Had to Ask: J. Harrison Ghee on Some Like It Hot, Winning a Tony, Drag as Revelation & Being Seen

Had to Ask is back with the one and only J. Harrison Ghee (⁠@jharrisonghee⁠) — Tony Award-winner, Broadway trailblazer, and all-around radiant soul. In this episode, J gets candid about the fearless self-expression that’s defined their journey onstage and off.

From their first instinct reading the Some Like It Hot script to why playing Lola in Kinky Boots was a form of therapy, J opens up about what it really means to be seen — and to free yourself in order to see yourself. We talk about soulmates, creating chosen family, and the joy of putting their friends in drag (spoiler: it’s magic).

They also dive into what scares them, what they’d be doing if they weren’t a performer, and what their end-all, be-all dream looks like. Plus: how to ask for what you want, why they did Jerry/Daphne, and what either of us would do with “go-to-space” money (because why not?).

J’s presence is a celebration of possibility, authenticity, and unapologetic joy — and this conversation is a love letter to anyone who's ever dared to show up fully as themselves.

Chapters:
6:57 - Something that scares J
9:36 - Receiving love and asking for what you need
14:25 - Bright highlighter pink sweatpants and playing small
18:25 - Cultivating Crystal in Tokyo and where Crystal is today
27:27 - The 2023 Tony Awards and the moment when J found out they were even nominated
33:27 - What they would say to a younger version of themselves
39:26 - Their upcoming show, Saturday Church at New York Theatre Workshop
42:31 - Our new business venture and what we would do with go-to-space money

Follow Had to Ask ⁠@hadtoaskpod⁠ for more bold, unfiltered conversations — hosted by Melanie Sutrathada.

Produced by ⁠@melaniesutra⁠ and ⁠@joehloper⁠ at ⁠@thechatwalny⁠.

⭐️ Loved this episode? Share it with someone who needs a reminder that being exactly who you are is more than enough..