Everything & Anything...and a bit gay Podcast

By Zach Randles-Friedman

Queer-hosted and unapologetically curious. We cover everything and anything — and yes, it's a bit gay.... more

4.9

3737 ratings

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about Everything & Anything...and a bit gay Podcast:

How many episodes does Everything & Anything...and a bit gay Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 284 episodes available.

Everything & Anything...and a bit gay Podcast episodes:

August 04, 2026 Ep. 280: 28 Years Together: Zach & Andrew's Real Gay Relationship Story - Part I
Zach opens up about the relationship people ask him about most: his 28-year partnership with his husband, Andrew. Prompted by the same question on every radio and podcast appearance lately — "how did you two make it work?" — Zach walks through the whole origin story: meeting on AOL in 1998 (dial-up, flip phones, and all), their first date, moving in together, and the honeymoon phase giving way to who they really are.
Along the way: the infamous "unique boutique" closet purge, the DC trip that ended the honeymoon phase, and the birth of the phrase "DC hungry." Zach gets honest about what nobody tells you about long-term relationships — that the hard parts are normal, that the first nine months aren't real life, and that surviving decades together isn't about avoiding conflict, it's about choosing to stay through it.
This is the first in a series where Zach breaks down what to actually expect in a long-term relationship, including a preview of the "seven year itch" chapter of his and Andrew's story, coming in a future episode.
Rate, review, and follow the show — it helps more people find these conversations.
Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com
Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
26min
August 03, 2026 Ep. 279: Matt Cain: Gay Shame, His MBE & Founding Pansy Books | Full Interview
Today on Everything & Anything…and a Bit Gay, Zach sits down with British author Matt Cain — bestselling novelist, former editor-in-chief of Attitude magazine, MBE recipient, and founder of Pansy, the UK's dedicated LGBTQ+ publishing house.
Matt opens up about growing up gay in a working-class town outside Manchester during the height of the AIDS crisis, being bullied for being "too girly" before he even understood what being gay meant, and the years he spent internalizing shame he didn't create. Zach and Matt trade coming-of-age stories — including their very different first experiences stepping into gay bars and gay culture for the first time — and talk honestly about the residual shame that follows so many gay men even after coming out.
The conversation moves into Matt's career: a decade making documentaries and reporting arts and entertainment on UK broadcast news, the online abuse he faced simply for being visibly gay on camera, and his time leading Attitude magazine. Matt shares how every publisher rejected his early novels for being "too gay," how he crowdfunded his first book and broke a national fundraising record to prove them wrong, and the moment 18 months ago he received a letter from the Prime Minister informing him he'd been awarded an MBE for services to LGBTQ+ culture — presented to him personally by Prince William.
They dig into Matt's new novel, The Castle of Stories, inspired by his husband's real-life inheritance of a centuries-old hideaway in rural Italy, and Matt's lifelong fascination with erased queer history — from Michelangelo's love sonnets to Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid. Matt also opens up about why he founded Pansy, reclaiming a childhood slur as the name of his publishing house, and what he'd say to queer writers being told to tone down their identity to get published.
It's a conversation about shame, self-acceptance, queer history, and building something that didn't exist before — because no one else would.
📖 Get The Castle of Stories by Matt Cain — available now in the US and UK, in print, ebook, and audiobook, wherever you buy books.
Learn more about Matt and his books here: https://www.mattcainwriter.com/
🎧 Listen to more of Everything & Anything…and a Bit Gay wherever you get your podcasts.
Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com
Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
53min
August 02, 2026 Ep. 278: Ryan La Sala on The Dead of Summer, Provincetown & Queer Horror
Author Ryan La Sala joins the show to talk about his new horror novel The Dead of Summer, now out in paperback, and the fictional island of Anchor's Mercy — a queer sanctuary modeled on Provincetown, right down to the drag queens who run the town after the tourists clear out. Ryan opens up about writing horror as a way to process fear and courage, the complicated dynamic between year-round locals and seasonal visitors in queer resort towns, and the mother-son storyline inspired by (but not literally) his own mom. He also talks about his earlier books Honeys and Beholder, the upcoming Dead of Summer sequel, movie news on the Honeys adaptation, his cat Haunted Little Girl, and why he thinks everyone should put on a wig at least once.
Ryan's books, including The Dead of Summer. https://www.ryanlasala.com/
Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com
Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
36min
July 31, 2026 Ep. 277: The Gay Bit #17: Decoding the Anatomy of a Hate DM
Every gay content creator has a Karen. Mine has several — plus a Brent, a Donna, and a Gary with exactly six followers and one Pokémon post to his name. This week on The Gay Bit, Zach breaks down the taxonomy of the strangers who slide into his comments and DMs to inform him he's going to hell: the drive-by, the scripture bomber, the concerned auntie, and the rarest breed of all, the debate-me bro. Some of it is pure comedy (Donna's 47 public photos of her granddaughter's birthday party while lecturing Zach on family values). Some of it is genuinely moving — a mother named Linda, quietly wrestling with her faith and her love for her gay son, who had nowhere else to put her fear. Plus: the time Zach accidentally cross-posted his gay news podcast into a West African community Facebook group at midnight, and lived to tell the tale.
Mentioned in this episode: BAGLY (Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth) — bagly.org
New episodes of Everything & Anything...and a Bit Gay drop regularly — subscribe, rate, and share this one with a friend who's got their own Karen story.
Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com
Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
22min
July 30, 2026Ep. 276: Heated Rivalry Lookalike Felix Eller on Coming Out, Family & His Hit the Town App
In this episode of Everything & Anything…and a Bit Gay, Zach talks with Felix Eller — the Richmond, Virginia native who unexpectedly went viral for winning a Heated Rivalry-themed lookalike contest.
In this episode:
Felix's coming out story — being told he was gay before he'd considered it himself

