February 2, 2023 • 36 mins
Jonathan and Jaymes are joined by L. Morgan Lee who made history when she became the first openly transgender actor to be nominated for a Tony Award!
They discuss her journey to the top, and her 20 year friendship with Jaymes which began working at a theme park together in Virginia. Needless to say, there’s plenty to reminisce about, plenty to dish about and so much more to feel hopeful about on the horizon.
Plus, find out what Jaymes does on flights, and what Jonathan has to say about it.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is Pridecast with Jonathan Bennett James v on I
Heart Radio. Welcome to Pridecast this episode with Jonathan Bennett
and his husband, James Vaughan. That's the sound of ice
coffee being swirled in my husband's mouth. I'm trying to
keep up with you this morning. That's right, we got
Pridecast today. Such a good episode. But James, we are
(00:26):
going to be traveling. We're going somewhere. Yes, we are
going to august to say where you can tell everyone
where we're going. Well, we're doing the thing that I
like to do. It's called my husband gets offered a
movie and then I say where's it filming and he
says somewhere that I've never been, and I go, oh,
maybe you have to take it because I want to go.
So we are going to India. I've never been to India.
I'm very excited, but I'm more excited about the flight
(00:48):
because I love the flights. I love long airplane because
it's a way to be in the air from everybody
and just like be in this like little cube of
space and watch movies and just unplugged. So I love
the flight getting there, even though it's like really long. No,
I actually kind of really do love the flying experience too,
Like I get it and it is fun with you.
(01:09):
I always I remember growing up dreaming of of of
having a husband to travel with it. Just reach over
and hold his hand on the plane. I know it
sounds silly, but I'm for real. That's one of the
things I would think about when I was back little
figure skating me going to little skaning competitions. That was
the only time I ever got to get on a
plane right And I'd be on there and I'd see
other couples and I remember being like fifteen sixteen years
(01:30):
old and thinking, oh man, I would love one day
to just be on here with with my husband, going
somewhere and there we are. Usually James is hoarding food
on the flights because hungry. Remember he's an empty pit
that never is satisfied no matter how much you feed him.
He's never sat. He's always hungry, and so like on
a flight that long, he's just like scavenging, like stealing
(01:51):
things from children's like backpacks, just like friending the flight
attendants is saying if you got any extra whatever it is.
This is what Jane said to me one time, because
he wanted extra food from on the flight. He made
me walk up because he saw the gay flight attendant
and he's like always going to recognize you from mean
girls walk up there. So I had to walk up
(02:12):
and like make sure the guy saw me so that way,
then he would come over and like talk to us,
and James would be like, could I get ahead of me?
Already seen you? So I was like, like, my my
delicate fame. I'm such a delicate flower with my fame,
and you used it to get free food. However, I
did have a friend an inspirational podcast coming up, and
(02:34):
this is what he started. I'm sorry we're talking about
we're talking about food on airplanes and travel to India. Well,
I'm excited to go to India, but not as excited.
What was your However, go ahead hit him with the however, baby,
you were about to However, however I forgot. However, I
did have a friend. Oh, I had a friend, but
he will nameless that when he saw a cute girl
(02:56):
and wanted me to introduce him to them, he would
make me like blatantly go put my face over by
like their table, so that way they would recognize me
and then he could take their cell phone to take
the picture with me, and then when you have theirselfs phone,
he's like, let me just put my number in here
and he would use that to get girls and it
was actually brilliant, So well done. Wow, speaking of brilliant, y'all.
(03:18):
Is a super special podcast for me today because we
have somebody who has been in my life for quite
some time and somebody who has been an inspiration to
me for quite some time. If you actually recall back
to the very first Prodecast, they were the recipient of
my big gay spotlight. ELM morgan Lee is on Pridecast
today and I'm so excited to get to talk to her.
(03:41):
Tony Award nominee and just amazing songs, just performer and
human overall. So stay with us. We're gonna be right
back with ELM morgan Lee. Ye, and I bring it
(04:03):
back from commercial because someone who was very near and
dear and special to me is finally on Pride gaest L.
Morgan Lee, Welcome to Prodcast. How beautiful than we've been
talking about this this podcast started. I wanted to have
you on because my very first big gay spotlight was
(04:24):
you when you were in a strange Loop on Broadway
had not yet been nominated for the Tony and I
knew it was coming. I just knew it was because
everybody was raving about you here and so now I
get to introduce you as Tony Award nominee. Does that
(04:44):
still just hit you like crazy? I just feel so
insane when you hear it. It's weird because of course
you dream about it, but you don't ever think that
that's going to actually happen. Um, I guess I'm also
not like it's one of those things. I felt like,
you imagine if it happens, you'll be like a lot
older and like more seasoned, but like, I'm not twenty one.
(05:05):
So I was about to say, baby, we might be
a little season now, just so you know, we might
be those people. So I gotta take you all back
if you're listening to a little history, So, oh, Morgan
Lee and I go way back to the very beginning
of my performing career at um the theme parks the
(05:27):
The Illustrious Paramounts King's Dominion, where you and I both
performed what were we like, we'll be like nineteen twenty, Like,
how how old were we back then? It was? It was. Yeah,
it was like eighteen nineteen twenty for me. Yeah, yeah,
that was that was. We were um we we we
were some children. And I'm excited to have you on
(05:49):
here because I feel like you can you can uh
describe me in that part of life to my husband
much better than I can't. So we're gonna go into
that at some point in this conversation because I need
to talk about how orange I was and how bad
my hair was. I know, I never remember you being
(06:10):
I mean, you were definitely another color, um, but I
don't I don't remember being like off putting, though, is
the thing? And like, and your hair was cute. It
was just like lots of pearls everywhere. I mean it
was a lot. You were certainly like a um, a
little bit of a cartoon sort of version of yourself.
Is very lanky, all with like like big curly hair everywhere.
(06:33):
What was your first impression of him when you saw it?
Tell me, like, for real, we're like, who is this queen? Well?
That will well, that was not the That's not a
word that came to mind at that point. Okay, I
got it. There was also a seeming affinity for my roommates. Um,
so I definitely hated like two of my roommates both
(06:56):
that je No you know, blond un cisk girls, two
super cute. Um. Both interesting personalities, very strong personalities. Um
but like my first impression was like, oh, he's an
ice skater, Like, oh, he's cute, he's got oh it's
interesting voices Like really it's sort of like this grovelly
like husk to the sound that you don't typically hear
(07:19):
in this setting. So like, okay, alright, Nickelodeon. Also, I
love the word that we're using, the word husk. That's
such a good word that's underused. There's a husk to it. Yeah,
you know, speaking of those theme parks shows that we did.
But by the way, I have to tell you take
you back because um I'm a friend of em Morgan
Lee tore it up with the vocals back then. My
(07:39):
first impression of you is I remember your mouth opening
and being like, well, damn, okay, all right, so we're
just gonna fill the whole room and we won't even
need the microphone. Um yeah, I mean you. I remember
first meeting you and being so, I mean, I don't
want to get deep and whats she at the start
(07:59):
but feel like I might get deep and mushy at
the start. Um. Yes, obviously we touched on it that
I was not out at the time. I was still
figuring myself out. Um, And it wasn't that was figuring
myself out as that I was figuring out how to
be myself and let myself out. At that point, I
knew who I was. I just couldn't didn't have the
strength and um In walts this performer performing in the
(08:22):
Hot Latin Beat show that was the roommates to someone
I was dating at the time. So I feel like
we did get to like actually get to spend some
time together. And you were such a pivotal person to
me that you probably don't even realize you were, because
to see you living your life so loudly and freely
(08:42):
and as this, I just always think of you. When
I was explaining you did job at them, when like
you were first popping off and I was like, oh
my gosh, it's my friend, like finally, like it's happening
for her and it should happen so long ago. I'm
so happy it's finally happening. I was like, you had
this laugh and you had this energy that always filled
the room, and it was always so much happiness, and
I think it was because there was so much of
(09:03):
you being you, um, and it inspired me to start
digging into me and figuring out how to let myself
be me. So I don't know if you realize how
pivotal and important you were to me, but you really were.
