Ross Mathews Presents: The Loony Bin

Writing this post is kind of crazy. I’ve been a listener of the Straight Talk with Ross podcast for years now, and I’ve tried to get as involved as I possibly can. Being a huge Ross Mathews fan, the show was always such a fun community for me. Well, now I get to join it officially.

Ross reached out to me asking about my interest in this new idea he has. I don’t listen to Howard Stern, but I guess he has a group of regular call-in characters that he calls “The Wack Pack”, and Ross wants to do something similar. He asked me and four other “super-listeners” if we would like to be a part of what Ross is going to call, “The Loony Bin.”

As a Loony Bin member, I will get to be on the show every week. I’m gonna say that again. I AM GOING TO BE ON THE PODCAST EVERY SINGLE WEEK!!!!!

Since the podcast has been recorded via Zoom due to the pandemic, the five of us “Loons” will be given the link every week and we will dial in with the rest of the hosts. We will have our video/audio on and off throughout the podcast recording, so as to give the effect that we are “in the bin” (aka in or out of certain segments). We’ll be a part of different games and discussions and will also get to ask questions to our guests that come on the program. I am stoked!

This is honestly crazy. It’s one thing to have Ross answer my phone calls or play my voicemails on the podcast, but I never in a million years expected to be invited to be a regular part of the program. I’m so excited to get involved in something that I have loved so much for so long. The Straight Talk community has been an amazing experience to be a part of so far, and I couldn’t be more hype.

So! I’m definitely not going to write a post every single week being on the show, but maybe I’ll do an update after a year or something. I can’t even believe where things are, especially thinking back to how things started. Regardless, I could be more thankful and excited.

Thanks for reading!

Ross Mathews Posted My Del Taco Video

My virtual love affair with Ross Mathews continues, as one of my videos has been posted onto the Kish Kish Club on Patreon! I got the notification and saw my name, and I almost couldn’t believe it! Ross is shimply the best, and the fact that I get to be so involved with the podcast is truly unbelievable to me.

On recent episodes, Ross had encouraged the ordering of the “Double Del Cheeseburger” from Del Taco. This has led to quite a saga, as Fagsy did not order the right item the first time and had to go back for a second try. Since then, lots of Straight Talk fans have been giving the burger a try, including myself! I filmed my adventures in ordering via the drive-thru and my thoughts while eating the burger, and edited it into a 2 minute video. I pulled up an email to Ross Mathews, attached the video, and hit send!

The burger was actually really good, by the way. I had only had Del Taco once in my life – and that was after hearing about it on Grace And Frankie. We don’t have Del Taco back east, so I was eager to try it when I moved out west. The only Del Taco in Tucson is a little far from where I live, so I only had it one time before this excursion. I ordered a taco and fries, which really blew my mind – since you can’t do that at Taco Bell! Fries and tacos… what a dream.

The video is really only available to watch if you are a part of the Kish Kish Club, which costs less that $7 on Patreon. Sorry that I can’t post it here, but I’m just happy that Ross posted it at all! You can hear Ross mention that he posted the video on episode 331 (released on July 31st, titled “Feminine Crunch”) in the last three minutes of the show.

Thanks for reading!

Ross Mathews Podcast Updates

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I feel like as time goes on, my interactions with Ross Mathews become more and more normal.. but they aren’t at all! It’s still truly crazy and awesome that Ross reads my emails, listens to my voicemails, and now has even had me on the show via zoom! There’s three episodes that I’ve been featured on that I haven’t documented just yet, so here they are:

Episode 322 – Red Underpants, May 16
Apparently, Ross had sent out a tweet that he was asking for questions from listeners, but I had no idea and just sent in a normal lengthy voicemail like I normally do. Ross teased how I didn’t ask a question in the whole voicemail, and asked for random times to play and see whatever I was saying at that moment. This new game starts at one hour, 3 minutes, and 10 seconds (1:03:10).

Episode 323 – I Don’t Wanna, May 22
Okay, so maybe I was a little bummed after hearing the previous episode. You see, I was really hoping to be a guest on the podcast someday! And the new game that Ross played with my voicemail led to jokes of how I couldn’t be a guest because I’d never stop talking. Feeling discouraged, I sent a short voicemail to Ross explaining that the voicemails are just for fun but that I promise I don’t dominate all conversations in my life. I still felt I would be a great guest on the podcast, and I sorta accidentally got my wish! Ross first emailed me back, saying how much he appreciated me and that it was all in good fun. He then played my discouraged voicemail on the podcast, which I will admit was the first time I actually got embarrassed. THEN – he sent me a link to a zoom meeting via email, and invited me to actually come on the show! I quickly clicked in, and was able to talk to the gang for about 10 minutes or so! So in the end, it all worked out. The voicemail is played around minute 10:47, and I come on as a guest around minute 19:48. You can actually watch the video stream via the Kish Kish Club on Patreon for less than $7 a month.

