Ep. 238: Surviving My Mother's Cult: Peggy on Escape, Trauma & Finding Your Voice

Ep. 251: Psychic Medium & Pet Communicator Medium Mari on Signs, Grief & Spirit

SHOW NOTES Episode Title: Psychic Medium & Pet Communicator Medium Mari on Signs, Grief & the Gift She Was Born With Episode Summary: This week Zach sits down with Medium Mari — a Boston-area psychic medium, animal communicator, and licensed clinical social worker — for a conversation that goes deep into the world of spirit, intuition, and healing. Mari has spent decades bridging two worlds: the clinical and the metaphysical. The result is a reading experience that's both evidential and deeply compassionate. Episode Highlights: * Mari shares what it was like growing up seeing angels at age four and keeping her gift as her "dirty little secret" * How her family responded — and why she followed the "normal path" of degrees and clinical work before fully embracing her abilities * The moment a UK psychic told her she was meant to do this work — and why she didn't believe him * The Orlando airport tarot card story: one card, standing upright in an airport bathroom stall, that read Trust * What a reading actually looks like from Mari's side — clairvoyance, images, movie clips, scents, and spirit drawing her words and symbols * How her background as a licensed clinical social worker shapes the way she delivers messages with care and intention * Energy protection: golden bubbles, grounding meditations, and why grocery stores can be overwhelming when you feel everything * A heartfelt message for anyone grieving a pet or a loved one — and how to start noticing the signs they're sending Mari's Books: * Heaven Sent — a multi-author compilation of stories about the miraculous ways pets have helped people (available on Amazon and mariamari.com) * Reflections Between Two Worlds — a compilation of psychic mediums sharing their experiences, including Mari's account of physically seeing a Revolutionary War soldier at Minuteman National Park Connect with Medium Mari: 🌐 https://www.mediummari.com/ [https://www.mediummari.com/] Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com [https://www.sixfoot5prod.com]  Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977  [https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977 ] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ [https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep. 250: My Anti-Aging Secrets: Skincare, Botox, Micro-Needling & Supplements

My Anti-Aging Secrets: Skincare, Botox, Micro-Needling & What Actually Works It's The Gay Bit — where Zach packs all the gay into one episode. This week, he's pulling back the curtain on his full anti-aging routine: the supplements, the devices, the spa treatments, and yes — the salmon sperm. In this episode: Zach breaks down everything he does to fight aging at 53 — from his 18-pill morning supplement stack (collagen, NAD, multivitamins, and more) to his double-cleanse routine with oil and soap-based cleansers, multiple toners, serums, vitamin C, and SPF. He talks about the LED face masks he buys and never uses, a $2,000 red light wand from South by Southwest that did absolutely nothing, and the treatments that actually make a difference — including micro-needling with salmon sperm facial, Botox every three months, and lip filler. He also gets candid about quitting smoking in January 2020, gaining weight during COVID when the gyms were closed, hating his 40s, and why turning 50 actually felt like a relief. Plus — he's signing up for a personal trainer twice a week at the fitness studio at the end of his block, because accountability is the only thing that gets him to the gym. Oh, and he definitely went on Facebook to look up his straight high school classmates and feel good about himself. No shame. Topics covered:   18-supplement morning routine: collagen, NAD, multivitamins, and horse-sized pills Double-cleanse method, toners, serums, and SPF LED face masks, red light wands, and skincare devices (mostly gathering dust) Micro-needling + salmon sperm facial — yes, really Botox every 3 months, lip filler once a year Quitting smoking in January 2020 and gaining weight during COVID Joining a personal trainer studio twice a week Being 53, gay, and aging on your own terms The Facebook scroll of shame (looking at old classmates)   Want to know the exact collagen supplement Zach swears by? Send him a DM on Instagram! New episodes drop Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. The Gay Bit drops every Friday. Follow, subscribe, rate, review, and share — it genuinely helps the show grow. Find Zach on social and at TheRealZachRE on IG.  Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com [https://www.sixfoot5prod.com]  Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977  [https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977 ] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ [https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep. 249: She Left Everything and Built an Empire in LA | Danielle P.M. Johnson

This episode is about what it actually looks like to bet on yourself when you have almost nothing — and win. Danielle P.M. Johnson moved from the East Coast to Los Angeles in July 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic, having left behind an abusive marriage and carrying a dream that most people would have talked themselves out of. She arrived at midnight with rolling suitcases and no plan beyond this is what I'm supposed to do. What she's built since then — a choreography career, an Airbnb hustle that paid her first apartment, a women's empowerment organization, a dance-based film series, and a nonprofit that gets dancers paid — is a masterclass in resilience, faith, and moving when you don't feel ready. Zach and Danielle talk about what it really takes to start over, how dance heals even when you don't know who it's healing, and why knowing who you are changes everything. In This Episode * How Danielle moved to LA at the height of COVID with a car ride, a suitcase, and a prayer * The Airbnb hustle that turned into her first apartment — and got her debt forgiven during the pandemic * Her journey from music to choreography — and the prophecy that redirected her entire path * What performing means versus just dancing: getting into character so fully that you become the message * How dance heals — and why you can never predict which performance will move someone * The film series she shot and is now editing: telling the real story behind the highlight reel of entertainment * Glow Up House — the organization she founded for women (and men) focused on community, mentorship, and inner growth * Cardio Healing — the umbrella LLC and nonprofit helping dancers get booked, costumed, rehearsed, and paid for major events including the NYC Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop * What being a strong woman actually means: "I was always that girl — I just didn't know it yet" * What she wants her daughter to learn: resilience and going after what God placed inside you * Her manifestation list: mansion, Range Rover, touring with Beyoncé and Chris Brown, choreographing for GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, and more Guest Bio Danielle P.M. Johnson is a Los Angeles-based choreographer, entrepreneur, and founder of Glow Up House and Cardio Healing. Specializing in hip hop, jazz, and majorette, she got her start on her high school marching band dance team and has spent the last several years building a platform that centers the whole story of the artist — not just the highlight reel. Her nonprofit organization has helped dancers get booked for major performance opportunities including the New York City Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop. Connect with Danielle 🌐 Glow Up House: https://www.theglowuphaus.club/ [https://www.theglowuphaus.club/] (Merch, one-on-one dance classes, weekly Zoom calls, monthly events, and community membership) Enjoying the Show? If this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who needs it. And please take a moment to follow, subscribe, rate, and review Everything & Anything…and a Bit Gay — it makes a real difference in helping more people find these stories. Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com [https://www.sixfoot5prod.com]  Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977  [https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977 ] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ [https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep. 248: Dating, Ghosting & Found Family: A Girl and a Gay on Real Modern Love

