Hey, listeners. Sam here. So most of you already know we have a live show at the Ford Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, July 14. We, of course, want you there, so buy your tickets if you haven't already. But we also have some news right now about that live show and some very, very special guests that are going to join me and Saeed and Zach on stage.

That's right, Lacey Moseley, host of the amazing podcast scam goddess, will be joining us on stage as our special guest. Listen, after all this time, particularly of Zach, like, clueing us into the glory of Lacey and her scam encyclopedic knowledge, it's so great that we'll be able to talk to her in person. And the amazing DJ Novena Carmel will be there to get you girls together. So show up a little early because it's gonna be a whole twirl before the show even officially starts. Right, Sam?

And to be clear here, I'm so hyped about this because I've been a fan of Novena's djing for years, but she's also a good friend of mine. Folks who live in LA hear her every morning on KSRW, spending the best music. But she is truly a Los Angeles institution, and we're honored to have her join us for this show.

She really is, Sam.

She really, really is.

Well, listeners, it's gonna be the best time. So come join us for our last live show of the season. Tickets are on sale now@theford.com. dot. You can also find the link in our show notes. See you there.

Lady to lady.

Hello there, singular ladies, singular lies.

I'm Sam Sanders.

And I'm Zach Stafford. And you are listening to vibe check.

And it's two of us because said is away writing, which I always love because when he goes away to write, he comes back with goodness and greatness.

Yeah, and he also just updates us along the way. And we get to see, it's like we're getting to watch side adventures, you know, on tv shows where they have like the Fishbowl episode, like, girls did that a lot, where it's like a character then goes on to have their own little adventure. Saeed is currently on his side adventure, and he's having quite the time that he's writing about, too, which is the best side adventures.

It's beautiful. Speaking of side adventures, I'm so happy this episode, Zach, because an event that you took part of not even tied to vibe check a few weeks ago. We're lucky and honored to be able to share it in this show feed. Talk about it.

I'm so excited. So today you're gonna be listening to a conversation between myself and my dear, dear friend Alok. Alok is a comedian and a poet, a writer, an activist. You probably have seen their social media hosts. They're always super viral. They're always under attack by the far right, and they're always pushing back. And Alok and I have a really long history, a friendship, I actually would say. Out of all of our girls working in media these days, I may have known a look the longest. I met them in college. I was leaving college, and I got a book deal to do a collection of essays with queer people at thought catalog. If people remember thought catalog.

Oh, baby. Thought catalog meant so much to me, right?

It was like, so I used to be a thought catalog writer back in the day. I'm sorry, everyone, if you go back and read those archives. But Alok was an up and coming activist, writer, performer, and I asked them to write an essay in this collection. And we've been friends ever since. And I hold the world record for Alok of being their first publisher and first editor. So, anyway, I love them, and I love this conversation. As you noted, this is a conversation between the both of us at a Soho house in LA for Pride Month. And Alok was taking a break from their world tour thing to make a joke that helps people realize that. And what's so intentional about comedy is you have to build a premise. Then you're operating in that premise. You are in the next world. You build that premise. It's the next world. It's like a philosophical proof. And why I get frustrated often. I had someone tell me, alok, you're too intelligent to be doing stand up. Like, this is not an art form.That's for academics. And I said, actually, this place that I could democratize my loneliness, say, I'm lonely, and then someone else could say, I'm lonely. And then we found each other. Friendship was where I didn't feel like I had to contend with all the violence of the world alone. I think growing up in Texas, as I did, boohoo. You know, tragic, sad. The actual violence was not the bullies. It was having to be bullied alone. Now I'm bullied all the time, but it doesn't stick because I've got community.Yeah, that's so real. It's like when, you know, growing up as a queer person, you get called faggot. And when I was alone in Tennessee and got called that word, it was so destabilizing because I felt so alone. I moved to Chicago. I remember getting called it walking through boys town, and I wore it like a badge of pride.Totally.Cause I had friends with me. And that is such a good point, is that so much of the world doesn't hurt you if you have people to lean on. And, you know, sometimes partners and romances. Some of the romances some people we know get into are not things that they should be leaning on at all. Well, my friend, thank you so much for the.Oh, I saw what you just did there. Wow, that was nice. Okay, cool.Well, my friend, I appreciate your friendship. I learned from it every time I'm with you. And I'm so proud of the work that you're doing now, globally. It is really so tremendous. And I cannot. I can believe when I met you and you were at Stanford as an undergrad, going to grad school, doing amazing poetry. I saw a star. But now, to me, you're a galaxy. So thank you for sharing that galaxy with us.Oh, my God. Wow, that was good.Listeners, thank you for tuning into this week's episode of Vibe. Check. If you love the show and want to support, please make sure to follow the show on your favorite podcast listening platform. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave a review. And most importantly, tell a friend. Special thanks to Alok and as always, huge thank you to our producers, Chantel Holder, engineers Rich Garcia and Brendan Burns, and Marcus Holm for our theme music and sound design. Special thanks to our executive producers, Nora Ritchie at Stitcher and Brandon Sharp from agenda. As always, we want to hear from you, so don't forget, you can email us at the Keep in touch with us on Instagram on our page, icheck pod and our Patreon, where for $5 a month, you get direct access to our group chat. And that is patreon.com vibecheck. Stay tuned for another episode next week with all the girls together. Until then, bye. Stitcher.

thing to make a joke that helps people realize that. And what's so intentional about comedy is you have to build a premise. Then you're operating in that premise. You are in the next world. You build that premise. It's the next world. It's like a philosophical proof. And why I get frustrated often. I had someone tell me, alok, you're too intelligent to be doing stand up. Like, this is not an art form.

