October 11, 2023 • 46 mins
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Season 5: Episode Twenty-Five - Part One. IT’S PARTY TIME! Grab a drink and join Benji and Brad in their end of Season Five Finale Tea Party! Also joining them is special guest and Mr Gay Great Britain 2022, David Allwood! Benji and Brad find out what it’s like to enter Mr Gay Great Britain, how to go about it and what is involved in the pageant. David shares his experience since winning the crown and talks all things Homoparody, his queer dance company based in London. Plus, Benji spills the tea on when he bumped into an ex on the tube this week!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Hello and welcome to this week's episode of my Big
Gay Podcast with me, Benji andme, Brad, giving you the life,
the loves, the loves of livingin London, Two gays one city.
What could possibly?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
go wrong.
The champagne's flowing todaybecause it is the end of season
five.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
I know real mixed emotions with this one.
I don't know whether to bereally happy with what we've
accomplished, obviously, orreally sad, but I feel like
we've covered so much in thisseason.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
I can't believe we've done another whole year of my
Big Gay Podcast A whole anotheryear, you can make me whole
again.
A whole new world.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Oh, do you miss me like a whole in there.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Hail holy Queen, and from above.
Oh.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Maria oh gosh.
We could go on for a very longtime.
I know I cannot believe whetherend of season five, 25 episodes
in the season.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Yeah, I know We've gone big this year.
We get bigger and bigger everyyear, don't we?
Oh my and we popped thechampagne, just like it was all
popping off last week withpoppin' Ollie.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
No, no, you are not allowed to do the puns.
I'm getting that written intothe contract for season six.
I will do the jokes or a thirdparty organization.
You are not being in charge ofthem anymore.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
I still giggle when I think about doing that in your
face.
When I said that and you waslike what have?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
you done?
Why did you open your mouth?
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Anyway, podcast is I hope you are going to join us
today on our end of season rapparty.
It's going to be great.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Rap party.
We're going to take it to therap.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Okay, Benji, you and rapping should not be a thing.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Actually, I'll have you know that I'm really good at
rapping on the spot.
Sure then, pre-vette.
Okay, it's the end of seasonfive.
We're ready for the ride, mybig gay podcast.
We spread love far and wide,from LGBTQ plus stories to
voices that inspire.
We've ignited conversations andset our hearts on fire.
(02:36):
Do?
Speaker 3 (02:36):
you know what?
Actually, that was quite good.
I'm quite impressed by that.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Yeah, you're welcome.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Well, anyway, that is enough of that for a time, be
it.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Time for verse two.
And fabulous guests sharingtales so grand and veiling the
beauty in every love strand fromall the prides.
With love We've shared the vibe, empowering the community,
helping hearts thrive Do youknow what?
Speaker 3 (02:56):
I'm actually quite impressed with that.
Who knew?
Give you a bit of champagne toswallow and you, eminem, you had
me at Swallow.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
But honestly I would do a mic drop if these mics
weren't so flip and expensive.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Well, podcasters as I'm sure you can see, we are a
little bit giddy on champagneright now, but we're here to
celebrate love.
We've got a special guestcoming on for our party today.
But, Benji, what I want to knowis Sorry.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
I love the way you say party.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
On our party.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
On our party, on our party.
I know we've got lots oflisteners actually listening
with us, but right now there'sjust the two of us, and if this
was actually a party, it wouldbe the most depressing party.
We are in different rooms onour own but drinking identical
bottles of champagne.
I guess this is how marriedcouples used to do it in
(03:49):
lockdown, when one had COVID,the other one didn't.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Yeah right, that surely must be the thing.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah, anyway, I don't know I single the whole way
through it.
I can't relate.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
But what I want to know is last week you said that
you were doing social groups andtrying to put yourself out
there, and you were going tomaybe put yourself out there
again and see what else is outthere.
So tell us more.
What have you found out thisweek, gosh?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
I've become more of a hermit.
Actually this week have youyeah, I haven't gone out with
that group yet, although theyhaven't actually had another
social, to be honest, but I'msupposed to have a date at the
weekend.
I know we didn't really talkabout my dating life that much
since that time where I did talkabout it and then got broken
out with because I shared thestory on the podcast.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
And yeah, and what was that story you shared again,
yeah, I guess there's no harmin sharing it.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
It was the story of when I went on a date, got a
little bit tipsy and ended upsort of shangin' in the park
opposite of the palace.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
As in Buckingham Palace, outside the Queen.
The Queen was still alive atthat point.
She might be looking out of herbedroom windows like no, no, no
, it's going to look out in thegarden Cut to you absolutely,
pounding a twink into the grass.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
You make it sound so unromantic, but actually that is
not far from the truth.
Yeah, anyway, I cancelled thisdate just because I didn't
really.
I just didn't feel the vibe.
Listen, I've been talking tothis person on and off like
three months, right, right,right.
Sorry, I'm actually speakingfrom my heart right now.
(05:15):
Sorry sorry, go for it.
You keep cutting me off withpop culture references.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
I'm just going to sit here and drink my champagne
whilst you're telling me aboutyour heartbreak.
I'm listening, I'm all ears Go.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Just going to go to the toilet.
Whilst you're telling me yeah,so I'm talking to like three
months, I was away and he wasmessing with me like, oh, you're
back, you're back, I'm going tomeet.
You Got each other on Instagramcommenting on pictures, whatnot
, and then, a couple of daysbefore, he got really weird.
And then, the day of, I waslike what is actually happening?
Are we meeting up or not?
And he was like oh yeah, I'veactually just finished the gym.
(05:44):
I'm on my way to Soho to get acoffee and sort of reading my CV
.
You're welcome to come join.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
That is not like first date, vibes.
No I don't want to be in afirst date with someone I want
them to be like.
Can't wait to see.
I'm so excited.
We've been chatting for threemonths, really looking forward
to meeting you in the flesh.
Yeah, I'm doing my CV.
Come and join me if you want tohelp me out on my CV right here
yeah.
That's not romantic.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
No, and then I messaged him later on that night
at like half 11.
It went to one ticks.
I didn't go through until 3am,so he was clearly at like a
sauna.
Let's be honest.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Oh yeah, because we know the London sauna is no
signal.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
No signal.
Not that I know personally, butI've been told.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
A friend of a friend told me A friend of a friend of
an ex's sister's mum, yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
But yeah, but what I did do is I fell down, which I
haven't done in so long.
I feel like YouTube hasn'treally been on my radar for a
while, but I fell down a YouTubehole and it's all about.
I feel like there's episode issponsored by the word hole.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
I think so too.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Doing something, none hole.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
There's another one, the whole time, the whole time,
the whole time, the whole time.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
You maybe lose my train of thought now, sorry,
sorry.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
YouTube hole.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Oh sorry.
Yes, what I thought was about,and I don't know if you remember
this.
When you were younger and thatwas a long time ago did you ever
use to watch Miranda Sings?
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Okay, so I was a huge fan of Miranda Sings the point
why I used to tweet Mirandaquite often and also the real
person's account.
Her name is Colleen Ballingerand she actually responded to my
tweets twice and I was like, ohmy God, this is like the first
interaction that I'd properlyever had with someone who I
would have considered acelebrity.
Anyway, long story short, she'snow completely canceled because
(07:27):
she did as she spokeinappropriately to people
underage.
These are allegations, by theway, but there is a whole
library of YouTube videos fromthis one of the younger people
that she used to speak to whenhe was like 12, 13, 14.
It wasn't like directly sexual,but it definitely was not the
right five.
I'm not going to comment on itany further because I don't want
(07:48):
to get into trouble.
Like I said, it's allallegations at the moment, but
it was really interesting.
And then, yeah, I kind of felldown that hole.
I was watching videos for likea good six and a half hours and
then I was like huh Benji, thisis why you're single.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
That's not healthy.
But also if you went to bed,what time in the morning, crazy
o'clock.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Well, I was awake and he then messaged me from the
sauna.
I think I was trying to take mymind off things.
I'm not going to lie, I was alittle bit disappointed.
I bought an outfit andeverything.
Oh, I know, I know, yeah, so Iguess I went to bed like four in
the morning.
Yeah, I should have just goneto brewers, to be honest, yeah,
anyway.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Well, I'm sorry that that didn't work out for you.
You know, maybe when we returnnext year for season six, you
might find true love.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
All right, enough of the jokes.
No, no, I'm trying to beserious.
Yeah.
Yeah, no, listen, I'm, I'm, I'm,I'm, I'm all good.
But anyway, listen, I'm sochuffed with what we've done on
this season.
I think we have covered so manyincredible topics, like I was
going through all our episodestoday and I I'm just really
(08:53):
proud.
Okay, fine, I'm not ending theseason with a boyfriend, a
fiance, a husband, whatever, butwhat I am doing is ending the
season with such a betterunderstanding of what it really
is to be a part of the communityand being a supportive member
of the community and beingsomebody within the queer
community who does have aplatform and a voice.
And I think personally for me,that is worth so much more
(09:16):
because I will take that on tothe rest of my life and if I
have kids, I'll pass that on,I'll pass it on to my friends
and, yeah, I would rather havehad that than a sort of a six
month relationship to me endbadly in the end.
So I'm actually you're winning,you're winning, I'm so winning,
you are Well, we're winning.
I can't take all the credit.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
I know I'll take most of it, but not all of it.
We do come as a little team,don't we?
Me and you and I couldn't agreewith you more, because we did
loads of prize this year, right,and so that was amazing to go
to different parts of thecountry and meet more of the
wider community, not just,obviously, the London Gays that
we know and love, and there wassuch a last minute thing that we
did.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Like we really that was not.
We were actually going to dothat for the next season and all
of a sudden, like it, just wegot so many invites who were
like, do you know what?
Let's take a 180 and what wewere going to do this season and
let's get out there, let's goto the prize and, yeah, spread
them, spread the love, A littlehappiness.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Absolutely, cause it was all popping off, wasn't it?
Oh my gosh, no.
Jokes aside.
Jokes aside, do you rememberalso when we learned about
section 28 as well, and thegovernment back in the the late
80s, early 90s, and what theywere doing?
and then how scary that is.
Feels like it's all coming backround again full circle with
our current government, withwhat they've been putting out in
(10:25):
their messages which won't getsort of too heavy into, but, you
know, being aware of what'shappening politically for our
community, how we can changethat, how we can use our voices
to empower us right, absolutely,but I think, like you said,
let's stop on that point for now, because I think our very
special guest later on in thisseason may have something to say
, because they are an absolutevoice for our community and I
(10:46):
think it'll be interesting tobring it up with him later on oh
my gosh, I don't think I'veeven told you about this.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Did I tell you about bumping into one of my exes on
the tube?
