January 25, 2023 • 44 mins
Tales from Jonathan and Jaymes’ trip to Park City including why Jonathan passed on teaching Jaymes how to ski. Plus, the hilarious Ross Mathews joins them bursting with excitement regarding the latest news from his daytime dream job, his passion for Palm Springs and the inspiration behind his new clothing line!
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is Podcast with Jonathan Bennett James Vawk on I
Heart Radio. Hey, everybody, welcome to a new episode of podcast.
As you know, of course, I am your host, Jonathan Manage,
and I'm joined by my husband, James Vaughan. All the accolades.
That's all you get today. Baby, wait a minute over both,
(00:23):
I know, but daddy's tired. Okay, I've had a long day.
I've been working filming. We're here in Utah, and I
just you know, you gotta stay. I gotta save my voice.
I had to save my precious, precious voice since it's
um so soothing my voice too many people, that's usually
what I think. Yeah, peaceful, Yeah, soothing, peaceful, calm um.
(00:47):
We're here in Park City, Utah. We are. My baby's
filming a TV show up here, but we can't tell
what it is yet. But um, I can't wait to
tell everyone is obviously it's like you're going to Park
City for the month. I'm coming because is our little brad,
our dog has never seen snow, so we got to
bring him up and let him see snow for the
first time. And he did, and we just posted it
(01:08):
on our Instagram and go look he flipped out. Because
Brad loves the sand at the beach. He goes crazy
for it. But if you've never taken a golden doodle
to see snow for the first time, it is it
is the most adorable thing you'll ever watch if they
like it. And Brad loved it. He freaked out. He
(01:29):
went running in circles, he started eating all of it.
And it's like one of those Instagram videos you see
if you're of a dog being adorable. We finally have one. Yeah,
he's like like what you called like dolphining through the snow,
like going all the way down and back up and
down and back up. Was it was really fun? And also, um,
I wanted to come because well, I just want to
come because I want to come right dogs, you can
(01:50):
hear Brad because the neighbors dog outside. Yeah, um, I
want to come up here because Johnathan skis all the time,
and um, I've never skied in my life. I've never
had that luxury of getting to go have the ski experience,
and so um I came here so I could take.
We haven't yet try because I'm scared it's gonna be
(02:10):
a complete disaster. I'm just gonna be honest. If the
water ski our paddle board broke his leg, he broke
his leg paddle boarding paddle boarding, not even skiing surfing,
paddle boarding, he broke his leg. Anything that extends my
giant seat any longer than they already are seems to
throw me off. So I don't know how the skiing
(02:31):
is gonna go. That's why I actually I was gonna
go take a class by myself, but then I was
to what if I need my husband here? Like no, no,
there's emergency help. There isn't a world where I would
ever go on your first ski lesson with you, because
that's like a recipe for like marital disaster. You just
don't do that because like, no matter what, and this
isn't because of you. This is because even my dad
(02:52):
said when he was like when he was teaching us
to see, he's like, no, no, I don't even want
to be around you when you're learning. I want you
to go off with the instructor because that's what they do.
And if you have family or friends around you, they're
trying to like give you tips and give you things.
And you don't think you're gonna be frustrated, but I
can guarantee you when you're sitting there and you're falling
and falling and falling, and the instructors trying to help you,
(03:13):
and faith he hasn't me when you're falling and falling.
Everybody falls their first time, Like you're gonna fall a
bunch is just how it is. But then like to
have a family or friend like telling you like tips
and things like no, keep your feet separated, or no,
you gotta bend your knees. Eventually that will wear on
you and you'll do one of the things that I
did when you first learned to ski, which is like
(03:35):
I'm trying, I'm doing my best. Shut up, like that's
what happens. It's just like a general rule. I can't
imagine I would ever do that. Yes, of course you would.
You would be so frustrated because I'd be giving you
like all the my pointers, but literally the instructors paid
to like teach you how to do it. It's a
(03:56):
married life, bliss, It's true. This isn't a marriage thing.
This is like anyone going to ski for the first time.
You don't want to be around, but we don't get
the BTS videos. If you don't go the first time, Jonathan,
you need to like spy wait raye, now you're onto
some ray because that's that is why. And then also
johnet and that's like premium content. If the ski pants
are tight, Oh honey, by the way, that's a huge
(04:19):
thing I want to talk about. It must be a
slow gay newsweek because what was that? This was the
I have never I was like, are you serious? So
I put a joke up because James was on a
red carpet about something in the world's Tightest pants, in
the World's tightest pants. But I just put a video
up because Jackie Cox was there and sent me the
(04:42):
video as a joke of a zoom in of James's
tight pants, and I put it on my I put
it on my Instagram real or whatever as a joke
being like congrats on something we're not talking about. And
literally it's almost hit a million view news and then
every gay rag in the world picked it up and
(05:04):
was like, here's a breaking story. Jonathan shows off his
husband's But what what what? What is there nothing more
in the world we can talk about gay people. There's
definitely people with things for the community that is there
more of a spotlight. So the big Gay Spotlight this
week is not going to be on James's but because
(05:25):
there's more important things to talk about. But u last,
here we are and if you'd like to go look
at it's still on my Instagram and I would like
to get the views because it is spiking my algorithm
right now, so please click away. But we have a
great show to do. You know who we have. We
have a we have a gay icon gay I kind
of we wanted to have one for long. We've wanted
this guest forever and he's our neighbor and we're gonna
(05:49):
be chatting with Ross Matthews when we come back. Yeah,
please welcome to Pridecast, a TV legend, a gay icon,
the King of Palm Springs. I mean, if we did
(06:11):
his accolades, we could go on for days. But you
know him, you love him. He is the one and only.
Ross and Matthew, thank you so much. I feel flappy
for myself. Well, I'm so happy to talk to you
and you two look so gorgeous together and I'm so
happy for you. I'm just so thrilled to see you
and look at look at life, look at us. I mean,
(06:34):
I think we have such a fun connection. I mean,
we're gonna get into drag race obviously because we want
to talk about seasons fifth team because it just started.
But we have to talk about like we've gotta bring it,
bring it look, bring it way back to like our
our neighbor Ross, our fellow, Palm Springs e In. I mean,
we moved there and we love it. You yea, how
long have you lived there? I've had a house there
(06:55):
for I think fourteen years, different houses, But I remember
the first time, you know, the first person I ever
brought me to Palm Springs was Donald Trump and it
was in Yeah, we were in the casings together, but
he he They did ask me to be a judge
from his ten USA back in like two thousand three.
And I pulled in and I was like, well, this
is the Mother's ship, this is home. I will spend
my days here. And I just bowed then and there.
(07:19):
And so first chance, I worked hard for chance I
got I, you know, bought a house there, and that's
my home when I'm not here in New York. But Drew,
Drew Barrymore, I'm there in Palm Springs. It's paradise, it
really is. We have the same thing, but we moved there.
You know, we got a place there during right and
started COVID and we pulled in. We're like, this is
home because we were sitting at and tell me, if
(07:39):
you guys experienced this, you, I mean, you just got married,
but well we'll get into that, but you're you're at
like the Chicken Ranch or one of the restaurants and
Ricks Ricks Billy Reads anyways, and you have like so
many gay business owners and gay couples that owned all
these different businesses. I said to James when we first
(08:00):
went to Chicken Ranch and met Mike and his husband,
it was like, this is what it feels like for
a straight couple in every other city, small town in
the country. Well yeah, I just say, yeah, you and
you that's very astute because it's like, it's what what
people feel like everywhere you know, where they are are
the norm, and they're comfortable and and not to get
(08:20):
too heavy, but I mean they're comfortable enough to like
hold their partner's hand across the table at breakfast. That
is something that is people. You know, queer people, we
don't we don't take for granted for two seconds because
it's always in the back of our mind. But in
this gay oasis of Palm Springs Ranch, Mars Plump desert,
just just there. We have sort of claimed everybody's welcome about.
Our community has sort of claimed it like this is
(08:41):
kind of ours. We do not tolerate anything other than celebrating,
celebration and love and and it really is so stunning.
It also happens to be a place where, like it's
always gorgeous, every hour is happy hour. Every person who's there,
they're chosen to be there where they've chosen to live
there or there on vacation, so everyone's happy. Come visit us.
I'm on the famer of Palmers to come spend your money.
(09:03):
Do you have a star? You have a star on
Pomp Street on Indian Candra Boulevard. I yeah, that is that.
Like I saw a TikTok of you cleaning your star
the other day, and it was because I'm shameless, dear,
I'm shameless, So if no one else is bringing it up,
I'll go ahead and do it for you. I guess
I have one right there, and I keep it nice
(09:24):
and clean. If I had a star on Pump Streon
Boulevard or on Pomp Canyon Bullboard, I would clean it daily.
I would go like little candles just for like good luck.
Like like I'd be like when you go to like
a church and they have like all the candles burning
with like the long lighters. I would just like put
them and put a little charge box like dollars. You
just started trend. If anybody's gonna be walking on pomp Canyon,
(09:45):
just drop a candle right near my star. Drop a
candle at Ross Matthews. What's it in front of? Well,
I'm right near Carroll Channy and Walt Disney. I have
great Uh it's it's um near Taquila at the restaurant
in front of what used to be uh A Zuel's Um.
You know the swinging chairs. Okay, that's the thing, because
you know we're I'm an old game now, so I
remember going there and Zuls was so fun because they
(10:07):
had the swinging chairs. And you're there and I brought James,
and I'm like, this place closed. And then you see
the new businesses popping up, and as much as you
love the new businesses and all the things that are
springing to the city, you're like, no, no, no, I
wanted to know. I want to Zuels, I want this.
I want the chairs, do you feel, Yeah, But we
just have to embrace anything that comes into town. Anyone
that opens the business is such a risk, you know,
(10:27):
especially gay owned business as we support them. And I
love that people are listening to this like we're you know,
we're just like a couple of old biddies talking about
how much love where we live. But everybody's welcome. If
you if you've been to Pon Springs, you get it.
