Joel Kim Booster | "You're Not Going to Hell"

Joel Kim Booster | "You're Not Going to Hell"

From The Person Who Believed In Me with David Begnaud by Do Good Crew

May 18, 2026 · 1h 1m · Episode 13

About this episode

Joel Kim Booster shares his journey of being rejected by his adoptive family for being gay and finding support from a classmate.

Before Joel Kim Booster became an Emmy-nominated writer, actor, producer, stand-up comedian, and the star and creator of Fire Island, he was a 17 year old kid living in his car, kicked out by his adoptive parents for being gay, and convinced he was going to hell. Then Sarah Casey, a classmate he barely knew, turned around in choir and said the words that changed everything: If you ever need a place to stay, you can come and stay with me and my family. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, one of comedy's sharpest voices sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the girl who became his chosen family when his own family walked away.e can give you is a place to belong when the world says you don't. And sometimes, that's all you need to become exactly who you were meant to be. Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.com Chapters ☀️ ABOUT THIS PODCAST: The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you…

People in this episode

Host: David Begnaud

Guest: Joel Kim Booster

Topics covered

  • coming out
  • family rejection
  • chosen family
  • mental health
  • LGBTQ+ experiences
  • personal growth

Keywords

  • gay
  • adoption
  • family
  • support
  • mental health
  • comedy
  • LGBTQ+

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Fire Island, The Do Good Crew

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