That's for academics. And I said, actually, this place that I could democratize my loneliness, say, I'm lonely, and then someone else could say, I'm lonely. And then we found each other. Friendship was where I didn't feel like I had to contend with all the violence of the world alone. I think growing up in Texas, as I did, boohoo. You know, tragic, sad. The actual violence was not the bullies. It was having to be bullied alone. Now I'm bullied all the time, but it doesn't stick because I've got community.Yeah, that's so real. It's like when, you know, growing up as a queer person, you get called faggot. And when I was alone in Tennessee and got called that word, it was so destabilizing because I felt so alone. I moved to Chicago. I remember getting called it walking through boys town, and I wore it like a badge of pride.Totally.Cause I had friends with me. And that is such a good point, is that so much of the world doesn't hurt you if you have people to lean on. And, you know, sometimes partners and romances. Some of the romances some people we know get into are not things that they should be leaning on at all. Well, my friend, thank you so much for the.Oh, I saw what you just did there. Wow, that was nice. Okay, cool.Well, my friend, I appreciate your friendship. I learned from it every time I'm with you. And I'm so proud of the work that you're doing now, globally. It is really so tremendous. And I cannot. I can believe when I met you and you were at Stanford as an undergrad, going to grad school, doing amazing poetry. I saw a star. But now, to me, you're a galaxy. So thank you for sharing that galaxy with us.Oh, my God. Wow, that was good.Listeners, thank you for tuning into this week's episode of Vibe. Check. If you love the show and want to support, please make sure to follow the show on your favorite podcast listening platform. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave a review. And most importantly, tell a friend. Special thanks to Alok and as always, huge thank you to our producers, Chantel Holder, engineers Rich Garcia and Brendan Burns, and Marcus Holm for our theme music and sound design. Special thanks to our executive producers, Nora Ritchie at Stitcher and Brandon Sharp from agenda. As always, we want to hear from you, so don't forget, you can email us at the Keep in touch with us on Instagram on our page, icheck pod and our Patreon, where for $5 a month, you get direct access to our group chat. And that is patreon.com vibecheck. Stay tuned for another episode next week with all the girls together. Until then, bye. Stitcher.

place that I could democratize my loneliness, say, I'm lonely, and then someone else could say, I'm lonely. And then we found each other. Friendship was where I didn't feel like I had to contend with all the violence of the world alone. I think growing up in Texas, as I did, boohoo. You know, tragic, sad. The actual violence was not the bullies. It was having to be bullied alone. Now I'm bullied all the time, but it doesn't stick because I've got community.

Yeah, that's so real. It's like when, you know, growing up as a queer person, you get called faggot. And when I was alone in Tennessee and got called that word, it was so destabilizing because I felt so alone. I moved to Chicago. I remember getting called it walking through boys town, and I wore it like a badge of pride.

Totally.

Cause I had friends with me. And that is such a good point, is that so much of the world doesn't hurt you if you have people to lean on. And, you know, sometimes partners and romances. Some of the romances some people we know get into are not things that they should be leaning on at all. Well, my friend, thank you so much for the.

Oh, I saw what you just did there. Wow, that was nice. Okay, cool.

Well, my friend, I appreciate your friendship. I learned from it every time I'm with you. And I'm so proud of the work that you're doing now, globally. It is really so tremendous. And I cannot. I can believe when I met you and you were at Stanford as an undergrad, going to grad school, doing amazing poetry. I saw a star. But now, to me, you're a galaxy. So thank you for sharing that galaxy with us.

Oh, my God. Wow, that was good.

Listeners, thank you for tuning into this week's episode of Vibe. Check. If you love the show and want to support, please make sure to follow the show on your favorite podcast listening platform. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave a review. And most importantly, tell a friend. Special thanks to Alok and as always, huge thank you to our producers, Chantel Holder, engineers Rich Garcia and Brendan Burns, and Marcus Holm for our theme music and sound design. Special thanks to our executive producers, Nora Ritchie at Stitcher and Brandon Sharp from agenda. As always, we want to hear from you, so don't forget, you can email us at the Keep in touch with us on Instagram on our page, icheck pod and our Patreon, where for $5 a month, you get direct access to our group chat. And that is patreon.com vibecheck. Stay tuned for another episode next week with all the girls together. Until then, bye. Stitcher.