If you haven't, you must. It's it's absolute paradise. Pack
your caftan, Honey, you're coming to Palm Springs. Yeah. I
didn't get it the first time I went, actually like
i'd gone for a gig like ten years prior. But
(10:50):
then I went with Jonathan when we happen to go
visit a friend, and that's what spawned the idea of
like maybe we should get a place here because we
went and within like five minutes of being there, I
was like, Oh, I get the magic of this place,
specially for us as queer people to have this. And
it's what did the ladies say that we that They
(11:10):
called it gayberry? Yeah, gay berry. I love it. It's hilarious,
not made very gayberry. Absolutely, I'm going to steal that.
But do you know what I love even more than
Springs Drag Race season fifteen that just started. We have
to talk about it. We have so much, you know,
I can't believe that I'm able to keep the secrets
(11:30):
I am. They should not trust me with these. I mean,
you know, we take a few months ago, and the
fact that I haven't just filled everything is incredible. I
love this season, you know, I love every season. I
fall in love with all the queens, and I'm always
shocked by how the producers are able to to find
these people whose stories haven't been told, you know, and
tell them in a unique way. The way they cast
(11:51):
the show and the way they unpeel all these queens
so we get to phone in love with them. You know.
It's really it's beautiful the way they do it. And
are you Are you loving it? I'm absolutely loving it.
I have my top three favorites already. Good. He's set
up with Carson last week, and I don't know that
he's exactly right. I feel like I'm absolutely right. But
(12:12):
you can't make a face. Ross, So when I say this,
you can't. You can't make a face. But you just
look at me. But no, because we're gonna film this,
so okay, I'm gonna tell you my favorite I'm okay, yes,
thank you, thank you with with branded cards. By the way,
the best part about Ross is he is he. I've
never met someone more shameless than me, and Ross is
more shamele listening, so I bowed down to Ross. Now listen,
(12:37):
I'm in my dressing room here at the Drew Barrymore Show.
We just got picked up for season four. By the way, show,
I know I am holding up cards that we're gonna
so I'm covering my face. Go okay, here we go. Ready.
My top three slash four are Anitra, no Response okay, Malaysia,
Baby Doll Box, Fox, and Selena as to these, but
(12:59):
I also really like to Twins and the Twins were
a sleeper self for episode one. Um, I have to
tell you I love them all. I'm not I'm not
making face to whether you know if they go far,
they go in the finale or they're out next week.
I'm not telling you anything. I will tell you this.
What I love is a season when people shock the
hell out of you when you have the you know,
(13:20):
an idea because the final force going to be and
then people come out of the woodwork, um, and that
this the the competition does it to them, They either
you know, crumble or they really find themselves in this
process because you know you've seen it up close. It
is hard core. It is difficult. It's not it's not
for cisties, yea. Um, the one you left out that
(13:43):
I have to say about your face is not cover
Sasha Kobe. Like I heard that name. I said, oh, okay, alright,
I love them all and we're just beginning to uh
to see them, to really know them, to fall in love.
They're gonna blow you away. And of course when I
say it's not for Sissy's, I'm kidding, you know, it
is absolutely for Sissy's. But but it is, Um, it
(14:05):
is tough this show. It really challenges these queens to
the max. And what's different this year is that there's
sixteen yeah, yeah, which means there's more competition. Uh, there's
another week. You know, every week is so vital. If
you don't show what you've got, we don't see it
on that runway. You know, you can't stick around. You
get such a limited amount of time to showcase, whether
(14:26):
it's in the mini the Maxi or that runway. That's it.
You know, you can't give a hilarious commentary back in
those the you know, the O T F the interviews,
you can be amazing, but we don't see that. There
are times I watched the show back and I go, God,
I wish they would like the Angie Perfect example, we
had no idea based on that first week or that
runway on her season that she was such a superstar
(14:48):
because all we saw, all we could judge was based
on what was on the runway and the challenge. Um.
And so I think I love that we're getting an
extra week for them to unveil themselves. UM. Can we
talk about the really cool and smart thing you're doing,
speaking of shamelesss with what you wear on the show? Yes,
Jonathan was talking about it. Here's the thing, Ross, before
(15:10):
you I want you to I want you to just
plug it and explain it because it's brilliant. And I
just before you talk about your new clothing line, which
is phenomenal, I want to say I, as someone that
hustles their butt off in this industry, which is the
hardest industry, you hustle even more and that I think
(15:33):
people don't see the hustle or understand the work it
takes to have drag Race Barrymore clothing line, all the
things you're doing, even your Instagram videos that you put
up of cooking squash for New Year's Like, no one
sees the work that goes into that. And I don't
want to say stupid little video, but just like a
video that you're like, oh, it's an Instagram video, let's
(15:54):
just do it. It's exhausting. There's so much work, So
looking at everything you're doing, I'm exhausted before you. So
I just want to applaud you before you tell us
about it, the work it takes to get where you are,
and I just I will always bow down to you
because I think it is fantastic. So we tell us
about this new clothing line and what's so special about it? Well,
I just want to think you were saying that, because
(16:14):
I feel like I really want the gold ticket and
I'm here and it is a lot of work, but
it's you know it. We're so passionate about it. I'm
so thrilled to be here. I dreamt about being here
and it's it really is a joy. So you want
to talk about the clothing line. I'll tell you that.
But you know, before we talk about the clothing, let's
take a quick break and we'll come back and tell
you all about the new clothing line from Ross Matthews.
We'll be right back. So tell us about the clothing
(16:46):
line Ross Um. So here's the deal. You know, I'm
so grateful I get to be on Drag Race. I
mean I've been on for a lot of seasons, you know,
a lot. And one of the hardest things about it
is trying to find stuff to wear. As you sit
next to RuPaul, can we talk right and so like?
And they don't make that a lot of like clothes
(17:07):
for men, are that right? You know, Like it's hard
to find something fast. Ross. I remember the panic Jonathan
went through the one time you got to sit next
to for the offense. I can't imagine what you go
through for all the episodes. Next, I had hives. I
was at Stitch in Las Vegas, and I had hives
because I was like, it's not enough. You get it,
you get it. So I and I wanted to deliver,
(17:29):
you know, I don't want to make grow proud um
And so as I was looking, I met this designer
Um named Ross Mayor from Toronto. I was performing in
Toronto and someone was wearing one of his pieces. I
was like, who, what, how, what? And so UM. Last
season I partnered with him and we designed everything I wore.
And then this season I was like, you know what,
let's design it and then let's sell it, because I
(17:50):
think what better platform in the world. You know, if
you can't find something to wear, make it, and if
you make something great, share it. And so that's what
we've done. We tried to keep the price point as
lowest possible. I know, it's it's not like H and
M prices. I'm sorry about that, but we are. We
have limited supply. UM, but it's beautiful. It's such quality.
The brand is called Ross by Ross Ross Xtross because
(18:11):
it's me and Ross Mayor, and I'm really proud of
it because it is It is genderless, it is sizeless.
You know. We go from small to three x L.
We want everyone to be included. It's all wearable. You
could tuck into a high waisted pant, you could tuck
the front into torn jeans we have. UM, it's just beautiful,
really beautiful stuff. So everything I wear that night will
(18:34):
be for sale. On the website and you can get
your hands on it. The idea that you had to
do this is so like I want to throw this
water bottle through the through the computer. You'll be like,
you brilliant bastard. And it's so good because I love
it when someone has a brilliant idea and makes it happen,
because like, I wanted to be in the call when
(18:57):
you pitch this to whoever it was you have to
pitch about this line of like I wanted to be
on that conference call where you're like, so here's the thing,
I'm going to wear it on the show and wait
for it. Wait, we're going to sell it that night online.
It's like when RuPaul walked into like Logo or b
A one the first time. I was like, it's America's
(19:19):
next top model but drag queens, and They're all just like, yep, yep,
yep right the track yep. I have to say I
was really proud of it, and I'm mostly proud that
it works. And I'll tell you the best part about
it is that the first day, you know, that first episode,
I was wearing my line rossby Ross. It was the
pink and black. Yeah, it was a pink and black.
It's a plaint pink and black striped, kind of like
(19:40):
leopard print or not leopard zebra prints. Is she a
little jeebra geometric? It's um almost like a blarrow sleeve.
It's beautiful and so anyway, so Brew comes out, does
the hello to the thing. It walks right up to
me and says, who are you wearing? And I was like, brow,
I'm wearing myself. And the room was like, she's touching it.
He goes, I've got to get something. So we made
(20:02):
Rue a piece just for real. Um and rerou war
it on What's Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.
So Rue has put her stamp on our clothing line.
It's amazing. You can't ask for anything more. It's it.
You've won. It's gotta good already. Since who are you wearing?
It's me? Yeah, I've never had one. The design challenge
(20:25):
Ross I kind of did right. I'm really proud of us.
I love that. I wasn't even gonna talk about that.
I'm sure I don't want to plug it like crazy,
but I really don't know. It's an example though, I
think of just sort of thinking a little bigger you know,
if you can't find something and this this apply this
to your life. That was listening, you can't find something
to wear, make it, you know, and if whatever that is,
(20:47):
just create something new and and if you and if
people like it, Sharon, it's that that was such a
smart that's so smart. That's something we did with Outbound,
our travel company. So we we found when we did
we do LGBT cruises, and we would go on some
cruises and we found that, hey, this space isn't like
what we're really looking for. But we like the idea
(21:08):
of a cruise, but I don't feel like this is
for us. So we looked and there wasn't a space
for what we wanted. So we created it. And then
if you create it and share it, people will come.
And we've had such an overwhelming support by the community
going on all the cruises. And we literally just made
our marketing tagline because we're like, how do we explain
it without saying it? And then finally we say, well
(21:29):
we just say it. We're not a party cruise. That's
tag line, and so why why not just make it blatant?
And so we've had so much success with it, So
I'm excited to see your line. Just shine. I know
it's going to be so so, so so good, and
yeah I was, I gotta say heng. We were just
talking about how we should hype up the gay owned
businesses and palm springs that pop up, so of course
(21:51):
we should hype up your gay owned clothing line. Hello, Hello,
those words, go check it out. What what's the website?