Episode 324 – Mom, June 12
As if there wasn’t enough darkness in the world right now, Ross unfortunately suffered the loss of his mother sometime towards the end of May/early June. There was a break in the podcasts for obvious reasons, and the whole community stood by Ross as he took time to heal. We all sent messages, thoughts, prayers, and all the love we have. I sent in a voicemail with my condolences, along with lots of hearts, comments, and positivity. When they did return to the podcast, Ross dedicated the show to his amazing mother, and spent the show paying tribute to her memory. My voicemail to Ross is played around minute 21:21. R.I.P Gay Mathews. ♡

You can find Straight Talk With Ross wherever you listen to podcasts, or for a direct link to all episodes, CLICK HERE. You can also follow the podcast on Instagram @hellorosspod.

I’ve talked with Ross about possibly having some sort of segment on the show, something on the Kish Kish Club on Patreon, or another kind of participation and involvement. We definitely don’t have a clear picture of what that looks like just yet, but I’m excited to see what happens moving forward. I really love this group of people and it makes me so happy to be a part of the family.

So, hopefully there’s a lot more to come!

Thanks for reading!

Podcast Favorites #7

podcast If I’m being honest, I haven’t been as invested in podcasts lately as I used to be. I took a break for a smidge when I was going through my Kardashian deep dive, which took quite a while. I’m behind on almost all of the podcasts I listen to, and it will probably take me a bit to catch myself up. But I am starting to get back into my love of podcasts and favorite shows (#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6). Here’s some updates and new podcasts on my list:

SPOTLIGHT:

Dying For Sex: This is the podcast that brought me back to my love of listening. I’m truly inspired and excited by Molly’s experiences. This is a beautiful story that focuses on a woman who was given a terminal cancer diagnosis. She decides to leave an unhappy marriage and start a journey of sexual escapades. The podcast tells her crazy stories as well as the process of accepting her diagnosis and how she dealt with all the emotions as well. It’s a wild ride that I can’t wait to continue as new episodes are released each week.

PATREON:

Straight Talk with Ross – Kish Kish Club: We all know that I’m Ross Mathews‘ #1 fan and that I’m obsessed with this podcast. So when they recently released a patreon stream with bonus content for less than $7, my membership into the Kish Kish Club was mandatory! Each host of the podcast has their own segment, including Nikki B Life Coach, All The Feels with Cjay, and so much more. There’s also a very good chance that my voicemails make an appearance soon as well. I love having more of STWR -in my life. Also, don’t forget to check out Ross’ new book, Name Drop! REALLY PHENOMENAL WORK.

Commends By Celebs – Comments from the Couch: This podcast is one that I try to never fall behind on, because I love staying up to date on pop culture by having Emma and Julie break it all down for me. The Kardashian deep dives are of course my absolutely favorite! But I became a patreon of CBC for all the deep dives that are included in the bonus content. Even in addition to the regular episodes that I love, I also get a visual guide through patreon and links to more of the top stories and posts as well. There’s multiple tiers and though I didn’t join the top one, I’ve gotten lots of fun insight into the world and history of celebs.

NEW PODCASTS:

In Bed with Nick and Megan: I do absolutely adore Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally; they are such a fun couple and I’m always excited to tune into whatever they are up to. While they do add a fun element to this podcast by recording with their guests in their bed, it’s not a whole lot different from other podcasts where celebrities interview other celebrities. It’s pretty standard in that category of celebs interviewing their celeb friends, but again, I do love Nick and Megan so I couldn’t help but subscribe to this one.

Dancing With The Stars Official Podcast: Dancing with the Stars is one of my favorite shows of all time, so I love having this recap podcast available now! Kym Herjavec (previously Kym Johnson), former professional dancer on DWTS is the host, and she goes behind the scenes with the stars and their pros. We get more interviews, fresh off the floor reactions, and inside information. Kym keep everything light and fun and allows us to connect even more with the contestants. The episodes correspond with the latest season of DWTS, and I hope that this continues with the next season this fall.

