The New Maturity
The New Maturity is a podcast that serves as a guide for thriving after age 45, with a focus on the LGBTQ+ community. It explores topics such as relationships, wellness, career reinvention, and self-discovery. Each episode features insights from thought leaders and community members, celebrating the richness of queer life and embracing new chapters with pride.
Episodes
Liz Glazer: The Long Way to the Right Life
Episode Description:Liz Glazer did everything right. Penn. Chicago Law. Law review. Big firm. Tenure. Every box her immigrant parents hoped she'd check — checked. And then she took a buyout and walked away to do stand-up comedy.This isn't a story about running away from something. It's about a psychological contract Liz made with herself: she had to prove she could succeed at the expec
Guy Branum: Sometimes You Have To Remember You're A Goddess
Guy Branum was eight years old, curled up on his family's farm in Yuba City reading about Greek goddesses while other boys played outside. A gay Jewish kid in rural California drawn to stories about divine beings who didn't quite fit the mold either.Today he's an Emmy-winning writer and producer for Hacks, a co-star in Bros, and one of the sharpest voices in queer comedy. In this conve
Justin Chapple: Cooking Made Him Miserable. Teaching Made Him Free
Justin Chapple's grandmother Barbara made meals out of practically nothing—doctoring instant ramen, turning eggs into something magical. She didn't give her recipes fancy names. She just cooked with what she had, and her family ate well.Years later, Justin would go to culinary school, work the line at fancy restaurants, and land a pinch-me job at Food & Wine magazine as culinary direct
Steven Kolb: The Outsider Who Runs American Fashion
The man who runs American fashion didn't set out to work in fashion at all. Steven Kolb is CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), the force behind New York Fashion Week. Before he was front row at runway shows, he was on the front lines of the HIV/AIDS crisis, raising millions for DIFFA when the West Village was ground zero.Twenty years later, at sixty-four, he's thrivi
David Roussève: Defying Death, Learning To Embrace Life
David Roussève has been HIV positive since 1992, nursed back from the brink of death by his husband Connor, and survived losing that same husband to suicide in 2021 after twenty-six years together. At sixty-five, he's creating his first full-length solo performance in over twenty years, navigating Grindr and OkCupid for the first time, and asking the hardest questions about what it means to fu
William Norwich: When The Phone Stops Ringing
William Norwich went from washing dishes to working alongside Anna Wintour at Vogue. He was one of the first journalists publicly outed in America, survived the shame spirals of gay life in the 1970s, and learned the hard way that your job isn't your identity when the New York Daily News went on strike and his phone stopped ringing.In this conversation, William shares stories from Studio 54 to the
Peter Som: When Closing a Business Opens Everything Else
Fashion designer Peter Som went from dressing celebrities on red carpets to roasting carrots alone after the Met Gala. When his runway business closed in 2015, he found himself in a Chelsea movie theater at 10am on a Wednesday, wondering how he got there. The answer came in the form of noodles, his grandmother's secret recipe notebook, and a complete reimagining of what success could mean.In t
Trailer: Season 4
Episode Description:There's a generation of queer people out here thriving — and nobody's talking about it. Until now.The New Maturity is back for Season 4. Real conversations about what it means to thrive, find purpose, and own every chapter of your life — out, proud, and on your own terms.This is what aging with pride sounds like.New episodes start dropping Wednesday, April 1st. Follow wherever
Michelle Maccarone - The Professional Broad's Guide to Vintage Authenticity
Michelle Maccarone is a 41-year-old New York City playwright, performer, and podcast host who found her creative voice by celebrating the wit and wisdom of mid-century women. Her latest play, "The Leopard and the Lynx," premiered at the New York Theatre Festival in January 2025.How her obsession with "Auntie Mame" led to discovering Pat Tanner's real-life story of bisexuali