Middle school bullying, a death threat, and a year of homeschooling

A first relationship ended by a conversion therapy threat

Full-circle acceptance from parents, siblings, and even his great-grandmother

How the lookalike contest led to a real date — and a viral jumbotron kiss at TD Garden in Boston

Setting boundaries with press to make sure his full story got told, not just the viral moment

Handling trolls and online hate with perspective

Building Hit the Town, his app spotlighting queer-, Black-, and woman-owned businesses

Plans for modeling, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and a move to New York City
Follow Felix and check out Hit the Town
https://www.instagram.com/felix.eller/
https://chirp.me/felixeller
Hit the Town Crowdfunding
https://www.freefunder.com/campaign/hit-the-town
If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe, rate, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.
Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com
Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
53min
July 28, 2026 Ep. 275: What If I Never Left? Revisiting My Childhood Hometown in Southern Illinois
In this week's This Is Everything episode, Zach takes listeners on a trip back to Southern Illinois, where he visited his mother for her birthday and revisited the tiny rural town he lived in until age seven. He reflects on what his life could have looked like had his family never relocated to Florida — the bullying he likely would have faced, the lack of diversity in his childhood school, and the very real possibility his life would have taken a darker turn. He traces the ripple effects of that one relocation decision all the way to meeting his husband in New York City 27+ years ago, and reflects on gratitude, chosen paths, and the "what if" moments that shape a life.
Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com
Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
26min
July 27, 2026Ep. 274: Furry Fandom Explained: An Israeli Combat Vet on Fursonas, Community & Healing
Title: Inside the Furry Fandom: A Veteran's Journey Through Fursonas, Community & Healing
Episode Summary:
This week on Everything & Anything…and a Bit Gay, Zach sits down with Mika (Mikadothebusky25), a content creator and proud member of the furry fandom, for a conversation that goes far beyond the stereotypes. Mika breaks down what the furry community actually is, how fursonas are created, and why the fandom has become a comfort space for people navigating identity, gender expression, and mental health. He also opens up about his background as a former Israeli military sniper, his experience surviving the October 7th attacks and the loss of his children, and how art and community became part of his healing process after being medically discharged and relocating to the United States. The two also dig into the economics of fursuits (some costing upwards of $20,000), what conventions like Anthrocon actually look like, the overlap between the furry world and LGBTQ+ culture, and the community's own accountability standards around protecting minors and animals from the small minority who give the fandom a bad name.
Episode Notes:
What the furry fandom is (and isn't) — and its roots as a comfort community

How fursonas are created and how they can evolve over time

The cost and craftsmanship behind fursuits ($1,500–$75,000+)

Mika's path from growing up in Israel to serving as a sniper, surviving October 7th, and starting over in the U.S.

