May 21, 2025 • 16 mins
Most pop stars don’t drop their debut album at 42. Then again, most pop stars aren’t Frankie Grande.After years in the spotlight—on Broadway, on Big Brother, and all over social media—Frankie Grande is finally introducing us to who he really is. This week on Pride, Caitlynn McDaniel sits down with Frankie to talk about Hotel Rock Bottom, a bold, unfiltered debut album that weaves together decades of heartbreak, addiction, love, joy, and queer self-discovery.He shares the very gay inspiration behind his new single Boys (spoiler: it involves a steam room at Equinox), opens up about the mental toll of reality TV, and explains how sobriety gave him the clarity to step into his full, authentic self. This is Frankie, no filter, no character—just the real thing, and he’s never sounded better.Here’s what we get into:
Instagram: @frankiejgrande
Listen to Boys and Hotel Rock Bottom wherever you stream music.
- Why Hotel Rock Bottom tells the story he’s never shared before
- The unexpectedly raw, hilarious, and sexy inspiration for Boys
- What reality TV got wrong about queer representation (and how to fix it)
- His journey through addiction, recovery, and finding love
- And the pop wedding anthem he’s been waiting his whole life to write
Instagram: @frankiejgrande
Listen to Boys and Hotel Rock Bottom wherever you stream music.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Straw hot media.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I was an equinox and I was doing my makeup
in the mirror as one does, and there were all
these like very straight presenting men in their towels, like
flexing and showing their muscles and being like, we're hot
and we're so dumb and straight, and then they would,
you know, go fuck in the steam room.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
So I was like, this is the music video.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I was like, I need to this is the music video,
and so like it's basically me going to the gym
to work out.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
And then skipping the gym part and going straight to
the steamer.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Hi.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
I'm Caitlin McDaniel and welcome back to Pride this week.
I'm so excited about the guest. We are talking to
the incomparable Frankie Grande about his new album Hotel rock
Bottom and his new Queer banger Boys. He is such
a delight to talk to and he really gets deep
about the meaning behind his pop era and so much more.
(00:58):
So be sure to stay tuned.
Speaker 5 (01:00):
Let's get into it.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
You gorgeous. This lighting is stunning.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Thank you, thank you colors, and I'm glad it matches
the background.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Now yeah perfect, Yeah, I did like a neutral sparkly
homosexual with like a non neutral sparkly homosexual background.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yeah, you have to have that exactly, Caitlin.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
I know you. Yeah we've met, right, Yes we have. Yeah, good,
I have.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
I have a photographic memory, so sometimes it doesn't usually pay.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Play tricks on me. So I was like, no, I
know you.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Okay, good, great, now that we've established that, Yeah, how
are you doing?
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Oh my god, I'm thrilled. This is so fucking cool.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Like I get to talk about my fucking debut album,
my new fucking gay gay gay gay gay ass single,
and it's like I'm so blessed and I'm so happy,
and I'm just like, holy shit, I'm I'm representing for
the community that I have that has saved my life
(02:17):
so many times, and I just feel really grateful today.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Yeah, and I want to just ask, I mean, what
does life look like for you right now? Obviously you're
having an amazing time doing press right now, but what's
going on with you otherwise?
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Well, prepping for the Pride Tour, which I'm very excited about, Yes,
doing press. I just finished shooting the music video for Boys,
which is coming out right around the corner, so it's
getting ready for that. You know, my dad is visiting
me in Los Angeles right now, so again I spent
some time with him for his birthday weekend. My husband
and I are celebrating our anniversary next weekend, so we're
going to Disney for May the fourth Be with you,
(02:55):
And I'm really trying to hit the brakes as hard
as I fucking can and right now, because I know
once this ship takes off, it's going to be a minute.
I have some life experience, you know, with someone who
is very very famous and very very popular. If you
get my drift, and you know, it's like I want to,
(03:17):
you know, make sure that I get as much you know, calm.