And you are one of those standout people in a
very important time in my life. And I'm so glad
(09:25):
you came along when you did. So let me just
for that say thank you, because you really did trigger
me to know that it was okay to be me
and okay to start living as me. So thank you
for being you. What a life lesson though, Like what
a because those moments for me were always those like
summers were always moments where I felt very free, um,
(09:46):
because they weren't. It wasn't my normal. I was in
school during that time, so it wasn't my normal sort
of nine month structure. It was this time away where
we got to it was just a new group of
people altogether, um, and we carried on in ways that
I probably did not carry on enough in school. So
like it's like that was so to hear that someone
was even watching in that way. It's like what a
(10:08):
life lesson. It's like just like leaning into yourself helps
other people. It's it's really well, you know. I listened
to your podcast like sort of later in the season, um,
and I was like, oh my gosh, this is so ful.
I was like, this is fun. Like there's some there's
so much personality, they're they're crazy. Um. And then like
you mentioned, I didn't hear myself mentioned and was like,
(10:29):
oh god, what did he say? Because then you were
like someone that I mentioned on the podcast, and I
was like, wait you mentioned me before? Um. So then
I was like dork. And so I'm like I'm gonna
go back now and fine, where is that mentioned? Where
did you? What did you say about me? James? Thank
you for the lessons? What what did you say about me?
And when I got to it the way, I like
(10:50):
burst into tears because I did not expect that, Like
I I you really just don't like you don't know
what impact you have on humans, and like I like
was literally like laying in my bed just like full
on sobbing. As I mean I always sobbed and cry
because that's just sort of how our respond to things.
But like in this instance, it was just like it
(11:12):
was really touching to know that like a bit of
any bit of me finding myself because I look at
myself then and think I was being honest and living truthfully.
But I hadn't found myself fully either. I was dealing
with so much in my mind about who who I
actually am versus who I need to appear to be
to work and to be in this business. Um, I
(11:34):
was on a crazy journey my own self and like,
you know, dealing with you know how much taking up
but out there I was like I was like dealing
with and like dealing with you know, a person or
two in in my own cast who were on journeys
of their own, trying to figure out sort of you
know what they liked to sort of secretly behind the scene. Um,
(11:59):
it's like there was lots and stuff going on, and
like it's we think about these theme podcasts and just
you have no idea. It's much like Broadway. Actually, I
keep thinking like Broadway, you know, the audience sees a
certain thing and the actual show is actually happening backstage
beyond behind the scenes, the drama and the building the
like relationships. I mean, it's the same thing, and the
(12:19):
TV business and every other you know, entertainment sort of situation.
You know, we sell, we sell an experience, but if
only the audience could just move in a little on
the experience behind the experience, like that's the real show, um,
And I feel like it was the same thing at Paramounts.
It's like the audience saw, you know, five six shows
(12:40):
a day of us sweating our butts off. Um, you
have no idea, like the actual adult show was happening.
What's happening on the hours? And it is? You're so right.
It was the break from who we had to be
at school, who we were still putting off, from what
(13:00):
we had been told we had to put on, from
all the years of trauma that we endured as as
queer kids, right, and so we get into this space
of these theme parks where we finally got to be ourselves.
And I remember that was actually how I sort of
did my transition into just being an out gay man,
was that I jumped the next season to six Flags,
and there I was able to just beay, Okay, this
(13:21):
is who I am, and I'm going to establish myself
as this here. And it was it's just like there
was a freedom because you had all these people that
I think we're experiencing where you just talked about where
we got to just be a freer, different version of
ourselves there and and and I'm so grateful for it.
And Jonathan actually understands this too, because you always talk
(13:43):
about like with us, I feel like we circled the world. Um,
like the universe was trying to get us to each other,
but it wasn't the right time. So we always just missed.
Remember when we were at King's Domania and we would
watch the other theme park shows like a VHS and
like the other paramount parks. So Jonathan was the Paramount
Park in Ohio while we were at King's Dominion and
(14:05):
he was at King's Island. Was at King's Island hosting
the Nickelodeon show, right, jam oh, yes, my little orange
sketchers dancing around. So we had seen videos of each other, right,
but not actually like ever interactive. But it's funny to
go back. I'm like, I remember seeing a video of
your show. I remember watching that and how was I amazing?
(14:28):
But it's so funny because like there's something about I'm
sure a lot of people listening, right, now are people
that are in the performing arts because we have a
lot of people that listen that are into that. And
there's that like post high school, pre college zone where
we all everyone can identify with where you go off
and you go to do your show. But doing your
(14:48):
show is how you also find yourself because you're in
a different location and you know all the things we
just talked about, but it's literally true for me. My
first boyfriend was at Paramount King's Island and he was
sleep he was in one of the mother's business out there. Yeah,
he was in one of the other shows. Anyway, point
(15:08):
is my It was like I was eighteen years old
and it was like the first time I like dated
a guy or anything. And my mom called me from
Ohio and was from Toledo and was like John. The
phone rings at like eight in the morning, and my
boyfriend's in the bed sleeping next to me, and we're like,
you know, it's like early in the morning, and my
mom goes, John, are you gay? And literally like the
(15:30):
boyfriends in the bed next to me and I have
to be like what, Mom, No, why would you think that?
As I like sneak out of the room, I'm like
I don't know why you're saying, though, why did you
get that? And literally he's just like like literally next
to me. So, yes, there's that the Summer of Discovery
we'll call it. Wasn't that the title of that? That
(15:51):
is the title of the TV show where that happened?
That hold on, I'm writing it right now. It really
it really was that because it was like, Okay, we're
gonna wake up this morning, but it's it was all
figuring yourself out. And I'm so happy that we had
that space to to figure ourselves out because it really,
like it just goes to show you how important the
(16:13):
arts are because the kids, the kids needed for so
many reasons. Also just such a different Like I always
think like those were the good old days when things
were so much easier that I could just you know,
finish a semester in school and then get a call
about working at a theme park, just up and take
all my things from school in a car with my
mom to Virginia and then just there for the summer.
(16:36):
It's like, what kind of world are we living in?
Like it's almost like we had no no just find housing.
We just find things, you know, Jonathan, So, so what
so one of one of the people that James dated. Um, well, no,
it's more about the It's more about the things that
(16:58):
we allow ourselves to do. You know. We got to
Virginia that summer. I got there like a week after
everyone else because my semester like ended a little later,
and so people had already like lumped off into their
people that they were going to room with and be
like for the summer with. So there was one person
left in our company who had not found someone. And
she was this dancer, um super sweet like just I
(17:21):
mean she she was a lot but like but super
and sweet. Um. So the two of us go hunting
for a place to live. I mean, there could not
be a more like unlikely to to like find a
place number one, because neither of us were particularly focused
and things, we ended up living in this like oh god,
(17:41):
this like what seemed like a frat house situation almost
where there was just so many there were so many
men um that were like kind of scary, and we
ended up sort of just rooming with someone that was
on our crew who in the middle of the night
would just bring all these random people into our apartment.
