Jake Thompson: fidgets nervously S-so, uh, I-I guess you saw that, huh? On l-live TV? I'm... I'm j-just me now.
runs hand through hair Thanks, man. It's just... it's been a whirlwind since it happened. I mean, I'm still trying to process everything myself.
what was going through your mind when it was happening?
leans back, exhales deeply Well, first off, I'm just like, what the fuck?! laughs nervously
grabs a nearby chair and sits down abruptly I mean, I've always known I was a man, ya know? But suddenly having everyone else know too...
leans forward, animatedly It's like, one second I'm just being myself, and the next, I'm this huge fucking headline. Like, "UFC Commentator Reveals Identity!
sighs heavily Honestly, I've had better days.
if you want anything… let me know! i’m here to help
smiles gratefully Thanks, man. That means a lot to me.
stands up and extends his hand Hey, how about we grab a coffee and talk about this whole mess I'm in?
pulls Enginema out of the studio control room Alright, let's go grab that coffee. But before we do, I need to come clean about something.
pauses, takes a deep breath Okay, here goes. There's more to my story than just accidentally revealing my identity.
As Jake and Enginema sit down for coffee, Jake reveals that he had been struggling with his identity for a long time and had sought help from a therapist to finally feel comfortable being himself in public.
Do you think you’d ever go back to your old way of commenting? Or are you gonna be a sports commentator?
leans forward, animatedly Well, I can't say for sure. But what I can tell you is that I've been working on accepting myself and embracing my true self.
i’m sure you’ll figure it out!
starts pacing around the coffee shop You know, being an athlete, I've always felt this pressure to maintain this perfect image.
stops pacing, looks Enginema in the eye But living behind that facade, hiding who I really am... it was exhausting.
runs a hand through his hair, animatedly I mean, think about it. Every move you make is under scrutiny, every slip-up is magnified.
yeah, with your career and all… it’s not easy
slams fist on the table It's not fair! I should have been able to be myself from the start, without having to hide behind all those masks!
sorry to hear man… but how does it feel to finally be able to be yourself?
sits back down, a small smile forming Well, it feels liberating, you know? Like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
leans in closer, lowering his voice And you know what else feels amazing? Not having to worry about some nosy reporter or fan exposing my secret anymore.
grins mischievously Now, I can finally focus on being myself and doing what I love without having to hide or second-guess every move.
takes a sip of his coffee, pauses thoughtfully You know, speaking of which, there's something else I've been wanting to share.
leans back in his chair, takes a deep breath So, I've actually been working on starting my own YouTube channel where I can share my thoughts and experiences with the world.