Silver Linings with The Old Gays – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to the chosen family! Viral sensations Bill Lyons, Michael “Mick” Peterson, Jessay Martin, and Robert Reeves swap the advice and admissions they’ve collected over the years. From disco nights to dating apps, The Old Gays remind the world that aging is a privilege. Starting May 13th, discover the silver linings they’ve embraced along the way. New episodes drop every other week!

Follow The Old Gays:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theoldgays/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oldgays?lang=en

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What’s the secret to lasting friendships? How does queer community show up through the ebbs and flows of life? And what’s the REAL story behind the “YMCA” song? 

In the first episode of Silver Linings, The Old Gays dive into an essential part of queer life: chosen family. They discuss the vital love, support, and sense of belonging that community provides, especially during life's toughest moments. They open up about what “queer” means to them, how chosen family has impacted their lives, and how to maintain close bonds over time–including their love for each other! “We’ve come a long way, baby.” Family isn’t just what you’re born with; it’s the people who show up, shape you, and stick around.

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Ever wonder what beaches, bathhouses, and cruise ships have in common? Hint: it’s not just beach towels.

This week, The Old Gays spill the tea (and maybe a little more) about their wildest sexcapades, from steamy nights in San Fran to unforgettable flings on the high seas. Turns out, attraction is found in many forms…and knows no bounds.

The crew digs even deeper, exploring intimate memories, the role of romance, the sexual dynamics of queer spaces, and even a poem devoted to a dom muscle top! The silver lining of being older? All those “special moments” worth reliving again and again. 

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Coming out is not a monolith; it’s often a kaleidoscope of celebration, freedom, fear, and becoming. Not a singular moment, but a lifelong movement. 

In today’s conversation, The Old Gays swing the closet door open on their coming out histories: from discovering their gay-hood and hard conversations with loved ones, to offering heartfelt advice for the next generation of LGBTQ+ folx. Whether inspired by underwear ads, Billy the Kid, or “sex with my psychologist,” their stories remind us that coming out isn’t defined by labeling your identity for others, but by the journey of personal discovery.

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From opera houses to niche legends, LGBTQ+ culture has always gone hand-in-hand with popular media and the arts. Icons like Tina Turner, Keith Haring, and Lady Gaga aren’t just outlets for mindless entertainment; they’re beacons of self-expression and defiant confidence that shine across borders AND generations.

This week, the Old Gays pay tribute to the icons and artists who shaped them, reflect on early memories of queer representation, and share heartfelt musings about their own creative ventures, including making their viral videos (naked or not). 

What do The Old Gays really think about social media and the internet? Which legendary diva got her start in a gay bathhouse? And how well can our four fellas decode Gen-Z lingo? Let’s just say: this week, The Old Gays “left no crumbs” on the mic.

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“ HIV swept across America.” “Our government did nothing.” 

In this deeply personal conversation, The Old Gays reflect on the HIV/AIDS crisis and the community that rose to face it. Robert and Mick, both living with HIV, open up about receiving their diagnoses and the stigmas they have endured. They also share how love and resilience carried them, and countless others, through various degrees of grief, connection, and acceptance.

“I think every gay person looked at that obituary column to see who had died. And that column grew until it was a whole page in the newspaper.” 

From the heartbreak of friends lost to the power of protest, from daily meds to the healing magic of the desert, this episode honors the full weight of the epidemic and the generation it transformed. 

“If you can learn to harness the energy of your mind, you can deal with your body in physical ways that are astonishing.”

This one’s emotional, yes, but also full of humor, tenderness, and the kind of hard-earned wisdom that only The Old Gays can provide. Come for the vulnerability and honesty, stay for the giant condom on Jesse Helms’ house.

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Whether it's a curated bar, a crowded dance floor, a church basement, or an online chat room, LGBTQ+ spaces have long been sanctuaries for queer people. These are the places for meeting, connecting, and feeling celebrated as their true selves.

This week, The Old Gays take us on a nostalgic tour of the queer spaces that helped shape them: from mafia-run bars in St. Louis and San Francisco’s video lounges, to the institutions of West Hollywood and a legendary (and illegal) bathhouse in Silver Lake. Along the way, they reflect on the racism in nightlife, the evolution of Pride & protest in these spaces, the refuge of gyms & saunas, and what it means to feel free in your body, identity, and community.

What was Mick's notorious "dick patrol"? Which bathhouse had a circular urinal? And where in Palm Springs can you still buy greeting cards, dildos, and poppers under one roof? Uncovering these corners of queer life, this episode is a love letter to the many spaces and places that The Old Gays have called home.

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