So the two of us are like it was like
(18:01):
James ended up being James ended up being like like
comfort and like assured an assurance when he came in
because we know him, um, and most of the other
nights the two of us were like huddled on the
couch like, oh God, who is this? Oh what man?
Is this? What? Man? We're just coming in and like
(18:21):
visiting our other roommate. Um. So like the things that
we allow ourselves to get into at that age. I
don't know why I'm telling you that story, um, but
the reason that we're like let ourselves get into like
the craziest of things. But James ended up being like,
I mean, weren't you like sleeping on like a futon
or something. It was like a David, yes, yes, yes, yes,
because we'd be like four or five people to apartment
(18:42):
because the theme parks paid you no money. But I'm
cracking up listening to you retell the story because I
have a distinct memory in my head of y'all y'all's
green room telling me the story of these people coming
over to the house clutching each other, and it's taking
me back and feeling so embarrassed because also she's on
our tech, so she's like right outside the door, and
(19:03):
we're like, oh god, we're mortified. There's these strange men
coming into our house. And ah, the coming of age stories,
I love it so much. Oh my gosh. Well, we
can talk to the parks all day, but we're gonna
get into some of the nitty gritty when we get back.
(19:29):
We are talking to Tony Award nominee l Morgan Lee.
Can you take me back? Because it's somebody that has
known you for whoo baby twenty plus two years now,
and it has watched you and been like, when is
she going to pop? She should be a Broadway sensation.
I know she should. We all know this, Like, it's
so funny when it finally happened for you, all of
us that have known each other since way back in
(19:50):
the day, we're all messaging other. Finally, finally, finally, it
wasn't like oh wow, it wasn't like, oh good for her.
It was like, finally, the whole world now knows what
we've known forever. Is it like when you finally get
that opportunity on Broadway to be a leading lady? Take
take me through that m The only word that comes
(20:12):
to mind is breath. There was like an tale. Um.
You know, we we have been working in this for
so long. I mean over like almost over twenty years
at this point. Um. And like I am typically a
very nervous I'm a very nervous kind of a person,
Like I get a lot of generous backstage and kind
of get nervous about going out. Broadway was the first
(20:34):
time I was never nervous. Like it was this weird
like we got to the theater, we got on the stage,
and I just I said to someone, I was like,
it's weird. I feel at home, Like I feel like
I've like I already was supposed to be. Like it
was like this really weird sort of pairing, um, where
I just didn't feel nervous anymore. I was just able
(20:55):
to breathe. Um. And like it's interesting because there's this
video of this child running going around right now. Um,
this kid that was like uh, lots of videos are
popping up of him like singing, singing musical theater in
the car and then like people play Bill and all
those other people brought him into New York City to
come see shows and to like meet Broadway stars and
all this situation. And there's a clip of him standing
(21:18):
on the stage and he looks around and he's like,
I know, everybody keeps saying like, you know, I know,
everyone keeps saying that this is cool, But I just
feel like I'm supposed to be here. I feel like
I'm at home. And I watched that video and I'm
seeing this child say that and felt like I remember
having that same feeling like on the Broadway, like having
(21:38):
that actual feeling of this is this is home. So
it felt for me inside. There was of course a
god finally something has worked out finally, But I also
like understood why. I understood why it had to be
that moment and it wasn't any of the one before.
Like I understood like I needed to be number one,
I needed to be me fully um. And it makes
(22:01):
sense of when you start to tell the truth about
yourself that the world is going to have a response
to that. Um and and acting when you start to
be you know, the most honest, of course, that's going
to affect the way that you tell stories as well.
So people Actually I think I make sense to people
in ways that I didn't before. Um And so it
(22:23):
things lined up. M Yeah, I mean, it's it's so
spot on the new set. You weren't nervous because like,
it is where you belong and for those of us
that have known you forever, it's it's always been where
you belong. So it's so nice to see you they're
belonging and for the community to know that you belong.
And the show just wrapped up. Yes, and what what
do you do now? Do you just do you just
(22:44):
take a different kind of breath? Are you already diving
into other stuff? I recover, I heal, I have survived. Um,
those are the those we're also look the people called
Broadway to be a Olympics. Um. The difference is that
the Olympics last for a short period of time and
(23:04):
afterwards the athletes get to rest and recover. Broadway is
not that. Broadway is the Olympics that does not stop.
So there there is no relock, there's no recovery, there's
no relaxing. We have been out now for just over
two weeks. UM. The first week I dealt with a
lot of sort of mental um, like my body had
sort of phantom responses to not being in the show.
(23:27):
So I woke up feeling like I had to prepare
for the show. That night, I woke up speaking. I
was running late. I had to keep like assuring myself, like, no, no, Carl,
the show's over. You can you can download all the material.
You don't need it anymore. Forget the blocking, forget the lines,
you don't need them. UM. So last week is the
first time that I actually got a chance, um to
start to rest um. And that was really nice. You know.
(23:49):
The week the second week after we closed, was the
first moment when I got a moment to actually breathe. UM.
And so now what I'm doing really is seeing what
the next chapter is. Um. She wants to be on TV.
She she needs to be on TV. That's that's the
actual baby. She wants to be hearing this SPS. I
(24:10):
think ultimately that's the that was always the dream for me,
and Broadway has just sort of made it very clear that, Um,
I'm not twenty one, and so like I like the
idea of getting to do the project and being done
with the project. Um. And if if it's a project
that's long term, that it constantly changes, because the eight
(24:31):
show week is grueling, UM. And it's certain in the body,
I think there are lots of things I'm not saying
I'm done with the Broadway. But I think it's it's
time to actually like open the door to kind of
what's next. I don't, I don't. I don't know when. Um,
I don't know when people will hear this, but um,
I'm a concert in March that's not quite announced yet,
(24:52):
but we'll be announced soon. Um. At this point, we're
just at the what's the next chapter. I'm just glad
to get to breathe though. M hmmm. Yeah. It's just like,
as someone who has known you for so long like
to see you just thriving, and to see like right
now just looking at you through the zoom screen, the
level of comfort with just breathing, like that's a beautiful
(25:14):
place to be, to be able to be like, look
what I've done. I'm ready for the next thing, and
I have no doubt that it's coming. That's a beautiful,
beautiful thing to see on you, and I love it
and I love seeing you thriving. It makes me so
happy and I get giddy because you just make me giddy. Girl,
you do. Oh, you make me getting too. I'm loving
seeing you. Look. I listen to your story about in particular,
(25:34):
how the two of you mat and like one of
those things where I was like, oh, see, that's what
we Isn't that what we all want? Isn't that like
the thing that we sort of all dream of having
at some point, that that bumping into each other that
turns into you know, a phone call that turns into
you know, a fun night, um, which turns into marriage.
It's like, that's I love, Like it's kind of like
(25:55):
the dream I feel like for a lot of people.
So I you make me getting too. I'm I'm really
enjoying watching your life and the two of you like
sort of living this like love and it's it's it's
it's all over you. And I think that's that's encouraging
to see because in particular queer people, we don't get
to see enough of each other being loved um. And
(26:19):
so I just I think it's it's fantastic to watch.
