Podcasts about queensofadventure

My guest this week is Tom Zohar, whose love for stories about powerful women led him to movies like Death Becomes Her and The Joy Luck Club, and whose hippie parents brought him to musicals like Hair. A common thread through a lot of Tom's favorite media is characters who are completely and totally un-repressed, but self-repression was an issue he had to deal with as a teenager when he re-closeted himself and became increasingly shy about his accent. Theater is what helped him reclaim his voice, but not after the family fled the country to prevent his being conscripted in the Israeli Army.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook, where I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode. This week you can look forward to some fun clips from Death Becomes Her.And speaking of videos, check out my YouTube series Culture Cruise, where I do a deep dive into LGBTQ milestones in entertainment that changed the world. I just posted a new video that combines footage from fifty years of documentaries to reconstruct the history of New York's ballroom, voguing, and drag ball scene. You can find it by searching YouTube for Culture Cruise.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on August 1st at 11am Pacific. It's a nice relaxing time to just hang out and chat. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Also if you're looking for more queer podcasts, check out my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

My guest this week is Hamish Steele, whose graphic novel Deadendia is being adapted into an animated series at Netflix. The show will feature a gay trans man as the lead character, and it's inspired both by Hamish's friends and his love of shows like Dr Who and movies like The Addams Family Values, which feature queer-ish if not explicitly queer ensembles. Hamish is also running a Kickstarter right now for a comic book called Croc and Roll, that promises to be TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA meets JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS meets SCOTT PILGRIM meets... big gay alligator tears. I am super excited to chat with him about his inspirations and his controversial opinions about the difference between films with queer people in them versus films that queer people actually like.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook, where I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode. This week you can look forward to clips from The Addams Family, Dr. Who, and from Hamish's own animation projects.And speaking of videos, check out my YouTube series Culture Cruise, where I do a deep dive into LGBTQ milestones in entertainment that changed the world. Last month's video was all about the documentary Paris is Burning, and you can find that by searching YouTube for Culture Cruise.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on August 1st at 11am Pacific. It's a nice relaxing time to just hang out and chat. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Also if you're looking for more queer podcasts, check out my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

You might have seen that Disney is about to release a new documentary called Howard, all about the legacy of the great Howard Ashman whose music gave live to stories like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and many more. For this week's episode, we're diving into the Sewers of Paris archive to revisit my 2015 conversation about another of Howard Ashman's projects: the musical Little Shop of Horrors, a film that transformed the life of my guest Brad Cerenzia.From an early age, Brad knew he wasn't destined to be farm boy the rest of his life. His inspiration came from theater, musicals, drama. He needed a ticket off of the farm where he grew up, but it was hard for him to picture how that adventure would start. As it turned out, what he needed was a key change.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook, where I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode. This week you can look forward to some of my favorite clips from musicals I discussed with Brad, from Little Shop to The Drowsy Chaperone, and also a clip or two from the movie Mannequin.And speaking of videos, check out my YouTube series Culture Cruise, where I do a deep dive into LGBTQ milestones in entertainment that changed the world. Last month's video was all about the documentary Paris is Burning, and you can find that by searching YouTube for Culture Cruise.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on July 18th at 11am Pacific. It's a nice relaxing time to just hang out and chat. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Also if you're looking for more queer podcasts, check out my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

Hello and welcome to the Sewers of Paris. This week's guest, Terry LaBolt, was suggested to me by a Sewers of Paris listener, and I'm so glad that they did. Terry has an absolutely amazing collection of stories from across his career, starting as a young kid transfixed by musical theater, then later as Carol Channing's music director, and now as a teacher sharing his wisdom with the next generation of showbiz stars. From touring with Carol, to finding himself, to enduring the dark days of the HIV epidemic, Terry's got a fascinating perspective on life and I'm so honored to bring it to you this week.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook, where I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode, including in the coming week some very fun clips of Carol Channing.And hey speaking of videos, if you haven't yet check out my YouTube series Culture Cruise, where I do a deep dive into LGBTQ milestones in entertainment that changed the world. Last month's video was all about the documentary Paris is Burning — its hidden history, what happened to the people in the film, and how Madonna lifted more than just voguing from the gays. You can find that by searching YouTube for Culture Cruise.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on July 18th at 11am Pacific. It's a nice relaxing time to just hang out and chat. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Also if you're looking for more queer podcasts, check out my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

