DJ, photographer, and Mother Disco co-creator Emil Cohen joins Into the Mud for a conversation about aging, queer joy, disco culture, chosen family, and why getting older might actually be the best part. From body image, therapy, nightlife, and nostalgia to queer history, community building, parenting, and the pressure to stay young, this episode explores what it means to grow older as a queer person while creating spaces rooted in music, connection, and joy.

Bio: Emil Cohen is a New York-based artist, photographer, DJ, and co-creator of Mother Disco, the beloved queer dance party celebrating disco and community. Born and raised in Canada and the United States, Emil holds an MFA in fine arts from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston at Tufts University. He is a staff photographer for the New York City Council.

As an artist, his photographs have been featured in group exhibitions across the United States and in solo exhibitions. Most recently, he was named by Logo TV as one of their 2022 Logo30 Honorees. Selected clients and publications include Todd Snyder, The New York Times, Town and Country, People Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, Out Magazine and many more.

He is a proud New York, Queer, Jew.

Emil's Social Media: www.EmilCohenPhotography.com, @EmilCohen.

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Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC).

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

James Ortiz, the actor and puppeteer behind Rocky in Project Hail Mary alongside Ryan Gosling, joins Into the Mud for a conversation about identity, creativity, and what it means to feel “alien” in your own life. From queer identity and imposter syndrome to artistry, puppetry, belonging, and the pressure to fit into society’s expectations, James opens up about embracing the parts of himself that once made him feel different.

The conversation explores creative insecurity, authenticity, feeling out of place in your career or community, and why “weird” people often become the most fully realized versions of themselves. Plus: behind-the-scenes stories from Project Hail Mary, working with Ryan Gosling, building Rocky through puppetry and improv, and why worrying about being “cringe” might be holding you back from your real life.

Bio: Based in New York City, James Ortiz is a designer, performer, playwright, and director best known for his award-winning puppetry work. He won the 2022 Drama Desk Award for the massive dinosaur puppets in The Skin of Our Teeth at Lincoln Center, and stars as Rocky in the blockbuster film Project Hail Mary from Amazon MGM Studios. His interpretation of Milky White in the 2022 Broadway revival of Into the Woods became a viral fan favorite.

James is also widely recognized for creating The Woodsman, which earned him a 2016 OBIE Award for puppet design and was later filmed for PBS and released on BroadwayHD. His work has appeared at major institutions including The Public Theater, Hartford Stage, Paper Mill Playhouse, Yale Repertory Theatre, The Kennedy Center, and Ars Nova.

A recipient of the 2017 Eugene O’Neill residency and multiple Jim Henson Foundation grants, James is also the co-founder and co-artistic director of Strangemen & Co.. His work continues to blend movement, theatricality, and innovative puppetry across stage and screen.

James' Social Media: @JortFace, www.JamesOrtiz.co

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Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC).

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

Emmy-nominated artist Mykal Kilgore joins Into the Mud for a raw, unfiltered conversation about the emotional toll of always taking the high road. From growing up in a strict religious environment to navigating Broadway, the music industry, and public scrutiny, Mykal unpacks the pressure to be exceptional, likable, and silent in the face of disrespect.

This episode dives into identity, power dynamics, systemic inequality, and the breaking point of “being the bigger person” in a world that doesn’t always reward integrity. If you’ve ever felt exhausted from doing the right thing while others get away with everything, this one hits deep.

Bio: Mykal Kilgore is an Emmy-nominated and Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and Broadway performer known for his powerhouse vocals and dynamic stage presence. He made history as the first openly gay artist nominated in the Traditional R&B Performance category at the Grammys and has appeared in major productions including Motown: The Musical, Hair, and The Book of Mormon, as well as NBC’s The Wiz Live!. A sought-after live performer, he has taken the stage at events like the Met Gala and continues to build a multifaceted career across music, theater, and television. Mykal is celebrated not only for his talent, but for his fearless voice, advocacy, and commitment to truth both on and off stage.

Mykal's Social Media: @MykalKilgore.

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Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC).

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

What does it actually mean to be addicted to escapism? Writer and Emmy-nominated storyteller Ren McAslan breaks down the nine types of escapism, from work and relationships to media, sex, and substance use, and how constant distraction is reshaping our ability to sit with ourselves. This episode explores trauma, shame, addiction, and the uncomfortable truth that the things we use to cope might be keeping us disconnected from our own lives.

Bio: Renwick McAslan is an Emmy-nominated, London-born, NYC-based writer.

By day, the 36 year old works as a Creative Director in Ad-Land but works on numerous creative projects on the side, including film / TV and has recently-finished his first novel, Come Undone.

This August he’s also taking his debut solo-written, one-woman show, Woman Seeking Cuddles to the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

His hobbies include getting punched in the face (he’s a keen boxer).

Ren's Social Media: @RenwMcas, www.RenMcAslan.com

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For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC).