How do they find? I want to say, Well, I
just posted on my social Also the the company is
called the Official Mayor, so I think Official Mayor dot
com is the website something like that. But just go
to Ross's Instagram. Yeah I should know that. And then
(22:12):
I also just just a quick thing too. I also
have a capsule collection with klft Coke Caftans and we're
coming out at the end of January with our fourth one,
and it's inspired by my husband and our Our love
story was in Port of Biarta, um and we actually
got married. We met there and got married there and
Drew Berry Moore was a flower girl and so the
yellow in the Prince is inspired by Drew's dress and
(22:33):
we're going to reveal that on the thirtie on the
Drew Barrymore Show. That's right, use those platforms, baby, use
those opportunities. And so I was just circled it back
because I was just having this conversation with the great
Broadway songstress Tony Award nominee el Morgan Lee. We were
talking about this just earlier, and so uh, she said
to me, if you see the void, you're supposed to
(22:54):
be a part of filling it. And I thought that
was so profound and and so right and after like
that's what you're doing here, like and the fact that
you are doing this clothing line is for all sizes
and genderless like ross, that's beautiful. Like, yes, it's as
a businessman, but as a human is beautiful. Thank you.
So it's okay to the platform. You know, it's the
platform what you when you get here in over twenty
(23:15):
years in the business, you were there there too, right um,
And you get here now, as I feel at the
time where you can have a little fun. I think
we're so busy trying to have the next job and
defining ourselves with the next gig and thing, you know,
we need we get to a point after twenty years
or so, you know, you're not going anywhere. I'm not
going anywhere. I'm here and so now I can have
a little fun with it and use all, as Rooke says,
all the crayons in the in the in the crayon box.
(23:38):
We have so much more to talk about with Ross
when we come back, and we're back Ross Drew The
Drew Barrymore Show renewed new season. How hyped are you
for this? You know? I found out today that we
got a season four. For sure, I had heard rumblings,
but I was in a Starbucks and it just came
(23:59):
on my phone and right when the lady was saying Ross,
because I ordered her head, you know, and she said Ross,
and um, I was like yes, And then my phone
you know, bleeped and the text was there. And it
feels so good, you know, because I've been here since
since at the beginning, pretty much, I came for a
day and then never left. Drew and I just hit
it off, and now I get to co host with
her for the past four three seasons, and to do
(24:22):
it again is the dream. It's like what I dreamt
as a little kid when I would watch Regis and
Kathy Lee and I tell my mom, like I wanted
to do that. I'm gonna do that one day and Um,
now I get to do with her and and she
just to buy the way. Everyone knows who she is
every right, but she is the best, better than you
could ever imagine, better in person, kind, determined, driven, but
(24:46):
like welcoming, everybody wins with her. There's no competition there.
It's just about raising people up. And um, it's the
dream gig. And I just got a shout out to
because you talk about being a little kid and seeing
Regis and apthy Lee and wanting to be that. Now
I think about the little gay kid that's getting to
watch you and dream of doing it and realizing that
(25:07):
they can because they see you doing it. That's pretty
dann cool Ross. And I want to say this too,
not only that Ross My I think one of my
first agents, when I said, hey, I want to do
like a morning show or something like that. I said,
I told them that, and they said, well, you can't
because you're gay, and like they would have never put
a gay guy on that because they want America to
(25:28):
relate to it. That was like my first agent back
in the day said that, So not even little kids.
I'm glad you fired them. You know, I got told
that too. I remember executives as I would pitch shows
in the early days, they'd be like, Oh, it's a
great idea, but you're too gay for us. Like that,
I'm like, I wish I would record it. I own
that network now. But I'll tell you this. You know,
(25:49):
it's it's something that's driven me since my first segment
way back in two thousand one on The Tonight Show
and they told me you're going to go out and
film something. I remember thinking like, like in this crazy
moment of clarity, Okay, oh my god, you're gonna be
the thing you didn't have, you know, because I grew
up in a little farm town. I didn't know what
a gay grown up person was. I've never seen one.
(26:10):
I didn't write not my town on television. I remember thinking,
can I grow up? You know? How crazy is that?
And so now yes, people will see and have seen
for many years. It's like on Roupall's Drag Race. Now
we have queens who are twenty who've been watching the
show since they were Can you know think about that,
how how what tools and their tool belt they're able
(26:31):
to use at this young age that we sort of
had to kind of figure out. We were just figuring
out that we were worthy on our twenties, and now
these kids are like, I'm of course I'm worthy. Of
course I deserved this. I've been seeing it my whole life.
Now get out of my way. It's amazing. And this
is pridecast So we want to ask you, because it
(26:52):
means something different to everyone, what does pride mean to you? Oh?
Um uh so, I mean that's a that's a that's
a deep question. UM pride means just some of the things.
It means well, I mean I can elaborate a little bit.
There are so Pride in a public way means being
an example that we that I that I didn't have. UM.
(27:14):
Pride in a personal way means like being the man
that I can be. UM, and then pride as an
artist means not leading anything on the table. I like that.
I like that. Do you remember your first pride? You
want to? Yeah? I was. It was in Seattle. I
(27:35):
think I was seventeen, UM and I remember being I
think I wore khakis and I was like, why am
I wearing a pleated khaki? Everyone I was like, what,
what the hell? You know? I had never seen that
many gay people. I never you know, I didn't know
what and then about three weeks later, and this is
how fast gay happened? Right, So June with Seattle Pride,
(27:57):
I think July was Vancouver Pride, and I lived right
in between them. So I wore pleaded khakis to Seattle,
and by Vancouver three weeks later, I had pleather pants
and we glitter at our entire faces, and we burned
a cork to do eyeliner everywhere, and I spiked my hair.
Do you understand? So once you're in, it's like a vortex.
You are just in. Absolutely. Let me ask this because
(28:20):
it's like I'm hearing you talk this how quick gay happened?
And you talked about three weeks later being so loud
and proud visually. Um, you to me have always been
somebody because I remember seeing you Tonight show, and I
remember my parents watching hum and being amused by you
and enjoying you and me going they do like a
gay person. Oh maybe I can be. Um, it's okay.
Where do you? Where do you get that from? Where
(28:40):
was that strength when you were so young to just
have that pride in who you were, to be yourself?
Whe where'd that come from? Because I didn't have that? Yeah,
you know, I think I was. I'm not trying to
be funny here, but I think I was just lazy.
I think that like there were two options. There was
either um, be all in or or hate myself. And
(29:04):
I just didn't have time or the energy to to
put into that. I just thought, you know what, the
easiest thing I could do is just be me, Just
be all in. And it was actually a producer who
said on Leno, UM, and I was so lucky to
start and TV with the best of the best. I mean,
that's crazy that, you know, my education was with these
people at the highest level. And they said to me,
(29:25):
you know, if you can get a job being yourself,
you'll be employed for the rest of your life. And
I thought, oh I can, I can do that. And
so part of it, even though I was on a
show there was so mainstream and there were not gay people.
If there were gay people, they were not as gay
as me on television. UM. I got a lot of
flak for it, but I just sort of it was
(29:47):
I just was all in on me, you know. And
the other thing is is I also it's not like
I could pass you know what I mean? This was
this is what it is. This is the butches, I
get so it was just easier to to just be
all in and I and I you know, say that
very in a simplistic way. But Okay, what if somebody
who was sort of in that having that internal struggle
(30:07):
just was all in on who they really were? What
what would happen? Yeah, And speaking of you being you
and talking about how you just you can't help but
be yourself, right, one of the funniest things I've ever
seen you do. And I think I told this to
you before, but I wanted to bring it up again
(30:28):
because it's our broadcast now. Do you know what I'm
meant to say? It was? You were at a carpet
for e I think, and there were tigers, Oh my god,
and you were you were hosting the red carpet and
you're interviewing like the Tiger Wrangler guy. He was me
(30:49):
like Kristin Cavalry or something. Or it wasn't Kyle Quoo right, No,
I don't think it was, but it was it was
someone like you said, yeah, it was a blonde girl,
and uh, you turned the Tiger Wrangler said, whatever you do,
don't make any loud or high pitched noises around the
tiger and without missing a beat, you turned directly to
(31:12):
the camera and whispered into your microphone. Do they know
who they hired for this job? And I fell out
of my damn chair and wanted to throw my chair
through the TV because it was the funniest thing I've
ever heard you say. And I know that it's so
stupid and so simple, but to this day, I think
it's my funniest thing I've ever heard you do, because
it was just a classic lesson in improvisational on the
(31:35):
spot thinking of a delivering a one liner, and you're
the best at it. Thank you. You know. I don't
remember that. I remember being there, I don't remember saying that.
That tiger actually started got loose and they had like
a panic moment. I remember that, and I actually shoved
whoever I was with in front of me because I'm
not going down like that. But I will tell you them.
(31:55):
You know that that's about live TV, and you either
have that thing or you don't know. And for some
reason in my brain it's one. I cannot return an
Amazon package. I don't know how to do it. I
can't they say, bring it to a Whole Foods. What
what I don't understand. But I can do live TV
if someone if they cut to me, I'll have a line.
I'll have a thing. It's just you know you you're
good at what you're good at, and but thank you
(32:17):
for telling you that it's amazing that you're good at
so many things. Ross. But there's something that I'm gonna say.
I don't think you've been that great about hit me.
Let's talk about your New Year's solution to do a
new TikTok. Don't bring this day? Have you? Have you?
I went and looked you haven't. I don't get the
TikTok either, Ross. I I feel seen when I saw
(32:39):
that video that you posted. I don't get it either.
But I went and checked. You haven't done one every
day and that's okay, because you know what, it's exhausting.