Thank you. We feel very very fortunate. I'm sure the
kid that you first met twenty years ago, I never
thought he would have this, and so they get to
have it and get to have it so loudly is
a really special thing. And that's why we are so
loud because we always think about like what do we
(26:40):
need to see right? What what did a little young
me need to see? And so that's what we try
to do. Well, young young you saw an orange you,
that's what young you saw the Sienna spray tan to
the gods bleach have been like, right, that's on curls. Yes,
(27:04):
that's that's what I Oh my gosh, my hair was
bleached back then I forgot him because just strolling through
Walmart in the middle of the night, we would Walmart.
Walmart was our place. I don't know if that's a
Virginia thing or if that's the every word thing. Remember,
we would go late at night to Walmart and like
that would be our hangout. You see the people of Walmart. Yeah, yeah,
(27:26):
that was that was our entertainment in Daw'swell, Virginia and
that's Well Virginia, home of the truck stop and Paramounts
King's Dominion. What was the scene used to do um
um enter you from Oh my gosh that movie Trips
Tory Spelling and Christians. I don't I don't remember, like
(27:50):
that was such a great oh enter you. I remember
walking around walmarty performing selection. Wait is this when you
guys would watch show Girls? Know that that was a
six flags that was that was a different group. So
the year after King's DEMANDU, when I was um six Flags,
we were all too lazy to bring in an additional movie.
(28:13):
So show Girls was already backstage. So we just watched
show Girls every day to the point that we knew
all the choreography. But I think I did watch show
Girls with you too. I want to say, I mean,
Lizabeth Berkeley will always go down in history. That that
was the moment. And then James got to have his
show Girls moment because truly I'm going to be her
no me? Is that her name Malone? And so she
(28:37):
gets to Vegas and she she finally gets the right yes.
So when I got chipping, when I got my chippings billboard,
that was like the same thing my picture actually posted
thing back then. I was like, yo, know me like it.
Actually I remember James, you calling me. I don't know
what year this was, but like my only memory of
(28:58):
you from you had been King's Dominion and then you
called me and we're like, I'm in town, I'm in
New York. Let's meet at Ariba Ariba and like say hello,
And I was like okay, and I'm like, oh, I
expected to see this, like little wiry, this little wiry
you know, bleach blonde. Moment I walk in and I
was like, hey, man, like what where where is the
(29:23):
scrawny where's the scrawny young lad that I knew? Who
is this? This was like right after I think that
here because we started talking about you were like yeah,
And I went to this and I got on a
boat and then somebody told me if I wanted to work,
I needed to beef up. And I was like, well,
I mean thank you to that person. We're all we're
all enjoying. Yes, we all are in debt. I'd like
(29:45):
to shake that man's hand. I would like to shake
his hand. I mean, of course, then they're they're started
all of my my body issues as well. But I mean,
come on, honey, but I'm glad you've enjoyed. He was
he was naked yesterday walking through the house and I
and he was he's been lifting so heavy. Then he's
walking through the house and he I literally just looked
(30:08):
at him and I go like, he's so jacked right
now and the muscles are hitting. I was like, this
doesn't even look real. I'm just trying to get into
my daddy. Yeah, that's like you know in my forties.
Now you gotta gotta transition. I don't. I ain't had
apps for a while, so I'm not trying to chase
that aesthetic. So I'm like, what's the next aesthetic? The
(30:29):
next aesthetic is eat whatever you want and just lift
heavy weights and enjoy enjoy your joints while you still
got him. I don't think anyone's complaining about it, though.
Oh my gosh, we're gonna get into pride here on
podcast when we come back with l Morgan Lee. We'll
right back. We are here celebrating all things Pride on Pridecasts.
(30:58):
And what we'd like to ask everyone that comes on
the show, because it means something different to everyone. What
does pride mean to you? Mm hmm, gosh, it's evolved
over the years. Um, pride to me? Wow, I'm going
to use the same word I used for that moment
(31:20):
on Broadway said, pride to me means breath prior to me,
it means finally getting a chance to just be um
and being able to to walk and live your life
in the most I hate this word because it's so overused,
but the most authentic way possible, UM and understanding that
(31:42):
it is a blessing to be able to do that
because there's so many people who are not. There's so
many people who cannot be there to his selves. Um
and because they live in its situations where it might
be unsafe for them, or it might be you know,
religion or whatever these things are that are blocking people
from their truth. And truth meaning not just of course
(32:03):
trans or non binary and gender expansive some way, but
truth just being you, truth being you freely you, whatever
that is. Um. I think pride pride is ultimately the
picture of that. For me, it's just such a chance
to be you. Mm hmmm. Hello, this is something we
(32:23):
don't usually do on here. We have our like questions
that we always do at the end, but I want
to do this one because it is so special to
have you as somebody that we knew each other and
we were kids and now we know each other's grown adults,
and I just feel like I will get emotionally um Um.
I think about who we were, and I think about
(32:44):
who we are now and the journey it's to get
us to where we are now living authentically to use
that word, uh and um just limit our truth and
if you could go back and sit down in that
theater at Paramounts King's Dominion with l Morgan Lee at
(33:04):
that time in our lives, when we were still in
school and figuring ourselves out, what would you say to her?
That question will always be, it will always cut. Mm hmmm.
Stop running away from yourself mm hmm. The things that
(33:25):
you're running away from are the very things that are
going to give you wings one day. M hm hm.
And I know that you say that that that cuts
because it hits you, because you wish you could have
that conversation with that little girl. For me, just know
that you were that person a lot of those times
(33:47):
in that era of our lives and you don't even
realize it. And I've touched on it, and I'm gonna
say it again. You were a very special thing for me.
Then you are a special thing for me now. And
thank you, thank you, thank you. This why I wanted
to have you on here to just tell you somewhere,
all public record, how much you meant to me in
(34:07):
my journey to being my true self. Uh So, I
will forever be indebted to you. Morgan Lee. I love
and adore you, and I'm so so proud of you.
I'm proud of you, always have been. I can't wait
to see what you do next. Maybe can you write
a TV show together? Please? Thank you. We're gonna write
a TV show. I mean, would that not be the
best bost circle moment in my life to have y'all
(34:29):
playing like a husband and wife somewhere? That would be amazing.
I'm gonna slide into your d M s. We're gonna
start the script tomorrow, so get those ideas popping. Here
we go, everyone, Thank you so much for joining this
very special edition episode of Podcasts with ELM Morgan Lee
taking a sound memory lane with my husband James Vaughan
and talking about all the things that gave each other wings.
(34:50):
What a great sentence. I stopped running away from yourself.
The very things that you're running away for are what's
going to give you wings. Come on, but better you
better put that on coffee cup of you eight. I will,
and I'm gonna take it. I'm gonna make money off it.
I'm gonna I'm not gonna give you a dollar. Let's go.
Let's go. L Morgan. I could talk to you for
(35:11):
literally five hours. I love and adore you. Thank you
so much for joining us on Breadcast. Thank you for
having me. Alright, it's time for our favorite part of
the episode, which is lgbt Q plus History, because it's
important to look back so we know where we came
from as we look forward. James, that's what happened this
week in LGBTQ plus History. All right. So in the States,
we have the nineteen six nine Stonewall Riots which took
(35:34):
place in New York City that kick off pride. Right, Well,
here's how it went down in Canada. So February of
nineteen eighty one, remember that year, baby you were born.
That year m Operations Soap was arraid by the Metropolitan
Toronto Police against four gay bathhouses and that actually kicked
(35:58):
off the protest that that became modern day Toronto Pride.
