The Lighter Side with Jay

Anthony Giorgio Schmidt is the host of the Queer Teen Podcast, showcasing and encouraging the next generation of queer youth from across the world to stand up for what's right. He is also the Director/ Choreographer/ Production-Manager for The Golden Gays NYC, the country's premier Golden Girls drag show. We had a great talk about all of it. 

Omer Basatemur is the owner of Kaya's Kitchen, a Vegan restaurant in Belmar, NJ. He has been working in, and running, vegan restaurants for decades, and he is one of the few restaurant proprietors who is growing during the pandemic, having opened a new location in Asbury Park, with plans for yet another location in the next year. We talked about all that, and Omer taught me a lot about vegan food that I did not know before. Check out his menu. Me want food. 

As we head into the reopening of schools across our nation, I am speaking with educators, school employees, administrators, and more in order to get a full picture of the situation. Today's special episode features Howard Whitmore (Music, NJ), Nicole Perkins (Cafeteria Staff, Delaware), and Deb Brown (Professor, Oregon). We talked about our various re-opening plans and discussed the impact that COVID-19 is set to have on the strangest year of education in history. 

John Flynn is on the search for the gayest movie ever. On his podcast, Two Old Queens, John and his cohost judge movies by an obscenely hysterical list of criteria in order to find the queerest flick in all the land. It's great. You will be surprised by the films in the lead John has spent years with the Upright Citizens' Brigade as a Writer/Director/Teacher/Everything, and once starred as Miranda Priestly in a musical parody of The Devil Wears Prada. I really loved this conversation in my very very tired soul. Thanks John!

Fredi Walker Browne originated the role of JoAnne Jefferson in the Pulitzer Prize winning musical RENT!, a show which somehow got me to sleep out on the streets of New York. Overnight. Several times. I have been hearing Fredi's voice for the last 25 years, and it was beyond an honor and a pleasure to get to actually talk back.  Fredi is a no-nonsense, powerful "suburban housewife" who has carved out a lifelong career in the arts as a performer, teacher, writer, producer, director, and everything between. Please check out everything she is up to, including news on her upcoming album of protest music, at Big Spoon Productions, as well as on her Instagram. 

I met Jesse Kay when he was 15 years old and one of my tutoring students. I take full responsibility for the fact that he is now 19 and has created an all-out entrepreneurial empire, including the podcast Trendsetters, on which he recently interviewed Marc Cuban. NBD.  He also recently formed a nonprofit, Makin' Lemonade, a Coronavirus Relief Fund, and, with the help of his team, has raised over $100,000. Jesse is the kind of nineteen year old who gives you, not just hope, but excitement for the future. 

Pete Capella called me out on some things that I've been thinking about ever since. Even though he committed the cardinal sin of making me think about myself, I still enjoyed the hell out of our conversation. Pete has been featured in an array of films, commercials and television. He is also an accomplished voice-over actor, lending his voice to many cartoons and video games, including Sega's Silver the Hedgehog, in the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series. 

Nate Holder BA, is a musician, author, speaker and music education consultant based in London. He is an advocate for decolonising music education and has been writing, speaking and consulting on the subject for the last five years. He is also an international saxophonist,  having played in venues all around the world. His newest book,  "Why is my Piano Black and White?" is available for pre order and is already climbing the charts. It was great to chat with Nate about his history, his work, and his view of us from across the pond. Check out all things Nate at www.nateholdermusic.com 

Rajni Jacques is Fashion Director for Conde Naste. This is a very big deal, but she talks about it as though it is nothing. This is likely due to the fact that she is one of the coolest people I have ever met. Rajni is raising money for Building Black Bed Stuy, formed in response to stagnant growth when it comes to accumulating black wealth and gentrification. She is a force of nature, and I was honored to get the chance to catch up with my old friend. Class of '97 represent. 

Brad Loekle is a comedian and writer who was a semi-finalist on Last Comic Standing, a talking head on TruTV's World's Dumbest, a writer for Joan Rivers, and was once hailed as "The most hilarious & wonderful a**hole” by Carrie Fisher. I concur with my Princess and enjoyed every moment of our uproarious chat!!!

Check out all of this things at https://www.bradloekle.com/