The Old Gays (The Old Gays Guide to the Good Life) on Saving the Best for Last

Jason Blitman: 0:47

I love that we have the old gays on today. They're iconic, they're amazing,

Brett Benner: 0:54

and they're hilarious.

Jason Blitman: 0:55

and they're hilarious. And I am so excited. They are joining us. To launch their book, the old gays guide to the good life lessons learned about love and death, sex, and sin. And saving the best for last, which of course you could find@ourbookshop.org page, the link is in our show notes. It comes out today. And it is a delight. You know, uh, a note, a, uh, I don't want to, I don't want to say preface because that sounds like we need to preface something, it is not our typical episode because we were outnumbered. We're not used to being outnumbered.

Brett Benner: 1:38

Outnumbered outgunned.

Jason Blitman: 1:40

There are four old gays. We love them so much. But, you know, when you have that many people in a conversation, it just is tremendously different when it is just Brett and I, in conversation with an author or, you know, one other person. So if you are unfamiliar with the old gays, you can find them on Instagram and on TikTok But it might be a little bit hard to keep track of whose voice is whose but once they all, weirdly enough, they're all very, they have very distinct voices. So you will hear the differences between them. But if you've been on You You fence about whether or not you want to sign up for Patreon. This might be the reason that you want to join because we have the video of our conversation with the old gays will be up on our Patreon. Um, for just 5 a month, you could support gaze reading. You can get it as a gift for somebody. Um, and you could check out the video of our conversation with the old gays there

Brett Benner: 2:35

and you'll get to see them and it's funny.

Jason Blitman: 2:36

and see them.

Brett Benner: 2:38

not to mention, there are a lot of other episodes that are not video episodes, but there are additional, stuff from previous episodes.

Jason Blitman: 2:44

Yeah, there's lots of great stuff on, on our Patreon. The audio episode alone is great. They are so funny, there are four of them. They have one microphone. So it's, uh, it's a little loosey goosey, but that's okay. We're, we have a good time over here at Gay's Reading and we

Brett Benner: 2:59

we were thrilled. We were thrilled. They did it.

Jason Blitman: 3:02

I know. And not only that, but like inside Scoop, we got to talk to them twice because the first time the audio wasn't really very good at all. It was, we weren't going to even make an episode. But then we got to talk to them again and the audio was so much better. So this was our second time that we spent with them and we're very grateful that we got as much time with them as we did.

Brett Benner: 3:22

I just want to say congratulations to Paul Lynch for winning the Booker Prize for Prophet Song.

Jason Blitman: 3:28

Congrats, Paul Lynch.

Brett Benner: 3:30

Lynch wasn't my pick, but I'm happy. I immediately wanted to call Gabby Wood and say, Gabby, we need to discuss. Uh. No, it was good. It was good. I just was, I was, it was a shock and it just goes to show these book prizes always managed to surprise us

Jason Blitman: 3:46

as always, if you like what you're hearing, share us with your friends, like us, give us a review, wherever you're listening to your podcasts.

Brett Benner: 3:56

And thank you for your comments. We've had people reach out to us. We love getting your messages. We love hearing from you. We re we really appreciate it. Um, we love your shares. It's all, uh, helpful and great.

Jason Blitman: 4:06

Yes, we've had some people ask us how to be in touch in other ways. You could shoot us an email at gaysreading at gmail. com. We've gotten a handful of listener questions that I look forward to answering, in a later episode. And, uh, yeah, all that said, The Old Gays are best friends Mick Peterson, Bill Lyons, Robert Reeves, and Jesse Martin, social media celebrities. They have also become educators, teaching people about the strides that have been made over the last five decades in the LGBTQ plus community. They live in Cathedral City, California. And I'm Jason.

Brett Benner: 4:42

And I'm Brett.

Jason Blitman: 4:43

and enjoy this super duper extra gay episode of Gays

Brett Benner: 4:50

GAY

Jason Blitman: 4:52

Reading.

Brett Benner: 4:53

D.

The Old Gays: 5:06

Hi, I

Brett Benner: 5:08

at these guys with their headsets. Wow.

The Old Gays: 5:13

know we've come a long way

Brett Benner: 5:15

Oh my gosh. I can't even believe it.

The Old Gays: 5:20

uptown now,

Brett Benner: 5:21

You're very uptown. Wow, you're Uptown Funk. Hello, Jesse!

The Old Gays: 5:27

Hi, how are you this morning?

Brett Benner: 5:29

But how are you?

The Old Gays: 5:30

I'm well. Okay. Are we getting a better picture than we did last time

Jason Blitman: 5:35

Thank you so much for doing this again. It means a lot to us.

