The Locher Room

Eric Feltes joined me for a powerful and honest conversation about healing from religious trauma, unlearning shame, and building confidence, intimacy, and self-worth.

Growing up in a conservative evangelical environment, Eric shares what it was like to feel that being gay was incompatible with belonging, and how that early messaging shaped his identity. He opens up about the moment everything changed, and the years of work that followed as he began to untangle belief from identity and build a life rooted in authenticity.

We talk about the root of shame, how it shows up in everyday life, and what it really takes to move beyond it. Eric also shares insight into why intimacy can be a challenge, and how it’s something that can be learned and rebuilt over time.

We also discuss his new program launching in June, designed to help gay men reconnect with themselves, their desires, and their relationships in a more honest and fulfilling way.

This is a meaningful conversation about identity, healing, and what it takes to fully embrace who you are.

Jessica Collins and Lisa Melamed joined me to talk about their heartfelt book Where’s Big Dog?, inspired by Jessica’s loss of her beloved dog Lucy and the journey of turning that grief into something meaningful for families.

We talked about the genesis of the book, how a deeply personal moment became the foundation for a story centered on love, loss and healing, and how they approached creating something that could help both children and parents navigate difficult conversations.

Jessica also looked back on her early days on Loving, working alongside Laura Wright and Paul Anthony Stewart, and the lasting impact The Young and the Restless had on her life, including her Daytime Emmy win.

Lisa shared her path from Brooklyn to Hollywood, her work as a writer and producer on series like Party of Five, Sistersand Hey Dude, and what it meant to step into a more intimate form of storytelling with this book.

We also talked about their friendship, working with Dolly Parton, and so much more.

In this episode of The Locher Room, Alan sat down with authors Diana Malkin and Margaret Gurevich for a meaningful conversation about identity, culture, and the stories that shape who we are.

Margaret shares the inspiration behind her new novel, Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah, a coming-of-age story set in 1986 that follows a young Russian American boy navigating life between cultures while preparing for his Bar Mitzvah. Drawing from her own experiences, Margaret opens up about growing up feeling “othered,” embracing her identity, and the importance of telling Jewish stories at a time when antisemitism is on the rise.

Diana discusses her children’s book, The Crossing, which weaves together themes of immigration, health awareness, and cultural diversity through a deeply personal lens. Her work speaks to both children and parents, offering an accessible and heartfelt way to explore complex topics.

Together, this conversation highlights the power of storytelling to build empathy, foster understanding, and help us all feel a little less alone.

Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah and The Crossing are both available now wherever books are sol

Carl Tye Evans joined me to revisit his time as Alan-Michael Spaulding on Guiding Light and Nick Scudder on As the World Turns, sharing memories from both shows and reflecting on his years in daytime.

In a special moment, Kristina Sisco Romero (Abigail Williams) dropped in to surprise Carl as we celebrated what would have been the 70th anniversary of As the World Turns. Together, they looked back on their unforgettable storyline and the moments that still resonate with fans today.

We also talked about Carl’s first feature film, Walking on the Sky, and how a deeply personal experience led him to step behind the camera. He also shared more about his life today, including earning his pilot’s license and his love of motorcycles.

Katherine Kamhi joined me to reflect on her career across daytime television, primetime, and film. Best known for her roles as Pamela Kingsley on All My Children and Marcy Campbell on Guiding Light, she discussed getting her start at 16 while balancing school and a demanding production schedule during a peak era of daytime television.

She shared memories of working with Susan Lucci, her friendship with Jennifer Gatti, and her experience appearing in a scene with Oprah Winfrey early in Oprah’s career. Katherine also reflected on her time on Guiding Light, where she returned over several years in a recurring role that allowed her to play a very different kind of character.

The conversation also covered her work in primetime television, including appearances on NYPD Blue, The Practice, and Bones, as well as her role in the cult film Sleepaway Camp.

Throughout the episode, Katherine offered insight into her experience working across different formats and how her career evolved from daytime to primetime and beyond.

