody and production and troy and i were working on the lyrics yeah they really didn't know what we were writing about and so we were giggling in the back of the room like what we were writing about and we thought

like the song will never see the light of day so let's just have fun with it and uh it's such an important it's such an important i mean you know what it's a fun song you know we had this guy scott thompson here on this podcast and he is like an iconic gay sketch comedian like back from kids in the hall years ago and we were talking to him about how you know he has this theory where he was like, gay men can't be stars. Gay men have everything stacked against them in terms of these things, and it's because of sodomy. It's because no one wants to acknowledge the way that we have sex

is disgusting. And that's because from when he came from, that was a time when there was no gay male representation really in the media, and there was kind of an ick factor around the way that we have sex. So then, yeah.

So then we both tell him about bloom and he starts to get really fucking. It was emotional because that's, you have to understand like, yeah. And that's why I say it's important. It's because like, you know, somebody, I was at a comedy show the other night and they referred to anal sex as a

kink. And so I got up after him and I was like, just singing. I said it lighthearted, but I was like, anal sex is not a kink that's actually how we make love yeah and you should try it and i was like honey and you have uh something up your asshole that is a tricep but uh no you got a prostate baby i was lighthearted about it but the thing is like you know that song is the first time that we hear really gay men singing about having sex the way that everyone else has been able to. And so that really is like a moment. And the fact that that's like a mainstream hit song, that's fucking cool. Huge fucking deal.

You're a part of that. You created it. You created it. We explained to him. We were like, it's a pop song that's doing very well.'s about anal sex it's about gay men having anal sex he was speechless from the bottom's perspective and it was like he truly like this comedy legend superstar who feels like he thought because he then it felt to him like oh maybe things could change yeah so you guys you guys like did something that's so cool i'm so grateful to be a part of it too and yeah that i think bloom the title itself was something troy had brought in

that day oh yeah it came from the title that's cool yeah just such a great and it's a bop it's a fucking bop baby and i love the lyrics wow wow i was i when it first came out before before i really i mean i was just kind of like listening to the lyrics and I was like, this is like a very, very sexy song. Yeah. Like it's just, he looks so stunning in the music video. So good. The video is insane.

Oh my gosh. For My My My 2, that's iconic. Insane. It's very rare that as a writer, you feel like the video, just because budgets are so hard to get approved and also videos happen very last minute most of the time. Yeah. So it's very rare that as a writer, you look at the song or you look at the video and you're like, Oh,

this video like does the song justice. Yeah. Um, but with every Troy video, especially my, my, my, especially bloom dance to this,

uh, lucky strike that just came out. I mean, it, it is the perfect visual component it's no joke with my my my i mean my some i'll shade her right now because i don't care um uh taylor swift the music video for style is so wrong i was like this is all wrong and that's how you know she's gotten like too big for anyone to tell her like no or maybe she just trusted whatever director that was because i hear the song but the song the song is

stunning and that's why but i see like honestly like her in a fucking like car with the top down in miami honey dressed in all black having a night out and like maybe going to see her dude instead of hanging out with her girls like i see the video in my head. And then to see her in the woods with a blue sky. No, it's just projections on her. Whatever. There's a concept there, fine. Oh, that's out of the woods I was thinking of. Yeah, you're right.

But it's so true. I watch My My My and I'm like, this is, it's almost like synesthetic. It's like, this is what I saw in my mind. And it's what you picture when you're listening to a song like that in your bedroom yeah in the shower yeah and you're like you're feeling it yeah and like the dancing that he does just and the shots the angles him

uh in the beginning of the second verse uh uh sparked up buzzcat i got my tongue between your teeth forget it he's upside down the red light is hitting him and he's just like it's brand new it's brand new we've seen so much so to be able to say something is brand new that's like fucking cool like honestly it almost threw me back to like I wonder what George Michael

would think of Troy I think he'd be fucking proud as fuck I think yeah Troy did an interview I think it was for out where elton john interviewed him wow and i mean i cry at everything like it's because it can be it can be like overwhelming in a really good way especially when like i come from a very conservative christian home in south mississippi so to be a part of things like this is incredibly overwhelming yeah right and uh there was a moment where elton or troy brought up uh elton's writing partner and elton was like yes we've been

writing for i think at this point like 40 years and uh and troy uh brought me up and and said well i i hope to be writing with my writing partner for that one. How beautiful. And that killed. Yeah. It was so special. And you know, I don't, we're not writing anymore, but no,

I'm kidding. We are. I haven't spoken to him in about two months, but I'm still getting emotional. Is that Troy? Hi. Honestly, like,

so this is like, it sounds like a stupid question, but like, what do you guys, do you guys, when you guys are like hanging out, not writing music, what are you guys doing i mean i'm just fascinated by troy we uh we i think are very similar in that and i'm grateful we connected as friends first and as collaborators

but um but we are very similar that we don't typically go out yeah um i mean i had that chapter in la like years ago but but yeah, yeah, yeah. The WeHo scene. That's why my phone is cracked. Oh, because Matt dropped it in WeHo. I just got blackout drunk in WeHo on a Sunday. Oh my God, I think I read that. By 6 p.m. I like fucking destroyed my phone.

I have to fix this. Oh my God. Yes, I have a scar on my wrist from Halloween in WeHo about seven years ago. A WeHo scar. WeHo scar, front runner for title of. A WeHo scar. WeHo scar, front runner for title of app. WeHo scar. But no, we just

hang out at my place or at his or go to get sushi or very low-key and just talk. I was actually reading an interview with him where he said that he was working with Ariana and watching her be one person and then become the pop star in a moment.

Like, you just said with Taraji before. Like, that is cool. And he must do that, too. He's got to. Of course. You guys learned from Taraji. We did. You did.

We all did. You all did. In that moment there. And we just did, too. When he said that, I snapped my hand out of my hand. There you go. You guys didn't see it, but I did. You did do that.