I don't understand it. I understand that this is where
the conversation is happening on the TikTok, but the trends
and the the buttons are too confusing to I'll just
say that. So I think the val he said, I'm
(33:00):
gonna learn and I'm gonna do um a month long
every day in January and TikTok, and I did it
till January two and then I stopped. I I I'm
kind of I think I've missed it. I've missed the
boat same. And do you find that when you post
like I don't get any unless I'm posting his butt.
I don't get any traction on my post, Like No,
(33:22):
it just doesn't happen. And I don't know why should
I post your butt? I mean, you do post jances,
but it'll blow up. This was what I posted, a joke,
you know how like you you know you post like
your husband, like as a joke. And Jackie Cox sent
me a video of James's button when he was doing
a red carpet and really tight hands for his show.
And instead of posting a picture of my husband, I
(33:43):
just put the like three second video Jackie cox scent
of his butt and said congrats babe on your new show.
Sarcastic one million views like, and then all the gay
rags picked it up, being like Jonathan put his husband's
butt on the internet, and I'm like, this is what
we have talked about. Oh, I don't know, maybe I
should post my husband's but I'll post anyone but send me,
(34:04):
I'll post it. I'll send them to fantastic and that
don't get the TikTok either, because I posted so I
had a TikTok go. I guess it's viral because it's
up to almost like thirty million views. Now he will
stop him in the airport. Now we know Russ two
different cities, two different cities, girls come up to him
and go oh hi, and I felt they wanted to
picture with me, of course because obviously super famous. And
(34:25):
I was like and I was like, oh hi, do
you want a picture? And like can we have it
with him? He's TikTok famous. We saw his TikTok, your
TikTok famous. That's my new goal is to be TikTok
the famous. Oh so ross. The TikTok that blew up
was a snapchat that had made to my best friends.
Sometimes I sing like little silly songs that sing him
to the dog and singing to myself, I singing to
my husband. And so we were in Paris and people
(34:48):
kept stopping it for pictures, which is a wonderful problem
to have. But I was paying a joke to my
best friend baby so, and I was like, this is
what it's like to go on occasion when your husband
was it mean girls, and like it was just like
showing how like there's nothing, like I'm just by myself
like in Paris and Jonathan's doing meet in Greece, right,
And I was like stupid and like some of my
friends like I'll just post it little TikTok and see
(35:09):
what happens. It was kind of like funny and I
was like sure, umon views, wow, thanks to her, and
that's all it was. And it blew up on the
TikTok and like I don't really use the TikTok, but
I went from like three followers to like sixties some
thousand followers now and I still I don't know what
to post next. Ross Like what do I do next?
Post Nathans But that's what. Yeah, there we go, that'll
(35:33):
dot TikTok. But what I've learned is that butts really
do well they do. And I just learned that today
with you guys. And this is why everyone listens to
podcasts because there's such a good takeaway. Yeah, we're gonna
talk about something we like to do on podcast where
we talk about what happened this week in gay history.
(35:53):
Cue the music before we move forward. And as we
grow as a community, we always need to remember where
we came from and take a look back at what
happened this week in gay history? James tell him what
happened that? Can I do this one? Because I'm so
obsessed with it. I was about to say, this feels
like a gay history you should Okay, would you like
to take a special guest host for this week? And
(36:14):
it's gonna love this history is Jonathan Bennett. Here you go,
but especially what happens this week in LGBTQ plus history
on January Ross, Are you ready for it? Where was I?
Where was I was in high school? I was a junior.
Rent debut debuted off Broadway in the New York Theater
Workshop for a six week run. The creator Jonathan Larson,
(36:36):
obviously we all know him. He died just before the
premier Rent was I mean Rent if growing up in
that time. Rent is the first time I understand I
understood what the lgbt Q plus community was, you know,
and and I factually didn't even have a plus. It
was just LGBTQ community. That it was the first time
(36:57):
that a little kid in Ohio could like hear these
words and talk about you know, there's the moment when
they say faggots, Leslie's dikes, cross dress others too, And
that was the first time I had to like look
up what that some of those were and I was like, oh,
there's other people like me, so Rent d dude this week. Wow,
And so let's let's just hold a candle right now
(37:17):
for all the straight girls who had to sing Rent
in the car with their gay best friends. I know
I can list a few names right now. Who's saying
will you light my candle? With Crystal Brook and Emily?
Who are your bethy Bevan, Jennifer Alexa. I mean, there's
so many of them, and so thank you to you
straight girls who staging with us. Yes, I got to
(37:40):
sing him in show choir. I feel like I was
six hundred minutes, Like I was living that fantasy. That
was amazing that, like I got to have an ever last,
how special was telling were last? Poor Crystal was stuck
in the car with your voice singing it. Oh, and
I mean my best the two of us Ross were
(38:01):
just the motleyest of Chris Blessed. She my best friend
Crystal growing up. She was my original fag hag and
she what I mean, she had spinal biffida. She was
in a wheelchair. I was like the gay theater queen,
pushing around the hallways, twirling around. So we were just
a complete show in ourselves. So God love seeing you together.
Can I can? I gave history something really fast. I
(38:23):
don't have the I don't have the date or the
month or anything, but um, at some point in gay history,
I think it was like ten years ago, I was
hosting a little show in Vegas called The Chip and Nails.
Ross Matthews came to see this show, and Ross remember
this because you encountered so many things, But UM, you
and I had the probably forty five second dialogue that
(38:46):
was very inspiring to me. And UM, I don't know
if I ever forgot to afterwards say thank you, because
I'm here. I was hosting the show on the strip
and I was like, you know what, I really want
to get into TV stuff like you do. I really
would love to be doing the red carpets and stuff
like you do. And you were so inspiring and encouraging,
and the fact that it was another queer person that's
(39:07):
already doing saying it. It's not lost on me that
I did get to the point where like I was
hosting the big red carpets to bo Board Awards, American
Music Awards, all that stuff, and like I would like
to think that a little bit of me getting there
was that little inspiration you gave me by just being
so kind when I told you that I wanted to
do that. So thank you, Ross. That's always stuck with me.
I remember that conversation, and I thought about it every
(39:28):
time I turned on the TV and seeing you on
something doing exactly what you said you wanted to do,
I always think, good for him. Look, he did it,
he did it, So thank you for saying that, because
people like you inspire. So thank you. And James was
shining his Big Gay Spotlight on Ross Matthews. And we're
going to do our next segment right now, which is
our Big Gay Spotlight, where each week we shine our
(39:52):
big Gay spotlight on someone that is doing the most
good for the l g B t Q plus community,
whether they're famous or not, people that you should know
here on a podcast. So Ross Matthews was James, James,
who do you have this week? Well, yeah, I get
to do another one, because you know, the big Gay
spot like my gay is so big it deserves MU.
So have you all heard about Eric Servini yet? He's
(40:13):
a historian and a queer author that actually turned the
school bus into a library of queer literature. Him and
his partner Adam actually had to raise funds through this.
They raised a hundred thousand dollars so far to actually
create the bus and their plan is to have this
bus travel all across the US and hosts pop up
book festivals in places like parking lots with tables and
chairs and signs and information about local organizations and resources
(40:36):
for queer people in addition to books and if the
books like you know, we we've heard about All Boys
Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson, Fun Home, a family
tragic comic by Alison Bechtel, and a lot of the
books that need to get out there, that that that
queer people need to have. And uh, they actually have
a website for it, Rainbow bus dot org. And I
mentioned the website because, like I said, they raised the
money to create this bus, but now they want to
(40:58):
get this bus out there and get this bus doing
the good that it can do and actually saying that
the proceeds the book sales from the bus are gonna
go towards funding the bus and to other authors. Um So,
Rainbow book bus dot org is something you can check
out that you guys can go contribute to this because
how cool is that. I think about that when we
were kids, if this little queer bus showed up with
(41:18):
resources for you and books for you to make you
feel seen, like Wow, what a what a wonderful time
we're living in? Amazing And I hope it's the first
of many, many, many buses all over the country. Rainbow
book bus dot org. I'm gonna be going. I wonder
if we can contribute what we can do to help,
but if at the very least we can just spread
the word at you. Just spit that website right back.
(41:41):
He's on. Drew Barrymore has his own clothing line, Rule Paul.
There's nothing he can't do. We love them, Ross, you
are a national gay treasure. I want to just say it.
Will we adore you everyone. Check out Ross's uh new
clothing line Ross by Ross. We have him on the news.
Season of Brag Race fifteen out now. And congratulations on
(42:04):
your new renewed season for the Drew Marymore Show. Yeah,
and on your marriage you too. I feel like we
got married right around the same time, and it just
felt like as like those pictures were coming out. It
just felt like such a time of love and hope
and coming out of a time of despair. And I
know we're we're all, you know, in our first year
(42:26):
of marriage, and isn't it just amazing? It is? What's
the one thing you learned about each other in this
first year? Oh? Really? Really? We're doing? Yeah? Well, you
know what I learned about marriage that I didn't expect
is that, like, I feel now so unafraid to fail
because like I'm like someone's got me back. You know,
(42:47):
I can take risks creatively in business and things because okay,
the worst thing that happens is it totally falls apart.
But at the end of the day, you know you're
still gonna love me, and you're still gonna hold me up,
and you're still going to protect me. It just feels amazing.
And I did not anticipate that. I feel the exact
same way. And I think I've had so much success
(43:07):
this past two years because of our engagement in our marriage.
I knew, like, no matter what, Like it's that classic
quote where some people say, but what if I fail,
and it's like, my dear, but what if you fly?
And and so I wasn't afraid to fail because I
knew if I no wonder what happened, James would be there.
So I really identified with that. Congratulations on your marriage,
(43:30):
congratulation on on everything you're doing. We're just huge fans.
Go to Ross's instagram so you can check out everything.
It's Hello Ross, Yeah, and thank you and thank you
for making this podcast. I think it's so great, hilarious,
insightful and important to have. Thank you guys. I hope
to see you whom we got to do a happy
hour and yes, I mean we're basically we're newly weds.
We live in the same city. Will make it happen?