My guest this week is illustrator and film obsessive Dashiell Silva, who you might know from his excellent Oscar guides and also as an artist on the just announced Netflix series Deadendia, which looks, by the way, amazing. Dashiell grew up in the West of Ireland where nobody understood his taste in film that was, in hindsight, extremely queer. His devotion to Sunset Blvd and Mommie Dearest made him feel like some kind of weird anomaly in his little town, until he started creating art and discovering what his talents were capable of.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on July 4th at 11am Pacific. It's a nice relaxing time to just hang out and chat. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Also check out my YouTube channel for my latest Culture Cruise video, where I do a deep dive on LGBTQ milestones from TV and film. This month's video is all about the documentary Paris is Burning — its hidden history going back to the 1800s, and how Madonna lifted more than just voguing from queer culture.And if you're looking for more queer podcasts, check out my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

As we reach the conclusion of a particularly busy Pride month, I wanted to dive back into the Sewers of Paris archives for a conversation with someone who knew Greenwich Village in the years before Stonewall.The Village is the gay enclave that was the model for many of the enclaves we know today, a place where people went to reject the mainstream after the mainstream had rejected them. Playwright Robert Patrick wandered into the Village as an unsuspecting young gay man in the 1960s. He was only supposed to be there for a day, but he wound up staying for years, witnessing -- and participating in -- one of the most important periods in American theater history.Also, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on July 4th at 11am Pacific. It's a nice relaxing time to just hang out and chat. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And if you're looking for more queer podcasts, check out my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

How do you deal with the past when it hurts too much to spend time there? My guest this week is writer and journalist Daniel Villareal, who found himself questioning his purpose in life when the authorities he'd always trusted, like he church and his father, revealed themselves not to have his best interests at heart. He managed to cut himself free from harmful relationships, but he was still left with the question of how to move on — a process he's still in the process of mastering.And just a heads up — in our conversation, we'll be talking about abuse, both in Daniel's life and in the life of people he's written about.Also, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on June 20th at 11am Pacific. It's a nice relaxing time to just hang out and chat. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And if you're looking for more queer podcasts, check out my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

Hello and welcome to the Sewers of Paris. Fifty-one years ago, a riot against police brutality helped kick off the modern Pride movement, and on this episode we'll hear from one of the people who were there. He earned the nickname Tree thanks to his six-foot-five stature, and he's been a part of New York's gay community going back to the fifties, when he didn't even know a community existed. Tree's been a member of Brooklyn street gangs, worked with the mob, and counted among his friends Buddy Holly, Bea Arthur, and Rock Hudson. But for all the history he's lived through, he says he's never seen a time like the one we're living in right now.Also, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.Plus: I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on June 6 at 11am Pacific. It's a super relaxing time to relax, chat about what we've been up to, and take our minds off of … everything. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like nerdy queer podcasts you may enjoy my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. Queens of Adventure features an ongoing fantasy story with a regular cast, and Queens of Adventure Legends features recordings of live shows and stand-alone stories. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

My guest this week is Steven Capsuto, whose book Alternate Channels documents the history of queer images on television across the twentieth century. An updated edition was released last year and it's absolutely vital reading for anyone interested in LGBTQ culture — which I suspect is you. Steven's work as a historian began as a personal project, videotaping gay episodes of TV in the 80s because it helped him feel less alone — but before long that personal project turned into a vital record.Also, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.Plus: I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on June 6 at 11am Pacific. It's a super relaxing time to relax, chat about what we've been up to, and take our minds off of … everything. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like nerdy queer podcasts you may enjoy my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. Queens of Adventure features an ongoing fantasy story with a regular cast, and Queens of Adventure Legends features recordings of live shows and stand-alone stories. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

My guest this week is comic book author Marc Andreyko, who's written for Wonder Woman, Batwoman, Dr. Strange, and more. You might know him for his work on Love is Love, an anthology to benefit the victims of the Pulse shooting. Mark got his big break in comics at a young age, almost entirely by accident, and since then he's been peppering queer stories into comics wherever he can.Also, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.And big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.Plus: I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on May 23 at 11am Pacific. For the livestreams I play some super relaxing Animal Crossing while we all chat about what we've been up to, relax, and take our minds off of … everything. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like nerdy queer podcasts you may enjoy my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. Queens of Adventure features an ongoing fantasy story with a regular cast, and Queens of Adventure Legends features recordings of live shows and stand-alone stories. Queens of Adventure just started a new story arc with Irene Dubois and Bosco, so it's a great time to jump in. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

