Reaching Out with Michael Constable

What do you get when you put two self-described inarticulate clowns together to chat for an hour?

You get this week's episode featuring everyone's favourite internet complainer, Matt Bellassai, and moi!

Matt tells us all about his coming out story -- including a dramatic reading of the very messages he sent his friend when he came out for the first time, how he used being a nerdy kid as his shield to ward off suspicions of him being gay, and what his experience as a gay comedian has been like. 

The girls also chit-chat about how awful high school proms were, how Shea Couleé got robbed in Season 9 of Drag Race, and how all signs point to Dua Lipa trying to be us. 

While this episode is definitely one of the silliest to date, Matt also drops some genuine inspo around what surprised him most about being gay once he came out.

Enjoy!

Want to reach out to Matt?

• Instagram @mattbellassai
• Twitter @mattbellassai
• Unhappy Hour Podcast Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Follow along with Reaching Out!

• Instagram @reachingoutpod
• Twitter @reachingoutpod
• Host @michaelwingsit

In this week's episode, we chat with one of my first and best gay friends I made after I moved to San Francisco, Dominic Granato!

Dom and I  chat about so many good topics -- like our shared failures in dating girls in college, how the vulnerability of coming out to friends and family can foster an even deeper connection with them, and how Dom was able to find safe spaces to come out while playing collegiate hockey.  We also chat about gay porn on accident, but like, in a cute way.

Want to reach out to Dominic?

• Instagram @domgranato

Follow along with Reaching Out!

• Instagram @reachingoutpod
• Twitter @reachingoutpod
• Host @michaelwingsit

In this week's episode, I chat with one of my favorite people of all time: my friend and former go-to yoga / SoulCycle instructor, Gustavo Padron!  Gustavo is one of the most positive and motivational people I know, so it is a dream to have him on the show to share his coming out story with us.

Gustavo talks about how he decided to NOT come out when he went to college and instead just live authentically, the impact that the culture of machismo had on him growing up in Mexico, how important chosen family can be while coming out, and more!

I used to say that while I am most definitely not a religious person, I would get all the spiritual fulfillment I needed from Gustavo's inspirational talks at the end of a yoga class while in Shavasana.  This week's episode is basically an hour of that.  Namaste, girlies!

Want to reach out to Gustavo?

• Instagram @gustavopadron
• Flow with Gustavo online glo.com
• Website www.gustavopadron.com

Follow along with Reaching Out!

• Instagram @reachingoutpod
• Twitter @reachingoutpod
• Host @michaelwingsit

Is the title of this episode a quote from our fabulous guest about a pivotal fog-clearing coming out moment or is it my opinion about said fabulous guest after meeting her?

Yes.

On this week's episode, our guest, Rachel Samples, starts off by telling us about her wild past week that saw her go viral for one of her hysterical and nostalgia inducing TikTok series.  She then explains how getting left out of a school trip "abroad" to LA in college turned out to play a pivotal role in her coming out.  We also talk about the absolute power move she made that lead to her first relationship, the important role of strategic dance floor make outs to closeted people in college, and the pressure of feeling "not gay enough" once you're out.

Want to reach out to Rachel?

• Instagram @heyfreesamples
• Tiktok @heyfreesamples
• Sounds Only Millennials Can Hear
  • Part 1
  • Part 2
  • Part 3 

Follow along with Reaching Out on Instagram:

• Instagram @reachingoutpod
• Twitter @reachingoutpod
• Host @michaelwingsit

Welcome to a very special episode of Reaching Out with Michael Constable!  What's special about it, you ask? Well, it was the very first recorded episode!  It was recorded before the podcast was even named (referred to generically as "the podcast" in the ep).

We start out of the gates with an incredible guest -- Blake Mitchell.  Blake is a friend of mine from San Francisco and was one of the very first people I thought of inviting on the show.  Blake's infectious positivity, passion for helping others, and obvious love of being queer made it just feel so right, you know?  Oh, not to mention that Blake is a local SF celebrity -- yep, you can find Blake all around SF thrilling crowds in drag as the GORG, Mary Lou Pearl.

Blake shares with us what it was like coming out at as a teenager in a conservative and religious upbringing, what the power of self-expression in recent years has meant to him, and the differences in coming out as gay and coming out as a drag queen.

I am so happy to share Blake's powerful story with everyone as the first guest for the podcast!

Want to reach out to Blake?

• Instagram Blake Mitchell
• Instagram Mary Lou Pearl
• YouTube Mary Lou Pearl
• Website Camp Brave Trails -- non-profit dedicated to LGBTQ+ youth leadership
• YouTube Camp Brave Trails

Follow along with Reaching Out on Instagram:

• Instagram @reachingoutpod
• Twitter @reachingoutpod
• Host @michaelwingsit

In the premiere episode of Reaching Out with Michael Constable, Michael takes you on an epic journey -- his coming out journey, specifically.

Michael walks you through his upbringing in the midwest suburbs when his goal was to fit in, his lifelong struggle with trying to date girls,  and how a year-long trip around the world was able to help him flip the switch -- literally and figuratively -- in finally coming out to himself at the age of 28.  He also gives insight into the origin story of this very podcast, which involves...you guessed it... reaching out.

Grab yourself an Aperol Spritz and enjoy!

Follow along on Instagram:
@reachingoutpod
@michaelwingsit

Oh, hello there!  Thank you from the bottom of my silly little heart for stopping by Reaching Out with Michael Constable.

Reaching Out is a podcast with the mission of making coming out easier through story sharing.  Each week I will be inviting guests from around the LGBTQ+ community on the show to share their coming out experiences in hopes that their stories are exactly what someone who is currently coming out desperately needs to hear.

In this trailer episode, you will hear all about why I feel this type of platform is so valuable to me based on my own experience of coming out as gay at the age of 28 and who I think this podcast is for (spoiler alert: it's everyone).  I'm a firm believer that the impact of sharing coming out stories on a more public platform has the power to make a huge difference for those currently coming out and for those who are contemplating taking that first step.

Reaching Out with Michael Constable premieres in October 2021!

Follow @reachingoutpod
Hosted by Michael Constable @michaelwingsit

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