And I've learned a lot from my sister in terms
of how to budget, you know, like family and work,
and I know this is family time, and then the
next two months are just work, so like, don't expect
to see me kind of so like I'm like, let
me just buckle down, spend time with my mom, my sister,
(03:38):
my husband, my dog, my dad, and then the next
two months nobody talked to me.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Absolutely. I mean, Disney is going to be so fun.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
I can't wait.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Yeah, okay, I have to.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
I have to ask you, though, I mean, I feel
like you you love to share and share about your life,
and I really do.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Is there anything that you think people don't know about you.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
I think there's a lot of things that people don't
know about me. Actually, I think that people assume, based
on all of this and what they see on social
media or what they see in a tweet, that.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
They get the entirety that is Frankie Grande.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
And I think that the beauty of Hotel rock Bottom
is that there is an entire human being underneath.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
This that no one really knows.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
And that was the thing that my sister said to
me when she first heard that, specifically Hotel rock Bottom,
but like the whole album, it was just like, I'm
so excited for the world to get to know you
for the first time, Like this is so authentically you.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
You know.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
And I've played many characters on TV and on film
and on reality TV that's also a character, So it's like,
this is the first time that people are really getting
to know just pure Frankie and there's a lot to learn,
and I'm excited for people to go on that journey.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
I saw a quote that was talking about how you
surprised yourself with this whole process.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Yes, So can you.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Just talk a little bit about just entering music and
what you learned about yourself?
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Yeah, you know, I was so ready to make this album.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
I didn't know that though, Like I had absolutely no
idea that I had all of these stories that needed
to be told through music bubbling right.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Under the surface.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
And as soon as I popped the surface, it was
like it all came out. And so I think that
was surprising to me. Like the fact that I've been
incubating this rock star who is ready to tell their
journey the whole time was so shocking. But like, if
you think about it, like, of course, it makes sense.
Like I was in Mama Mean Ages on Broadway, then Titanique,
(05:41):
you know, singing Celine Dion songs. My vocals are trained.
I am seven and a half years sober. Throughout this process,
I've been helping other people getting sober by telling my
own story over and over and over again. I am
a reality TV star who is very capable of, you know,
walking into a room charming the pants off anybody, and
I'm a fucking stage horror So it just made sense.
(06:04):
But I just I guess I never really realized that
all the pieces would fit together in such a beautiful way,
and they're finally all clicked in. I am I have
formed Voltron and that's for you nerds out there, and
I am ready to go take on the pop world.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
What are you excited most for people to kind of
react when they hear your music?
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Ooh, most react? I want them.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
I want the first reaction to be like, this isn't
Frankie Grande. I want them to be like, what are
you what? Because like, that's that's how I feel like,
that's how I feel.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Like the world.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
I don't think the world any idea that this is coming.
I think Rhythm of Love was a beautiful first taste.
I think that it was a reallytfle introduction to the world.
But like it is, there is. There are much more
artistic pieces on the project that I'm excited for the
world all to consume.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
And you already hinted that there's going to be a
music video for boys.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Oh there is, Oh there is, And when you've written this,
they will already be out and it's the best thing ever.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Oh Okay, Well, I mean I don't know if you
can share anything about it, but I.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Was, I can't talk aboutever you want everyone to know.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I mean, do we have any guest appearances the boys?
That's that's really.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
These Okay, Okay, So I wanted as much as the
community to be represented as humanly possible. So I've got
my girl Selena as titties in it, which she's Oh
my god, I think she probably is the best part
of the video over me, like I'm like, you've stupid, bitch,
Why are you gonna steal steal the show every single time?
So I'm really excited about Selena. And then my boyfriend
(07:45):
is being well, one of my boyfriends, I mean it
is called Boys, is being played by Leith Ashley, who
is just an unbelievable and gorgeous trans model actor and
uh is the hottest person on earth. And I was
just like, wow, I'm I'm really excited for all the
letters of the community to be represented in.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
This video called Boys, and I think that it's just hot.