Brett Benner: 5:37

really does.

The Old Gays: 5:38

Happy to.

Jason Blitman: 5:40

Are we all best friends yet?

The Old Gays: 5:41

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I remember

Jason Blitman: 5:46

Sorry. When you're all talking at the same time, then it's hard to hear the microphone. Then it's hard to hear. Just say, what did you say?

The Old Gays: 5:53

your names. That's something for me.

Jason Blitman: 5:56

You did. I'm honored.

Brett Benner: 5:58

It's also on the screen. Be honest.

Jason Blitman: 6:00

It does say Jason and Brad on the screen.

The Old Gays: 6:02

See Brad and I see Jason.

Brett Benner: 6:04

There you go. That's

Jason Blitman: 6:06

Just say it got to put the glasses on. It's fine.

The Old Gays: 6:08

Don't worry, unless I'm reading.

Jason Blitman: 6:10

All right. Good morning. Thank you again for Just say, did you have a question?

The Old Gays: 6:14

I was singing.

Jason Blitman: 6:15

Oh, that was the spirit was moving you. all right. Let's dive in. I think you're probably sick and tired of doing these already. You're like talking about yourself. Jesse nodded.

The Old Gays: 6:25

It looked involved with Tim.

Jason Blitman: 6:28

the honesty. Listen, so like we could talk about whatever you want.

The Old Gays: 6:31

But you guys are so much fun. I do have to say that. Oh,

Jason Blitman: 6:37

first and foremost, let's just let's get the boring stuff out of the way. How would you describe the book in a sentence? So obviously it is the old gaze guide to the good life. But what does the good life mean to you? Did

The Old Gays: 6:51

boy. That's a

Brett Benner: 6:53

stumped them right out of the gate.

The Old Gays: 6:55

In a sentence? Living to be happy. Actually, the top part of the book really says it all as far as I'm concerned.

Jason Blitman: 7:07

Lessons learned about love and death, sex and sin, and saving the best for last. Do we all agree?

The Old Gays: 7:14

Yeah. Yes. And I would describe it as how do you put four flowers It comes into a VW book tightly.

Brett Benner: 7:22

Highly and with good fashion accessories.

Jason Blitman: 7:24

And a lot of lube. So you guys are the old gays, obviously made famous on social media. What does being an old gay mean to you?

The Old Gays: 7:37

Having fun, I'm freer now because I don't particularly care what people say about me. I love me. And that's where it starts. With you loving yourself and respecting yourself.

Jason Blitman: 7:48

And you think that comes with being getting older?

The Old Gays: 7:50

Old Gay, for me, has taken on a new meaning than in the prior life in that it now means for us we have a lot of responsibility because so many people know us and fortunately love us.

Brett Benner: 8:11

They sure do. They absolutely do.

The Old Gays: 8:13

Bill. Being an old gay is just really special to me. Especially just walking around town and having someone just walk up and say, Hey, Bill, love your videos. But boy, does that ever give me a lift?

Brett Benner: 8:33

oKay. For the five listeners who may not, who may not be familiar with you guys and your videos, more importantly, tell us a little bit about how this all started for you guys with the whole tick tock sensation for our listeners. How did it start?

The Old Gays: 8:47

Oh I think it was December of 20, 20. 20. 20 21 is when we went on TikTok and in May of 2018 is when we did our first grinder vi. Yeah, I think that the, it just took off ryan suggested that we try this new medium called TikTok. They were much short, shorter videos than what we have been used to doing. And but it just took off and we became a sensation and we found our fan base and it was truly mind boggling. And it happened at a time when people needed something. All yeah, it was on the, it was on the cusp of the covid epidemic.

Jason Blitman: 9:34

Jesse, just saying, on the cusp of people needing something, what, I think young people, young queer people, young gay people, didn't even realize how much they needed the old gays. What do you think would have happened in your lives if you had old gays?

The Old Gays: 9:53

I can only speak for myself. Luckily, I did have old gaze that told me story. So I knew the mean though we were going through stuff. They had it even harder because they couldn't just go out to bars dressed in drag and dressed up. They had to take their clothes and suitcases and change when they got to house parties or to bars. It was different for them. than it was for us.

Jason Blitman: 10:18

If you had you today, think that would change things?

The Old Gays: 10:22

Oh, immensely. I think I would have come out much sooner. And I think a bit of a little more freer. That's what I really enjoy about watching, young queer people who are, under 30 is that the enormous strides in terms of our having coming out. And been there for them, gives them a floor by which to pursue their own dreams and opportunities.