(43:50):
Are we the same person? Who has anyone ever seen
us in the same room? Actually, I feel like if
I married to Ross Matthews and my post of that
Drew Barry what Jonathan's new clothing lines recalled? There you go? Okay, Ross,
run while you came. Bye. I love you guys. Fine
This is Podcast with Jonathan Bennett James Vawk on I
Heart Radio. Hey, everybody, welcome to a new episode of podcast.
As you know, of course, I am your host, Jonathan Manage,
and I'm joined by my husband, James Vaughan. All the accolades.
That's all you get today. Baby, wait a minute over both,
(00:23):
I know, but daddy's tired. Okay, I've had a long day.
I've been working filming. We're here in Utah, and I
just you know, you gotta stay. I gotta save my voice.
I had to save my precious, precious voice since it's
um so soothing my voice too many people, that's usually
what I think. Yeah, peaceful, Yeah, soothing, peaceful, calm um.
(00:47):
We're here in Park City, Utah. We are. My baby's
filming a TV show up here, but we can't tell
what it is yet. But um, I can't wait to
tell everyone is obviously it's like you're going to Park
City for the month. I'm coming because is our little brad,
our dog has never seen snow, so we got to
bring him up and let him see snow for the
first time. And he did, and we just posted it
(01:08):
on our Instagram and go look he flipped out. Because
Brad loves the sand at the beach. He goes crazy
for it. But if you've never taken a golden doodle
to see snow for the first time, it is it
is the most adorable thing you'll ever watch if they
like it. And Brad loved it. He freaked out. He
(01:29):
went running in circles, he started eating all of it.
And it's like one of those Instagram videos you see
if you're of a dog being adorable. We finally have one. Yeah,
he's like like what you called like dolphining through the snow,
like going all the way down and back up and
down and back up. Was it was really fun? And also, um,
I wanted to come because well, I just want to
come because I want to come right dogs, you can
(01:50):
hear Brad because the neighbors dog outside. Yeah, um, I
want to come up here because Johnathan skis all the time,
and um, I've never skied in my life. I've never
had that luxury of getting to go have the ski experience,
and so um I came here so I could take.
We haven't yet try because I'm scared it's gonna be
(02:10):
a complete disaster. I'm just gonna be honest. If the
water ski our paddle board broke his leg, he broke
his leg paddle boarding paddle boarding, not even skiing surfing,
paddle boarding, he broke his leg. Anything that extends my
giant seat any longer than they already are seems to
throw me off. So I don't know how the skiing
(02:31):
is gonna go. That's why I actually I was gonna
go take a class by myself, but then I was
to what if I need my husband here? Like no, no,
there's emergency help. There isn't a world where I would
ever go on your first ski lesson with you, because
that's like a recipe for like marital disaster. You just
don't do that because like, no matter what, and this
isn't because of you. This is because even my dad
(02:52):
said when he was like when he was teaching us
to see, he's like, no, no, I don't even want
to be around you when you're learning. I want you
to go off with the instructor because that's what they do.
And if you have family or friends around you, they're
trying to like give you tips and give you things.
And you don't think you're gonna be frustrated, but I
can guarantee you when you're sitting there and you're falling
and falling and falling, and the instructors trying to help you,
(03:13):
and faith he hasn't me when you're falling and falling.
Everybody falls their first time, Like you're gonna fall a
bunch is just how it is. But then like to
have a family or friend like telling you like tips
and things like no, keep your feet separated, or no,
you gotta bend your knees. Eventually that will wear on
you and you'll do one of the things that I
did when you first learned to ski, which is like
(03:35):
I'm trying, I'm doing my best. Shut up, like that's
what happens. It's just like a general rule. I can't
imagine I would ever do that. Yes, of course you would.
You would be so frustrated because I'd be giving you
like all the my pointers, but literally the instructors paid
to like teach you how to do it. It's a
(03:56):
married life, bliss, It's true. This isn't a marriage thing.
This is like anyone going to ski for the first time.
You don't want to be around, but we don't get
the BTS videos. If you don't go the first time, Jonathan,
you need to like spy wait raye, now you're onto
some ray because that's that is why. And then also
johnet and that's like premium content. If the ski pants
are tight, Oh honey, by the way, that's a huge
(04:19):
thing I want to talk about. It must be a
slow gay newsweek because what was that? This was the
I have never I was like, are you serious? So
I put a joke up because James was on a
red carpet about something in the world's Tightest pants, in
the World's tightest pants. But I just put a video
up because Jackie Cox was there and sent me the
(04:42):
video as a joke of a zoom in of James's
tight pants, and I put it on my I put
it on my Instagram real or whatever as a joke
being like congrats on something we're not talking about. And
literally it's almost hit a million view news and then
every gay rag in the world picked it up and
(05:04):
was like, here's a breaking story. Jonathan shows off his
husband's But what what what? What is there nothing more
in the world we can talk about gay people. There's
definitely people with things for the community that is there
more of a spotlight. So the big Gay Spotlight this
week is not going to be on James's but because
(05:25):
there's more important things to talk about. But u last,
here we are and if you'd like to go look
at it's still on my Instagram and I would like
to get the views because it is spiking my algorithm
right now, so please click away. But we have a
great show to do. You know who we have. We
have a we have a gay icon gay I kind
of we wanted to have one for long. We've wanted
this guest forever and he's our neighbor and we're gonna
(05:49):
be chatting with Ross Matthews when we come back. Yeah,
please welcome to Pridecast, a TV legend, a gay icon,
the King of Palm Springs. I mean, if we did
(06:11):
his accolades, we could go on for days. But you
know him, you love him. He is the one and only.
Ross and Matthew, thank you so much. I feel flappy
for myself. Well, I'm so happy to talk to you
and you two look so gorgeous together and I'm so
happy for you. I'm just so thrilled to see you
and look at look at life, look at us. I mean,
(06:34):
I think we have such a fun connection. I mean,
we're gonna get into drag race obviously because we want
to talk about seasons fifth team because it just started.
But we have to talk about like we've gotta bring it,
bring it look, bring it way back to like our
our neighbor Ross, our fellow, Palm Springs e In. I mean,
we moved there and we love it. You yea, how
long have you lived there? I've had a house there
(06:55):
for I think fourteen years, different houses, But I remember
the first time, you know, the first person I ever
brought me to Palm Springs was Donald Trump and it
was in Yeah, we were in the casings together, but
he he They did ask me to be a judge
from his ten USA back in like two thousand three.
And I pulled in and I was like, well, this
is the Mother's ship, this is home. I will spend
my days here. And I just bowed then and there.
(07:19):
And so first chance, I worked hard for chance I
got I, you know, bought a house there, and that's
my home when I'm not here in New York. But Drew,
Drew Barrymore, I'm there in Palm Springs. It's paradise, it
really is. We have the same thing, but we moved there.
You know, we got a place there during right and
started COVID and we pulled in. We're like, this is
home because we were sitting at and tell me, if
(07:39):
you guys experienced this, you, I mean, you just got married,
but well we'll get into that, but you're you're at
like the Chicken Ranch or one of the restaurants and
Ricks Ricks Billy Reads anyways, and you have like so
many gay business owners and gay couples that owned all
these different businesses. I said to James when we first
(08:00):
went to Chicken Ranch and met Mike and his husband,
it was like, this is what it feels like for
a straight couple in every other city, small town in
the country. Well yeah, I just say, yeah, you and
you that's very astute because it's like, it's what what
people feel like everywhere you know, where they are are
the norm, and they're comfortable and and not to get
(08:20):
too heavy, but I mean they're comfortable enough to like
hold their partner's hand across the table at breakfast. That
is something that is people. You know, queer people, we
don't we don't take for granted for two seconds because
it's always in the back of our mind. But in
this gay oasis of Palm Springs Ranch, Mars Plump desert,
just just there. We have sort of claimed everybody's welcome about.
Our community has sort of claimed it like this is
(08:41):
kind of ours. We do not tolerate anything other than celebrating,
celebration and love and and it really is so stunning.
It also happens to be a place where, like it's
always gorgeous, every hour is happy hour. Every person who's there,
they're chosen to be there where they've chosen to live
there or there on vacation, so everyone's happy. Come visit us.
I'm on the famer of Palmers to come spend your money.
(09:03):
Do you have a star? You have a star on
Pomp Street on Indian Candra Boulevard. I yeah, that is that.
Like I saw a TikTok of you cleaning your star
the other day, and it was because I'm shameless, dear,
I'm shameless, So if no one else is bringing it up,
I'll go ahead and do it for you. I guess
I have one right there, and I keep it nice
(09:24):
and clean. If I had a star on Pump Streon
Boulevard or on Pomp Canyon Bullboard, I would clean it daily.
I would go like little candles just for like good luck.
Like like I'd be like when you go to like
a church and they have like all the candles burning
with like the long lighters. I would just like put
them and put a little charge box like dollars. You
just started trend. If anybody's gonna be walking on pomp Canyon,
(09:45):
just drop a candle right near my star. Drop a
candle at Ross Matthews. What's it in front of? Well,
I'm right near Carroll Channy and Walt Disney. I have
great Uh it's it's um near Taquila at the restaurant
in front of what used to be uh A Zuel's Um.
You know the swinging chairs. Okay, that's the thing, because
you know we're I'm an old game now, so I
remember going there and Zuls was so fun because they
(10:07):
had the swinging chairs. And you're there and I brought James,
and I'm like, this place closed. And then you see
the new businesses popping up, and as much as you
love the new businesses and all the things that are
springing to the city, you're like, no, no, no, I
wanted to know. I want to Zuels, I want this.
I want the chairs, do you feel, Yeah, But we
just have to embrace anything that comes into town. Anyone
that opens the business is such a risk, you know,
(10:27):
especially gay owned business as we support them. And I
love that people are listening to this like we're you know,
we're just like a couple of old biddies talking about
how much love where we live. But everybody's welcome. If
you if you've been to Pon Springs, you get it.