You should ask the question well i would say this i just i just before we move on i just want like do you what what is your hope for like um i guess i'm gonna call it queer music even though it's not music for queer people necessarily it's music for everybody but like because you're part of this and you you are putting yourself out there as a performer and you're writing for other people, you're writing for yourself. What is your hope in the next, let's say, just 10 years or just the general future? What do you hope changes or stays the same or supports that? My hope is that just good music rises to the top no matter where it comes from. No matter who is singing it. Obviously, as long as the person is not problematic in promoting hate

or anything like that but I don't like as long if someone is making good music let's hear it good music put it in the spotlight yes

that really is like I know it's such a general answer no no no but that is how I feel because there's obviously a lot of work to be done totally

but in my community of songwriters that I come from I am surrounded by talented LGBTQ people yeah yeah yeah to be done. But in my community of songwriters that I come from, I am surrounded by talented LGBTQ people who are songwriting, who are writing songs that I adore

and are like the soundtrack to my life and I know other people's lives. So I just think if people are writing good songs, like hopefully it can have a moment. Yeah.

You know, one of the most prolific country music songwriters is named Shane McAnally and he's gay and he writes so many, so many amazing songs and he's gay and he writes country music. Shane is wonderful. Do you know Shane?

Yes. Yeah. He's so talented. So if you, I would love to have him on. You should. And he would love to be on. I know that he,

so if you don't follow him on Instagram, okay. Immediately follow him. His kids are hilarious. He is hilarious. His husband is precious. They are so much fun. He's friends with Kelly. Matt's number one is Kelly.

My number one is Kelly. Clarkson. He's amazing. Not only is he one of Nashville's arguably could be the biggest songwriter in Nashville, but he owns his own publishing company

so he has writers signed to him so there are hits that he may not have co-written but he's still making money off of because the writers

are signed to him and that's something that I respect he is building an empire there there's the moment in Nashville there's Music Row

so there's two one way streets that run parallel and all the houses are publishing companies or record labels or whatever so you know you've made it as a company when you buy your spot on music row and shane's company is called smack and he bought the most beautiful office renovated it everything on music row and that is such a special moment. It signifies a lot. It signifies a shift. There's a lot more evolving that needs to happen.

But it's just, it's great. But it's cool to see in country music. I mean, the man writes for everyone. Everyone. Men, women. And it's just like, it gives me hope for country music because I always feel,

and you know what? When will we see a gay country music star? I don't know. But like, it gives me hope that at least, you know, we're hearing like where it comes from here. And those,

yeah. And those, those country stars are out there. Yeah. But like, you know, they're, they're just,

it's a tough genre. It's a tough genre. But I, but so, but with your, with what you're saying, which is that like, you just hope for good just... It's a tough genre. It's a tough genre. It is. But with what you're saying, which is that like you just hope for good music to rise to the top, is it that you don't want it to be bogged down by a million other things

that have to do with the marketing or just with the way that it's presented? Completely. And just exposure and what gets covered. Yeah. Just like not a song getting so much exposure because who the artist is, even if like if it's a bad song.

Right. So it's just people just giving great songs an opportunity. You know, I looked at, you know how they do those like year end Spotify lists? Like it said my top female artist, so I forget who actually was probably Kim Petras. And then my top male artist, it was a tie between Troy Sivan and Bradley Cooper. Because I had listened to Shallow so many times and like worn out the Star Is Born soundtrack, but Troy was tied.

So it was, it was like your critics choice moment. It was very, it was very that, very that. Troy is the guy, ironically, Troy is the Gaga and Bradley's the Glenn,

right? In that situation, yes. Gaga is not the Bradley. No, Gaga and Bradley's the Glenn right in that situation yes Gaga is not the Bradley no no the ingenue no that's Troy it has to be Troy has ingenue written all over him oh my god it's gotta be kind of like you can go to these award shows and like if you are we at this time we don't know if

it's up for an Oscar it could be the song revelation yes yes but um and not to jinx no you're fine but um it's cool to kind of go to those things and know that something like shallow is in the race which is like winning everything we went with such low pressure right i mean that we were just there to have a good time yeah it was so nice and that's fun but think about this like in the history of music and in like queer songwriting i keep calling it you know but you know what i mean you're gonna look back on this people are gonna look back on this and say,

oh my God, wasn't it so cool that Shallow was nominated? Like, was the category sister of Shallow was like Revelation by Troy, by Leland, by Jonesy. Like, like you are in that story.

Like that is part of the narrative for this year, which is such a, I think a landmark year for, yeah, for representation, for film, for like, you know, it's like you have Bohemian Rhapsody, Green Book. I mean, for, for whatever such a, I think, a landmark year for representation, for film, for like, you know, it's like Bohemian Rhapsody, Green Book. I mean, for whatever you think

about these movies, Bohemian Rhapsody, Green Book, Shallow, I called it Shallow, Star is Born, Boy Erased. It's like these are all queer movies in a way. And also, you know, outside of that representation across the board. I mean, Black Panther, Black Klansman. I mean, overall, it's been

an exciting year. That's why like, once they start naming the best of the year, it's like, they picked that? You know. I mean, Black Panther, Black Klansman. I mean, overall, it's been an exciting year. That's why, like, once they start naming the best of the year, it's like, they picked that? You know what I mean? Sometimes it's like,

come on, people. Sure, sure, sure. But we'll see how it shakes out. Anyway. But I do want to ask one more thing. So with Boy Erased, had you seen the movie

and then you guys write the song? Or was he like, this is what the song is? We saw the specific scene and then, you know, we knew what it was about. And obviously, Troy was in the movie as well.

So you'd had the experience already of filming the movie, being very familiar with the script. Inspired, obviously. Yes. And we knew what the director, Joel, wanted. Wanted from that moment that we looked at the materials for the conversion camp when we were writing the song. And the last time I'd seen those materials was when i'd been like sent them as an option and so that was that was very strange but also it was like wow i it's however 10 years later and i am a proud like out and proud gay man and so it it was a lot Like, this is the thing,

is that you just have to confront whatever the darkest things are. This is something I keep saying. You just have to confront these things or else they will just eat away at you. I'm realizing that I have not even really had an honest conversation with my parents about going to conversion therapy.

Well, I think both parties have to be ready to have that conversation. And I am pretty ready. I think ball's in their court now. Right. That's where I am too. Yeah. Okay.