Brett Benner: 10:48

one of the things I love In your guys book so much is all your own personal histories and everything that you all went through. You cover so much, but not the least of which was the AIDS crisis, but it's really, it's a history book in a lot of ways because. You're showing and especially for these young people who have no idea that you're all incredible survivors and what you've all been through and that you're still here and not only are you still here, but you're thriving in the greatest way as possible. You really are.

The Old Gays: 11:23

Yeah. Yeah. Just to follow on what you've said. Yes, it's a personal history. And I think, his, it's not coming into history, the study of history and stuff, but Our analysis of history is is more personal now. We look at people's individual stories and how they develop and that's going back, many years now, how we're looking at that. And I think it's wonderful to have had the opportunity to add to that story of being queer. And providing a basis by which other people can see yourself as you grow up Did that make sense? I

Brett Benner: 12:01

Oh, my God. It makes absolute sense. So

Jason Blitman: 12:06

have anything to add to that? No, that's okay. It's just, I imagine it's hard also doing these conversations because there are four of you and so you want to share the mic, but also you have shared experiences. And so you can probably articulate the exact each of you can say something and have very similar feelings about it too. I imagine. A big theme in the book, a big theme in our podcast, something we talk about a lot in the queer community, is the importance of your chosen family, and I think the four of you represent a chosen family in such a special way. I know that you all have varying degrees of relationships with your biological family, but can you talk a bit about Why a chosen family is important to you, what it means, how that has taken you through your life.

The Old Gays: 12:53

I can say that for me, I've had really two chosen families. 25 year relationship with my partner, we had our circle of friends and That was a very simple, they were immensely supportive time and wonderful people that I met. And I think, gave me a basis by which to view the world. And I'm so incredibly grateful for them of which many of whom I mentioned in the book and this is now my chosen family. And we have family issues, um, and we resolve them, and we go on. And, but I think we're all here for each other. And, the last time, when Bob had his emergency last summer, this past summer, we were all there pulling for him and. Helping him to get through it. I'm sure he can speak to that more. Yes, absolutely. It's interesting I'd heard the term so many years, but I really didn't get it. Until my last sibling passed away three years ago, and all of a sudden, I didn't have the blood and I started appreciating the family being made so much more and getting the energy and the love and just continuing to live without that blood in my life. It's different. But it's good to have it and it keeps me going. And my chosen family happened when I was young. My father was always after me trying to prove that I was gay and I, he almost was stalking me. So I decided to move to Northern California. And there I met a bunch of guys and, you didn't go out and say you were gay and all that. You crept into back doors of gay bars and that, and we called ourselves the Sisterhood and it was just this group of ten of us that we partied together. We went out together and it was really fun. But my chosen family here has really taught me a lot about myself that I didn't realize, and it's a wonderful feeling to be able to have that kind of interaction with these guys. I feel like I've had three chosen families. The first was when I lived in St. Louis, which is where I went to school, and where I really came out as being gay, but it was... People that I had met that I like, a lot of things in common with and felt like I could talk to and they listened and responded. And then in 1980, when I moved to San Francisco, I kept in contact with some of those people. But simply because of living in a new place, I found that I developed a new chosen family. Again, it was people who I met. Had lots in common with, could talk to, and all, those people, of them are no longer with us there are a few left, and the female help. Of the group and those living in the desert, The Old Gays has become my chosen family here. And similarly, it's. People I have many things in common with some things not. But, the same basic principles that do make up a family, a united family.

Jason Blitman: 17:03

Just, just because a family is chosen doesn't mean that it doesn't come with the trials and tribulations of the other family.

The Old Gays: 17:10

absolutely.

Brett Benner: 17:12

And Bob, what you've just stressed to me is the people who live the longest are the gays and the ladies. That's it. Straight man, you're done for because it's the gays and the ladies that live forever. We're like cockroaches. No pun intended.

Jason Blitman: 17:26

Bill, I want to go back to something you said, because you mentioned That it was being with the old gaze, it taught you things about yourself that you didn't necessarily know. Is there anything that comes to mind in particular?

Brett Benner: 17:39

Besides choreography.

The Old Gays: 17:43

dance. BOb is talking so, so loud that he's messing up my hair. Shame on you, Robert. The thing is can dance when he gets out of bill's way. Yeah, we just did a, we just did a video yesterday and he was my partner and he was he was a really good I'm very shy and I don't speak out a lot. And these guys have called me out for that and said, yeah. Hey, Bill, what do you think? And really put me on the spot and really made me think.

Jason Blitman: 18:17

Good. That's a good thing. Like I just did.

The Old Gays: 18:20

yeah, it's discovering a hidden self of mine and I appreciate their input.

