Alexander Rodriguez sense of humor shines through in his cabaret shows (when he can remember the words), daily life, and his nationally syndicated radio show “On The Rocks with Alexander: Where Celebrities & Cocktails Mix” on iHeartRadio, Pandora, and Spotify. He chats with big-name guests from classic to current Hollywood, reality TV, pop culture and music, meshing celebs from all walks of life to draw together a truly diverse listener base regardless of age, orientation or gender. Viewers never know who they are going to find rubbing elbows on this non-stop laugh fest that talks about everything entertainment; after a few drinks you see celebs in a different light, answering questions not usually asked.
Alexander is also the lead writer for Metrosource (National) Magazine and GED Magazine, as well as a contributor for the Andrew Christian blog where you can find his movie reviews, movie news, celeb interviews and over-all take on Hollywood…of course in his signature style. His weekly news bytes can be heard around the nation on Channel Q FM.
FMM: What brought you to Hollywood?
I was born and raised in Orange County, which is just about 40 minutes south of Hollywood. Might as well be a million miles away! Orange County is ultra conservative, with little room for someone to express themselves. Growing up, I got the entertainment bug early from doing school shows. I soon branched off into doing regional and community theatre. I also sang as a cantor for three different churches for 13 years. But something was still missing. Having a love for the entertainment industry, I wanted to see what mischief I could make on the next level and headed to Los Angeles. Best decision I could ever make. Despite the bad rap that Los Angeles gets sometimes, I have definitely found my tribe and found my rhythm, unafraid of being judged for who I am.
FMM: Tell us about the twist with your popular podcast, “On the Rocks with Alexander.”
Well, the twist is literally a twist. LOL. During each show, we sip (or chug) cocktails while talking to a celeb about their career, hot topics, and opinions on the entertainment industry. Because of the fun environment (and the cocktails), we often hear stories that haven’t been shared before. You never know what to expect or who is going to show up. We’ve chatted with every kind of celebrity. As with any happy hour, the conversations sometimes are just laughs a minute, or sometimes you get deep and heavy. It’s a grab bag!
FMM: You interview big-name guests from classic to current Hollywood on your show. Who have you enjoyed the most?
I have such a diverse love of entertainment and I have had the wild pleasure of interviewing my faves from many different genres. Picking my favorite is close to impossible. LOL. A dream of mine come true was chatting with Academy Award Winner Shirley Jones, who starred in MGM musicals like Oklahoma, Carousel, and Music Man. A true dream come true, and she really shared some great Hollywood stories! From reality TV and the LGBTQ world, I absolutely loved chatting with RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen a few times. He is equally hilarious as he is smart and each conversation, we have makes me want to vote for him for President. A guilty pleasure has been talking to some of the Housewives from Bravo TV. Gurrrlll, they can spill the tea! A standout chat has also been talking to multiple Tony Award Winner Chita Rivera about her time on stage, continuing to challenge yourself, and her take on diversity in entertainment.
FMM: Share your hot topics.
The vodka may help, but I’m never one to shy away from hot topics. We can only grow and learn as a community by dealing with topics that are affecting our community head on. I’ve talked openly about my thoughts on true diversity and inclusion in entertainment, rather than just ticking a box or using diversity as just a buzz word. I’ve also talked about challenging our LGBTQ community to put out quality content and not just support projects because it is made by our community. Coming from a racially diverse background and being a part of the LGBTQ community, I know that we must do everything 150% better than anyone else. I also don’t believe in blind support.
FMM: What makes a good interview?
This is such a great question. Some people think podcasting is all about talking. As a host, that isn’t it. In fact, I find that a lot of podcast hosts are too busy talking and not enough time is spent listening. To have a good interview you have to do your homework. You can’t just sit in front of someone and ask general questions they’ve been asked a million times before. Even though we have a good time on each show and it is usually light hearted, I pride myself on researching and preparing for a guest for hours – I watch/listen/read past interviews they’ve done, I revisit their body of work, and I go out of my to find out more about the guest personally, not just their career. When a guest knows that you have done the work and research, they trust you and open up more. They will also remember the interview very well. I’ve had the benefit of staying close to our guests because of the trust I build while interviewing by showing them the respect of doing my work before they even sit in the chair.
FMM: Any tips for young LGBTQ who want to launch a successful show?
I think my biggest tip is to take a breath, take your time, and DON’T compare yourself to other people. My biggest mistake in starting my podcast seven years ago was wanting to excel in everything all at once because I was busy comparing myself to other shows. If you stay steady, pay attention to details, and hustle, you will be successful. People want all the success too quickly but don’t want to put in the hard work or time that it needs to be a genuine success. What I also learned, is that you don’t get an answer if you don’t ask. Early on I would ask bigger name guests to be on the show. The worst thing that happened was I’d get a “no” or a “not right now.” The best thing that happened was that many times I was surprised by the guests who said yes and wanted to support my efforts.
FMM: Share your projects for 2023.
I’m really excited to be returning to my musical theatre roots. In addition to hosting my handful of podcasts and touring the nation as emcee, I am debuting my first cabaret in five years, taking the stage as a singer and performer (like my early years), Unsung Midler, a night of storytelling and singing the undersung or underperformed music of one of my faves, Bette Midler. I make my NYC debut at Green Room 42 on March 18th! I’m so nervous! But it is a great opportunity for me to keep those performing skills well oiled! I’m excited for people to see me in a different light. This year is all about challenges, and I’m ready!!!! I’ve also launched a casual TikTok – The Gay News Guy – doing quick bytes of my take on the current movie and LGBTQ news. It’s been fun, so let’s see where that goes as well!
Instagram: @alexanderisonair
TikTok: @ontherocksradioshow / @thegaynewsguy
Podcast: www.OntheRocksRadioShow.com