Into The Mud Podcast

Why are survivors still being blamed while the systems meant to protect them fall short? Intoxication is not consent, but New York’s “voluntary intoxication exclusion” can limit sexual assault prosecutions when a survivor voluntarily consumes alcohol or drugs. 

Comedian, Guys We F*cked Podcast co-host, and former NYC mayoral candidate Corinne Fisher joins Drew and Alex to unpack Bill A101 and its proposed closure of that loophole. Against the backdrop of sexual assault allegations involving the 'Cornell 7' fraternity members, they discuss victim blaming, consent education, the social and legal systems that leave survivors unsupported, and how to turn outrage into local action and push lawmakers to protect survivors.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Corinne’s journey from stand-up comedy to NYC politics
 • Fear-based media, political division, and voter engagement
 • Sexual assault allegations involving Cornell fraternity members
 • Victim blaming, delayed reporting, and the treatment of survivors
 • New York’s voluntary intoxication loophole and Bill A101
 • Consent, rejection, and Greek life’s culture of silence
 • Turning outrage into action and advocating for legislative change

Bio: Corinne Fisher is a New York City-based stand-up comedian, author, director, podcaster, and political activist who ran for Mayor of New York City as a Democratic candidate in 2025. She is best known for co-creating and co-hosting the groundbreaking Guys We Fcked: The Anti Slut-Shaming Podcast* with Krystyna Hutchinson, which has reached No. 1 on the iTunes comedy charts multiple times, amassed millions of listeners worldwide, and inspired their HarperCollins book FCKED*. Her credits include a viral appearance on The Daily Show with Jordan Klepper, FOX’s Laughs, and performances at Just For Laughs, Netflix Is a Joke, and the New York Comedy Festival. She also directed the duo’s debut comedy special and co-created The Comedienne Project, selected for the NYC Fringe Festival. Beyond stand-up, Corinne hosts the political podcast Without a Country and created Pageant to the People, a town hall-style comedy and talent show designed to engage audiences in local politics. She also owns Perfectly Centered, her late father’s baseball card and horror collectibles store, and hosts the horror-themed comedy show GASH in Los Angeles.

Corinne’s Social Media: @PhilanthropyGal, @GuysWeFcked, CorinneFisher.com

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

Pregnancy can be medically healthy but still feel like you're fighting your own body every day. Eight months pregnant, Sydney Rose Miller, certified personal trainer, nutrition coach, decorated amateur boxer, and founder of S:Box Training, joins Into the Mud to unpack the emotional whiplash of pregnancy, rapid weight gain, and the resurfacing of childhood body-image insecurities. After years of building her career and self-worth around a lean, athletic physique, Sydney opens up about confronting a rapidly changing body, redefining strength, and learning that physical fitness and self-acceptance aren't necessarily the same thing.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Childhood body-image trauma resurfacing during pregnancy
• Fitness, self-worth, and body acceptance
• Society's obsession with keeping women small
• The pressure to "bounce back"
• Redefining strength during pregnancy
• Boxing and prenatal fitness
• Pregnancy cravings and food restrictions
• Body shaming and unsolicited commentary
• Social media praise, criticism, and trolling
• Navigating pregnancy and single motherhood

Bio: Sydney Rose Miller began her career as a high school English teacher in New York City's public schools before transitioning into fitness and founding S:Box Training. A certified personal trainer, nutrition coach, and decorated amateur boxer, Sydney has 13 years of coaching experience across boxing, cycling, and strength training. She has competed and trained in professional boxing camps and coached clients internationally, including in New York City, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Dubai. A featured trainer for lululemon Studio, she led a 21-class series spanning boxing, conditioning, meditation, and mobility. Her clientele ranges from beginners and prenatal and postnatal clients to professional athletes and competitive amateur boxers. Sydney currently offers in-person training at FNT Boxing Club in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Sydney's Socials: https://www.sboxtraining.com/, @SBoxSydRose

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

What happens when you’re gay, but feel like you’re particularly bad at being gay? Inspired by the themes in Eliot Glazer’s debut comedic essay collection, THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD GAY, this feel-good episode explores the unspoken rules of gay culture and what happens when you don’t quite fit the mold of being a “professional gay". Eliot joins Drew and Alex to talk social anxiety, body image, dating, Fire Island, circuit parties, poppers, and the pressure to fit into a version of queer life that doesn’t always feel like your own. Together, they unpack what it means to feel like an outsider within your own community, and why finding your people may matter more than learning how to fit in.

THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD GAY is available wherever books are sold. Now a National Bestseller! Grab your copy HERE today!

Bio: Eliot Glazer is a comedian, actor, writer, producer, and bestselling author. He served as a consulting producer and writer on Comedy Central’s Broad City, where he also appeared as Eliot Wexler, and has written for New Girl, Younger, Teachers, iCarly, Liza on Demand, and The Boys Presents: Diabolical. As an actor, his credits include An American Pickle opposite Seth Rogen, Broad City, The People’s Joker, Time Traveling Bong, and Survival of the Thickest. He also served as a co-executive producer on Paramount+’s iCarly revival.

His debut comedic essay collection, THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD GAY, became a USA Today and Los Angeles Times bestseller and is available wherever books are sold.

Eliot's Socials: @EliotGlazer, www.EliotGlazer.com

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

Coming out is often portrayed as the moment everything falls into place, but for many LGBTQ+ people, it's only the beginning of a much more complicated search for belonging. Comedian Gray West joins Drew and Alex to unpack body image, beauty standards, queer community, comedy, tokenism, Fire Island culture, and why finding "your people" isn't always as easy as it looks. Together they explore the pressure to fit in, the loneliness that can exist even within your own community, and how authentic friendship is often found in the most unexpected places. 

Bio: Gray West is a New York City based stand-up comedian, writer, and host originally from Alabama. He is a regular at the Comedy Cellar and has performed at clubs and theaters across the country, touring alongside nationally touring headliners while building a following for his sharp observational comedy. Gray has appeared on festivals and showcases throughout the United States and has been featured on podcasts and digital platforms highlighting emerging voices in stand-up. His comedy draws from his experiences growing up in the South, navigating queer identity, and life in New York City.

Gray's Social Media: @GrayWest.

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

What happens when your pets accidentally become internet celebrities?

This week, we're joined by Kaylin Bergeson and her famous French Bulldogs, Lavender and Latte, to talk about the surprising reality of life as a dog influencer. From negotiating brand deals and writing children's books to navigating internet fame, ethical breeding, creator burnout, and whether influencers have a responsibility to speak out politically, this conversation explores the unexpected business and emotional realities behind one of social media's happiest corners

Lavender and Latte's Social Media: @LavenderAndLatte (Instagram), @LavenderLatteKaylin (TikTok), www.LavenderLatteKaylin.com.

Bio: Kaylin Bergeson is a filmmaker, producer, entrepreneur, and the co-owner of an Orlando based video production company. She is the creator behind the internationally recognized French Bulldog brand Lavender & Latte, whose content has amassed millions of views across social media and led to partnerships with major pet and consumer brands.

Alongside her two French Bulldogs, Lavender and Latte, Bergeson has expanded the brand into live appearances, a children's book, podcast content, and national brand collaborations, while continuing to produce commercial video content through her production company. Her work sits at the intersection of digital storytelling, content strategy, influencer marketing, and pet media.

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

What if the parts of yourself you've been taught to hide became the very things that changed your life?

This week, we're joined by David Lauterstein, CEO and co-founder of Nasty Pig, who opens up about letting go of shame, embracing kink and fetish as a core part of his identity, and building one of the world's most iconic queer fashion brands alongside his husband and co-founder, Frederick Kearney. Their decades-long love story is also the heart of David's memoir, Sodomy Gods.

Together, we explore queer identity, sex positivity, the lasting impact of the AIDS crisis, entrepreneurship, spirituality, and what it means to build a life rooted in authenticity instead of fear.