So I'll just kind of give you an idea of
where it all launched off. What things started in different countries.
Is when the Canadians found he said, you know what,
enough is enough fighting back and now that is the
(36:19):
modern day Toronto Pride. And there you have it. And
that was this week in gay History.
This is Pridecast with Jonathan Bennett James v on I
Heart Radio. Welcome to Pridecast this episode with Jonathan Bennett
and his husband, James Vaughan. That's the sound of ice
coffee being swirled in my husband's mouth. I'm trying to
keep up with you this morning. That's right, we got
Pridecast today. Such a good episode. But James, we are
(00:26):
going to be traveling. We're going somewhere. Yes, we are
going to august to say where you can tell everyone
where we're going. Well, we're doing the thing that I
like to do. It's called my husband gets offered a
movie and then I say where's it filming and he
says somewhere that I've never been, and I go, oh,
maybe you have to take it because I want to go.
So we are going to India. I've never been to India.
I'm very excited, but I'm more excited about the flight
(00:48):
because I love the flights. I love long airplane because
it's a way to be in the air from everybody
and just like be in this like little cube of
space and watch movies and just unplugged. So I love
the flight getting there, even though it's like really long. No,
I actually kind of really do love the flying experience too,
Like I get it and it is fun with you.
(01:09):
I always I remember growing up dreaming of of of
having a husband to travel with it. Just reach over
and hold his hand on the plane. I know it
sounds silly, but I'm for real. That's one of the
things I would think about when I was back little
figure skating me going to little skaning competitions. That was
the only time I ever got to get on a
plane right And I'd be on there and I'd see
other couples and I remember being like fifteen sixteen years
(01:30):
old and thinking, oh man, I would love one day
to just be on here with with my husband, going
somewhere and there we are. Usually James is hoarding food
on the flights because hungry. Remember he's an empty pit
that never is satisfied no matter how much you feed him.
He's never sat. He's always hungry, and so like on
a flight that long, he's just like scavenging, like stealing
(01:51):
things from children's like backpacks, just like friending the flight
attendants is saying if you got any extra whatever it is.
This is what Jane said to me one time, because
he wanted extra food from on the flight. He made
me walk up because he saw the gay flight attendant
and he's like always going to recognize you from mean
girls walk up there. So I had to walk up
(02:12):
and like make sure the guy saw me so that way,
then he would come over and like talk to us,
and James would be like, could I get ahead of me?
Already seen you? So I was like, like, my my
delicate fame. I'm such a delicate flower with my fame,
and you used it to get free food. However, I
did have a friend an inspirational podcast coming up, and
(02:34):
this is what he started. I'm sorry we're talking about
we're talking about food on airplanes and travel to India. Well,
I'm excited to go to India, but not as excited.
What was your However, go ahead hit him with the however, baby,
you were about to However, however I forgot. However, I
did have a friend. Oh, I had a friend, but
he will nameless that when he saw a cute girl
(02:56):
and wanted me to introduce him to them, he would
make me like blatantly go put my face over by
like their table, so that way they would recognize me
and then he could take their cell phone to take
the picture with me, and then when you have theirselfs phone,
he's like, let me just put my number in here
and he would use that to get girls and it
was actually brilliant, So well done. Wow, speaking of brilliant, y'all.
(03:18):
Is a super special podcast for me today because we
have somebody who has been in my life for quite
some time and somebody who has been an inspiration to
me for quite some time. If you actually recall back
to the very first Prodecast, they were the recipient of
my big gay spotlight. ELM morgan Lee is on Pridecast
today and I'm so excited to get to talk to her.
(03:41):
Tony Award nominee and just amazing songs, just performer and
human overall. So stay with us. We're gonna be right
back with ELM morgan Lee. Ye, and I bring it
(04:03):
back from commercial because someone who was very near and
dear and special to me is finally on Pride gaest L.
Morgan Lee, Welcome to Prodcast. How beautiful than we've been
talking about this this podcast started. I wanted to have
you on because my very first big gay spotlight was
(04:24):
you when you were in a strange Loop on Broadway
had not yet been nominated for the Tony and I
knew it was coming. I just knew it was because
everybody was raving about you here and so now I
get to introduce you as Tony Award nominee. Does that
(04:44):
still just hit you like crazy? I just feel so
insane when you hear it. It's weird because of course
you dream about it, but you don't ever think that
that's going to actually happen. Um, I guess I'm also
not like it's one of those things. I felt like,
you imagine if it happens, you'll be like a lot
older and like more seasoned, but like, I'm not twenty one.
(05:05):
So I was about to say, baby, we might be
a little season now, just so you know, we might
be those people. So I gotta take you all back
if you're listening to a little history, So, oh, Morgan
Lee and I go way back to the very beginning
of my performing career at um the theme parks the
(05:27):
The Illustrious Paramounts King's Dominion, where you and I both
performed what were we like, we'll be like nineteen twenty, Like,
how how old were we back then? It was? It was. Yeah,
it was like eighteen nineteen twenty for me. Yeah, yeah,
that was that was. We were um we we we
were some children. And I'm excited to have you on
(05:49):
here because I feel like you can you can uh
describe me in that part of life to my husband
much better than I can't. So we're gonna go into
that at some point in this conversation because I need
to talk about how orange I was and how bad
my hair was. I know, I never remember you being
(06:10):
I mean, you were definitely another color, um, but I
don't I don't remember being like off putting, though, is
the thing? And like, and your hair was cute. It
was just like lots of pearls everywhere. I mean it
was a lot. You were certainly like a um, a
little bit of a cartoon sort of version of yourself.
Is very lanky, all with like like big curly hair everywhere.
(06:33):
What was your first impression of him when you saw it?
Tell me, like, for real, we're like, who is this queen? Well?
That will well, that was not the That's not a
word that came to mind at that point. Okay, I
got it. There was also a seeming affinity for my roommates. Um,
so I definitely hated like two of my roommates both
(06:56):
that je No you know, blond un cisk girls, two
super cute. Um. Both interesting personalities, very strong personalities. Um
but like my first impression was like, oh, he's an
ice skater, Like, oh, he's cute, he's got oh it's
interesting voices Like really it's sort of like this grovelly
like husk to the sound that you don't typically hear
(07:19):
in this setting. So like, okay, alright, Nickelodeon. Also, I
love the word that we're using, the word husk. That's
such a good word that's underused. There's a husk to it. Yeah,
you know, speaking of those theme parks shows that we did.
But by the way, I have to tell you take
you back because um I'm a friend of em Morgan
Lee tore it up with the vocals back then. My
(07:39):
first impression of you is I remember your mouth opening
and being like, well, damn, okay, all right, so we're
just gonna fill the whole room and we won't even
need the microphone. Um yeah, I mean you. I remember
first meeting you and being so, I mean, I don't
want to get deep and whats she at the start
(07:59):
but feel like I might get deep and mushy at
the start. Um. Yes, obviously we touched on it that
I was not out at the time. I was still
figuring myself out. Um, And it wasn't that was figuring
myself out as that I was figuring out how to
be myself and let myself out. At that point, I
knew who I was. I just couldn't didn't have the
strength and um In walts this performer performing in the
(08:22):
Hot Latin Beat show that was the roommates to someone
I was dating at the time. So I feel like
we did get to like actually get to spend some
time together. And you were such a pivotal person to
me that you probably don't even realize you were, because
to see you living your life so loudly and freely
(08:42):
and as this, I just always think of you. When
I was explaining you did job at them, when like
you were first popping off and I was like, oh
my gosh, it's my friend, like finally, like it's happening
for her and it should happen so long ago. I'm
so happy it's finally happening. I was like, you had
this laugh and you had this energy that always filled
the room, and it was always so much happiness, and
I think it was because there was so much of
(09:03):
you being you, um, and it inspired me to start
digging into me and figuring out how to let myself
be me. So I don't know if you realize how
pivotal and important you were to me, but you really were.