Jacqueline & Japheth | A Girl and a Gay What happens when a metropolitan girly from New York and LA meets a Nashville-born gay man at a summer party — and they become instant best friends? Magic. Content. And a whole lot of tea. Zach sits down with Jacqueline and Japheth, the creators behind the TikTok account A Girl and a Gay, for one of the most wide-ranging, real-talk conversations the show has had in a while. These two met just a year ago through a mutual friend, and they've already built a growing platform giving dating advice to thousands of followers — from real DMs about heartbreak, ghosting, and whether a guy actually likes you. In this episode: * How Jacqueline and Japheth met at a Nashville party and became instant best friends (what Japheth calls a "clandestine union of sorts") * Jacqueline's move from New York and LA to Nashville — and why she traded city life for something more peaceful * What the gay dating scene in Nashville is actually like: close-knit, warm, but also complicated when everyone knows everyone * Ghosting, catfishing, and love bombing — why ghosting may be more psychologically damaging than outright rejection * How to make friends as an adult (including Zach's Out Close dinner experience in Boston) * Being gay in a red state: Japheth's experience growing up out in Tennessee and why he cries every year at Nashville Pride * The origin of A Girl and a Gay — how a single TikTok video blew up and turned into a movement * Why their DMs started filling up with real relationship questions when they still had under 1,000 followers * Skincare secrets (shoutout to Revision Skincare and IT Cosmetics CC cream) * And the conversation every aspiring podcaster needs to hear about patience, persistence, and not going in with expectations Connect with Jacqueline & Japheth: * TikTok: @agirlAndAGay (combined account) https://www.tiktok.com/@a.girl.and.a.gay [https://www.tiktok.com/@a.girl.and.a.gay] * Plus their individual TikTok and Instagram accounts —   * https://www.tiktok.com/@japhethfranco [https://www.tiktok.com/@japhethfranco] * https://www.tiktok.com/@itsjacqs [https://www.tiktok.com/@itsjacqs] * https://www.instagram.com/japheth__franco/ [https://www.instagram.com/japheth__franco/] Everything & Anything…and a Bit Gay is hosted by Zach Randles-Friedman. New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs it. Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com [https://www.sixfoot5prod.com]  Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977  [https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977 ] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ [https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ep. 247: This Is Everything: Gay Men, Aging & the Skin Obsession Nobody Talks About

Episode Notes: Let's be real — the gay community has a complicated relationship with age. And Zach is done pretending otherwise. In this episode of This Is Everything, Zach reflects on the journey every gay man eventually takes: from the invincible 20-something who thought 35 was ancient, to the 53-year-old still showing up, still looking good, and still absolutely judging the 21-year-olds walking in like they own the place. In this episode, Zach covers: * Growing up in Miami and living his best twink life in South Beach going out six or seven nights a week * The exact moment in his 30s at Wonder Bar in New York City when it hit him — oh shit, I'm not the young one anymore * The infamous "old troll" comment he and his friend Tony made on the dance floor at Amnesia — and how karma came for both of them * Why gay men aging feels a lot more like straight women aging than straight men aging * His full skincare arsenal: Botox, microneedling, salmon sperm facials, and his newest obsession — Plated Skin Science, a serum powered by over one trillion platelet-derived exosomes developed by Mayo Clinic physician-scientists * Why he'll never do fillers (except for the lips, which doesn't count, apparently) * Dressing your age without looking like you've given up — and why he gave his oversized sweaters to his husband * The unexpected upside of being 53 in the age of AI About Plated Skin Science: Zach just started using the Plated INTENSE Serum and EYE Serum. Plated is the #1 dermatologist-recommended exosome brand, developed through 20+ years of Mayo Clinic research. The INTENSE Serum contains over 1 trillion platelet-derived exosomes per bottle and is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and uneven tone. Time Magazine named it one of the Best Inventions of 2024. Learn more at platedskinscience.com [https://platedskinscience.com].  💬 Have your own "holy shit I'm getting older" gay bar moment? Tell Zach about it. 📩 DM on Instagram or drop a comment.https://www.instagram.com/therealzachre/ [https://www.instagram.com/therealzachre/] 🎙️ Everything & Anything…and a Bit Gay drops new episodes five days a week. Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen — it genuinely helps more than you know.   Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com [https://www.sixfoot5prod.com]  Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977  [https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977 ] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ [https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.