Metrosource Minis: The LGBTQ World & Beyond UBNGO

This summer, viewers tuned into The Today Show to find NY Times Best Selling author Steven Rowley enjoying his chat about his latest novel, The Celebrants, as an official Today Show Read with Jenna Book Club pick. As part of his mega book tour that took over a month, he was in the spotlight as never before, having earned his way with his previous novels, Lily and the Octopus, The Editor, and The Guncle, each earning a number of accolades from critics and readers alike. Not a bad start for having published his first book at the age of 45. Each novel is masterfully crafted, with the inclusion of queer characters so perfectly woven into the story, the books are not limited to the LGBTQ community but rather appeal to all audiences while telling our stories.

In this episode, we chat about his early writing as a kid, the critic and audience appeal of his work, healing through grief, aging in the gay community, life after death, his creative process in developing his characters, his marriage with fellow writer Byron Lane, the power of friendship, touring the nation, the future of The Guncle, his message to the LGBTQ community, and so much more. Girl, we get deep!

Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez.

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

At first glance, social media personality Barrett Pall, with his good looks and sculpted physique, fits the mold of the current trend of popular, gay influencers. With literally millions of followers across his YouTube channel, Instagram, and TikTok, he has always been in the public eye from his career as a professional model, starting when he was just a freshman in college. Yes, he is attractive. But after you stop scrolling and really look at his material, you see he is much more than what meets the eye. In addition to his social media presence, he has been a professional life coach for the past eight years, graduating from NYU with a Bachelor of Science in Communication, Culture, and Media, focusing his studies on human interactions, social processes, journalism, and politics. He is certified in Behavioral Change by the American Council of Exercise and has since created his own methodology that incorporates the mind, body, soul, and emotional space. He has traveled to all seven continents, taking part in humanitarian work throughout different sectors in countries like Cambodia, Thailand, and Kenya, and was named an official UN Partner in 2019. He has meshed his social media and life coaching skills to provide messages of acceptance, self-affirmation, and positivity while calling out attacks on inequality or the promotion of misogyny. Though he is the first to admit that he is still discovering himself and coping with life’s obstacles, he has overcome a path laden with bullying, personal demons, and even sexual assault.

In this episode, we chat about Barrett’s growing up, looks vs reality, bullying, coming out, the double-edged sword that is social media, speaking your truth, overcoming life’s obstacles, dealing with haters, his sexual assault recovery, life coaching, looking to the future, and his message to the LGBTQ community. Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez.

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

As Pride season continues with festivals, parades, and increased nightlife, there is a community within our LGBTQ+ family that continues to thrive and grow, gaining a stronger voice in the last decade – that of our sober community. Pride celebrations now include safe spaces and events that cater to those on their journey from addiction, the stigma towards our sober family and the assumption that they can’t party with us is being diminished. Yet, there is still a long way to go. Because of our battle with discrimination, isolation, gender identity, and abandonment, the LGBTQ community struggles with substance abuse at a rate of two to three times that of the general population. Alarmingly, up until now, there have been zero facilities dedicated to our particular needs. Enter Rainbow Hill, founded by Southern California-based couple Andrew Fox and Joey Bachrach. The two, inspired by their own journey in recovery, left lucrative careers in real estate to open the doors of Rainbow Hill Sober Living in 2021, and, this summer, Rainbow Hill Recovery, an intensive outpatient treatment center in the Los Angeles area.

In this episode, we chat about how these two met and got Rainbow Hill off the ground, we talk about addiction in the LGBTQ community, advice for friends and family of those suffering addiction, relapse rates, spreading the message of sobriety, the services that Rainbow Hill has to offer, and what the future of the organization holds. Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez. You can find out more about Rainbow Hill RainbowHillRecovery.com Check out our in-depth article with Andrew and Joey at Metrosource.com

This August, Amazon Prime releases the highly anticipated Red, White & Royal Blue, the tale of Alex and Henry, the son of the US President falling in love with the son of the King of the UK – shenanigans and politics ensue. The film, both sultry and sweet at the same time, is based on the New York Times bestselling book by Casey McQuiston. The book was an instant hit, and with the charm, stellar cast (including Uma Thurman), and truly heartful direction, this film should be no less. At the film’s helm is the king (or queen) of the stage, mastermind Matthew López, making his feature film co-writing and directing debut. Let’s hope if the film sweeps the award shows, he has enough room on his shelf next to his Tony Award, Olivier Award, Outer Critics Circle Awards, Drama Desk Awards, Drama League Award, GLAAD Media Award, and a handful of others. Despite his youth, he’s already achieved more on the stage as a playwright than most writers accomplish in a lifetime.

