Sampson McCormick is a 33-year-old gay black comedian who doesn’t like being told what he can and can’t say. Born in Washington, DC, he bombed at his first few gigs using routines that relied on tired, unfunny jokes. Then he shifted to talking about finding the humor in bad experiences,…

When NFL player Ryan O’Callaghan was at the top of his game, all he could think of was suicide. His working days in the league were spent as an offensive tackle for the New England Patriots and later the Kansas City Chiefs. But at other times all he could think…

After a summer hiatus from meeting strangers for meals, I’ve resumed Dining With Strangers and so here’s the 122nd interview: dinner with Jesse Rifkin, who performs twice a week singing and playing piano at a popular bar in DC. Jesse, a journalist by day, tickles the ivories at Mr. Smith’s…

Gay adult model DeAngelo Jackson lost his virginity on screen during his first-ever sex video when he was 22. Ten years later he’s still in the porn industry, building a fanbase of thousands with his work for studios and the more recent sites like OnlyFans where he can make his…

During his years working for the CIA as a counterterrorism analyst Aki Peritz had to keep his job a secret. Since leaving the agency he’s able to talk about it generally, and he’s enjoying a successful career as a consultant, writer, and teacher on the subject. But he still maintains…

Toyin Alli is the chef-owner of Puddin’, specializing in Cajun and Creole comfort food operating in DC out of a food truck and a stand at Union Market. On a recent weeknight I met Toyin for the 119th dinner interview; a chat about what got her started in the food…

Meet Mikko Kosonen, he’s a chef from Finland now living in Washington, DC, who divides his time between operating his busy catering company and his namesake restaurant Mikko. We met earlier this month for dinner at his establishment for my 118th interview. Mikko talked about why he wanted to bring…

Every month on the YouTube series “Tired Old Queen at the Movies” actor Steve Hayes shares his love for old movies with five-to-10 minute videos adlibbing about classic features. He covers everything from the characters to the stories of the actors playing them, from the social themes in the plot…

Actresses Jane Lynch and Kate Flannery are perhaps best known to many from their comedic roles on the television shows Glee and The Office respectively, but for the last few years they’ve sold out venues with a series of music revues — their latest, Two Lost Souls, opened in September. Last month, on a trip…

Bernie Clifton, 82, is a legendary British comedian and singer, perhaps best known for a slapstick routine running around on stage in a goofy ostrich costume while he cracks punny jokes. But I recently learned there’s much more to his life story, from his early handyman jobs through to recent…