It's about.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
When I was conceptualizing the music video, I was in
equinox and I was doing my makeup in the mirror
as one does, and there were all these like very
straight presenting men and their towels like flexing and showing
their muscles and being like we're hot and we're so
dumb and straight, and then they would, you know, go
fuck in the steam room.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
So I was like, this is the music video.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
I was like, I need to this is the music video,
and so like it's basically me going to the gym
to work out and then.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Skipping the gym part and going straight to the steam room.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Love Love can't wait for everyone to see it.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Me too.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
I do want to ask, just not about the music
for a second, just because I feel like lots of
people are talking about reality TV right now.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
You know, yeah, they are as they should be.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
So what would be your advice to someone who is
going on a reality TV show?
Speaker 2 (09:04):
I would say one of the things that I'm most
proud of recently is my letter with Peppermint that I
wrote with Glad, which is to the reality TV casting industry,
which is to say that like having one person on
your show that is l org or B or T
or Q or plus does not mean that you're.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
Being representative of our community.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
You need to show multiple people in the community interacting
with each other, because that is how reality TV is consumed.
It's about relationships. It is about watching two gay people
have a genuine connection on screen. When I played Big
Brother three times as the only gay person, You're not
seeing me have real reaction, that real interactions with people
(09:48):
in the community because I'm the only one. So you
were really seeing a gay guy code shift in order
to make himself acceptable to straight people on television, which
you know, luckily for me, I don't really care. So
it's pretty authentic. But at the same time, it's like, no,
I want you to see me Kiki with the girls.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
You know, like that's more fun.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
So that's my pitch to the reality TV industry is
being more inclusive by casting more people within the community
so that they can have interactions with each other, because
that would be so sick to get to see a
show that does it really well. Is the Challenge does
really well. It's like half the season is or like
at least thirty percent of the season is queer, which
(10:28):
is like work, that's amazing. We need to see that
across all reality TV. Second of all, I would say,
just if you're thinking about going on reality TV, it
is very difficult mentally. Also, like when you come off
of the show, you feel absolutely crazy. For a long
period of time. I turned straight to drugs and alcohol.
Couldn't deal with the social media of it all, who
(10:50):
was whispering to family members and not trusting people because
I was isolated for there for four months. I do
think Big Brothers probably the hardest reality TV show because
you are separated from people that you know were loved
for the longest amount of time. So other shows are
probably significantly easier. But again, it's hard.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
It is.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
It is truly will be the most mentally grueling thing
that you can go through. So just have a good therapist,
have really good friends in place for when you get
out of the house or the TV show or the
island or the or the plane wherever you are. And
I would just say, like, really strategize going into it,
like how you're going to survive, survive coming out of it.
(11:31):
No one thinks about it. It's just kind of like
and the TV shows don't really help you with that.
They're just kind of like, thank you so much for
your service by so go figure it out. Hope you don't,
you know, turn into a crackhre And it's just like
have a strategy in place and get like make sure
you're really surrounded by loved ones.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
And also don't read the comments when you come out.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
That's always a big one. Don't read the comments. Absolutely,
they need mental like support groups.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
For this, like they do, and they don't have them,
and they should.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
They should drag Race, like all those girls need so
much help when they come off the show and they
just like you know, like a lot of them just
like don't get it.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
So it's like there needs to be some sort of package,
I would.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Say, of like mental help that you can get as
you exit a reality.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
TV and just diving right back into Hotel rock.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Bottom speaking of mental disasters.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Well, yeah, no one probably wants to check into Hotel
rock Bottom.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
No, but it's the best thing.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
It ends up being the best thing for you because
then you can either make the choice to continue living
or check the fuck out and check into rehab, which
is what I did. So it was like that was
Hotel rock Bottom for me. Is actually the best is
like such an uplifting chapter of my life because I
was going to die and I chose not to die,
and ever since I made that choice, I've been sober,
(13:06):
which is crazy. It's so it's so powerful, but you
can't I can't forget Hotel rock Bottom. I can't forget
that place where I was because if I do forget that,
then I'll go back to drinking and using, and then
I'll be dead in like a week. So it's actually
really important that I remember Hotel rock Bottom. And now
that it's in a song, I'm like great, and an
(13:26):
album title, I'm like cool, Maybe I'll definitely remember it.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Hopefully we'll see.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
The disease is tricky of alcoholics, alcoholism and addiction, its
very tricky.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
So stand your toes out.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
There, and what other elements are you bringing to this album?