OTHER:

The Odyssey Storytelling Podcast: I started listening to this podcast after my own storytelling event was featured for the hindsight show. There’s all the recordings of the other shows as well as old stories from their archives. The shows for Odyssey happen the first Thursday of every month, and the recordings are uploaded by the end of the month. In between has the archived stories, which are very quick and short episodes. There’s for sure a variety of great things to explore here.

Honestly, there are so many podcasts out in the world these days! I might be at full capacity at this point.

Thanks for reading.

Name Drop by Ross Mathews

I’m sure you know by now how much I love Ross Mathews – I mean, we’re basically friends at this point! We email, I’m involved in the podcast somewhat, and we’re always interacting on social media. So of course, the second that Ross announced that his new book, Name Drop, was available for pre-order, I immediately reserved my copy.

Name Drop is a collection of the “really good celebrities stories” that he “usually only tells at happy hour.” I had to wait about 6 months for the release, but luckily for me, Ross did an exclusive reading at a DragCon panel. He read the first chapter of the book, which was about his incredible interaction with Lady Gaga. It was so awesome to see him do the reading, and it made me super excited to read the whole thing.

The stories in the book include interactions with big names, such as Rosie O’Donnell, Christina Aguilera, The Spice Girls and sooo much more! He truly did not disappoint – these stories were amazing. They were short, sweet, but packed full of the gossip you’re looking for. Plus, Ross makes everything fun! So not only is there the collection of stories, but he also includes original cocktails and “ROSSipes” with each chapter.

Here are some of the thoughts I had while reading the book (you may have to read it all for yourself to understand fully what I am talking about):

Barbara Walters … what a bitch! Not just off camera – ON CAMERA! This had me HEATED!!!
Sherry Shepherd and her wigs!! What a woman – this warmed my heart.
Cannot wait to make Twice Baked Cutie Potatoes. YUM.
Sarah Colonna!!! I miss the days of her and Josh Wolf’s podcast. Did you know she’s on Shameless??
Gotta love the Spice Girls!!
A PIZZA OVEN?! A PIZZA OVEN!!!!! HOW DID YOU EVEN TRANSPORT THAT?! WHERE IS THIS PIZZA OVEN TODAY?? I have so many more questions. I can’t let this go.
“Hi folks!” – my favorite Celine Dion quote.
So how can I use my small friendship with Ross to get on Big Brother…
Woah. I’ll never look at Mathew Perry and Matt LeBlanc the same. Friends is one of my absolute favorite shows, but damn. What assholes. I even watched the interview and cringed the whole time. I really lost respect there.
Long live the Divas. Especially Xtina.
Ross, you are absolutely invited to my fantasy celebrity dinner party.

Seriously, take a minute to google Ross Mathews right now and see how much press coverage this book got – there are tons of articles written about his stories! You are not going to want to miss this!

Ross is also going on tour to 30 cities across the US and Canada! He’s got great shows planned with some stand up, games, and insight into some gossip. I’ll be attending The Phoenix show in March – as a VIP, of course! You can visit HelloRoss.com for tour dates or to grab your copy of his book! You can buy Name Drop really anywhere that books are sold – but the Target versions include an extra bonus chapter (which I have not read yet since I pre-ordered my copy on Amazon).

I truly smiled from ear to ear while reading this book. It was seriously next level good. I mean, I read a ton of books by celebrities – but this was in a class of its own. If you only read one book this year, make it Name Drop by Ross Mathews.

Thanks for reading!

300th Episode of Straight Talk with Ross

It shouldn’t be a secret that I’m obsessed with Ross Mathews and his podcast and really everything that he ever does. (See previous posts: here, here, here, here, here, and here.) I try to be as involved with the podcast as Ross will allow me to be, so when he asked for people to send things in for the 300th episode, I wrote a little song.