My guest this week is Dee Michel, author of the book “Friends of Dorothy: Why Gay Boys and Gay Men Love the Wizard of Oz.” Dee grew up in the 1950s with the threat of the red scare looming over his family — his parents met at a Communist Party meeting, and there was the constant threat that the family would be exposed. Added to the general chaos of the time was the discovery that his father was gay, and Dee's own struggle to find his place in the world.Also, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.And big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.Plus: I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on May 23 at 11am Pacific. For the livestreams I play some super relaxing Animal Crossing while we all chat about what we've been up to, relax, and take our minds off of … everything. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like nerdy queer podcasts you may enjoy my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. Queens of Adventure features an ongoing fantasy story with a regular cast, and Queens of Adventure Legends features recordings of live shows and stand-alone stories. Queens of Adventure just started a new story arc with Irene Dubois and Bosco, so it's a great time to jump in. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

My guest this week is Amos Mac, one of the founders of the magazine Original Plumbing a decade ago, and more recently one of the writers on the reboot of the show Gossip Girl. Amos was working in queer nightlife when he started the magazine as a fun sexy side project, but it was a runaway hit and took on a life of its own, giving him a foot in the door to launch his career in television.Also, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.And big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.Plus: I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on May 9 at 11am Pacific. For the livestreams I play some super relaxing Animal Crossing while we all chat about what we've been up to, relax, and take our minds off of … everything. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like nerdy queer podcasts you may enjoy my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. Queens of Adventure features an ongoing fantasy story with a regular cast, and Queens of Adventure Legends features recordings of live shows and stand-alone stories. Queens of Adventure: Legends is perfect for new listeners, with adventures sized for one or two sittings and introductions at the start of each episode. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

My guest this week is Broadway's Seth Rudetsky, writer singer actor and radio host among his many many jobs. You may know him from his Sirius XM shows On Broadway and Seth Speaks, or from the show Disaster which he co-wrote with Jack Plotnick, or from his brand new podcast Seth Rudetsky's Back to School. Seth is a bundle of energy and enthusiasm for entertainment, and it's impossible to listen to him talk without getting swept up in his absolute glee for showbiz.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.And big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on April 18 at 11am Pacific.I've been trying something new with the livestreams: rather than just sitting there and talking, I play some nice relaxing videogames while we all chat about what we've been up to. It's been a really soothing way to kick back and hang out and get away from the daily stress of, you know, everything. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like nerdy queer podcasts you may enjoy my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends! Join us for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. Queens of Adventure features an ongoing fantasy story with a regular cast, and Queens of Adventure Legends features recordings of live shows and stand-alone stories. Queens of Adventure: Legends is perfect for new listeners, with adventures sized for one or two sittings and introductions at the start of each episode. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

I'm very excited to bring you this week's guest — the fabulous actor and playwright Charles Busch, who first rose to prominence in the 1980s with the show Vampire Lesbians of Sodom and followed up with such hits as Die Mommy Die, Psycho Beach Party, and The Allergist's Wife, for which he earned a Tony nomination. For the first decade of his career, Charles was a struggling writer who traveled the country with exhausting one-man shows, but his big break came when he wrote a just-for-fun skit with some friends that happened to get the attention of a New York Times theater critic.In our conversation, Charles talks about some of the figures who inspired him, in particular the legendary gay theater pioneer Charles Ludlam, who helped create a new artistic movement in the 60s called Theater of the Ridiculous. Ludlam's career is a fascinating journey, and includes a strange and beautiful collaboration with Madeline Kahn. I'm currently working on a YouTube video that explores that collaboration, to be released next week. Keep an eye on my YouTube channel, at YouTube.com/mattbaume, and hit the bell on the subscribe button to get notified when that video comes out.And big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on April 25 at 11am Pacific. I've been trying something new with the livestreams: rather than just sitting there and talking, I play some super relaxing videogames while we all chat about what we've been up to. It's been a really soothing way to kick back and hang out and get away from the daily stress of, you know, everything. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like nerdy queer podcasts you may enjoy my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. Queens of Adventure features an ongoing fantasy story with a regular cast, and Queens of Adventure Legends features recordings of live shows and stand-alone stories. Queens of Adventure: Legends is perfect for new listeners, with adventures sized for one or two sittings and introductions at the start of each episode. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

Some of the most groundbreaking queer moments on television happened on a show that if you're American, you've probably never heard of. Number 96 is one of the most popular TV shows in Australia's history, but it never managed to successfully make the jump to the US — maybe because its content, in the mid 1970s, was way too risqué for American audiences. My guest this week is a scholar of Australian TV. Ever since he was a kid, Andrew Mercado was devoted to Aussie soap operas, and as an adult he seized a once-in-a-lifetime chance to work on them… and to inject a little more queerness into what was already surprisingly queer medium.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.And big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on April 18 at 11am Pacific.I've been trying something new with the livestreams: rather than just sitting there and talking, I play some nice relaxing videogames while we all chat about what we've been up to. It's been a really soothing way to kick back and hang out and get away from the daily stress of, you know, everything. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like nerdy queer podcasts you may enjoy my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends! Join us for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. Queens of Adventure features an ongoing fantasy story with a regular cast, and Queens of Adventure Legends features recordings of live shows and stand-alone stories. Queens of Adventure: Legends is perfect for new listeners, with adventures sized for one or two sittings and introductions at the start of each episode. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

