The People Who Make Us

This week I have Justin Deeley on the episode. You may know him from 90210 or Geography Club, or my personal favorite, and where I know him from, Drop Dead Diva. This whole conversation started when we were at work one night at the restaurant we both work at, and he brings up this 30 hour stint he had in Paris where he found himself at two in the morning in a restaurant having dinner with his wife...

If you came out early, this probably isn't your story. If you're still in it, it might be exactly your story. My boyfriend Andrew hid for more than a decade. He figured it out young and buried it, dated girls, deepened his voice to fit in, watched straight porn after gay porn so it would "cancel out", and told himself there was a right time coming... and then waited so long he al...

Pride didn't get easier, it just got quieter for a while. This episode breaks that quiet. My guest is Jen LeBlanc: out since 1993, founder of the Pride Empowerment Network in southern New Hampshire, and the writer behind a gorgeous piece on why Pride still matters that's been living in my head since the day I read it. We talk about coming out to her mom in a Sears parking lot, the Glad Day Booksto...

Happy Pride, everyone. I'll be honest, I got a bit emotional in all of the ways while recording this one. This week I'm going solo to talk about what Pride actually is, why we celebrate it so loud, and why it matters more this year than it has in a long time. We start with a Margaret Cho bit that had me cackling (thank you, Confession Hole with Eric Willz), we call back to last week with t...

Drag legend Jackie Beat joins Refuse to Subscribe for a Pride Month conversation about 36 years in drag, queer freedom, comedy, Joan Rivers, Bea Arthur, AIDS, Drag Race, and why there is no expiration date on being fierce, fabulous, and funny. Jackie Beat has been my favorite drag queen since I was fourteen years old, watching her on YouTube in a small New Hampshire town and seeing, maybe for the...

This week I'm coming in hot with some life updates - the Hacks series finale (UPDATE: I thought it was the series finale, it wasn't. and I couldn't be happier about it) and a book I finished, You've Found Oliver by Dustin Thao, which started slow and then took a turn I did not see coming and had me in my feels for the rest of the day. Dustin, you might be getting a call soon. Then we get into it....

Jen is back, and I have to be honest with you- becoming more spiritually aware has made me a worse bar patron. We talk about what actually happens when meditation starts working: you feel everything, you notice everything, and sometimes you're stuck in a room where the energy is genuinely terrible and you just have to be there anyway. We also get into what it means to love yourself on the days whe...

Kira is back and a lot has happened since we last hit record together. Unknowingly pregnant at our last recording, Kira walks us through a year that included prenatal depression (not the same as postpartum- we get into it), finding the therapist who got her through it, a new baby boy named Charlie, a new house, and somehow, still finding time to read. We also talk about the frustrating reality of...

In this episode I explore what it means to "create your own reality" through my own lived experience. It is not a way to deny hardship or bypass responsibility, but it is a practice of choosing who you become in the middle of uncertainty, fear, and change. Sometimes the life you want or deciding who you want to become doesn't happen after the fear disappears. Sometimes it happens the...

Jen is back! And this time we get into the specifics. If you heard her on season one, you know she's the real deal. If this is your first time meeting her, buckle up. In this conversation we go deep on what it actually means to create your own life. Not the Instagram version of manifestation...the real thing. The kind where you realize that everything happening to you is actually happening for you...

Before there was a podcast and the Jonny you all know today- there was just a kid who didn't want to share his toys, liked being by himself, danced on picnic tables in a polka dotted dress, and quietly refused to be anything other than himself. My Mom was there for all of it- introducing her... introducing me! Enjoy.

The podcast has a new name...and it’s not just a rebrand. Refuse to Subscribe is what this show has always been trying to say. It’s for the people who think too deeply to accept the default life, who follow something their soul is calling them toward instead of the script society handed them. If you’re listening, you probably already know what that feels like. In this first episode back, Jonny rei...

In this solo episode, Jonny Thyne — host of  The People Who Make Us  — opens up about the journey behind the mic over the past seven months. From launching the podcast in the midst of wildfires, job loss, and uncertainty… to pushing through chaos, finding moments of connection, and finally stepping back to reflect, this is a candid update on what it’s taken to get here. Jonny shares the story behi...

In this deeply personal solo episode, Jonny Thyne turns the mic inward to share his coming out story—raw, unfiltered, and decades in the making. From childhood innocence to internal battles, from self-harm to self-acceptance, Jonny walks us through the moments that shaped his identity and nearly broke him. This episode is a love letter to queer people—those still in the closet, those out but still...

Book Club Series – with special guest @kiraleclair In this book club episode, I’m joined by my cousin Kira to unpack Viktor Frankl’s  Man’s Search for Meaning —a book that somehow manages to be both devastating and deeply hopeful. We explore how Frankl’s experience as a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist shaped his belief that even in the most inhumane conditions, we can still choose our response...

In this episode of the People Who Make Us Podcast, host Jonny Thyne welcomes Jen, a long-time friend and meditation teacher from the non-profit Light Source Center. They delve into the true essence of meditation, spirituality, and self-discovery. Jen shares her journey of finding her spiritual teacher and how working with energy and light can transform one's life. They discuss practical ways to st...

In this episode of the People Who Make Us Podcast, host Jonny Thyne engages in a direct conversation with listeners about how to overcome feeling stuck in life. He shares personal insights and practical steps to change daily routines, evaluate media consumption, and cultivate gratitude to create a life filled with intention and presence. Jonny also stresses the importance of recognizing and managi...

In this episode of the People Who Make Us Podcast, host Jonny Thyne talks with Olivia Conrad—a leader in healthcare, a published author, and a new mom. They explore Olivia's journey from her roots in Scottsdale, Arizona, through her career in healthcare technology, and into motherhood. Olivia shares her insights on balancing ambition with care, the importance of resilience, and showing up as y...

In part two of the conversation with Craig, the discussion delves deeper into the intersection of love and pain. Craig shares impactful stories about showing up for others during their times of suffering without needing to provide answers, focusing on the power of presence and empathy. The conversation touches on the importance of connecting across differences, the role of love in overcoming life&...

In this episode of the People Who Make Us Podcast, host Jonny Thyne engages in a heartfelt conversation with his dear friend Craig Smith, founder and CEO of Swiss America. They explore themes of love, connection, and the importance of showing up for one another in a divided world. Craig shares his personal journey, including moving across the country due to his mother's illness, his marriage to hi...

Announcing the People Who Make Us Book Club with Jonny Thyne and Kira Leclair. In this episode of 'The People Who Make Us,' host Jonny Thyne announces the launch of the 'People Who Make Us Book Club,' co-hosted with his cousin Kira. Each month a new book will be announced for listeners to read with a discussion on the following episode. Jonny and Kira begin by sharing their top fiv...

Finding Happy: A Journey of Love, Light, and Perseverance with Maria Bertrand In this episode of the People Who Make Us Podcast, host Jonny Thyne sits down with his inspiring friend Maria Bertrand, a celebrated filmmaker and actress. They discuss her acclaimed documentary, 'Finding Happy,' which has won numerous awards, including those from the Glendale International Film Festival and the...

The People Who Make Us: Find Your War Paint & Always Bet On Yourself, the debut episode of The People Who Make Us Podcast, host Jonny Thyne introduces the premise and values behind the show, emphasizing the importance of love, connection, vulnerability, and realness. Jonny also shares his personal journey of overcoming fears with the support of friends, family, and therapy. The episode feature...