The George Hahn Podcast

Where do I begin about my guest on this episode? How do I begin? When I was a kid at home, I remember seeing her on late night cable doing standup at the IMPROV, unable get enough of her bawdy flavor of comedy and confidence. Then, in 1989, my dad bought me a cassette of her hit one-woman show "Without You I'm Nothing." Like countless other gay men, I was transfixed. I didn't really know that this kind of performance was possible. Funny, edgy, cutting, relevant, ahead of its time. And speaking of something ahead of its time... If you haven't seen her performance in Martin Scorsese's "The King of Comedy" with Robert DeNiro and Jerry Lewis, rent it now. Since all of that, she's done sitcoms, movies, tv shows, most recently Ryan Murphy's POSE and American Horror Story. I saw her most recently at her annual holiday run at Joe's Pub on New Year's Eve, back in person after a three-year pandemic absence. She is a comedian... a singer... a writer... an actress... one of our sharpest cultural observers... one of my favorite entertainers... an overall icon... and, this year, my Valentine... Miss Sandra Bernhard.

Dave Hill is a comedian, a writer, a musician, an actor, a podcast host and - like myself - a Cleveland original. He also happens to be an old friend with whom I attended St. Ignatius High School just outside Downtown Cleveland. I was class of '89, Dave was class of '87, as was our fellow alumnus, California congressman Ted Lieu. Dave came by my studio office in Rockefeller Center the other day, and we a great conversation. We talked about high school, of course, as well as his work as a creative, social media, his permanent ban from Twitter (and plea for reinstatement), our Cleveland roots and our love of NYC. I really enjoyed this conversation, and I hope you do, too. You can find Dave at his website at https://davehillonline.com. He's also on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mrdavehill) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@mrdavehill). And if you could, please make a plea to the powers at Twitter to have Dave reinstated there, where his handle was https://twitter.com/MrDaveHill.

Award-winning writer and humorist Paul Rudnick is one of my favorite people to follow on Twitter. I finally got to sit down and talk with him.

In this episode, I throw down some of my feelings after the 2022 midterm elections. The big takeaway, of course, is that there was no "Red Wave." In fact, it was really more like a referendum on the GOP. I also have a report on the sad state of sartorial affairs around my new office in Rockefeller Center. Other than the viral boner killer known as the sleeveless fleece vest, the big news is that the necktie seems to be on the endangered species list. I'm doing my part to keep it alive.

The idea of not drinking is weird for a lot of people. More than 20 years after my last drink, I can easily say that getting sober is the best thing I’ve ever done.

On today’s episode, I talk about the best way to get around town when the United Nations General Assembly is in session, taking the streets of Manhattan hostage. I also talk about another visit to Tin Building and why I like talking about that place (and other people, places and things that I like). To support this podcast and my social media work: https://georgehahn.com/support Hahn, Solo is a podcast I do by myself and talk about other things I do... by myself, i.e. solo. This show is usually an exclusive for my Patreon subscribers, but I'm going to keep doing a "Friday freebie." Thank you for your ear and for your support! I hope you enjoy it.

Since many have told me how much they enjoy seeing New York through my social media content, I thought I'd try a little experiment with my occasional podcast. The idea was inspired by another podcast I recently heard where two people were discussing the lunch they were having - as they were having it - at a well known New York steakhouse. I loved the idea and decided to try something similar. In this episode, I share the signature experience of getting and enjoying a New York slice of pizza in real time. Ridiculous, but fun.

Not only is it possible to look better in a $500 suit than the guy who spent $5,000, but it's also very gratifying... That was the mantra I wrote for myself years ago when I discovered some great resources for handsome, well-made and affordable tailored clothing resources. It was pushback against the idea that glamour, sophistication, elegance and taste were somehow the exclusive privilege of people with spending power - a notion with which I firmly disagree. In 2009, when I pivoted my blog (georgehahn.com) to its current focus, it was in the wake of the 2008 crash and the Occupy Wall Street days. People were suffering. I remember thumbing through a copy of Details magazine, featuring $5,000 suits, $10/20/30,000 watches, $70/80/90,000 cars, thinking to myself "Who the fuck is this for??" Not for me or anyone I knew. The tease and flaunt of such unattainable luxury wasn't helpful at the time, and I wanted to find other options that enabled me to look good and live well without being a millionaire or billionaire. So I coined a new term: thousandaire. Since then, good style and effective living - albeit on the affordable spectrum - have been peripheral obsessions of mine. As we start a new year with new hope, a new president and hopefully new opportunities for new beginnings, I want to reaffirm and reconnect with some of the values I sought when I started this adventure. The original tagline of the blog was "Sartorial stealth and effective living for the self-made thousandaire." The ideas behind "sartorial stealth" were easy to define. Make handsome choices... buy the best quality you can afford... a good wardrobe is an edited wardrobe... understated is underrated... don't be afraid of elegance, glamour and sophistication... things like that. At the time, "effective living" meant mindful design choices and a lifestyle that considered the environment. Now, I'm adding to the list with things like empathy, compassion, respect for science and expertise, generosity, courtesy, good citizenship and more... all part of "effective living," as far as I'm concerned. So as we enter a new year with the promise of exciting possibilities on the horizon, along with a reacquaintance with 'normal', I'm really looking forward to exploring and sharing new discoveries as well as some old tricks that have served me well. Thank you for reading. Thank you for listening. And Happy New Year! Talk soon. George

