Everything and Anything…and a bit gay Podcast Zachary Randles-Friedman

Author Ryan La Sala joins the show to talk about his new horror novel The Dead of Summer, now out in paperback, and the fictional island of Anchor's Mercy — a queer sanctuary modeled on Provincetown, right down to the drag queens who run the town after the tourists clear out. Ryan opens up about writing horror as a way to process fear and courage, the complicated dynamic between year-round locals and seasonal visitors in queer resort towns, and the mother-son storyline inspired by (but not literally) his own mom. He also talks about his earlier books Honeys and Beholder, the upcoming Dead of Summer sequel, movie news on the Honeys adaptation, his cat Haunted Little Girl, and why he thinks everyone should put on a wig at least once.

Ryan's books, including The Dead of Summer.  https://www.ryanlasala.com/

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Every gay content creator has a Karen. Mine has several — plus a Brent, a Donna, and a Gary with exactly six followers and one Pokémon post to his name. This week on The Gay Bit, Zach breaks down the taxonomy of the strangers who slide into his comments and DMs to inform him he's going to hell: the drive-by, the scripture bomber, the concerned auntie, and the rarest breed of all, the debate-me bro. Some of it is pure comedy (Donna's 47 public photos of her granddaughter's birthday party while lecturing Zach on family values). Some of it is genuinely moving — a mother named Linda, quietly wrestling with her faith and her love for her gay son, who had nowhere else to put her fear. Plus: the time Zach accidentally cross-posted his gay news podcast into a West African community Facebook group at midnight, and lived to tell the tale.

Mentioned in this episode: BAGLY (Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth) — bagly.org

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Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com 

Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

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In this episode of Everything & Anything…and a Bit Gay, Zach talks with Felix Eller — the Richmond, Virginia native who unexpectedly went viral for winning a Heated Rivalry-themed lookalike contest.

In this episode:

• Felix's coming out story — being told he was gay before he'd considered it himself
• Middle school bullying, a death threat, and a year of homeschooling
• A first relationship ended by a conversion therapy threat
• Full-circle acceptance from parents, siblings, and even his great-grandmother
• How the lookalike contest led to a real date — and a viral jumbotron kiss at TD Garden in Boston
• Setting boundaries with press to make sure his full story got told, not just the viral moment
• Handling trolls and online hate with perspective
• Building Hit the Town, his app spotlighting queer-, Black-, and woman-owned businesses
• Plans for modeling, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and a move to New York City

Follow Felix and check out Hit the Town 

https://www.instagram.com/felix.eller/

https://chirp.me/felixeller

Hit the Town Crowdfunding

https://www.freefunder.com/campaign/hit-the-town

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Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com 

Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

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In this week's This Is Everything episode, Zach takes listeners on a trip back to Southern Illinois, where he visited his mother for her birthday and revisited the tiny rural town he lived in until age seven. He reflects on what his life could have looked like had his family never relocated to Florida — the bullying he likely would have faced, the lack of diversity in his childhood school, and the very real possibility his life would have taken a darker turn. He traces the ripple effects of that one relocation decision all the way to meeting his husband in New York City 27+ years ago, and reflects on gratitude, chosen paths, and the "what if" moments that shape a life.

Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com 

Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

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Title: Inside the Furry Fandom: A Veteran's Journey Through Fursonas, Community & Healing

Episode Summary:
This week on Everything & Anything…and a Bit Gay, Zach sits down with Mika (Mikadothebusky25), a content creator and proud member of the furry fandom, for a conversation that goes far beyond the stereotypes. Mika breaks down what the furry community actually is, how fursonas are created, and why the fandom has become a comfort space for people navigating identity, gender expression, and mental health. He also opens up about his background as a former Israeli military sniper, his experience surviving the October 7th attacks and the loss of his children, and how art and community became part of his healing process after being medically discharged and relocating to the United States. The two also dig into the economics of fursuits (some costing upwards of $20,000), what conventions like Anthrocon actually look like, the overlap between the furry world and LGBTQ+ culture, and the community's own accountability standards around protecting minors and animals from the small minority who give the fandom a bad name.

Episode Notes:

• What the furry fandom is (and isn't) — and its roots as a comfort community
• How fursonas are created and how they can evolve over time
• The cost and craftsmanship behind fursuits ($1,500–$75,000+)
• Mika's path from growing up in Israel to serving as a sniper, surviving October 7th, and starting over in the U.S.
• How the furry community helped him process trauma and repressed emotion
• The overlap between furry culture and LGBTQ+ identity and expression
• A look inside furry conventions — Anthrocon in Pittsburgh draws up to 180,000 attendees
• Community safety norms: how the fandom identifies and excludes anyone who harms minors or animals
• Furries vs. bronies — how the two communities differ
• Finding love and chosen family through the fandom, including meeting his fiancé on VRChat
• Advice for anyone curious about exploring the community
• Where to find Mika: TikTok @Mikadothebusky25

Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com 

Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

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