Meet ‘The RearView,’ a Very Grindr Podcast

One of the best parts about being queer is getting together with your chosen family to weigh in on the latest in pop culture, sex, dating, politics, and whatever else is happening in the world at the moment. That’s why we created The RearView, a new podcast that brings together a diverse panel of LGBTQ+ personalities and beloved celeb guests to dish on weekly hot topics and burning queer questions. It’s kind of like The View…but gayer.

The idea to create a podcast came from a conversation about how Grindr acts as a hub for so many diverse members of a shared community, and how we wanted to create a space to amplify the conversations people were having on—and about—our app. When we reached out to Foreverdog—the home of popular podcasts like Race Chaser, Confronting Demons with Meg Stalter, and Midnight Snack—they immediately got our vision. A few months later, during Pride, The RearView was born.

At the heart of The Rearview is the heart of America, really, and an icon of the community herself, Monique Heart. She, along with pop star Chester Lockhart, comedian Jay Jurden, and Grindr expert Patrick Rogers, round out the panel of queer luminaries as they talk with Grindr users, spar over pop culture, and weigh in on the week’s tops and bottoms with the help of some very special guests. To date they’ve kiki’d with Alaska Thunderfuck, Gabriele Bertaccini, Monique Samuels, Michelle Collins, Julie Klausner, Matt Rogers, Miz Cracker and more.

The mission of The RearView—to foster a shared culture for Grindr users and create a space to listen to the community—has proved fruitful over the past six months. The show’s “Grindr Hotline” segment, where real Grindr users call in to ask questions about sex and dating, garnered enough responses to become a weekly installment. And the “Queer Legacy Question,” which is asked at the end of every episode and intended to cause a bit of a stir (Who’s the best Spice Girl? What’s the best poppers brand?), has been a lightning rod on social media and seen its share of celebs tweeting their opinions at us (@jansportnyc loved Chromatica, y’all).

Having a space outside the app to give voice to the Grindr experience and discuss queer life has been a rewarding endeavor, and we’re excited to see how the show grows further in its second six months. If you haven’t had the opportunity to check it out yet, The RearView is available on Spotify, iTunes, and everywhere else podcasts are available.

Our fabulous hosts are counting down their personal Top-10 Queer Moments of 2020 - including Niecy Nash's gay wedding, the release of the Chromatica jockstrap, Trump getting Covid, and more!