And so, but like, that's like the power of like what you're doing. You know, it's like, it's like that's making me think about that, but it's like Bloom is this landmark thing in the culture like like i know that you say that you like get overwhelmed with this probably sometimes but like that is incredible already what you've done in your career thank you and it starts conversations i mean like just you know someone like nicole kidman um being in that movie oh my

gosh i'm very grateful for that because Nicole Kidman can go on any talk show she wants and she can bring this film to the masses. And it also has Russell Crowe. It has a Troye Sivan in it, Lucas Hedges, who is becoming a big deal, and Joel Edgerton, the actor, who's not a small actor,

who's also now this great director and so just this big name talent like giving everything they have to this kind of film so that people can hear the story and also to know that it wasn't the only film about conversion therapy out this year there was also absolutely cameron post yes and um you know just to know that we're really tackling this because i do think it's a Scientology-esque situation where it's like, we must get rid of this. I mean, it's destroying people's lives. As of a couple of days ago, it was the law passed in New York. Yes.

Banning conversion therapy. But that means now, because the phrase that I've been saying is it's still legal in 36 states, but now it's 35, which is incredible. but yeah i mean and you can if you're you have to find out if you're living in a state yeah where conversion therapy is still legal and never forget that our vice president at this moment you know he's someone who thinks this works yep and his evil wife is i'm sorry but teaching like whatever fucking art class or whatever at schools that do not allow lgbt people at all to be involved at all like and never stop talking about this because it is not normal i understand so many things about this are not normal but this is a threat to our community in a big way yeah it's one of the biggest i mean and thankfully you have come out on the other side

and like some people don't some people people, some people do not don't. And that's in the film. Yeah. And in the book. Um, also imagine teaching an art class with no career kids, the worst fucking bad pictures. Imagine,

imagine the art fair. Terrible. I certainly wouldn't hang it up. I wouldn't hang it up by my wall or any, I wouldn't hang it up on my worst enemy's wall. There you go. Straight art. No straight art.

That's another maybe title of it. No straight art. It's a rule of culture number 75. There should be no straight art. And Leland's joining in.

Okay. You must. We must. Okay, now I think it's time to ask the question. It's time to ask the question. Here we are. The question is,

Leland, what was the culture that made you say culture is for me? Which is, what is the formative and there can be multiple answers. Sure.ative um pieces of media uh or just your environment it could just be like your upbringing um uh in in a religious setting where it's like these things that moved

you into the place that you are now your touchstone your touchstones um It was very much the medley in Mrs. Doubtfire. Wow. Where he is being made a woman. Ah. From the moment the door opens, he knocks on the door, Uncle Frank and Aunt Jack. Yeah. And he goes, can you make me a woman? She goes, honey, I'm so happy.

And then the medley starts. And that was it. Oh, my God. The whole medley. That was it. It's so funny because i feel like you're either like a mrs doubtfire person who had that movie or you're not i for some reason didn't watch that movie until much later yeah dave mizzoni though are are you

know my co-host for game show he's a mrs doubtfire bitch we my best friend steven and i were walking up and down upper west side a couple days ago and quoted the entire movie. People can do that. Truly that montage. That montage of her becoming and doing all the transformations and the Barbra Streisand moment and all of that. What I love about it is, like I said,

I grew up in a very conservative home. That is drag. That is a drag queen. And for some reason, that snuck in the house. It was. It was allowed. It snuck in the house. People got on board with it. Because is a drag queen. And for some reason, that snuck in the house. It was. It was allowed. It snuck in the house. People got on board with it. Yeah.

Because it was Robin Williams. Yeah. I think. And so it was that. It was the birdcage. Yes. Changed my life. Again, Robin.

And then freshman year of college, I had my first boyfriend. And I told my parents that I cannot come home for fall break. I have so much studying to do. had my first boyfriend and i told my parents that i cannot come home for fall break i have so much studying to do and my first boyfriend and i snuck to and we drove to chicago from nashville and stayed with my friend for the weekend and she sat us down and showed us the movie hedwig and the angry inch wow and i had never seen anything like it. And it blew my mind. Those songs stuck with me. And recently, which I cannot believe, I had dinner and I've become good friends with Stephen Trask. Wow.

And it just like, it's just insane. That's a full circle ass moment. Yes. And so it was all like a lot a lot of drag moments that like i was gonna say yeah that uh define or like that started that inspiration of um i guess where i'm at now the culturists that don't know steven trask was uh john karen mitchell's collaborator on hedwig and the angry itch and did the music also and also john karen mitchell is like in it with, he's, he's, he's like, he's like,

he, well, he's coming back in this way that like, sort of like he has his foot in like a comedy, the contemporary comedic thing where it's like, he'll come to like, like he, he comes to like birthday parties and shit. Wow.

He's so funny. He's around. And he's like the coolest person in the world. Um, that those are, whatever I had, I had, I didn't mean to like name drop John Cameron Mitchell, but, um, but you did, but I did. He's around. He's like the coolest person in the world. Those are... Whatever. I didn't mean to name drop John Cameron Mitchell. But you did. And you have to live with it.

And now I want to go to that birthday party. And now you're coming. It's crazy for you to talk about birthday parties that we weren't in. Birthday parties. Cardi B's line of birthday parties. Exactly. Oh, she would succeed. Those are so great. Those are such good examples. I have to admit, yeah, I, she would succeed. Those are so great. Those are such good examples.

I have to admit, yeah, I'm not a Mrs. Doubtfire gay, but I understand it to be like, I didn't watch it until after my window, like the critical window had closed on me. Well, yeah. I'll tell you what I think is iconic about it. Sally.

Yes. Yes. For me, Sally is in my top five. Oh my God. Sally to me is iconic iconic she's in my hashtag what's the moment what's the moment the whole time the whole time the whole time that's it genius imagine imagine that imagine being the person that slowly that line reading that oh my god she's unbelievable and and you know the thing about sally is like what i love about sally is

she never disappears she's always sally field but you are never mad it's kind of like meryl streep too i find that meryl streep doesn't disappear she's kind of always meryl even though she's doing the voices and whatever she's always meryl and i love that like you don't need to totally disappear from me sure sure what i also What I also love about Mrs. Doubtfire that it is that it addressed divorce. Yes. Which I really hadn't seen, you know, and,

and growing up, uh, in Mississippi, you, you are told that divorce is not an option. Divorce is a sin. But then I'm like, no,

actually, if you don't like each other anymore, you should get a divorce. Things don't work out actually more often than they do nowadays. And also the only thing with that movie that i i would criticize is that there's a possibility that they get back together at the end i think it's fine that they're divorced absolutely right let them be divorced because that is not the reality for lots of kids so i can go back to a movie from 1993 yeah i know oh my god i have notes there you go go. I mean, sure. With starring one of the best comedic actors.