My guest this week is Trystan Reese, who starred as Yitzhak in the original LA production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. From an early age, Trystan was laser focused on going to Broadway and becoming a famous actor. But the experience of being an actor, it turns out, helped him learn about passions he never knew he had, and shaped him into the advocate and dad that he is today.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.And big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on April 11 at 11am Pacific.I've been trying something new with the livestreams: rather than just sitting there and talking, I play some nice relaxing videogames while we all chat about what we've been up to. It's been a really soothing way to kick back and hang out and get away from the daily stress of, you know, everything. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like nerdy queer podcasts you may enjoy my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends! Join us for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. Queens of Adventure features an ongoing fantasy story with a regular cast, and Queens of Adventure Legends features recordings of live shows and stand-alone stories. Queens of Adventure: Legends is perfect for new listeners, with adventures sized for one or two sittings and introductions at the start of each episode. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

Last week I chatted with comic book author Dale Lazarov, and this week we'll hear from a comic artist — Joe Phillips. Jos images were some of the first glimpses of gay life I ever saw, back in the 90s as a teenager. His art was simultaneously sexy and wholesome, depicting smiling scantily clad young muscle men in tenet romantic scenes. It wasn't until a few years later that I learned about his more erotic endeavors. Joe's work touches on a wide variety of settings and themes, not unlike his childhood which had him moving between rural farms and big cities, with influences that included classic TV, broadway musicals, his church, and his grandmother — a practicing witch.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.And big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on April 4 at 11am Pacific.I've been trying something new with the livestreaams: rather than just sitting there and talking, I play some nice relaxing Animal Crossing while we all chat about what we've been up to. It's been a really soothing way to kick back and hang out and get away from the daily stress of, you know, everything. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like nerdy queer podcasts you may enjoy my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends! Join us for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. Queens of Adventure features an ongoing fantasy story with a regular cast, and Queens of Adventure Legends features recordings of live shows, one-shot adventures, and stand alone stories with special guests like BenDeLaCreme, Rock M Sakura, Erika Klash, and many more. Queens of Adventure: Legends is perfect for new listeners, with stories that can be consumed in one or two sittings and introductions at the start of each episode. You can subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

Hello and welcome to the Sewers of Paris. My guest this week is Dale Lazarov, a comic book writer who specializes in sexy character-based stories. Dale grew up in Puerto Rico, amidst a conservative culture of machismo, and as a young adult he was scandalized by anything sexual. His writing helped him overcome the social baggage that kept him in the closet, and now his novels serve as a sort of wish fulfillment — he writes about his dreams, and then miraculously, they seem to come true.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.And big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on April 4! It's a laid back brunch-time chat about the books and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like nerdy queer podcasts you may enjoy my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends! Join us for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. Queens of Adventure features an ongoing fantasy story with a regular cast, and Queens of Adventure Legends features recordings of live shows, one-shot adventures, and stand alone stories with special guests like BenDeLaCreme, Rock M Sakura, Erika Klash, and many more. We made Queens of Adventure: Legends with new listeners in mind, with individual self-contained stories, you can start listening to whichever episode you want. Subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

My guest this week has a had a lot of jobs and a lot of adventures, from working on Broadway shows to producing the news alongside Dan Rather, singing to Angela Lansbury, earning a nickname from Fidel Castro, and writing the biography of Madeline Kahn. William Madison knew he had a passion for creative artists from an early age, but there's no way he could have predicted how closely he'd work alongside them.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.Big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on March 21! It's a laid back brunch-time chat about the books and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like nerdy queer podcasts you may enjoy my narrative comedy shows Queens of Adventure and Queens of Adventure Legends! Join us for an escape into a world of fantasy, with drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. Queens of Adventure features an ongoing fantasy story with a regular cast, and Queens of Adventure Legends features recordings of live shows, one-shot adventures, and stand alone stories with special guests like BenDeLaCreme, Rock M Sakura, Erika Klash, and many more. Subscribe to both shows at QueensOfAdventure.com, or search your favorite podcast app.

