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In this episode, Dennis is joined by playwright Janine Nabers and director Michelle Bossy to talk about their world premier play The Peterson Show, which is about five adult actors who played siblings on a Cosby-like TV show back in the day and what happens in their lives when a Cosby-like sexual abuse scandal gets exposed. Janine talks about why she wanted to write the play, the scandal-tarnished sitcoms besides Cosby that she took inspiration from like Martin, Family Matters and The Fresh Prince of Belair, and why it was important for the matriarch in the play's sitcom family to be dark-skinned. Michelle talks about her longtime friendship with Janine, the challenges of putting up a show with such a powerhouse, in-demand cast and the timeliness of the piece. Other topics include: the friendship dynamics between the famous and the less famous, why sometimes a moment in a script is so important the type has to be bigger on the page, the gay brother-straight brother dynamic in the play and why they keep returning to the theater. https://www.echotheatercompany.com/peterson-show

Introducing Why Is America Different Than Every Other Country When It Comes to Guns? from The Oprah Podcast. Follow the show: The Oprah Podcast BUY THE BOOK!  The American Way of Killing by Malcolm Gladwell ⁠https://amzn.to/4jvQMuE⁠  Malcolm Gladwell - one of America’s foremost thought leaders - examines our country’s obsession with guns and the devastating toll gun violence has taken on our communities. In his new book, The American Way of Killing: The Invention of an Epidemic, Malcolm challenges some of our most deeply held beliefs about American gun violence: what we’re missing about the root cause of most violence, how modern medicine is obscuring the reality of the problem, why the answer might be more police—not less—and how we’ve lost sight of the historical context surrounding the Second Amendment. Oprah and Malcolm speak with a Chicago based E.R. doctor who lost 15 close friends and family members to gun violence. He teaches students as young as fourth grade how to treat a gunshot wound. This episode also offers some common sense solutions to a seemingly intractable problem. 00:00:00 - Welcome Malcolm Gladwell, author of “The American Way of Killing” 00:04:20 - European vs. American police 00:08:50 - Stats around more police 00:09:50 - Malcolm’s experience with guns 00:13:30 - Welcome Dr. Pratt 00:16:33 - Talking to kids about gun violence 00:19:15 - Changing gun violence 00:21:00 - Treating gun shot wounds 00:25:13 - The 2nd amendment 00:29:00 - Crime vs. violence 00:33:45 - Instrumental vs. expressive violence 00:40:00 - Are we learning from our mistakes? 00:43:00 - The gun problem is not unsolvable Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

In this episode, Dennis is joined by his friend playwright and director Howard Skora to talk about his new play Texas Sodomy, which tells the incredible true story of the landmark Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas. Howard talks about his extensive research process, including interviews with real people involved in the case like Lane Lewis, Mitch Katin, and Paul Smith, and how he worked to stay faithful to the facts while creating compelling drama. He also explains the historical significance of the 1999 case, which challenged Texas's law criminalizing gay sex and ultimately led to the overturning of similar laws across the country, paving the way for gay marriage. Howard also talks about his collaborative approach to directing, working closely with actors like Drew Droege to refine the script and bring authentic details to life, including matching real photos and bar logos from the era. Other topics include: what's cool about writing plays as opposed to film and TV scripts, dealing with imposter syndrome, the pros and cons of self-producing, unlikely heroism and the moment in the Texas Sodomy journey that he'll never forget. www.texassodomy.com

In this episode, Dennis is joined by filmmaker Darren Stein & performer AJ Paramo to talk about Jawbreaker: The Musical, which is running at the Hudson Theater in Hollywood through September 27. Darren wrote and directed the 1999 cult classic film that the musical is based on and he also wrote the book for the musical. AJ stars as Fern Mayo / Vylette, the role originally played by Judy Greer in the film. But in the musical, unlike the movie, Fern is trans. Darren talks about the long development of the musical and how coming up with the idea of making Fern trans gave the story new urgency. AJ talks about auditioning for the show over Zoom from Chicago and what it's like to act alongside one of the film's original stars, Rebecca Gayheart-Dane, who plays Principal Sherwood in the show. The pair both talk about their own high school experiences, why they love musicals and how excited they are that Judy Greer is coming to see the show soon. Other topics include: the deliciousness of makeover scenes in movies and shows, fans of the film showing up to the show in costume, that time in 1999 when Dennis interviewed 26-year old Darren for Instinct magazine, and the unforgettable moments in the rehearsal process when they were both moved to tears.