What a loss, man. And in two of your formative movies. I mean, and Hook is one of my favorite movies of all time. Yeah. I mean, I would even say, I would even shout out the bitch in Jumanji. Jumanji, absolutely. I wore out that VHS for Jumanji. Yes, I did too.

Yeah. I did too. I remember all the previews that were on it. Fly Away Home with Miss Anna Paquin. I love the music inumanji. Yes, I did too. Yeah. I did too. I remember all the previews that were on it. Fly Away Home with Miss Anna Paquin. I love the music in that movie. Yes. It was amazing. Yes, Miss Anna Paquin and also Alaska. She's flying with all the geese. Yes. Chills.

Who was the father in that movie? Was it Jeff Daniels? I think it was Jeff Daniels. Yes, who gave an iconic speech at the Golden Globes. Yes. Yes, yes. Oh, Jeff Bridges. Oh, no. Wait, wait, wait. We're getting our Jeffs confused. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Jeff Daniels was in Fly Away Home. Jeff Bridges gave the

icon to me. As Chris Pine looked on. Look, there's so many Jeffs, so many Chrises. Too many Chrises. Too many Chrises. But I love all Chrises. As someone who people often point to and go, Chris, right? And I go, no, but yeah. No, but yeah. That's the right answer. No, but yeah. Might as well right answer. No, but yeah. I might as well be a Chris.

I think my favorite Robert Williams is Honestly, and this is so pathetic. He's not fun in it. Don't say insomnia. No. Patch Adam? Good Will Hunting. What? I love that movie.

When's the last time you saw it? Fairly, not fairly recently recently but like five years ago because my parents had never seen it and it was like this is something that the whole family can enjoy he's certainly fantastic he's not funny but he's but the whole thing of like his wife farting in bed like oh yeah he's great

what a beautiful moment of just comedic like grief mixed with comedy mixed with all this stuff I was just like that is like I mean I watch I watch hooky around oh you do absolutely I have to have a movie in the background and it's typically that yeah okay interesting you have

to have a movie in the background not when you're working not when I'm working just like running around the house doing that yeah I have the housewives on always there you go I need to do that more I just my background shit is like cooking videos

on YouTube which is dumb it needs to be actual culture it needs to be cooking is culture I know

cooking is culture are you a cook no I can make a couple things but that's it I have like a cookie recipe by memory but that's about it

there you go that shows where my priorities are I can like a cookie recipe by memory but that's about it there you go that shows where my priorities are I can make pasta by memory by memory I think that's your book title from the box pasta by memory yes

yes Leland what would your book title be oh life in the fast food lane oh come on bitch okay yes

let's get into fast food baby I am fresh off Whole30 The world is my oyster Although I am Wait what? You're already done? I told Studio I was like I'm just gonna give it

I'm gonna stop at day 20 Okay So I'm done That's Whole20 I saw the cutest thing I went to visit my friend Stephen Who lives here at work And he introduced me

To some of his coworkers One of his coworkers Had flowers on her desk And I was like Oh my gosh What's the occasion? Congratulations. She said,

my girlfriend sent them to me because I'm halfway through Whole30. That is so sweet. So sweet. So sweet. So goddamn hard. I was immediately furious that I don't have that type of relationship.

Yeah. I thought it was really precious. Flowers for halfway. Not even, not half. Just half. Yeah. Beautiful. You need encouragement in these streets. You do need encouragement. Also like, I thought it was really precious flowers for half not even no half just half yeah beautiful

you need encouragement in these treats you do need encouragement also like but I will say like have you ever done like do you you don't like diet

I did the keto diet and it was actually very successful for me I heard it works if I go into a mode and I stick to it and it does

it works well it's good I heard keto is a good one that works. Keto you get to eat. The thing about Whole30 is I went over to our friend Sudi

who was also doing Whole30 at the time and she made like a Whole30 beef stew that was like totally compliant with Whole30. I famously love

a beef stew. Yeah, I mean, my favorite food. Beef stew, beef stew can. Constipated for days. But it's worth it.

But it's good and also this stew was good it needed a little salt as things often do but you know it's actually a rule of culture things often need salt it's a rule of culture

number 14 no like oh my god bitch I always say 14 he always goes to 14 it's rule of culture number 96 things often need salt

but this whole 30 compliant beef stew it's missing a lot. The beef? It's missing the beef. The beef is there. The beef is there, but also, it's just, it's beef, mushroom.

That's your autobiography title. The beef is there. It's beef, mushrooms, and potatoes. Okay. Fine, but for me, take out the mushrooms. This is what I need to have in my beef stew. I fuck you.

It needs to be a wine-based sauce. Yes, a red wine. Red wine. Yama, yama. Reduced red wine. Beef stock, whatever. And then with a fondant. Not fondant, fond.

With mine. I have mine with a fondant. With a cake fondant. I need a fondant. No, no, no, no. This is what it needs to have. Beef, of course. Potatoes.

Carrots. There they are. I was waiting yeah i was peas you gotta have fucking peas in your beef stew bitch and some rose a couple spigs of rosemary maybe if you're feeling fun oh no of course celery oh my god oh i live and die for celery there you go oh my god you burn calories eating it. You burn calories eating it. That's one of the few facts I know. That's what I know a few things.

That's one of them. High in fiber for those of us out here trying and trying and trying to have gay anal sex. There you go. I mean. I bloom. Maybe, maybe not. How much celery have I eaten? Oh, wow.

Sequel song. That's actually rule of culture number 64. I bloom. Maybe, maybe not how much celery have I eaten favorite okay go to fast food place Leland I mean Taco Bell Taco Bell

yes we have to stop with this Taco Bell erasure oh my god so when Tyler and I first became friends he was driving this like Ford Focus I also had a Ford Focus at one chapter in my life okay this is not this is not the place where you come to like hawk ford focus no i love

i miss ford focuses i yeah i had a beautiful no he always sponsored american idol oh my oh you're right he had a jetta he had a jetta cute for him and i got in his car he opened up the glove compartment or the middle section of the glove and there were about 400 Taco Bell gift cards. Shut up. From fans? I got chills. From Taco Bell corporate. What?