Jason Blitman: 18:27

I love that. tAlking about the dancing, talking about breaking out of your shell, so much of what you do put out there is I think. A visual representation of not taking life too seriously. And I think for a lot of us, we need to let go of our, stuck up, tightly wound ways of living. How do you recommend people shake that? How can we take life a little less seriously, do you think?

The Old Gays: 18:56

I don't think it's a matter of... Matter about taking life seriously because I think we all do take life seriously. I think it's more about being very comfortable with the path that chosen for yourself and where you find yourself and. Society at the present moment, and you feel confident about a lot of things, I would beg to differ. It's not so much. I don't take myself seriously anymore. I get passionate about things. And I, I have certain faults, probably because I expressed them too vociferously sometimes, but I think. For me, all of this, it's just part of letting go. As far as the dancing and the memorization and the dialogue, I was trained as an actor. So this is just what I do, but I think in terms of us and cohesion and the sort of the persona of the group that we've created, I think there is this carefree kind of sense that, you know, in our later years. We really don't care what people think so much. We're out here to enjoy, however much time we have left on this earth.

Jason Blitman: 20:17

Yeah.

The Old Gays: 20:18

There's a, there's something flying by.

Jason Blitman: 20:20

Oh,

The Old Gays: 20:21

More recruits coming into Palm Springs.

Jason Blitman: 20:25

the gays are landing.

Brett Benner: 20:26

Are you having auditions today?

The Old Gays: 20:28

Yeah, no, actually. Every day in this town. Actually, today is the start of our first day of recording the book. We are recording the book with our own voices.

Brett Benner: 20:43

that's fantastic.

The Old Gays: 20:44

today at one o'clock is our first meeting and it goes for a week, our own recording.

Jason Blitman: 20:52

That'll be fun. I think not

Brett Benner: 20:55

Yeah.

Jason Blitman: 20:55

a doesn't think so.

The Old Gays: 20:56

Actually, our fans suggested, our fans really suggested that they, that we read the book and they wanted to hear our voices, tell our story.

Brett Benner: 21:06

Yeah. And I'm sure aren't you guys going to, if not, you should, and you could even say this was your idea is to, are you going to record, you should record some of your reading it for your tick tock. Just little sound bites from it.

The Old Gays: 21:17

We'll see. We'll see. There's there's, the

Brett Benner: 21:19

They're like, thanks for the suggestion, Brett. Keep it to yourself. Yeah. Yeah.

The Old Gays: 21:25

All right.

Brett Benner: 21:26

I have to know you guys. I just I, in terms of, I do always think I was like among your friends groups out there and think as everyone just clamoring to join in. Are there so many people that say when can I be in a video?

The Old Gays: 21:37

Not really. Not really. We collaborate with a lot of people. That's really our manager and producer, Ryan, who who sets all of that up. Yeah.

Jason Blitman: 21:47

So back to reading the book out loud for a minute. You talked a bit. about how the book started and how it was inspired and how, people came to you about writing it and telling these stories. But how did it feel to reflect on all of this, reflect on your life, put it on paper? And, it's one thing to Say it out loud to one person, they type it up in the book and that's it. But now you'll be reading it and re remembering Can you talk about what that, what your, what you feel like that experience will be?

The Old Gays: 22:18

Yikes. And that's, throughout the whole book and you know talking to our ghost writer, and All of that, it just brought back floods and floods of memories. It was like I was reliving my own life and it was quite amazing to me. And I talked about things that I never talked about and then went home and looked at myself and go, what have you done. And then I said, Okay, Yeah.

Brett Benner: 22:47

I was gonna say, how much had you shared with each other of what was being shared in the book beforehand? Was, were there surprises for each of you about each other when the book came out? I'm sure.

The Old Gays: 22:57

I like knowing. I really do. I love it. price is good ones, and it has been good and colorful. So that's been a very colorful story of the four of us. It certainly has.

Jason Blitman: 23:11

Mick, you were going to talk about your experience of reflecting an

The Old Gays: 23:16

I was reading through the book this weekend, looking at my sessions that I was going to be. And I thought, did I really give that secret away? Did I really say that? And then I thought, in some ways. I taught, I got much more graphic, let's put it this way, than what's in the book. So I feel the divs did a really good job of editing. And then I had the same feeling when I'd get back from the interview and that, and then when I read the galley copy, I thought, Oh, my God, did I tell them all that? I've literally up my heart and soul for this book, yes, there might be more books, but I thought, hey, I'm going to tell them how it is, and I'm not going to hold anything back, and I didn't. Yeah, I think that was the attitude that we probably all had going into this, and the more we got into it, the more I felt it was a great opportunity to really let it all out, and Maybe there would be some learning experiences that could come from it for people. And I've been reading it because I don't want to cry like I did when I was telling some of the story. So I want to be firm and not be ugly face.

