Metrosource Minis: The LGBTQ World & Beyond UBNGO

Kathy Griffin is one of the most resilient entertainment personalities on record. Living life as an open book, we have been witnessing her career triumphs as well as her personal and public low points. Hitting the road with her new show tour, My Life on the PTSD-List, and having just announced her Fall extension hitting up Carnegie Hall and The Chicago Theatre among a long list of others, she is once again using her voice to cause a sensation on behalf of the LGBTQ community, those who suffer from PTSD, and those who give a damn about the future of the nation. A recent cancer survivor and being diagnosed with PTSD, she is hitting the stage maybe a bit more delicate, but no less fierce. 

What was supposed to be a quick, formal interview turned into a lively and revealing conversation with Kathy about some of the bumps in the road, grief, the power of comedy, her activism as an ally that actually started when she was a kid, of course we talked politics, and even have a pop-up appearance from E. Jean Carroll who was in Kathy’s hotel room when we chatted, we talked about Kathy’s amazing parents, and we got all the scoop on Kathy’s new tour. And kids, she needs our help. Check out the part of our chat where we talk about Kathy’s three-year court case that is happening in Tennessee, all because she stood up for our community on social media. Why hasn’t the media made a bigger deal out of it? Good question. If she loses this fight, it will set a precedent for capturing hate action on social media. Time to rally the troops!

Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez. @alexanderisonair

Check out our in-depth chat with her in the current issue of Metrosource or at Metrosource.com  

For info on Kathy’s tour head to KathyGriffin.net 

Travina Springer is wasting no time making her mark in Hollywood as an actor and comedian. She is a refreshing, down-to-earth dose of optimism and positivity, while at the same time exuding that spark and passion that has made her instantly recognizable on the screen. Last year she made her debut in the Marvel Universe for her role in Ms. Marvel, one of the franchise’s most ambitiously diverse pieces to date. She can currently be seen in NBC’s hit show, The Irrational, renewed for season 2, holding her own opposite the show’s star, Jesse L. Martin. 

Comedy has been a constant in Travina’s life. She’s been a member of UCB Comedy, performed in the CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase, her stand-up was featured on the reboot of BET’s Comic View, and she’s taken the stage at powerhouses like Flappers, The Comedy Store, and The Ice House. She uses her comedy to bring up social themes that play a big part in her life. She is a shining star on the rise.

In this super fun chat, we talk about her moving around a lot as a kid, the power of comedy, the hot topic of free speech in comedy, being part of the Marvel Universe, her conversion to Islam and the role that spirituality plays in her everyday life, what it’s like to be part of NBC’s The Irrational (her first major, primetime show), and more.

Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez. @alexanderisonair

Check out our in-depth chat with her in the last issue of Metrosource or at Metrosource.com  

Joel Kim Booster has done just about everything in Hollywood. Producing, writing, acting, podcasting, hosting, and stand-up, he’s mastered them all. His most ambitious project, Hulu’s Fire Island, which he wrote, produced, and starred in, was welcomed with both critical and audience praise. This spring, he reprises his role as Nicholas, alongside Maya Rudolph, for season 2 of AppleTV’s hit series, Loot.

His work in the entertainment industry has focused the spotlight on his identity as a gay, Asian actor, progressing the talk of Hollywood’s need for diversity even further.

In this intimate chat, we cover his early family life, discovering his culture at a later age, having to move out and make it on his own after coming out, getting into Hollywood via comedy, the evolution of Asian and LGBTQ representation in the media, censorship of comedians, supporting other LGBTQ community members, the new season of Loot, and so much more.

Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez. @alexanderisonair

Check out our in-depth chat with him in the current issue of Metrosource on newsstands or at Metrosource.com

Adam Berry, paranormal investigator and co-host of the Travel Channel’s Kindred Spirits, released his debut book, Goodbye Hello: Processing Grief and Understanding Death Through the Paranormal this last holiday. Sound a bit morbid for a gift? Not so. The book, thoroughly entertaining, is a positive and hopeful look at the afterlife through stories from Adam’s encounters, supernatural research, and psychology. Add Adam’s touch of queer sensibility and style of storytelling, and you have a touching book that serves as a comfort to those struggling to come to terms with grief and the end of life, themes that can play a heavy hand for those going through loss. Adam began experiencing the paranormal when he was a kid in his childhood home. But it wasn’t until a visit to Gettysburg, in a scene like a movie, that his relationship with the paranormal world would become his life’s journey. After appearing and winning the reality show Ghost Hunters Academy, he and his partner in crime, Amy Bruni, would build their own legacy in the paranormal world with their TV show Kindred Spirits. In this episode, we chat with Adam about the paranormal experience that started it all, understanding grief through the paranormal, life after death, coming out, being part of the LGBTQ community, his theatre work, we tackle the subject of God’s existence, and so much more! It’s a wild ride!

Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez.

You can purchase Adams’ book Goodbye Hello wherever you get your books, and check out our in-depth chat with him in the current issue of Metrosource on newsstands or at Metrosource.com

This season, Showtime premiered the series Fellow Travelers, an ambitious, beautifully woven multi-era-spanning love story between two men as they fight the odds of societal norms, family pressure, and personal demons. Starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey in undeniably career-topping performances, the series is based on the novel by Thomas Mallon and brought to television by Academy, Emmy, and Golden Globe-nominated writer and director, Rony Nyswaner. No stranger to telling our stories, Ron has been infiltrating Hollywood with subjects that include homosexuality, AIDS, homophobia, and LGBTQ activism, in works that include Philadelphia with Tom Hanks, Showtime’s Soldier’s Girl, and The Policeman with Harry Styles. His craft captures characters in a gripping and visceral way, something that was inspired by dealing with his sexuality in his youth.

In this episode, we talk with Ron about how being an outsider as a kid shaped his future career, we also talk about religion, the evolution of Hollywood, overcoming addiction, loss, being an openly gay writer in the 80s, expressing gay sexuality on the screen, and gay activism; we also chat about the behind the scenes look at Fellow Travelers, finding the joy in struggle, and more. Yeah, we talk about it all! Check it out.

Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez.

You can watch Fellow Travelers on Showtime and check out our in-depth chat with him in the current issue of Metrosource on newsstands or at Metrosource.com

Even on a day off, from the comfort of her home, without the spotlight or judges panel, without makeup or a gown, there is no mistaking Luxx Noir London’s star quality. As one of the youngest competitors of RuPaul’s Drag Race, she made it to the finale of Season 15, after a season of outspoken commentary and high fashion looks. Performing “It’s Giving Fashion” in dashing red, she was giving fierce energy, showing off her stage skills, and whether her off-handed comments ruffled some feathers, there is no denying that she’s got talent. Taking her newfound audience with her, she is moving from Drag Race herstory to high fashion and entertainment with self-branding projects on the horizon.

In this episode, we talk about Luxx’s early childhood, the power of expressing yourself, Drag Race, defining star quality, creating your own brand, being young in the biz, being correct (not cocky!), and more.

Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez IG: @AlexanderisOnAir

You can follow Luxx on Instagram at @LuxxNoirLondon and check out our in-depth chat with her in the current issue of Metrosource on newsstands or at Metrosource.com