How the furry community helped him process trauma and repressed emotion

The overlap between furry culture and LGBTQ+ identity and expression

A look inside furry conventions — Anthrocon in Pittsburgh draws up to 180,000 attendees

Community safety norms: how the fandom identifies and excludes anyone who harms minors or animals

Furries vs. bronies — how the two communities differ

Finding love and chosen family through the fandom, including meeting his fiancé on VRChat

Advice for anyone curious about exploring the community

Where to find Mika: TikTok @Mikadothebusky25
Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com
Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
53min
July 26, 2026 Ep. 273: 9/11 Hero's Hidden Story: HIV, Survival Sex Work & Redemption | Neil Adams
Author Neil Adams joins the show to talk about his memoir chronicling the extraordinary life of his late best friend, Michael Dorian — a veterinary technician who talked his way past the barricades on 9/11 to help exhausted firefighters at Ground Zero, despite having no medical credentials and living with HIV.
Neil traces Michael's story from a chaotic childhood in the Bronx, through an HIV diagnosis at 16, to the found-family relationship that helped him finish school and rebuild his life. They discuss how Michael juggled relationships while managing his status, the guilt he carried over unknowingly transmitting HIV to a partner, and how his 24 hours at the pile on 9/11 ultimately led to a rare cancer diagnosis nearly two decades later.
Zach shares his own experience being inside the World Financial Center on 9/11, and the two reflect on the fight for Victims Compensation Fund recognition, Michael's NYPD Medal of Valor, his appearance in Spike Lee's 9/11 documentary, and why preserving LGBTQ+ history — including the realities of the AIDS crisis — still matters today.
Guest: Neil Adams, author
Website: readneiladams.com
Topics: 9/11 first responders, HIV/AIDS history, LGBTQ+ memoir, chosen family, Victims Compensation Fund
Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com
Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
1h
July 24, 2026Ep. 272: The Friend Who Knows Everyone, Lies About Everything | The Gay Bit
It's Friday, and that means it's The Gay Bit — where Zach makes sure the week ends as gay as possible.
This week, Zach takes us on a tour of a very specific type of friend: the one who knows every owner, attended every opening, and has somehow been to every event before you even finish your sentence. You know the type. Zach does too — and he's got receipts.
He also flashes back to a wild chapter from his Chase Manhattan Bank days, featuring a coworker who claimed she dumped LL Cool J because he got too famous, and whose daughter allegedly went from zero piano lessons to a Carnegie Hall solo in two weeks flat. Two weeks.
Plus: what happens when someone lets a corporate promotion go completely to their head, a red Australian clay mask prank that did NOT go according to plan (Andrew remains unbothered), and the big news — Zach got his ears pierced again at 53 and has zero regrets.
In this episode:
The "I know the owner" friend and what the psychology might be behind it

A corporate crash course in how not to act after a promotion

The Chase Manhattan coworker who dated LL Cool J (allegedly)

