A year ago, we sat down to record the first episode of the Gay Rugby Podcast without really knowing what it would become.Twelve months later, we found ourselves in Boston for the NORAM Cup, in New Orleans for Swamp Romp, at LA 7s during Pride weekend, and in Palm Springs with a camera bag, a couple microphones, and a growing list of people we were lucky enough to meet along the way.Episode 44 is us looking back at that first year. We talk about the weekends that got out of hand, the interviews we still can’t believe happened, the people who started as guests and ended up as friends, and the strange reality that this little rugby podcast somehow turned into a reason to travel, meet people from around the world, and keep saying yes to things.There are stories from Boston bars after the NORAM Cup, late nights in New Orleans during Swamp Romp, and the chaos of trying to cover LA 7s while everybody we knew seemed to be there at once. Somewhere between all of that, the podcast stopped being just about rugby and became a record of the people, places, and community that came with it.Thanks for being part of the first year.New episodes every week.

Drag Queen La Mama Dora opens up about her past playing rugby, long before she was going viral on TikTok as a chaotic, hilarious take on Dora the Explorer. In this episode, La Mama Dora tells the story of how a former club rugby player became one of the internet’s favorite drag queens, building an audience through drag TikTok, LGBTQ comedy, and her now-iconic Dora impression.We talk about what it was like growing up, finding confidence through rugby, and eventually finding her real community through queer nightlife and drag culture. La Mama Dora explains how she started making TikTok videos, why her Dora character took off, and how going viral changed her life. Along the way, we get into drag queen origin stories, coming out, queer friendship, chosen family, and meeting Ozzy for the first time.Of course, we also settle the debate nobody saw coming: is rugby actually safer than drag? After years of playing club rugby, La Mama Dora says the only thing that ever seriously injured her was performing in drag. She opens up about breaking her shoulder, why drag performance can be more intense than people think, and why she still believes rugby is less dangerous than a night in heels.If you’re into drag queens, rugby stories, TikTok creators, queer podcasts, LGBTQ interviews, viral internet personalities, club rugby, gay athletes, drag culture, coming out stories, queer comedy, Los Angeles drag, gay sports, or behind-the-scenes stories about going viral on TikTok, this episode is for you.Filmed, edited and produced by Jack HigginsExecutive Producer Ozzie LunaEmpowered by Friend of Dorothy:Elevate your well-being with our thoughtfully curated range of products designed specifically for gay men.Connect with The Gay Rugby Podcast on social media! Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gayrugbypodcast/Tik Tokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@gayrugbypodcast?lang=enYouTubehttps://shorturl.at/OztS0Follow and support La Mama Dora: https://linktr.ee/LaMamaDoraxViews and opinions in the podcast do not reflect the views and opinions of the Los Angeles Rebellion Rugby Club

Bradley Johnson is about to have a very public week. With Hulu’s new reality dating show Love Overboard set to drop, his audience is getting a lot bigger and a lot more curious about what he’s been posting online.In this episode, we sit down with Bradley in the middle of that moment. What starts as a conversation about fitness content quickly turns into something else: a look at how certain audiences find creators, and what happens when those creators realize exactly who’s watching. The “gainer community” has been showing up in his comments, his DMs, and his numbers. The question is whether that’s coincidence, algorithm, or something more intentional.We get into where people draw the line between queerbaiting and just playing the game, and whether that line even exists anymore. Bradley talks about going viral, what kind of attention actually translates into money, and how aware you have to be of your audience once things start to take off. It’s messy in a way that feels honest less about calling anyone out, more about understanding how the internet works when it’s at its most specific.There’s also the reality TV angle. Love Overboard: Hulu’s new dating show set on a yacht, somewhere between chaos and strategy adds another layer to all of this. Timing matters, and right now Bradley’s at the intersection of online attention and mainstream exposure.If you’ve been seeing this kind of content pop up more and more, you’re not imagining it. The internet is getting more targeted, more self-aware, and harder to separate from the people trying to figure it out in real time.Watch Love Overboard on Hulu and decide for yourself.