Ep. 232: Kevin James Thornton on Big Baby, Coming Out Late & Finding Fame at 50

Episode Title: Kevin James Thornton on Big Baby, Coming Out Late & Finding Fame at 50 Episode Summary: Zach sits down with Kevin James Thornton — author, comedian, musician, and TikTok sensation — for a candid, warm, and hilarious conversation about his upcoming memoir Big Baby, out June 2, 2026. From growing up in Indiana and getting swept into a church youth group to spending two decades chasing a record deal in Nashville, Kevin's life story is equal parts heartbreaking and absurdly funny. He and Zach bond over shared experiences: the AIDS-era fear that shaped their coming-of-age, sneaky JCPenney catalog moments, sleeping with girls in high school, and the long, winding road to finally living as yourself. Kevin gets candid about living in his car at 40, waiting tables to get back on his feet, an abusive relationship he kept secret for years, the unexpected viral TikTok fame that changed everything around age 50, touring 10 cities across Europe, going through a gay divorce after a decade-long relationship, and recording an audiobook that brought him to tears in a New York recording studio. Episode Notes: Kevin grew up in Indiana and joined a church youth group in high school — not from a religious family, but because it was the only thing to do in his small town He knew he was gay but had deeply partitioned it off, coming out gradually through college His parents' reaction when he finally told them: "We know this already, but thanks for telling us" He spent roughly two decades in Nashville trying to get a record deal — bands from his scene included Kings of Leon and Kacey Musgraves When the band fell apart, he moved to LA on a whim to become a standup comedian with zero experience He toured a one-man comedy show about growing up religious and coming out at fringe festivals for four years After burning out and returning to Nashville, he was briefly living in his 1997 Chevy Beretta — at age 40 He rebuilt his life waitressing, saved money, moved in with a friend, and eventually entered a 10-year relationship During the pandemic, his TikTok blew up — nearly a million followers in six months, people recognizing him at the grocery store He went back on the road with actual support and audiences: 200 people in Helsinki, Finland, had no idea who he was A literary agency approached him after his TikTok success; Big Baby is the result — a full memoir divided into three parts The book includes: a pregnancy scandal from his teenage years, an abusive relationship in LA, and living in his car — all told with humor alongside the pain Kevin recorded the audiobook himself and got choked up multiple times in the recording booth — he describes it as unexpectedly healing He recently went through a gay divorce after 10+ years together; the breakup is woven into the third section of the book He and Zach connect over the Gen X / 50-ish life reset — both left stable careers to pursue creative work full-time Buy the Book: Big Baby by Kevin James Thornton — available for pre-order now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and everywhere books are sold. Audiobook available same day, June 2, 2026. 👉 https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kevin-james-thornton/big-baby/9780306836763/ Amazon: https://a.co/d/0arD5BXd   Follow Kevin: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kevinjamesthornton Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinjamesthornton/ Website: https://www.kevinjamesthornton.com/ Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.