I am. He was like, should we go to Taco Bell? Well, you don't bloom after. I mean, at your own risk right right right and so there was a chapter in my life where we would just go get taco bell oh my god and it was so nice never paid a dime i used to holy shit i used to go to taco bell and my order was because you know that taco bells often joined with pizza hut so i would get i would get two chicken quesadillas and a little personal pizza and i would be able to just house that now at this day and age of my late 20s honey no never no never i can probably

handle one chicken quesadilla or i can eat two but i i can take a leave the pizza sauce and the chicken quesadilla yeah and also like when they're a little but they can't not sometimes with these taco bells they don't cook it all the way. I didn't mean to trigger something. No, it's not a trigger. It's just like, when I go to get a quesadilla, I want,

a quesadilla is my shit there. Charred. I want it charred. It needs to be charred. I like it like I like my marshmallows. Charred. Charred. I like it like,

I like my Swiss. Charred. That doesn't make sense. I like it how I like my Pokemon. Charles. Can I tell you something? You can. Just what I always get.

Doesn't matter what else is in the order. Must get two plain bean burritos every time I go. Yes. You hate this. I just don't like a bean burrito because I know what it's going to do to your fucking system. What you don't know about him is when he's been eating things

that are going to disagree with his stomach, the noises that come from Bo and Yang are similar to that of an angry Egyptian king. Now I need... That comes out of my mouth. Be hanging out with him at your own risk. Now After he's eaten.

And just some burritos. You're forward about it. And some fire packets. Fire sauce? Oh, see, I'm a mild. You're a mild queen? I'm a mild.

I like the taste. I love the taste of the mild. You don't want the the piquancy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I like spicy I'm a spicy queen okay spicy

I'm chaotic I'm chaotic good spicy okay that's how I identify yes but not super spicy come on come on

but I do like spicy you don't want to sweat no when I go to Chipotle I always ask for mild and hot and sometimes I get an awkward eye no it's fine whatever

I ask for mild and medium mild and medium mild and medium queen okay we have to talk about the other two and your involvement with it like No, it's fine. I ask for mild and medium. Mild and medium. Mild and medium queen. Okay, we have to talk about the other two and your involvement with it. Like, the whole show is predicated on, like, this kid becoming this huge pop star and having these songs.

And, like, you ended up writing these, like, very good songs. Like, what was that process like where you were just in the room with Chris and Sarah coming up with what these songs were supposed to be no they would send me lyrics uh they sent me lyrics they worked on like very almost completely fleshed out wow um and uh because as you said like they come from an incredible background of writing songs and um and so then i would take the lyrics and make them hooky and put music underneath them and and then send them

a couple options of like, here's how you, here's like a verse option. I, it all like comes down to the chorus. Yeah. So I would send, you know,

two, three, four, five versions of different choruses using the lyrics that they'd sent over. Um, and, uh, and then we just went back and forth and they were so amazing to work with.

And I, I would write the songs and then I brought them to my friend, Gabe Lopez to produce, uh, who produces a lot for Brandi Carlile. Oh, my God. Queen. Sorry.

Oh, my God. Belinda Carlile. Belinda. Also a queen. Also a queen. The queen. The queen. And yeah, so we would just try different things and it was so much fun.

And I wanted to, there were a lot of complexities to it because, uh, Chase's career and the show had to evolve. Yes. So, uh, the songs had to get better and that's very relative and strange. It's like,

so how do I write a better song now? So that fits. Um, but then, you know, it was like, I want to have a one Republic Americana moment, uh,

for, uh, my brother's gay for that song. And then later in the series, he has a big performance that we had to strip back one of the songs. Oh, really? And do a reinvented, you know, when people go on an award show and they reinvent the song with,

like if it's an up-tempo song, but they do it with an orchestra. Right, right, right. So we had to have one of those moments right oh yes at the VMAs yeah that was a great moment and then we did a bunch of remixes

for My Brother's Gay so we did the Gay Club remix all these remixes that was we did like a lot of remixes that was one of my favorite episodes the My Brother's Gay episode

is I think so perfect and it all hinges on the song yes the song is doing all the work is moving the plot forward yeah that's amazing

you like you were you were writing songs that were like breaking the story that were just like moving it along in this way

that was like so brilliant so fun I can't believe it seriously they I mean we've talked we've talked about

Molly Shannon and Chris and Sarah and all these people but to I'd gone to Saturday Night Live last January when Troy performed.

Which was an iconic performance. So special. I truly was the person that was like, this is my mecca. This is the holy grail of comedy. This is, I recognize. An amazing music moment. And a bucket list. As a songwriter,

you're like, I can't speak for everyone, but my dreams were like, hopefully one day to have a song performed on the Grammys. But Saturday Night Live is the place. And so to not have only one, but like to have co-written both songs that he was performing was such a special moment. And Ali X and I sat in the audience on the balcony area

and just cried and it was so special. And so I remember being there and telling Troy and telling our friends who we were with, I don't know how, I don't know like on what, but I need to work with these people somehow. And it was three weeks later that I was like sitting in an office with Chris and Sarah. Oh my God. It was so crazy.

So yeah, I love it. And I feel like my, like, I feel like everything led up to having the capability to work on this show because it's,

that type of writing is very specific. So working on Drag Race for now four years and then writing pop songs, this felt like the culmination of both of those things. Well,

it's just the perfect intersection of like your passions and your interests. Completely. So special. So let's talk about drag race because you got to be on cam as the helper so can you give us a little bit who do you who are you working with at drag race like do you have interactions with rue yes i mean i i uh rue is just amazing yeah i feel so lucky to be in that family yeah and to be around um uh lgbtq people that come from a generation where i mean they are just comedic geniuses yes yeah and so anytime i

can be around them and absorb that energy and those stories and that comedy and i i love it yeah um yeah and i mean drag races working on drag races truly i work with um my co-composer freddie scott who is amazing and it is one of the hardest things i i work on because uh you'll work on a um an extravaganza yes which usually consists of 12 mini songs of varying genres that have to be equally competitive for each queen that have to have an opportunity for each queen to have a moment if they take advantage of it or if they do it the right way.

Wow. And have to have different voices. So Ali X has been, has done some voices for me. I do a lot of the voices on Kardashian, the musical. I was Courtney Kardashian. Oh, wow. I was Kourtney Kardashian. Oh, my God.