No, just imagine heaving tube,confined space, no escape.
And who do?
I catch eyes with?
An ex boyfriend of mine.
But I'll tell you the fullstory after this very quick
break.
This episode is sponsored byrainbowlottorycouk.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Play now and support LGBTQ plus dreams.
Okay, my champagne is nowtopped up.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
To be honest, it's probably your most successful
topping of all time.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
I love that.
You just sit in there stonecold face, staring into my soul.
Like I know I'm right, bitch.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
I am staring at your soul and I will tell you it is
bleak.
You need there's no Feng Shuidown here.
You need to do a lot of work,you need to lick a paint and a
complete move around.
Anyway, back to me.
I was talking about when Ibumped into my ex on the tube.
Oh, yes, tell me.
Yeah, I mean, ex may be aslightly too strong a word to
(11:59):
call him.
It was just some guy that I meta few times and was talking to,
right, and then it ended.
Basically, it was absolutelyfine, but when we ended, he did
then end up blocking me oneverything WhatsApp, instagram,
the lot.
This was about four years ago,and then about a year ago, we
actually rematched on Tinder,which was slightly weird.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Yeah, why would you even do that?
Why would you rematch with thatperson?
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Well, when I see people that I know on dating
apps the clean ones more oftenthan not I will actually swipe
to the right because I'm curiousto see if they're going to do
the same thing, and I do thinkthat the best relationships can
start from being friends first.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Yeah, yeah, yeah Great.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
So I was.
Yeah, maybe that's aconversation for another time,
but anyway.
So we've rematched quiterecently.
So he was very aware of like Iwas still fresh in his mind.
He wouldn't recognize me.
Anyway, cut to.
I'm on the tube.
It was very, very full.
I was sat down and these twoguys got on in the corner.
There was no seats for them.
It was quite busy and I noticedfrom the back that one of them
(12:59):
was very attractive, caught myeye so I was sort of you know,
you know how I'm quiteinterested in like clothes and
outfits and I was like lookingup and down, like, oh, he's
dressed really cute.
It helped that his shorts verytight.
Anyway, couldn't see the guythat he'd gotten with Next stop.
People got off and the cute guysat down next to me and I was
like, oh okay, here we go.
(13:20):
Anyway sat down, he was on hisphone and kept looking over at
the other guy.
So I looked up and looked overto the other guy and, sure
enough, clocked eyes with thisguy that I'd been talking to,
that had blocked from everything, who had recently just
rematched with on Tinder and Imean recently, uh-huh, uh-huh.
But he was with this boy.
So I was like I wonder ifthey're together, if they're
related, because they're bothgood looking.
(13:41):
Anyway, after that, more peoplegot off and he came and sat
next to this boy and literallyput his arm right around him.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Oh, he's doing that thing, you know when, like dogs,
pissed to claim their territory.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Literally that.
And I looked up to the.
You know, like opposite youthere's the other seats, but
there's the window behind whichis a bit.
It's got reflection, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And he was literally justeyeballing me through the window
, like this is my territory,yeah.
And he was like giving himdrinks and suddenly there was a
bit of a power dynamic betweenthe two of them.
Like it was very dumb,submissive, it was very strange,
but he was literally just Icouldn't decide if it was like
this is mine back off, or if itwas I'm with this boy.
(14:18):
Don't you say anything to meabout dating, like yeah, yeah,
yeah.
It was Weird, weird.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
What did you do?
You just sat there with a lotof smiling in your face like, do
be, do be see, yeah, Iliterally did that.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
It's just sat there smiling, yeah.
I kept on like gently, likenudging my leg into the boys leg
next to me, so he kept onlooking over to me.
So you just sort of you knowfuck with the other guy, yeah,
and then they got off at thenext stop.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
I feel like your romantic life is very chaotic.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
I think my whole life is chaotic, I don't think it's
just my dating life.
I think everything is quitechaotic at the moment.
I feel like I need to go.
Is this week actually this way?
You said to me that I need togo and find like a cabin.
I know it was my friend, andresaid Benji, you need to go and
find like a log cabin in thewoods, somewhere when there's no
signal, switch everything offand just like be for a few days.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
I actually think that's really good advice for
you because you are always onthe go-go-go and I really
respect that about you.
You have lots of businessesgoing on.
You're starting a new businessand that's really popping off.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Olly, if you're still listening to this, really sorry
.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
But because I think you always so go-go-go, that
feeds into the rest of your lifeperhaps, and all the boys are
then go-go-go.
I don't know.
Maybe am I a therapist, maybe Iam, maybe should be a therapist
.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Okay, please don't become a therapist.
But no, I think what?
No, I take that by, I think,all my friends in a way of
therapists.
But, like in the sameconversation with Andre, he was
literally saying, I think theguys that you're attracting a
little bit like what you said,you're attracting them because
you're giving off this likehectic, non-stop, very
fast-paced, not very Committable, is it right?
Speaker 3 (15:58):
Yes, yeah, yeah, I agree, you don't give off like
I'm looking for long-termrelationship vibes and that
maybe you're not looking forthat, so that's all fine too, I
think.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
I have taken a big shift in the in the last sort of
few months where I actuallythink I am now, or all more.
I'm more open to it.
Yeah, but I definitely feellike fulfilled in my Like social
life and my career.
Yeah, I don't feel like I needa relationship to define me.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
No, of course, and I would say that for anyone right,
having a relationship doesn'tmake or break you as a person.
You know you are you regardlessof who you're with.
But um, that's interestingbecause I always just thought
you were Single-pringle foreverand ever.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
I mean, I think, since, like this podcast, I
pretty much have been like weknow that I've been dating and I
have had some relationshipsthat I've kept off the podcast
because they Were early on andI've had ones that I've actually
ruined because of the storiesthat I've shared.
You know, we live, yeah, Ithink recently.
I think taking this break nowat the end of season five.
I will take this time to reallysort of Reset my life before
(16:58):
Christmas, because it's veryhectic anyway and, yeah, I might
get away for a bit.
I was trying to find somewherevery like queer friendly to go,
but I may actually something.
That is just very plain, jane,I may not go anywhere that's a
scene and just switch off plain,jane, I love it yeah it's cuz
you're being wholesome.
My mom's actually called Jane.
Thank you Um the airplane plane.
(17:20):
Jane, hang on.
Your mom is called Jane.
Oh gosh, where are we goingwith this?
Yes.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
My mom is also called Jane.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
No, she's not she is.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
How do we not know that about each other?
Really, my mom is called Jane,jane and Jane.
How does she spell it?
J a, y n?
E.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
My mom my mom, shane, got no y cuz she's figured out,
so how does she spell her?
Speaker 3 (17:38):
name j a n e plane boring standard.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
My mother went to Oxford University.
Well, your mom is a twit, yourmom is all.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
When you breastfed, it came out like this oh my god,
I'm getting giddy again on thechampagne.
Anyway, we have a very specialguest waiting in the studio to
come on, so I think we just needa little breather.
Let's top up the champagne andwe'll bring on our special
guests.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Say top again.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Top.
Oh hey, brad, oh hi, benji Brad, what's on your mind?
Oh nothing, benji, justdaydreaming, I guess.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
What are you daydreaming about this time?
A thicker hairline?
Not today.
Oh then what is it?
Speaker 3 (18:34):
I just wish I could do more to support the community
without breaking the bank.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Oh, and dreaming of true love's kiss Well you're in
luck because you can do more tosupport the community Really.
How?
By playing the rainbow lottery.
Of course, you can play from aslittle as one pound and 50
percent of all tickets goestowards an LGBTQ plus
organization that you get tochoose what, and every week you
(18:58):
could win up to 25,000 pounds aswell as other fantastic prizes.
So when you play, you really dohelp support the community.
Exactly, and I've won twicealready.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Where can I get tickets?
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Just head over to rainbowlotterycouk.
It's super easy.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Oh, do you think the rainbow lottery can also get me
true love's kiss?
I?
Speaker 2 (19:18):
doubt it?
Oh, play the rainbow lotterytoday from as little as one
pound to win big and help someincredible courses the rainbow
lottery Supporting LGBTQ plusdreams players must be 18 and
over.
Always play responsibly.
Wet dreams not included.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
Okay, podcasters, raise your glasses to our
special guest who is joining ustoday for our season five finale
party.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
That's right.
Podcasters for the end ofseason five.
We thought we would have someactual royalty onto my big gay
podcast.
So, without further ado, pleasewelcome to the podcast, mr Gay,
great Britain.
And a finalist for mr Gay world.
It is the one, the only theincredibly good-looking David
Olwood.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
How are you?
Speaker 5 (20:09):
I'm really good.
Thank you, so nice to chat toyou both.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Oh, it's so great to have you on, and now I just need
to get this out of the bagstraight away.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
It's the elephant in the room that we need to talk
about.
Yeah come on Alexandra.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
Nobody wants to talk about it.
So there was an elephant in theroom and I'd never heard of the
same before until I'd done mywriting count for the album, and
it's a very American saying.
So I thought, well, why not bethe first person to kind of
bring it over here and make itinto a song?
Speaker 3 (20:38):
Have you seen shits creek?
I have, yes.
Oh my god.
Every time I hear the nameDavid, I just think of Moira
Rose David same babes.
Ew David.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Has that ruined or enlightened your life?
Speaker 5 (20:53):
Oh, it's completely enlightened my life.
I love it.
It's like have you eaten myyoghurt, david?
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Because I'm not gonna lie when we've been talking
about you coming on, we don'tjust say David, we always say
David.
I'm obsessed.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
It actually gives me like a personality.
I love it.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Oh, that's amazing and also, not only do you have
the best name ever, but you aremy neighbour.
We live around the corner fromeach other.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
Yeah, literally clapping gaze represent.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Yeah right, benji, get involved.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
I'm absolutely happy at my safe distance away.
Thank you so much.
Slightly further south, whenare you?
Oh well, I am slightly near aWimbledon.
Speaker 5 (21:37):
Oh nice, oh fancy.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
It's not actually Wimbledon, it's, strictly
speaking, it's near a Morden.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
I love that you always say Wimbledon.
Why'd you try and big yourselfup, your little posh boy?
Speaker 2 (21:49):
It's literally a 10 minute walk away.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
So, listeners, if you want to find Benji on Grindr,
just change your location toWimbledon, and there you'll be.
Well, that's my sex lifeabsolutely ruined, so funny.
But anyway, david, you are MrGay Great Britain 2022.
How did that all come about?