If you haven't, you must. It's it's absolute paradise. Pack
your caftan, Honey, you're coming to Palm Springs. Yeah. I
didn't get it the first time I went, actually like
i'd gone for a gig like ten years prior. But
(10:50):
then I went with Jonathan when we happen to go
visit a friend, and that's what spawned the idea of
like maybe we should get a place here because we
went and within like five minutes of being there, I
was like, Oh, I get the magic of this place,
specially for us as queer people to have this. And
it's what did the ladies say that we that They
(11:10):
called it gayberry? Yeah, gay berry. I love it. It's hilarious,
not made very gayberry. Absolutely, I'm going to steal that.
But do you know what I love even more than
Springs Drag Race season fifteen that just started. We have
to talk about it. We have so much, you know,
I can't believe that I'm able to keep the secrets
(11:30):
I am. They should not trust me with these. I mean,
you know, we take a few months ago, and the
fact that I haven't just filled everything is incredible. I
love this season, you know, I love every season. I
fall in love with all the queens, and I'm always
shocked by how the producers are able to to find
these people whose stories haven't been told, you know, and
tell them in a unique way. The way they cast
(11:51):
the show and the way they unpeel all these queens
so we get to phone in love with them. You know.
It's really it's beautiful the way they do it. And
are you Are you loving it? I'm absolutely loving it.
I have my top three favorites already. Good. He's set
up with Carson last week, and I don't know that
he's exactly right. I feel like I'm absolutely right. But
(12:12):
you can't make a face. Ross, So when I say this,
you can't. You can't make a face. But you just
look at me. But no, because we're gonna film this,
so okay, I'm gonna tell you my favorite I'm okay, yes,
thank you, thank you with with branded cards. By the way,
the best part about Ross is he is he. I've
never met someone more shameless than me, and Ross is
more shamele listening, so I bowed down to Ross. Now listen,
(12:37):
I'm in my dressing room here at the Drew Barrymore Show.
We just got picked up for season four. By the way, show,
I know I am holding up cards that we're gonna
so I'm covering my face. Go okay, here we go. Ready.
My top three slash four are Anitra, no Response okay, Malaysia,
Baby Doll Box, Fox, and Selena as to these, but
(12:59):
I also really like to Twins and the Twins were
a sleeper self for episode one. Um, I have to
tell you I love them all. I'm not I'm not
making face to whether you know if they go far,
they go in the finale or they're out next week.
I'm not telling you anything. I will tell you this.
What I love is a season when people shock the
hell out of you when you have the you know,
(13:20):
an idea because the final force going to be and
then people come out of the woodwork, um, and that
this the the competition does it to them, They either
you know, crumble or they really find themselves in this
process because you know you've seen it up close. It
is hard core. It is difficult. It's not it's not
for cisties, yea. Um, the one you left out that
(13:43):
I have to say about your face is not cover
Sasha Kobe. Like I heard that name. I said, oh, okay, alright,
I love them all and we're just beginning to uh
to see them, to really know them, to fall in love.
They're gonna blow you away. And of course when I
say it's not for Sissy's, I'm kidding, you know, it
is absolutely for Sissy's. But but it is, Um, it
(14:05):
is tough this show. It really challenges these queens to
the max. And what's different this year is that there's
sixteen yeah, yeah, which means there's more competition. Uh, there's
another week. You know, every week is so vital. If
you don't show what you've got, we don't see it
on that runway. You know, you can't stick around. You
get such a limited amount of time to showcase, whether
(14:26):
it's in the mini the Maxi or that runway. That's it.
You know, you can't give a hilarious commentary back in
those the you know, the O T F the interviews,
you can be amazing, but we don't see that. There
are times I watched the show back and I go, God,
I wish they would like the Angie Perfect example, we
had no idea based on that first week or that
runway on her season that she was such a superstar
(14:48):
because all we saw, all we could judge was based
on what was on the runway and the challenge. Um.
And so I think I love that we're getting an
extra week for them to unveil themselves. UM. Can we
talk about the really cool and smart thing you're doing,
speaking of shamelesss with what you wear on the show? Yes,
Jonathan was talking about it. Here's the thing, Ross, before
(15:10):
you I want you to I want you to just
plug it and explain it because it's brilliant. And I
just before you talk about your new clothing line, which
is phenomenal, I want to say I, as someone that
hustles their butt off in this industry, which is the
hardest industry, you hustle even more and that I think
(15:33):
people don't see the hustle or understand the work it
takes to have drag Race Barrymore clothing line, all the
things you're doing, even your Instagram videos that you put
up of cooking squash for New Year's Like, no one
sees the work that goes into that. And I don't
want to say stupid little video, but just like a
video that you're like, oh, it's an Instagram video, let's
(15:54):
just do it. It's exhausting. There's so much work, So
looking at everything you're doing, I'm exhausted before you. So
I just want to applaud you before you tell us
about it, the work it takes to get where you are,
and I just I will always bow down to you
because I think it is fantastic. So we tell us
about this new clothing line and what's so special about it? Well,
I just want to think you were saying that, because
(16:14):
I feel like I really want the gold ticket and
I'm here and it is a lot of work, but
it's you know it. We're so passionate about it. I'm
so thrilled to be here. I dreamt about being here
and it's it really is a joy. So you want
to talk about the clothing line. I'll tell you that.
But you know, before we talk about the clothing, let's
take a quick break and we'll come back and tell
you all about the new clothing line from Ross Matthews.
We'll be right back. So tell us about the clothing
(16:46):
line Ross Um. So here's the deal. You know, I'm
so grateful I get to be on Drag Race. I
mean I've been on for a lot of seasons, you know,
a lot. And one of the hardest things about it
is trying to find stuff to wear. As you sit
next to RuPaul, can we talk right and so like?
And they don't make that a lot of like clothes
(17:07):
for men, are that right? You know, Like it's hard
to find something fast. Ross. I remember the panic Jonathan
went through the one time you got to sit next
to for the offense. I can't imagine what you go
through for all the episodes. Next, I had hives. I
was at Stitch in Las Vegas, and I had hives
because I was like, it's not enough. You get it,
you get it. So I and I wanted to deliver,
(17:29):
you know, I don't want to make grow proud um
And so as I was looking, I met this designer
Um named Ross Mayor from Toronto. I was performing in
Toronto and someone was wearing one of his pieces. I
was like, who, what, how, what? And so UM. Last
season I partnered with him and we designed everything I wore.
And then this season I was like, you know what,
let's design it and then let's sell it, because I
(17:50):
think what better platform in the world. You know, if
you can't find something to wear, make it, and if
you make something great, share it. And so that's what
we've done. We tried to keep the price point as
lowest possible. I know, it's it's not like H and
M prices. I'm sorry about that, but we are. We
have limited supply. UM, but it's beautiful. It's such quality.
The brand is called Ross by Ross Ross Xtross because
(18:11):
it's me and Ross Mayor, and I'm really proud of
it because it is It is genderless, it is sizeless.
You know. We go from small to three x L.
We want everyone to be included. It's all wearable. You
could tuck into a high waisted pant, you could tuck
the front into torn jeans we have. UM, it's just beautiful,
really beautiful stuff. So everything I wear that night will
(18:34):
be for sale. On the website and you can get
your hands on it. The idea that you had to
do this is so like I want to throw this
water bottle through the through the computer. You'll be like,
you brilliant bastard. And it's so good because I love
it when someone has a brilliant idea and makes it happen,
because like, I wanted to be in the call when
(18:57):
you pitch this to whoever it was you have to
pitch about this line of like I wanted to be
on that conference call where you're like, so here's the thing,
I'm going to wear it on the show and wait
for it. Wait, we're going to sell it that night online.
It's like when RuPaul walked into like Logo or b
A one the first time. I was like, it's America's
(19:19):
next top model but drag queens, and They're all just like, yep, yep,
yep right the track yep. I have to say I
was really proud of it, and I'm mostly proud that
it works. And I'll tell you the best part about
it is that the first day, you know, that first episode,
I was wearing my line rossby Ross. It was the
pink and black. Yeah, it was a pink and black.
It's a plaint pink and black striped, kind of like
(19:40):
leopard print or not leopard zebra prints. Is she a
little jeebra geometric? It's um almost like a blarrow sleeve.
It's beautiful and so anyway, so Brew comes out, does
the hello to the thing. It walks right up to
me and says, who are you wearing? And I was like, brow,
I'm wearing myself. And the room was like, she's touching it.
He goes, I've got to get something. So we made
(20:02):
Rue a piece just for real. Um and rerou war
it on What's Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.
So Rue has put her stamp on our clothing line.
It's amazing. You can't ask for anything more. It's it.
You've won. It's gotta good already. Since who are you wearing?
It's me? Yeah, I've never had one. The design challenge
(20:25):
Ross I kind of did right. I'm really proud of us.
I love that. I wasn't even gonna talk about that.
I'm sure I don't want to plug it like crazy,
but I really don't know. It's an example though, I
think of just sort of thinking a little bigger you know,
if you can't find something and this this apply this
to your life. That was listening, you can't find something
to wear, make it, you know, and if whatever that is,
(20:47):
just create something new and and if you and if
people like it, Sharon, it's that that was such a
smart that's so smart. That's something we did with Outbound,
our travel company. So we we found when we did
we do LGBT cruises, and we would go on some
cruises and we found that, hey, this space isn't like
what we're really looking for. But we like the idea
(21:08):
of a cruise, but I don't feel like this is
for us. So we looked and there wasn't a space
for what we wanted. So we created it. And then
if you create it and share it, people will come.
And we've had such an overwhelming support by the community
going on all the cruises. And we literally just made
our marketing tagline because we're like, how do we explain
it without saying it? And then finally we say, well
(21:29):
we just say it. We're not a party cruise. That's
tag line, and so why why not just make it blatant?
And so we've had so much success with it, So
I'm excited to see your line. Just shine. I know
it's going to be so so, so so good, and
yeah I was, I gotta say heng. We were just
talking about how we should hype up the gay owned
businesses and palm springs that pop up, so of course
(21:51):
we should hype up your gay owned clothing line. Hello, Hello,
those words, go check it out. What what's the website?