Hello and welcome to the Sewers of Paris. Have you ever been lucky enough to enjoy the sensation of villainy? For this week's episode, we're revisiting my interview from three years ago with Anthony Olivera, who you might also know for his incisive tweeting as Meakoopa. We spoke in 2017 about his love for villains, failed mystics, and queer awakenings; and just this month, Harper Collins announced that they'll be publishing a comic by Anthony featuring all of those things entitled Apocrypha. It's Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Paradise Lost amidst a cosmic war, and judging from the conversation you're about to hear, it's going to be super gay.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a reminder that I've got some live shows coming up! Join us for an escape into a world of Dungeons and Dragons & drag queens with our show Queens of Adventure, where drag performers play Dungeons & Dragons for a live audience. We're playing at Re-Bar in Seattle on March 12, then heading to San Francisco's Oasis on March 25 and 29. Queens of Adventure live shows are so much fun — basically big queer improvised comedy stories where queer heroes save the world. Tickets and details are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com — I hope to see you there!And if you like queer podcasting, check out a brand new show I just launched: Queens of Adventure: Legends! This new podcast features recordings of live shows, one-shots, and stand-alone adventures from the world of Queens of Adventure. You can dive in to any episode and hear recordings with special guests like BenDeLaCreme, Rock M Sakura, Erika Klash, and more — Queens of Adventure: Legends is available to subscribe to now wherever you get your podcasts.

How have you discovered your hidden talents? My guest this week is a former shy kid who, after trying to hide from the spotlight for years, was shocked to discover that he's actually really good at acting, journalism, and go-go dancing. Growing up in a rougher environment, Mike learned the hard ay that he'd sometimes be challenged to stand up for himself — such as the time he came out as gay, got punched in the face, and then surprised everyone by wheeling around and breaking his assailant's nose. As he grew more comfortable asserting himself, he found some less violent outlets — acting, dancing, and being a jubilant party boy in underground queer New York clubs. But eventually, it was time for him to buckle down and get serious, which is how he found himself going from dancing nearly-naked on boxes to delivering the news.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First — I want to let you know about a whole bunch of live shows I'm hosting in Seattle and San Francisco this March, including a livestream that you can watch anywhere in the world. Join us for an escape into a world of Dungeons and Dragons & drag queens with our show Queens of Adventure, where drag performers play Dungeons & Dragons for a live audience. It kicks off with a livestream on YouTube on March 8th. Then we're performing live in Seattle on March 12 and 13, and then San Francisco on March 25 and 29. Queens of Adventure live shows are so much fun — basically big queer improvised comedy stories where queer heroes save the world. Tickets and details are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com — I hope to see you at those shows and on the livestream on March 8!

My guest this week has a lot of stories to share, both in his role as a filmmaker and as person who's lived a lot of lives. Dan Steadman's upbringing in a sheltered religious community found him placed in a lot of unusual circumstances, surreptitiously consuming forbidden entertainment and rebooting his entire identity when his family swapped lives with a family in Brazil. His career in showbiz took him to Los Angeles, where he worked alongside big-time celebrities and also faced a crisis — the more comfortable he became living as an openly gay man, the more he realized that he'd have to cut ties with some of the homophobic celebrities he worked with.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First — I want to let you know about a whole bunch of live shows I'm hosting in Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco this March, including a livestream that you can watch anywhere in the world. Join us for an escape into a world of Dungeons and Dragons & drag queens with our show Queens of Adventure, where drag performers play Dungeons & Dragons for a live audience. It kicks off with a livestream on YouTube on March 8th. Then we're performing live in Seattle on March 12 and 13, Portland on March 18th and 19th, and then San Francisco on March 25 and 29. Queens of Adventure live shows are so much fun — basically big queer improvised comedy stories where queer heroes save the world. Tickets and details are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com — I hope to see you at those shows and on the livestream on March 8!

For this week's episode, we're diving into the Sewers of Paris archive to revisit a chat with the wonderful Carlos Maza. You may know Carlos from the brilliant videos he's produced, analyzing news and media. Or you might know him from the big queer fuss he caused last year when he shone a spotlight on the rampant harassment and discrimination problem faced by YouTube. Carlos and I spoke back in 2017 about his nerdiest interests — role playing and video games, a medium in which he's given a lot of thought to whether he identifies as a fighter or a healer? In his videos, Carlos puts up a strong verbal fight. But offscreen, the role in which he's most at home is that of caretaker, looking after others and supporting the well being of those around him. But as he's found, that doesn't always leave time for taking care of himself.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First I want to let you know about a whole bunch of live shows that I'm hosting in Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco. You've probably heard me mention my live comedy show and podcast Queens of Adventure, which features drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. We'll be taking the stage at Re-Bar in Seattle on March 12, and then at Emerald City Comic Con on March 13; then we're doing two in Portland at the Siren Theater on March 18 and 19; and then even more at Oasis in San Francisco on March 25 and 29. Our Queens of Adventure live shows are a ton of fun, basically a big queer improvised comedy story powered by unpredictable dice rolls and a rowdy audience. Tickets are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com — I hope to see you at those shows!