Rich Burns, Gedde Watanabe, James Campbell and Chuck Saculla joined me in The Locher Room to preview Season 2 of The Disappointments, the Humanitas Prize-winning series that resonated with audiences for its honest, funny and heartfelt storytelling.

We talked about the long journey to bring Season 2 to life, revisiting Season 1 through the Director’s Cut, and what fans could expect as the story continued. From new opportunities and challenges for Ray, Gary and James to deeper themes of reinvention, friendship and purpose, the new season took even bigger swings.

Rich also shared why the themes of the series connected with so many people, regardless of age or identity. At its core, The Disappointments explored friendship, resilience and the humor that can be found even in life’s disappointments.

Season 2 is now streaming on YouTube.

Damian Pelliccione joined me in The Locher Room to discuss the journey behind Revry, the first global queer-owned streaming platform. Damian shared how the idea for Revry was sparked while watching an Apple keynote and how that lightbulb moment led to building a platform focused on LGBTQ+ storytelling and visibility.

We talked about Damian’s path from actor to entrepreneur, the early scrappy launch of Revry during San Francisco Pride, and why distribution, marketing, and accessibility became central to the company’s strategy.

Damian also reflected on coming out as Non-Binary during the pandemic, the responsibility that comes with being visible as a leader in media, and the importance of creating spaces where diverse stories can thrive.

The conversation also explored the growing “rainbow economy,” the real business case for inclusive media, and the excitement surrounding the drag king competition series King of Drag.

It was a thoughtful discussion about leadership, identity, storytelling, and building something that didn’t previously exist.

Five-time Emmy nominee Thom Racina joined me for a fascinating look back at a remarkable career in daytime television and beyond.

Thom shared behind-the-scenes stories from General Hospital’s iconic Luke & Laura wedding, casting Stephen Nichols as Patch on Days of Our Lives, and what it was like bringing the legendary Elizabeth Taylor to Port Charles. His stories were candid, funny, and filled with history that longtime soap fans will appreciate.

We talked about the evolution of daytime storytelling, writing unforgettable characters, and the creative risks that defined his career.

Thom also revealed what may be the next exciting chapter. He is currently working with producer Tom Mazza on a limited series adaptation of his thriller Snow Angels. Thom said getting this project made would feel like the perfect capstone to a wonderful career — not only because it is a great thriller, but because it would put a meaningful bow on decades of storytelling.

This was a conversation soap fans and lovers of great storytelling won’t want to miss.

Director Michael Walker and writer Susan Gomes joined me in The Locher Room to talk about their film The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo.

Set in suburban New York in 1984, the film is built from a collection of real experiences Susan and her friends lived through during their high school years. Together, Michael and Susan wove those shared memories into a story centered on a charismatic Spanish exchange student whose arrival disrupts the emotional world of a group of teenage girls and challenges the myths they’ve built about love, friendship, and themselves.

In our conversation, we talked about developing the story collaboratively, balancing memory and emotional truth with humor, casting, locations, music, and what it means to look back at youth from the perspective of adulthood. Michael also shared how this project fit into his career as a character-driven filmmaker, while Susan reflected on seeing something deeply personal take on a life of its own.

Thank you for listening to this episode of The Locher Room.

In this episode of The Locher Room, Alan spoke with two remarkable debut authors for a thoughtful conversation about love, grief, identity, and the stories that shape our lives.

Ellery Capshaw, who daytime fans remember as Natalie Snyder on As the World Turns, discussed her powerful debut poetry collection Three Walled World. In the book, Ellery reflects on growing up on a Brooklyn soundstage, the loss of her father, her struggles with alcohol, and her journey to sobriety while finding her voice through writing.

Ron Stempkowski also joined the conversation to talk about his moving new memoir The Luck We Carry: Love, Loss, and the Stories That Shape Us. Through a deeply personal collection of essays, Ron shared reflections on the life he built with his husband Ken, the experience of caregiving, the grief that followed Ken’s death from cancer, and the path toward rebuilding a meaningful life.

Three Walled World was released March 24.

The Luck We Carry was released March 23, marking the 25th anniversary of the day Ron met his husband Ken.

Together, these conversations explored loss, resilience, recovery, and the power of storytelling.