ADAM LAMBERT: MY MOTHER OUTED ME

0:00Does it ever feel like you're a marketing professional just speaking into the void? But with LinkedIn ads, you can know you're reaching the right decision makers, a network of 130 million of them, in fact. You can even target buyers by job title, industry, company, seniority, skills, and did I say job title? See how you can avoid the void and reach the right buyers with LinkedIn ads. Spend$250 on your first campaign and get a free$250 credit for the next one. Get started at linkedin.com slash campaign. Terms and conditions apply. You're invited to spend an evening on Fremont Avenue. For generations, this house has been home to soulful music, good food, and cutthroat card games, saints and sinners, unexpected laughs and unspoken truths, good times, hard times, and of course, family.

0:48Always family. So pull up a chair and join us at Fremont Avenue, a world premiere play only at Arena Stage. Performances start October 8th. Tickets at arenastage.org.

1:02Hello everyone, my name is Jamie Lang and this is Great Company

1:12Hello Hello Hello Hello Hello Hello Hello Hi Quick thing before we start Go on And this is jumping straight in Someone sent me a message saying they are going to send me a message every single day until they get a full episode with you. Oh, really? Yeah. Well, maybe, maybe that'll, well, who am I? Who am I? Who are you? Oh, sorry, you're not even commenting on that? Oh, that's, I, yeah, fine. Would you want to do that? I mean, let's see, let's see. I'm not against that. Okay. All right. That feels like a no, but okay. Hello, everyone. I'm Jamie. I think that would be fun. It would be great fun.

1:51I think that would be really fun. I'm flattered that people would want that. Hello, everyone. My name is Jamie Lang. I am host of this podcast, Great Company. And I'm the producer, Jemima. You are my producer, Jemima, who makes everything work. Soon to be new host. Soon to be new host of our show. You make everything tick on this show. I make everything tick. Something's come to my attention. Correct. Correct. Has it? Yeah. Jamie's in charge of things that come to my attention. The question of the music. Some people are making some wild claims and I think it's time to come clean. You want to do it now?

2:27We said a while ago there was a secret to the music. Correct. The theme music. Yes. That is correct. That is correct. And a few people have made some guesses. Okay. That it's me singing. You're singing it. This is what people are claiming. Got you. Well, should we reveal the truth? Yeah. The theme music. Ba-da-da-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba. Yep. It is? It is sung by me. It is sung by you. Where did you record it? At my dad's house. Sweet. And it's, I just, well, I thought we could talk a bit about how that came to happen. Yeah, tell me, let's go. It's not a normal thing for a producer to do.

3:08Well, firstly, we should understand why music is important for a podcast. And why do we think music is? Why do you think music is? I think the music defines is the soul of the show in a lot of ways yeah I really do I think that if you think of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire you know that's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire if I sing it like that what is that Love Island oh Love Island there we go other ones like oh cereal do you know that music what are these ones you're doing I'm more going to go for like loving it McDonald's oh or Denon Denon or we have Every Little Helps ching ching which is Argos it's Aster Aster and Every Little Helps is Tesco oh god that's Aster Price that's Aster Price anyway my point is is that being serious for a second is that music is really is the sort of stuff so when you create a show you really want the music or the theme music to be really prominent and really recognizable.

4:18And you know when you hear it, boom, okay, that's great company. Yeah. And we also wanted something that would get the tone right. Yeah. So basically I found there's a song I really liked by Earth, Wind & Fire called Bejo. And I just thought that's a bit, that just sounds like you in a song. So can I say this? Basically we wanted to do something like that. That was the inspiration for the song. and I asked a few people to help me and then I needed to make it and I couldn't find anyone to sing so I just said I'll just sing and I'll just play it to you and then if you like the sound of it I'll get someone else in like I'll pay a singer to come in everyone was like yeah that sounds fine just keep it like that so I was like okay and then you played it to me and you didn't tell me to begin with no I didn't tell anyone because you were nervous for some reason but why it sounds great what are you talking about well I was worried in case you were like that sounds shit you wouldn't say that if you knew it was me if you knew it was me you wouldn't you would have been like you wouldn't have been honest I can be quite honest with you I think yeah I think I can do you want to know the other secret to it yeah my brother made it did he yeah he wrote it what basically the person I normally ask wasn't available and I was and my brother was around and he he's kind of musical and I was like do you want to write he was like between jobs and I was like you've got a bit of free time can you I love that Me and my brother.

5:42Yeah. That's so cool. Cute, right? Really cute. Are you happy with that? Jemima sitting across from me smiling deeply. It's very cool. It is very cute. So let us know if you like the music. We'd love to hear it. And if you don't, please don't let us know because I'll cry. That is very true. Okay, we must talk about today's guest. Talking about music. Talking about music. Talking about music. Great segue. We have a huge musician on today, Adam Lambert. Yeah. Yeah. Adam Lambert was on American Idol. He was. He came second. He came second on American Idol. He is one of the breakout stars from that show in America.

6:19Big hits in America. He's now the front man for Queen. Yeah. He, sort of, his voice has been maybe compared to Freddie Mercury a lot of times, but he wants to kind of define his own existence. He's had his ups and downs in terms of body image, in terms of trolling online. Lots of different things. He's over in the UK and he gave us time to sit down with him because he's releasing his new EP, which is very exciting. Okay, I'm very excited for this. Me too. Before we begin the podcast, I would love it if you could subscribe to the show. It means absolutely everything if you do. It means we can keep getting these amazing guests.

6:59Jemima can keep her job. And if you don't even like this, just if you like Jemima, subscribe because it helps that. So it really makes a huge difference in the world. It pays my bills. Pays her bills. So thank you so much. And if you do like the episode, please share it with people. Okay, here we go. Enjoy the episode with Adam Lambert on Great Company. Hi, I'm Adam Lambert and I'm Great Company. If I do say so myself. It's amazing that you're the front man for Queen. This is like... But it is because... And I read somewhere there where you almost say that like Freddie Mercury is almost a part of you in certain ways.

7:42I wish I had known him, you know, I feel like the more I learn about him, like I was watching something the other day about like all of his friends in the 80s that he lived with. He lived in this place called Garden Lodge and he lived. It was like 85. There's like all this video footage. And he's like he had like six guys living there, all gay. and they all had like nicknames for each other that were like women's names. And they lived in this sort of communal village together. And the way they talk about it, I'm like, it was the happiest he ever was. Like he loved it. He was so happy. He could be himself.

