For Zach Towers, growing up queer in a religious household in Missouri predestined his own sex life to be … a journey, to put it nicely. Today, Towers hopes to make conversations around sex more accessible to those who need it. That’s why the St. Louis-born comedian, writer and actor started After Hours with Zach Noe Towers on Sirius XM, a new sex positive talk show that premiered on June 15 on the Netflix Is A Joke Radio station.
After Hours creates a space for everyone to laugh at sex, Towers says. He brings on stand-up comedians as guests including Billy Wayne Davis, Bob the Drag Queen, Dave Merheje, Steph Tolev and Taylor Tomlinson.
“We bring sex out of a shameful space, and into a lighthearted place where people can share stories and commiserate on what a roller coaster sex can be,” Towers says. “We definitely do not shy away from any topic.”
Comedian Zach Towers used to be part of Muny Kids! | Courtesy Photo
Towers is also host of The Elite Daily Show on Verizon’s Go90 network and the comedic Out On Stage series. He is regularly featured on E!’s Nightly Pop, seasons one and two of Dating: No Filter and season three of Netflix’s Dear White People. All are accomplishments that he owes to the art scene in St. Louis, he says, where he joined Muny Kids! at age 10.
“Growing up, [being queer] was a bull’s eye for bullies,” Towers says. “The Muny was such a sigh of relief for me because there were other little boys who took dance class, and there were other little boys who were celebrated for having a beautiful singing voice instead of being made fun of.”
Towers studied musical theater at Indiana University before moving to Los Angeles, California in 2008, where he kickstarted a career in TV, film and standup comedy.
Having been raised in a religious household in Missouri, there was almost no discussion about sex, Towers says. Even in his public education, sex was taught in very clinical terms and only as something existing between heterosexual couples.
“To say I felt blindfolded and spun around in circles before I entered my own sex life is putting it lightly,” Towers says. “I was really fumbling around in the dark when it came to learning anything about sex, much less gay sex.”
After Hours is a space for everyone to learn about sex, Towers says. With the show’s camera setup, he hopes it will one day evolve into a late night format — a sexy one, of course.
While Towers still gets nervous to perform, he does not get shy talking about sex, which he thinks is hilarious.
“I just want more resources out there telling people sex is good, it’s beautiful, it’s fun, it’s funny, it doesn’t have to be scary,” Towers says. “Someone’s gone through what you’re going through right now, and you’re not alone, and you shouldn’t feel bad about it. So I just want people to feel freer to be themselves and not feel judged or alone.”
After Hours with Zach Noe Towers airs biweekly on Thursdays at 8 p.m. CST, with replays Fridays at 7 a.m. CST and Saturdays at 8 p.m. CST. Netflix Is A Joke Radio is available to SiriusXM subscribers across the nation in their cars on channel 93 and on the SXM App.