And you are one of those standout people in a
very important time in my life. And I'm so glad
(09:25):
you came along when you did. So let me just
for that say thank you, because you really did trigger
me to know that it was okay to be me
and okay to start living as me. So thank you
for being you. What a life lesson though, Like what
a because those moments for me were always those like
summers were always moments where I felt very free, um,
(09:46):
because they weren't. It wasn't my normal. I was in
school during that time, so it wasn't my normal sort
of nine month structure. It was this time away where
we got to it was just a new group of
people altogether, um, and we carried on in ways that
I probably did not carry on enough in school. So
like it's like that was so to hear that someone
was even watching in that way. It's like what a
(10:08):
life lesson. It's like just like leaning into yourself helps
other people. It's it's really well, you know. I listened
to your podcast like sort of later in the season, um,
and I was like, oh my gosh, this is so ful.
I was like, this is fun. Like there's some there's
so much personality, they're they're crazy. Um. And then like
you mentioned, I didn't hear myself mentioned and was like,
(10:29):
oh god, what did he say? Because then you were
like someone that I mentioned on the podcast, and I
was like, wait you mentioned me before? Um. So then
I was like dork. And so I'm like I'm gonna
go back now and fine, where is that mentioned? Where
did you? What did you say about me? James? Thank
you for the lessons? What what did you say about me?
And when I got to it the way, I like
(10:50):
burst into tears because I did not expect that, Like
I I you really just don't like you don't know
what impact you have on humans, and like I like
was literally like laying in my bed just like full
on sobbing. As I mean I always sobbed and cry
because that's just sort of how our respond to things.
But like in this instance, it was just like it
(11:12):
was really touching to know that like a bit of
any bit of me finding myself because I look at
myself then and think I was being honest and living truthfully.
But I hadn't found myself fully either. I was dealing
with so much in my mind about who who I
actually am versus who I need to appear to be
to work and to be in this business. Um, I
(11:34):
was on a crazy journey my own self and like,
you know, dealing with you know how much taking up
but out there I was like I was like dealing
with and like dealing with you know, a person or
two in in my own cast who were on journeys
of their own, trying to figure out sort of you
know what they liked to sort of secretly behind the scene. Um,
(11:59):
it's like there was lots and stuff going on, and
like it's we think about these theme podcasts and just
you have no idea. It's much like Broadway. Actually, I
keep thinking like Broadway, you know, the audience sees a
certain thing and the actual show is actually happening backstage
beyond behind the scenes, the drama and the building the
like relationships. I mean, it's the same thing, and the
(12:19):
TV business and every other you know, entertainment sort of situation.
You know, we sell, we sell an experience, but if
only the audience could just move in a little on
the experience behind the experience, like that's the real show, um,
And I feel like it was the same thing at Paramounts.
It's like the audience saw, you know, five six shows
(12:40):
a day of us sweating our butts off. Um, you
have no idea, like the actual adult show was happening.
What's happening on the hours? And it is? You're so right.
It was the break from who we had to be
at school, who we were still putting off, from what
(13:00):
we had been told we had to put on, from
all the years of trauma that we endured as as
queer kids, right, and so we get into this space
of these theme parks where we finally got to be ourselves.
And I remember that was actually how I sort of
did my transition into just being an out gay man,
was that I jumped the next season to six Flags,
and there I was able to just beay, Okay, this
(13:21):
is who I am, and I'm going to establish myself
as this here. And it was it's just like there
was a freedom because you had all these people that
I think we're experiencing where you just talked about where
we got to just be a freer, different version of
ourselves there and and and I'm so grateful for it.
And Jonathan actually understands this too, because you always talk
(13:43):
about like with us, I feel like we circled the world. Um,
like the universe was trying to get us to each other,
but it wasn't the right time. So we always just missed.
Remember when we were at King's Domania and we would
watch the other theme park shows like a VHS and
like the other paramount parks. So Jonathan was the Paramount
Park in Ohio while we were at King's Dominion and
(14:05):
he was at King's Island. Was at King's Island hosting
the Nickelodeon show, right, jam oh, yes, my little orange
sketchers dancing around. So we had seen videos of each other, right,
but not actually like ever interactive. But it's funny to
go back. I'm like, I remember seeing a video of
your show. I remember watching that and how was I amazing?
(14:28):
But it's so funny because like there's something about I'm
sure a lot of people listening, right, now are people
that are in the performing arts because we have a
lot of people that listen that are into that. And
there's that like post high school, pre college zone where
we all everyone can identify with where you go off
and you go to do your show. But doing your
(14:48):
show is how you also find yourself because you're in
a different location and you know all the things we
just talked about, but it's literally true for me. My
first boyfriend was at Paramount King's Island and he was
sleep he was in one of the mother's business out there. Yeah,
he was in one of the other shows. Anyway, point
(15:08):
is my It was like I was eighteen years old
and it was like the first time I like dated
a guy or anything. And my mom called me from
Ohio and was from Toledo and was like John. The
phone rings at like eight in the morning, and my
boyfriend's in the bed sleeping next to me, and we're like,
you know, it's like early in the morning, and my
mom goes, John, are you gay? And literally like the
(15:30):
boyfriends in the bed next to me and I have
to be like what, Mom, No, why would you think that?
As I like sneak out of the room, I'm like
I don't know why you're saying, though, why did you
get that? And literally he's just like like literally next
to me. So, yes, there's that the Summer of Discovery
we'll call it. Wasn't that the title of that? That
(15:51):
is the title of the TV show where that happened?
That hold on, I'm writing it right now. It really
it really was that because it was like, Okay, we're
gonna wake up this morning, but it's it was all
figuring yourself out. And I'm so happy that we had
that space to to figure ourselves out because it really,
like it just goes to show you how important the
(16:13):
arts are because the kids, the kids needed for so
many reasons. Also just such a different Like I always
think like those were the good old days when things
were so much easier that I could just you know,
finish a semester in school and then get a call
about working at a theme park, just up and take
all my things from school in a car with my
mom to Virginia and then just there for the summer.
(16:36):
It's like, what kind of world are we living in?
Like it's almost like we had no no just find housing.
We just find things, you know, Jonathan, So, so what
so one of one of the people that James dated. Um, well, no,
it's more about the It's more about the things that
(16:58):
we allow ourselves to do. You know. We got to
Virginia that summer. I got there like a week after
everyone else because my semester like ended a little later,
and so people had already like lumped off into their
people that they were going to room with and be
like for the summer with. So there was one person
left in our company who had not found someone. And
she was this dancer, um super sweet like just I
(17:21):
mean she she was a lot but like but super
and sweet. Um. So the two of us go hunting
for a place to live. I mean, there could not
be a more like unlikely to to like find a
place number one, because neither of us were particularly focused
and things, we ended up living in this like oh god,
(17:41):
this like what seemed like a frat house situation almost
where there was just so many there were so many
men um that were like kind of scary, and we
ended up sort of just rooming with someone that was
on our crew who in the middle of the night
would just bring all these random people into our apartment.
