Episode Details

In this episode, we cover:

• Meet Aidan Wharton: from theater school to the Wicked national tour and Broadway’s Girl From the North Country
• Why Aidan “checked the boxes” in acting—and followed boredom and curiosity into writing + podcasting
• The origin story of Aidan’s podcast Getting Close and its three pillars: curiosity, connection, community
• How technology can be both a tool and a wedge—and why Aidan can’t stop thinking about how it’s pulling us apart
• Zach’s Provincetown dinner story: when everyone’s on Grindr and nobody is actually together
• The “watch the movie” debate: why phones during TV time drive some of us absolutely insane
• Practical habits to fight the scroll:
  • deleting apps you don’t need
  • keeping your phone out of the bedroom
  • switching to an analog alarm clock
• Aidan’s love-hate relationship with Instagram: business vs. mindless scrolling
• Aidan and Casey’s love story:
  • meeting on Hinge
  • long distance during tour
  • moving in right before COVID
  • breaking up, regrouping, and rebuilding
  • the mutual proposal idea: exchanging rings on the same day
  • a wedding in Hawaii with a week-long community vibe—and yes, Aidan grew up in a yurt
• A real conversation about open relationships:
  • why Aidan believes relationships can be “custom-built”
  • what people get wrong (and loud) online
  • jealousy as an “incredible teacher” that points to deeper needs
  • why openness often gets blamed for breakups even when the issues were already there
• Adult friendship and community-building:
  • why making friends as an adult is hard (and takes intentional work)
  • Aidan’s “say yes to everything” social experiment
  • why follow-up texts matter
• the idea of friendship as shared curiosity
• Zach’s take on Boston vs. New York gay social culture
• How Aidan chooses guests for Getting Close (so far):
  • starting with people he trusts while the show is still “baby”
  • guests ranging from queer fitness to sex therapy to investigative journalism
• Aidan’s dream guests and influences:
  • Anna Lembke (Dopamine Nation)
  • Johann Hari (Stolen Focus)
  • Vivek Murthy and the loneliness epidemic
  • big-picture hopes for cultural + political conversations rooted in empathy
• Aidan’s message for anyone feeling disconnected:
  • connection doesn’t require a giant life overhaul
  • it starts with small actions—one text, one coffee, one choice to get close

Mentioned in the episode:

Aidan’s podcast: Getting Close

Aidan’s Substack: Gay Buffet

Tools + habits: analog alarm clock, phone boundaries, intentional social “yes” seasons

Call to action

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to Everything and Anything in a Bit Gay and check out Getting Close wherever you listen. And if you’re craving more connection in your own life—send one text today.