Hello, I'm Brian Louder, one of the hosts of Outward. While our team celebrates the holidays, we wanted to bring you a treat from the larger Slate family. Today we are sharing a recent episode of Death Sucks and Money that is all

about actor and performer Jeff Hiller. Jeff is one of the stars of the HBO series Somebody

Somewhere, which just ended after three seasons. Rolling Stone named it The Best Show 2024.

The show follows a group of friends that become each other's found family as they navigate

midlife crises and queer life in Manhattan, Kansas.

That's Manhattan, Kansas. In this episode of

That Sucks and Money, Jeff Hiller tells Anna what it's like

to film the show in more conservative communities

and how he found his place in comedy.

Please enjoy and stay gay. Hey, before we get going, I want to let you know about a special treat in your Slate Plus feed right now.

Think of it like an early New Year's holiday card from death, sex and money, and the writer Heather Haverleski.

She reads me an essay she wrote about feeling stuck and foolish for trying new things and what can happen when you let yourself do something just for fun.

Heather learned this taking singing lessons over Zoom and practicing a ballad from Jesus Christ Superstar in her dining room.

I felt like a regular person who cares so much about singing

that she can care about it in almost any context.

And when I sang,

I never thought I'd come to this.

I lifted off from the mundane world into some sublime realm where vulnerability,

frustration, and fear add up to something bigger, something transcendent.

I cry, Heather cries, it's beautiful, and it might just change how you see everything.

This is in your Slate Plus feed right now,

which you can sign up for in Apple Podcast or Spotify,

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