Dr. Joe Eviatar - From Fixing Faces to Finding Purpose
This week we welcome Dr. Joe Eviatar, who spent 30 years as a highly respected oculofacial plastic surgeon before experiencing a profound pandemic awakening. At 63, he traded his medical practice for life coaching, launching Best Face Forward Coaching to help clients—particularly gay men—embrace aging with radical self-acceptance.Episode Highlights:Joe's groundbreaking work with AIDS patients
Miss Peria: The Pixel Provocateur Redefining Queer Artistry
Revolutionary artist Miss Peria joins host Heath Brockwell to discuss founding Roblox Music as a genre and creating space for authentic queer expression in digital realms. Since her debut in June 2020, Miss Peria has transformed the gaming platform through her distinctive fusion of hip-hop, disco, and pop.In this episode, Miss Peria shares:The influence of London's creative community on her mu
Dennis Golonka: Reinvention Through Trust
This week we journey into the sensory world of fashion publishing with Dennis Golonka, who witnessed Harper's Bazaar's spectacular rebirth under Liz Tilberis in 1992—a transformation that redefined the industry forever. Dennis unveils fashion's Camelot with revelations kept quiet for three decades, from Tilberis's "angel in Chanel" leadership style to her strategic rivalr
Richard Faraino: Blooming Through Revolution
This week we explore how getting older might actually mean getting better with Richard Faraino, whose life chronicles New York's most pivotal moments. From fighting on the frontlines of the AIDS crisis as both a medical librarian and ACT UP activist to his stunning midlife career pivot into horticulture, Richard now creates spaces of beauty in Battery Park's gardens for 12 million annual v
Michael Bullock & Michael Cukr: Not Separatists, But Visionaries
This week we explore a radical alternative to traditional living with filmmakers Michael Bullock and Michael Cukr, creators of the groundbreaking documentary "Dream Homes." Currently exhibiting at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Triennial, their film takes us inside three LGBTQIA+ intentional communities reimagining what "home" can mean in America today—not as utopian expe
Susan Aberth: The Secret Handshake of Queer Spirituality
This week we're joined by Susan Aberth, renowned author of "The Tarot of Leonora Carrington" and Bard College's preeminent scholar of occult art history. In our most downloaded episode of 2025 so far, Aberth delivers an intellectual rollercoaster—seamlessly connecting practical queer survival wisdom with revelations about the mystical underpinnings of American culture that will f
Douglas Friedman: The Visionary Nomad
This week we welcome Douglas Friedman, the renowned photographer capturing America's most breathtaking interiors for Architectural Digest and Vogue. At 52, Friedman embodies creative reinvention—thriving in Manhattan's art world, Marfa's desert expanses, and amid his 150-year-old Long Island restoration project.Episode Highlights:Douglas's radical career pivot at 27—leaving David F
Jeff Hiller: The 20-Year "Overnight" Success Story
Kicking off Season 3 to celebrate Pride 2025 with Jeff Hiller, the breakout star from HBO's "Somebody Somewhere." Jeff discusses his memoir "Actress of a Certain Age: My 20-Year Trail to Overnight Success," chronicling his journey from theme restaurant performer to Hollywood success story.Jeff shares his Texas-to-Hollywood path, the infamous $15,000 toupee incident, breakin
Courtney DeStefano: Behind The Lens of Motherhood
An accomplished editor steps into the director's chair, weaving parenthood and filmmaking into an intimate exploration of family complexity in her groundbreaking debut.
Ready to revolutionize how you grow older? The New Maturity is your vibrant community where queerness meets wisdom, and every year brings exciting new possibilities. Our stories celebrate aging authentically, challenge stereotypes
Don Katz: Visions In Clay
Losing his sight at 25 led this master potter to profound artistic revelation, offering powerful lessons in resilience and the unexpected gifts of transformation.