Obviously it comes really from your heart.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
So what are you telling?
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Well, it's really cool because getting to make my first
album at forty two years old, I get to draw
upon all these different chapters in my life. And so
we go to the drunken debauchery, of messy and of
sex shop like those are like some some of like
the hotter than how like the grittiest times in my
life and they were fun.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
They were fun.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
That was before the drugs and alcohol took hold, you know,
and like really made my life miserable. Where when we
get to Hotel walk Bottom, which is like you know,
my decision to get sober, and then you have periods
of sober freedom like boys, and you have periods of
wondering whether or not I made the right choice, like
cognitive dissonance, and then you have you know, my husband
(14:28):
entering the equation in Oasis, and then bound to You,
which is a gay wedding song. Fucking finally we have
a gay pop wedding song, Thank the fucking gods. And so,
you know, I really went all over the place with
this album, and I'm just so happy that I had
all those different places to pop into and tell a
story from that place in my life. So you go
(14:50):
through the whole thing, but I feel like people are
just gonna bop around to it and before they really
get the meanings, you know, Like that's the way I
like to consume music. Is like I'll bop around to
an image and heat song for three years and then
be like, holy fuck, this is a breakup song.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
I had no idea.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
Where do you hope is played? What is the dream
venue for it?
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Well?
Speaker 3 (15:13):
For boys, yeah, boys.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Oh my god, a fire Island, Pee Town, festivals, Pride
like it is. It is just like I wrote it
about a time that I had on Fire Island, So
Fire Island is like my ultimate and I'll be all
like I just wanted pumping from June first until June
thirty first. How thirty days have September, April, June till
June thirtieth. And you know what, actually no one needs
(15:36):
to go through fucking fourth of July because that's when
ascension is and that's probably when I was there writing it,
to be honest. So yeah, through July, its August actually forever. Yeah,
that's my that's my dream. But yes, the dance floor
with the shirtless boys pretty please?
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Thank you absolutely well. I think that is all my time,
but thank you so much for chatting with me.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
I'm so excited.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
I am.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Also, I hope the girls love boys. I think they will.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Yeah, I think it is for everyone. It's just teaching
you to just you know, embrace.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
Embrace and love love the beauty that is the male form.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
I'll take it.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
And that is a rap on my chat with Frankie Grande.
Make sure to check out his new song boys and
get ready for this summer when Hotel rock Bottom drops.
Until then, subscribe to Pride wherever you listen and watch
podcasts and follow us on social at Pride.
Speaker 5 (16:35):
Bye,
Straw hot media.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I was an equinox and I was doing my makeup
in the mirror as one does, and there were all
these like very straight presenting men in their towels, like
flexing and showing their muscles and being like, we're hot
and we're so dumb and straight, and then they would,
you know, go fuck in the steam room.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
So I was like, this is the music video.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I was like, I need to this is the music video,
and so like it's basically me going to the gym
to work out.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
And then skipping the gym part and going straight to
the steamer.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Hi.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
I'm Caitlin McDaniel and welcome back to Pride this week.
I'm so excited about the guest. We are talking to
the incomparable Frankie Grande about his new album Hotel rock
Bottom and his new Queer banger Boys. He is such
a delight to talk to and he really gets deep
about the meaning behind his pop era and so much more.
(00:58):
So be sure to stay tuned.
Speaker 5 (01:00):
Let's get into it.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
You gorgeous. This lighting is stunning.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Thank you, thank you colors, and I'm glad it matches
the background.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Now yeah perfect, Yeah, I did like a neutral sparkly
homosexual with like a non neutral sparkly homosexual background.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yeah, you have to have that exactly, Caitlin.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
I know you. Yeah we've met, right, Yes we have. Yeah, good,
I have.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
I have a photographic memory, so sometimes it doesn't usually pay.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Play tricks on me. So I was like, no, I
know you.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Okay, good, great, now that we've established that, Yeah, how
are you doing?