Because, I'll be totally honest, I don't really know much about
(22:11):
the Mr Gay Great BritainPageantry, so you can fill me in
.
Speaker 5 (22:17):
Speaking of turn.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Could we please get through?
One question Sorry.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
Or reference to Schitt's Creek.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
So it all came about in the summer of 2022.
Everything took a bit of a turnand I decided to enter Mr Gay,
great Britain on this kind ofnew journey of trying something
new and sort of Trying to shockmyself and do something out my
comfort zone.
And, yeah, I kind of it reallyinterested me the whole concept
(22:47):
of it, because obviously it is apageant, but they're kind of
looking for a voice in thecommunity and people that have
something to say, people thatare kind of actively involved in
in the community, and it justfelt like quite a good fit.
So I gave it a go and, yeah, Ilike I won five of the seven
categories and Mr Gay, greatBritain.
(23:07):
Oh, wow, it was a good day.
That is amazing.
Congratulations, thank you.
Yeah, I mean, it took over mysummer completely and it kind of
felt I know this is a bitcheesy, but it felt like a bit
of a sort of self improvementthing, like everything I did.
I was sort of really trying tolike do something good in the
community and you had to likeraise funds for charity on the
(23:28):
lead up to the competition.
Wow, yeah, you also studybecause they, you, you have like
a written exam on LGBT rightsand legislation as well.
Oh gosh, yeah.
So it's really involved andobviously like the more you
learn, like the more you grow,and all that kind of thing.
So I just loved it.
I love the whole experience andit's kind of yeah, it's
(23:48):
spiralled from there, reallyfrom the win it's.
I've done Mr Gay Europe as welland I'm now doing Mr Gay World,
so it's this whole thing.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
She's got international.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
I know how long is the process from like the first
application that you send towell for you getting the crown.
What is that sort of timeline?
So?
Speaker 5 (24:09):
I applied in May of 2022 and the final was at the
end of August, like right at theend of summer 2022.
Okay, yeah, it was like a fewmonths.
I mean, the applications fornext year are already open, so
people can apply now to do it in2024.
So I don't know if you andBenji and Brad, if you fancy it.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
My application is live right now.
I'm currently doing it as wespeak Copy and paste.
David's answers.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
He said raising money , not stealing money, brad, but
anyway, oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
So, david, you said you won five out of seven
categories.
So when you mean categories, isthat like a different section
that you like compete in?
I kind of feel like is thissort of like a talent show?
Is like different elements toit?
Speaker 5 (24:55):
I wish there was a talent show, to be honest,
because I could have had alittle dance.
No, it's.
They split it into categorieswhere you have runways, so you
have to do like a nationalcostume or regional wear, so
like from where you're from, youhave to do a swimwear round and
a formal wear round, so there'slike three looks basically.
(25:18):
And then there's the charityfundraiser, there's the audience
vote.
Oh my God, you're testing menow.
Audience vote.
Written exam and MrCongeniality.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
Wow, I mean Miss Congeniality, I'm just thinking
Sandra Bullock, this is whatI've got in my mind.
Yeah, exactly, yeah, love it.
And when it's the costumerounds, is that something that
you have to make yourself or youdesign, or what is that process
?
Speaker 5 (25:46):
You kind of get free reign with that.
You obviously you have to comeup with a concept, and how you
make, how you realize thatconcept is entirely up to you.
So I don't know if you know OliHull the designer.
They're amazing, they're like areally sort of modern designer
that do a lot of like text onclothes and sort of painting on
(26:06):
clothes and they live in Claphamand yeah, we kind of came up
with this concept to for theregional way, for like a
political message about savingqueer spaces.
So I had this massive upcycledwedding dress that had the names
of loads of bars and clubs inLondon, lgbt bars and clubs in
London that had been closed down.
(26:27):
Oh wow, for various reasons.
Yeah, so I had a sort of saveour spaces message and, yeah,
oli was the perfect person tosort of make that happen.
So, yeah, it was really cool.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
That is amazing.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
That's such a great angle to come from and, like,
yeah, like you said, politicalat the same time.
I must admit, we, when we gotsent some of your pictures, the
ones that we posted of you inyour Union Jack outfit.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Yeah, it's such.
It's very like Vivian Westwoodinspired.
But who did you design that oneso?
Speaker 5 (26:53):
that's really funny.
Actually, I saw Amanda Holdenwearing a Union Jack dress and I
was like, oh my God, amanda,you've smashed it babe.
Yeah, I was like I want to wearthat.
So I then sort of did somedigging to find out who made
that dress and contacted them.
It was House of Sheldon Halland they're from outside of
(27:14):
London.
I just sort of told them what Iwanted to do and I had no idea
sort of what we were talking interms of price and all that
thing.
But they were so supportive andthey were like, yeah, we can do
this for you.
So, yeah, it was House ofSheldon Hall, that one, and yeah
, I was so happy with it.
Actually it was kind ofsomething quite different, but
it was like Jerry went queer.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
I was going to say I'm getting.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
Spice Girl vibes.
I love it, I love it yeah.
And so obviously you won thecrown last year.
So what has your year been likesince winning?
Speaker 5 (27:47):
It's been amazing.
I have met so many incrediblepeople.
I've started campaigns andhelped people with other
campaigns.
We went to the House ofParliament and had this like
open conversation with a load ofpoliticians Right, that is
fantastic.
It was fantastic.
It was interesting for sure.
(28:07):
And I feel like some of themsort of showed up to like get
the photo opportunity to showthat they're supporting LGBT
people, but I don't know howmuch work they're actually doing
, if you know what I mean.
So, yeah, there are a lot ofconversations to be had, but the
opportunity at least to do thatwas amazing.
And also going into schools,like, obviously, all the work
(28:30):
that Ollie does that I waslistening to your podcast last
week.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, it's suchan amazing thing.
And I actually went to oneschool that had like an LGBT
like community.
They had that actual club attheir school lunchtime and I
went in there and taught a dancelesson and it was just really
special.
(28:50):
Wow, I felt very lucky, yeah,amazing.
I mean, can you imagine havingthat when we were at school?
Speaker 3 (28:55):
I was about to say that I would have loved that,
I'd love to have you to havecome in and taught me a dance
routine on my lunch break.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Yeah, I know, a little bit of born this way.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Speaking of dancing, as Melissa's male may not know,
you come from a bit of atheatrical background and, as
well as sort of wearing thecrown, you've also started an
incredible dance company in,based in Clapham Rite, or just
in London in general, calledHomoparity.
Yeah, did that come fromwinning the crown, or is that
something you've always wantedto do and you thought now would
be just a good time to start it?
Speaker 5 (29:25):
No.
So actually Homoparity has beengoing basically since the
lockdowns were lifted in like2020.
And it all started from metalking to a friend and saying
you know, we need to like dosomething to bring everyone back
together.
And they were struggling at thetime.
I wanted to sort of cheer themup a little bit, so we recreated
(29:46):
Beyonce and Lady Gaga'stelephone video.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
Yes, amazing.
Speaker 5 (29:50):
Love it.
And we did it all for charityand like went online and popped
off and we had a great time.
And there was just something init where I was like, ok, I can
maybe do some more of this.
And we started doing likefundraisers and launch nights
for the videos and all that kindof thing.
But then it was the competitionthat really helped, because
with the fundraising I decidedto start teaching dance classes,
(30:15):
like queer dance classes, andthat's where kind of Homoparity
really grew.
We actually got to perform atLondon Pride on the main stage
for the last two years.
We've gone to loads of regionalprides as well to perform there
, and now we do like a weeklydance class in Elephant and
(30:36):
Castle every Thursday and it'sjust gone from strength to
strength.
It's just, I mean, it justfills me with joy.
I love it.
It's so much fun.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
Not going to lie.
This sounds right up my street.
I'm assuming you just do somelike queer anthems and live your
best lives in your dance class.
That's what I'm imagining.
Speaker 5 (30:53):
Absolutely yeah.
The playlist is giving for sureyeah.
Yeah.
We've got like Ariana Grande,we've got a lot of like Lady
Gaga and we do like originalchoreography and our own
choreography.
There's this incredible team ofteachers that we've got.
There's five of us and they areall amazing.
Like we all have sort ofdifferent styles and I mean
(31:15):
seeing the growth in our, in ourregulars, is so special, like
that.
Some of them that came thatjust wanted a bit of social
interaction or weren't reallysure what to expect, are now
like really strong dancers and Ijust yeah, I love to see it.
It's it's so fun, yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
I mean, I'll be honest, I see your Home of
Parody name on loads of venuesaround Clapham so I'm sure any
of our Clapham listeners havedefinitely, definitely heard of
you.
But I have been actuallyfollowing your Home of Parody
account for, I'd say, at least ayear from now too, and one
thing that I have noticed is notonly is the videos you're
putting up that your sort ofyour dance groups are growing,
but it's so nice to see thedifferent levels of dance and,
(31:53):
within that, people stillenjoying it, even if, like you
know, it's the first time.
They're really sort of steppingoutside the comfort zone and
dancing.
They are there absolutelysmiling and being afforded
smashing this choreography.
It seems like such a nicesocial sort of group and very,
very freeing.
Speaker 5 (32:07):
Yeah, for sure.
Like we always say to people,because obviously it's quite
nerve-wracking going to a danceclass for the first time, and we
always just say you know,everyone is supported here.
You know, just forget about allthat sort of all the worries,
all the insecurities.
We check with everyone beforethe class that they're okay to
be filmed and I edit the videosmyself and I'm not really
(32:30):
looking for like the best takewhere you know we pick the best
dancers to do the routine oranything like that, because
that's not really what we'reabout.
It's like we all mix into eachgroup and we sort of celebrate
every dancer and the theregulars help us as well, that
like they get it and webasically make everyone feel
like Beyonce, no matter what, nomatter how it went when they
(32:52):
film, everyone feels likeBeyonce.
We have like this, everyonegets this massive cheer and yeah
, and people pick up on that.
Actually we've had likefeedback saying you know, I've
never had anyone, like you know,applaud me in my sort of
everyday business job.
It's it's quite rare and it'ssuch a nice feeling and yeah,
and we love that.
We love it, it's fun.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
David, I feel like you might be able to fulfill my
dream of becoming a backingdancer for steps oh my god, oh
my gosh okay, did you make thathappen?
You can teach me, the girl withme and then maybe steps might
see me and be like we need Bradfor our backing dancer on our
tour.
Next year you're gonna be headhunted.
Speaker 5 (33:28):
I can feel it, I can feel it too.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
I'm getting all the manifestations.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
I mean someone please take him away at this stage.