Dennis is joined by his friend and playwriting classmate Christopher Moncayo-Torres to talk about his unique and wonderful show Before It's Too Late, which is an autobiographical storytelling show about his family...that features his actual family in major roles. He somehow got his two elderly parents, who are long divorced, and his two sisters to appear (two on stage and two via Zoom) for an entire 3-week run! Christopher talks about growing up a lonely latchkey kid in Queens and how that loneliness led to create this show. He also talks about how paying his dad to do the show, what it's like to play out his family drama in front of an audience, and his desire to spend time with his family and also make them famous. He also talks about his dear friend Esther, who he lost in June, who inspired him to get into storytelling in the first place. Other topics include: the storytelling nights he hosts through The Moth as well as his own production company, Fail Better Arts, the importance of mentors, his desire for community, his connection with the Hollywood Fringe Festival and why it's important to fail, get up and then fail again. https://outsideintheatre.org/

In this episode, Dennis is joined by comedian, writer and author Eliot Glazer to talk about his book The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Gay, which documents all the various ways Eliot has been doing the gay thing wrong virtually all his life. Eliot talks about his inspiration for writing the book, the decision to be so candid about his sex life, and the positive reception he's gotten from readers so far. He also talks about his high school drama teacher from hell, gays and body image, his complicated relationship with social media, and bachelorette parties in gay bars. Other topics include: the current state of TV comedy writing, Eliot's obsession with The Golden Girls, self-deporting from the musical Cats as a teenager, his early celeb crushes like Matt LeBlanc, Howie D. from the Backstreet Boys and Shawn Wayans, why short shorts and porn-staches are so awesome, naked gay yoga and how social media can somehow be utterly meaningless and all that matters at the same time.  www.eliotglazer.com

This episode features excerpts from the live comedy game show Dennis Hensley's MISMATCH GAME: Totally 80's Edition, which took place on Friday, August 28, 2026 in Hollywood. On the panel were Jackie Beat as Bea Arthur, Julie Brown as Bjork, Danny Casillas as Reba Areba, Rebecca Kochan as Jennifer Coolidge, Dante as Christopher Lloyd and Melissa Peterman as Rena Z. The questions cover such 80's icons as Michael Jackson and Bubbles the Chimp, Cyndi Lauper vs. Madonna, Ronald and Nancy Reagan, Dolly Parton, The Brat Pack, The Golden Girls, Cats the Musical, Back to the Future, Charles and Diana, Donald Trump and Cher. The evening raised over $4,000 for the LA LGBT Center and a totally awesome time was had by all.

In this episode, Dennis is joined via Zoom by David Kittredge the director behind the wonderful new documentary Boorman and the Devil, which is about the legendary director John Boorman and the flop film that nearly killed him, The Exorcist 2: Heretic. David talks about why he felt compelled to make the movie, convincing Boorman to sit for an interview and the thoughtful and inspiring things the director had to say once the cameras were rolling. David also talks about interviewing the film's stars Linda Blair and Louise Fletcher and adoring both of them. Other topics include: David's first time seeing The Exorcist 2: Heretic on home video, the importance of ambitious artists, why Rex Reed needs to suck it, getting awards buzz and how it feels to have made a doc that everyone seems to love.

In this Gay Days Anaheim sneak peak episode, Dennis is joined by the event's producer Eddie Shapiro and drag queen Jackie Cox, a Gay Days veteran who will be performing this year with her Drag Race compatriot Jan in a show called YKJ. Eddie shares the history of Gay Days, which is celebrating its 28th year, while Jackie discusses his personal connection to Disneyland, including working in the parade 20 years ago and having his first kiss on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride as a teenager. The conversation also covers the current political climate, with Eddie noting that corporate sponsorship dried up after the current administration was elected, though the community-driven nature of the event continues to thrive with special activities like the Tiki Room choreography and those 1000-person group photos in front of the castle. Other topics include: their favorite Gay Days memories, Jackie's appearance in the film Song Sung Blue, Dennis's MisMatch Game Gay Days show on September 19th, this year's other celeb guests including Jaclyn Smith and Cheyenne Jackson, what makes the Gay Days audiences special and that time Eddie went on the Peter Pan ride with Carol Channing and her husband. Gay Days Anaheim is happening September 18-20. www.gaydaysanaheim.com

In this episode, Dennis speaks via Zoom with J.P. Batista, co-owner of the relatively new and proudly gay NoHo Gym in North Hollywood. J.P. talks why, after years as a personal trainer, he decided to open his own gym, what has surprised him about the experience and his advice to other entrepreneurs with dreams of starting their own businesses. He also talks about the last-minute Pride Festival he spear-headed in Toluca Lake Pride Festival in June and the overwhelmingly positive response he got from it. Other topics include: why he decided to proudly fly two rainbow flags outside the gym, the gym's official mascot Joe the poodle, gay pool party dynamics, fitness culture in the LGBTQ+ community, the use of GLP-1 medications, the role of social media in building a new business and why he loves folding the gym's towels and refilling the water jugs sooooo much. https://www.nohogym.com/