And it made it to the final cut and the final edit. Oh, yeah. Oh, my God. And, yeah, and then on Bad Girls of Herstory, Ali X was the voice

of Princess Diana. I didn't know that Ali X did all these. I'm Princess Di. I'm very shy. Oh, my gosh. I cannot believe you know it

and the world fell in love with my eyes bing bing bing my favorite favorite favorite thing was was Alyssa Edwards

as Annie Oakley oh my god bang bang so great she killed it I mean Alyssa and Detox Detox was incredible

Detox as Marie Antoinette and that was my friend Emma Fitzpatrick who lives here who I went to college I mean, Alyssa is iconic. Detox was incredible. Detox as Marie Antoinette. And that was my friend Emma Fitzpatrick, who lives here, who I went to college with. So I just call all my friends to do all the voices. Like, insane. You get to be part of the gag.

Do you feel like you enjoy it more or less watching it because you're involved? Is that like something you lose being involved? No, no, no, no, no. Being on set and watching it go down watching them perform it's a rush that like you can't describe yeah it is so it's well it's freezing first of all on set so you're like shaking really yeah yeah i mean you the you don't want the queens to sweat or anyone to sweat they're in so much fabric so much makeup wigs and everything so it's freezing but um but also yeah it's it is so special yeah that's so no that's the that's and it feels like uh it's just getting going and it's

10 seasons in which is insane yeah that's unheard of yeah that's unheard of it's only growing and growing and growing and i mean the conversations around it are so, so important. So we're like, when we're recording this, we're like in the middle of All Stars 4 right now. Do you end up knowing results? No. Okay. And I don't want to. You know, I am a massive fan of Drag Race. I was a fan before I worked on the show.

But people in my friend group are bigger fans. And it is so intense. And so I don't typically talk about it. One, because I've signed a million NDAs. And two, because I forget. We filmed the episode that I was on this season, we filmed it last January. So you forget the interactions that happened. I forgot that I had some

fun moments with Chia and fun moments with Farrah. So you forget all those things and then you watch it back and my friends will be like, so what's going on? And I'm like, one, I'm not telling you. And two, I forget. I don't know. Wow.

That's crazy. That's so exciting. The question I'm going to ask is so insane. How big is that main stage area? Like, is it huge? It's a big, yeah. Yeah, it looks huge. Yeah.

It's not one of those spaces where you go in and you're like, oh my gosh, it's so much smaller. I can't believe it's so small. Yes, yes, yes, that thing. Like when I went to the Price is Right, I was like, this is tiny. This is crazy. But no, it's big. You know what's really small? Watch What Happens Live. Yes, this is tiny. This is crazy. But no, it's big. You know what's really small? Watch What Happens Live.

Yes, it is. Tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny. Intimate, intimate. Yeah. But no, it's a great space. And I get chills when I see the Snatch Game set coming out or anything like that. It's so cool.

Yeah. Oh, my God. What's your favorite one that you've worked on? Like a favorite song? Extravaganza. Extravaganza, as we refer to it. It's so cool. Yeah. Oh my God. What's your favorite one that you've worked on? Like a favorite song. It's like, Extravaganza. Extravaganza. As we refer to it.

I mean, there, I loved writing a classic, Is There an Anal Option? From Farmer Rizzical. Is There an Anal Option? Oh my God. Yes.

My friend Mia was the voice of that, who I also went to college with. Is There an Anal Option? Mayhem Miller. So good. Right. Yeah. That was Mayhem yeah that was mayhem that was mayhem um but i i mean i do think i loved working on bad girls of herstory yeah that was really fun that all-stars 2 cast is is iconic yeah i think all-stars 4 comes close though i really do so good

i think it's been fucking amazing so we're recording this right after um the lala peruza episode and that like because i was telling you man i was like i don't like it's been fucking amazing. It has. So we're recording this right after the Lollaparooza episode. And that, like, because I was telling you, Matt, I was like, I don't, like, it's a good season. I don't know about this roster, though. Like, are we liking, like, this group of people? You've always had hesitation. Since they announced this cast, I've been so on board. But then, like, the Lollaparooza episode

just, like, crystallized everything. I was like, they picked all the right girls. And, like, it's, this is such good television. It's so like, it all comes together in this one episode. And now like there's more of the season to be had, but like so fun, such a good,

watching it and like seeing the runways, all this here and thinking about all stars in general. Do you know who I think is going to eventually fucking kill an all-star season? Asia, Asia. I think Asia O'Hara is going to win all-stars. I think what will be really tough

is if Asia O'Hara and Shea Coulee are in the same season, it's going to be hard. And I think they'll both do all-stars five. But Asia has a redemption arc

that she is going in with. And Asia comes to the runway with gags. Yes. Already not on an all-star season. So what is Asia, what is an elevated

runway Asia gonna be? That is fucking crazy to think about. I have a lot of respect for the queens that come with no budget. Yeah, it's a hard, yeah. Asia fucking came in and made her dandy line look like an Ikea. Straight from Ikea, bitch. She made it work.

And also, like, the reason Ikea bitch she made it work and also like that's the reason i say asia and shay is because i feel like those are the two because i don't think kimchi is ever doing it i just don't get the sense that she's ever going to do all stars but i think shay and asia are both waiting for their moment i think it's going to come at the same time and that will be a gag because shay is also so fucking she is also fun fact shay or uh kimchi and tyler oakley went to high school together. Oh my god. No way. You know, Joel Kim booster and Shay Kool-Aid went to high school together and they

were in the same production of Crucible. No, no, no, it was a little shop of horror shop and and Shay was Audrey too. And Joel was Seymour Seymour. Yeah. Amazing. Yeah. Wow amazing can they please

revive that I mean they're both fame people would pay money to see that two gorgeous people doing gorgeous work is it time? I think it's time I don't think so honey

did you come prepared bitch I did come prepared as As prepared as I can. I'm very nervous. I also might lose some friendships over this. Wow. Then you know it's going to be good. This is our one minute segment where we each go off for one minute, as I've said, about pop culture.

Something that's getting our goat. It doesn't have to be pop culture related. It's something in the culture. Matt, do you have something? I need a second. Okay, you you have something? I need a second. Okay. You need a second. I think.

