The Queer Stuff Pod

In this Q&A-style episode, I answer your questions about the wild start to my 2025—from losing my home in a fire to unexpectedly moving to Switzerland and starting a new chapter as head of media at an aid organization. I’m covering everything: how I ended up here, what life near Lake Lucerne is really like, and the ups and downs of adjusting to a new country and culture, and what’s next for me and the podcast. Timestamps:  00:00:00 - Introduction  00:01:09 - Podcast break  00:03:13 - Switzerland job  00:04:04 - Permanent move 00:04:39 - Swiss men & relationships  00:05:55 - Swiss visa & yodeling  00:06:51 - Sarge  00:08:03 - Favorite country 00:09:02 - Finding a job in europe  00:10:40 - Haircut  00:11:20 - Swiss living expenses  00:12:09 - Andrés update  00:12:25 - Swiss language barrier  00:13:41 - Adoption update  00:14:42 - Favorite food  00:15:40 - Culture shock  00:17:16 - Learning German  00:17:40 - What’s next?  Sponsored By: Manscaped | Visit http://Manscaped.com and use code MAXEMERSON to get 20% off plus free shipping. Or if you need it today, you can find MANSCAPED® at a store near you. Stay fresh this season—for everyone's sake. Level up your grooming game today! Check Out Max:  Instagram YouTube TikTok Thank you to all my patreon subscribers!  Nate Heffel, Tobin Schiller ,James M, Christopher Neefus, Heskel, Michael Carpentiere, Timothy Cardoso, Shane Ouyang, Brian Joaquin, Carabalda, Brendan Saunders, Jeff Jay, James LEE, Andy, 正 , George Acosta, Michael Rice, Nathan Filip, Linda Johnson, Stephen Weathers, Kean Phan, James Powell, Landy Manderson

On this episode of Queer Stuff Pod, I’m joined by the brilliant Brandon Kyle Goodman—actor, writer, and all-around icon—who never shies away from life’s messiest moments. Brandon talks about identity, career ups and downs, and what it means to embrace every part of yourself, even the chaotic ones. From making it in Hollywood to cutting off toxic people, Brandon gets into the highs and lows of life with humor and honesty. Nothing is off-limits in this conversation about identity, boundaries, and finding joy in the mess. Topics Discussed: How do you set boundaries and go no-contact with toxic people? How do humor and vulnerability help in discussing serious topics? What’s the messiest story Brandon has ever heard What advice does Brandon have for folks entering the entertainment industry Timestamps:  00:00:00 - Introduction  00:01:08 - Who The Hell Are You!  00:04:27 - Tell Me Something Messy 00:06:18 - Sex positivity  00:08:33 - Most memorable interview  00:09:43 - We contain multitudes  00:10:52 - Navigating challenges with humor  00:13:51 - Messiest story  00:14:46 - Going no contact 00:19:51 - Identifying with suffering  00:22:57 - You can do hard things  00:24:51 - Making time for yourself  00:28:49 - From Queens to Georgia   00:31:20 - Max’s expulsion  00:32:34 - NYU Tisch 00:35:30 - DEI  00:38:11 - Recession core & stand up  00:40:01 - Sketch vs standup comedy    00:42:05 - Job security 00:43:01 - Message for marginalized folks  00:46:17 - Fight Me! Clone f*cking Sponsored By: Manscaped | Visit Manscaped.com and use code MAXEMERSON to get 20% off plus free shipping. Or if you need it today, you can find MANSCAPED® at a store near you. Stay fresh this season—for everyone's sake. Level up your grooming game today! Check Out Brandon:  Instagram  Podcast  More Brandon  Check Out Max:  Instagram YouTube TikTok Thank you to all my patreon subscribers!  Nate Heffel, Tobin Schiller ,James M, Christopher Neefus, Heskel, Michael Carpentiere, Timothy Cardoso, Shane Ouyang, Brian Joaquin, Carabalda, Brendan Saunders, Jeff Jay, James LEE, Andy, 正 , George Acosta, Michael Rice, Nathan Filip, Linda Johnson, Stephen Weathers, Kean Phan, James Powell, Landy Manderson

26: Comedian and fitness pro Raneir Pollard joins the show to share his journey from college friend to Guinness World Record holder. He talks about breaking a burpee record while wearing stilettos, his work as a celebrity trainer, and his unique approach to fitness with humor. We explore his worst performances, balancing comedy and fitness, and his thoughts on body positivity and the fitness influencer culture. Raneir also discusses how virtual reality is revolutionizing workouts and the importance of staying motivated in both comedy and fitness. Topics Discussed: How did Raneir Pollard become a Guinness World Record holder? What challenges did Raneir face during his worst performances? How does Raneir balance comedy with fitness? What is Supernatural VR Fitness, and how does it relate to fitness? How does body positivity affect Raneir’s approach to fitness? What are common scams in the fitness industry and how to spot them? How does Raneir stay motivated in his comedy and fitness careers? Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:01:57 - Who Is Raneir Pollard? 00:05:40 - How Raneir Realized He Was Funny 00:09:13 - Raneir’s Worst Shows 00:13:12 - Pre-Show Rituals 00:14:59 - Earning a Guinness World Record 00:16:28 - Teaching 20 Fitness Classes a Week 00:19:18 - Fitness Influencers & Parasocial Relationships 00:21:33 - Supernatural VR Fitness 00:24:59 - Cardio & Comedy 00:25:36 - Fitness Instructor Challenges 00:26:47 - Body Positivity in Fitness 00:28:58 - Spotting Fitness Scams 00:31:21 - Advice for Beginners in Fitness 00:34:59 - Structuring Your Workouts 00:36:47 - Intensity of VR Workouts 00:37:58 - Staying Motivated 00:40:19 - Best Raneir Workout 00:41:32 - FIGHT ME! - Vampirism?    Show Links:  The Burpees Video  BRANDON KYLE GOODMAN COMING SOON Sponsored By:  Manscaped | Visit Manscaped.com and use code MAXEMERSON to get 20% off plus free shipping. Or if you need it today, you can find MANSCAPED® at a store near you. Stay fresh this season—for everyone's sake. Level up your grooming game today! Puori | Go to Puori.com/maxemerson and use code maxemerson Check Out Ranier:  Instagram Youtube Website Check Out Max:  Instagram YouTube TikTok Thank you to all my patreon subscribers!  Nate Heffel, Tobin Schiller ,James M, Christopher Neefus, Heskel, Michael Carpentiere, Timothy Cardoso, Shane Ouyang, Brian Joaquin, Carabalda, Brendan Saunders, Jeff Jay, James LEE, Andy, 正 , George Acosta, Michael Rice, Nathan Filip, Linda Johnson, Stephen Weathers, Kean Phan, James Powell, Landy Manderson