Carnegie Hall: two weeks of piano lessons, one impossible story

Andrew vs. the red clay mask prank

Ear piercing, belly buttons, and doing whatever you want at 53
New episodes drop daily. Subscribe so you never miss a Gay Bit — or the guests coming your way every Sunday.
📲 Follow Zach on Instagram: @TheRealZachRE
🎙️ Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps more people find the show.
Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com
Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
27min
July 23, 2026 Ep. 271: Surviving Cancer Sucks — But So Does Pretending You're Back to Normal | Edward Miskie
What happens after the cancer is gone? For actor, filmmaker, author, and cancer survivor Edward Miskie, the answer is: the hardest part. In this raw, deeply honest, and at times hilarious conversation, Edward joins Zach to talk about being diagnosed with lymphoma at 24 while performing in Hairspray in Reno, Nevada — a tumor the size of a grapefruit growing under his arm, costumes being let out to fit around it — and what came after surviving the unsurvivable.
Edward pulls zero punches. He talks about drinking his way through chemo, swimming in the ocean during radiation and getting a parasite, and the moment he thought his life was actually over. But the conversation goes even deeper into what he calls surviving cancer sucks — that devastating, disorienting realization that "back to normal" is a lie. That the person you were before cancer is gone. That while you were in treatment fighting to stay alive, the rest of the world just... kept going.
Edward also shares the story behind his acclaimed documentary short Back to Normal, which has won Best Story at the Toronto and Los Angeles Documentary Short Film Festival, and why he made it — to finally have the conversation no one was having about life after cancer. He talks about the Remission Film Festival he founded in New York City (the only film festival of its kind, focused on creators impacted by cancer), his book Cancer, Musical Theater, and Other Chronic Illnesses, and what he tells anyone who's still pretending they're fine: stop it and swing for the fences.
This is one of those conversations where Zach forgot he was even recording a podcast.
Episode Notes:
🎬 About Edward Miskie:
Edward Miskie is a New York-based actor, filmmaker, author, and cancer survivor. Diagnosed with lymphoma in 2011 while performing in regional theater, he went on to build a second life defined by radical honesty, creative audacity, and a refusal to pretend everything is fine.
📽️ Back to Normal — Edward's documentary short film, currently on the film festival circuit. Watch for upcoming screenings and future distribution. Keep up with Edward on social media for details.
🎟️ Remission Film Festival — The only film festival focused on creators impacted by cancer. Held annually in New York City, with live streaming available. This past April featured 14 films, 35 submissions from across the globe, and raised money for Blood Cancer United. remissionfilmfestival.com (confirm URL with Edward)
📚 Cancer, Musical Theater, and Other Chronic Illnesses — Edward's book about diagnosis, survivorship, and coming out the other side — set against the backdrop of musical theater. Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Learn more about Edward
https://www.edwardmiskie.com/
https://www.instagram.com/edwardmiskie
Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com
Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
...more
1h 17min

FAQs about Everything & Anything...and a bit gay Podcast:

How many episodes does Everything & Anything...and a bit gay Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 284 episodes available.

More shows like Everything & Anything...and a bit gay Podcast

Land of the Lost: A Lost Media Podcast by Land of the Lost

Land of the Lost: A Lost Media Podcast

14 Listeners

Listen Up Girl by Zach Randles-Friedman

Listen Up Girl

16 Listeners

Brad Young CHANGE 2025 by Brad Young

Brad Young CHANGE 2025

13 Listeners

TV Casualty by TV Casualty

TV Casualty

10 Listeners

Bar Talk At Open Bar Podcast by Open bar podcast

Bar Talk At Open Bar Podcast

14 Listeners

Unsung Heroes Among Us by PodCentral Publishing

Unsung Heroes Among Us

9 Listeners

The Timekeepers Dilemma by Dewayne T

The Timekeepers Dilemma

2 Listeners

The Bitter Truth About Food Podcast by Brad Young

The Bitter Truth About Food Podcast

6 Listeners

FROM IDEA TO INVESTMENT Podcast by Brad Young

FROM IDEA TO INVESTMENT Podcast

3 Listeners

The Power of Being R.E.L.E.N.T.L.E.S.S by Michael Hanks

The Power of Being R.E.L.E.N.T.L.E.S.S

3 Listeners

The Strategize, Adapt, and Overcome Podcast by Brad Young by PodCentral Publishing Inc

The Strategize, Adapt, and Overcome Podcast by Brad Young

0 Listeners

The Power of Being R.E.L.E.N.T.L.E.S.S: Endurance by Michael Hanks

The Power of Being R.E.L.E.N.T.L.E.S.S: Endurance

0 Listeners