Jason Blitman: 24:43

actor prepares. You gotta get ready.

Brett Benner: 24:46

So have you all been, have you all been practicing by speaking it out loud? Then you've all been, almost like a monologue or almost like you're practicing your lines. Right?

The Old Gays: 24:54

I have been. Yes, what I've been doing is I've read and reading it out loud, but I'm what I've been taught to do is always you just say it to yourself first when you're, and Not to project so much, but to really listen to the words as they come out and what they mean and you know what were you and to reflect back on what you were thinking or what you were trying to get across and all of those kinds of things start to come together. And that's how I prepare. Yes.

Brett Benner: 25:25

Awesome. I almost want to make, I almost want you to do some of it with a different voice. Maybe like this part, I'm going to do as Marlon Brando or this part

The Old Gays: 25:33

That, that's I'll think about that.

Jason Blitman: 25:35

that's for the that's for the one man show at Oscars.

The Old Gays: 25:39

Alright. Alright. No, I actually, I was thinking about all the jokes I could come up with for the, based on the book and our travels together,

Jason Blitman: 25:49

Yeah. So between the book, and all of those stories, but also all of the grinder interviews online, and the Tick tocks you all there's so much content of you now, there are so many pieces of you out there now. Is there something that you still want to do that you haven't done yet?

The Old Gays: 26:09

Yes, and yes. Living wise, I want to get the nerve to go parasailing. I have this huge fear of heights, but I want to get over that. I feel like I did when I did, what's this thing?

Brett Benner: 26:25

and

The Old Gays: 26:25

Hang, not hang gliding. No, not hang gliding. Parasailing. Huh. Parasailing.

Jason Blitman: 26:30

No. Zip lining. Zip

The Old Gays: 26:32

lining. Zip lining, yeah. I did that twice now and it has scared me both times, but it is so exhilarating and I just love it. But I just look at them up there and say, I just don't know if I'll ever make it. So I, for us as a group, I'd like us all to go to Antarctica. And I'd like us to do our TikToks from Antarctica, also because the ice sheet is melting in Antarctica. And I think our presence there, save the earth because uh, yes, raise awareness for that. And as far as individuals, it's very clear Austin Wolf.

Jason Blitman: 27:10

I don't know who is Austin

The Old Gays: 27:11

up. Look him up online, darling.

Jason Blitman: 27:14

I'm doing it right now.

The Old Gays: 27:16

He's an artiste. I'm sorry,

Jason Blitman: 27:21

Oh,

The Old Gays: 27:22

Lee. John Lee. I'm

Brett Benner: 27:23

an artiste. Sure.

Jason Blitman: 27:25

his arms are as, his arms are as big as my head.

The Old Gays: 27:30

Laughter That's because you opened the picture. Really big

Jason Blitman: 27:33

Mind your business.

The Old Gays: 27:34

he's the owner, he has his own company now. He's, it's called myan.com. I think. You've heard of only fans and just four fans. I think his is called My Fans and he's the CEO. Look that up. Go ahead. I understand that he was voted in 2014 as escort of the year.

Jason Blitman: 27:55

Interesting.

Brett Benner: 27:56

You guys, my favorite, one of my favorite things about Instagram I'll say is that when you go in and I'm looking at his page on Instagram, then you can see all the people that you know, that are currently following the person. And that always makes me laugh because I'm like, Oh, that tracks that track. Sure. That person. So anyway interesting.

The Old Gays: 28:15

I follow him. I'm a big fan.

Brett Benner: 28:17

Yeah, I'm sure. And he's 6'4 He's a tall drink of water.

The Old Gays: 28:20

I know. 275 pounds.

Brett Benner: 28:23

think Ryan

The Old Gays: 28:24

used to be a wrestler in college.

Brett Benner: 28:26

I'm sure. I think Ryan needs to hook that up so you can do a collab, if you know what I'm saying. For the for the TikTok. Yeah.

Jason Blitman: 28:33

for the, my fans.

The Old Gays: 28:34

Oh geez.

Jason Blitman: 28:35

All right, bill. What about you? What do you want to do Antarctica for you too?

The Old Gays: 28:39

I wanna take more cruises. That's what I wanna do. We have a great time on those cruises, and we meet so many wonderful people that I'd just be happy to cruise through the rest of my life. And they become family too. No?

Brett Benner: 28:59

Wait, who said no?

The Old Gays: 29:00

That was different. He said that they only become family for an instant, and I said no, because I'm still in contact

Brett Benner: 29:06

Oh, you're still in contact with a

The Old Gays: 29:07

with people. I'm a reach

Brett Benner: 29:09

Yeah, I've never been on a cruise, but people swear by them. My husband is dead set against them. And, but I, so I've never been on one. And yet I know people who've gone on them, love them so much.

