The Pink House with Sam Smith Lemonada

Ocean Vuong first shared his poetry at open mics in New York City. Since then, he’s become a New York Times best-selling author and is one of the most celebrated poets, essayists and novelists of our time. In this emotional interview, Ocean joins Sam to chat about the women who raised him and how he copes with loss. He also shares his journey to success and how he’s paying it forward by creating an art residency for his queer community. 
Follow Ocean Vuong on Instagram at @ocean_vuong
Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 
Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. 
Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors
To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.
The Pink House Foundation is intended to provide support for people within the LGBTQIA+ community. The Pink House is about building a better, safer world for all of us. Follow us on Instagram @ThePinkHouse. 
This series is sponsored by Hopelab. Hopelab envisions a future where young people live joyful and purposeful lives. Hopelab works to advance the mental health and well-being of young people through uncovering knowledge and evidence, investing in innovators, and funding youth-centered solutions. Learn more at http://hopelab.org 
This episode was produced by Isaura Aceves. Mixing and sound design by Rachel Lightner.
Illustrations by Chris Larson
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ocean tells Sam how he created the first-ever poem that he’s written for himself and reads the poem for Sam called “Someday I’ll Love Ocean Vuong.”

Jari Jones was the first Black, trans model to be featured in a Calvin Klein ad. She’s a creative powerhouse who attributes a lot of her charisma and drive to her late grandfather Billy Jones, who was a famous model in the 1970s. Jari shares with Sam how she grew up going to ballroom-style parties and how transitioning allowed her to be herself in front of the camera. Plus, she tells Sam how she’s building her village, a community of queer folks who consider her to be a second mom. 
Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 
Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. 
Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors
To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.
The Pink House Foundation is intended to provide support for people within the LGBTQIA+ community. The Pink House is about building a better, safer world for all of us. Follow us on Instagram @ThePinkHouse. 
This series is sponsored by Hopelab. Hopelab envisions a future where young people live joyful and purposeful lives. Hopelab works to advance the mental health and well-being of young people through uncovering knowledge and evidence, investing in innovators, and funding youth-centered solutions. Learn more at http://hopelab.org 
Illustrations by Chris Larson
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jari tells Sam about the women in her family she looked up to as a kid, and how transitioning has allowed her to grow fully into the woman she wants to be.

Ben Platt may have won a Tony for his performance in Dear Evan Hansen, but he says nothing compares to the excitement he felt during opening night in high school. In this episode, good friends Sam and Ben chat about growing up in the theater and their deep appreciation for the community that surrounds it. They share stories of onstage flubs and nervous habits, and discuss how negative reviews can sometimes be a good thing. Plus, Sam and Ben explore how the chaos of being onstage can actually often quiet an anxious mind. 
Follow Ben Platt on Instagram at @bensplatt. 
Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 
Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. 
Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors
To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.
The Pink House Foundation is intended to provide support for people within the LGBTQIA+ community. The Pink House is about building a better, safer world for all of us. Follow us on Instagram @ThePinkHouse. 
This series is sponsored by Hopelab. Hopelab envisions a future where young people live joyful and purposeful lives. Hopelab works to advance the mental health and well-being of young people through uncovering knowledge and evidence, investing in innovators, and funding youth-centered solutions. Learn more at http://hopelab.org 
This episode was produced, mixed and sound designed by Rachel Lightner.
Illustrations by Chris Larson
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben tells Sam how body image has played a role in his anxiety and how growing up in the theater helped him love his “sandwich belly”.