Dennis is joined via Zoom by playwright, screenwriter, actor and teacher Bernardo Cubria to talk about his hilarious and powerful new "dinner party gone wrong" play The People of Pompeii, which just opened at the Will Geer Theatricum in Topanga Canyon. (This is where Dennis first met Bernardo last fall as a student in his playwriting class.) The People of Pompeii is set in Topanga in the days following the evacuations from the 2025 fires and explores themes of community, climate change, and personal truth. Bernardo discusses his creative process, the importance of brutal honesty in playwriting, and his approach to teaching, which emphasizes finishing work over adhering to strict rules. Bernardo also talks about writing on the TV series Acapulco, why he started a Substack to write about the World Cup, and the influence of his upbringing and family on his work. Other topics include: crying at the drop of a hat, the majestic owl that made a cameo appearance in last Saturday's show, acting in the show opposite his real life wife, his other new play Lauren Sanchez, the power of "pinche" and the righteous outburst he had as a 5 year-old while watching a production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Dennis is joined via Zoom by singer-songwriter Paul Cher to talk about his new EP Home to Wonderland, his first release of original songs after putting out several albums of covers. Paul talks about getting the courage to put his own words and music out there, the divas that see him through like Donna Summer, Madonna, Cher and Diana Ross and his ever-changing feelings about streaming services. This episode is also a Listening Party which Dennis playing snippets of the EP's five individual songs: "Home to Wonderland," "The Skeleton Tree," "Mirage," "Black Dahlia" and "Straightjacket," which is about his fetish for straightjackets, which Paul discussed on the podcast in 2022 when he put out his own deck of straightjacket tarot cards. Other topics include: the fascinating story behind why he changed his name from Ybarra to Cher, what it's like to grow up with a gay twin, that time he met and bonded with Annie Lennox and why he believes if you're not embarrassing yourself, you're not doing it right. www.paulcher.com

Dennis is joined via Zoom by playwright Erik Patterson (Handjob) and actor Michael Sturgis (Clarkston) to talk about the terrific new play F++king Strangers, which Erik wrote at Michael stars in. The play is about four characters--two young gay men and a straight married couple--and their longing to connect in a world where it seems harder and harder to do so. Erik talks about what inspired the play, why he likes to explore sexuality in his plays and the moment when he literally can hear the audience gasp. Michael talks about his character in the piece, Ru, and how he thought about Ru's agoraphobia and online relationship with a male escort. Other topics include: on stage nudity, one stage smoking, becoming an overnight TikTok sensation, dancing to Rihanna, why theater is so awesome and that time when one of Erik's actors couldn't do his play at the last minute and he had to step in their place. https://www.echotheatercompany.com/

Dennis is join via Zoom by documentary filmmaker Jeffrey Schwarz to discuss his newest film Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders, which is about the making of the controversial William Friedkin film Cruising, the real life murders it was inspired by and the gay activist movement it inspired. Jeffrey talks about the first time he saw the film, why he was inspired to make the doc, star Al Pacino's feelings about the film, the surprising discoveries he made along the way that changed the direction of the film and how the film, shot in 1979, is also a visual documentation of a time of sexual freedom that was soon to be decimated by AIDS. He also talks about his exploration into the murder of Addison Verrill, a Variety reporter in NYC, who was killed by a man he picked up in a bar named Paul Bateson. Other topics include: which of his docs has been the most widely seen, how he gets reluctant subjects to agree to be interviewed, the current landscape for docs in general, his mission to preserve queer stories while the people involved in them are still alive, and the building anticipation for his next film Goddess: The Fall and Rise of Showgirls. www.automatpictures.com

Dennis is joined via Zoom by actor Tim Cummings who is currently starring as Arnie in the hit play Grangeville by Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale) at the Rustin Group Theatre in Santa Monica, CA. The play is about two estranged half-brothers, one in Idaho, one in Holland, who connect to discuss the care and finances of their ailing mother but end up reckoning with a whole lot more. Tim talks about seeing the play in New York in 2025 and experiencing a rush through his body that told him he had to bring the play to L.A. and star in it. He also talks about his character Arnie and how, though he's justified in all his resentments for how his family treated him as a gay boy growing up, those same resentments might be holding him back as a adult. Tim also talks about appearing in the 9-11 firefighter play The Guys in New York and what it was like when his firefighter father came to see it. Other topics include: the difference between doing theater in NY vs. LA, his love for spiders and octopi, taking a seven year break from acting to study creative writing and publish two books, understudying Stanley Tucci in Frankie and Johnny on Broadway, his goth kid teen years and his belief that, "if something comes across your field, you better go after it." www.RuskinGroupTheatre.com