The Old Gays: 29:19

Go without'em girl. Okay. Because they're fun. They are relaxing. it's all the amenities are fun to the recent Virgin voyage. We got a special pass on the tallest part of the ship, the 16th. Deck and we went in and it was just like one big old gay party. It was just really fun and we met some really marvelous people. Younger gays. Yeah, younger gays, but I also think, the social media brings people together from such diverse places. Yeah, and people that you normally wouldn't meet and that's what I like about it. But also, I'm just so thrilled about how younger generations just, accept us for who we are. Whereas before, I remember, you're always trying to prove yourself or, I hope they don't think I'm, too fey or, all of that kind of stuff. And Then they people just do for who you are. And I find that so refreshing, pleasurable. Yes

Brett Benner: 30:29

beCause you're it's infectious the way you guys are and that has to be for anyone watching, there's no way to not get caught up in your enjoyment of life and your enthusiasm and the fun that you're having.

Jason Blitman: 30:41

Bill, Brett will go on the cruise with you. Jesse, I just looked up parasailing only a hundred dollars a person for eight minutes. We'll go parasailing at,

The Old Gays: 30:52

ocean. Can you do it in a shallow pool? I don't swim.

Jason Blitman: 30:55

we can do like a virtual reality parasailing where we don't even have to, you don't have to leave Palm Springs.

Brett Benner: 31:02

exactly. You put a pair of goggles on and Jason will lift your feet up.

Jason Blitman: 31:05

Robert, the look that you gave Mick when he said Antarctica was hilarious. So where, what are you what's on your list? What do you want to do? What haven't you done that you want to do as an old gay or just in your life?

The Old Gays: 31:18

You know, I can't think of anything that I want to do either as an O. K. or as myself because the way I've answered this question in the past is that I feel like I had lived some Such a great life up to this point in time. Usually this is about what's on your bucket list. I can't think of anything on my bucket list.

Jason Blitman: 31:51

But now you can go to the reserve list, just like the parasailing.

The Old Gays: 31:55

The stuff that keeps coming up for the old gays. Even little stuff. It's all new and mostly exciting. And I'm just going along for the ride.

Jason Blitman: 32:11

All right.

The Old Gays: 32:12

And it's a good ride. I've done that I never thought I would do, go to San Diego and go backstage and do a TikTok with Michael Bublé or be invited to Kortui, the new Cirque du Soleil that they just had here in the Valley. The things that we get to do are absolutely incredible and I never would have thought in my life I'd be doing these things. aNd can't. Even conceive of doing these things in advance,

Jason Blitman: 32:48

you don't even know what the bucket list is. You're just you're open hearted and ready for what life is going to throw your way.

The Old Gays: 32:55

yes, you never know. What challenges we will face in the coming years, but, yeah as the 4 of us I think particularly, we've been through a lot together and we've traveled much of the world together and we've met some very interesting people along the way and we've danced and. Song and did things that we never thought we would do. It's great. It's great to be able to do that when you're in your for me in my 60s, because, especially given, my own health situation. I never thought I would be doing this. Honestly. And I never thought that a week from Saturday, we would be invited back to Las Vegas to do the Las Vegas Pride Parade, which is a very fun parade. Yes,

Brett Benner: 33:43

That's fantastic. That's next. that's next week.

The Old Gays: 33:46

Yeah. Yep. Theme of the parade is red and wild.

Brett Benner: 33:52

Wow.

The Old Gays: 33:53

we're going to be and hopefully in a red limousine. I'm the

Brett Benner: 33:57

Oh,

The Old Gays: 33:59

and I hope Elvis drives it again this year. He was so much fun and I get to go shopping. Brandon

Jason Blitman: 34:09

you got to be polite now.

Brett Benner: 34:11

For our listeners. Just say, just pulled his shirt off and turned it into a tube top for a moment. And all of it worked.

Jason Blitman: 34:17

All of it.

Brett Benner: 34:18

You guys. Okay. Thank you. Who would, thinking of in a casting world, and I think we talked to you about this question before, if you had to go and cast yourself, your younger self in a movie, who would play you? And it can be anyone living or dead can be fictional.

The Old Gays: 34:35

Alfonso, he's hosting

Jason Blitman: 34:39

Oh from Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

The Old Gays: 34:41

the Stars.

Jason Blitman: 34:42

what a good choice. Alfonso Rebiera.

The Old Gays: 34:45

Yes.

Brett Benner: 34:46

Nice. Nice.