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

What if certainty or uncertainty isn’t a strength… but a trap?

On this week's episode, comedian AJ Marroquin joins Drew and Alex to unpack growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness, walking away from blind faith, and how that early conditioning shaped his identity, relationships, and career working inside dating apps. From door-to-door evangelizing to decoding modern dating behavior, this episode explores the tension between knowing exactly what you want and realizing you might not know yourself at all.

Bio: AJ Marroquin is a New York-based comedian and writer. Originally from Chicago, he performs stand-up and has worked in the dating app industry for several years, focusing on trust and safety, user behavior, and online interactions.

AJ's Social Media: @AJDeluxe

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For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC).

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

What if intimacy isn’t one-size-fits-all, and never was? What if it doesn’t have to come from love or even from a relationship? And what is the price, literally and figuratively?

Award-winning writer, performer, and Intimacy Idiot author Isaac Oliver joins Into the Mud to get honest about “transactional intimacy”… the kind we’re taught to judge, but rarely investigate. From his work on GLOW, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel to his own deeply personal experiences, Isaac explores how paying for connection can feel safer, more controlled, and sometimes even more honest than traditional dating.

If intimacy can be paid for, performed, withheld, or earned… who actually gets to decide what counts? And when those lines start to blur, what are we really protecting ourselves from and who gets left out entirely?

Bio: Isaac Oliver is an award-winning playwright, author, and performer known for his sharp wit and deeply human explorations of intimacy, identity, and connection. He is the author of the acclaimed essay collection Intimacy Idiot, which chronicles his experiences navigating love, sex, and loneliness in New York City. Isaac has written for television, including HBO’s High Maintenance, Netflix’s GLOW, and Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and his work extends to the stage, including Just in Time, currently playing on Broadway starring Jonathan Groff. His work has been celebrated across theater and literary spaces for its humor, vulnerability, and emotional precision, and as both a storyteller and performer, he continues to challenge how we think about relationships, desire, and what it means to truly connect.

Isaac’s Social Media: @MrIsaacOliver

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Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC).

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

What if gratitude isn’t a feeling… but a discipline you have to practice every single day? Broadway performer turned licensed therapist Jenifer Foote joins Drew and Alex to unpack what gratitude actually looks like in real life. Not the Instagram version, but the messy, intentional practice of staying present when the mind is spiraling and life feels out of control.

Together, they explore interrupting negative self-talk, building self-worth beyond career validation, and using gratitude as a tool for resilience through rejection, insecurity, and uncertainty. This conversation is not about pretending everything is fine. It is about meeting life as it is and finding a way to move through it with clarity, humor, and just enough grace to keep going.

Bio: Jenifer Foote is a licensed marriage and family therapist and former Broadway performer with an extraordinary career spanning over a dozen Broadway productions, including Tootsie and On the Twentieth Century. A former Radio City Rockette, she has built a reputation as both a dynamic performer and a deeply grounded mental health professional.

Now the founder of Spotlight on Therapy, Jenifer integrates her background in performance with evidence-based therapeutic practices to help clients build resilience, self-awareness, and emotional clarity. Her work includes a strong commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ clients, creating an affirming space for identity exploration, healing, and growth. Known for her warmth, insight, and unwavering optimism, she brings a uniquely holistic perspective to conversations around mental health and personal development.

Jenifer’s Website: www.SpotlightOnTherapy.com

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Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC).

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com

Comedian and viral subway performer Marcus Monroe joins Drew and Alex to unpack the messy question facing many creators today: if you have a platform, do you have a responsibility to use it politically? From navigating backlash online to dressing as controversial characters on the NYC subway, Marcus shares how comedians balance humor, ethics, and audience expectations in a world where everything feels political. Together they explore cancel culture, protest culture, and why comedy might be one of the last spaces where difficult conversations can still happen.

Bio: Marcus Monroe is a New York based stand up comedian and performer known for blending comedy, physical performance, and viral social media content. An Andy Kaufman Award winner, Marcus has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, MTV, HBO, and Comedy Central, and has toured internationally with his high energy comedy and variety performances. He gained a massive online following through his viral subway comedy videos, where he performs absurd character driven stand up routines for unsuspecting NYC commuters. Combining sharp writing with playful physical comedy rooted in juggling and clowning traditions, Marcus has built a unique voice that bridges traditional stand up, performance art, and digital comedy. He continues to tour nationally while growing a large audience across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Marcus' Social Media: @MArcusJMonroe, https://marcusmonroe.com/

Follow along at @IntoTheMudPodcast on all platforms!
For the visual version, follow along on YouTube!

Your Hosts: Alex Kumin (@Alex.Kumin) and Drew King (@DrewKingNYC).

Contributing Editors: Manthan Baldha, Sarah Webb (@SWAudioPost) and Drew King.

Filmed and recorded at @TheMalin in New York City.

www.IntoTheMudPodcast.com