Ready to revolutionize how you grow older? The New Maturity is your vibrant community where queerness meets wisdom, and every year brings exciting new possibilities. Our stories celebrate aging authentically, challenge stereotypes, and
Nora Burns: A Guide To Eternal Edge
A veteran of New York's electric underground serves delicious tales of guerrilla television, disco rebellion, and the art of growing older with outrageous grace.
Ready to revolutionize how you grow older? The New Maturity is your vibrant community where queerness meets wisdom, and every year brings exciting new possibilities. Our stories celebrate aging authentically, challenge stereotypes, and e
A Life-Changing Decision
What if you could see all possible outcomes before making a choice? Heath explores the lasting impact of Choose Your Own Adventure books and how they shaped his approach to life's biggest decisions. Then, a revealing conversation with someone who chose to build a community-centered life despite the risks. Your next great adventure starts with understanding the choices that brought you here.
Beau Gordon: Family Reimagined
When marriage conventions crumbled, this British bear found unexpected belonging in a 12-person intentional community, challenging traditional narratives of aging, love, and chosen family.
Ready to revolutionize how you grow older? The New Maturity is your vibrant community where queerness meets wisdom, and every year brings exciting new possibilities. Our stories celebrate aging authentically, c
Analog Depth vs. Digital Breadth
Heath makes his case for why magazines represent the ultimate act of rebellion in 2025—choosing depth over breadth, curation over algorithms, and patience over instant gratification. His candid conversation with Hello Mr. founder Ryan Fitzgibbon reveals the surprising cultural shift bringing younger audiences back to print. This bonus episode might just change your relationship with media forever.
Ryan Fitzgibbon: The Art of Beautiful Endings
An indie publishing maverick reimagines life in middle America, transforming an HIV diagnosis into a catalyst for innovation and proving creativity thrives far beyond coastal horizons.
Ready to revolutionize how you grow older? The New Maturity is your vibrant community where queerness meets wisdom, and every year brings exciting new possibilities. Our stories celebrate aging authentically, chall
The Dinner Table Confession That Changed Everything
Ever had a meaningful connection when you least expected it? In this episode, I share how being relegated to "staff status" at a high-profile work dinner led to an authentic friendship when a stranger said: "I'll be vulnerable with you."This isn't about networking—it's about what happens when professional masks drop and we allow ourselves to be truly seen. I'm u
Beau Ciolino: Rewriting Rural Queerness
A design influencer trades digital perfection for duck-filled days in Tennessee, confronting social media's hollow promises and discovering authentic connection in America's heartland.
Ready to revolutionize how you grow older? The New Maturity is your vibrant community where queerness meets wisdom, and every year brings exciting new possibilities. Our stories celebrate aging authentically, chall
The Comeback That Went Back
Brian Sims: The Liberation of Letting Go
Former state representative Brian Sims reveals how political defeat became an unexpected gateway to freedom, exploring grace under fire and why America's current turbulence might spark profound transformation.
Ready to revolutionize how you grow older? The New Maturity is your vibrant community where queerness meets wisdom, and every year brings exciting new possibilities. Our stories celebrate a
23 Dead Grilled Cheeses Led Me to a Synth-Pop Legend
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Susan Ottaviano: Beyond The Book of Love
The iconic Book of Love frontwoman charts her metamorphosis from new wave pioneer to literary force, weaving a tapestry of 80s queer activism, artistic rebirth, and the power of constant evolution.
Ready to revolutionize how you grow older? The New Maturity is your vibrant community where queerness meets wisdom, and every year brings exciting new possibilities. Our stories celebrate aging authent
Breaking the Age Code: Queer Pioneers Redefining Tomorrow
From synth-pop legends to communal revolutionaries, nine extraordinary individuals shatter aging stereotypes with fierce joy. Host Heath Brockwell returns with stories proving life's most vibrant chapters often unfold in unexpected seasons.