I’m good with lyrics but not able to compose my own music of course, so I just changed the words to the well known song, Hallelujiah, which has been done by Jeff Buckley, Kate Voegel, and many others. I started by just changing certain words to line up with jokes from the show, and eventually ended up with two versus for the song:

Well I heard there was a jumbo jive,
We all play to feel alive
Cause you don’t really care for editing do ya?
Well it goes like this, the 300th,
Mark’s less than seven but pleads the fifth
While Chardonnay composes on the piano
Butch Ricky, Butch Ricky, Butch Ricky, Butch Ricky

Well JRod hates sauce but Ross needed proof,
Played a game that made him puke
Or maybe it was just from a freaky Fagsy
And CJay gets harassed by Blanch
While Nikki B’s songs are interupted
And it all stems from the first cold chicken finger
Butch Ricky, Butch Ricky, Butch Ricky, Butch Ricky

I used a karaoke version of the song from YouTube, and just recorded myself singing the new lyrics with the voice memo app on my phone. Emailed it to Ross and then BAM! There is was on the podcast! I love that Ross basically knows me and who I am at this point, and that he is always listening to my voicemails and findings ways to incorporate me into the show. My goal is eventually to make it on as a guest, so fingers crossed!

To listen to my silly song and hear me sing, find Straight Talk With Ross wherever you listen to podcasts, and go to the episode released on November 21st. It’s Episode 300– The Kiss Kiss Club. My song is played around minute 22:32. Or for the direct link, you can CLICK HERE .

Thanks for reading!

I FINALLY MET ROSS MATHEWS!

Okay guys.. it finally happened. After all of my efforts and persistence in the past year since my first time calling in, I have finally MET ROSS MATHEWS FOR REAL!! It was amazing, he was incredible, and it was as wonderful as I could have asked for.

As I was getting everything together for my move, I heard on my favorite podcast, Straight Talk With Ross, that they were going to be recording a live show in NYC. I quickly checked the dates on my calendar, and decided that it was worth squeezing this trip in. My moving truck was coming on that Monday, but there was no way I could miss out on this opportunity. I mean, how often is Ross Mathews in NYC?! I quickly bought two tickets to both shows, figuring I’d find a friend who wanted to tag along with me. I wrote in on social media that I would be in attendance, and CJay announced this on the episode leading up to the live tapings. I was dying!

I’m always writing/calling into the show and interacting with the podcast crew on social media, but I wasn’t sure if any of them actually would recognize my name. I walked into the venue for the live show with my friend Jenna next to me, and the first thing I heard was someone calling my name. I looked around to see JROD walking right towards me! I gave him a big hug, pretty stunned that he was able to recognize me right upon entrance. He told me the first show was about to start and he ran off to get things started. DYING.

Jenna and I quickly got drinks and sat down for the first show. There was a bunch of the normal antics, along with interviews with drag queens Aja and Miz Cracker – who also performed. At some point, Jenna and I needed a drink refill, and I went to the bar to find CJay ordering a drink as well. I introduced myself as “Bisexual Gina” and he immediately hugged me and greeted me enthusiastically, telling me he would find me later. OMGGG YES, STILL DYING.

In between shows, my friend and I were sitting outside with other Straight Talkers who were in line for pictures in the VIP section. We got some food and as we were hanging out, I felt someone’s eyes on me. I look up to see Cjay, with his arm around ROSS MATHEWS, and POINTING AT ME! I started freaking out as they walked over and I quickly introduced myself to Ross. We talked a little about God knows what, because I basically blacked out during the interaction. He was so calm and awesome, and I was not calm and overly excited. He got pulled away quickly, but told me that he would be talking with me later. STILL DYING, IS THIS REAL?!

During the second show, Ross started calling up some of his STWR favorites up to the stage, and one of those included ME! He said that he had thought that I was going to be nuts, and I told him that I totally am. He talked about how he listens to every single one of my voicemails (I leave him about one per month) and how he plays them for the rest of the podcast crew. He was so quick with his wit, and we were able to banter easily in the funnest way. It was so unbelievable to be onstage with him, answering questions and getting to freak out along with the rest of the crowd. I even got pulled up again later on in the show to read a “good bad joke.” It was honestly more than I ever could have hoped for. I think I actually died here. Dead.

After the second show, we hung out in the VIP section to get our pictures with the crew. What was honestly amazing was that people wanted to take picture with ME! It was really cool to feel like I had my 15 minutes of fame in some way, and everyone was so incredibly nice. Unfortunately, I had had waaayyy too much to drink and not enough to eat, so I was pretty wasted at this point. After being overly friendly, taking way too many pictures, and repeating myself several times, Jenna and I left to find food with a promise to meet up with some people later for karaoke.

Even though I thought I was out for the count, I was able to get myself together to make it to karaoke – and I’m sure glad that I did! JRod and other Straight Talkers were there, and I brought Jenna and my other friend along with me. We put on a good show with songs like “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Don’t Stop Me Now” and I had such a blast.

