Love, Take Two

Most people think reinvention means becoming someone new. Margaret Cho found hers by finally becoming fully herself. In this episode of Love, Take Two, hosted by José Rolón and Jaimie Kelton, Margaret takes listeners through the version of her story that rarely makes the highlight reel: leaving high school before finishing, chasing comedy and independence on her own terms, and landing a role that...

Most people think a second act means starting over somewhere new. Alexis Kristiana found hers by going back to where she started. In this episode of Love, Take Two, Alexis takes us through the version of reinvention nobody expects: leaving New York for a house in the Texas suburbs with her husband and three kids, doing everything she was told a good parent is supposed to do, and realizing somewher...

Most people think finding the spotlight means chasing it. Lori E. Seid spent 40 years actively avoiding it, and somehow ended up more essential to New York's downtown arts scene than almost anyone with their name on the marquee. In this episode of Love, Take Two, Lori takes us through the version of a career nobody plans for on purpose: starting out at a copy shop on West 8th Street making pos...

Most people think reinvention has to be a leap into the unknown. Anthony Luciano found his by doing the opposite. He just followed the current. In this episode of Love, Take Two, Anthony takes us through the version of success nobody puts on a mood board: getting fired three times from fashion jobs in his twenties, stitching costumes in the belly of a cruise ship for five years, and finally walkin...

John Friia spent his twenties chasing the on camera career local news kept telling him to leave New York to find, until the pandemic handed him a strange kind of shortcut. Laid off from the newsroom grind and stuck inside with nowhere to go, he started walking around the city filming the history hiding in plain sight, and Here in New York was born almost by accident. In this episode of Love, Take...

Jordy signs his own name to gay love without hedging on it, and that has been the whole point since his breakout song "Long Distance" turned a pandemic era hookup into an anthem people from every kind of relationship saw themselves in. In this episode of Love, Take Two, Jordy walks us through what he calls his Take One: a childhood shaped by bullying, a middle child's craving for att...

Most people wait for the world to tell them they're ready. Jeff Hiller waited for himself, for over twenty years, while everyone else assumed he already knew when to quit. In this episode of Love, Take Two, Jeff takes us back through the decades before the breakthrough, temping between auditions, teaching improv for free, and telling himself the work still counted even when no one else could s...

The babies aren't babies anymore. While you wait for Season 2 of Love, Take Two, we're dropping a little bonus episode into your feed—a crossover conversation from The Queer Family Podcast featuring your Love, Take Two hosts, Jaimie Kelton and José Rolón. In this candid conversation, Jaimie and José talk about parenting preteens and teenagers as LGBTQ+ parents. From puberty and emotional r...

Love, Take Two has officially hit twenty episodes. To close out Season One, hosts José Rolón and Jaimie Kelton sit down — remotely, glasses slightly broken — for a celebratory recap of everything that got them here. This episode looks back at the show's origin story: how José almost said no, the pitch deck that changed his mind, and the behind-the-scenes scramble to build a podcast from the gr...

Brian McManamon has spent his career bringing complex characters to life on stage and screen. But his own story is just as compelling. In this episode of Love, Take Two, Brian opens up about the loss of his father, surviving a violent attack in New York City, and the life-changing period that led him to his husband of more than twenty years. He reflects on how grief, love, and resilience shaped hi...

Bryce Ziskin spent years trying to build the kind of life that looked stable and predictable on paper. But motherhood, grief, and a series of unexplainable moments ultimately pushed her toward the path she had spent most of her life trying to avoid. In this episode of Love, Take Two, Bryce opens up about growing up with intuitive abilities she did not fully understand, the traumatic experiences th...

Tony Morrison has spent his career making sure the right stories get told. It took a little longer to turn that same intention toward his own. In this episode of Love, Take Two, Tony sits down to talk about the journey that took him from producing at CNN and Good Morning America to working at GLAAD to launching Morrison Media Group, where he now builds culture moving campaigns for brands like Disn...