Honestly, we're at BrightonPride steps came on.
He was like clawing his way tothe front oh my god calm down
just let them do that.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
I am such a massive steps fan, though I love them so
good.
Speaker 3 (33:49):
David, you've got a good taste, just like me.
Speaker 5 (33:51):
I knew it, I knew it, I love it we actually just
learn Scared of the Dark for ourHalloween special.
We've learnt Scared of the Darkand I'm not gonna lie that
choreography I was likestruggling.
It took me a while to get that.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
Steps have beaten me do you know what I so regret now
?
Not signing up for Home ofParody for Halloween?
Could have learned theirchoreography oh, it's not too
late.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
It's not too late, great, I'm doing it, I'm doing
it so if anyone listening whowants to sort of join Home of
Parody and find out more aboutit, where can they go to do that
?
Speaker 5 (34:23):
so just pop onto Instagram and it's at homo
parody and you can find us onlike TikTok as well with the
same, and also Facebook.
Just type us in amazing andwe've got loads of like new
branding coming for 2024.
So we're like we've got awebsite that's nearly ready to
go and all this very excitingstuff.
So I've got I should actuallyshout out the team.
(34:44):
I've got this amazing team ofmanagement people that I like I
can't do Excel spreadsheets, Ican't do all that stuff and they
are just incredible.
They do it all for me and, yeah, it's much appreciated.
They're amazing.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
I mean, I'm the same.
I can't do technology andspreadsheets either.
I'm just the talent you knowyeah, right, okay.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
Well, after that barrel of lies from Brad, what
we're gonna do, dave, is we'regonna take a very, very quick
break, sort of fill up ourdrinks, and we're gonna come
back and find out more about youand, most importantly, give you
some of our listener questions.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
So we'll be back after this very short break from
(35:47):
7 am on the UK's LGBTQ plusstation so before we went on a
little break, david, you didtell us that you are now
international and you arerepresenting Great Britain for
Mr Gay World that is amazing.
That's so great, so hugecongratulations for that so.
(36:08):
I'm writing thinking that thisis all countries across the
world competing for the crownyeah, I do.
Speaker 5 (36:14):
You know what?
I actually still don't know howmany countries are competing
this year.
We're still waiting foreverything and I literally fly
out on the 21st of October.
So yeah, there's going to bepeople from all over the world.
I know for a fact that Belgiumis going because he's a very
good friend of mine from when wedid Europe together and yeah,
(36:36):
we've got this like group chat.
That's sort of slowly growing.
I think we're up to probablyabout 10, maybe 12 countries at
the moment.
But yeah, it's all veryexciting.
Speaker 2 (36:46):
It's all a bit unknown and, yeah, we'll see so
did you have to come up with newsort of I don't know what the
word is actually new materialfor this new competition, or
could you use the same sort ofthings that you've done for your
previous title?
Speaker 5 (36:58):
it's a bit of a mix of both.
I have come up with acompletely new campaign for Mr
Gay World and it's somethingthat I've kind of wanted to do
for quite a long time and itkind of ties in quite nicely
with Homo Parody, with, like,our sort of strap line for Homo
Parody is Powering Togetherness,and I think that's quite a good
(37:19):
campaign title.
There's so much I want to doabout bringing people together,
about sort of suicide preventionand general sort of like
support in our community, likenot us, about us not being so
sort of segregated and just,yeah, being a bit more inclusive
and supporting everyone, andabout allyship as well,
especially for the transcommunity.
(37:40):
So sorry, I just gave you somany different things all in one
, but yeah, it's kind of like anumbrella thing of, I guess,
support and bringing peopletogether yeah, no, I love that,
and obviously this year has beenvery rocky, I think, for the
community and it's a bit of ascary time at the moment.
Speaker 3 (37:57):
But what you're campaigning for is the right
message.
Right, we've got to sticktogether, we've got to bring
together and absolutely theallyship that's what I
personally have really learnedabout this year are true allies.
So, yeah, I love that.
Your voice in that too, that'sgreat yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 5 (38:13):
I just think it's so important.
I mean, like you said, thisyear has been crazy in terms of
the things coming out of ofWestminster and yeah, I, I mean
I went to the Soella Bravermanprotest fairly recently
organised by Pride in London andI mean there was there was a
(38:34):
massive showing of support forour community there, some really
good speakers, but that wasjust like the tip of the iceberg
, wasn't it like, if you thinkabout everything else that's
coming out of the Tory partyconference, yeah, it's just so
sad and this is a time that weneed voices.
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 3 (38:53):
We need people to speak up for us absolutely, and
I'm just going to quickly jumpin there for our international
listeners who might not knowwhat we're referring to.
We're talking about our currentgovernment, which are the
conservatives, and we sometimesrefer to them as the Tories, and
just the sort of messagesthey've been putting out this
year have not been great for ourcommunity, and so, david, thank
(39:15):
you so much for going torepresent our voice in the world
.
That is absolutely incredible,thank you.
Speaker 5 (39:20):
I mean I think the people's perception of the UK as
well is that everything's rosyhere, like we're all very sort
of inclusive and liberal and allthat kind of thing, but it's.
It's actually sadly not thecase and I really hope I can be
a bit of a voice for the issuesthat we're still facing.
Obviously it's.
It's harder in so manycountries.
(39:41):
I mean, some countries it'sstill illegal, some countries
it's still punishable by death.
So there is so much work to bedone, but when you have sort of
rights and freedoms and thethreat of them being taken away,
that is just it's awful.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
You know, it's something that just I just can't
believe it's happening,honestly, yeah yeah, in trade
through its mentor, and I thinkfor us living in London,
sometimes I think we're a bitspoiled.
We forget actually how bad itis even just in still within our
country.
But outside of London, themessages that we get in from
listeners sort of telling uswhat's happening at their work
or in their social life orwhatever, like people just feel
(40:18):
so isolated.
And when the government put outthese vile messages across and
bulletins whatever you want tocall them which are so hateful,
it goes so much deeper than theywill ever realize and that one
little statement that haswet-trans social media can do so
much damage.
It can take so long to undoagain.
That's what they don't realize.
It's a very quick thing forthem to say, but that could do
(40:40):
so much damage to our community.
Speaker 5 (40:41):
Yeah, absolutely.
And I mean all this, all thistalk at the moment with the
trans community, it's kind ofthey're using it almost as like
a distraction for other thingsand I just I just like, how dare
they do that?
Speaker 3 (40:54):
you know, it's just yeah, yeah, I totally agree,
Because they're talking aboutsort of trans in hospitals and
where they should be and in whatspace.
But the joke is the NHS isterrible at the moment, like
what beds are even available?
huns, I don't know where thesemagic beds are coming up from
that you're talking about.
My mum works for the NHS and,yeah, she's seen the decline of
(41:18):
that recently, so I feel sort ofquite clued up from inside
knowledge about what's going on.
So when they released thatspeech, I was like what are you
even talking about?
Not even addressing the mainissue, you're just trying to
like cover it up by saying thattrans people are the issue with
hospitalization at the moment,which is just an absolute joke,
isn't it?
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (41:35):
Yeah, but I mean, even with that, go so much
deeper that the papers will pickup on what Rishi Sunak said and
we'll publish that everywhereabout like complaints being made
.
But then, when that I think itwas a trans charity right step
forward and said, well, ifyou've done this research, it's
you know, it's taxpayers money,so we want to see it.
Then they turned around andsaid, oh well, we actually
haven't got any evidence, butthen that isn't put into the
(41:55):
media.
The same level as Rishi'sspeech, yeah.
I know, so it's never undone bythe papers, and they really need
to hold more responsibility forthat.
Speaker 5 (42:03):
Yeah, I totally agree .
Yeah, it's just, it's reallyshocking.
Speaker 2 (42:07):
Well, anyway, that is going on.
We definitely are covering thatmore and more on the podcast
because I think when we Brad,I'm sure will agree when we
started the podcast, we didn'thave nearly as much of the
vocabulary and you know theinformation that we needed to
really support the community andwe are working so hard to try
and educate ourselves and othersand, I think, anyone out there.
Like we said on our Instagram,don't just repost these sort of
(42:29):
positive affirmation messageslike saying you support trans
people.
Actually go in and read what'sbeing said and educate yourself
so you can sort of do a betterjob when you get that moment to
educate somebody, because it'sreally important and, most of
all, go and vote.
Speaker 5 (42:42):
Absolutely Like, just get them out.
Speaker 2 (42:46):
Anyway, moving on with the podcast, we do actually
have some questions for youwhich your fans have written in
with.
We put a couple of posts out onour Instagram and on last
week's episode, and I must admitsome of these questions were
wild to put it bluntly, so we'vepicked sort of like a good
(43:07):
chunk of them, which sort ofgive you the idea of what people
may have been actually wantingto ask, so answer them how you
wish, just being delicate here.
Oh my god, I'm scared.
Don't be scared, so it's just.
It was so funny.
We literally had something likewhat's your favorite color?
To insert very dirty questionhere.
Yeah, but, Brad, I'll let youstart.
Speaker 3 (43:29):
Okay, so we'll go straight in with one question
from our listeners.
Oh my god, Benji, what is that?
Speaker 2 (43:35):
sound.
Oh my god, oh my Christ, Brad.
That noise means that we havecome to the end of part one of
our finale of season five withDavid Allwood.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
Are you telling me that this week we've got double
the fun?
Speaker 2 (43:50):
Absolutely.
You know I'm always ready forround two.
Speaker 3 (43:54):
Oh, not me.
One and done, that's it.
Speaker 2 (43:56):
Yeah, one and done.
I know I've heard you snoring,but podcast is like there is all
your time from this week'sepisode of my Big Gay Podcast.
If you have enjoyed it, pleasehead over to our Instagram.
It's at Big Gay Podcast,because when the season finishes
we will be more and more activeon there and that's the best
way to keep in touch with us andkeep us up to date with your
stories.
Speaker 3 (44:14):
And we've been teasing you.
You thought that this was ourfinal episode of season five,
but no, we've got a second partcoming in your ears next week,
so make sure you're with us nextweek.
Speaker 2 (44:24):
I'm so sorry for the puns, but I promise you after
next week it will be our finalepisode.
But, like I said, podcast isall we have time for on this
week's episode until next week'sfinal.
See you next.
Speaker 3 (44:35):
Wednesday Benji, you know, when they talk about
pageant competitions and theyalways have to do a speech.
Do you think of the movie MissCongeniality, when they do their
big, powerful speech and theyend with oh and world peace.
Speaker 2 (44:48):
Yes, although I feel like it doesn't even have to be
powerful.