I was really feeling it the next day, and I had a ton of work to do to get my stuff ready for the moving truck, but WOW was it all worth it!! I’ve heard before that you shouldn’t meet your heroes, because you might be disappointed, but Ross was everything I could have asked for and more! I am so incredibly thankful and happy for this experience and I sure hope that I get to interact with Ross again in the future.

To listen to the live recordings of the show, find Straight Talk With Ross wherever you listen to podcasts, and go to the episodes released on June 13th and June 18th. They are episodes 282 (Live From Brooklyn with Miz Cracker & Aja) and episode 283 (Nikki B Bobbin For Big Apples – #2 STWR Live in Brooklyn), and the recap episode is After Glow #4. I come in on the Nikki B Bobbin Episode (283) around minute 14:33. Or for the direct link, you can CLICK HERE .

Thanks for reading!

Ross Mathews answered my call again!

Ross Mathews and I are basically friends at this point, no big deal.

Since Ross and I are so super close (and I might even be his #1 fan), of course I follow both him and the podcast on all social media. And of course I get alerts when they post anything. I mean come on guys, you know what a fan girl I am!

So over the weekend, I got an alert from Twitter that @HelloRossPod (BUUUUTCH RIIIIICKKYYYYY!) had tweeted out a number with the message, “Call us!”.

Like ummmmm, ookay!!

Since I had called in before without even being asked, I didn’t hesitate to call again. I was actually on my way back from dinner with a friend, and I turned to her and said, “Hold on a sec, I have to call Ross real quick.”

It took a couple tries, I assumed because they were talking to other callers, but eventually I heard that wonderful voice, “Helllloooo hello! What’s your name and where are you calling from?”

“Hi Ross, this is Bisexual Gina!”

Everyone cheered, repeated my name, and Ross said, “Well, sometimes you win the lottery!” He asked me how I was, and then I thanked him for letting me record a segment and asked about who they were favoring for the upcoming season of Rupaul’s Drag Race. It wasn’t super long since they had to get to other callers, but it’s seriously so cool that it’s gotten to the point that Ross solidly knows who I am. Hopefully I get to spend some real time in person with him someday!

stwr pristina Find Straight Talk With Ross wherever you listen to podcasts, and go to the episode released on January 27th. It’s Episode 263 – Pristina Darling. My call is answered around minute 28:30. Or for the direct link, you can CLICK HERE .

Thanks for reading!

Ross Mathews asked me to record a segment for the podcast!

So there I was, just having a normal day at work. Took some calls, worked on some things, listened to some podcasts – the usual. My phone beeped and buzzed to tell me that I received something new in my inbox on my Gmail account. I looked down and saw one word as the sender: Ross.

My eyebrows furrowed. I didn’t trust my phone so I opened up my Gmail on my work computer and pulled up the most recent message in my inbox.

There it was. A message from Ross Mathews.“Hello Gina! Ross here. I’m putting together the award show episode and I was wondering if you’d like to be involved…”

WHAT?!

Now as a super-fan of the podcast Straight Talk with Ross, I have written into the show multiple times. Not just to Ross, but also to Fagsy and Nikki as well. They all have emails tied to the show and Ross has advertised that he gets all the alerts for the emails straight to his phone. I had never heard from him before, but I had always felt confident that he would at least see some of my emails coming through.

Since I had just been nominated the previous week for the Best Listener of the Year Straight Talkie Award, I had just sent a couple messages via social media to the STWR podcast gang thanking them for the recognition. I guess this somehow made me top of mind!

Ross asked if I wanted to record a segment and said that he would send me the script. I replied to his email of course within minutes, not even trying to play it cool.

“ROSS!!! OH MY GOSH, OF COURSE!! Anything you need! …”

I was extremely excited when I received his next email. He explained that during the award show, there would be an “In Memorium” portion where they would pay tribute to the funny segments, jokes and other things lost this year. It included a list and a couple other instructions, and ended telling me to let him know if he had any questions.

I printed out the script and took a lunch break where I walked home to my apartment so that I could record in the comfort of my own home. I didn’t want to keep Ross Mathews waiting so I made sure that I got to work right away. I only took about three takes before I felt confident enough to send my recording to Ross. Along with the attachment, I also sent him a huge thank you again – I definitely sounded a little fan-girly, but I wanted him to know how much I appreciated everything.

The following episode was the Christmas special, so that wouldn’t be the one where I made my debut. I had to patiently wait another week for the award ceremony to be released.