My guest this week is Lee Gambin, who always knew he had a place in the world of cinema. An obsessive collector of VHS tapes as a kid, he grew up to host raucous film screenings and to write extensively about his great love — classic film and particularly horror. Despite his favorite films being full of frights, he's never found them scary. Instead, he's embraced the comforting power of monsters and gore.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First I want to let you know about a whole bunch of live shows that I'm hosting in March. You've probably heard me mention my live comedy show and podcast Queens of Adventure, which features drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. We just announced an upcoming live show at Re-Bar in Seattle on March 12, another at Emerald City Comic Con on March 13; then two in Portland at the Siren Theater on March 18 and 19; and then more shows at Oasis in San Francisco on March 25 and 29. Our Queens of Adventure live shows are a ton of fun, basically a big queer improvised comedy story powered by unpredictable dice rolls and a rowdy audience. Tickets are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com — I hope to see you at those shows!

Hugh Ryan is a writer, researcher, speaker, and also the subject of a recent episode of The Sewers of Paris. You might remember a few weeks ago when my guest Michael mentioned Hugh's book, When Brooklyn was Queer, and Hugh was kind enough to sit down for a chat about his own favorite books — pulpy sci-fi novels, which filled his middle school days with magic horses. Growing up, be became a sort of explorer — mild mannered academic by day, rowdy party monster by night, after a series of adventures, including one in which he moved into another person's life, Hugh found a calling in creating informal pop-up museums of queer history.Big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And just a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.Also I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on February 8. It's a laid back brunch-time chat about the books and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like LGBTQ podcasts you may enjoy my other show, Queens of Adventure, a comedy-adventure podcast that stars drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

My guest this week moved to New York straight out of college with stars in his eyes and big dreams of making it on stage and screen. David Merten landed in the big city with just a handful of luggage and some change, sleeping on couches, working odd jobs, and feeling totally alone in a city of 8 million. But bit by bit he's been climbing the acting ladder and now the kid who grew up in a tiny town surrounded by corn and meth is booking gigs — and forming a family of folks like him.Big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And just a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.Also I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on February 8. It's a laid back brunch-time chat about the books and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like LGBTQ podcasts you may enjoy my other show, Queens of Adventure, a comedy-adventure podcast that stars drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

My guest this week is Scott Shoemaker — you heard his partner Freddie on the show last month. Like Freddie, Scott's great passion is live weird theater, such as his ongoing series where he plays a boozy pill-popping version of Ms Pac Man, or his annual Christmas show where he finds new ways every year to ruin and then hastily repair the holidays. Growing up, Scott dreamed of being a rock star — and as it turns out, dressing his friends in goofy costumes and taking them on the road to sing and dance and tell jokes is oddly close to a super queer version of rock stardom.Big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And just a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.Also I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on January 25. It's a laid back brunch-time chat about the books and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like LGBTQ podcasts you may enjoy my other show, Queens of Adventure, a comedy-adventure podcast that stars drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

You might've seen that the show Jeopardy just invited three of its greatest winners of all time to participate in a championship showdown this week. And I thought it would be a good time to dig back into the Sewers of Paris archives for a chat with the contestant I consider the greatest Jeopardy player of all time, Louis Virtel, revisiting our 2016 chat about game shows, Clue, and great actresses of the 1970s.When he was on Jeopardy, Louis captured the nation's attention with an earth-shattering snap after he triumphed in a Daily Double. But you might also know him from his YouTube show Verbal Voguing, his podcast Keep It, or for being the very reason we have Twitter. In addition to being hysterically witty, Louis has a fascination with game shows that exists for him on deep personal level as a form where he's free to channel everything that he cherishes about himself. We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! And just a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.Also I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on January 25. It's a laid back brunch-time chat about the books and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like LGBTQ podcasts you may enjoy my other show, Queens of Adventure, a comedy-adventure podcast that stars drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

What kind of gay are you, and how many different kinds have you been? My guest this week is Michael, a San Francisco library-gay who's also been a ballet gay, a nightclub gay, a rowing gay, and various other flavors with probably many more to come. Michael grew up around queer people, with progressive parents and a childhood passion for dancing in the Pennsylvania ballet, where he had some moments of personal awakenings involving dancers in sailor costumes. But he still wasn't sure who he was, and so after coming out in college, he fled to the west coast to reinvent himself in Harvey Milk's neighborhood.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And just a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.Also I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on January 4. It's a laid back brunch-time chat about the books and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like LGBTQ podcasts you may enjoy my other show, Queens of Adventure, a comedy-adventure podcast that stars drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