Most people move to New York with a plan. Jove Meyer moved to New York with $700 and figured the rest out on Craigslist. In this episode of Love, Take Two, Jove takes us back to where it all started — a leap of faith into a new city with virtually nothing, and a scrappiness that eventually built one of the most recognized wedding design businesses in the world. His work has been featured in Vogue...

What does it look like to build a life at the intersection of art, activism, and heartbreak — all while the world around you feels like it is coming apart at the seams? In this episode of Love, Take Two, Marti Cummings gets into all of it. As a drag performer, TV personality, and activist who has performed on all seven continents and hosted their own talk show, Marti has never done things the conv...

Most people know David Archuleta from the American Idol stage. Far fewer know what was happening beneath the surface the entire time. In this episode of Love, Take Two, David sits down to talk about Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself, his 2026 memoir that pulls back the curtain on a journey most of his fans never saw coming. From winning Star Search at 12 to becoming one of the most recognized...

Most people spend their teenage years figuring out who they are. Alessandra Ciuffo spent hers winning on Food Network. In this episode of Love, Take Two, Alessandra takes us back to where it all started — stepping in front of a camera at 12 years old on Rachael vs. Guy: Kids Cook-Off and then going on to win Guy's Grocery Games at 15. What could have been a fun footnote became the foundation f...

What does it take to build something from nothing and then decide to start over again? For this week’s guest, Alexis Bittar, that question has defined his career. In this episode of Love, Take Two , Alexis reflects on his early days selling vintage jewelry on the streets of New York City and how that experience shaped his approach to creativity, business, and risk. What began as a scrappy, self-ma...

What does it actually look like to be a working parent in Hollywood — not the glossy version, but the real one? Morena Baccarin is not here to sugarcoat it. In this episode of Love, Take Two, Morena gets candid about the side of her life that does not make the press junkets — the school runs, the scheduling gymnastics, the guilt, and the joy that comes with raising kids while maintaining a career...

What happens when faith, identity, and healing intersect in the most unexpected ways? For this week's guest, Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez, that intersection became both his greatest struggle and his most powerful mission. In this episode of Love, Take Two, Timothy opens up about his decade-long experience with conversion therapy while working behind the scenes at some of the most influential ev...

What does it take to completely reinvent your life? For this week’s guest, Jesus Martinez — known to many as RuPaul’s Drag Race fan favorite Shuga Cain — the answer was walking away from stability and choosing something far less certain, but far more true. In this episode of Love, Take Two , Jesus reflects on the decision to leave behind a six-figure corporate career to pursue drag full-time. He s...

What happens when humor becomes a tool for change? For this week’s guest, Dana Goldberg, comedy isn’t just about getting laughs, it’s about telling the truth, building connection, and making a real impact. In this episode of Love, Take Two , Dana reflects on the experiences that shaped her voice. From finding her footing in stand-up to becoming a comedian known for saying the things everyone’s thi...

What does modern masculinity actually look like? For this week’s guest, Jonathan Gregg, it looks a lot like vulnerability, feeling secure in yourself, and a willingness to question the roles we’ve been taught to play. In this episode of Love, Take Two , Jonathan reflects on growing up in a conservative Southern environment and how those early experiences shaped his understanding of identity, relat...

What happens when love, identity, and creativity collide? For this week’s guest, Sophie B. Hawkins, those forces have shaped both her life and her legendary music career. In this episode of Love, Take Two , Sophie reflects on the experiences that helped define her voice — from the early days of writing deeply personal songs to the breakout success of hits like “Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover.” She...

We’ve all hit our own version of a rock bottom, right? Well, for this week’s guest, Jeremy Crittenden, that rock bottom moment became his take two. Known for his work in science fiction television, including roles on Star Trek: Discovery and The Expanse, Jeremy opens up about his unexpected journey into stand-up comedy, his experience performing on Broadway, and the deeply personal turning point t...

What’s a childhood moment that quietly shaped who you became? For this week’s guest, Lena Hall, it was sending out invitations to her eighth birthday party and no one showed up. In this episode of Love, Take Two , Lena reflects on how her early experiences with performance, rejection, and identity influenced the trajectory of her career — both the drive that fueled her and the pressure that follow...