STWR 02

Ross of course did some editing to my segment, which I expected, including adding music and sound effects behind my list of fallen podcast inside jokes. Another great surprise was that he teamed up my recording with Fagsy singing and giving sound bites behind me as well, which – as a big fan of his – made me super happy.

There were a ton of STWR characters that were included in cameos as the show was made, including recordings from Jackie Beat and other listeners like me. It felt so cool and validating to be a part of that family in any way shape or form.

Find Straight Talk With Ross wherever you listen to podcasts, and go to the episode released on December 27th. It’s Episode 260 – The 2018 Straight Talkies! The “In Memorium” segment with me and Fagsy Malone starts around minute 24:44. Or for the direct link, you can CLICK HERE .

Thanks for reading!

Ross Mathews nominated me for a Straight Talkie Award!

The best podcast that exists in all the history of podcasts is Straight Talk with Ross Mathews, and if you have not listened to every episode, you really should. I know it’s a commitment, but it’s worth it.

I’m a long-time listener of the show and have been there through all the inside jokes, all the laughs, and all the chaos. Earlier in the year I was able to call into the podcast and talk to the crew, and Ross Mathews even called me fascinating. It was truly an amazing day and I felt incredibly lucky. Then in September when I was at DragCon NYC, I got even luckier and was able to briefly speak to Ross while he was hosting “Bossy Rossy’s Runway Games” and walked into the crowd. I also am a patreon member of Fagsy’s podcast, It’s a Gay Gay Gay Gay Podcast, and have interacted here and there with the gang on social media. Anytime I am acknowledged by the crew, I feel incredibly lucky and privileged.

And then the most amazing thing happened!

Episode 258 of Straight Talk contains all the nominations for the 2018 Straight Talkie Awards. The award categories include things like Best New Sound Effect, Best Original Song, Best Guest Appearance, and so much more.

Finally, there came the category of Best Listener of the Year. I had the quick thought of, ‘Wow, how amazing would it be if he mentioned me..’ but I never in a million years expected to hear my name come out of Ross Mathew’s mouth. But he began the nominations…

“The nominees for Best Listener of the Year are – Best Lishener of the Year 2018 – Chris Barker for the ultra successful Fagsy Go Fund Me, and for creating the ‘Mumbo Jumbo Guide.’ Justin McGeshick for being the unofficial Straight Talk with Ross Historian. Bella Biscotti for her extraordinary contributions throughout the year…”

AND THEN THIS HAPPENED…

“And the final nominee for best listener of the year is, of course, Bisexual Gina, for her contagious enthusiasm for the program. Congratulations Bisexual Gina.”

When I first heard this, I truly thought that I had made this up in my head. I started freaking out of course and had to rewind to hear my name be read again and again.

OH MY GOD!

This is really an incredible feeling. I feel incredibly seen by a group of people that bring me so much entertainment in the funniest way and to be recognized by them is amazing. Ross is such a fantastic human and I feel so honored that he knows of my existence even from all the way on the other side of the country. It’s really cool that something like this podcast can unite people from all over the world and connect them together over laughs and good times. I am a part of the Facebook group and received congratulations from other listeners on my nominations, which made me even happier and more excited. My experience as a Straight Talker has been nothing short of amazing and I hope it continues to surprise me.

I’m currently in 3rd place and the other nominees are huge contributors to the show, but I truly just feel honored to have been selected in the first place. There are still 5 more days to vote for your favorite nominees on Twitter at @HelloRossPod, and you can vote for me by CLICKING HERE and voting for Bisexual Gina.

STWR Pod Straight Talkies

Find Straight Talk With Ross wherever you listen to podcasts, and go to the episode released on December 13th. It’s Episode 258 – #StraightTalkiesSoWhite. My catorgory’s nominees are read around minute 40:14. Or for the direct link, you can CLICK HERE .

Thanks for reading!

Ross Mathews called me FASCINATING!

A little while ago, I put out an idea into the universe that I wanted to make it onto Ross Mathews’ podcast, Straight Talk With Ross. I was binge listening to all of the episodes and I would call in randomly to leave voicemails. My realistic hope was that one of my voicemails or something would be featured on the show.

Last week, I was watching RuPaul’s Drag Race, on which Ross Mathews is a judge. I am loving this season so I decided to call into Straight Talk and leave a voicemail of my current thoughts. I dialed the number and was waiting to hear the voicemail recording.

Instead I heard, “Hello?”