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Oh my god, I'm thrilled. This is so fucking cool.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Like I get to talk about my fucking debut album,
my new fucking gay gay gay gay gay ass single,
and it's like I'm so blessed and I'm so happy,
and I'm just like, holy shit, I'm I'm representing for
the community that I have that has saved my life
(02:17):
so many times, and I just feel really grateful today.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Yeah, and I want to just ask, I mean, what
does life look like for you right now? Obviously you're
having an amazing time doing press right now, but what's
going on with you otherwise?
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Well, prepping for the Pride Tour, which I'm very excited about, Yes,
doing press. I just finished shooting the music video for Boys,
which is coming out right around the corner, so it's
getting ready for that. You know, my dad is visiting
me in Los Angeles right now, so again I spent
some time with him for his birthday weekend. My husband
and I are celebrating our anniversary next weekend, so we're
going to Disney for May the fourth Be with you,
(02:55):
And I'm really trying to hit the brakes as hard
as I fucking can and right now, because I know
once this ship takes off, it's going to be a minute.
I have some life experience, you know, with someone who
is very very famous and very very popular. If you
get my drift, and you know, it's like I want to,
(03:17):
you know, make sure that I get as much you know, calm.
And I've learned a lot from my sister in terms
of how to budget, you know, like family and work,
and I know this is family time, and then the
next two months are just work, so like, don't expect
to see me kind of so like I'm like, let
me just buckle down, spend time with my mom, my sister,
(03:38):
my husband, my dog, my dad, and then the next
two months nobody talked to me.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Absolutely. I mean, Disney is going to be so fun.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
I can't wait.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Yeah, okay, I have to.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
I have to ask you, though, I mean, I feel
like you you love to share and share about your life,
and I really do.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Is there anything that you think people don't know about you.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
I think there's a lot of things that people don't
know about me. Actually, I think that people assume, based
on all of this and what they see on social
media or what they see in a tweet, that.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
They get the entirety that is Frankie Grande.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
And I think that the beauty of Hotel rock Bottom
is that there is an entire human being underneath.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
This that no one really knows.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
And that was the thing that my sister said to
me when she first heard that, specifically Hotel rock Bottom,
but like the whole album, it was just like, I'm
so excited for the world to get to know you
for the first time, Like this is so authentically you.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
You know.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
And I've played many characters on TV and on film
and on reality TV that's also a character, So it's like,
this is the first time that people are really getting
to know just pure Frankie and there's a lot to learn,
and I'm excited for people to go on that journey.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
I saw a quote that was talking about how you
surprised yourself with this whole process.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Yes, So can you.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Just talk a little bit about just entering music and
what you learned about yourself?
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Yeah, you know, I was so ready to make this album.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
I didn't know that though, Like I had absolutely no
idea that I had all of these stories that needed
to be told through music bubbling right.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Under the surface.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
And as soon as I popped the surface, it was
like it all came out. And so I think that
was surprising to me. Like the fact that I've been
incubating this rock star who is ready to tell their
journey the whole time was so shocking. But like, if
you think about it, like, of course, it makes sense.
Like I was in Mama Mean Ages on Broadway, then Titanique,
(05:41):
you know, singing Celine Dion songs. My vocals are trained.
I am seven and a half years sober. Throughout this process,
I've been helping other people getting sober by telling my
own story over and over and over again. I am
a reality TV star who is very capable of, you know,
walking into a room charming the pants off anybody, and
I'm a fucking stage horror So it just made sense.
(06:04):
But I just I guess I never really realized that
all the pieces would fit together in such a beautiful way,
and they're finally all clicked in. I am I have
formed Voltron and that's for you nerds out there, and
I am ready to go take on the pop world.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
What are you excited most for people to kind of
react when they hear your music?
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Ooh, most react? I want them.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
I want the first reaction to be like, this isn't
Frankie Grande. I want them to be like, what are
you what? Because like, that's that's how I feel like,
that's how I feel.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Like the world.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
I don't think the world any idea that this is coming.
I think Rhythm of Love was a beautiful first taste.