8:15And like just seeing that and seeing the way he was in some of these little clips, I'm like, I get that guy. I get him. Like I feel like I have some kinship there. I can see that. I understand that guy because that's how I am with my friends. I'm like, come over. Spend the night. You know, if there's friends from out of town, I'm like, you know, you can use the guest room. And like, we're very like family oriented house, you know. And I just seeing that side of him was like really cool. Seeing like the human side of him, the social side of him, not only the rock god, not only the brilliant musician and vocalist, but like getting a glimpse into sort of his private life is really cool.

8:53I mean, in terms of shoes to fill, they're pretty big ones. Have you seen my shoes? I haven't. And they were big. Six inch heels, baby. Come on. That's why the shoes are so big. I'm like, well, if I'm going to fill Freddie's shoes, I've got to bring platforms. For fuck's sake. But that is. And again, this goes back to your risk taking. That is an icon. As you said, not only just his voice, the way he was, what he stood for, all those different things. And you come in and blow it out of the water as well in such a great way. How do you get asked to do something like that? Well, I sang his song, I sang Bohemian Rhapsody from Queen as my idol audition.

9:34So like, I think I got on their radar somehow through that. And then they were asked to come sing at the finale. So I sang We Are the Champions with them at the finale. And then we met and it was like... Was that insane moment? It was so surreal, but I was so wrapped up in the finale that I didn't even know it was happening. Yeah, yeah. I was like, I was completely like in another, I was very overwhelmed with that week because there was just so much to do. Anxiety or? Yeah, a bit of anxiety towards the end, but also just being overwhelmed. Just a lot of material. There was a lot going on. So it was very surreal.

10:09I was kind of floating through it a bit. So it's more like, oh, hey, yes, fine. We're doing this. Okay, cool. Yeah. I'm like, this will hit me later. Yeah. And it did. And I was like, you know, I remember getting home like two nights and two nights later, just finally getting to veg out in front of the TV and, you know, have a glass of wine. And I was like, did that just happen? Like, what is life right now? You know? And it was like, it slowly started dawning on me that last couple of weeks before the finale. I was like, things are going to change. This is, this is like, this is a big shit. This is like a big left turn in my life.

10:39This is going to change everything. I think my mom actually said, she's like, you know, everything's going to change. Everything's going to be different. I was like, mom, stop freaking me out. But she was right. Everything did change. And then, so yeah, with them, um, we stayed in touch and they asked like shortly after, like hey we should do something but i had so many commitments with the show you know you get funneled into their management company i had an album to make a tour a tour with the other american idols to do that summer my own album my own tour so like once the dust settled on my own first project my my album an opportunity came up to perform with them here in the uk for the the emas i think yeah to do a medley and i was on tv yeah and i was like fuck yeah of course i'll do that yeah i'm honored and we did it and the response was mixed uh give me the response from the band they were great like i we we clicked right away like we got along from day one which was very cool um i always felt very safe with them fans online were you know but he's where about freddie i'm like he's not here like what what do you want me to say you know i think that there's always been this sentiment of like, he's no Freddie.

11:53It's like, no shit, man. Like, I know that, you know, I'm just singing the songs. And I, and I learned really quickly to kind of have to like rationalize it with myself. Cause I'm like, well, no, of course I'm not Freddie, but he's not with us. Brian May and Roger Taylor have created incredible pieces of music. They still want to get up on stage. They want to perform. Yes. And they should have every right to perform and they need a singer to perform the songs with i'm like yes i can do that i can be i can help you know so you know it and i just i love that because most people i just love that um again i'd say that fearlessness it's insane dude well i think i think that i think there there's a requirement to get on stage and sing the songs of freddie mercury and queen you have to be sort of cocky.

12:42Like it's the character of the song. Like most of those songs are a lot of like peacocking kind of bravado. It's like, that was that era of rock and roll. Like you couldn't be like, is this okay? You know, it was, it wasn't like shoegaze. It was like, you know, owning it and being strong and, and, and powerful and confident. And so I always get on stage and like, that's the, like, that's like the character of the song. That's the like energy of it. I have to step into that that space even if i'm completely terrified and feeling nervous i'm like but that's required like that's what this music is so in a way it's always been like almost like playing a role yeah you know even though there's a lot of me in there it's sort of like me through that lens you know me taking on that that energy that emotion what is the song that you sing you're just like this feels good i love another one bites the dust i love that song it's just so it's so sexy and it's power and it's and it's hard it's a hard song to sing why why is it when it goes up the octave it's like it's like a very athletic vocal which bit do they what is it you know the real bitey part it's high and it's like bite i can get that high give me the note i don't know what it is right now i don't know at the top of my head you ready yeah i'm ready for you are you gonna sing right now are you really yeah yeah do you sing okay so are you gonna yeah i'm gonna try it okay wait uh ready for this i think so i don't think i can do it in front of you i actually i actually oh god yeah it doesn't sound like that that's not the song

14:26i think that was star wars but it's but it's i mean what an amazing thing to be able to do and to step into those shoes and to be it's a dream yeah it's a it's a fucking honor really it really has been and it's been it's been over 10 years that we've been on the road together so it's it's evolved for me personally too like i think if i look back at the first couple times we worked together i was like very nervous and overcompensating like hell like i was hitting every note i could i was like i want to change this note i'm gonna scream this one i had so much energy because i because it was all like sort of adrenaline and nerves cut to the last like five years of touring with them where i feel like i've settled in a different way like i feel like doesn't it it took me a long time and i And that's just growing up and becoming a more seasoned performer and musician.

15:21And I can look back, you know, about five years ago and be like, okay, that's the sweet spot, like where I trusted myself more. And I didn't have to like overdo it. I didn't have to throw everything at every song. Learning that as a singer is a real moment when you're like, I don't have to hit every high note. I don't have to like do runs and melismas on everything. because you learn what pulls the audience in versus what pushes them away. And I think for a younger singer or somebody in their art where they feel they have to prove something, like, look what I can do, look what I can do, that kind of doesn't pull the audience in the same way just trusting it does.

16:04You know? Well, you grew up in San Diego near the beach, which is lovely. Your parents are together. They were quite liberal. They were great. So that drive to be on stage and to want to entertain and be in front, where does that come from then? I don't know. I clearly wanted attention. But I think it was also it was an outlet for all the energy I had. Like I was a pretty vivacious child, like hyper, you know, I had like a lot of things to say. I was very talkative at an early age. Like I started talking at like two and my parents were like, whoa, this kid's like full sentences at two. um and so yeah it was like i had a lot to say um and they even put me in like a like a montessori preschool thing like for advanced like preschool thing and i didn't take to that because i didn't like being told what to do i i remember i actually don't remember this but i was told that there was one thing we had to do where it was like shapes into like the corresponding holes like in a board you know to kind of learn geometry and shapes and i just couldn't figure it out i was having the hardest time with it.

