You Make Me Real

Bob Ostertag

Writer, musician, and film maker Bob Ostertag presents oral histories of the characters and contributions that have made queer life in the Bay Area so beautiful.

  1. Joey Cain Part 1

    5D AGO

    Joey Cain Part 1

    Joey Cain regales us with tales of his fascinating life. In this Part 1, we hear of him hitchhiking to New York City in 1972 at age 16 and walking from the George Washington Bridge to Christopher Street where Marsha P. Johnson took him on a tour of the piers and the trucks. Stay tuned for Part 2, when Joey will move to San Francisco and join the Radical Faeries in their early days, form a lifelong friendship with Harry Hay, and much more.

    40 min
  2. Larry Byes

    08/19/2024

    Larry Byes

    Larry Byes tells of the extreme racism he experienced growing up as a poor black sissy kid in Ohio, the incredible story of his arrival in San Francisco in 1975, his experience in Black and White Men Together and at Glide church, the worst of the AIDS epidemic, and more.

    1h 2m
  3. JD Wade

    08/19/2024

    JD Wade

    JD Wade arrived in San Francisco in 1965, making him the earliest arrival of all our guests thus far. Among other things, he discusses the role of gay hippies, both within the wider hippie scene and also in the development of what would become the gay world of San Francisco.

    1h 13m
  4. Brian Freeman Episode 1

    05/09/2023

    Brian Freeman Episode 1

    First of a two-part episode with actor, writer, director, and public intellectual Brian Freeman. In this episode Brian talks about arriving in San Francisco in 1977, negotiating the race landscape of 1970s San Francisco as a black gay man, his work in the San Francisco Mime Troupe,  meeting his future collaborator Marlon Riggs, and the early years of the AIDS pandemic.  Be sure to check out episode 2, in which Brian tells the story of the making of the landmark film Tongues Untied, and his landmark theater company PomoAfroHomos.

    41 min
  5. Brian Freeman Episode 2

    05/09/2023

    Brian Freeman Episode 2

    In this second episode, Brian Freeman talks about the creation of not ine but TWO iconic works by black gay men, the movie Tongues Untied and the theater company PomoAfroHomos.

    38 min
  6. Timmy Spence

    01/26/2023

    Timmy Spence

    One day after his 70th birthday, we interview none other than Timmy Spence - actor, musician, drag queen, provocateur par excellence. From growing up in Philly to landing in San Francisco at age 19 with nothing but $35; to doing drag when drag wasn't popular all the way through TrannyShack, to beating AIDS and 8 episodes of cancer to finding himself happy and wise at an age no one including Timmy ever thought he would see.

    1h 23m
  7. Gerry Kirby Episode 4

    07/14/2022

    Gerry Kirby Episode 4

    As fate would have it, Gerry Kirby passed away peacefully during the night just hours before this fourth and final episode of his oral history was published. RIP Gerry. We will miss you, dear friend. We are so happy were were able to, as you said, tell your truth.

    48 min
  8. Danny Nicoletta

    07/01/2022

    Danny Nicoletta

    Danny Nicoletta remembers arriving in San Francisco's Castro district in the mid-1970s, becoming Harvey Milk's  employee and occasional sex partner, the journey through drugs for both him and his community, and Harvey's legacy. He concludes with some profound observations comparing the ethical and political questions confronting the queer community back then and today.

    1h 22m
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About

Writer, musician, and film maker Bob Ostertag presents oral histories of the characters and contributions that have made queer life in the Bay Area so beautiful.

Information

  • Creator
    Bob Ostertag
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Robert Ostertag
  • Show Website
    You Make Me Real