How do they find? I want to say, Well, I
just posted on my social Also the the company is
called the Official Mayor, so I think Official Mayor dot
com is the website something like that. But just go
to Ross's Instagram. Yeah I should know that. And then
(22:12):
I also just just a quick thing too. I also
have a capsule collection with klft Coke Caftans and we're
coming out at the end of January with our fourth one,
and it's inspired by my husband and our Our love
story was in Port of Biarta, um and we actually
got married. We met there and got married there and
Drew Berry Moore was a flower girl and so the
yellow in the Prince is inspired by Drew's dress and
(22:33):
we're going to reveal that on the thirtie on the
Drew Barrymore Show. That's right, use those platforms, baby, use
those opportunities. And so I was just circled it back
because I was just having this conversation with the great
Broadway songstress Tony Award nominee el Morgan Lee. We were
talking about this just earlier, and so uh, she said
to me, if you see the void, you're supposed to
(22:54):
be a part of filling it. And I thought that
was so profound and and so right and after like
that's what you're doing here, like and the fact that
you are doing this clothing line is for all sizes
and genderless like ross, that's beautiful. Like, yes, it's as
a businessman, but as a human is beautiful. Thank you.
So it's okay to the platform. You know, it's the
platform what you when you get here in over twenty
(23:15):
years in the business, you were there there too, right um,
And you get here now, as I feel at the
time where you can have a little fun. I think
we're so busy trying to have the next job and
defining ourselves with the next gig and thing, you know,
we need we get to a point after twenty years
or so, you know, you're not going anywhere. I'm not
going anywhere. I'm here and so now I can have
a little fun with it and use all, as Rooke says,
all the crayons in the in the in the crayon box.
(23:38):
We have so much more to talk about with Ross
when we come back, and we're back Ross Drew The
Drew Barrymore Show renewed new season. How hyped are you
for this? You know? I found out today that we
got a season four. For sure, I had heard rumblings,
but I was in a Starbucks and it just came
(23:59):
on my phone and right when the lady was saying Ross,
because I ordered her head, you know, and she said Ross,
and um, I was like yes, And then my phone
you know, bleeped and the text was there. And it
feels so good, you know, because I've been here since
since at the beginning, pretty much, I came for a
day and then never left. Drew and I just hit
it off, and now I get to co host with
her for the past four three seasons, and to do
(24:22):
it again is the dream. It's like what I dreamt
as a little kid when I would watch Regis and
Kathy Lee and I tell my mom, like I wanted
to do that. I'm gonna do that one day and Um,
now I get to do with her and and she
just to buy the way. Everyone knows who she is
every right, but she is the best, better than you
could ever imagine, better in person, kind, determined, driven, but
(24:46):
like welcoming, everybody wins with her. There's no competition there.
It's just about raising people up. And um, it's the
dream gig. And I just got a shout out to
because you talk about being a little kid and seeing
Regis and apthy Lee and wanting to be that. Now
I think about the little gay kid that's getting to
watch you and dream of doing it and realizing that
(25:07):
they can because they see you doing it. That's pretty
dann cool Ross. And I want to say this too,
not only that Ross My I think one of my
first agents, when I said, hey, I want to do
like a morning show or something like that. I said,
I told them that, and they said, well, you can't
because you're gay, and like they would have never put
a gay guy on that because they want America to
(25:28):
relate to it. That was like my first agent back
in the day said that, So not even little kids.
I'm glad you fired them. You know, I got told
that too. I remember executives as I would pitch shows
in the early days, they'd be like, Oh, it's a
great idea, but you're too gay for us. Like that,
I'm like, I wish I would record it. I own
that network now. But I'll tell you this. You know,
(25:49):
it's it's something that's driven me since my first segment
way back in two thousand one on The Tonight Show
and they told me you're going to go out and
film something. I remember thinking like, like in this crazy
moment of clarity, Okay, oh my god, you're gonna be
the thing you didn't have, you know, because I grew
up in a little farm town. I didn't know what
a gay grown up person was. I've never seen one.
(26:10):
I didn't write not my town on television. I remember thinking,
can I grow up? You know? How crazy is that?
And so now yes, people will see and have seen
for many years. It's like on Roupall's Drag Race. Now
we have queens who are twenty who've been watching the
show since they were Can you know think about that,
how how what tools and their tool belt they're able
(26:31):
to use at this young age that we sort of
had to kind of figure out. We were just figuring
out that we were worthy on our twenties, and now
these kids are like, I'm of course I'm worthy. Of
course I deserved this. I've been seeing it my whole life.
Now get out of my way. It's amazing. And this
is pridecast So we want to ask you, because it
(26:52):
means something different to everyone, what does pride mean to you? Oh?
Um uh so, I mean that's a that's a that's
a deep question. UM pride means just some of the things.
It means well, I mean I can elaborate a little bit.
There are so Pride in a public way means being
an example that we that I that I didn't have. UM.
(27:14):
Pride in a personal way means like being the man
that I can be. UM, and then pride as an
artist means not leading anything on the table. I like that.
I like that. Do you remember your first pride? You
want to? Yeah? I was. It was in Seattle. I
(27:35):
think I was seventeen, UM and I remember being I
think I wore khakis and I was like, why am
I wearing a pleated khaki? Everyone I was like, what,
what the hell? You know? I had never seen that
many gay people. I never you know, I didn't know
what and then about three weeks later, and this is
how fast gay happened? Right, So June with Seattle Pride,
(27:57):
I think July was Vancouver Pride, and I lived right
in between them. So I wore pleaded khakis to Seattle,
and by Vancouver three weeks later, I had pleather pants
and we glitter at our entire faces, and we burned
a cork to do eyeliner everywhere, and I spiked my hair.
Do you understand? So once you're in, it's like a vortex.
You are just in. Absolutely. Let me ask this because
(28:20):
it's like I'm hearing you talk this how quick gay happened?
And you talked about three weeks later being so loud
and proud visually. Um, you to me have always been
somebody because I remember seeing you Tonight show, and I
remember my parents watching hum and being amused by you
and enjoying you and me going they do like a
gay person. Oh maybe I can be. Um, it's okay.
Where do you? Where do you get that from? Where
(28:40):
was that strength when you were so young to just
have that pride in who you were, to be yourself?
Whe where'd that come from? Because I didn't have that? Yeah,
you know, I think I was. I'm not trying to
be funny here, but I think I was just lazy.
I think that like there were two options. There was
either um, be all in or or hate myself. And
(29:04):
I just didn't have time or the energy to to
put into that. I just thought, you know what, the
easiest thing I could do is just be me, Just
be all in. And it was actually a producer who
said on Leno, UM, and I was so lucky to
start and TV with the best of the best. I mean,
that's crazy that, you know, my education was with these
people at the highest level. And they said to me,
(29:25):
you know, if you can get a job being yourself,
you'll be employed for the rest of your life. And
I thought, oh I can, I can do that. And
so part of it, even though I was on a
show there was so mainstream and there were not gay people.
If there were gay people, they were not as gay
as me on television. UM. I got a lot of
flak for it, but I just sort of it was
(29:47):
I just was all in on me, you know. And
the other thing is is I also it's not like
I could pass you know what I mean? This was
this is what it is. This is the butches, I
get so it was just easier to to just be
all in and I and I you know, say that
very in a simplistic way. But Okay, what if somebody
who was sort of in that having that internal struggle
(30:07):
just was all in on who they really were? What
what would happen? Yeah, And speaking of you being you
and talking about how you just you can't help but
be yourself, right, one of the funniest things I've ever
seen you do. And I think I told this to
you before, but I wanted to bring it up again
(30:28):
because it's our broadcast now. Do you know what I'm
meant to say? It was? You were at a carpet
for e I think, and there were tigers, Oh my god,
and you were you were hosting the red carpet and
you're interviewing like the Tiger Wrangler guy. He was me
(30:49):
like Kristin Cavalry or something. Or it wasn't Kyle Quoo right, No,
I don't think it was, but it was it was
someone like you said, yeah, it was a blonde girl,
and uh, you turned the Tiger Wrangler said, whatever you do,
don't make any loud or high pitched noises around the
tiger and without missing a beat, you turned directly to
(31:12):
the camera and whispered into your microphone. Do they know
who they hired for this job? And I fell out
of my damn chair and wanted to throw my chair
through the TV because it was the funniest thing I've
ever heard you say. And I know that it's so
stupid and so simple, but to this day, I think
it's my funniest thing I've ever heard you do, because
it was just a classic lesson in improvisational on the
(31:35):
spot thinking of a delivering a one liner, and you're
the best at it. Thank you. You know. I don't
remember that. I remember being there, I don't remember saying that.
That tiger actually started got loose and they had like
a panic moment. I remember that, and I actually shoved
whoever I was with in front of me because I'm
not going down like that. But I will tell you them.
(31:55):
You know that that's about live TV, and you either
have that thing or you don't know. And for some
reason in my brain it's one. I cannot return an
Amazon package. I don't know how to do it. I
can't they say, bring it to a Whole Foods. What
what I don't understand. But I can do live TV
if someone if they cut to me, I'll have a line.
I'll have a thing. It's just you know you you're
good at what you're good at, and but thank you
(32:17):
for telling you that it's amazing that you're good at
so many things. Ross. But there's something that I'm gonna say.
I don't think you've been that great about hit me.
Let's talk about your New Year's solution to do a
new TikTok. Don't bring this day? Have you? Have you?
I went and looked you haven't. I don't get the
TikTok either, Ross. I I feel seen when I saw
(32:39):
that video that you posted. I don't get it either.
But I went and checked. You haven't done one every
day and that's okay, because you know what, it's exhausting.
I don't understand it. I understand that this is where
the conversation is happening on the TikTok, but the trends
and the the buttons are too confusing to I'll just
say that. So I think the val he said, I'm
(33:00):
gonna learn and I'm gonna do um a month long
every day in January and TikTok, and I did it
till January two and then I stopped. I I I'm
kind of I think I've missed it. I've missed the
boat same. And do you find that when you post
like I don't get any unless I'm posting his butt.