17:12And the teacher was like, no, you need to stay and do it until you finish. And they had already called the bell for recess or whatever. And I'm like, no, but I want to go with the kids and play. And she's like, no, you have to finish. I threw a tantrum. I tore apart the learning center. And yeah, I had some anger management problems, I think at that age. So talk about therapy. I had to go to a child therapist. Yeah. And learn how to like deal with counting to 10 and like not lose my temper. I was probably like five what because you had because you were so frustrated yeah because you you there was so much energy within you that you didn't know how to release it so then i couldn't figure out how to do this block and block board bullshit and so i was angry yeah so did you get in trouble a lot as a kid i got in trouble a little bit but then with going to this little child's child therapist person i think at that age she taught me how to deal with my temper how to deal with other kids And I think it was really amazing that I got that help at that age because it made me much nicer and more patient with people later on.

18:16Really? Yeah. Five is like, that's a young age to be doing it. Yeah, I couldn't deal with it. It was like I was stressed out. Like it was like the pressures of this advanced learning situation were just too much for me. And shortly thereafter, my parents went, let's put him in regular preschool. Let's not. Let's not. And that was the therapist at the time said, like, maybe just like put him in regular school because he's actually just probably wants to make friends. What was, did you enjoy school? What was it like growing up? Did you, did you like school? I loved elementary school. And then when I got to like middle school, which is what we call it, which is grade six, seven, eight.

18:56That's when everyone's gone through puberty and the boys and girls start acting weird toward each other. And so therefore, me being the closeted gay boy that I was, the boys started treating me like shit. So I felt very much a loner in those years. I kind of withdrew a little bit in school. I didn't really know how to socialize with kids in school. I was at a public high school. Yeah. But I still had this theater group that I was in on weekends. And that theater group was my safe space. And those were where my friends were. And that's where I got respect for what I was able to do. And I think if it hadn't been for that, I probably would have been a really sad kid.

19:32It's funny, right? How we always have to play these different characters all the time in life to protect ourselves a lot of the time. And so then when it comes to performance, you can be much better performer because you've learned to play different roles. That makes sense, actually. It makes a lot of sense. And that's quite hard because if you then withdraw at school and you can't be your true self, yeah, it does. It makes you sad. Yeah. And having that theater thing on the weekends was like the ultimate escape for someone like me. I needed that. I needed to be able to become something else and be celebrated for it.

20:03Because that was right around that age is when I started realizing my sexuality. And this is, you know, early 90s. And so I'm looking around going, what? There's hardly anything on television to understand. There's no conversations happening. I mean, when I think about what kids are dealing with today, it's so much easier to figure out what you might be. because there's all these examples of it. You can, if a kid has a smartphone, he goes on Instagram, finds other queer people, watches a TV show. It's amazing. And it's a wonderful time for that. And of course, there's all sorts of things that we're still being challenged by in our community.

20:41And there's a lot of pushback, but it is a lot better than what it was. I mean, it was like a giant question mark. Like what? Like even the word gay, I'm like, what is that? Like, what does that mean? Like, what is it? It was terrifying. and exciting all at the same time the locker room at that age was very fascinating but it's true you're so right though because the internet and everything has done amazing things it's done terrible things but it's done amazing things as well to open up this conversation and we can find things out but you know questioning your sexuality at that age if you have nowhere to turn to that's a lonely place as well and scary right How old are you at this point?

21:26That would have been like probably sixth grade So I'm thinking, what is that, 12? Something like that? 12-ish? Yeah And you know, the boys' bodies are changing So hormones are flying People are getting mean and getting weird And it's like a weird time Adolescence is a strange time So what do you do then? Who do you turn to? How do you have that conversation? Is it all internal? I think a lot of it was internal Like a lot of it I spent a lot of time alone during those years and like kind of learned to love that, that alone time. I would get really into my imagination. I would go home after school.

22:05Like my parents both worked. So my brother and I were, you know, what do they call them? Latchkey kids. So like we had keys to go home and we were at home on our own. And my brother would be doing it, playing video games probably. And I was like in my room listening to show tunes and playing dress up. Like it was like I was that queen, you know. and it was that that was my it was like a safe space i could do that i had this i had the the space to just explore and to sing and to make believe and to wear costumes and to get in the mirror and learn how to it was very like that was a really important time actually now looking back is that it just let me play give it to because i really want to understand this because you're you're one person when you're at school right so you're you're you know you're quiet you're quiet you're reserved you because you you can't i've i've followed your career you walk into the room you're larger than life right but you are you're you're you're you give off this great energy and that's who you are right but then when you're younger you have to hide all of that i definitely had to dim yeah you have to dim your light it's exactly but it was weird because up until those grades in elementary school i was really open and really social and really bubbly and all that but it was just, you could feel the shift of people, of the other kids and how they started treating each other.

23:20I could feel it. Kids started getting mean. But I think this is really important for someone to hear, right? Because you're in your bedroom, that's where you could perform, that's where you could sing, that's where you could dress up, that's where you could release. But no one else saw that, it was just you. You did. It was very private, yeah. It was very private. I mean, and I was going into like my mom's closet and wearing her clothes. I was putting on some of my dad's clothes. I was like living. And I I remember the first time my mom got mad that I put on some of her clothes. She was annoyed because I had like ripped something.

23:50And she was like, look. And I was playing with her makeup. I was like messing with her lipstick. But I like fucked up the lipstick, you know. And I remember her coming in to me and she was like, look. I don't care what the fuck you wear. I just don't fuck up my shit. Like it was basically her very eloquent, you know, way of telling me. Because you were ripping her shit. Yeah. She's like, I don't, I'm not mad that you're putting on my clothes, but like you're, you're, but I am, I am mad that you're putting on my clothes. And I was like, well, and it came down to the makeup. She was like, stop messing with my lipstick.

24:22I'm like, then buy me some of my own. And so I asked for, I remember it was a theatrical makeup kit. Cause you know, it was all kind of theater based. And I had these books that I geeked out on from the library about like how to do like old age makeup and stage makeup and opera makeup and all this stuff. And so I was like, well, I need the stuff that I can make these faces with. So she drove down and got me like a professional theater makeup kit from Ben Nye Makeup. Yeah, I remember that. How funny is you remember that? I remember how it smelled. It was terrible. That makeup smelled like crap.

24:53But I was still so excited to put it on. And it was my first, like, it was like a kit. And it had all the little cream makeups with like, and like cream bases. And they were, you know, full of, you know, castor oil. And they probably like broke me out like a mother. There was brushes in there. There were certain sponges. And I just remember just being like, oh, wow, the Holy Grail. Because I'd been so obsessed with Halloween every year. I mean, I wanted every day to be Halloween. But why? Give it to me. Because the dressing up. I love dressing up. I liked transforming. I liked being somebody different.