I feel like if it was me, I'dgot to be like.
May Jockstraps be free foreverybody, may a Vodka and Coke
not cost more than five poundsin the London area, and may all
gingers get in for free to allgay bars.
Oh, and world peace.
Hello and welcome to this week's episode of my Big
Gay Podcast with me, Benji andme, Brad, giving you the life,
the loves, the loves of livingin London, Two gays one city.
What could possibly?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
go wrong.
The champagne's flowing todaybecause it is the end of season
five.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
I know real mixed emotions with this one.
I don't know whether to bereally happy with what we've
accomplished, obviously, orreally sad, but I feel like
we've covered so much in thisseason.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
I can't believe we've done another whole year of my
Big Gay Podcast A whole anotheryear, you can make me whole
again.
A whole new world.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Oh, do you miss me like a whole in there.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Hail holy Queen, and from above.
Oh.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Maria oh gosh.
We could go on for a very longtime.
I know I cannot believe whetherend of season five, 25 episodes
in the season.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Yeah, I know We've gone big this year.
We get bigger and bigger everyyear, don't we?
Oh my and we popped thechampagne, just like it was all
popping off last week withpoppin' Ollie.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
No, no, you are not allowed to do the puns.
I'm getting that written intothe contract for season six.
I will do the jokes or a thirdparty organization.
You are not being in charge ofthem anymore.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
I still giggle when I think about doing that in your
face.
When I said that and you waslike what have?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
you done?
Why did you open your mouth?
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Anyway, podcast is I hope you are going to join us
today on our end of season rapparty.
It's going to be great.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Rap party.
We're going to take it to therap.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Okay, Benji, you and rapping should not be a thing.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Actually, I'll have you know that I'm really good at
rapping on the spot.
Sure then, pre-vette.
Okay, it's the end of seasonfive.
We're ready for the ride, mybig gay podcast.
We spread love far and wide,from LGBTQ plus stories to
voices that inspire.
We've ignited conversations andset our hearts on fire.
(02:36):
Do?
Speaker 3 (02:36):
you know what?
Actually, that was quite good.
I'm quite impressed by that.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Yeah, you're welcome.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Well, anyway, that is enough of that for a time, be
it.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Time for verse two.
And fabulous guests sharingtales so grand and veiling the
beauty in every love strand fromall the prides.
With love We've shared the vibe, empowering the community,
helping hearts thrive Do youknow what?
Speaker 3 (02:56):
I'm actually quite impressed with that.
Who knew?
Give you a bit of champagne toswallow and you, eminem, you had
me at Swallow.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
But honestly I would do a mic drop if these mics
weren't so flip and expensive.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Well, podcasters as I'm sure you can see, we are a
little bit giddy on champagneright now, but we're here to
celebrate love.
We've got a special guestcoming on for our party today.
But, Benji, what I want to knowis Sorry.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
I love the way you say party.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
On our party.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
On our party, on our party.
I know we've got lots oflisteners actually listening
with us, but right now there'sjust the two of us, and if this
was actually a party, it wouldbe the most depressing party.
We are in different rooms onour own but drinking identical
bottles of champagne.
I guess this is how marriedcouples used to do it in
(03:49):
lockdown, when one had COVID,the other one didn't.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Yeah right, that surely must be the thing.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah, anyway, I don't know I single the whole way
through it.
I can't relate.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
But what I want to know is last week you said that
you were doing social groups andtrying to put yourself out
there, and you were going tomaybe put yourself out there
again and see what else is outthere.
So tell us more.
What have you found out thisweek, gosh?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
I've become more of a hermit.
Actually this week have youyeah, I haven't gone out with
that group yet, although theyhaven't actually had another
social, to be honest, but I'msupposed to have a date at the
weekend.
I know we didn't really talkabout my dating life that much
since that time where I did talkabout it and then got broken
out with because I shared thestory on the podcast.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
And yeah, and what was that story you shared again,
yeah, I guess there's no harmin sharing it.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
It was the story of when I went on a date, got a
little bit tipsy and ended upsort of shangin' in the park
opposite of the palace.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
As in Buckingham Palace, outside the Queen.
The Queen was still alive atthat point.
She might be looking out of herbedroom windows like no, no, no
, it's going to look out in thegarden Cut to you absolutely,
pounding a twink into the grass.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
You make it sound so unromantic, but actually that is
not far from the truth.
Yeah, anyway, I cancelled thisdate just because I didn't
really.
I just didn't feel the vibe.
Listen, I've been talking tothis person on and off like
three months, right, right,right.
Sorry, I'm actually speakingfrom my heart right now.
(05:15):
Sorry sorry, go for it.
You keep cutting me off withpop culture references.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
I'm just going to sit here and drink my champagne
whilst you're telling me aboutyour heartbreak.
I'm listening, I'm all ears Go.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Just going to go to the toilet.
Whilst you're telling me yeah,so I'm talking to like three
months, I was away and he wasmessing with me like, oh, you're
back, you're back, I'm going tomeet.
You Got each other on Instagramcommenting on pictures, whatnot
, and then, a couple of daysbefore, he got really weird.
And then, the day of, I waslike what is actually happening?
Are we meeting up or not?
And he was like oh yeah, I'veactually just finished the gym.
(05:44):
I'm on my way to Soho to get acoffee and sort of reading my CV
.
You're welcome to come join.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
That is not like first date, vibes.
No I don't want to be in afirst date with someone I want
them to be like.
Can't wait to see.
I'm so excited.
We've been chatting for threemonths, really looking forward
to meeting you in the flesh.
Yeah, I'm doing my CV.
Come and join me if you want tohelp me out on my CV right here
yeah.
That's not romantic.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
No, and then I messaged him later on that night
at like half 11.
It went to one ticks.
I didn't go through until 3am,so he was clearly at like a
sauna.
Let's be honest.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Oh yeah, because we know the London sauna is no
signal.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
No signal.
Not that I know personally, butI've been told.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
A friend of a friend told me A friend of a friend of
an ex's sister's mum, yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
But yeah, but what I did do is I fell down, which I
haven't done in so long.
I feel like YouTube hasn'treally been on my radar for a
while, but I fell down a YouTubehole and it's all about.
I feel like there's episode issponsored by the word hole.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
I think so too.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Doing something, none hole.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
There's another one, the whole time, the whole time,
the whole time, the whole time.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
You maybe lose my train of thought now, sorry,
sorry.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
YouTube hole.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Oh sorry.
Yes, what I thought was about,and I don't know if you remember
this.
When you were younger and thatwas a long time ago did you ever
use to watch Miranda Sings?
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Okay, so I was a huge fan of Miranda Sings the point
why I used to tweet Mirandaquite often and also the real
person's account.
Her name is Colleen Ballingerand she actually responded to my
tweets twice and I was like, ohmy God, this is like the first
interaction that I'd properlyever had with someone who I
would have considered acelebrity.
Anyway, long story short, she'snow completely canceled because
(07:27):
she did as she spokeinappropriately to people
underage.
These are allegations, by theway, but there is a whole
library of YouTube videos fromthis one of the younger people
that she used to speak to whenhe was like 12, 13, 14.
It wasn't like directly sexual,but it definitely was not the
right five.
I'm not going to comment on itany further because I don't want
(07:48):
to get into trouble.
Like I said, it's allallegations at the moment, but
it was really interesting.
And then, yeah, I kind of felldown that hole.
I was watching videos for likea good six and a half hours and
then I was like huh Benji, thisis why you're single.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
That's not healthy.
But also if you went to bed,what time in the morning, crazy
o'clock.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Well, I was awake and he then messaged me from the
sauna.
I think I was trying to take mymind off things.
I'm not going to lie, I was alittle bit disappointed.
I bought an outfit andeverything.
Oh, I know, I know, yeah, so Iguess I went to bed like four in
the morning.
Yeah, I should have just goneto brewers, to be honest, yeah,
anyway.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Well, I'm sorry that that didn't work out for you.
You know, maybe when we returnnext year for season six, you
might find true love.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
All right, enough of the jokes.
No, no, I'm trying to beserious.
Yeah.
Yeah, no, listen, I'm, I'm, I'm,I'm, I'm all good.
But anyway, listen, I'm sochuffed with what we've done on
this season.
I think we have covered so manyincredible topics, like I was
going through all our episodestoday and I I'm just really
(08:53):
proud.
Okay, fine, I'm not ending theseason with a boyfriend, a
fiance, a husband, whatever, butwhat I am doing is ending the
season with such a betterunderstanding of what it really
is to be a part of the communityand being a supportive member
of the community and beingsomebody within the queer
community who does have aplatform and a voice.
And I think personally for me,that is worth so much more
(09:16):
because I will take that on tothe rest of my life and if I
have kids, I'll pass that on,I'll pass it on to my friends
and, yeah, I would rather havehad that than a sort of a six
month relationship to me endbadly in the end.
So I'm actually you're winning,you're winning, I'm so winning,
you are Well, we're winning.
I can't take all the credit.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
I know I'll take most of it, but not all of it.
We do come as a little team,don't we?
Me and you and I couldn't agreewith you more, because we did
loads of prize this year, right,and so that was amazing to go
to different parts of thecountry and meet more of the
wider community, not just,obviously, the London Gays that
we know and love, and there wassuch a last minute thing that we
did.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Like we really that was not.
We were actually going to dothat for the next season and all
of a sudden, like it, just wegot so many invites who were
like, do you know what?
Let's take a 180 and what wewere going to do this season and
let's get out there, let's goto the prize and, yeah, spread
them, spread the love, A littlehappiness.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Absolutely, cause it was all popping off, wasn't it?
Oh my gosh, no.
Jokes aside.
Jokes aside, do you rememberalso when we learned about
section 28 as well, and thegovernment back in the the late
80s, early 90s, and what theywere doing?
and then how scary that is.
Feels like it's all coming backround again full circle with
our current government, withwhat they've been putting out in
(10:25):
their messages which won't getsort of too heavy into, but, you
know, being aware of what'shappening politically for our
community, how we can changethat, how we can use our voices
to empower us right, absolutely,but I think, like you said,
let's stop on that point for now, because I think our very
special guest later on in thisseason may have something to say
, because they are an absolutevoice for our community and I
(10:46):
think it'll be interesting tobring it up with him later on oh
my gosh, I don't think I'veeven told you about this.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Did I tell you about bumping into one of my exes on
the tube?
No, just imagine heaving tube,confined space, no escape.
And who do?
I catch eyes with?
An ex boyfriend of mine.
But I'll tell you the fullstory after this very quick
break.