I freaked out. Someone had answered. “Oh my god, hi!” I could hear the cast talking in the background, recording the show. “Am I on the air?”

“No, but hang on a second..” It was a male voice, and I was trying to figure out who he was. I could hear him go talk to Ross and Mark regarding a caller, but after waiting a while, he got back on the line and let me know that they were not going to have time for callers today.

“That’s no problem – are you JRod?” I asked.

“Uhh, no.” He answered. Whoops. I also asked if his name was Willie (the two cast members who would normally be answering the phone) and he also said no, so I stopped guessing. He told me to try calling in again next week at the same time.

Oh, you got it.

A week went by and I decided I had to try again. I had called in at 7PM my time the week before, which means they probably started recording at 6PM, which would be 3PM in LA where they record.

I made my first call at 6:10, and it went to voicemail. I called again at 6:30 and it went to voicemail again. At this point I figured it was a long shot that someone would answer, so I tried once more at 6:45. Someone picked up and quickly hung up. THEY’RE THERE. I called again.

“Hello?”

This time, JRod answered the phone! I told him I was a huge fan of the show and we had a laugh about my previous call the week before. He said he wasn’t even sure how my call had gotten through, because he didn’t think they had the phones turned on! He then told me to hang on while he went to see if there was time for me on the show.

Oh. My. God.

I listened to Mark talk about getting his vasectomy surgery for a few minutes, and then they went to break. My heart was pounding the entire time in anticipation that I might even just TALK to Ross Mathews, let alone be on the show. After a couple more minutes, JRod came back on the line and let me know that he would push me through to Ross for the next segment.

I DID IT. I MADE IT ON THE SHOW.

Ross Mathews is amazing! He is so nice and welcoming, even to a crazy fan like me! Ross and the other cast members were asking me about my life, we talked about Drag Race and my love for Halsey, and I even got to sing! Truly amazing.

I felt so accomplished that I had put this thought out into the universe and actually made it happen. I’ve said before that I am a big believer in that you get the energy back that you put out into the world. It’s true what they say – if you put your mind to something, you can make it happen!

Ross gave me a couple cute little nicknames and told me that I could call back into the show whenever I wanted to! He said he was interested in my life and wanted to check in with me. (Get your (va)Gina checked!) HE SAID HE FOUND ME FASCINATING! It was honestly a funny and cute little segment, lasted about five minutes, and made me ridiculously happy.

STWR

Find Straight Talk With Ross wherever you listen to podcasts, and go to the episode released on April 26th. It’s Episode 226 – Pooh Bear Fomo. I come in around 52:45. Or for the direct link, you can CLICK HERE .

Thanks for reading!

Podcast Favorites

podcast

When I started walking to work, I started listening to podcasts.

WARNING: I’m not a podcast expert. (And I am always looking for recommendations!) However, I do have my favorites and I find myself constantly bringing them up in conversation whenever possible.

So here is a list of my current podcasts shows and some reasons why I love them:

Short, daily listens:

BuzzFeed News: Reporting To You – I was so excited to stumble upon this short, news show. There is a new episode every weekday – usually less than 5 minutes – that covers 3 or 4 top or trending stories. Totally relevant, super quick, and helps me feel in the know. Plus, who isn’t a fan of BuzzFeed? Easily in my top 5 favorite podcasts.

The Good News Podcast

The Good News Podcast – Brought to you by the Cards Against Humanity studio in Chicago – this one makes top 3! This is a great listen, new episodes also released every weekday – always less than 10 minutes long. Simple idea – news stories that are meant to make you smile and bring you positivity. Today’s episode gave the results of a study to find the song that makes people the most happy. And the world’s happiest song is… Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen.

Tiny Leaps, Big Changes – I’m going to be honest here and say that I often skip through some of the episodes here that don’t necessarily apply to me, but I find a lot of motivation within this show. It’s a self-help podcast, exploring different ideas to help you get the most out of your life. The guy Greg who creates this podcast hasn’t posted consistently lately, but there’s a lot of good stuff in his archives.

Weekly intrigues:

spotify-new-music-friday-artwork

New Music Friday – This is a new one and I am mad at myself for

not starting this first! Spotify updates a playlist every Friday with new music that was released throughout the week. This podcast goes over any new hits that were released (most likely available on the playlist) and which artists to watch. Simple, quick, and noteworthy.