Cause I'm deciding between two things and I want to hear yours. So I, I go to Island on a different flavor. Okay. Well, I'll wait. Mine was going to be topical and we have to remember not to be topical. Okay. Um, here we go. Here we go.

All right. Here we go. This is Bowen Yanks. I don't think so, honey. And as time starts now, I don't think so. Honey poppers lately i've been using poppers and it's it's been rush it's been rush and i do the poppers and i'm trying to this is for my own private use it's not with i haven't been so lucky as to be with another person um in a sexual setting so it's for my own poppers use so

that so i stick other things up my butt right but it's it's it's giving me own poppers use so that I stick other things up my butt. But it's giving me too much of a little head rush. I'm like, wait a minute, I can't concentrate and it's not the intended thing. I don't feel vasodilation. 30 seconds. I can't tell if it's making things easier for me down there. And like, bitch, you got, I can't believe I had to walk to Chelsea

into some insane sex shop and spend $40 to buy two little bottles. Poppers. 15. The fact that there are top and bottom poppers is insane to me. There should just be one for bottoms. The tops, they don't need anything. They're set.

They should just take a masculinity pill and that's it. So I don't think so many poppers. We need to rethink the way that we present these and how we advertise what their effects are and that's why I'm in it you know I think you might just be taking too much of a

no I'm just going boop boop and that's it wow also if you need someone to take those off your hands I love this stuff let me know

I love this stuff I'm new to it I'm new to it and I'm a fan but my group of friends we started doing it recreationally I mean yes

our friend Joel does it recreationally he'll bring it to the club Joel's stunt when he's around straight people is he'll be like hey you should try poppers just for fun absolutely yeah yeah we did it on stage before I don't think so honey LA we like cheers with our poppers

last night at the after party we all cheers with our fried chicken sandwiches very special that was a our fried chicken sandwiches. It was gorgeous. Very special. That was a good fried chicken sandwich. So good. Also, when I did the Troy tour and we stopped in Atlanta, my whole group of friends drove down from Nashville.

And then I went and sat with them and danced while Troy was on stage. And this was new to me to see my entire group of friends, girls, guys, gay, straights, all doing poppers. I was like, what? It's a revolution. What is going on? Poppers revolution. And then I was like, pass the poppers. Yeah, pass the poppers, hun.

Fine. One time, Bone and I walked into a room and a friend said, pop the poppers. The gays are here. And I was like, I love that as our intro. Oh, my God. Who said that? Joanna Bradley. Remember?

Queer. I mean, she's queer herself. So she was allowed to say that. I've decided what I'm going to do and it's on. I mean, she's queer herself. Yep. So she was allowed to say that. I've decided what I'm going to do and it's on theme. Okay, it's on theme. Great. This is Matt Rogers's

I Don't Think So Honey. His time starts now. I don't think so honey. That bottoming hurts. Can I say something? All I want to do is take a fucking cock. Seriously.

Oh my God. The kind of porn that I watch is like exclusively like obviously it's clear to me that I want to get fucked and then literally like i'll try i'll be on my lonesome like and i'm thinking like in my private times should i and i can't even stomach the fact of trying to do that with myself no i need to be able to take dicks

because let me tell you something i feel that there's a side of my sexuality that is like just not being explored and i don't think so honey i listened to Bloom and I'm like so proud to be part of this community and then can't even fucking hack it. And I want to be able to hack it so bad. I want to be able to hack it so bad, honey. And honestly, here's the thing. Bowen has mentioned a trainer dildo. And I am, I would like to get out there

and try to get it. But the fact of the matter is, is it going to be a wasteful purchase? Am I going to like actually enjoy this? I really hope so don't think so honey that it hurts i just want to have fucking sex and that's one minute okay trainer dildo will not hurt it is like it is just so what you do is i want to be able to use my asshole for sex okay here's here's what you do start with this is this is, and for anyone, if this is too graphic, we're so sorry. But also,

we're not gonna apologize. I came to this episode for this. Okay, great. So, yes. Yes, yes. And we're also not apologizing for ourselves.

This is Bloom. But this is the anal option. So, gotta get a great lube. Okay. Gotta get your fingers in there. Oh, God.

In the lube. Start with one, two, three. After three, three even. After you're in with three Oh, God. In the loop. Start with one, two, three. After three. Three even. After you're in with three, you go in with the trainer, take a hit of poppers,

play your porn, whatever you want to do. And then if you feel up for it, you can work with the trainer for a week or so, and then you move up to something girthier. Okay. And then you'll be ready. I would love to be able to fucking

not be so skittish about this. I was very much in the same place as you are. And this is just one of the things that we have to live with. It sucks. But it's worth it once you get there. Sure. There you go.

Being a sternverse. Yeah. Stern verse! Stern verse! That's what I really want is to be able to like be able to confidently say I'm verse.

Uh-huh. Okay. That's all I want. I have in the past been with someone that used a a training builder and it changed everything.

Wow. Okay. You know what? All right. That's fine. Then I know what I have to do. Then I know what I must do. Also it sounded like you know what? All right, that's fine. Then I know what I have to do. Then I know what I must do. Also, it sounded like you were singing,

one, two, three. One, two, three. Some sort of like the fingers I was dying. That's so funny. One, two, three, four. I, okay. And then can I ask you something? Sure.

It changed everything for the better. Because for me, it's like my thing now is that like, am I taking away something that gives me value as a sexual being where I take pride in my, I'm just going to say it, in my tightness and people comment on that. And then now I'm like worried that I'm like taking that away by like just getting more regular use. I wouldn't worry about that. Don't stress it. Great.

Great. Okay. getting more regular use. I wouldn't worry about that. Don't stress it. No, no, no. Great, great. Okay. I just feel like the kind of way I feel sexually lately is like I want to be like grabbed. I don't want to be like the aggressor. You know what I mean?

I don't feel like that right now. You want to be tossed around. Honestly, like two years ago, I was like feeling very toppy and now I'm like, that's not where I'm at. You're not toppy no more. No, and even with my stache. Oh. I feel like, you're not where I'm at. Not toppy no more. No. And even with my stash.

Oh, I feel like I'm posturing as a top. And meanwhile, I have like this, I have this podcast. What do you mean? I feel like we're very bottomy. Our vocals.