I think that it was a reallytfle introduction to the world.
But like it is, there is. There are much more
artistic pieces on the project that I'm excited for the
world all to consume.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
And you already hinted that there's going to be a
music video for boys.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Oh there is, Oh there is, And when you've written this,
they will already be out and it's the best thing ever.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Oh Okay, Well, I mean I don't know if you
can share anything about it, but I.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Was, I can't talk aboutever you want everyone to know.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I mean, do we have any guest appearances the boys?
That's that's really.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
These Okay, Okay, So I wanted as much as the
community to be represented as humanly possible. So I've got
my girl Selena as titties in it, which she's Oh
my god, I think she probably is the best part
of the video over me, like I'm like, you've stupid, bitch,
Why are you gonna steal steal the show every single time?
So I'm really excited about Selena. And then my boyfriend
(07:45):
is being well, one of my boyfriends, I mean it
is called Boys, is being played by Leith Ashley, who
is just an unbelievable and gorgeous trans model actor and
uh is the hottest person on earth. And I was
just like, wow, I'm I'm really excited for all the
letters of the community to be represented in.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
This video called Boys, and I think that it's just hot.
It's about.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
When I was conceptualizing the music video, I was in
equinox and I was doing my makeup in the mirror
as one does, and there were all these like very
straight presenting men and their towels like flexing and showing
their muscles and being like we're hot and we're so
dumb and straight, and then they would, you know, go
fuck in the steam room.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
So I was like, this is the music video.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
I was like, I need to this is the music video,
and so like it's basically me going to the gym
to work out and then.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Skipping the gym part and going straight to the steam room.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Love Love can't wait for everyone to see it.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Me too.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
I do want to ask, just not about the music
for a second, just because I feel like lots of
people are talking about reality TV right now.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
You know, yeah, they are as they should be.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
So what would be your advice to someone who is
going on a reality TV show?
Speaker 2 (09:04):
I would say one of the things that I'm most
proud of recently is my letter with Peppermint that I
wrote with Glad, which is to the reality TV casting industry,
which is to say that like having one person on
your show that is l org or B or T
or Q or plus does not mean that you're.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
Being representative of our community.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
You need to show multiple people in the community interacting
with each other, because that is how reality TV is consumed.
It's about relationships. It is about watching two gay people
have a genuine connection on screen. When I played Big
Brother three times as the only gay person, You're not
seeing me have real reaction, that real interactions with people
(09:48):
in the community because I'm the only one. So you
were really seeing a gay guy code shift in order
to make himself acceptable to straight people on television, which
you know, luckily for me, I don't really care. So
it's pretty authentic. But at the same time, it's like, no,
I want you to see me Kiki with the girls.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
You know, like that's more fun.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
So that's my pitch to the reality TV industry is
being more inclusive by casting more people within the community
so that they can have interactions with each other, because
that would be so sick to get to see a
show that does it really well. Is the Challenge does
really well. It's like half the season is or like
at least thirty percent of the season is queer, which
(10:28):
is like work, that's amazing. We need to see that
across all reality TV. Second of all, I would say,
just if you're thinking about going on reality TV, it
is very difficult mentally. Also, like when you come off
of the show, you feel absolutely crazy. For a long
period of time. I turned straight to drugs and alcohol.
Couldn't deal with the social media of it all, who
(10:50):
was whispering to family members and not trusting people because
I was isolated for there for four months. I do
think Big Brothers probably the hardest reality TV show because
you are separated from people that you know were loved
for the longest amount of time. So other shows are
probably significantly easier. But again, it's hard.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
It is.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
It is truly will be the most mentally grueling thing
that you can go through. So just have a good therapist,
have really good friends in place for when you get
out of the house or the TV show or the
island or the or the plane wherever you are. And
I would just say, like, really strategize going into it,
like how you're going to survive, survive coming out of it.
(11:31):
No one thinks about it. It's just kind of like
and the TV shows don't really help you with that.