My guest this week has had a lot of families — some good, some bad. Shawntae Arnette dreamed of being a performer all their life, after seeing a documentary about the famous dancer Josephine Baker. But there were roadblocks to that dream, from unsupportive biological family, to a period of homelessness, to a chosen family that turned toxic. Drifting and aimless, Shawntae joined a job program and was surprised to discover not only a career, but a group of queers that felt like a true family — a family who got Shawntae on a track to becoming a parent and the performer they always dreamed of being.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to SewersOfParis.com and click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And just a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.Also I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on January 4. It's a laid back brunch-time chat about the books and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like LGBTQ podcasts you may enjoy my other show, Queens of Adventure, a comedy-adventure podcast that stars drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

Do clothes cover you up, or reveal who you really are? My guest this week is Jordan Christianson, a Seattle artist and designer who creates incredible one-off costumes for many of your favorite Drag Race stars. He's also a big nerd, whose work is influenced by the futuristic fashions of Star Trek and Dune, as well as giant anime robots and eye-catching classic cars. Jordan's always used clothing to express himself, even when he was a strange shy kid who dressed like an Edward Gorey character, but it's only in recent years that his clothes can bring out a side of himself that for a long time he'd lost touch with — a side that likes who he sees when he looks in the mirror.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to SewersOfParis.com and click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And just a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.Also I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on December 28. It's a laid back brunch-time chat about the books and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like LGBTQ podcasting you may enjoy my other show, Queens of Adventure, a comedy-adventure podcast that stars drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

My guest this week had to figure out a lot on his own. After dropping out of high school and moving across the country at the age of 15, Gus Lanza had no idea how to finish school, how to find a career, or what he was meant to do in life. Figuring that stuff out involved a lot of listening to himself — and also finding others who could help him along the way. As time passed, a unique chosen family grew around him, from childhood friends to neighbors to his partner, a performer many of us would come to know as drag star BenDeLaCreme. And it wasn't until a few years ago that Gus finally realized that his path ahead had been staring him right in the face.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to SewersOfParis.com and click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And just a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode.Also I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on December 28. It's a laid back brunch-time chat about the books and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like LGBTQ podcasting you may enjoy my other show, Queens of Adventure, a comedy-adventure show that stars drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

My guest this week has a single-minded determination when it comes to entertaining, parties, and filling everyone's lives with joy. Freddy Molitch is a Seattle playwright and DJ who also goes by the name DJ King of Pants, and he's on a mission to bring happiness to audiences through theater and music and very weird nightlife. He came of age in 90s Seattle, when grunge and disaffection were at their peak. Back then he explored the city's strange counterculture, its blossoming music scene, and adventurous queer underground — and today, he's become in integral part of all three.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to SewersOfParis.com and click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And just a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode, so you can follow the show on social media to get a look at the stuff that guests recommend.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on December 14 at 10am pacific. It's a laid back brunch-time chat about the books and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like LGBTQ podcasting you may enjoy my other show, Queens of Adventure, a comedy adventure show in which a band of drag performers on a narrative adventure. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

My guest this week is Gregory Maguire, author of the novel Wicked among many other works. Though I'm sure you're familiar with his book and the Broadway musical adaptation, you may not known the extent to which Gregory's childhood was infused with elements of fairytale — from the fantasy novels he devoured, to the family tragedy that led to his time in an orphanage. We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to SewersOfParis.com and click “support the show on Patreon” to check out the rewards for backers.And just a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode, so you can follow the show on social media to get a look at the stuff that guests recommend.And I hope you'll join me for our next fun friendly livestream on December 14 at 10am pacific. It's a laid back brunch-time chat about the books and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And by the way, if you like LGBTQ podcasting you may enjoy my other show, Queens of Adventure, a comedy adventure show in which a band of drag performers on a narrative adventure. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