Oh, whatever. That's bullshit. There's no bottom voice. When I was on food for thought, they were like shocked that I identified as a T.O.P. Oh, whatever.

They were like, we thought you were a screaming musical theater bottom. Okay, Food for Thought boys, that is. My type. Food for Thought boys, that is not, that is politically uncouth of you to say. Yeah, fuck you guys. Fran, Dennis, fucking Joe. I refuse your offer to replace Joe.

Wow. Okay, this is it. This is Leland's I Don't Think So Honey. Leland's I Don't Think So Honey. I have been stressing. You've done things that we could never, ever, ever fucking do. Just, you will nail this. I promise.

This is Leland's I Don't Think So Honey, and his time starts now. I Don't Think So Honey jazzy renditions of pop hits. TikTok was not meant to be performed with a big band by a girl who's dressed like she's trying to seduce the dad from Mary Poppins. One of my favorite songs of all time is toxic. And one time I accidentally clicked on a jazzy version on YouTube and it was like, Oh,

the taste of your lips. I'm on a toxic love. And I was like, absolutely not. I of your lips. I'm on a bad, toxic love. And I was like, absolutely not. I will tell you what's toxic. This version. Kathy Dennis, who famously wrote Toxic, is a songwriting icon. She's not dead.

But if she were, she would roll over in her grave. Second of all, it's not jazz. Slowing down a song to half the speed and singing as high and as low as you can does not make it jazz. Singing while dressed like you're in Chicago. The musical is not jazz. And yeah. So also I want to say that if someone did a song that I wrote in a jazzy version, I would change my mind and love it.

Also, Mario, I love you. I know, I know you've done some of these and I adore you and we'll always go to a show that you have that does this. I love that. Cover your bases at the end to be like,

by the way, if someone were to cover one of my songs. The last 10 seconds were a complete turnaround. Reneging on that. No, the last five seconds

were just an insurance policy. Exactly. Which is fine. I do genuinely, genuinely loathe. For me, it depends.

There's that one YouTube channel that does a bunch of them it's like post-modern jukebox i don't know i'm not gonna say uh uh yeah i was i was so insecure about like doing this before i was texting with dave and he asked me if i had mine prepared and i and i sent i said yes and he said he agreed i don't want to like blast him but he agreed and he was like yes it's like removing all of my favorite songs about things about the song pop music now is like pretty much written

to be like it is but I do love when I hear a rendition of a song it can never be jazzy but I love a ballad version of a song I didn't know could be a ballad I love it on a piano yes I agree a ballad version I accept song I didn't know could be a ballad. I love it on a piano. Yes, I agree. A ballad version, I accept. I accept a sort of

an unplugged situation where it's just guitar. But at what point it becomes a slippery slope. At the point it becomes slippery, you gotta stop. Back to poppers. The bottom

of that slope is jazz. Slow down jazz. Honestly, wish I could understand jazz. and then at the bottom of that slope is back to poppers is jazz. Okay, so slow down jazz. Honestly, wish I could understand jazz. I do love a big band. I love a big band night out.

But I don't want to hear toxic with a big band. Right, exactly. I want to hear like a big band classic that I've never heard of before. I totally agree. I would say that's culture that's culture this episode was culture

uh this episode i truly feel i feel very lucky that we got to talk to you leland because we don't have a lot of like um we we should we need to get more like songwriters we need to get because that's culture we have a lot of comedians on this show and people think the show is funny it's not funny this is not a comedy show. This is not comedy. We're serious. We actually made a rule of culture before with Chris and Sarah. We said it's rule of culture number something. I am not

funny. We are so lucky to have you with us. You're the best. Thank you. What a quick friendship that's been struck up. In like 72 hours. No, truly. I've seen him each day of the weekend.

Some Thursday, some Saturday. I feel so lucky. You got him on Thursday and I got him on Friday. I got a little photo booth moment. We did a handoff. We did a handoff. Oh, wait. That photo booth picture was kind of iconic.

It was cute. That's going to be like a picture. It was us, Darcy, Sarah, Sudi. So many fun people. And your friend Steve who I love he's wonderful so it was like

an art it was like a gif thing where like we're just all moving but Stephen decides to do ARTPOP the art pop hand signs

from Gaga so I instantly was like okay you're you're canon you get it so you're canonically here

with us canonically here okay we. Canonically here. Okay, we close out every episode with a song? Yes, we love. And we're going to close it out with a song. And we know which one it is. Do we? You know it's going to be one of two.

And I'm feeling, I love both, but I'm feeling one over the other right now in this moment. Here we go. Here we go. My, my, my. I die every night with you. For more of that, listen to Bloom by Troye Sivan. Bye.

Forever. Dog. This has been a Forever Dog production. Executive produced by Brett Boehm, Joe Cilio, and Alex Ramsey. For more original podcasts, please visit foreverdogpodcasts.com and subscribe to our shows on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Keep up with the latest Forever Dog news by following us on Twitter and Instagram at Forever Dog Team and liking our page on Facebook. Gonzalez wanted to go home and he wanted to take his son with him. Or stay with his relatives in Miami. Imagine that your mother died trying to get you to freedom. Listen to Chess Peace, the Elian Gonzalez story on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Julian Edelman. I'm Rob Gronkowski.

And we are super excited to tell you about our new show, Dudes on Dudes. We're spilling all the behind-the-scenes stories, crazy details, and honestly, just having a blast talking football. Every week, we're discussing our favorite players of all times, from legends to our buddies to current stars. We're finally answering the age-old question. What kind of dudes are these dudes? We're going to find out, Jules.

New episodes drop every Thursday during the NFL season. Listen to Dudes on Dudes on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jay Shetty, and I'm the host of On Purpose. My latest episode is with Jelly Roll. This episode is one of the most honest and raw interviews I've ever had. We go deep into Jelly Roll's life story from being in and out of prison from the age of 13 to being one of today's biggest artists. I was a desperate delusional dreamer. Be a delusional dreamer. Just don't be a desperate

delusional dreamer. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Trust me, you won't want to miss this one. I'm Sheryl Swoops. And I'm Tarika Foster-Brasby. And on our new podcast, we're talking about the real obstacles women face day to day. Because no matter who you are, there are levels to what we experience as women. And T and I have no problem going there. Listen to Levels to This with Cheryl Swoops and Tarika Foster-Brasby, an iHeart Women's Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and

Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.