The audio version of my blog post "Cheap and Chic Reading Glasses" Link to the original article: georgehahn.com/cheap-and-chic-reading-glasses/

The audio version of my blog post "I Can't With The Sweatpants." Link to the original article: https://georgehahn.com/i-cant-with-the-sweatpants/

On Memorial Day, I got tested for the coronavirus, both for the presence of the virus and for the antibodies. Results come in 3 to 5 days. And speaking of coronavirus... I wonder if clothing companies that use an online custom/made-to-measure business model will get traction during a time when people can't go into stores or visit a tailor. I've personally had very good experiences with online custom. In terms of ease, quality and cost, it really solves a problem. In our new normal, I wonder if others might see it as a new, viable option when the in-person shopping and tailoring experience will be limited for the foreseeable future.

With a little autobiographical writing project, a return to work on the horizon, a fabulous streaming service for a cinephile like me, a crop of television shows I've enjoyed and a lot of gratitude to early contributors to the blog and podcast, I’m managing to get through this thing. I’m not going to lie: the pandemic and the quarantine, isolation and loneliness that it has produced are taking a toll. Some days are better than others, certainly. And I have allowed moments or even entire days where I let myself off the hook and ignore the pressure to be productive or use time to make lemonade from sour lemons. Sometimes, it’s okay to say ‘fuck it’, do nothing and be sad. But when you go to that place, just make sure you don’t move in. Let’s not paint an entirely dark picture, though. I’ve also had some really good days with my dogs and terrific conversations with old friends. It’s been a time of much reflection and introspection, assessing what I really need and what really has value to me, which has been cathartic - a much needed cleansing and a purging of things that aren’t working. But peering through the lenses of these good and not so good days, I do have enough hindsight and experience to know that this, too, shall pass, and that there will be change. The key is to be open and adaptable, which I plan to be. In the meantime, there’s much to read, much to listen to and so much to watch. I hope you enjoy the episode, and I thank you for listening. Be safe out there. (And wear a mask!) George

I know… It’s been a while. But since my office is closed and I’m self-quarantined at home, I figured this was a good time to catch up. In this episode, I share a little update on life and work in New York City since I moved back in January. New apartment, new job, new beginning… there was a lot going on - all good - until the pandemic changed all of our lives very quickly. Though I’m no stranger to working from home, I’m feeling very different about the current situation. The trick is to fight the blues and keep moving forward under these insane circumstances that seemed almost impossible only a few short weeks ago. As I say in the episode, I want everyone to be safe, stay home, wash your hands, practice social distancing and keep calm. And also… be kind. To yourself and others. This is a tough time for everyone. Perhaps a time to reset. But in the process, remember to be kind. Thanks for listening. George

The idea of online custom suits can be a daunting and confounding prospect. Several readers and friends have told me as much. So I thought I’d share my own experience with online made-to-measure suiting, including how I started with it, some of the issues I’ve had and, ultimately, the overall benefit for men like me who are not rich but want to look good. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate. And THANK YOU for listening!

This is the second half of an interview I had several months ago with my friend and podcast co-host Amy Eddings. Specifically, Amy was curious about the origins of my personal style and about the blog. This interview was the first time anybody really asked me about how it all started, who were my idols and influencers, and such. In addition to being a dear friend and my co-host of The Downtowner, a podcast about Downtown Cleveland, Amy was the host of All Things Considered for many years in New York on WNYC and, since moving to Cleveland, has worked primarily as the host of Morning Edition on WCPN. Basically, she’s a serious news person. Being on the receiving end of questions from such a serious news person was a really fun first. Our conversation clocked in at a full hour. So I did some editing and turned it into a two-parter. This is part two. Enjoy!