TV presenter, style expert, and entrepreneur Darren Kennedy joins me to share his journey from radio to television, his most disastrous interviews, and how he found his place in the fashion industry. We also explore the inspiration behind his podcast The Number, his approach to personal style, and his documentary Gay Daddy.  Topics Discussed: Darren Kennedy’s journey from radio to TV and fashion His most memorable and disastrous celebrity interviews The inspiration behind his podcast The Number The Gay Daddy documentary and LGBTQ+ representation in media Tips on personal style and men’s grooming with Kennedy & Co Timestamps:  00:00:00 - Introduction 00:01:37 - Who is Darren Kennedy? 00:06:08 - The power of work ethic 00:08:40 - Breaking into radio 00:10:10 - Darren’s worst interviews 00:11:45 - Shifting from radio to TV 00:12:53 - Entering the fashion world 00:16:53 - Irish vs. American TV 00:19:14 - Creating unscripted shows 00:22:10 - The story behind The Number podcast 00:25:22 - Darren’s lucky numbers and their meaning 00:28:39 - How to make people feel comfortable 00:32:45 - Inside the Gay Daddy documentary 00:35:25 - Being a “family-friendly” gay 00:35:52 - Mastering personal style 00:37:15 - The story behind Kennedy & Co 00:40:16 - Where to find Darren 00:41:22 - What happened to Darren’s foot? 00:43:45 - FIGHT ME: Handwashing  Sponsored By: Manscaped | Visit Manscaped.com and use code MAXEMERSON to get 20% off plus free shipping. Or if you need it today, you can find MANSCAPED® at a store near you. Stay fresh this season—for everyone's sake. Level up your grooming game today! Puori | Go to Puori.com/maxemerson and use code maxemerson Check Out Darren: Instagram  Website  More Darren  Check Out Max:  Instagram YouTube TikTok Thank you to all my patreon subscribers!  Nate Heffel, Tobin Schiller ,James M, Christopher Neefus, Heskel, Michael Carpentiere, Timothy Cardoso, Shane Ouyang, Brian Joaquin, Carabalda, Brendan Saunders, Jeff Jay, James LEE, Andy, 正 , George Acosta, Michael Rice, Nathan Filip, Linda Johnson, Stephen Weathers, Kean Phan, James Powell, Landy Manderson

24: I sit down with Alex Hall, co-founder and host of The Bottom’s Digest, to talk all things bottoming. As a sexual health educator and body autonomy activist, Alex is on a mission to make sex education accessible, no matter where you’re from or what you’re into.   We get into the biggest bottoming barriers, from physical challenges to common myths. Alex shares expert tips on safe douching, trigger foods, and his signature "butt clock technique."   Topics Discussed:   The origins of The Bottom’s Digest   Common bottoming myths and misconceptions   Preventing and healing from anal fissures   Diet, digestion, and trigger foods   Safe douching and timing techniques   The "butt clock technique" explained   Challenges in sex education and advocacy   Why humor is key in talking about sexual health   Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Introduction  00:02:20 - Who The Hell Are You?  00:08:25 - Starting Bottom’s Digest  00:11:45 - Bottoming barriers  00:13:33 - Anyone can bottom!  00:15:17 - Sex education  00:19:49 - Anal fissures & healing from injury  00:21:39 - Staying humorous   00:26:49 - Trigger foods  00:28:32 - Douching guide  00:32:40 - Platinum/gold stars & bisexuality   00:35:01 - Douche timing  00:36:25 - The butt clock technique  00:37:48 - Don’t douche too far!!  00:42:02 - Challenges to sex education and advocacy  00:45:17 - Fight me  Further Listening:  Alex Hall Fisting Interview  Sponsored By: Scandinavian Biolabs Start today with 20% off the Hair Activation Routine and any other products from Scandinavian Biolabs using code MAXEMERSON. Go to ScandinavianBiolabs.com  Puori  Go to Puori.com/maxemerson and use code maxemerson Check Out Alex Hall: Website Instagram Tik Tok  Check Out Max:  Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/maxisms TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@themaxisms Thank you to all my patreon subscribers!  Nate Heffel, Tobin Schiller ,James M, Christopher Neefus, Heskel, Michael Carpentiere, Timothy Cardoso, Shane Ouyang, Brian Joaquin, Carabalda, Brendan Saunders, Jeff Jay, James LEE, Andy, 正 , George Acosta, Michael Rice, Nathan Filip, Linda Johnson, Stephen Weathers, Kean Phan, James Powell, Landy Manderson