So the two of us are like it was like
(18:01):
James ended up being James ended up being like like
comfort and like assured an assurance when he came in
because we know him, um, and most of the other
nights the two of us were like huddled on the
couch like, oh God, who is this? Oh what man?
Is this? What? Man? We're just coming in and like
(18:21):
visiting our other roommate. Um. So like the things that
we allow ourselves to get into at that age. I
don't know why I'm telling you that story, um, but
the reason that we're like let ourselves get into like
the craziest of things. But James ended up being like,
I mean, weren't you like sleeping on like a futon
or something. It was like a David, yes, yes, yes, yes,
because we'd be like four or five people to apartment
(18:42):
because the theme parks paid you no money. But I'm
cracking up listening to you retell the story because I
have a distinct memory in my head of y'all y'all's
green room telling me the story of these people coming
over to the house clutching each other, and it's taking
me back and feeling so embarrassed because also she's on
our tech, so she's like right outside the door, and
(19:03):
we're like, oh god, we're mortified. There's these strange men
coming into our house. And ah, the coming of age stories,
I love it so much. Oh my gosh. Well, we
can talk to the parks all day, but we're gonna
get into some of the nitty gritty when we get back.
(19:29):
We are talking to Tony Award nominee l Morgan Lee.
Can you take me back? Because it's somebody that has
known you for whoo baby twenty plus two years now,
and it has watched you and been like, when is
she going to pop? She should be a Broadway sensation.
I know she should. We all know this, Like, it's
so funny when it finally happened for you, all of
us that have known each other since way back in
(19:50):
the day, we're all messaging other. Finally, finally, finally, it
wasn't like oh wow, it wasn't like, oh good for her.
It was like, finally, the whole world now knows what
we've known forever. Is it like when you finally get
that opportunity on Broadway to be a leading lady? Take
take me through that m The only word that comes
(20:12):
to mind is breath. There was like an tale. Um.
You know, we we have been working in this for
so long. I mean over like almost over twenty years
at this point. Um. And like I am typically a
very nervous I'm a very nervous kind of a person,
Like I get a lot of generous backstage and kind
of get nervous about going out. Broadway was the first
(20:34):
time I was never nervous. Like it was this weird
like we got to the theater, we got on the stage,
and I just I said to someone, I was like,
it's weird. I feel at home, Like I feel like
I've like I already was supposed to be. Like it
was like this really weird sort of pairing, um, where
I just didn't feel nervous anymore. I was just able
(20:55):
to breathe. Um. And like it's interesting because there's this
video of this child running going around right now. Um,
this kid that was like uh, lots of videos are
popping up of him like singing, singing musical theater in
the car and then like people play Bill and all
those other people brought him into New York City to
come see shows and to like meet Broadway stars and
all this situation. And there's a clip of him standing
(21:18):
on the stage and he looks around and he's like,
I know, everybody keeps saying like, you know, I know,
everyone keeps saying that this is cool, But I just
feel like I'm supposed to be here. I feel like
I'm at home. And I watched that video and I'm
seeing this child say that and felt like I remember
having that same feeling like on the Broadway, like having
(21:38):
that actual feeling of this is this is home. So
it felt for me inside. There was of course a
god finally something has worked out finally, But I also
like understood why. I understood why it had to be
that moment and it wasn't any of the one before.
Like I understood like I needed to be number one,
I needed to be me fully um. And it makes
(22:01):
sense of when you start to tell the truth about
yourself that the world is going to have a response
to that. Um and and acting when you start to
be you know, the most honest, of course, that's going
to affect the way that you tell stories as well.
So people Actually I think I make sense to people
in ways that I didn't before. Um And so it
(22:23):
things lined up. M Yeah, I mean, it's it's so
spot on the new set. You weren't nervous because like,
it is where you belong and for those of us
that have known you forever, it's it's always been where
you belong. So it's so nice to see you they're
belonging and for the community to know that you belong.
And the show just wrapped up. Yes, and what what
do you do now? Do you just do you just
(22:44):
take a different kind of breath? Are you already diving
into other stuff? I recover, I heal, I have survived. Um,
those are the those we're also look the people called
Broadway to be a Olympics. Um. The difference is that
the Olympics last for a short period of time and
(23:04):
afterwards the athletes get to rest and recover. Broadway is
not that. Broadway is the Olympics that does not stop.
So there there is no relock, there's no recovery, there's
no relaxing. We have been out now for just over
two weeks. UM. The first week I dealt with a
lot of sort of mental um, like my body had
sort of phantom responses to not being in the show.
(23:27):
So I woke up feeling like I had to prepare
for the show. That night, I woke up speaking. I
was running late. I had to keep like assuring myself, like, no, no, Carl,
the show's over. You can you can download all the material.
You don't need it anymore. Forget the blocking, forget the lines,
you don't need them. UM. So last week is the
first time that I actually got a chance, um to
start to rest um. And that was really nice. You know.
(23:49):
The week the second week after we closed, was the
first moment when I got a moment to actually breathe. UM.
And so now what I'm doing really is seeing what
the next chapter is. Um. She wants to be on TV.
She she needs to be on TV. That's that's the
actual baby. She wants to be hearing this SPS. I
(24:10):
think ultimately that's the that was always the dream for me,
and Broadway has just sort of made it very clear that, Um,
I'm not twenty one, and so like I like the
idea of getting to do the project and being done
with the project. Um. And if if it's a project
that's long term, that it constantly changes, because the eight
(24:31):
show week is grueling, UM. And it's certain in the body,
I think there are lots of things I'm not saying
I'm done with the Broadway. But I think it's it's
time to actually like open the door to kind of
what's next. I don't, I don't. I don't know when. Um,
I don't know when people will hear this, but um,
I'm a concert in March that's not quite announced yet,
(24:52):
but we'll be announced soon. Um. At this point, we're
just at the what's the next chapter. I'm just glad
to get to breathe though. M hmmm. Yeah. It's just like,
as someone who has known you for so long like
to see you just thriving, and to see like right
now just looking at you through the zoom screen, the
level of comfort with just breathing, like that's a beautiful
(25:14):
place to be, to be able to be like, look
what I've done. I'm ready for the next thing, and
I have no doubt that it's coming. That's a beautiful,
beautiful thing to see on you, and I love it
and I love seeing you thriving. It makes me so
happy and I get giddy because you just make me giddy. Girl,
you do. Oh, you make me getting too. I'm loving
seeing you. Look. I listen to your story about in particular,
(25:34):
how the two of you mat and like one of
those things where I was like, oh, see, that's what
we Isn't that what we all want? Isn't that like
the thing that we sort of all dream of having
at some point, that that bumping into each other that
turns into you know, a phone call that turns into
you know, a fun night, um, which turns into marriage.
It's like, that's I love, Like it's kind of like
(25:55):
the dream I feel like for a lot of people.
So I you make me getting too. I'm I'm really
enjoying watching your life and the two of you like
sort of living this like love and it's it's it's
it's all over you. And I think that's that's encouraging
to see because in particular queer people, we don't get
to see enough of each other being loved um. And
(26:19):
so I just I think it's it's fantastic to watch.
Thank you. We feel very very fortunate. I'm sure the
kid that you first met twenty years ago, I never
thought he would have this, and so they get to
have it and get to have it so loudly is
a really special thing. And that's why we are so
loud because we always think about like what do we
(26:40):
need to see right? What what did a little young
me need to see? And so that's what we try
to do. Well, young young you saw an orange you,
that's what young you saw the Sienna spray tan to
the gods bleach have been like, right, that's on curls. Yes,
(27:04):
that's that's what I Oh my gosh, my hair was
bleached back then I forgot him because just strolling through
Walmart in the middle of the night, we would Walmart.
