Bill Nesnidal went viral earlier this summer when he opened up about how he and his boyfriend were once harassed at a Chicago White Sox game. A lifelong sports fan, Nesnidal used the opportunity to show why Pride nights still matter.
Millions of views later, it’s fair to say his message was heard. “The response has been great,” he tells Queerty. I thought it would get 8,000 views and stop there. People listened to it, I think.”
With 116,000 followers on Instagram, Nesnidal has attracted a following with cheeky workout vids, travel tips and shirtless selfies. In an online world full of superficiality, the Chicago native just seems like a really kind and genuine guy.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Growing up, he would attend White Sox games with his dad, including the same 2005 World Series game as Pope Leo. After graduating law school, Nesnidal worked as an investigator for the NCAA, where he looked into recruiting violations and other sketchy dealings.
Over the last several years, Nesnidal has become a travel hobbyist, leveraging credit card points to his advantage long before it was en vogue. He says opening up new cards to unlock generous bonuses is the best way to go, provided one can afford the annual fee.
A good Midwestern boy would never advocate for fiscal recklessness!
In between trips, Queerty recently caught up with Nesnidal to talk about steaming after workouts, his most adventurous travels and how he converted his theater kid bf into a sports fan. Here’s what he had to say…
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QUEERTY: You’ve probably heard from thousands of people since your White Sox video. Are there any interactions that have stood out?
BILL NESNIDAL: There were a lot of White Sox fans who said, “I’m sorry that happened to you. I’m gay and I like going to games, please join us for the next Pride Night.” I think there are a lot of people who were surprised that happened. If you look at the comments, there’s thousands of them with people being like, “Who would do that?” or “I wish I was there to stand up for you.” That sort of thing. What people don’t realize is, when that sort of thing happens, it’s hard for me to think about going to a game with Paul again, because I just don’t want to repeat that. That shouldn’t be the case. That’s what kind of got me thinking about the video, how gay people have to censor themselves so that they don’t draw negative attention.
But the response was great. Being a three-minute video, I thought it might get 8,000 views and stop there. That wasn’t the point of sharing it, of course. But people listened to it, I think.
You’ve mentioned that Paul isn’t a sports fan. For all of the sports-loving gays who may find themselves in a similar situation, how did you convert him?
You have to know where to go. If we’re going to a Sox game, we’ll tailgate or go to a bar beforehand. Baseball is unique in terms of fan experience, because with football or basketball, people are glued to their seats for the most part. The game is moving and you can’t miss it. For baseball, I can sit down and watch a whole game and enjoy a beer. But in the White Sox’ stadium, and a lot of others, there are tons of bars around. There’s a craft beer cave. Milkshakes are up in this corner. We got [Paul] his First Game certificate, so we hopped around the stadium. We were probably in our seats for less than half of the game. But we had fun exploring and eating and drinking around the park. That’s the key. We bar crawled inside the stadium.
You’re a lifelong athlete–and in great shape! What’s your fitness routine?
I don’t do a good job of fitness and travel. But if I’m home, I go to the gym at least five days per week. I was never a fitness class person until I joined my CrossFit gym. But now, it’s a fitness class around noon or maybe after work. It’s like Metcon, or it’s a lift and a workout. So it’s programmed for me every day. The thing about CrossFit is, some people feel like they’ve only worked out if they’re on the floor after, breathing super hard. I’m trying to change my mindset of like, “Oh, I can get in a good workout if I just lift or do something else.” I like to try new things, too, whether it’s a new yoga class or volleyball on the beach. But that’s in addition to my gym routine.
You have a video where you went outside in the frigid winter cold and were steaming after your workout. I hope that’s not a regular practice of yours…
That was during–what do they call it–the polar vortex. That will happen any time after a workout if I walk outside. It looks crazy! It’s not a regular practice, but it feels good for a quick minute. I also did this winter, I don’t know if you saw this, but there was a floating sauna by Navy Pier. There was still ice on the water. It was this floating, wet sauna. You get super hot, and then you jump in the lake, which is full of freezing cold water. That felt more intense than just walking outside with the steam.
You’ve been to roughly 40 countries! What’s been your most adventurous trip?
I did the W Trek in Patagonia. Patagonia is the area between Argentina and Chile. In Chile, there’s Torres del Paine National Park. Basically, that area is set up amazingly for hikers and adventurers. There’s a W Trek, and then there’s an ocean trek. You get dropped off in the park, and then they pick you up five days later. You have to hike to the next hotel, but it’s all in the park, so there’s no cars. It feels like you’re on an adventure. No cell. But it’s not quite roughing it. There’s a bar in every hotel and hot food. You have a bed. But it was awesome. It was a 60-mile hike in total and just insanely beautiful every step of the day. It snowed one day and then it was hot. You just get everything.
Snowy and hot?! That’s tough to pack for…
Basically, you just have to stuff it all in!
On a similar note, do you have any travel necessities?
I’m not a crazy traveler. I don’t stress that much about travel. I pack an hour before I leave, that kind of thing. I think my photography and just how much I use cameras and stuff, I have a couple of these things. You know how the battery packs just stick to your phone now? Some of those. I always take a picture of my driver’s license and passport. I also have them in my email, just in case anything happens. Then, also have some cash, but just store it in different places, so if your wallet gets taken, it’s somewhere else.
You and Paul are a great couple! How did you guys meet?
He was on tour with Wicked. He was in Chicago, so we met up. Wicked had done a concert at Soho House and I was there, so we met. It was his last week on tour. We were like, “OK, we’ll get a drink.” Paul was here for one more week. We did, we met, and I visited most tour stops after that. I think the next one was D.C. and I was there for New Year’s. We just made it work. We did a lot of stopping. It was a lot of long distance, but we made it work. I think I saw him in Wicked eight times.
I know that photography is another big hobby of yours! What do you do for fun?
I love waters sports! I was just up in Wisconsin slalom water skiing. I used to compete on the ski team when I lived in Indiana, so I would slalom ski. I’m in a boat share here in Chicago, so I try to wake surf once a week. I just love water sports and things like that! Then, I’m kind of a nerd with reading and TV shows. I love Lord of the Rings. I’m so excited about the House of Dragon show. I like anime TV shows, too, so I’ll watch those. Paul has his Housewives, and I have my anime things, so we’re on opposite sides. But we both enjoy watching each other’s things.
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