I’m gonna let y’all in on a little secret: Here at The Root, many of the writers and editors you all know and love are rather big fans of reality TV. Take for instance fellow staff writer Tonja Renée Stidhum, who’s particularly fond of the Netflix series The Circle; or as she once wrote:
“I’m not only a fan of The Circle, I’m a fan of literally every iteration of The Circle Cinematic Universe (or CCU, for short).”
And if social media is any indication, she’s far from being alone in her affinity for the popular reality competition series.
One of the stars of the show is Courtney Revolution, and during an upcoming episode of the podcast Shifting Her Experience he dishes on what it was like to represent the LGBTQ+ community in front of millions of fans and offers advice for any and all who are struggling with coming out.
“Never forget that you’re valuable and you being alive offers something to the world,” he says. “Being gay is such a small part of what I offer to the world, so don’t let that be the thing that keeps you up at night or ruins your day. Out of all the people on earth, believe me, you got a handful that love what you bring to the table, so keep serving it up so people can eat.”
And for those wondering if Revolution struggled at all with living out loud in front of the cameras, the answer is a resounding “Hell no.”
“I didn’t think of my identity before going on the show,” he says. “I am a Black gay man and if I’m going on as that, that’s who I am. I didn’t think of if I wanted to be too masculine or too feminine, I just wanted to go on as myself.”
Revolution’s contagious energy and exuberant personality on The Circle endeared him to both fans and fellow cast members alike, and his interview with Shifting Her Experience helps provide listeners with a deeper understanding of the man behind the million-dollar smile.
Shifting Her Experience is available on your podcast platform of choice, and keep an ear out for Revolution’s interview which drops on June 15.