This isn't just a conversation about sex. It's about authenticity. Identity. Community. And what happens when you stop apologizing for who you are.

Bio: David Lauterstein is the CEO and co-founder of Nasty Pig, the internationally recognized New York City based queer fashion brand he founded with his husband, Frederick Kearney, in 1994. He has been recognized in the OUT100 for his impact on LGBTQ+ culture and was honored at the Las Culturistas Culture Awards, celebrating his influence on queer fashion and culture.

Over the past three decades, Nasty Pig has become one of the most influential names in queer fashion, blending streetwear, underwear, and fetish-inspired design while helping redefine LGBTQ+ visibility and self expression.

David is also the author of the memoir Sodomy Gods, an intimate love story chronicling his relationship with Kearney, the creation of Nasty Pig, and his journey through queer identity, spirituality, and entrepreneurship. The book received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews and was praised by The New York Times. His work has been featured by major media outlets for its impact on queer culture, fashion, and LGBTQ+ history.

David's Social Media: @David_Lauterstein, @NastyPig, www.NastyPig.com

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

Emmy-winning comedy writer Jenny Hagel joins Into the Mud to talk about her new book, Advice No One Asked For, and the strange art of giving advice when nobody wants it.

A writer for Late Night with Seth Meyers, Jenny tackles a plethora of muddy topics and imparts some great advice that we never even asked for: from rejection in comedy writing and perfectionism to grief, aging, procrastination, self-worth, and learning when to trust your instincts, Jenny shares the lessons she's collected from a lifetime of experiences. Along the way, we explore why going to the funeral matters, why your value is not your productivity, and how sometimes the best advice helps you discover what you already knew all along.

Bio: Jenny Hagel is an Emmy-nominated TV writer and comedy performer in New York City. She is a writer/performer on Late Night with Seth Meyers, where she created the recurring segment "Jokes Seth Can't Tell." She was also head writer and executive producer of The Amber Ruffin Show.

Other writing credits include the Golden Globe Awards, Impractical Jokers, and Big Gay Sketch Show. Jenny has an MFA in Writing for the Screen and Stage from Northwestern University, and has been nominated for two GLAAD Awards for her work addressing LGBTQ issues on TV.

Jenny's Social Media: @JennyHagel, www.JennyHagel.com.

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

Liz Glazer spent years doing everything right: law school, a philosophy degree, a tenured law professorship, and a stable career path. Then she discovered stand-up comedy and began questioning whether success and fulfillment were actually the same thing.

In this episode, Liz shares how therapy, sobriety, recovery programs, and nearly two decades of self-reflection helped her learn to trust her own judgment. Together, we explore intuition, major life pivots, ending a 19-year therapy relationship, and how to know when it's finally time to choose a different path.

Bio: Liz Glazer is an award-winning standup comedian, actor, and writer known for her smart, personal comedy. Her new special, Do You Know Who I’m Not?, is streaming on YouTube. She has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Don’t Tell Comedy, and The Showcase, and opened for Maria Bamford and Judy Gold. Liz won first place at the Boston Comedy Festival and Ladies of Laughter, and was profiled in The Wall Street Journal.

As an actor, Liz has appeared on ABC's For Life and CBS's BULL, and teaches at Lesly Kahn & Co. She is currently developing a TV pilot based on her life, which was a Stage 32 semi-finalist. Before comedy, Liz was a tenured law professor at Hofstra Law. She earned her BA/MA from UPenn, her JD from the University of Chicago Law School (serving on Law Review), practiced real estate law at Fried Frank, and published scholarship in top journals like the Georgetown Law Journal.