Ready to revolutionize how you grow older? The New Maturity is your vibrant community where queerness meets wisdom, and every year brings exciting new possibi
Transforming representation: unveiling the layers of existence through art
Heather Lynn Johnson’s work is characterized by its lyricism and cultural critique. Johnson’s formal approach to the narrative, whether visual or poetic, is distinguished by her willingness to lay bare her own existence. Check out their website to see more.
New to the show? Welcome, I’m so glad you found it! This is the place to be if you’re queer or queer friendly and want to get better with age.
Thriving against the odds: how resilient advocates inspire change
Tony Valenzuela is a leading activist and thought leader in LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS communities since the 1990s. He recently entered a new phase. Tony took on the role of executive director at the One Institute, the nation's longest-standing queer organization dedicated to educating about the history and contemporary culture of the LGBTQ+ community.
New to the show? Welcome, I’m so glad you found
Breaking barriers: queer narratives in literature, theater, and television
R. Eric Thomas is a national bestselling author, television writer, and playwright. His books include: Here For It, or How to Save Your Soul in America, a YA novel called Kings of B’more, which was named a 2023 Stonewall Honor Book by the American Library Association. Take a deeper dive and learn more about him on his website.
New to the show? Welcome, I’m so glad you found it! This is the place
Body positivity: how do you find your community in reshaping queer experiences?
Philip Miner leads diverse projects such as Natural Pursuits Magazine, Pheromone, and specialized communications consulting for queer individuals and organizations. Guided by his mission to champion inclusivity and equality, he envisions a future where every person, irrespective of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression, lives with dignity, authenticity, and an unwavering sense o
From runways to rescue: what inspired the journey beyond fashion?
John Bartlett is a fashion designer, educator, animal activist, and runs a dog rescue nonprofit called the Tiny Tim Rescue Fund. We have a great conversation about moving beyond the world of fashion and what that looks like. Keep up with John via his website.
New to the show? Welcome, I’m so glad you found it! This is the place to be if you’re queer or queer friendly and want to get better with ag
A creative odyssey: what inspires a novelist, performer, and New York's wit in their creative journey?
Mike Albo is the author of three novels, Hornito, The Underminer: The Best Friend Who Casually Destroys Your Life (written with Virginia Heffernan) and most recently Another Dimension of Us. His other works include The Junket and Spermhood: Diary of a Donor. Be sure to check out his latest project on his website.
New to the show? Welcome, I’m so glad you found it! This is the place to be if you’re
Redefining visibility: what impact do LGBTQ+ role models have on visibility in sports?
Robert Goman is the board chair of The Sports Equality Foundation. Their goal is to support LGBTQIA+ athletes, coaches, and leaders to create inclusive spaces. They do this by fostering community, improving inclusivity, and forging partnerships with sports leagues, organizations, and athletic coalitions.
New to the show? Welcome, I’m so glad you found it! This is the place to be if you’re queer or
Unleashing authenticity: a journey to discover your life’s purpose
Sean Harvey is Chief Compassion Officer and Founder of the Warrior Compassion Men’s Studio. He is actively involved and contributing to men’s work communities around the globe and is passionate about helping men heal their wounds at a soul level. His book, Warrior Compassion, Unleashing the Healing Power of Men, offers a roadmap for men's soul healing as a catalyst for systems change.
New to
Through the lens: How do queer icons redefine traditional notions of beauty?
Allison Michael Orenstein is a New York-based portrait photographer. Her personal project ‘The Queer Artists Series’ focuses on queer performers. "The artists I shoot are those whose work I love and admire. The portraits are a way to get to know them. I want to document queerness, otherness, at this moment in time in New York City." Check out her latest project on her website.
New to th
Unveiling The New Maturity
Welcome to The New Maturity. Iʼm Heath Brockwell. This is the place to be if youʼre queer or queer friendly and looking for ways to get better with age.
In each episode I have a conversations with someone in our community who is thriving and reaching new heights in their mid-years.
My goal in sharing this with you is to help you unlock your fullest potential and get better with age.
Learn more
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