25:24I liked changing myself. It was so fun to look in the mirror and change the way your face looked. I loved it. Because you become a different character because... What is the fascination with dressing up? what is it because we love it and we all do as adults we because it's play because it's fun because it's fantasy it's creative it's it's i don't it's control it's being able to control something and i think people do like the way that feels i think as i got a little older i think when my body started changing i started putting on weight i was breaking out and it was funny because at that point makeup and costume became a way to hide the parts of myself i didn't like when i looked in the mirror when I started learning how to play with makeup I was like oh I like the way that looks I don't like the way my natural face looks at all I love it but now I like it this is it was a little mask that I got to wear but I didn't dare wear it to school because then I would have been made fun of and I couldn't deal with that this is this is what I find so fascinating right is that we just and I think I had I think we all have that thing like we we we we can't bear at that age to show our real selves.

26:35Because we have to fit in. Yeah. Whatever's, that's what we have to be. We can't be this because that's... Well, and the last thing I wanted was to be like singled out and like made an example of, or that was the age where it's just like, I just wanted to blend in. Please don't look at me, you know? But then I got to high school and things started to change. Because in high school, you start, you're a little older, you're getting into your teenage years. And I think activities start forming and you have like clubs that you can do in school. And like, that's where I found like the drama club. And I was also in like a choir type program.

27:11So I was singing with other kids and I've gotten to like photography for a little while and some art classes. And like, those were the areas where I felt like, okay, now we're being recognized for what we can do, what we're able to make and create. And there became a certain amount of respect that was built within that and admiration. and that competitive part of me was like, well, I can do this really well. And it earned me validation, you know? And so all of a sudden it was like I was getting, I was finding spaces in school where I was celebrated. Yeah. You know? Do you know, that's why the creative industry in schools is so important.

27:48So important. Man, and it's crazy that they're just, you know, especially in the UK, funding is being removed from it. It's the same in the States. Yeah. But it's crazy that's happening. Yeah. Because that is a place, like we're talking about now, where you find yourself, you find your tribe. Well, and I completely agree with you. And why is it any different than having sports in school? For some kids, that's their, that does it for them, sports. There should be sports in school. It's a place to create a team with other kids. You learn how to work together. You exercise, which is great. Of course, there's a place for sports in school, but that's not for every child.

28:24Not every child wants a place, but I certainly didn't want to play sports at all. I was like, this is boring. I wanted to make things, you know? And so there should be like, there should be a space for all types of kids because every kid's different and has a different skillset and has something else that they need. What is the, what is your dating scenario then at the moment? Who are you dating? You single at that age? No, at that age? I'm not thinking about now. I'm like, we're jumping into that. No, I was definitely like in the closet as a teenager. I was not, I mean, it was the late nineties.

28:55There was just not, there were probably gay kids at my school. but no one was out. No one talked about it. You know, it was, you would be made fun of relentlessly. So how do you navigate that? You just keep it quiet. I was just, it was all internal. It was all in my head. Just the fantasy of being in your head, which is, that is a lot of teenage angst right there because it is like all bottled up. And I, again, I think about teenagers now and it's like such a different situation for them now. I'm so happy for where we're at because it's still challenging. Teenagers are still mean to each other.

29:32It is still hard. It is, of course, certain parents reject their children for their sexuality. All that still exists, but it's different. It is different than what it was because now there's visibility. But, you know, there's like kids on TikTok and stuff like doing, you know, boys doing like makeup tutorials and they're like 15 and they're like, yes, queen. And it's like, oh, wow. If I had had that, I would have been able to connect with other kids online and I would not have felt as alone. I wouldn't have felt as weird. I didn't, we didn't have that. So did you know, you didn't know any queer people growing up?

30:04I mean, I'm sure I did, but we didn't know we were queer. You know what I mean? I think there were other kids in the theater department or in theater in, in high school that were probably queer and the choir department in this children's theater group that I continued with as a teenager, but no one said it. And I, I, I think I hadn't even had my first kiss until I was 18. really yeah with a boy i made out with a couple girls and during high school and i was like well this is kind of fun might as well placeholder you know whatever and they were all mormon girls which was a trip i went to like i went so i went to school with like more with a big population of mormon kids and like the mormon girls were like that one you know he's not gonna get me pregnant this is gonna work great mom and dad whatever yeah so wait so where was your first kiss with a girl then where was it in a car was it yeah in a car it was and of course i got excited it was exciting it was still exciting it was still physical touch you know and i was so like repressed that i was like ah you know oh my god my heart rate's going up i'm sweating yeah and then there I was like, what if she's going to want to have sex with me?

31:17What is that like? But then again, I'm like, oh, she's Mormon. We're good. We can keep it at making out. And that'll be where it's great. This is a perfect situation. And actually, one of the girls that that happened with, I found out much later, years down the line, that she's gay. She turned out to be a lesbian. I'm like, well, this makes so much sense. We were like safe for each other. so you had your first kiss at 18 with a guy what was his name oof ricky no martin yeah that would have been cute um no was it was it rich i don't i honestly don't it started with an r something was that was that a it was it was it was terrifying because it was just like finally like i'd been thinking about you know my whole teenage years i was like i knew yeah you know what I mean?

32:08But I wasn't acting on it. I don't want to go. I just find that you're in the car with Ricky, whoever it is, and you, you kiss and then you go, okay, fine. It's an amazing moment. And then do you then say, right, well, I'm now, cause how does coming out with your sexuality, that's a tough thing. So when, how does that then manifest itself? Do you then come out to your friends and family and sort of say, look, I kind of came out before the kiss happened. Like I knew, I think I said to myself, okay, I'm going to deal with this eventually, but I kind of want to just wait until school's over so i graduated high school and then was like okay it's probably time to come out like now i now i have to deal with like random kids that are dicks you know so i i i graduated high school i came out to like my three best friends shortly after graduation one night and we got wasted um that's totally drunk you know in the backyard i remember that And then not that long after that, my, I think my little brother was doing like a speech and debate tournament at, at, um, a college.

33:13So my mom came up and drove him and his speech and debate team and we sat and we watched his thing. And then one of the other kids did like a dramatic interpretation, which is basically a monologue. And this monologue was heartbreaking about a young man who, um, comes out to his parents and then is totally disowned by them. And like it's a downward spiral. He becomes homeless and drugs and, you know, gets into a bunch of trouble. So it's like this cautionary tale type, beautiful piece of monologue. And we got in the car on the way home. And of course, it just hit my mom like guilt. Like she's like, OK, I have to talk to him about it.