They're just kind of like, thank you so much for
your service by so go figure it out. Hope you don't,
you know, turn into a crackhre And it's just like
have a strategy in place and get like make sure
you're really surrounded by loved ones.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
And also don't read the comments when you come out.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
That's always a big one. Don't read the comments. Absolutely,
they need mental like support groups.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
For this, like they do, and they don't have them,
and they should.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
They should drag Race, like all those girls need so
much help when they come off the show and they
just like you know, like a lot of them just
like don't get it.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
So it's like there needs to be some sort of package,
I would.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Say, of like mental help that you can get as
you exit a reality.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
TV and just diving right back into Hotel rock.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Bottom speaking of mental disasters.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Well, yeah, no one probably wants to check into Hotel
rock Bottom.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
No, but it's the best thing.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
It ends up being the best thing for you because
then you can either make the choice to continue living
or check the fuck out and check into rehab, which
is what I did. So it was like that was
Hotel rock Bottom for me. Is actually the best is
like such an uplifting chapter of my life because I
was going to die and I chose not to die,
and ever since I made that choice, I've been sober,
(13:06):
which is crazy. It's so it's so powerful, but you
can't I can't forget Hotel rock Bottom. I can't forget
that place where I was because if I do forget that,
then I'll go back to drinking and using, and then
I'll be dead in like a week. So it's actually
really important that I remember Hotel rock Bottom. And now
that it's in a song, I'm like great, and an
(13:26):
album title, I'm like cool, Maybe I'll definitely remember it.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Hopefully we'll see.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
The disease is tricky of alcoholics, alcoholism and addiction, its
very tricky.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
So stand your toes out.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
There, and what other elements are you bringing to this album?
Obviously it comes really from your heart.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
So what are you telling?
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Well, it's really cool because getting to make my first
album at forty two years old, I get to draw
upon all these different chapters in my life. And so
we go to the drunken debauchery, of messy and of
sex shop like those are like some some of like
the hotter than how like the grittiest times in my
life and they were fun.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
They were fun.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
That was before the drugs and alcohol took hold, you know,
and like really made my life miserable. Where when we
get to Hotel walk Bottom, which is like you know,
my decision to get sober, and then you have periods
of sober freedom like boys, and you have periods of
wondering whether or not I made the right choice, like
cognitive dissonance, and then you have you know, my husband
(14:28):
entering the equation in Oasis, and then bound to You,
which is a gay wedding song. Fucking finally we have
a gay pop wedding song, Thank the fucking gods. And so,
you know, I really went all over the place with
this album, and I'm just so happy that I had
all those different places to pop into and tell a
story from that place in my life. So you go
(14:50):
through the whole thing, but I feel like people are
just gonna bop around to it and before they really
get the meanings, you know, Like that's the way I
like to consume music. Is like I'll bop around to
an image and heat song for three years and then
be like, holy fuck, this is a breakup song.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
I had no idea.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
Where do you hope is played? What is the dream
venue for it?
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Well?
Speaker 3 (15:13):
For boys, yeah, boys.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Oh my god, a fire Island, Pee Town, festivals, Pride
like it is. It is just like I wrote it
about a time that I had on Fire Island, So
Fire Island is like my ultimate and I'll be all
like I just wanted pumping from June first until June
thirty first. How thirty days have September, April, June till
June thirtieth. And you know what, actually no one needs
(15:36):
to go through fucking fourth of July because that's when
ascension is and that's probably when I was there writing it,
to be honest. So yeah, through July, its August actually forever. Yeah,
that's my that's my dream. But yes, the dance floor
with the shirtless boys pretty please?
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Thank you absolutely well. I think that is all my time,
but thank you so much for chatting with me.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
I'm so excited.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
I am.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Also, I hope the girls love boys. I think they will.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Yeah, I think it is for everyone. It's just teaching
you to just you know, embrace.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
Embrace and love love the beauty that is the male form.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
I'll take it.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
And that is a rap on my chat with Frankie Grande.
Make sure to check out his new song boys and
get ready for this summer when Hotel rock Bottom drops.
Until then, subscribe to Pride wherever you listen and watch
podcasts and follow us on social at Pride.
Speaker 5 (16:35):
Bye,
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