This episode is sponsored byrainbowlottorycouk.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Play now and support LGBTQ plus dreams.
Okay, my champagne is nowtopped up.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
To be honest, it's probably your most successful
topping of all time.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
I love that.
You just sit in there stonecold face, staring into my soul.
Like I know I'm right, bitch.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
I am staring at your soul and I will tell you it is
bleak.
You need there's no Feng Shuidown here.
You need to do a lot of work,you need to lick a paint and a
complete move around.
Anyway, back to me.
I was talking about when Ibumped into my ex on the tube.
Oh, yes, tell me.
Yeah, I mean, ex may be aslightly too strong a word to
(11:59):
call him.
It was just some guy that I meta few times and was talking to,
right, and then it ended.
Basically, it was absolutelyfine, but when we ended, he did
then end up blocking me oneverything WhatsApp, instagram,
the lot.
This was about four years ago,and then about a year ago, we
actually rematched on Tinder,which was slightly weird.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Yeah, why would you even do that?
Why would you rematch with thatperson?
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Well, when I see people that I know on dating
apps the clean ones more oftenthan not I will actually swipe
to the right because I'm curiousto see if they're going to do
the same thing, and I do thinkthat the best relationships can
start from being friends first.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Yeah, yeah, yeah Great.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
So I was.
Yeah, maybe that's aconversation for another time,
but anyway.
So we've rematched quiterecently.
So he was very aware of like Iwas still fresh in his mind.
He wouldn't recognize me.
Anyway, cut to.
I'm on the tube.
It was very, very full.
I was sat down and these twoguys got on in the corner.
There was no seats for them.
It was quite busy and I noticedfrom the back that one of them
(12:59):
was very attractive, caught myeye so I was sort of you know,
you know how I'm quiteinterested in like clothes and
outfits and I was like lookingup and down, like, oh, he's
dressed really cute.
It helped that his shorts verytight.
Anyway, couldn't see the guythat he'd gotten with Next stop.
People got off and the cute guysat down next to me and I was
like, oh okay, here we go.
(13:20):
Anyway sat down, he was on hisphone and kept looking over at
the other guy.
So I looked up and looked overto the other guy and, sure
enough, clocked eyes with thisguy that I'd been talking to,
that had blocked from everything, who had recently just
rematched with on Tinder and Imean recently, uh-huh, uh-huh.
But he was with this boy.
So I was like I wonder ifthey're together, if they're
related, because they're bothgood looking.
(13:41):
Anyway, after that, more peoplegot off and he came and sat
next to this boy and literallyput his arm right around him.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Oh, he's doing that thing, you know when, like dogs,
pissed to claim their territory.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Literally that.
And I looked up to the.
You know, like opposite youthere's the other seats, but
there's the window behind whichis a bit.
It's got reflection, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And he was literally justeyeballing me through the window
, like this is my territory,yeah.
And he was like giving himdrinks and suddenly there was a
bit of a power dynamic betweenthe two of them.
Like it was very dumb,submissive, it was very strange,
but he was literally just Icouldn't decide if it was like
this is mine back off, or if itwas I'm with this boy.
(14:18):
Don't you say anything to meabout dating, like yeah, yeah,
yeah.
It was Weird, weird.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
What did you do?
You just sat there with a lotof smiling in your face like, do
be, do be see, yeah, Iliterally did that.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
It's just sat there smiling, yeah.
I kept on like gently, likenudging my leg into the boys leg
next to me, so he kept onlooking over to me.
So you just sort of you knowfuck with the other guy, yeah,
and then they got off at thenext stop.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
I feel like your romantic life is very chaotic.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
I think my whole life is chaotic, I don't think it's
just my dating life.
I think everything is quitechaotic at the moment.
I feel like I need to go.
Is this week actually this way?
You said to me that I need togo and find like a cabin.
I know it was my friend, andresaid Benji, you need to go and
find like a log cabin in thewoods, somewhere when there's no
signal, switch everything offand just like be for a few days.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
I actually think that's really good advice for
you because you are always onthe go-go-go and I really
respect that about you.
You have lots of businessesgoing on.
You're starting a new businessand that's really popping off.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Olly, if you're still listening to this, really sorry
.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
But because I think you always so go-go-go, that
feeds into the rest of your lifeperhaps, and all the boys are
then go-go-go.
I don't know.
Maybe am I a therapist, maybe Iam, maybe should be a therapist
.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Okay, please don't become a therapist.
But no, I think what?
No, I take that by, I think,all my friends in a way of
therapists.
But, like in the sameconversation with Andre, he was
literally saying, I think theguys that you're attracting a
little bit like what you said,you're attracting them because
you're giving off this likehectic, non-stop, very
fast-paced, not very Committable, is it right?
Speaker 3 (15:58):
Yes, yeah, yeah, I agree, you don't give off like
I'm looking for long-termrelationship vibes and that
maybe you're not looking forthat, so that's all fine too, I
think.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
I have taken a big shift in the in the last sort of
few months where I actuallythink I am now, or all more.
I'm more open to it.
Yeah, but I definitely feellike fulfilled in my Like social
life and my career.
Yeah, I don't feel like I needa relationship to define me.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
No, of course, and I would say that for anyone right,
having a relationship doesn'tmake or break you as a person.
You know you are you regardlessof who you're with.
But um, that's interestingbecause I always just thought
you were Single-pringle foreverand ever.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
I mean, I think, since, like this podcast, I
pretty much have been like weknow that I've been dating and I
have had some relationshipsthat I've kept off the podcast
because they Were early on andI've had ones that I've actually
ruined because of the storiesthat I've shared.
You know, we live, yeah, Ithink recently.
I think taking this break nowat the end of season five.
I will take this time to reallysort of Reset my life before
(16:58):
Christmas, because it's veryhectic anyway and, yeah, I might
get away for a bit.
I was trying to find somewherevery like queer friendly to go,
but I may actually something.
That is just very plain, jane,I may not go anywhere that's a
scene and just switch off plain,jane, I love it yeah it's cuz
you're being wholesome.
My mom's actually called Jane.
Thank you Um the airplane plane.
(17:20):
Jane, hang on.
Your mom is called Jane.
Oh gosh, where are we goingwith this?
Yes.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
My mom is also called Jane.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
No, she's not she is.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
How do we not know that about each other?
Really, my mom is called Jane,jane and Jane.
How does she spell it?
J a, y n?
E.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
My mom my mom, shane, got no y cuz she's figured out,
so how does she spell her?
Speaker 3 (17:38):
name j a n e plane boring standard.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
My mother went to Oxford University.
Well, your mom is a twit, yourmom is all.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
When you breastfed, it came out like this oh my god,
I'm getting giddy again on thechampagne.
Anyway, we have a very specialguest waiting in the studio to
come on, so I think we just needa little breather.
Let's top up the champagne andwe'll bring on our special
guests.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Say top again.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Top.
Oh hey, brad, oh hi, benji Brad, what's on your mind?
Oh nothing, benji, justdaydreaming, I guess.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
What are you daydreaming about this time?
A thicker hairline?
Not today.
Oh then what is it?
Speaker 3 (18:34):
I just wish I could do more to support the community
without breaking the bank.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Oh, and dreaming of true love's kiss Well you're in
luck because you can do more tosupport the community Really.
How?
By playing the rainbow lottery.
Of course, you can play from aslittle as one pound and 50
percent of all tickets goestowards an LGBTQ plus
organization that you get tochoose what, and every week you
(18:58):
could win up to 25,000 pounds aswell as other fantastic prizes.
So when you play, you really dohelp support the community.
Exactly, and I've won twicealready.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Where can I get tickets?
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Just head over to rainbowlotterycouk.
It's super easy.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Oh, do you think the rainbow lottery can also get me
true love's kiss?
I?
Speaker 2 (19:18):
doubt it?
Oh, play the rainbow lotterytoday from as little as one
pound to win big and help someincredible courses the rainbow
lottery Supporting LGBTQ plusdreams players must be 18 and
over.
Always play responsibly.
Wet dreams not included.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
Okay, podcasters, raise your glasses to our
special guest who is joining ustoday for our season five finale
party.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
That's right.
Podcasters for the end ofseason five.
We thought we would have someactual royalty onto my big gay
podcast.
So, without further ado, pleasewelcome to the podcast, mr Gay,
great Britain.
And a finalist for mr Gay world.
It is the one, the only theincredibly good-looking David
Olwood.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
How are you?
Speaker 5 (20:09):
I'm really good.
Thank you, so nice to chat toyou both.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Oh, it's so great to have you on, and now I just need
to get this out of the bagstraight away.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
It's the elephant in the room that we need to talk
about.
Yeah come on Alexandra.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
Nobody wants to talk about it.
So there was an elephant in theroom and I'd never heard of the
same before until I'd done mywriting count for the album, and
it's a very American saying.
So I thought, well, why not bethe first person to kind of
bring it over here and make itinto a song?
Speaker 3 (20:38):
Have you seen shits creek?
I have, yes.
Oh my god.
Every time I hear the nameDavid, I just think of Moira
Rose David same babes.
Ew David.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Has that ruined or enlightened your life?
Speaker 5 (20:53):
Oh, it's completely enlightened my life.
I love it.
It's like have you eaten myyoghurt, david?
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Because I'm not gonna lie when we've been talking
about you coming on, we don'tjust say David, we always say
David.
I'm obsessed.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
It actually gives me like a personality.
I love it.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Oh, that's amazing and also, not only do you have
the best name ever, but you aremy neighbour.
We live around the corner fromeach other.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
Yeah, literally clapping gaze represent.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Yeah right, benji, get involved.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
I'm absolutely happy at my safe distance away.
Thank you so much.
Slightly further south, whenare you?
Oh well, I am slightly near aWimbledon.
Speaker 5 (21:37):
Oh nice, oh fancy.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
It's not actually Wimbledon, it's, strictly
speaking, it's near a Morden.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
I love that you always say Wimbledon.
Why'd you try and big yourselfup, your little posh boy?
Speaker 2 (21:49):
It's literally a 10 minute walk away.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
So, listeners, if you want to find Benji on Grindr,
just change your location toWimbledon, and there you'll be.
Well, that's my sex lifeabsolutely ruined, so funny.
But anyway, david, you are MrGay Great Britain 2022.
How did that all come about?
Because, I'll be totally honest, I don't really know much about
(22:11):
the Mr Gay Great BritainPageantry, so you can fill me in
.
Speaker 5 (22:17):
Speaking of turn.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Could we please get through?
One question Sorry.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
Or reference to Schitt's Creek.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
So it all came about in the summer of 2022.