33:49So she outed me. She was like, listen, so do you have a girlfriend? And I was like, you would know about it. No, of course I don't. And she goes, okay, do you want one? And I was like, I don't know. And she said, do you have a boyfriend? I said, no. And she said, do you want one? I said, yeah, that'd be nice. And I felt her like this like weight just kind of like flew off of me. And it just, I could tell it was just like such a long time coming. And I said to her, I was like, why didn't you ask me sooner? And she's like, well, when you were like 13, when we all knew, honey, we knew. You know, I don't know if it was, you know, like not clearing the search history on the computer, dial up porn.

34:35If it was me singing the show tunes with, you know, my sheet wrapped around me like a strapless gown. Like, you know, I mean, there's a list of things that probably gave it away. But she she. Oh, yeah. Sheet drag is really hot. It's hot business sheet drag. And I had leopard sheets because I needed cheetah print sheets. I mean, that probably should have gone away. Yeah. But I remember pulling the sheets off the bed and just like wrapping them around as a gown. And I just was like, yes. Singing Sunset Boulevard, you know. Yeah. It was like painfully obvious. But my mom went to the gay and lesbian center in San Diego where I grew up and said, what should I do?

35:14Like my son's clearly a queen, but I don't want to like, what do I say? What do I do? And they just said, let him come to you. So she, I mean, it's so cute that she went and like asked for help and asked for advice. And that's what they told her. it's amazing the reason why i just i i'm sort of talking about it is because we live in a different time as we know but this like we said this was the 90s it was a different time so different so different even i mean luckily i was in southern california which is a probably a better place to be than other places in the country especially at that time but yeah i mean san diego was still pretty conservative even though it's california like you would think i think most people think of California is LA, but LA is LA and San Francisco is San Francisco, but there's a lot of areas of California that are very conservative.

35:59But then, can I ask a personal question? But then going to American Idol and doing that and from what I understand, and maybe I'm wrong here, you kept your sexuality to yourself. I didn't really. I was, everyone knew I was gay. I just didn't really like talk about it on air because it never came up. I mean, Ryan Seacrest never was like, like dick, you know, like it just never, it didn't, it wasn't a part of the narrative of what we were doing, but like everyone knew I was gay. It wasn't a secret. I came out, so I came out right after high school, like I said, 18 and I was 27 when I did Idol. Sorry, that's my, cause I, I saw there was a picture of you kissing your ex-boyfriend and it went to the press and it was on Fox.

36:43So it wasn't a public thing that like, but that was the thing is that I had been living for nearly 10 years in LA as an out gay man living my life. Before you arrived, I watched your audition for American Idol. Have you rewatched it? I've seen it numerous times. Yeah. What do you, what is your critique on it now? I was really nervous. I was really nervous. Because you seemed a little bit nervous. I was definitely really nervous. Yeah. Because there was so much writing on it. Like you have to understand that I, I had been doing theater through like almost 10 years in LA. And like, I'd gotten to a point where like, I finally had booked like a really good professional job.

37:21I was in the first national tour of Wicked. Yeah. So the first company that they formed after the Broadway production, I did that for six months. And then I left. And then a year or two later, they formed a resident LA company of the show. And that was really rare to have like sit down like Broadway productions in LA. It was very, very few and far between. And I got that gig. And so I was working daily at the Pantages Theater in Wicked as Fero's understudy. So it's like the Prince's understudy. So I'm also in the ensemble basically means I was the guy in the back screaming my balls off, you know, for the notes with no credit.

37:59No one saw me. They just heard me. but it was a great job you know and it was like being able to get paid like good money to do theater in LA was such a a treat because it was hard to find that kind of theater in LA and I had been toying for years about I should finally move to New York that's where the real theater is blah blah but I was scared of it I knew I didn't have the money this was going to be sort of my my pre preset to go to New York to get in there and to save up some coin but then And each time that one of the guys that playing Firo would get, you know, when his contract would be up or he was sick, it's like they wouldn't promote me.

38:39And I started getting, I was like, I know I'm good at this part. What the hell is going on? And it was some politics and this and that and the other thing. And I was just so frustrated that I was like, you know what? If I got on TV, I bet they would take me seriously. So I'm going to get on TV. And that summer before I actually auditioned, I went to Burning Man for the fourth time. and I tripped on acid and had this amazing, amazing experience where I saw my fear in front of me for the first time, like as a physical manifestation. Up until that point, I was always coming up with excuses not to do things.

39:15I was always getting in my own way. I was self-sabotaging. I was always that guy that would like not take a risk, whether it would be like dating or whatever. I was just scared. And when I was in the desert in this moment by myself, I like saw my fear. I heard the voice of some higher power. And it was like, this is your fear. Kick it away. And I kicked it away. And I saw it like shoot across the desert floor. And I swear I got back from that Burning Man trip and I was like fearless. Get out of here. It was crazy. I was like, I'm going to say yes to everything. I'm going to quit saying no and coming up with excuses.

39:48I'm going to say yes to everything. I'm going to, I got to put my eggs in more than one basket. it. I just got to go for it because I was a little stuck at that point and it changed everything. It changed my entire attitude. So I was like, yeah, TV, that's what I should do so that they take me seriously. Now I can actually have, I have the balls to do it. So I auditioned for American Idol and it like, I got to the first round, I got past it. And then there was like a second round for producers and a third round. And this, what you see on TV was the fourth time coming back for an audition. Singing the same thing?

40:17A couple of different things, but yeah, Yeah, more or less. And in order to get in front of the TV judges at this point, the producers came to me and they're like, well, so here's the deal. You can't have any professional contracts that are in play. You can't be signed to an agent, a manager. You can't be employed by a theater or a record company. You have to be on amateur status. So I had to quit Wicked. I had to quit my job, which I was doing for eight shows a week. That's how I paid my rent. That's how I got health insurance, all of it. I had to quit for that chance to sing for Paula, Randy, and Simon and Kara that year.

40:56So that's why I was nervous. I was like, oh, man, if I don't get this, I'm going to be pissed. Like, this is going to suck because I just quit my job. Did you have doubt in your mind at that point? Or were you just like... Of course I had the like, oh, what if they, oh, what if they, ugh. But then, but it was like, it was like the moment. I mean, I was like, well, this better work out because if it doesn't, I'm going to be screwed. Do you think though, giving advice to people who are listening, right? And because a lot of people probably, so many of your fans, but also people who are probably in similar situations where they feel stuck.