Walmart was our place. I don't know if that's a
Virginia thing or if that's the every word thing. Remember,
we would go late at night to Walmart and like
that would be our hangout. You see the people of Walmart. Yeah, yeah,
(27:26):
that was that was our entertainment in Daw'swell, Virginia and
that's Well Virginia, home of the truck stop and Paramounts
King's Dominion. What was the scene used to do um
um enter you from Oh my gosh that movie Trips
Tory Spelling and Christians. I don't I don't remember, like
(27:50):
that was such a great oh enter you. I remember
walking around walmarty performing selection. Wait is this when you
guys would watch show Girls? Know that that was a
six flags that was that was a different group. So
the year after King's DEMANDU, when I was um six Flags,
we were all too lazy to bring in an additional movie.
(28:13):
So show Girls was already backstage. So we just watched
show Girls every day to the point that we knew
all the choreography. But I think I did watch show
Girls with you too. I want to say, I mean,
Lizabeth Berkeley will always go down in history. That that
was the moment. And then James got to have his
show Girls moment because truly I'm going to be her
no me? Is that her name Malone? And so she
(28:37):
gets to Vegas and she she finally gets the right yes.
So when I got chipping, when I got my chippings billboard,
that was like the same thing my picture actually posted
thing back then. I was like, yo, know me like it.
Actually I remember James, you calling me. I don't know
what year this was, but like my only memory of
(28:58):
you from you had been King's Dominion and then you
called me and we're like, I'm in town, I'm in
New York. Let's meet at Ariba Ariba and like say hello,
And I was like okay, and I'm like, oh, I
expected to see this, like little wiry, this little wiry
you know, bleach blonde. Moment I walk in and I
was like, hey, man, like what where where is the
(29:23):
scrawny where's the scrawny young lad that I knew? Who
is this? This was like right after I think that
here because we started talking about you were like yeah,
And I went to this and I got on a
boat and then somebody told me if I wanted to work,
I needed to beef up. And I was like, well,
I mean thank you to that person. We're all we're
all enjoying. Yes, we all are in debt. I'd like
(29:45):
to shake that man's hand. I would like to shake
his hand. I mean, of course, then they're they're started
all of my my body issues as well. But I mean,
come on, honey, but I'm glad you've enjoyed. He was
he was naked yesterday walking through the house and I
and he was he's been lifting so heavy. Then he's
walking through the house and he I literally just looked
(30:08):
at him and I go like, he's so jacked right
now and the muscles are hitting. I was like, this
doesn't even look real. I'm just trying to get into
my daddy. Yeah, that's like you know in my forties.
Now you gotta gotta transition. I don't. I ain't had
apps for a while, so I'm not trying to chase
that aesthetic. So I'm like, what's the next aesthetic? The
(30:29):
next aesthetic is eat whatever you want and just lift
heavy weights and enjoy enjoy your joints while you still
got him. I don't think anyone's complaining about it, though.
Oh my gosh, we're gonna get into pride here on
podcast when we come back with l Morgan Lee. We'll
right back. We are here celebrating all things Pride on Pridecasts.
(30:58):
And what we'd like to ask everyone that comes on
the show, because it means something different to everyone. What
does pride mean to you? Mm hmm, gosh, it's evolved
over the years. Um, pride to me? Wow, I'm going
to use the same word I used for that moment
(31:20):
on Broadway said, pride to me means breath prior to me,
it means finally getting a chance to just be um
and being able to to walk and live your life
in the most I hate this word because it's so overused,
but the most authentic way possible, UM and understanding that
(31:42):
it is a blessing to be able to do that
because there's so many people who are not. There's so
many people who cannot be there to his selves. Um
and because they live in its situations where it might
be unsafe for them, or it might be you know,
religion or whatever these things are that are blocking people
from their truth. And truth meaning not just of course
(32:03):
trans or non binary and gender expansive some way, but
truth just being you, truth being you freely you, whatever
that is. Um. I think pride pride is ultimately the
picture of that. For me, it's just such a chance
to be you. Mm hmmm. Hello, this is something we
(32:23):
don't usually do on here. We have our like questions
that we always do at the end, but I want
to do this one because it is so special to
have you as somebody that we knew each other and
we were kids and now we know each other's grown adults,
and I just feel like I will get emotionally um Um.
I think about who we were, and I think about
(32:44):
who we are now and the journey it's to get
us to where we are now living authentically to use
that word, uh and um just limit our truth and
if you could go back and sit down in that
theater at Paramounts King's Dominion with l Morgan Lee at
(33:04):
that time in our lives, when we were still in
school and figuring ourselves out, what would you say to her?
That question will always be, it will always cut. Mm hmmm.
Stop running away from yourself mm hmm. The things that
(33:25):
you're running away from are the very things that are
going to give you wings one day. M hm hm.
And I know that you say that that that cuts
because it hits you, because you wish you could have
that conversation with that little girl. For me, just know
that you were that person a lot of those times
(33:47):
in that era of our lives and you don't even
realize it. And I've touched on it, and I'm gonna
say it again. You were a very special thing for me.
Then you are a special thing for me now. And
thank you, thank you, thank you. This why I wanted
to have you on here to just tell you somewhere,
all public record, how much you meant to me in
(34:07):
my journey to being my true self. Uh So, I
will forever be indebted to you. Morgan Lee. I love
and adore you, and I'm so so proud of you.
I'm proud of you, always have been. I can't wait
to see what you do next. Maybe can you write
a TV show together? Please? Thank you. We're gonna write
a TV show. I mean, would that not be the
best bost circle moment in my life to have y'all
(34:29):
playing like a husband and wife somewhere? That would be amazing.
I'm gonna slide into your d M s. We're gonna
start the script tomorrow, so get those ideas popping. Here
we go, everyone, Thank you so much for joining this
very special edition episode of Podcasts with ELM Morgan Lee
taking a sound memory lane with my husband James Vaughan
and talking about all the things that gave each other wings.
(34:50):
What a great sentence. I stopped running away from yourself.
The very things that you're running away for are what's
going to give you wings. Come on, but better you
better put that on coffee cup of you eight. I will,
and I'm gonna take it. I'm gonna make money off it.
I'm gonna I'm not gonna give you a dollar. Let's go.
Let's go. L Morgan. I could talk to you for
(35:11):
literally five hours. I love and adore you. Thank you
so much for joining us on Breadcast. Thank you for
having me. Alright, it's time for our favorite part of
the episode, which is lgbt Q plus History, because it's
important to look back so we know where we came
from as we look forward. James, that's what happened this
week in LGBTQ plus History. All right. So in the States,
we have the nineteen six nine Stonewall Riots which took
(35:34):
place in New York City that kick off pride. Right, Well,
here's how it went down in Canada. So February of
nineteen eighty one, remember that year, baby you were born.
That year m Operations Soap was arraid by the Metropolitan
Toronto Police against four gay bathhouses and that actually kicked
(35:58):
off the protest that that became modern day Toronto Pride.
So I'll just kind of give you an idea of
where it all launched off. What things started in different countries.
Is when the Canadians found he said, you know what,
enough is enough fighting back and now that is the
(36:19):
modern day Toronto Pride. And there you have it. And
that was this week in gay History.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com