Everything took a bit of a turnand I decided to enter Mr Gay,
great Britain on this kind ofnew journey of trying something
new and sort of Trying to shockmyself and do something out my
comfort zone.
And, yeah, I kind of it reallyinterested me the whole concept
(22:47):
of it, because obviously it is apageant, but they're kind of
looking for a voice in thecommunity and people that have
something to say, people thatare kind of actively involved in
in the community, and it justfelt like quite a good fit.
So I gave it a go and, yeah, Ilike I won five of the seven
categories and Mr Gay, greatBritain.
(23:07):
Oh, wow, it was a good day.
That is amazing.
Congratulations, thank you.
Yeah, I mean, it took over mysummer completely and it kind of
felt I know this is a bitcheesy, but it felt like a bit
of a sort of self improvementthing, like everything I did.
I was sort of really trying tolike do something good in the
community and you had to likeraise funds for charity on the
(23:28):
lead up to the competition.
Wow, yeah, you also studybecause they, you, you have like
a written exam on LGBT rightsand legislation as well.
Oh gosh, yeah.
So it's really involved andobviously like the more you
learn, like the more you grow,and all that kind of thing.
So I just loved it.
I love the whole experience andit's kind of yeah, it's
(23:48):
spiralled from there, reallyfrom the win it's.
I've done Mr Gay Europe as welland I'm now doing Mr Gay World,
so it's this whole thing.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
She's got international.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
I know how long is the process from like the first
application that you send towell for you getting the crown.
What is that sort of timeline?
So?
Speaker 5 (24:09):
I applied in May of 2022 and the final was at the
end of August, like right at theend of summer 2022.
Okay, yeah, it was like a fewmonths.
I mean, the applications fornext year are already open, so
people can apply now to do it in2024.
So I don't know if you andBenji and Brad, if you fancy it.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
My application is live right now.
I'm currently doing it as wespeak Copy and paste.
David's answers.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
He said raising money , not stealing money, brad, but
anyway, oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
So, david, you said you won five out of seven
categories.
So when you mean categories, isthat like a different section
that you like compete in?
I kind of feel like is thissort of like a talent show?
Is like different elements toit?
Speaker 5 (24:55):
I wish there was a talent show, to be honest,
because I could have had alittle dance.
No, it's.
They split it into categorieswhere you have runways, so you
have to do like a nationalcostume or regional wear, so
like from where you're from, youhave to do a swimwear round and
a formal wear round, so there'slike three looks basically.
(25:18):
And then there's the charityfundraiser, there's the audience
vote.
Oh my God, you're testing menow.
Audience vote.
Written exam and MrCongeniality.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
Wow, I mean Miss Congeniality, I'm just thinking
Sandra Bullock, this is whatI've got in my mind.
Yeah, exactly, yeah, love it.
And when it's the costumerounds, is that something that
you have to make yourself or youdesign, or what is that process
?
Speaker 5 (25:46):
You kind of get free reign with that.
You obviously you have to comeup with a concept, and how you
make, how you realize thatconcept is entirely up to you.
So I don't know if you know OliHull the designer.
They're amazing, they're like areally sort of modern designer
that do a lot of like text onclothes and sort of painting on
(26:06):
clothes and they live in Claphamand yeah, we kind of came up
with this concept to for theregional way, for like a
political message about savingqueer spaces.
So I had this massive upcycledwedding dress that had the names
of loads of bars and clubs inLondon, lgbt bars and clubs in
London that had been closed down.
(26:27):
Oh wow, for various reasons.
Yeah, so I had a sort of saveour spaces message and, yeah,
oli was the perfect person tosort of make that happen.
So, yeah, it was really cool.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
That is amazing.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
That's such a great angle to come from and, like,
yeah, like you said, politicalat the same time.
I must admit, we, when we gotsent some of your pictures, the
ones that we posted of you inyour Union Jack outfit.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Yeah, it's such.
It's very like Vivian Westwoodinspired.
But who did you design that oneso?
Speaker 5 (26:53):
that's really funny.
Actually, I saw Amanda Holdenwearing a Union Jack dress and I
was like, oh my God, amanda,you've smashed it babe.
Yeah, I was like I want to wearthat.
So I then sort of did somedigging to find out who made
that dress and contacted them.
It was House of Sheldon Halland they're from outside of
(27:14):
London.
I just sort of told them what Iwanted to do and I had no idea
sort of what we were talking interms of price and all that
thing.
But they were so supportive andthey were like, yeah, we can do
this for you.
So, yeah, it was House ofSheldon Hall, that one, and yeah
, I was so happy with it.
Actually it was kind ofsomething quite different, but
it was like Jerry went queer.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
I was going to say I'm getting.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
Spice Girl vibes.
I love it, I love it yeah.
And so obviously you won thecrown last year.
So what has your year been likesince winning?
Speaker 5 (27:47):
It's been amazing.
I have met so many incrediblepeople.
I've started campaigns andhelped people with other
campaigns.
We went to the House ofParliament and had this like
open conversation with a load ofpoliticians Right, that is
fantastic.
It was fantastic.
It was interesting for sure.
(28:07):
And I feel like some of themsort of showed up to like get
the photo opportunity to showthat they're supporting LGBT
people, but I don't know howmuch work they're actually doing
, if you know what I mean.
So, yeah, there are a lot ofconversations to be had, but the
opportunity at least to do thatwas amazing.
And also going into schools,like, obviously, all the work
(28:30):
that Ollie does that I waslistening to your podcast last
week.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, it's suchan amazing thing.
And I actually went to oneschool that had like an LGBT
like community.
They had that actual club attheir school lunchtime and I
went in there and taught a dancelesson and it was just really
special.
(28:50):
Wow, I felt very lucky, yeah,amazing.
I mean, can you imagine havingthat when we were at school?
Speaker 3 (28:55):
I was about to say that I would have loved that,
I'd love to have you to havecome in and taught me a dance
routine on my lunch break.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Yeah, I know, a little bit of born this way.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Speaking of dancing, as Melissa's male may not know,
you come from a bit of atheatrical background and, as
well as sort of wearing thecrown, you've also started an
incredible dance company in,based in Clapham Rite, or just
in London in general, calledHomoparity.
Yeah, did that come fromwinning the crown, or is that
something you've always wantedto do and you thought now would
be just a good time to start it?
Speaker 5 (29:25):
No.
So actually Homoparity has beengoing basically since the
lockdowns were lifted in like2020.
And it all started from metalking to a friend and saying
you know, we need to like dosomething to bring everyone back
together.
And they were struggling at thetime.
I wanted to sort of cheer themup a little bit, so we recreated
(29:46):
Beyonce and Lady Gaga'stelephone video.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
Yes, amazing.
Speaker 5 (29:50):
Love it.
And we did it all for charityand like went online and popped
off and we had a great time.
And there was just something init where I was like, ok, I can
maybe do some more of this.
And we started doing likefundraisers and launch nights
for the videos and all that kindof thing.
But then it was the competitionthat really helped, because
with the fundraising I decidedto start teaching dance classes,
(30:15):
like queer dance classes, andthat's where kind of Homoparity
really grew.
We actually got to perform atLondon Pride on the main stage
for the last two years.
We've gone to loads of regionalprides as well to perform there
, and now we do like a weeklydance class in Elephant and
(30:36):
Castle every Thursday and it'sjust gone from strength to
strength.
It's just, I mean, it justfills me with joy.
I love it.
It's so much fun.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
Not going to lie.
This sounds right up my street.
I'm assuming you just do somelike queer anthems and live your
best lives in your dance class.
That's what I'm imagining.
Speaker 5 (30:53):
Absolutely yeah.
The playlist is giving for sureyeah.
Yeah.
We've got like Ariana Grande,we've got a lot of like Lady
Gaga and we do like originalchoreography and our own
choreography.
There's this incredible team ofteachers that we've got.
There's five of us and they areall amazing.
Like we all have sort ofdifferent styles and I mean
(31:15):
seeing the growth in our, in ourregulars, is so special, like
that.
Some of them that came thatjust wanted a bit of social
interaction or weren't reallysure what to expect, are now
like really strong dancers and Ijust yeah, I love to see it.
It's it's so fun, yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
I mean, I'll be honest, I see your Home of
Parody name on loads of venuesaround Clapham so I'm sure any
of our Clapham listeners havedefinitely, definitely heard of
you.
But I have been actuallyfollowing your Home of Parody
account for, I'd say, at least ayear from now too, and one
thing that I have noticed is notonly is the videos you're
putting up that your sort ofyour dance groups are growing,
but it's so nice to see thedifferent levels of dance and,
(31:53):
within that, people stillenjoying it, even if, like you
know, it's the first time.
They're really sort of steppingoutside the comfort zone and
dancing.
They are there absolutelysmiling and being afforded
smashing this choreography.
It seems like such a nicesocial sort of group and very,
very freeing.
Speaker 5 (32:07):
Yeah, for sure.
Like we always say to people,because obviously it's quite
nerve-wracking going to a danceclass for the first time, and we
always just say you know,everyone is supported here.
You know, just forget about allthat sort of all the worries,
all the insecurities.
We check with everyone beforethe class that they're okay to
be filmed and I edit the videosmyself and I'm not really
(32:30):
looking for like the best takewhere you know we pick the best
dancers to do the routine oranything like that, because
that's not really what we'reabout.
It's like we all mix into eachgroup and we sort of celebrate
every dancer and the theregulars help us as well, that
like they get it and webasically make everyone feel
like Beyonce, no matter what, nomatter how it went when they
(32:52):
film, everyone feels likeBeyonce.
We have like this, everyonegets this massive cheer and yeah
, and people pick up on that.
Actually we've had likefeedback saying you know, I've
never had anyone, like you know,applaud me in my sort of
everyday business job.
It's it's quite rare and it'ssuch a nice feeling and yeah,
and we love that.
We love it, it's fun.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
David, I feel like you might be able to fulfill my
dream of becoming a backingdancer for steps oh my god, oh
my gosh okay, did you make thathappen?
You can teach me, the girl withme and then maybe steps might
see me and be like we need Bradfor our backing dancer on our
tour.
Next year you're gonna be headhunted.
Speaker 5 (33:28):
I can feel it, I can feel it too.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
I'm getting all the manifestations.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
I mean someone please take him away at this stage.
Honestly, we're at BrightonPride steps came on.
He was like clawing his way tothe front oh my god calm down
just let them do that.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
I am such a massive steps fan, though I love them so
good.
Speaker 3 (33:49):
David, you've got a good taste, just like me.
