What Could Be Bad – Episode 308:Much Much Love Always & Forever with Demetri Manabat

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June 12, 2026
10:00 am

Benj sits down in Las Vegas with spoken word poet Demetri Manabat, whose viral poem "Barbie" first caught Benj's attention during a difficult personal period — and sparked a real friendship. Demetri traces his origin story: a spontaneous creative writing class in his final college semester, a poetry slam on his 21st birthday, and a slow pivot away from the career path his Filipino and Mexican parents expected toward one he found cathartic and world-changing. The conversation goes deep on grief. Demetri opens up about losing his father, the two years it took him to even speak about the loss, and how his fiancée — a childhood sweetheart since age 12 — became his anchor through the pain. By the end, the two land on something simple and true: grief is just love with nowhere to go. And choosing to keep loving anyway is the most honest way through it.

Length:

00:00

Host:

Benj Gershman

Guest:

Demetri Manabat

Episodes to be released weekly beginning May 1 in line with Mental Health Awareness Month.

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