In this episode, we chat with Matthew about going from loner kid to award-winning playwright, his creative process, representation in media, expressing sexuality through film, behind the scenes of the making of Red, White and Royal Blue, and so much more! Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez

You can follow Matthew on Instagram at @MatthewMichaelLopez and check out our in-depth chat with him in the current issue of Metrosource on newsstands or at Metrosource.com
Red, White and Royal Blue streams Aug 11th on Amazon Prime!

Byron Lane’s love affair with words is far from languishing. Winning two regional Emmy Awards for his time as a TV journalist, he went on to write for and appear on the stage and screen. Remember the odd but highly successful stage piece Tilda Swinton Answers an Ad on Craigslist? That was from his mind. Three years ago, he made the leap into novel writing with A Star is Bored, a fictional homage to his time working for Carrie Fisher, a master of words herself. The book barely hit the shelves as it was scooped up by critics and readers alike. It was a smashing success. It made the top book lists for People, Town & Country, Harper’s Bazaar, Parade Magazine, New York Times Review, USA Today, and the NY Post, with the list going on and on – not to mention the social media frenzy it stirred with celebs from the LGBTQ world and beyond touting his book. We had the honor of chatting with him as his debut novel was released. That’s when we fell in love with the man behind the keyboard. Unassuming and soft-spoken, he is a force of optimistic and infectious energy. He is what his books promote – sincere love and affection. He somehow turns the conversation around, asking how you are and what you are going through to the point you don’t know if the conversation will result in laughs or tears with it most times having a bit of both.

This summer, he’s back with his sophomore novel, Big Gay Wedding: A Novel. Already a hit lauded literally everywhere, it centers on a gay man’s journey back to his small-town home – with whom he visits with his fiancé. The two decide to get married on his childhood farm, despite the pushback from conservative townsfolk and gasp! even his own mother. The book is beautifully written, and it is not only very funny, but also deeply emotional as it focuses on getting older, unconditional love, and even grief.

In this episode, we talk about his new book, married life, how he captures his characters so well, the balance of comedy in drama (even in real life), dealing with cancer, noticing the beauty in everything, dealing with loss, forgiving those who don’t accept us, the need to be super gay, building bridges with “the other side,” what’s up ahead for Byron, his Pride message to the community, and more! Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez.

You can catch our in-depth conversation with Byron in the Pride issue of Metrosource, now on newsstands or at Metrosource.com. Follow everything Byron at ByronLane.com.

Chicago Fire, as part of television’s Chicago franchise and executive produced by TV great Dick Wolf, has become a staple of NBC’s collection of fan-favorite shows. Now in its 12th season, it centers around the personal and professional lives of firefighters in the Chicago area. Having earned the role of firefighter Darren Ritter, Daniel Kyri is now enjoying his fifth year with the show, though the role was originally intended to only be around for 2 or 3 episodes. He is an out and proud actor who plays an openly gay firefighter in a typically hyper-masculine environment. Viewers of Dick Wolf shows are fervent, to say the least, and they have embraced Daniel and his character, quickly making him a fan favorite. Daniel is a native of Chicago and brings to the show the acting skills that he honed from his vibrant theater history, founded in the rich theater culture that Chicago has to offer. Did you know he also sings…amazingly?

In this episode, we chat about his growing up on the south side, his early start in the theater world and the safe space it offered, the challenge of dealing with his sexuality, his early brush with reality TV, his take on acting, the audition for Chicago Fire that almost didn’t happen, his first day of filming, and how the show has changed his life and how it taught him more about acting, his singing, what’s up ahead, and his message to the community this Pride season. Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez.

Check out Daniel's in-depth chat in the Pride Issue of Metrosource, on newsstands or at Metrosource.com