Detoxicity: By Men, About Men, For Everyone

I'm very happy to welcome my friend Ty McKinnie [https://instagram.com/tymckinnie] back to the show. Listen to his first appearance here [https://detoxpod.podbean.com/e/detoxpod-119-ty-mckinnie-singermusician/]. Originally from Atlanta, Ty works in the music industry as a creative as well as an executive. He released his album Tyrie last year, and I highly recommend it! It's Black Music Month and Pride Month, and Ty stands proudly at the intersection. We talk about how his queerness informs the music he makes, and how he aims to be seen as a representative for a section of the music listening audience he doesn't see well-represented. Ty also fancies himself a "late bloomer" (it's the title of one of his songs), and we go deep into that and how he's come to terms with it. Additionally, we go deep on impostor syndrome, performance anxiety (as a creative, not what you're thinking!) and we talk about joy as a form of resistance. I really hope you enjoy our conversation! Drop a line, find me on socials (detoxpodguy) and let me know what you think!

Backline.ca [https://backline.ca/]re is an organization that aims to provide mental health resources for humans in the music industry, and they have done great things since emerging in 2019. One of the people at the helm of that change is their clinical director, Ari Jacobson. In our chat, Ari takes us through his origin story; we talk about how he joined Backline and go through the circuitous route that led to him becoming a mental health professional in the first place. We discuss his upbringing in Baltimore, his background working in some of that city's toughest environments, and what he learned from those experiences. We also discuss his approach to his own mental health, the value he places on close relationships with friends and family, and what it's like to raise two boys in 2025. I'm very grateful to Ari for his time, and listeners, please drop a comment or a DM if you enjoyed this conversation!

Earlier this year, I interviewed Tyson Allred [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/detoxpod-192-tyson-allred-creator-entrepreneur/id1501550713?i=1000697826819], the co-founder of Dad Bods and Beards. I've been impressed with DBAB's mission since I found out about them on Instagram through their creative, heartwarming and often funny Reels. Logan is the other half of Dad Bods and Beards, and our chat covers quite a bit of ground: from his bipolar diagnosis and the cop that saved his life to his ongoing fitness journey. From his passionate (and much appreciated) support of the queer community to the power of ketamine (which is starting to become a semi-recurring theme with this podcast), to his experience as a formerly practicing Mormon, Logan keeps it real, with more than a dash of humor and a shit ton of authenticity (real authenticity, not social media/marketing authenticity). I hope some of what Logan talks about resonates. I look forward to having him back for more! Hope you enjoy the listen. And find out more about Dad Bods and Beards here! [https://www.dadbodsandbeards.com/]

I recorded this interview with Greg Burmeister back in October. Because of everything that happened at the beginning of November (you know what I'm talking about), I put this one on the shelf for a while before coming back to it and remembering how good a conversation it was. Greg co-hosts the podcast "Talking Schmidt" [https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingSchmidt], which I was lucky enough to appear on last fall. He is also the second (at least) DetoxPod guest to have worked with (for?) the legend David Letterman. Greg and I chat about moving from Minnesota to New York City, a near-death experience that changed his life forever, living rent-free in NYC (a hell of a life hack), music as therapy, and more. Follow Greg on IG at "greghello [https://www.instagram.com/greghello/]". Would love to hear what you think of this episode! Sound off in the comments, and enjoy the chat!

Hope you are doing as well as can be given current times. Remember, we are stronger together! Community remains of utmost importance! I'm excited to bring you my conversation with Tom Gentry. Tom is not only a treasured friend, but he's a counselor specializing in addiction. He's also a passionate advocate for progressive masculinity, which makes him a perfect fit for Detoxpod! Tom and I chat about his own experience as an addict and what drove him to recovery. We talk about familial cycles and how the things we learn growing up can affect us without even knowing it. Tom and I chat about the term "toxic masculinity" and how using those words can sometimes negatively obscure the work that we do. And there's so much more! Check out Tom's website [https://www.tomgentry.net/] and his podcast. [https://thepathtoauthenticity.com/] Hope you get something positive out of this conversation. Feel free to drop me a line and share your thoughts!