When it comes to entertainment, John Hill has just about done it all. He is an actor, writer, singer and host who has co-hosted the daily live morning radio show Andy Cohen Live on SiriusXM for more than a decade, and he hosts The John Hill Show every Tuesday on SiriusXM channel 102. He has appeared in the original Broadway casts of Hairspray, The Boy From Oz and bare: a pop opera, as well as the Broadway national tour of Miss Saigon. As a TV producer/writer, his credits include Watch What Happens Live!, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, Project Runway and Top Chef.
Now, he is touring with a comedy show entitled John Hill: Silk and Loose!—and it finds him talking with audiences after a Twitter troll speculated about one of Hill’s most intimate private body parts. Recently, Hill talked with Windy City Times about various topics—including how the show is provocative in more ways than one.
Note: This conversation was edited for clarity and length.
Windy City Times: Apparently you’ve been to Chicago before because when you were promoting this show on Instagram, you mentioned [the bathhouse] Steamworks.
John Hill: I’ve never been to Steamworks but I really want to go. Everyone raves about it. Everyone says Steamworks is just the place and your mind will be blown by how hot the people are [as well as] how chill and fun it is. But the last time I was in Chicago, I had big plans; then I got nervous and I kind of chickened out. Just going by yourself—I don’t know; maybe I’m old-fashioned.
WCT: There are spots in New York like that, aren’t there?
JH: Yeah—when I first moved to New York, there was the Westside Club, which was a few blocks from where I live. That place is gone. There’s not a dedicated bathhouse, but there are back rooms. Now, back rooms are a thing—like, every bar has a dark room. I don’t go out a whole lot but from what I gather, that’s what’s happening.
WCT: That’s interesting. Now we should talk about Silk and Loose—and I’m more prepared than [actress/comic] Lisa Ann Walter was when she talked with you about it [on The John Hill Show].
JH: Oh, my God. Having to explain it to her was so funny. I love her so much.
So, with Silk somebody on Twitter had posted a photo of me—like, a thirst trap—that I had posted on Instagram. They then said, “I need to top him. I just know that hole is silk and loose.” My jaw hit the floor; I was so embarrassed—and then it made me laugh. As I was writing a book, I was also trying to kind of think of another solo show to do.
On one hand, you feel violated. Someone is talking about your private part in such a way that is very aggressive and speculative. But it also was really funny because I think it was, in its way, a compliment. But it also made me realize that I am close to 50 and I’m an older gay guy. As a gay man, aging is something that I think is very interesting. There’s a sadness to it but it doesn’t have to be sad—it can be whatever. But it’s something that we all go through.
And I didn’t realize that it was something that people talked about—older gay guys and what they might feel like. But this is also apparently a thing.
WCT: But there’s also the whole daddy issue because, like you, I am also becoming older in the queer community. It’s just interesting to see these younger people come up to you and say whatever. You’re, like, “What is happening right now?”
JH: Yeah; age becomes an asset. And I never saw that coming because I wasn’t ever really into daddies myself. I was into, you know, guys a little bit older than me when I was in my 20s; I always dated guys in their 30s.
WCT: But since we’re on the subject, who is someone you would consider a hot daddy now?
JH: Jon Hamm is a hot daddy. Orlando Bloom has become one as well; he’s become fit and beefy, which I like. Michael B. Jordan is too young to be a daddy, but he also kind of carries it. He’s not 40, is he?
WCT: I don’t believe so. [Note: Jordan is 39.]
JH: A daddy starts a little bit earlier than I think it used to. To me, a guy was always 50 or 55, but now I think it’s your energy. Because there’s also people who are older than us and are still kind of twinks—you know what I mean? Like Ryan Gosling’s not really a daddy.
But in terms of the “silk and loose” thing, once my eyes were open to it, people sent me a lot of stuff. And people talk about it a lot. In one way, it’s a read because someone’s saying you’re old and you’re possibly run through. But my angle is: I wish I was silk and loose. I think I’m clenched emotionally, sometimes.
WCT: So “silk and loose” could also refer to an emotional state.
