ABC News is launching its first LGBTQ+ issue-focused podcast, which will be hosted by award-winning journalist and columnist LZ Granderson, PvNew has learned.
“Life Out Loud with LZ Granderson” will debut on Jun. 1, in conjunction with the start of Pride month.
Granderson, who is an ABC News contributor and ESPN Radio host, will lead inspiring, provocative and often hilarious conversations on the podcast, drawing from his own lived experience as a gay, Black father. He will speak with well-known members of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies, delving into the policies, cultural touchstones and historical events that have shaped the collective LGBTQ+ experience.
The inaugural episode will feature Steven Canals, co-creator and co-executive producer of the FX series, “Pose,” followed by the second episode with one of the show’s stars, Mj Rodriguez, who is the first transgender actress to win best actress at the Imagen Awards. The first two episodes will launch on Jun. 1, followed by the third episode with Grammy Award-nominated musician Rufus Wainwright on Jun. 3.
Afterword, additional installments of the ten-episode podcast will be available every Thursday.
Other guests include Dr. Anthony Fauci, who will speak on his response to the AIDS crisis; comedian Sherry Cola; Super Bowl winner Keyshawn Johnson; Academy Award-winning “Milk” screenwriter Dustin Lance Black; Olympic medal winner Tom Daley; and politicians, such a Senator Tammy Baldwin.
“We lost so many stories to the AIDS epidemic, violence, harassment and silence due to fear,” Granderson said in a statement. “I’m passionate about creating a space to capture these underreported stories and untold oral histories, while also celebrating the joys of living ‘life out loud’ and where we’re going as a community.”
Granderson’s work has been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD, and The Advocate frequently includes him as one of the 50 most influential LGBTQ+ voices in the media. His TED Talk, “Myth of the Gay Agenda,” has 1.7 million views. In 2011, he was honored as journalist of the year by the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.
“Life Out Loud” is produced by ABC Audio, and executive produced by Eric Johnson and Liz Alesse. The podcast is the first to be produced in conjunction with members of the ABC News and Owned Television Stations PRIDE Business Employee Resource Group, which is co-chaired by senior producers Tony Morrison and Robert Zepeda.
Granderson’s show is the latest addition to ABC Audio’s growing catalog of podcasts, including the flagship daily news podcast, “Start Here” and the podcast version of “20/20.” The library also includes the Elizabeth Holmes/Theranos phenomenon, “The Dropout;” health and wellness podcast, “Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris;” and true-crime shows like “Truth and Lies: Jeffrey Epstein.”
“Life Out Loud” podcast will be available across all streaming platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Audacy and the ABC News app.
Listen to the trailer for “Life Out Loud with LZ Granderson” here:
