Aging with Pride: “Our house is clothing optional.”

Summary

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Silver Linings with The Old Gays

Episode: Aging with Pride: “Our house is clothing optional.”

Release Date: June 23, 2026
Host: iHeartPodcasts
Featured Cast: Robert Reeves, Jessay Martin, Bill Lyons, and Michael “Mick” Peterson

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Episode Overview

This lively and deeply candid episode dives into the intersections of queer identity, aging, and body image. The Old Gays – Robert, Jessay, Bill, and Mick – reflect on their lived experiences of over 300 combined years, discussing the joys, insecurities, and revelations of living in aging bodies. The conversation veers from hilarious anatomical preferences to the poignant realities of self-acceptance, the freedom of nudity (at home or with others), new health regimens, and the silver linings that come with growing older, especially in the queer community.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Body Preferences & Appreciation

• Favorite Body Parts on Others
  • Bill: “The butt.” (01:51)
  • Robert: “I love lips.” (01:52)
  • Jesse: “Being folically challenged, I’m always appreciative of somebody who has a good head of hair… now with the new fashion of curly hair kind of tangled and piled on top of their head, I find myself drawn to that.” (01:54)
  • Physical attraction varies, with nods to everything from butts and bulges (lightheartedly called the "cocktail") to the aesthetics of musculature and even the ticklishness of the external oblique. (03:00-03:31)
• Personal Favorite Body Parts
  • Jesse: “I would have to say, for me, my eyes.” (04:44)
  • Bill: “My grandmother… said, Bill, when you talk to someone, talk to them with your eyes. It made me believe—yeah, it is important.” (04:48)
  • Robert: “My smile. I look for that in me, and I look for that in others also.” (05:39)

2. Navigating Body Confidence and Insecurities

• The group openly discusses lifelong battles with body image, from the body-obsessed culture of 1980s San Francisco (Jesse: “It was peer pressure, but I didn’t mind it at all…” 07:22) to the struggles of staying in shape and shifting from working out for others to doing it for oneself.
  • Mick: "Long ago I stopped working out for other people. In fact, I don't think I ever did.” (08:06)
  • Bill: “I am self conscious about being so slim… I have a good diet, but it just seems like I can't gain any weight.” (09:35)
  • Robert: “I don't look in the mirror and say ‘you a fine thing’, but I keep moving… You gotta love yourself where you are.” (10:09)

3. Nudity, Comfort, and Chosen Family

• Nudity: Comfort with nakedness ranges from private to public, with Jesse affectionately noting, “Our house is clothing optional? Oh yeah. It’s always been.” (11:58)
  • Jesse recounts posing nude for photographers and the sense of intimacy it brought to his art. (12:01)
  • Mick: “I started posing naked probably about 1991… Now, if I had to do it over again, yes, I would pose for Roy Dean.” (12:44)
  • The group shares a memorable story of all posing nude for a “prison shower” shoot with only “skimpy little beige colored cloths” that they humorously ditched, resulting in a very memorable moment. (13:38)
• Memorable Quote:
  • “If somebody looks over a wall, I don't mind. This your thing? Yes. But I am. I guess I'm not comfortable in my skin, but I deal with it and it's okay. I'm happy with just being me.” – Robert (11:06)

4. Lessons from Aging and Self-Care

• Advice to their younger selves:
  • Bill: “There’s nothing more underrated than a good night's sleep.” (14:34)
  • Robert: “Love yourself. It's okay to put yourself first.” (14:47)
  • Jesse: “Floss daily.” (14:58)
    • “Because you could lose your teeth, all of them, which I did.” (15:12)
• Health Routines:
  • Bill: Fitness was never about the gym: “But when I moved to Palm Springs... I started doing yoga. It was the greatest exercise that I've ever done… Yoga not only gave me a sense of exercise, but mentally, that's all I was thinking about.” (15:33)
  • Jesse: Brain exercises through puzzles & computer games; admits to the ongoing “struggle” of sticking with physical exercise, especially as he notices it could “add a few years to your life.” (17:39, 22:12)
  • Robert: Prioritizes daily walking and singing to keep both body and mind active. “The main thing is, you need to keep your body moving.” (18:09)

5. Supplements, Sleep & Modern Medicine

• Sleep & Supplements:
  • Mick: Recommends soundscapes for REM sleep, magnesium for muscle relaxation, and ashwagandha for lowered cortisol. “There are aids out there. If you are having trouble falling asleep, you can use them as a crutch… And the other thing I’ve discovered now is ashwagandha…” (23:33-24:48)
  • Jesse: “I usually go to bed between 8, 9 in the evening... and I do get a really good seven to eight hours of sleep a day. And I usually wake up naturally when the sun rises and I feel great the next day.” (24:48)
• Modern Medicine:
  • Mick: “What has surprised me the most are the new medications and supplements… When I left the hospital, I didn’t have much hair on my head, and now I have too much. So you just have to find out what’s going to work for you… But look, I wouldn’t be here without the medications that I’m taking.” (30:02)
  • The group also notes the importance and evolution of HIV/AIDS medications and living well as long-term survivors. (19:07-19:42)

6. Humor & Acceptance in Aging

• Surprise Changes: The group jokes about shrinking with age—Bill deadpans, “20 years ago, I was five, ten and a half, and 20 years later, I'm eight and a half inches” (27:37), before clarifying (after gales of laughter and sexual innuendo) that he’d simply lost 2 inches in height (28:53).
• Hair Loss:
  • Robert: “My hair. I was not ready to lose my hair, and it was totally traumatic. … It was a humbling experience.” (29:27)
  • Robert: “I got that first white hair in my pubic area and it freaked me out. I was not ready for that at all. But now you just comb them or pluck them or shave them off.” (31:34)

7. The Silver Linings of Aging

• What’s the silver lining about living in your body as you age?
  • Bill: “The advances in medication that have been able to make us all live longer.” (32:20)
  • Jesse: “You’re alive and you just need to learn how to be a better shepherd of your own life.” (32:30)
  • Robert: “Just be able to communicate how you’re feeling and what you feel is going on with it. It’s okay to do that as adults.” (32:50)
  • Mick: “I’m not interested in what other people think of my body now.” (33:14)

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “Our house is clothing optional? Oh, yeah. It’s always been.” – Jesse (11:58)
• “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and you move on.” – Robert (11:01)
• “There is nothing more underrated than a good night's sleep.” – Bill (14:34)
• “I think an orgasm a day is important for your health.” – Jesse (31:13)
• “I gave that up for men. Men are my hobby.” – Mick (34:01)
• “I can always catch someone in the audience to sing to. And of course, they're giving back to me too.” – Robert (34:06)
• “With time comes perspective and sometimes the silver linings show up where you least expect them.” – Narrator (34:56)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Topic | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------|-------------| | Body Part Preferences | 01:41–03:56 | | Favorite Parts of Own Bodies | 04:35–05:48 | | Body Confidence & Exercise Culture | 06:04–08:06 | | Nudity and Comfort with Nakedness | 11:01–14:23 | | Self-Care Advice to Younger Selves | 14:34–15:12 | | Health Routines & Brain Exercises | 15:33–18:47 | | Supplements, Sleep & Modern Medicine | 23:33–25:36 | | Current Addictions | 25:36–27:27 | | Humor Around Shrinking / Aging Surprises | 27:36–28:53 | | Silver Linings – Final Reflections | 32:13–33:26 |

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Tone & Character

The episode balances raucous, body-positive humor (“Forget the eyes. You don’t mind if they don’t have them.” – Robert, 02:41) with genuine reflection about surviving, thriving, and loving themselves and each other after decades in the queer community. The Old Gays exude both vulnerability and resilience—showing how openness, humor, and “chosen family” are core to aging with pride and self-love.

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Summary Takeaways

• Aging queerly is about embracing change, letting go of past insecurities, and finding joy in both your body and your community.
• Self-acceptance and humor are integral to loving your body, at any age.
• Community, communication, and care—whether with friends, partners, or healthcare providers—make the journey richer and more survivable.
• Silver linings come from within—whether it’s learning about your body, giving yourself grace, or, as Jesse puts it, making your home “clothing optional.”

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(All timestamps in MM:SS format. Content is summarized as per speaker tone and language. Ads and promotional content are excluded.)

Transcript

[Mick]

Ruby.

[Robert]

I just love listening to y' all dirty men talk.

[Bill]

Can we keep that in?

[Mick]

And I'm supposed to be the masochist

[Jesse]

because you could lose your teeth.

[Robert]

From just beyond the lights of Los Angeles and steamy Palm Springs, California, it's Mick, Robert, Bill, Jesse, and this is

[Jesse]

silver linings with the old days. Skeletons, muscles, ligaments, aortic valve.

[Bill]

What is this?

[Jesse]

We're talking about the body, aren't we?

[Bill]

Yes, but it's not an anatomy lesson.

[Robert]

Let's keep it above the skin, please.

[Mick]

I won't promise that.

[Bill]

That's right. Today we're talking about our bodies.

[Jesse]

The thing we spend our whole lives

[Mick]

adapting to and in relationship with.

[Robert]

When you're young, you feel like your body's going to stay the same forever.

[Bill]

But as the years go by, you learn there's a lot to maintain and

[Jesse]

a whole lot of change.

[Mick]

So come get naked with us.

[Bill]

Emotionally, of course, as we talk about

[Robert]

self confidence, aging, nudity, and how we live and learn in these beautiful bodies we've been given.

[Bill]

Silver lining starts now

[Mick]

to kick things off. If you could pick only one, what body part on other people do you love the most?

[Bill]

The butt.

[Robert]

I love lips.

[Jesse]

Being bolically challenged, I'm always appreciative of somebody who has a good head of hair. And especially nowadays with a new fashion trend where guys have curly hair kind of tangled and piled on top of their head, I find myself being very drawn to that.

[Bill]

Well, if the person is facing me and I look at their front side first, it would be the eyes. But if they're walking away from me,

[Jesse]

it would be the butt. I agree with Bill on the butt. That's my second choice.

[Robert]

Forget the eyes. You don't mind if they don't have them.

[Mick]

As an anecdote, a very good friend of mine told me that he didn't care if I was a paraplegic as long as I had very big pecs. He had a pec fetish.

[Jesse]

I can see that too.

[Mick]

Yeah, yeah. For me, I'm more interested in the abs, but also as they're connected to the serratus and then the obliques because it creates a really tight, tight, tight, tight kind of V shaped at the end. And then you can have as big a butt as you want.

[Jesse]

Oh, I think the external oblique is one of the sexiest muscles in the body.

[Mick]

Yeah. And it's also one of the most ticklish.

[Jesse]

Double trouble.

[Bill]

And also, if they were facing me, the bulge would be one of the things I like too.

[Mick]

You mean the cocktail?

[Bill]

The junk yeah, yeah.

[Mick]

The cock or the balls, it's called a penis.

[Bill]

But there's more than just a penis involved.

[Mick]

Yeah. There are nuts. Yeah, yeah. Your testicles. Well, we are talking anatomy, aren't we? Let's get into it.

[Jesse]

Yeah. And that's a rather important part.

[Mick]

Some people find it sexy.

[Jesse]

Jesse, you're unusually silent over there.

[Robert]

I just love listening to y' all dirty men talk.

[Mick]

This isn't dirty men talk. This is just anatomy. The dirty stuff comes later.

[Robert]

Oh, oh, you're getting warmed up now, huh?

[Jesse]

Anatomy 101.

[Mick]

You know, I could also say that, you know, one of my favorite parts of a human body is their fists.

[Robert]

You stop that, young lady.

[Mick]

But before it gets up there, you gotta have a good look at it, you know, you don't want some gnarly thing up your butt, you know?

[Robert]

Yes. They're trimmed nails moving right along. What part of your own body do you love the most and why?

[Jesse]

I would have to say, for me, my eyes.

[Bill]

I agree, too. My grandmother, at a very early age, when I was sort of in my silent period, you know, when you didn't. You're six or seven years old, she looked at me and she said, bill, when you talk to someone, talk to them with your eyes. And it made me believe. Yeah, it is important.

[Jesse]

I've always felt that my eyes were one of my best parts, even when I was young and really didn't feel like I was a very attractive person when I was young. But I did like my eyes even then, and they've just. That's the one part of me that hasn't changed much over the years.

[Robert]

Okay, I'll pick something. My smile. I look for that in me, and I look for that in others also.

[Jesse]

I agree.

[Bill]

I think a great smile is very important to me. Next question. Are you comfortable with your naked body, and do you feel more comfortable in your body now than when you were younger?

[Jesse]

For me, an emphatic no. I was much more involved with trying to exercise and maintain my body when I was younger, particularly the years living in San Francisco where, when that was a very body conscious culture during the 1980s, and I was going to the gym three or four days a week and doing aerobics two to three days a week. And at that time, I had a pretty decent body, but I kind of let it go. And that is now nagging at me because I realize how important maintaining the body is to the health of the body and to living longer.

[Mick]

Bob?

[Jesse]

Yes.

[Mick]

Do you think at the time in San Francisco, there was a Lot of peer pressure to have a fantastic body that you noticed that the guys who were always having the most fun together were the guys with the best bodies.

[Jesse]

Absolutely. It was peer pressure, but I didn't mind it at all. You know, it's so easy to step into that when you're in that culture.

[Mick]

Was there a time, though, that when you were up there that you discovered that there was no point in doing that? If you were going to work out and train, you were going to do it for yourself and not for others?

[Jesse]

I have to say, back then it was about pleasing others and being attractive to others because, you know, there were so many people that you were trying to be attractive to.

[Mick]

Long ago I stopped working out for other people. In fact, I don't think I ever did. I am body conscious. And what I mean by that is a lot of bodybuilders go through this. They're so critical about the way they look. They're always checking themselves in the mirror and looking for every flaw that's available. And that can get to you. The thing is, you've got to understand you're training and you're buffed and you're doing juice and stuff like that. You're part of the 1 percenters and you're there for a period of time and then you move on. Just simply because our bodies do age and that is kind of what we're talking about.

[Jesse]

Do you get self conscious or insecure about parts of your body?

[Mick]

No, no, I'm not self conscious. All I do is I look at it from an aesthetic point of view and I do enjoy working out. So as long as I can physically do it, I will. And I'm always looking to improve my technique and all of that sort of stuff. And also the fact that, you know, as your body ages, your body just simply can't lift as much. But no, I've always. I felt pretty comfortable with, with my body when I'm not being critical of it.

[Jesse]

How about you, Bill? Do you get self conscious about parts of your body?

[Bill]

Yes, I do. Just my body as a whole. I know I'm skinny and I should weigh a lot more than I do. So I am self conscious about being so slim and I don't have a huge appetite. So it's not like just chowing down on food and that kind of stuff. I have a good diet, but it just seems like I can't gain any weight.

[Jesse]

Just say, how about you?

[Robert]

My body's moved. I appreciate the movement of it. I don't look in the mirror and say you a fine thing, but I keep moving. I keep moving. It's so funny. The other day when we were together and Mick brought up this one little simple move and I've been doing it ever since. Just standing up without using your hands? I'd never thought of it. And it makes a difference because now I feel my thigh muscles and my butt muscles when I stand up. So just keep moving and don't be hard on yourself because if it's not gonna change, it's just not gonna change. You gotta love yourself where you are. And I need to learn to do that too. Love myself where I am.

[Mick]

All right, well, I'm following up on that. I'll start with Josanne. Are you comfortable being naked with others?

[Robert]

No other I can. But more than one other person. No, I'm not.

[Mick]

I'm sorry, I don't understand you. So you said you're comfortable if a

[Robert]

one on one on a one. But not in a. I wouldn't go to a naked party. I'm not comfortable in those. But in my home and in my backyard, I am nude. If somebody looks over a wall, I don't. I don't mind. This your thing? Yes. But I am. I guess I'm not comfortable in my skin, but I deal with it and it's okay. I'm happy with just being me. Everybody doesn't have to be comfortable. I've done things with the old gays that I've never done that I wasn't comfortable with. But it stretches you. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger and you move on. Bob?

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Robert]

You have something to say look to that?

[Jesse]

Well, yeah, I am comfortable being naked. And being naked with others, I should say so. Huh.

[Mick]

Our house is clothing optional?

[Jesse]

Oh, yeah. It's always been. And sometimes I do work naked and I'm saying, yeah, I feel closer to my work when I do for some odd reason. And back in the 90s, I went through a period where I did some posing naked for photo shoots for various websites that catered to the older and younger generation getting together.

[Mick]

Well, for my two cents, yes, I'm comfortable being naked with others. I started posing naked probably about 1991. 1991. Prior to that, you know, I was an actor. So yes, it was offered. And I know I did do it because I was an actor and I wanted to be considered legit. Now, if I had to do it over again, yes, I would pose for Roy Dean. I don't think that would have been a problem. And my life would have been different.

[Robert]

And

[Mick]

I'm pleased. I look at the pictures and I think, gee, you know, I looked like that once. But, you know, when you're at my age. Now it was done and I don't think I'll be doing it again. And that's fine with me. And I hope people enjoy it. Just don't stain the photo.

[Bill]

Actually, we've all posed naked for a photo shoot. We were doing a scene from Little Nas X and it was a prison scene in a shower. And they gave us these skimpy little beige colored cloths that to wear over it. But it was, it was great if you shaved down there, but if you didn't, they kept falling off. And finally we just all threw ours away and we did the scene. And then they did the little blotchy thing for our genitals in it. But we were all the 15 people were watching us totally nude.

[Mick]

There was a little circle around our genitals.

[Robert]

I remember that it was a cold day.

[Mick]

It was a cold day.

[Bill]

If I could tell my younger self one thing about my body that I wish I knew sooner, it would be. There's nothing more underrated than a good night's sleep.

[Robert]

If I could tell my younger self one thing about my body that I wish I knew sooner, it would be love. You, love yourself. It's okay to put yourself first.

[Jesse]

If I could tell my younger self one thing about my body that I wish I knew sooner, it would be floss daily.

[Robert]

Why?

[Jesse]

Because you could lose your teeth, all of them, which I did. And it was because I didn't floss daily. How have you cared for your body and health over the years, Bill?

[Bill]

Well, when I lived in Southern California, I went to quite a few different gyms, victories and this kind of stuff. And I just found that gyms were really not for. For me. But when I moved to Palm Springs, I met a yoga instructor and I started doing yoga. And it was the greatest exercise that I've ever done. It was sort of like dancing and working out at the same time. And I really, really enjoyed it. And I've studied with him for eight years, which also led. He had a meditation group too. And when I got through with my yoga and I went back to my apartment, people said, oh, you look so happy. And I really was, because yoga not only gave me a sense of exercise, but mentally, that's all I was thinking about, was doing yoga. And everything else wasn't even there. It was just yoga that I concentrated on and I absolutely loved it. And I still do yoga once a Week.

[Jesse]

Mick, I know you don't exercise at all.

[Mick]

Yeah, I've cared for my body over the years. I've been very much aware of my health and tried to take good care of it. One thing I will say is that, you know, usually when a new problem comes up, the old problem goes away. So the things that I had dealt with when I was younger in terms of my health, like my lower back, which I think had a lot to do with lifting, you know, now just something else went wrong, and so, you know, that problem goes away. So I think caring for your body changes over the years, and the deficiencies that you found previously no longer really apply. You have new deficiencies to deal with.

[Jesse]

How about brain exercises?

[Bill]

I do crossword puzzles for my brain, and I also enjoy doing solitaire on the computer because it really keeps me moving and thinking about this and that. So, yeah, I do brain exercises also get things.

[Robert]

Why do you say it like that?

[Jesse]

What's your physical exercise?

[Robert]

I walk twice daily now that I'm starting to be able to walk. I still walk slowly, but I'm moving. And that's the main thing with anything is you need to keep your body moving. As for memorizing dances, they're great. As for memorizing lines, my brain sucks at shuts it off, and that's what I'm doing. And because I'm constantly singing, because I'm having to memorize 6 million songs, I

[Jesse]

was gonna say, I bet singing is a good brain exercise.

[Robert]

This ad is brought to you by Vive Healthcare, the makers of Devato Dalutegravir Lamivudine.

[Mick]

We're here, we're queer and we're old.

[Jesse]

Honey, these knees may not disco like they used to, but I'm still dancing to my own beat.

[Bill]

When you're gay, being old is something to celebrate.

[Robert]

That's the tea right there. For those of us who survive the HIV AIDS epidemic, there's a big sense of gratitude for every day at the disco.

[Mick]

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[Bill]

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[Jesse]

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[Mick]

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[Narrator]

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[Jesse]

Whether you are a disco diva or sugar daddy, know the power of staying undetectable.

[Bill]

So if you're living with hiv, do dream about tomorrow.

[Mick]

Do ask your doctor about fewer medicines. Do Dovato.

[Robert]

Visit devato.com or call 1-877-844-8872 to learn more. What's something you tried once for your health that absolutely did not work?

[Jesse]

I recall years ago I saw so many people jogging for exercise and I thought, well, I'll try that. I jogged for a couple days and I said, this is not for me. So that's something I tried and rejected.

[Mick]

But what happened?

[Jesse]

I just didn't like it. That was hard work.

[Mick]

You didn't develop like shin splints or anything like that?

[Jesse]

No, not physically. It was just, I didn't like it, didn't enjoy it. So I, I, I know some, some people really get into it.

[Robert]

They do.

[Jesse]

And particularly with headphones and listening to music as they're jogging. I tell you, at this point in my life, there's one kind of a mantra that I'm developing to try to urge me into exercise. But I know without a doubt that if I exercise more, it would probably add a few years to my life. And when you're my age, adding a few years to your life is a big thing. So I'm struggling with this right now.

[Mick]

Well, you know, I've been working out since I was 15 and I have to say the best workouts that I've ever had is when I've been absolutely completely covered in sweat. It feels so good because your body purges and afterwards you've had a good meal and sit back and relax and you feel real good. What I miss about that, those days in which I didn't have any health problems, is working out really strong during the day and then having a good eight hours of sleep.

[Robert]

And now a word from Mick.

[Mick]

One thing to understand about exercise training and it becomes even more Important as one ages is get plenty of sleep. And I'm talking about REM sleep for me right now. I put on these recordings, different frequencies and things like that, to help you fall asleep. And they do really work. They help control the mind because it has a lot to do with the tones and the notes and the vibrations that are being caused. And as a result you just fall into a really good deep sleep. So there are aids out there. If you are having trouble falling asleep, you can use them as a crutch. The other thing I would say is also make sure that you take magnesium at night because that'll help you in terms of to keep you from cramping. But it'll also help soothe the, the stomach and also again, it flows through the body. And the other thing I've discovered now is ashwagandha, which is from South Asian medicine. And this, if taken properly, will reduce the level of cortisol in your system.

[Jesse]

I think that is probably one of the most important things for human beings to do is get a good night's rest. And fortunately I've found my ways. And I usually go to bed between 8, 9 in the evening, almost every evening. And I do get a really good seven to eight hours of sleep a day. And I usually wake up naturally when the sun rises and I feel great the next day. But if that doesn't happen, forget the next day. It's a write off.

[Mick]

And now it's time for my current addiction.

[Bill]

Today, my current addiction is insured. It absolutely helps me make it through the day. I know I'm getting at least 30 grams of protein and all the other trace minerals and everything. And it just makes me feel good that I'm putting all of this good

[Jesse]

stuff in my body and Bill's trying to add pounds onto that skinny frame

[Robert]

of his and it's never gonna happen.

[Jesse]

No, I don't think at this point.

[Robert]

Just live. You're cute. You're bony. Enjoy it.

[Jesse]

My current addition is aliens. I'm fascinated by the idea that we not only have made contact with aliens, but they're living among us. And lately there's this mystery going on about high ranking people who are involved in scientific studies are disappearing.

[Mick]

I know, I saw that.

[Jesse]

Are being murdered, are killed in different ways. And there's something going on.

[Mick]

All involved with like plasma physics.

[Jesse]

Yes.

[Mick]

Confusion.

[Jesse]

Yes. Both private sector and government.

[Mick]

So you think it's something out of the X Files?

[Jesse]

Well, I don't know. I think it's something.

[Bill]

Something's going on when it comes to aging. What changes have surprised you the most?

[Robert]

You go first, Bill.

[Bill]

Okay, I will be happy to. I mean, 20 years ago, I was five, ten and a half, and 20 years later, I'm eight and a half inches.

[Mick]

Very good, Bill. Thank you. Thank you, Bill.

[Robert]

How's that for a topic, folks?

[Mick]

That's very Freudian about.

[Jesse]

Well, we'll just move on.

[Mick]

He went from ten and a half down to eight. Congratulations. Oh, keep that in.

[Bill]

Can we keep that in?

[Robert]

Okay. Want to try it again?

[Bill]

Yeah. You know, I've always heard as a kid that as you grow older, you grow shorter. But I've grown from 5ft, 10 inches to 8ft, 5 inches.

[Mick]

Wow, Bill. 3ft.

[Robert]

You said you went from 5, 10 to 8.

[Bill]

5, 10 to 8ft.

[Robert]

That's not going.

[Bill]

Oh, my God.

[Robert]

And you kind of lose.

[Bill]

Why doesn't someone else do it? I'll fix. No, no.

[Jesse]

Okay, okay.

[Robert]

Listen, this is just fine.

[Bill]

I heard when I was young that as you grow older, you get shorter, but I went from 5ft 10 inches to 5 foot 8 inches, and I was amazed that I dropped 2 inches.

[Jesse]

Well, I've gone from 6, 2 to 5, 11 and a half.

[Mick]

What changes have surprised you the most? Yeah, I'm going to have to think about that.

[Robert]

I have something, the one thing. My hair. I was not ready to lose my hair, and it was totally traumatic. And people who'd never had a hair problem kept saying the wrong things to me. And I would get so upset because you can't talk about something that you've never experienced if you don't know what it's like to go through it.

[Jesse]

Yeah, I'm with you on that.

[Robert]

It was a humbling experience, but now I wouldn't have hair if you paid me, except when doing drag. But that's it.

[Jesse]

I'd love.

[Robert]

Gosh, I get up and shake my head and ain't nothing else to do.

[Mick]

Well, I would say what has surprised me the most are the new medications and supplements that there are, aren't there? It's a whole industry. And I will have to say it helps. It really does. You know, God bless the world for Copper Peptide shampoo, because that not only removes the DH that is preventing your hair from growing, but it also nourishes it so the follicles return. When I left the hospital, I didn't have much hair on my head, and now I have too much. So you just have to find out what's going to work for you and what doesn't. And it's a trial and error kind of Thing. But look, I wouldn't be here without the medications that I'm taking. I mean, I'm going to be taking really three different kinds of experimental drugs, including the one to treat cidp. And so I'm just amazed at the processes that are being used for, like, vaccinations, even controlling your heartburn and ED meds.

[Jesse]

There's a wonderful range of medications to assist with ED nowadays. And that's important to me because I think an orgasm a day is an important for your health.

[Robert]

Just one.

[Bill]

Good for you, Bob.

[Jesse]

I agree.

[Robert]

I got that first white hair in my pubic area and it freaked me out. I. I was not ready for that at all. But now you just comb them or

[Mick]

pluck them or shave them off.

[Robert]

Yes. See, three different things, folks. You learned here. Look at that plucking note. White hairs are thick.

[Narrator]

Are they?

[Robert]

You help me pluck one of yours.

[Jesse]

I'd never measured one.

[Mick]

And I'm supposed to be the masochist?

[Robert]

No.

[Mick]

And you are.

[Robert]

So to conclude, what would you say is the silver lining about living in your body as you age?

[Bill]

I would have to say, say the advances in medication that have been able to make us all live longer.

[Jesse]

Well, I would say the silver lining about dealing with what we're all dealing with is you're alive and you just need to learn how to be a better shepherd of your own life.

[Mick]

Good point.

[Robert]

Just listen to it. Be aware of your body when you start having little pains. Deal with them then so that they don't become big issues. You can't lie to your body, you know, and communicate with your doctor. Sometimes they're not seeing something. If you say something, they'll look for it. So just be able to communicate how you're feeling and what you feel is going on with it. It's okay to do that as adults.

[Mick]

Mick, what would you say is the silver lining about living in your body as you age? I'm not interested in what other people think of my body now.

[Robert]

Yeah.

[Bill]

Silver Linings is a production of iHeart's Ruby Studios and the Outspoken Network. We're your hosts, Bill lyons, Robert Reeves

[Robert]

McCarthy Peterson and Jesse Martin. Our executive producer is Sierra Kaiser, supervising producer Kelly Kyle Story production Ryan Amador with post production by Eric Zeiler. See you in two weeks.

[Mick]

I gave that up for men. Men are my hobby.

[Robert]

I can always catch someone in the audience to sing to. And of course, they're giving back to me too.

[Jesse]

In 2018, when we became old gays, I never imagined myself doing this.

[Narrator]

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