JH: Absolutely. That’s what the show is about. I want to be easygoing and open. I want to be “silk and loose.” So, it’s a metaphor.
WCT: On your talk show with Andy, is there any topic that’s off limits?
JH: No—not at all. We’ve been doing this for 10 years. We know how to handle any subject or topic that comes up. And I think that’s one of the great things about our show is that a lot of things he can’t comment on when he’s on TV; however, on the radio, we can talk about whatever, really. And we’ve talked about a lot of crazy stuff.
WCT: What’s been one of the craziest things that you’ve discussed recently?
JH: We were talking about neighbors and living in New York, and I mentioned how I thought my neighbors could see me last night. I was doing something kind of funny, and he asked, “Well, what was it?” I said that I have, like, a little lover who lives in Berlin, and I’m not like a sex cam person. But we were FaceTiming and, for the show Silk and Loose, I had bought a fake butt that I didn’t end up using. I was showing it to him and laughing about it. And he wanted me to fuck it for a second, as a joke—and I did that. So I think my neighbors saw me having sex with this fake butt.
WCT: Have you heard anything from the neighbors?
JH: Oh, I saw them shut their blinds; they didn’t want to see anymore. So, no topic is off limits. That’s just how we talk about our day-to-day lives.
WCT: On the Just Sayin’ podcast, you said that you don’t think too deeply; it’s mostly about hot guys and snacks. I think your thoughts had to do with politics, fighting on the internet and conservative people—when they get mad at someone—saying, “Well, he’s a communist.”
JH: And I didn’t even know what a communist really was! I had to Google that. It’s just kind of a catch-all when a conservative person doesn’t like a gay person or something; they just say, “Oh, they’re a communist.” But usually, I’m not thinking about politics; I’m really thinking about hot guys and snacks and myself.
That being said, I was kind of kidding. Like, I tried it. I think there was a time when I was getting too worked up by looking at things online. Now I think it’s all about the dead internet theory—that people aren’t really posting; it’s all bots that have been trained by AI. So on the show, we’re going to talk about my dating life, my sex life and people.
WCT: Speaking of dating, what are some of your pet peeves?
JH: I have a pretty low tolerance for bad personalities. But I’m working on this, though. When I sit down with someone, I’m immediately looking for my deal-breakers—and I find them really quickly. But it’s usually things like people with no sense of humor or people who take themselves too seriously. It’s usually personality-based.
Also, if I like the person, I can kind of put up with a lot of stuff. Physically, there’s the obvious—practice good hygiene and don’t have nasty habits. I’m also not into body odor; I know people are into the funk and the smells, but I’m really just not.
WCT: Asking you a more serious question, what does representation mean to you?
JH: I think we need more of it—and I’m only now realizing how important it is. And I roll my eyes because I grew up with barely any representation but I see the effects that it has just having a gay person on TV or on the radio. I’m not saying what I’m doing is changing the world, but on SiriusXM you don’t have two gay guys talking about fake asses in the morning on any other channel.
Growing up, I didn’t have as many options. You were looking for it, and you had to look harder. I had to go to the independent movie theater to see The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert when it came out. I had to have older gay guys that I did theater with direct me toward the movies at Blockbuster.
But I think having gay people on reality shows, for example, may save lives, not to be dramatic. I think representation saves lives. And as funny as I feel Silk and Loose is—talking about butts and sex and stuff—it really is about growing up.
If you are a white cis gay person who can blend into society like I am, I think you have a responsibility to stand up for the rest of your community that can’t do the same. So it’s so embarrassing when I see guys not getting that—guys, especially. They just have all this privilege and they don’t even know it. And they want to still be accepted by the straights.
I also think it’s important to share experiences—whether it’s on a big stage or at The Den Theater—so that younger people can hear what it was like and that we can pass that down. I think gay eldership is really important. And I really love doing that, as well as being a daddy and leaning into that. Insight, history and life experience are really important to pass on.
John Hill will be performing at The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave., on Sunday, Aug. 16, at 7:15 p.m. Tickets may be purchased here or at 773-697-3830.