Speaker 5 (33:51):
I knew it, I knew it, I love it we actually just
learn Scared of the Dark for ourHalloween special.
We've learnt Scared of the Darkand I'm not gonna lie that
choreography I was likestruggling.
It took me a while to get that.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
Steps have beaten me do you know what I so regret now
?
Not signing up for Home ofParody for Halloween?
Could have learned theirchoreography oh, it's not too
late.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
It's not too late, great, I'm doing it, I'm doing
it so if anyone listening whowants to sort of join Home of
Parody and find out more aboutit, where can they go to do that
?
Speaker 5 (34:23):
so just pop onto Instagram and it's at homo
parody and you can find us onlike TikTok as well with the
same, and also Facebook.
Just type us in amazing andwe've got loads of like new
branding coming for 2024.
So we're like we've got awebsite that's nearly ready to
go and all this very excitingstuff.
So I've got I should actuallyshout out the team.
(34:44):
I've got this amazing team ofmanagement people that I like I
can't do Excel spreadsheets, Ican't do all that stuff and they
are just incredible.
They do it all for me and, yeah, it's much appreciated.
They're amazing.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
I mean, I'm the same.
I can't do technology andspreadsheets either.
I'm just the talent you knowyeah, right, okay.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
Well, after that barrel of lies from Brad, what
we're gonna do, dave, is we'regonna take a very, very quick
break, sort of fill up ourdrinks, and we're gonna come
back and find out more about youand, most importantly, give you
some of our listener questions.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
So we'll be back after this very short break from
(35:47):
7 am on the UK's LGBTQ plusstation so before we went on a
little break, david, you didtell us that you are now
international and you arerepresenting Great Britain for
Mr Gay World that is amazing.
That's so great, so hugecongratulations for that so.
(36:08):
I'm writing thinking that thisis all countries across the
world competing for the crownyeah, I do.
Speaker 5 (36:14):
You know what?
I actually still don't know howmany countries are competing
this year.
We're still waiting foreverything and I literally fly
out on the 21st of October.
So yeah, there's going to bepeople from all over the world.
I know for a fact that Belgiumis going because he's a very
good friend of mine from when wedid Europe together and yeah,
(36:36):
we've got this like group chat.
That's sort of slowly growing.
I think we're up to probablyabout 10, maybe 12 countries at
the moment.
But yeah, it's all veryexciting.
Speaker 2 (36:46):
It's all a bit unknown and, yeah, we'll see so
did you have to come up with newsort of I don't know what the
word is actually new materialfor this new competition, or
could you use the same sort ofthings that you've done for your
previous title?
Speaker 5 (36:58):
it's a bit of a mix of both.
I have come up with acompletely new campaign for Mr
Gay World and it's somethingthat I've kind of wanted to do
for quite a long time and itkind of ties in quite nicely
with Homo Parody, with, like,our sort of strap line for Homo
Parody is Powering Togetherness,and I think that's quite a good
(37:19):
campaign title.
There's so much I want to doabout bringing people together,
about sort of suicide preventionand general sort of like
support in our community, likenot us, about us not being so
sort of segregated and just,yeah, being a bit more inclusive
and supporting everyone, andabout allyship as well,
especially for the transcommunity.
(37:40):
So sorry, I just gave you somany different things all in one
, but yeah, it's kind of like anumbrella thing of, I guess,
support and bringing peopletogether yeah, no, I love that,
and obviously this year has beenvery rocky, I think, for the
community and it's a bit of ascary time at the moment.
Speaker 3 (37:57):
But what you're campaigning for is the right
message.
Right, we've got to sticktogether, we've got to bring
together and absolutely theallyship that's what I
personally have really learnedabout this year are true allies.
So, yeah, I love that.
Your voice in that too, that'sgreat yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 5 (38:13):
I just think it's so important.
I mean, like you said, thisyear has been crazy in terms of
the things coming out of ofWestminster and yeah, I, I mean
I went to the Soella Bravermanprotest fairly recently
organised by Pride in London andI mean there was there was a
(38:34):
massive showing of support forour community there, some really
good speakers, but that wasjust like the tip of the iceberg
, wasn't it like, if you thinkabout everything else that's
coming out of the Tory partyconference, yeah, it's just so
sad and this is a time that weneed voices.
That's the bottom line.
Speaker 3 (38:53):
We need people to speak up for us absolutely, and
I'm just going to quickly jumpin there for our international
listeners who might not knowwhat we're referring to.
We're talking about our currentgovernment, which are the
conservatives, and we sometimesrefer to them as the Tories, and
just the sort of messagesthey've been putting out this
year have not been great for ourcommunity, and so, david, thank
(39:15):
you so much for going torepresent our voice in the world
.
That is absolutely incredible,thank you.
Speaker 5 (39:20):
I mean I think the people's perception of the UK as
well is that everything's rosyhere, like we're all very sort
of inclusive and liberal and allthat kind of thing, but it's.
It's actually sadly not thecase and I really hope I can be
a bit of a voice for the issuesthat we're still facing.
Obviously it's.
It's harder in so manycountries.
(39:41):
I mean, some countries it'sstill illegal, some countries
it's still punishable by death.
So there is so much work to bedone, but when you have sort of
rights and freedoms and thethreat of them being taken away,
that is just it's awful.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
You know, it's something that just I just can't
believe it's happening,honestly, yeah yeah, in trade
through its mentor, and I thinkfor us living in London,
sometimes I think we're a bitspoiled.
We forget actually how bad itis even just in still within our
country.
But outside of London, themessages that we get in from
listeners sort of telling uswhat's happening at their work
or in their social life orwhatever, like people just feel
(40:18):
so isolated.
And when the government put outthese vile messages across and
bulletins whatever you want tocall them which are so hateful,
it goes so much deeper than theywill ever realize and that one
little statement that haswet-trans social media can do so
much damage.
It can take so long to undoagain.
That's what they don't realize.
It's a very quick thing forthem to say, but that could do
(40:40):
so much damage to our community.
Speaker 5 (40:41):
Yeah, absolutely.
And I mean all this, all thistalk at the moment with the
trans community, it's kind ofthey're using it almost as like
a distraction for other thingsand I just I just like, how dare
they do that?
Speaker 3 (40:54):
you know, it's just yeah, yeah, I totally agree,
Because they're talking aboutsort of trans in hospitals and
where they should be and in whatspace.
But the joke is the NHS isterrible at the moment, like
what beds are even available?
huns, I don't know where thesemagic beds are coming up from
that you're talking about.
My mum works for the NHS and,yeah, she's seen the decline of
(41:18):
that recently, so I feel sort ofquite clued up from inside
knowledge about what's going on.
So when they released thatspeech, I was like what are you
even talking about?
Not even addressing the mainissue, you're just trying to
like cover it up by saying thattrans people are the issue with
hospitalization at the moment,which is just an absolute joke,
isn't it?
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (41:35):
Yeah, but I mean, even with that, go so much
deeper that the papers will pickup on what Rishi Sunak said and
we'll publish that everywhereabout like complaints being made
.
But then, when that I think itwas a trans charity right step
forward and said, well, ifyou've done this research, it's
you know, it's taxpayers money,so we want to see it.
Then they turned around andsaid, oh well, we actually
haven't got any evidence, butthen that isn't put into the
(41:55):
media.
The same level as Rishi'sspeech, yeah.
I know, so it's never undone bythe papers, and they really need
to hold more responsibility forthat.
Speaker 5 (42:03):
Yeah, I totally agree .
Yeah, it's just, it's reallyshocking.
Speaker 2 (42:07):
Well, anyway, that is going on.
We definitely are covering thatmore and more on the podcast
because I think when we Brad,I'm sure will agree when we
started the podcast, we didn'thave nearly as much of the
vocabulary and you know theinformation that we needed to
really support the community andwe are working so hard to try
and educate ourselves and othersand, I think, anyone out there.
Like we said on our Instagram,don't just repost these sort of
(42:29):
positive affirmation messageslike saying you support trans
people.
Actually go in and read what'sbeing said and educate yourself
so you can sort of do a betterjob when you get that moment to
educate somebody, because it'sreally important and, most of
all, go and vote.
Speaker 5 (42:42):
Absolutely Like, just get them out.
Speaker 2 (42:46):
Anyway, moving on with the podcast, we do actually
have some questions for youwhich your fans have written in
with.
We put a couple of posts out onour Instagram and on last
week's episode, and I must admitsome of these questions were
wild to put it bluntly, so we'vepicked sort of like a good
(43:07):
chunk of them, which sort ofgive you the idea of what people
may have been actually wantingto ask, so answer them how you
wish, just being delicate here.
Oh my god, I'm scared.
Don't be scared, so it's just.
It was so funny.
We literally had something likewhat's your favorite color?
To insert very dirty questionhere.
Yeah, but, Brad, I'll let youstart.
Speaker 3 (43:29):
Okay, so we'll go straight in with one question
from our listeners.
Oh my god, Benji, what is that?
Speaker 2 (43:35):
sound.
Oh my god, oh my Christ, Brad.
That noise means that we havecome to the end of part one of
our finale of season five withDavid Allwood.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
Are you telling me that this week we've got double
the fun?
Speaker 2 (43:50):
Absolutely.
You know I'm always ready forround two.
Speaker 3 (43:54):
Oh, not me.
One and done, that's it.
Speaker 2 (43:56):
Yeah, one and done.
I know I've heard you snoring,but podcast is like there is all
your time from this week'sepisode of my Big Gay Podcast.
If you have enjoyed it, pleasehead over to our Instagram.
It's at Big Gay Podcast,because when the season finishes
we will be more and more activeon there and that's the best
way to keep in touch with us andkeep us up to date with your
stories.
Speaker 3 (44:14):
And we've been teasing you.
You thought that this was ourfinal episode of season five,
but no, we've got a second partcoming in your ears next week,
so make sure you're with us nextweek.
Speaker 2 (44:24):
I'm so sorry for the puns, but I promise you after
next week it will be our finalepisode.
But, like I said, podcast isall we have time for on this
week's episode until next week'sfinal.
See you next.
Speaker 3 (44:35):
Wednesday Benji, you know, when they talk about
pageant competitions and theyalways have to do a speech.
Do you think of the movie MissCongeniality, when they do their
big, powerful speech and theyend with oh and world peace.
Speaker 2 (44:48):
Yes, although I feel like it doesn't even have to be
powerful.
I feel like if it was me, I'dgot to be like.
May Jockstraps be free foreverybody, may a Vodka and Coke
not cost more than five poundsin the London area, and may all
gingers get in for free to allgay bars.
Oh, and world peace.
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