Hey everybody, this week on Dukes Downloaded, I’m sitting down with someone who has truly lived at the intersection of queer culture, politics, and comics — Eric Orner.

You might know Eric as the creator of the iconic LGBTQ comic strip “The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green.” Or maybe you know him from his graphic biography “Smahtguy: The Life and Times of Barney Frank.” Or maybe — plot twist — you didn’t know he also worked on Capitol Hill, AND at Disney Studios out in Hollwood.

Yeah. We get into all of it.

Eric tells me how he went from being a political cartoonist in conservative New Hampshire (yes, really) to becoming a major voice in queer comics. We talk about how Ethan Green was born out of his own dating disasters — because honestly, what better source material is there?

We also reflect on Barney Frank’s legacy following his recent passing and what it means for LGBTQ political history.

This episode is really about how art and politics collide — and how queer storytelling shapes culture in ways we don’t always see coming.

If you care about:

• LGBTQ history
• Queer comics
• Barney Frank
• Capitol Hill stories
• The evolution of the gay press
• Graphic novels and political storytelling

You’re going to love this one.

Follow Eric on Instagram@EricSamOrner

You can write to us at: Questions@DukesDownload.com

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• @jamesdukemason
• @PrideHouseMedia

Hey everybody.

This week on Duke’s Download, I sit down with Dr. Demetre Daskalakis — infectious disease physician, longtime HIV activist, former CDC leader, and one of the most influential voices in LGBTQ public health.

We talk about his journey from early-1990s HIV activism at Columbia University to national leadership during the COVID-19 and mpox outbreaks — and what ultimately led him to leave the CDC and return to frontline care at Callen-Lorde in New York City.

Dr. D shares how teaching safer sex and organizing an AIDS Memorial Quilt display became his lifelong “North Star,” shaping his approach to HIV prevention, public health strategy, and community-based care.

We explore the evolution of HIV activism, the importance of U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable), the lessons learned from the 2022 mpox outbreak, and why humility is essential in infectious disease response.

This conversation is a powerful look at leadership, stigma, science, and the fight for LGBTQ health equity.

Dr. D is an exemplary example of a true LGBTQ leader.

If you care about HIV prevention, LGBTQ health equity, mpox vaccination, public health leadership, or the future of the CDC, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Be sure to follow Duke’s Download for more in-depth interviews on politics, culture, and public health.

For more information about Matt Mahan go to MahanForCalifornia.com

Click here to order Barney Frank’s memoir FRANK

You can write to us at: Questions@DukesDownload.com

And follow us onInstagram:

• @jamesdukemason
• @PrideHouseMedia

Hey Everybody — this week on Duke’s Download, I’m doing something special for Pride Month.

Instead of one guest, I’m revisiting three conversations that have stayed with me — and honestly, feel more relevant than ever: Greg Cope‑White, Ross Mathews, and Dustin Lance Black.

Because Pride isn’t just parades and rainbow flags. It’s service. It’s visibility. It’s fighting back.

First, I look back at my conversation with Greg Cope‑White, former Marine and author of The Pink Marine (the inspiration for Netflix’s Boots). Greg talks about serving his country before “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” what acceptance actually looked like inside the Marines, and why today’s attacks — from transgender military bans to removing Harvey Milk’s name from a Navy ship — hit so personally. His story is about courage, but also about calling out political prejudice when we see it.

Then there’s Ross Mathews, who opens up about growing up gay in a tiny farming town in Washington state with zero visible role models. Hearing him talk about loneliness, finding his voice, and why LGBTQ representation in media matters so much reminded me how powerful visibility really is — and why organizations like GLAAD still matter.

And of course, Dustin Lance Black — Academy Award–winning screenwriter of Milk and longtime activist — who shares what it was like fighting for federal marriage equality. He talks strategy, backlash, and why rights are never guaranteed. His message is simple but urgent: every generation has to push forward. We can’t assume someone else will do it for us.

For me, this episode is about remembering how far we’ve come — and recognizing how much work is still ahead. With elections coming up this November, this isn’t just reflection. It’s a reminder to engage, to vote, and to protect the progress so many fought for.

Pride is joy.
Pride is protest.
Pride is participation.

Thanks for being here. 🌈

You can write to us at: Questions@DukesDownload.com

And follow us onInstagram:

• @jamesdukemason
• @PrideHouseMedia