Hairy Butthole Ep. 17: In and Out of the Closet (with James Tison)

This week, Youngmi Mayer talks to James Tison (standup comedian) about the impact living in the closet for the first 15 years of their life had on them. Being taught to hide and lie about their personality has had a lasting impact on them, in ways that are visible to this day. They discuss learning how their parents’ emotions were deemed more important than their own, leading them to believe that there is no room for their own emotions. Youngmi and James also joke about their times doing open mics and standup shows in the days before the pandemic.