Liz's Social Media: @LizGlazer

Liz's Website: https://www.dearlizglazer.com/

• 00:00 Into the Mud: Intro
• 01:09 Comedy, Academia, and Netflix
• 02:23 Law Professor to Stand-Up: The Not-So-Classic Route
• 05:22 Finding Comedy in Chicago
• 08:23 Standup for Lawyers and Sex Educators
• 09:43 Coming Out & Discovering Comedy's Call
• 10:03 The Knowing: Trusting Yourself with Big Decisions
• 12:13 Signs, Journals, and When to Leap
• 14:04 The Nine-Year Exit: Quitting with a Plan
• 18:11 Buffers, Health Insurance, and Rolling into Standup
• 21:38 Supporting Your Craft without Starving
• 22:48 The Voice Inside: Intuition, Timing & Feeling
• 25:11 Buffer Time: Therapy, Debt, and Getting Better
• 27:27 Sobriety, Self-Trust, and Program Life
• 30:29 Dropping Bad Habits: From Stalking Instagrams to Small Choices
• 32:08 Sober Decisions: Controlled Experiments and Instinct
• 38:07 Ending Therapy: Tennis, Growth, and Letting Go
• 44:00 Facing the Last Session: Nerves and Readiness
• 46:02 What Happens When Therapy Ends?
• 49:07 85% Over the Net: Trust, Growth, and Mystery
• 50:17 Wrapping Up: Mutual Admiration and Tennis Jokes
• 51:06 Final Credits & Where to Follow

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

DJ, photographer, and Mother Disco co-creator Emil Cohen joins Into the Mud for a conversation about aging, queer joy, disco culture, chosen family, and why getting older might actually be the best part. From body image, therapy, nightlife, and nostalgia to queer history, community building, parenting, and the pressure to stay young, this episode explores what it means to grow older as a queer person while creating spaces rooted in music, connection, and joy.

Bio: Emil Cohen is a New York-based artist, photographer, DJ, and co-creator of Mother Disco, the beloved queer dance party celebrating disco and community. Born and raised in Canada and the United States, Emil holds an MFA in fine arts from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston at Tufts University. He is a staff photographer for the New York City Council.

As an artist, his photographs have been featured in group exhibitions across the United States and in solo exhibitions. Most recently, he was named by Logo TV as one of their 2022 Logo30 Honorees. Selected clients and publications include Todd Snyder, The New York Times, Town and Country, People Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, Out Magazine and many more.

He is a proud New York, Queer, Jew.

Emil's Social Media: www.EmilCohenPhotography.com, @EmilCohen.

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

James Ortiz, the actor and puppeteer behind Rocky in Project Hail Mary alongside Ryan Gosling, joins Into the Mud for a conversation about identity, creativity, and what it means to feel “alien” in your own life. From queer identity and imposter syndrome to artistry, puppetry, belonging, and the pressure to fit into society’s expectations, James opens up about embracing the parts of himself that once made him feel different.

The conversation explores creative insecurity, authenticity, feeling out of place in your career or community, and why “weird” people often become the most fully realized versions of themselves. Plus: behind-the-scenes stories from Project Hail Mary, working with Ryan Gosling, building Rocky through puppetry and improv, and why worrying about being “cringe” might be holding you back from your real life. 

Bio: Based in New York City, James Ortiz is a designer, performer, playwright, and director best known for his award-winning puppetry work. He won the 2022 Drama Desk Award for the massive dinosaur puppets in The Skin of Our Teeth at Lincoln Center, and stars as Rocky in the blockbuster film Project Hail Mary from Amazon MGM Studios. His interpretation of Milky White in the 2022 Broadway revival of Into the Woods became a viral fan favorite.

James is also widely recognized for creating The Woodsman, which earned him a 2016 OBIE Award for puppet design and was later filmed for PBS and released on BroadwayHD. His work has appeared at major institutions including The Public Theater, Hartford Stage, Paper Mill Playhouse, Yale Repertory Theatre, The Kennedy Center, and Ars Nova.

A recipient of the 2017 Eugene O’Neill residency and multiple Jim Henson Foundation grants, James is also the co-founder and co-artistic director of Strangemen & Co.. His work continues to blend movement, theatricality, and innovative puppetry across stage and screen.

James' Social Media: @JortFace, www.JamesOrtiz.co

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC). 

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com