41:27And feeling stuck is a really shit thing. And a lot of us feel it all the time. And actually, I completely agree with you. It's that fear of what's going to happen that stops us from achieving stuff. And it's cheesy, but you have to take risks. Someone told me something once. To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did. Yeah. The risk is worth the reward. That is the tried and true statement. Like if you aren't willing to take the risk, you're not going to make it to what you actually want. It's not going to happen. Yeah. And ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship.

42:01Oh, I like that one. Yeah. If it's easy, you just stay where you are. Yeah. You don't complacent. Boom. Here we go. Here we go. You have to make it difficult for yourself. And then if that is the path that you take of just the complacency, you turn around five, ten years later and you're miserable and you don't know why. And you're like, I just, everything's kind of, I'm like, because you're not challenging yourself with anything new. You're not, you're not, you know, goal setting and reaching goals. Like if you're just at a plateau for years and years and years at a time, of course you're bored.

42:33If someone now is listening to this and is saying, oh, I'm afraid to move. I'm afraid to take risks. I'm afraid for all these things because of my insecurities or whatever. What do you say to them? Get the fuck over it. That's really what I would say in the nicest way possible. But I would also say like, okay, let's look at that. Like what, what are you actually scared of? Because a lot of people can't admit it to themselves. That's the first step. Like you got to be able to like be real with yourself and look in the mirror and be like, what am I scared of? And we have our egos, our pride. these things keep us from actually being able to see it.

43:04And that's what you got to look at first. It's like, you got to figure out a breakthrough that ego, that pride thing. Cause it's, it's gnarly. Like it can keep you from moving forward, like terribly. I mean, it's, it's, it's hard. It's hard. And like the thing that's funny about ego and pride is that it's a double edged sword because sometimes they can be good things in your toolkit. Sometimes having a healthy The ego gives you self-respect and drives you and makes you want to fight for yourself and makes you want to want things for yourself and stand up for yourself. Like, it's not a terrible thing to have an ego and to have pride, but it's that like balance of it.

44:21Hello, I'm Katherine Ryan, and this is Write Me Dirty, the podcast where two comedians write steamy, ridiculous erotica about each other. I give them a bizarre prompt, think apocalypse must include a zombie, and they read their spicy stories aloud while I judge them on sexiness, funniness, and sheer chaos. It's hilarious, awkward, and occasionally kinda hot. Write Me Dirty. Thursdays just got thirstier. Write Me Dirty.

44:56Music, I find, is a place where sometimes you have to take risks. For sure. And that is a really hard space to take risks because you then have everything to lose. Yeah. Well, especially if you're a solo artist, because it's your brand. You're the name of the project. You're the face of the project. It becomes very difficult to separate yourself from your work in the music industry. It's very hard. Actors, of course, they have their own set of things that they run into as challenges, but like they're playing a part. They can like, but that's the character. And someone's, and maybe I'm being harsh here, but you're being hired.

45:34You're not being hired. Yeah, exactly. Most actors are hired from job to job, right? And they're part of a cast and a crew and it's one cog in a wheel. Even the lead actor on a major film, he's like part of a team. and I will say that in music there is a team I mean if you don't have a good team you're not getting anywhere so that does exist in music but there's a lot of responsibility on your shoulders as the face of the project because I feel like your new music that you're releasing is like it feel you sort of describe as like it's yourself this is you this is like it feels different to your other stuff it feels yeah it's less filtered if I'm going to be honest like I Explain that.

46:15What do you mean less filtered? Well, I think when I first came off of American Idol, you know, there was all this hype and buzz, which was really exciting. I had like such a great experience on that show. It was really fun. I loved the challenge of it. I loved the excitement of it. It was like, you know, there were magazine articles being written as I was on the show. Did you like the theme of it? The beginning taste of it, I was like, oh, this is exciting. Yeah. then the reality of it i think coming off of the show and dealing with controversy and dealing with like people's opinions and comment sections there was a flip side to it that very quickly i was like whoa you know what i realized what i realized now is you really have to have a thick skin yeah it is not for the faint of heart it's it's not for you know it's it if you have any sort of self-worth struggles that you've been dealing with, confidence, it exacerbates all that.

47:12Like all of a sudden you start picking your own self apart and you become your own worst nightmare. It can happen. And I've definitely had my moments with it. I've also had like a lot of fun with it and there's a lot of access and there's a lot of adventures and I have memories and I've met amazing people. So like, it's not bad, but there's been some bad. I think, you know, the other problem too, is that when I came off of Idol, like it was just the beginning of Twitter. So like social media was really quickly changing. Like this was 2009. We didn't have, we had Facebook just, and we had gotten sort of the MySpace thing.

47:46It already sort of happened, but we didn't have Instagram. We didn't, Twitter was brand new and that was sort of the big revolutionary thing. So just that instantaneous being able to have an opinion on something and post it, that was very fresh, that sort of exchange and public discourse. And it was hard. It was really hard because I wasn't used to that. I wasn't used to going out on a Friday night and like seeing comments, reviewing what I was wearing. Like that was new. What kind of things were people saying? Some people were like, yes, queen live. You know, some people were like, yes, I love him.

48:22But there were a lot, I mean, it was foul, some of it, it was really foul because I was daring to be gay and like, and, and a weirdo gay on top of it. I wasn't like the guy in the lumberjack outfit, you know, like, you know, that looked all masculine and sort of like, you know, that, cause that was the sentiment back then. In 2010, there was like a movement in gay visibility and in the progress that we were making was we're just like you, but we're gay. We look just like you, but we're gay. Look at us. We're just, I'm a man just like you, but I'm gay. You know? So there's this whole thing in, in an effort to be accepted by the mainstream.

48:58And it was like a necessary like move and step toward progress. But I think I was always like, well, fuck that. Like, I don't want to do that. I don't want to assimilate and sort of - That's not risk-taking. Yeah. I mean, I'm like, I'm going to buy, but I like this outfit. It's cool and it's the kid playing dress up in the mirror when he was 10 still just getting to do it with a budget but then that you know if we if we go deeper on it then that obviously leads to anxiety and for sure self-doubt oh for sure and and you know america is big yeah and has a lot of voices and it's tough you know uk's tough but it's a bit smaller you know all those different things and being famous over there and, you know, having all of those choices.

49:49You know, I read that you started having panic attacks and you had to handle. That's a lot to handle. Yeah, it was a lot. It was a lot. It was also, you know, it was a combination of things. It was, you know, also being burned out because of this business is also very demanding. And you like want to keep saying yes to everything so that you're not the guy that's difficult or you don't want to turn around also and realize that like you didn't do enough you know so like it puts you in this headspace of being like gotta say yes to everything you gotta like you can't say you know it's it's pressure because you think the fear of it going for a long time it was that that was the thing that killed me it was that i thought the rug is gonna get pulled out for me any minute and like this is you know coming off of a show like idol like not that many people make it past a year or two out of that show.