I don't get any traction on my post, Like No,
(33:22):
it just doesn't happen. And I don't know why should
I post your butt? I mean, you do post jances,
but it'll blow up. This was what I posted, a joke,
you know how like you you know you post like
your husband, like as a joke. And Jackie Cox sent
me a video of James's button when he was doing
a red carpet and really tight hands for his show.
And instead of posting a picture of my husband, I
(33:43):
just put the like three second video Jackie cox scent
of his butt and said congrats babe on your new show.
Sarcastic one million views like, and then all the gay
rags picked it up, being like Jonathan put his husband's
butt on the internet, and I'm like, this is what
we have talked about. Oh, I don't know, maybe I
should post my husband's but I'll post anyone but send me,
(34:04):
I'll post it. I'll send them to fantastic and that
don't get the TikTok either, because I posted so I
had a TikTok go. I guess it's viral because it's
up to almost like thirty million views. Now he will
stop him in the airport. Now we know Russ two
different cities, two different cities, girls come up to him
and go oh hi, and I felt they wanted to
picture with me, of course because obviously super famous. And
(34:25):
I was like and I was like, oh hi, do
you want a picture? And like can we have it
with him? He's TikTok famous. We saw his TikTok, your
TikTok famous. That's my new goal is to be TikTok
the famous. Oh so ross. The TikTok that blew up
was a snapchat that had made to my best friends.
Sometimes I sing like little silly songs that sing him
to the dog and singing to myself, I singing to
my husband. And so we were in Paris and people
(34:48):
kept stopping it for pictures, which is a wonderful problem
to have. But I was paying a joke to my
best friend baby so, and I was like, this is
what it's like to go on occasion when your husband
was it mean girls, and like it was just like
showing how like there's nothing, like I'm just by myself
like in Paris and Jonathan's doing meet in Greece, right,
And I was like stupid and like some of my
friends like I'll just post it little TikTok and see
(35:09):
what happens. It was kind of like funny and I
was like sure, umon views, wow, thanks to her, and
that's all it was. And it blew up on the
TikTok and like I don't really use the TikTok, but
I went from like three followers to like sixties some
thousand followers now and I still I don't know what
to post next. Ross Like what do I do next?
Post Nathans But that's what. Yeah, there we go, that'll
(35:33):
dot TikTok. But what I've learned is that butts really
do well they do. And I just learned that today
with you guys. And this is why everyone listens to
podcasts because there's such a good takeaway. Yeah, we're gonna
talk about something we like to do on podcast where
we talk about what happened this week in gay history.
(35:53):
Cue the music before we move forward. And as we
grow as a community, we always need to remember where
we came from and take a look back at what
happened this week in gay history? James tell him what
happened that? Can I do this one? Because I'm so
obsessed with it. I was about to say, this feels
like a gay history you should Okay, would you like
to take a special guest host for this week? And
(36:14):
it's gonna love this history is Jonathan Bennett. Here you go,
but especially what happens this week in LGBTQ plus history
on January Ross, Are you ready for it? Where was I?
Where was I was in high school? I was a junior.
Rent debut debuted off Broadway in the New York Theater
Workshop for a six week run. The creator Jonathan Larson,
(36:36):
obviously we all know him. He died just before the
premier Rent was I mean Rent if growing up in
that time. Rent is the first time I understand I
understood what the lgbt Q plus community was, you know,
and and I factually didn't even have a plus. It
was just LGBTQ community. That it was the first time
(36:57):
that a little kid in Ohio could like hear these
words and talk about you know, there's the moment when
they say faggots, Leslie's dikes, cross dress others too, And
that was the first time I had to like look
up what that some of those were and I was like, oh,
there's other people like me, so Rent d dude this week. Wow,
And so let's let's just hold a candle right now
(37:17):
for all the straight girls who had to sing Rent
in the car with their gay best friends. I know
I can list a few names right now. Who's saying
will you light my candle? With Crystal Brook and Emily?
Who are your bethy Bevan, Jennifer Alexa. I mean, there's
so many of them, and so thank you to you
straight girls who staging with us. Yes, I got to
(37:40):
sing him in show choir. I feel like I was
six hundred minutes, Like I was living that fantasy. That
was amazing that, like I got to have an ever last,
how special was telling were last? Poor Crystal was stuck
in the car with your voice singing it. Oh, and
I mean my best the two of us Ross were
(38:01):
just the motleyest of Chris Blessed. She my best friend
Crystal growing up. She was my original fag hag and
she what I mean, she had spinal biffida. She was
in a wheelchair. I was like the gay theater queen,
pushing around the hallways, twirling around. So we were just
a complete show in ourselves. So God love seeing you together.
Can I can? I gave history something really fast. I
(38:23):
don't have the I don't have the date or the
month or anything, but um, at some point in gay history,
I think it was like ten years ago, I was
hosting a little show in Vegas called The Chip and Nails.
Ross Matthews came to see this show, and Ross remember
this because you encountered so many things, But UM, you
and I had the probably forty five second dialogue that
(38:46):
was very inspiring to me. And UM, I don't know
if I ever forgot to afterwards say thank you, because
I'm here. I was hosting the show on the strip
and I was like, you know what, I really want
to get into TV stuff like you do. I really
would love to be doing the red carpets and stuff
like you do. And you were so inspiring and encouraging,
and the fact that it was another queer person that's
(39:07):
already doing saying it. It's not lost on me that
I did get to the point where like I was
hosting the big red carpets to bo Board Awards, American
Music Awards, all that stuff, and like I would like
to think that a little bit of me getting there
was that little inspiration you gave me by just being
so kind when I told you that I wanted to
do that. So thank you, Ross. That's always stuck with me.
I remember that conversation, and I thought about it every
(39:28):
time I turned on the TV and seeing you on
something doing exactly what you said you wanted to do,
I always think, good for him. Look, he did it,
he did it, So thank you for saying that, because
people like you inspire. So thank you. And James was
shining his Big Gay Spotlight on Ross Matthews. And we're
going to do our next segment right now, which is
our Big Gay Spotlight, where each week we shine our
(39:52):
big Gay spotlight on someone that is doing the most
good for the l g B t Q plus community,
whether they're famous or not, people that you should know
here on a podcast. So Ross Matthews was James, James,
who do you have this week? Well, yeah, I get
to do another one, because you know, the big Gay
spot like my gay is so big it deserves MU.
So have you all heard about Eric Servini yet? He's
(40:13):
a historian and a queer author that actually turned the
school bus into a library of queer literature. Him and
his partner Adam actually had to raise funds through this.
They raised a hundred thousand dollars so far to actually
create the bus and their plan is to have this
bus travel all across the US and hosts pop up
book festivals in places like parking lots with tables and
chairs and signs and information about local organizations and resources
(40:36):
for queer people in addition to books and if the
books like you know, we we've heard about All Boys
Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson, Fun Home, a family
tragic comic by Alison Bechtel, and a lot of the
books that need to get out there, that that that
queer people need to have. And uh, they actually have
a website for it, Rainbow bus dot org. And I
mentioned the website because, like I said, they raised the
money to create this bus, but now they want to
(40:58):
get this bus out there and get this bus doing
the good that it can do and actually saying that
the proceeds the book sales from the bus are gonna
go towards funding the bus and to other authors. Um So,
Rainbow book bus dot org is something you can check
out that you guys can go contribute to this because
how cool is that. I think about that when we
were kids, if this little queer bus showed up with
(41:18):
resources for you and books for you to make you
feel seen, like Wow, what a what a wonderful time
we're living in? Amazing And I hope it's the first
of many, many, many buses all over the country. Rainbow
book bus dot org. I'm gonna be going. I wonder
if we can contribute what we can do to help,
but if at the very least we can just spread
the word at you. Just spit that website right back.
(41:41):
He's on. Drew Barrymore has his own clothing line, Rule Paul.
There's nothing he can't do. We love them, Ross, you
are a national gay treasure. I want to just say it.
Will we adore you everyone. Check out Ross's uh new
clothing line Ross by Ross. We have him on the news.
Season of Brag Race fifteen out now. And congratulations on
(42:04):
your new renewed season for the Drew Marymore Show. Yeah,
and on your marriage you too. I feel like we
got married right around the same time, and it just
felt like as like those pictures were coming out. It
just felt like such a time of love and hope
and coming out of a time of despair. And I
know we're we're all, you know, in our first year
(42:26):
of marriage, and isn't it just amazing? It is? What's
the one thing you learned about each other in this
first year? Oh? Really? Really? We're doing? Yeah? Well, you
know what I learned about marriage that I didn't expect
is that, like, I feel now so unafraid to fail
because like I'm like someone's got me back. You know,
(42:47):
I can take risks creatively in business and things because okay,
the worst thing that happens is it totally falls apart.
But at the end of the day, you know you're
still gonna love me, and you're still gonna hold me up,
and you're still going to protect me. It just feels amazing.
And I did not anticipate that. I feel the exact
same way. And I think I've had so much success
(43:07):
this past two years because of our engagement in our marriage.
I knew, like, no matter what, Like it's that classic
quote where some people say, but what if I fail,
and it's like, my dear, but what if you fly?
And and so I wasn't afraid to fail because I
knew if I no wonder what happened, James would be there.
So I really identified with that. Congratulations on your marriage,
(43:30):
congratulation on on everything you're doing. We're just huge fans.
Go to Ross's instagram so you can check out everything.
It's Hello Ross, Yeah, and thank you and thank you
for making this podcast. I think it's so great, hilarious,
insightful and important to have. Thank you guys. I hope
to see you whom we got to do a happy
hour and yes, I mean we're basically we're newly weds.
We live in the same city. Will make it happen?
(43:50):
Are we the same person? Who has anyone ever seen
us in the same room? Actually, I feel like if
I married to Ross Matthews and my post of that
Drew Barry what Jonathan's new clothing lines recalled? There you go? Okay, Ross,
run while you came. Bye. I love you guys. Fine
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