Ep 8: Abs, Anxiety and Artificial Aesthetics: Pt 1

Ep 10: Undetectable & Unstoppable

What if everything you think you know about HIV is wrong? This week, Darío and Ryan sit down with Alex Garner — writer, artist, community advocate, and proud Chicano queer man who has been living openly with HIV for 30 years. Alex works with MPact Global, the only worldwide organization dedicated to building community and defending human rights for gay, bisexual, and queer men across 62 countries. This is not a sad episode. It is an honest one. We go deep on what HIV actually means in 2026 — medically, emotionally, and sexually. We talk about the science of Undetectable = Untransmittable, the history of fear that medicine has outpaced but stigma has not, and what it looks like to build a life of pleasure, community, and zero shame while living HIV positive. In this episode: * The real story of HIV from the 80s to now * Why stigma has not evolved as fast as medicine * Sex, desire, and disclosure — navigating intimacy with HIV * How dating apps are still failing HIV positive people * PrEP, access, and why treatment is still a privilege * Alex's personal journey — including his experience as a sex worker and performer * What thriving looks like versus just surviving Resources mentioned: * MPact Global: mpactglobal.org * PrEP online: HeyMistr.com * SF locals: Magnet SF * Alex's writing: advocate.com/authors/alex-garner Follow Alex: @alexgarnerla Follow MPact: @mpact.global Live Laugh Loads is a queer-centered podcast about sex, joy, identity, and community. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this one — it matters. Follow us on:  Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@livelaughloads.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/livelaughloads.podcast] Bluesky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@livelaughloadscast.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/livelaughloadscast.bsky.social] YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@⁠⁠LiveLaughLoadsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@LiveLaughLoadsPodcast] Website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Livelaughloads.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.livelaugloads.com/] Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blogspot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://livelaughloads.blogspot.com/] Ryan's Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hes.tryan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/hes.tryan] Dario's Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tattooedgay⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/tattooedgay] Alex's Instagram @alexgarnerla [https://www.instagram.com/alexgarnerla] Mpact Global's Instagram @mpact.global [https://www.instagram.com/mpact.global]

Ep 9: Comedy, Queerness, and a Murder Musical

What happens when you take capitalism, rage, healthcare horror, and queerness... and turn it into a musical? You get Luigi the Musical, and you get our guest Caleb Zeringue. This week we're diving into satire, risk, and why queer artists are expected to be palatable instead of unsettling. We talk about the musical everyone's buzzing about (yes, the one about that alleged CEO murderer), the "you only talk about being gay" critique that never dies, and whether going "wide" means growth or erasure. Also: thirst traps, bathhouses, and the eternal question — are gay friendships real or just advanced networking? If this episode makes you laugh and feel a little uncomfortable? Perfect. That's the point. Guest: Caleb Zeringue — stand-up comedian, co-writer of Luigi the Musical, and co-writer of a new comedy show with Jenny Zigrino debuting at Netflix is a Joke Festival this May. 🎭 Murder. Musicals. Moral panic. Let's go. Follow us on:  Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@livelaughloads.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/livelaughloads.podcast] Bluesky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@livelaughloadscast.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/livelaughloadscast.bsky.social] YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@⁠⁠LiveLaughLoadsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@LiveLaughLoadsPodcast] Website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Livelaughloads.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.livelaugloads.com/] Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blogspot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://livelaughloads.blogspot.com/] Ryan's Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hes.tryan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/hes.tryan] Dario's Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tattooedgay⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/tattooedgay] Caleb's Instagram @Caleb.meringue [https://www.instagram.com/caleb.meringue]

Ep 8: Abs, Anxiety and Artificial Aesthetics: Pt 2

Part 2 If Part 1 asked why we’re spiraling, Part 2 asks what we’re doing about it — and at what cost. 💉🪞 In Part 2, we get into artificial aesthetics: Botox, fillers, bleached anuses, painful procedures, and the pressure to keep fixing ourselves without ever feeling finished. We break down white beauty standards, fitfluencer culture, AI-enhanced bodies, and the illusion economy selling perfection that isn’t natural, sustainable, or even real. We talk about pain as currency, discipline as worth, and how “self-care” can quietly turn into self-punishment when mental health is ignored. This isn’t anti-beauty — it’s about intention, honesty, and choosing peace over impossible standards. ✨🧠 Follow us on:  Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@livelaughloads.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/livelaughloads.podcast] Bluesky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@livelaughloadscast.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/livelaughloadscast.bsky.social] YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@⁠⁠LiveLaughLoadsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@LiveLaughLoadsPodcast] Website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Livelaughloads.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.livelaugloads.com/] Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blogspot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://livelaughloads.blogspot.com/] Ryan's Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hes.tryan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/hes.tryan] Dario's Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tattooedgay⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/tattooedgay]

Ep 8: Abs, Anxiety and Artificial Aesthetics: Pt 1

Part 1 Abs didn’t fix our anxiety — so we started here. 🪞 Part 1 dives into gay beauty standards, body weight obsession, hair loss panic, gym culture, and the slow creep of body dysmorphia. We talk about how muscular, masculine, and often white-centered ideals become invisible rules — and how chasing them can leave you leaner, stronger, and somehow more insecure. From calorie-earning workouts to “natty” lies and comparison culture, we unpack why the gym can shift from grounding to punishing, and why unattainable goals don’t motivate forever — they exhaust. If you’ve ever felt hotter but less at peace, this part sets the stage. 💪🏽🧠 Follow us on:  Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@livelaughloads.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/livelaughloads.podcast] Bluesky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@livelaughloadscast.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/livelaughloadscast.bsky.social] YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@⁠⁠LiveLaughLoadsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@LiveLaughLoadsPodcast] Website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Livelaughloads.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.livelaugloads.com/] Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blogspot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://livelaughloads.blogspot.com/] Ryan's Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hes.tryan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/hes.tryan] Dario's Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tattooedgay⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/tattooedgay]

Ep 7: Just Roommates: Pt 2

Part 2 We’re diving into the messy middle: queer coding, queerbaiting, erasure, and why creators keep dancing around queerness instead of owning it. This half gets spicier, sharper, and way more chaotic. We break down: • Queer coding vs queerbaiting — the difference between hinting and hustling • The Finn & Poe heartbreak that Disney still pretends didn’t happen • T.A.T.u, Luca, Supernatural, and all the times queerness was teased then denied • Straightwashing, gaywashing, and how fandom often tells the truth before creators do • Who gets to be represented — and who Hollywood still sidelines • Why we cling to queer-coded divas, and how corporate Pride keeps fumbling the bag • Our listener poll and the wildest “almost gay” moments in pop culture A full buffet of canon crimes, representation wins, and the queer chaos we love. Follow us on:  Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@livelaughloads.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/livelaughloads.podcast] Bluesky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@livelaughloadscast.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://bsky.app/profile/livelaughloadscast.bsky.social] YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@⁠⁠LiveLaughLoadsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@LiveLaughLoadsPodcast] Website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Livelaughloads.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.livelaugloads.com/] Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blogspot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://livelaughloads.blogspot.com/] Ryan's Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@hes.tryan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/hes.tryan] Dario's Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tattooedgay⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/tattooedgay]