50:40And so like by year two or three, I went, Oh God, is this like, am I still in the game? Is this really, do I have a shot at this? Is there any staying power in this? And I didn't know. And that was really nerve wracking. You know, it was, I felt like this is my game to lose kind of a thing. Like I'm only me can fuck this up was sort of the pressure that I was putting on myself. And I think one of the things that I, You know, fast forwarding to sort of the last few years of where I'm at now is I did a lot of work on reprioritizing a bit, trying to understand that like I need to, I continue to want to focus and put a lot of energy into my career.

51:22And that's still a big priority for me. But I was like, I got to balance this out with some sort of like life. I have to be able to have some play. I have to have that work play balance. It was sucking the joy out of the work. And I was like, well, that's not good. Like, it needs to be fun. It's like, I make music for a living. Like, that's not brain surgery. It's fun. And well done to you. That's the hardest thing, I always think, to find that juggling. Yeah. Especially in this industry, because it is. It's the fear that it's going to go. It's the fear that you have to say yes to everything. And then everything just becomes so much.

51:56And actually, you're right. You then are just, there's no joy. No. And it's funny with burnout, right? People talk about it and suddenly people go, I'm so burnt out. It's a thing. Man, it's a fucking thing. It's a thing. And I experienced it where mine was beginning of lockdown. And I just lost all joy in anything. I was burnt out before lockdown started. Like the end of 2019, I was fried. I was like, whoa. Collectively, everyone was kind of in the rut. So I think that affected all of it. We all felt it. You could feel it. You know, I mean, in America, we had like some crazy shit going on. I mean, the whole Black Lives Matter movement that kicked up during the pandemic was for many specific reasons.

52:43And it was overdue and it was a really important movement. But I do think that that state of mind that people were in during the pandemic sort of allowed us to hold space for that. And there was less distractions for us to actually look at the problem and to get angry about it and actually to get involved. because there was nothing else to do. And it was like, this is an injustice. This is really, and we're seeing it more clearly right now because the world's kind of quiet right now. So all of a sudden you could really see it. And I remember like in the streets of LA, they're like right down the street from, like down the hill from where I live, like I could see there were riots going on.

53:22There was cars on fire. It was wild. and it was there was a collective um frustration and angst that you could feel um and then you know i don't know about you but like you would go on maybe you would go on like zoom with your friends like everyone's always on edge everybody was for me um it was a break that i needed for perspective and to reprioritize and then when i started consciously putting time into creative projects during that period, I felt better.

54:00Your new EP, Afters, is coming out. And this is coming out. It's July by the time this comes out. So it's probably out now. Yes, this is July. This is July. We're in July. This is July. Tell me about it. What is this? What day is today? I don't know. Hey, listen, we're just in someday. Someday in July. Someday in July right now. But tell me about it. Were you, do you, I mean, what am I asking here? Do you love creating music? Is that your real joy? That's, that's everything. I love it. And I love performing it. Yeah. I love, I love, I like, I, it depends on the type of song or the moment that we're talking about, but sometimes it's, it's easy.

54:44It's more fun creating it than actually even getting on the stage and actually performing it. And sometimes it's the other way around. but um so the writing process and everything you'd love that act of creation like the moment where some idea comes into your head and then you make it is really cool really it's a really satisfying thing and then of course getting to share it and getting appreciated for it that's great that's like your ego loves getting stroked and you're like and process and it's not just and it's also how it affects people is really cool like seeing how your art inspires the audience whether it makes them cry or laugh or dance or whatever like that's really satisfying as well but like what you made is affecting people but that moment of creation like i've heard it said that that's like god is is creation right so like when the idea comes to your head and you say it and it becomes something real that's like that's magic time yeah but that brings you back to your childhood when you go to your room and you just create that's why that's why you like that yeah And that's the thing that you can't lose as a creative.

55:49You have to, you have to keep that childlike impulse of just, did it come to your head? What is it? You know, like, and not judging it, not, not, you know, overthinking it or standing in its way. It's like just letting the impulse sort of have a free, clear path. So how do you as a creative keep staying creative? How do you do that? How do you keep moving that barren, moving that goalpost to make it always new? Well, I think with this project, with AFTRS, what I realized was there are so many less rules than there used to be. The rules have changed. But is that because you've changed? Is that because you don't?

56:26It's probably a combo. Because you're more confident in yourself, right? The industry has changed a lot. And as like a queer person making music, there were a lot of obstacles that I had to sort of like dodge for many years. It was like all everyone's opinions. And it's like all I wanted to do always was like, I just want to make my shit, you know? That's all I wanted. But when you – like the rude awakening of coming off of Idol, which I was so excited. Oh, my God, I'm getting signed to a major label. This is so cool. I'm going to make an album. All of a sudden, you've got a lot of people to answer to.

56:58Yeah. Because it's their money. It's not your money. So the capitalism part of it starts to mess with the creative part of it, you know? And that's, this is like nothing new. We all know this, that this is sort of like the, the art and commerce dichotomy is like, we all know what it is. Like it's always been that way for all creative people, but it was a bit sad kind of realizing it. It was a bit depressing, like realizing, oh, okay. This is not going to be exactly what I thought it was going to be. It's a bit of a game. So if you, to go cheesy for a second, if you thought about little Adam in his room dressing up and then him seeing where you are now, do you think he'd be shocked?

57:44I don't know what he'd be. I think he'd be like, what the fuck? Like, I think there would be a lot of what's that? Like, what's he doing with that? You know, what's he doing with that? You know?

57:56um it that's so long ago it's such a lifetime ago that's what's so interesting part of you 100 100 and like i've done a little bit of therapy i have and like that inner child stuff that's really important work to do and it it it's so long ago i've i've healed a lot of the stuff i need to heal i haven't healed everything but like i definitely have like made peace with a lot of the things that I needed to make peace with, which is probably why I'm in a place now where like, I feel like there's forward motion. I feel, I feel good. I feel good. Of course there's challenges. Of course things piss me off and annoy me.

58:35Of course, you know, I mean, I think as you get older, that's the other thing too, is like, you're more set in your ways. So it's, it's easier to get like, ah, like annoyed by things. Cause you're like that, you know, but I also am like seeing seeing the value of the hard work now. I'm seeing the payoff of it. I'm seeing that things are possible if you just kind of like focus a little bit. And yeah, and I'm really grateful for that work play balance thing that I needed. Tell me about the new music. So I'm putting out an EP right now around this time this month, July 19th, the release date may have happened already, may not have.