The Old Gays: 34:49

Who would I like? Definitely Mark Wahlberg.

Brett Benner: 34:53

Oh, I could see

Jason Blitman: 34:53

yes. Great

Brett Benner: 34:54

That's very good casting. Very good casting with his third nipple. Very good casting. Yeah, he has a third nipple.

The Old Gays: 35:01

The more the merrier. That's true.

Brett Benner: 35:03

Yeah, he has a very it's very small and they probably airbrushed it out of stuff, but he has, yeah, you can look that up. Mark Wahlberg, third nipple. Yeah. Yes. Jason's on the looking immediately.

The Old Gays: 35:13

What I'm doing is going, Oh yeah, definitely.

Brett Benner: 35:16

Exactly.

The Old Gays: 35:17

help.

Brett Benner: 35:17

Bob, how about you?

The Old Gays: 35:19

Who talks that speed? Uh, Neighbors. Oh, that actually isn't bad.

Brett Benner: 35:25

Jim neighbors. All

The Old Gays: 35:26

Yeah, I guess he would bring out my early life. And he had a big dick.

Brett Benner: 35:35

I like this. All right. And Bill, what about you, Bill?

The Old Gays: 35:38

have no idea. I do.

Brett Benner: 35:40

Who?

The Old Gays: 35:41

It

Jason Blitman: 35:42

Come on. Just say

The Old Gays: 35:43

I always think of Opie when I look at Bill.

Brett Benner: 35:45

I could see that. I could also see a little, a young. A little Tom Hanks, little young Tom Hanks.

The Old Gays: 35:50

Actually with Bill, I just, what flashed on my mind was a young Hume Cronin. Not

Brett Benner: 35:56

God. I totally see that. Yes,

The Old Gays: 35:58

A young Hume Cronin.

Brett Benner: 36:00

I could see that. That's a really good casting.

Jason Blitman: 36:03

how fun. All right. You guys, you've done so many of these. Is there anything that you haven't gotten to talk about that you want to talk about or that you would like to share with the world, maybe that you haven't yet or a topic that nobody's asked you and you're like, man, why has nobody asked me that? Mick, what are you laughing about?

The Old Gays: 36:22

Well, I do mention a little bit in the book, but most people don't ask me because they get all concerned. Yeah, BDSM.

Jason Blitman: 36:30

Oh. What would you like people to ask you about? What do you want to talk about?

The Old Gays: 36:36

How much fun it is. You meet very interesting people along the way and yeah, it's a lot of fun and it enhances an erotic experience and that's something that the mainstream media just won't do.

Brett Benner: 36:55

And

Jason Blitman: 36:55

had a really,

Brett Benner: 36:56

yeah, that's what I know.

The Old Gays: 36:57

I Definitely have a muscle fetish. I Have yeah, I'm into bondage. Because that can be a lot of fun. The trouble is now that I'm older, I don't have the strength that really needed to really show it. And it's, something that's in my past. But yeah, I enjoyed it for what it was and I recommend it to people who want to get a real high. We had to do a shoot yesterday where we were all handcuffed together and seen him panting.

Brett Benner: 37:28

I'm like

The Old Gays: 37:28

no, what I said was that I don't like handcuffs because IU I got handcuffed to a bed, PO four poster your bed, and it just didn't feel right around my wrists. I just prefer rope.

Brett Benner: 37:40

I know it Yeah, maybe now

The Old Gays: 37:41

guy came up with your hands behind your back, I don't want handcuffs. I don't want zip lines, I want,

Jason Blitman: 37:47

Yeah.

The Old Gays: 37:48

safer.

Brett Benner: 37:49

I think you need some silk restraints. That's what you want.

Jason Blitman: 37:52

Ooh, Some. silk. How

Brett Benner: 37:54

Some nice silk restraints. would do you fine.

Jason Blitman: 37:57

Mick's like, no, give me the rope.

The Old Gays: 37:59

Gimme the rope and also the leather restraints. The leather restraints. That's, those are fun. been told it doesn't,

Jason Blitman: 38:05

you've been told that those are what?

The Old Gays: 38:07

leather ones are really comfortable. Yeah. You

Jason Blitman: 38:10

I've been told.

Brett Benner: 38:12

Consumers say,

The Old Gays: 38:14

When I used to date a lot online and I was on scruff, people would always say. Open the front door and I want you to be blindfolded in your bedroom. And I already want you to have handcuffed yourself to the bed. And then this person comes into the, you know, you're blindfolded. And you're. You've lost the sense, the sensory, it's the sensory deprivation and your reliance on the other senses to experience whatever you're experiencing and it's fun

Jason Blitman: 38:46

But I gotta say, though, that's lazy on their part because they're making you do all the work in terms of tying up come on

The Old Gays: 38:54

when you host, that's fine, because then they can come in the room and they have some, they work and they have so much fun and they're the ones doing the work.

