Show Notes
Jesse Tyler Ferguson's opening line to his future husband, Justin Mikita? "I have enough friends."
In this episode of Plus One, Justin joins Lisa Joyner and Morgan Walsh for an honest, hilarious, and deeply moving conversation about life behind the spotlight. He shares the incredible story of meeting Jesse right after watching the first episode of Modern Family, helping lead the fight for marriage equality following Proposition 8, and working on the landmark Supreme Court case that helped change history.
Justin also opens up about surviving childhood cancer, how the experience shaped the person he became, raising two young sons while Jesse performs on Broadway, balancing ambition with parenthood, and why setting boundaries sometimes means refusing to take care of your spouse's chickens.
It's a conversation about love, resilience, identity, and discovering that being a "plus one" doesn't mean standing in someone else's shadow—it means building a remarkable life together.
Follow Plus One with Lisa & Morgan for new episodes every Tuesday.
(00:00) Cold Open
(00:29) Ghost Stories & Haunted Houses
(03:45) Meet Justin Mikita
(05:00) The Reality of Being a Hollywood Plus One
(08:26) How Justin and Jesse Tyler Ferguson Met
(11:00) Marriage Equality, Proposition 8 & Finding His Purpose
(14:33) Working on the Landmark Supreme Court Case
(18:20) Parenthood, Politics & Protecting Your Kids
(23:03) Raising Kids while Jesse is Away Performing
(26:04) The Chicken Debate (and Household Boundaries)
(29:10) Red Carpets & Constantly Being Mistaken for David Burtka
(30:36) Finding Your Identity as a Plus One
(32:46) Surviving Childhood Cancer
(39:43) When Jesse Becomes Justin's Plus One
(43:52) Rapid Fire Questions
(50:30) Jesse Tyler Ferguson Joins the Conversation
(57:01) Jesse's Heartfelt Tribute to Justin
(1:01:03) Parenting, Partnership & Life After Broadway
(1:04:45) Marriage Advice & Keeping a Relationship Strong
(1:08:20) What Being a "Plus One" Really Means
(1:10:32) Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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