59:14It's called Afters. So I wanted to create music that sort of was a soundtrack for an after party that I would have at my house. And I've become pretty notorious for having after parties. Got a good house in LA. It's a big party house. And I was like, you know, I just want to make a project that sounds like my social life that has zero filter. That's like the kind of like the lyrics are like the kind of conversation I either have with my lover or with my friends about my lover or, um, you know, the, you know, kind of BS that you get into with a group of friends when you're out having drinks and like, you're talking about sex and boys.

59:53And I'm like, that's what I want the album to be. So yeah, the first single that came out, it's called Lube. Uh, the second single is called Wet Dream. Uh, the next single was Cunty. Uh, yeah. And it's, it's, it's, it's a little nasty and I'm, it's like, you know, My favorite musicians all have that period in their careers. Love that. Prince did it. Madonna definitely did it. You know, everyone gets to, you get to do your little nasty era. And I think this is my nasty era. What's your favorite track from it? Oh God, I like, I'm like, there's six tracks. I really love all of them. Honestly, that sounds kind of diplomatic, but I really love all of them.

1:00:32Really? Yeah. They're all, they all kind of serve a different purpose. Who's one of the funnest people that's walked through your door to have an after party with you? I had a lot of random people show up at my house for afters charlie xcx came to an after she's great like it was a long time ago but she was there one time these brits i'll name the brit people that i that randomly i was having a halloween party years ago at a hotel like a hotel collaboration came back to my house afterwards i walk into my kitchen and lily allen is sitting on the island in my kitchen i don't know lily allen i've never met her in my life and i had on like full like werewolf makeup i was like in a full transformation i had like hair glued to my face and yellow contacts and teeth and like a wig you could not recognize me i looked bizarre and i walked up to her i'm like hey and she was like hi like kind of like weirded out by how scary i was and i'm like no no it's my house and she's like oh cool and i'm like i'm adam and she goes adam i'm like lambert she goes oh great and i was like yeah it's kind of hard to see with you know with the hair on face but yeah she ended up being very sweet Does that mean I can come to an afterpoddy?

1:01:39Of course Great Especially if you're in a costume Okay Yeah Yeah

1:01:48I've loved Every minute of this This is Man it's been I didn't know where we were going to go with this But we went We went in I told you We end with eight questions Okay So be as honest as you can What's a saying or phrase that makes you smile or cheers you up? She know what I mean She know what I mean She know what I mean Like here in the UK I love that I love that She know what I mean It's like one word And there's a cousin of it in Australia It's hi gang Hi gang Hi gang She know what I mean Hi gang Best compliment anyone's ever given you

1:02:45yeah that was like the best sex i've ever had i mean who doesn't want to hear that who does not want to hear that even though half the time you're like bullshit you know it's a good compliment i don't think i've ever had that i've never had that i've had it a couple times just a few can i share this yeah i get when i I remember when I was young and I was experimenting and I was with this girl and I was like trying out different things. And I remember it was honestly one of the worst moments of life. But I was doing something. She said, you might as well stop that because it's not doing anything.

1:03:20Thank you for her, though. Thank you for her. Like, thank you for the guidance. 17 years old and being told that is not. That's a tough one. You were probably bright red in the face. Whoa, is it? Is it not? Okay. This whole time, I thought that's what it was. Yeah, exactly. what scares you most about yourself that's a good question that's good one like i'm trying to think maybe there's nothing no i think i think i get scared that i won't be able to find the joy in things because i'm like constantly making sure i'm finding the joy in things and like i think it scares me to like think of a time like you know if the joy runs out about something like What if I just don't love this anymore?

1:04:01Like what happens then? That is good. That scares me. Yeah, that is a great one. Yeah. Because you see it. Yeah. Some people, yeah. And I've been in like moments of like scraping the barrel a little bit. Yeah. I totally understand that. When was the last time you cried and why? Oh, I'm like a blubbering baby at the slightest sentimental movie. I'm like I don't cry I actually cannot remember the last time I cried in a life situation that's that resilience just hold that I don't know what it is I kind of wish I would cry more with people you know but it's with film and tv I'm like the other day like literally two nights ago I was like yeah because that's your excuse your place to be able to cry I love it I love having a good cry I think I was watching the finale of um this series we were the lucky ones on Hulu.

1:04:54It's about like a family that survived the Holocaust. And it was just like, you know, really heavy, but the ending was really uplifting. And I was just like, it's so beautiful. What's something you can't let go of? I'm like a fashion hoarder. I like, I like one, once I like have so much shit in my closet. I'm, I'm a hoarder with clothes. I like that. What's the pettiest thing you've ever done?

1:05:21pettiest that's a long story uh i don't know if i can wrap that up for this podcast i'm not usually a very petty person to be honest i'm like i i can let things go really easily but every once in a while if someone has like wronged me i'll be like yeah i'm gonna get back at them so it's very rare it's very rare what turns you off stupidity great one what turns you on Humor and intelligence What do you like most about yourself? I can talk to anybody I like that Bonus one, last one What's your favorite swear word? Cunt Everyone goes around It's a good one It's a good one Yeah Because it's like one of the few left that have some shock value It's so true Yeah Adam, thank you so much for coming to a great company That was amazing Thank you It was a nice chat Thank you very much Thank you so much.

1:06:46I liked it a lot Yeah, really, really interesting when he was talking about his sexuality and that his mum his mum what's the phrase? Came out? No, his mum didn't come out No, he came out to his mum No, but his mum came out for him Yeah, his mum sort of helped him on that journey Yeah Which is an amazing moment How incredible is that? I know What a guy What a guy What an episode What a voice What a voice I absolutely love that Have fun editing it Thank you we'll put all the links in the bio every link that you need is in the show description and if you want to send us any messages you can at great company podcast just slide into our DMs all in the show description if you haven't followed or subscribed to the show please do we'd absolutely love that okay on to the next next week Wednesday another episode so do not miss it another huge guest very exciting I'm not going to say who it is but I'm pretty excited about it okay alright good how do we end this?

1:07:43a good bar that's not how we end it we'll see you next week on another episode of Great Company oh great I missed it goodbye

1:08:09hello everyone we're Jamie and Sophie you may remember us from Nearly Weds and then newlyweds. But now, guys, things are about to get even wilder as we take on our biggest adventure yet, becoming parents. Yeah, that's right. Newlyweds is now Nearly Parents and we're bringing you the same honest, heartwarming takes on our journey to parenthood, I guess. Join us as we find out what it really means to become a family while trying not to kill each other. Get ready for Nearly Parents, your favourite new podcast.