Brett Benner: 39:03

Yeah. See, Mick, I would have been concerned that I'd get myself tied up. I'd have my blindfold on. I'd be on the bed. I'd hear the door open. And what I'd hear was, Oh no, I'm sorry. And then they'd leave.

The Old Gays: 39:16

they don't even show up

Brett Benner: 39:18

And you wake up the next morning tied to the bed and you're like, how the hell did I get here? With a face mask askew and some drool out of the mouth.

The Old Gays: 39:25

around sometimes when I would, when they took them when they took when they would take the mask off and I would look at them and I said, Oh, no.

Jason Blitman: 39:33

the mask back on put the mask back

The Old Gays: 39:35

Yeah, I can't. I've tried it and I I need to know where you are. I can't lose that much control.

Brett Benner: 39:42

Jesse, I imagine you would just start to giggle uncontrollably the whole time.

The Old Gays: 39:46

Yeah, I bet he would, actually. Like the opposite, as a matter of fact. I freak out. I really do. And that's why I did it once. Yes.

Brett Benner: 39:55

You tried it. You did it. You did it.

The Old Gays: 39:58

Speed

Brett Benner: 39:58

else? Any kinks that we need to discuss here before

Jason Blitman: 40:02

everyone's like damn it mick

Brett Benner: 40:03

you open the Pandora's box? I know. I know, Bill. You're very quiet.

Jason Blitman: 40:08

is suddenly very interested in everybody's sex life

Brett Benner: 40:11

Hey, why not? Mick brought it up.

The Old Gays: 40:14

Okay, Speedos is my king

Jason Blitman: 40:16

Oh,

Brett Benner: 40:17

Oh, wearing or seeing others in.

The Old Gays: 40:20

Does that extend in like underwear?'cause I know a lot of guys have an underwear fetish. They hide lots of underwear and then they ask you to wear it. See? And then what they do is they take it back and they say, I'm never gonna wash this. in the seventies in San Francisco, that was a big deal, sending someone your underwear.

Brett Benner: 40:39

it still happens.

The Old Gays: 40:40

But I'm strictly a Speedo guy. A swimwear Speedo. Swimwear Speedo.

Jason Blitman: 40:47

Are you exclusive to Speedo the brand, or is it any sort of bathing suit that is like a Speedo?

The Old Gays: 40:53

Anything that's like Speedo.

Brett Benner: 40:56

remember? Did you used to get, do you remember Jason? I don't think you'll even know this, but you remember the international mail catalog. You'll know it, but I'm not. Yes. I remember. I remember it so well. I, my parents must've known when it started to arrive at my house and there was always talk that the models were displayed. So they were looked like they were looking at each other. Like one picture on the top would be looking down at the other. Yeah. That used to be the thing, man. International mail, when you couldn't get anything else. It was something.

The Old Gays: 41:26

Yes, live for it.

Jason Blitman: 41:27

That was a great inspiring way to end the conversation. I guess you could say that is not something that came up in any other podcast. And so we. We have an exclusive right here.

The Old Gays: 41:38

Glad we could help.

Jason Blitman: 41:40

You guys are such a joy. Thank You again for everything that you do. I know each of the videos is really hard work and as an audience member. We certainly love it. And so the work doesn't go unnoticed and we're big fans of the old gays and keep doing what you're doing and we're we love you guys. And so thank you for everything. Um,

The Old Gays: 42:03

Thank you. I'll see you never experienced a book signing before and voila, there's one on the horizon.

Jason Blitman: 42:11

that was on your bucket list. Now,

Brett Benner: 42:13

if you can be able to check that out too,

Jason Blitman: 42:15

this has been so, so, so lovely. Mick, Bill, Robert, Jess, say you are a delight, a pleasure, thank you all for listening. Again, it was such a fun conversation, but if you wanted a little bit more, check out our Patreon where you can see the video of this conversation. Follow us on Instagram. We often do giveaways over there, at Gay's Reading. We will Be back on Tuesday.

Brett Benner: 42:44

Tuesday.

Jason Blitman: 42:45

Is that true?

Brett Benner: 42:46

Yeah, we will. We sure will.

Jason Blitman: 42:48

Oh yeah. Our first episode in December. Lots of fun stuff to look forward to in December.

Brett Benner: 42:54

Including our favorites of the year.

Jason Blitman: 42:56

Thanks everybody. Have a great rest of your day. See ya.

Brett Benner: 43:00

ya.