My Favorite Murder – This is going to sound strange but I promise that this is actually a good listen. The podcast talks about true crime and famous murders that include twists, turns, glaring warning signs, and more. I’ve only listened to a fraction of these because of their length, but I listen to most of my podcasts on 1.5x speed which helps. This podcast is super interesting without being a total buzzkill. Stay safe, don’t get murdered.

This Is Love – This podcast makes it onto my top 5 favorites and it’s only released 3 episodes so far. Brought to you by the creators of the podcast Criminal (which I have not listened to yet), this show explores the mysteries of love in all forms (not just romantic). The second episode titled Something Large and Wild is one of the best episodes I’ve ever listened to across any podcast ever. It’s an incredible story of a distance swimmer helping a last baby whale reunite with its mother and IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL. Seriously so excited for more to be released here.

Duolingo Spanish Podcast – I use the Duolingo app regularly to strengthen mi español, and this podcast helps to further that education with true, bilingual stories. The narration goes back and forth between Spanish and English and is geared towards intermediate Spanish speakers. In true Spanish fashion, these stories always rip out mi corazon out in some way, shape or form – even the happy ones.

Famous People:

Anna Faris Is Unqualified – First of all, as a big fan of The House Bunny, I love Anna Faris. I’ve listened to all the episodes of Unqualified available and was still begging for more. Anna plays “Dating Dealbreakers” with her guests, does characters such as the obnoxious Kayla and snoody studio CEO Karen Sarducci, and gives unfiltered advice to callers. If you only listen to one episode, listen to Terry Crews. He goes off on a long tangent about what he has learned about life, love and masculinity and it is truly inspirational. So much of what he said was extremely relatable and relevant. (I asked my boyfriend to listen as well and he agreed.) Might be my favorite podcast, definitely in my top 3. “Fuck you, Sim.”

Straight Talk with Ross Matthews – I just became a straight-talker after falling in love with Ross on Celebrity Big Brother. I’ve listened to the 2018 episodes, but I’m currently in the process of binging on all episodes available. It’s going to take me a while, but it’s going to be worth it. I have already laughed enough in the first 20 episodes to make me seem crazy to my co-workers and those who pass me on the street. It’s silly and upbeat and also in my top 3 favorite podcasts. Order your Squatty Potty today.

Here’s The Thing with Alec Baldwin – Let me just say that I love the way Alec interviews his guests. Hard hitting questions that dig deep and tell good stories from the entertainment industry history. Recently he interviewed Jann Wenner, the creator of Rolling Stone Magazine, and that was a good listen! As a fan of NBC, I most enjoyed his interviews with Jimmy Fallon, Lorne Michaels and QuestLove. I’ve been told that Alec was one of the first big celebrities with a podcast, so there are more interviews available than I have time to listen to. I’ve added my favorite celebrities to my queue to start, but there’s a lot more for me to dig into here.

Snoop Dogg’s GGN Podcast – I’m still making my way through the Snoop archives, but I have not been disappointed by one episode of the Double G News Podcast. I saw Gabriel Igelsias do stand-up last November where he talked about being a guest on this show. He brought his son with him to the recording, and both were offered the opportunity to smoke weed with Snoop, which made for a great bit in his stand-up. Listening to the episode and all the coughing was quite amusing, as was the Seth Rogan episode where he times how long it takes him to roll a cross-joint. (Fun Fact from this episode: Seth rolled all his own joints in the movie Pineapple Express.) The archives go back to 2015, so I am looking forward to binging on hours and hours worth of the sultry Snoop voice.

Bachelor Nation:

Off The Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe – (I am only putting the Bachelor shows at the bottom of this post because not everyone cares as much as I do, but… ) I LOVE KAITLYN and her podcast is the reason I first opened up the podcast app – no joke. I am just such a huge fan of Kaitlyn’s and she is the only celebrity whose DMs I have tried to slide into. One of the best parts about Off The Vine is that she will recap the Bachelor shows, but she is also a fan of Big Brother (my reality show dream). I have found a good amount of behind-the-scenes insight to both shows as a result of this podcast.

The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast – Just as I loved to watch Ashley I cry on her Bachelor shows, I could listen to that New Jersey accent gossip all day. Nothing against Ben, but I listen to this one for Ashley I. I cannot get enough of her and I loved her on Bach Winter Games! The Almost Famous Podcast is the first one that I listen to after a Bachelor franchise show airs some drama. All good things love, dating, and Ashley I.

If you have any podcast suggestions, please let me know!

Thanks for reading.