Hello, and welcome to The Sewers of Paris! Apologies for this episode posting a few days late — I'm on the road all this month, but I finally made it to a spot with wifi, and as we draw to the close of October, I wanted to bring you an episode from the Sewers of Paris vaults that asks the question — why is Halloween so gay? The topic is Hocus Pocus, Eerie Indiana, and Black Mirror.Back in 2015, I spoke with Jamie Mauer, who you may know as the Needs More Gay culture critic Rantasmo. He grew up loving unsettling stories, like a lot of gay men. For those of us who feel pressure to hide their true selves, horror and fantasy — and particularly Halloween — provide a chance to trade one mask for another, be someone new, and scare everyone else for a change.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to SewersOfParis.com and click “support the show on Patreon” to join the folks who make the podcast possible, and to check out the rewards for backers.And just a reminder that The Sewers of Paris is on Twitter and Facebook — I post clips of the stuff that we talk about on each episode, so you can follow the show on social media to get a look at the stuff that guests recommend.And if you're in Minneapolis, I hope you'll come to Queens of Adventure LIVE at Lush on October 23rd — it's a fun comedy adventure show featuring drag queens playing Dungeons and Dragons, starring Utica Queen, Kamaree Williams, and The Other Jeannie Retelle. Tickets are on sale at QueensofAdventure.com.

My guest this week is Cam Clarke, who grew up in a showbiz family that's been entertaining audiences since the early 30s. If you're not familiar with his work as one of the the youngest members of the King Family Singers, you might know him as the voice of Leonardo on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or as Kaneda from Akira, or as Liquid Snake in Metal Gear. He's been the voice of He-Man, Simba, Jen from the Dark Crystal, and hundreds of other roles. Cam's always had a gift for voices and song — and not just with the SOUND of his voice, but with the words he's found to express who he truly is.Cam was kind enough to invite me to his home for this interview, where we talked about growing up in a Mormon showbiz family, struggling to come out and find his place in the world, and why he he has a gorgeous collection of Barbie dolls.And a big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to SewersOfParis.com and click “support the show on Patreon” to join the folks who make the podcast possible, and to check out the backer rewards.Also! I'm heading to Chicago in October with my comedy storytelling show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. We're doing two live shows at Hamburger Mary's Attic — the first on October 9th with local Chicago queens Lucy Stoole, Fox E. Kim, and Joe Lewis; and the second on October 16th with Seattle legends Arson Nicki, Butylene O'Kipple, and Fraya Love. Tickets are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com.

My guest this week has traveled the world to create images of the varied lives human lead — including the sexy secrets hiding in their erotic imaginations. Justin Hall is the creator of numerous comics and graphic novels, and I was lucky enough to catch him while he was reachable at home rather than voyaging from country to country with just some paper and ink. He shared stories of finding freedom and himself in an itinerant life, living on the road in tents and squats before they were demolished, being turned into a quivering mess by a comic book that changed his life, and why if he ever gets malaria — again — he hopes it'll be in Tanzania.And a big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to SewersOfParis.com and click “support the show on Patreon” to join the folks who make the podcast possible, and to check out the backer rewards.Also! I'm heading to Chicago in October with my comedy storytelling show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. We're doing two live shows at Hamburger Mary's Attic — the first on October 9th with local Chicago queens Lucy Stoole, Fox E. Kim, and Joe Lewis; and the second on October 16th with Seattle legends Arson Nicki, Butylene O'Kipple, and Fraya Love. Tickets are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com.

Where do you find the nerve to stand up for yourself? My guest this week is Brian Moreno, who discovered a big wide world of gay culture in his conservative town. By day he was a shy nerd, by night a nightlife photographer documenting wild queer parties — at one point helping to throw a gathering that, to his shock, drew twelve hundred guests. These days he's set that life aside, but he still uses the confidence he found at those parties to remind himself that he's capable of so much more than he thought.And I hope you'll join me for a laid back livestream chit-chat on Saturday September 21 at 10am pacific! I'll be hanging out on YouTube to talk with you about the book and movies and music and shows that you're loving right now. Come share your recommendations, get tips from others, and spend some time basking in a friendly livestream.And a big thanks to everyone who makes the Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to SewersOfParis.com and click “support the show on Patreon” to join the folks who make the podcast possible, and to check out the backer rewards.Also! I'm heading to Chicago in October with my comedy storytelling show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. We're doing two live shows at Hamburger Mary's Attic — the first on October 9th with local Chicago queens Lucy Stoole, Fox E. Kim, and Joe Lewis; and the second on October 16th with Seattle legends Arson Nicki, Butylene O'Kipple, and Fraya Love. Tickets are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com.

Human interaction is challenging even under the best of circumstances, and for years this week's guest was resigned to just always having difficulty understanding other people. Comedian Christopher Smith Bryant picked up techniques for socializing from interactive entertainment like video games, and later from improv classes. His adult life has been a series of unexpected discoveries, from the realization that he actually shouldn't be a minister to a recent diagnosis that's helped him understand how to navigate a world that he'd always found difficult to make sense of.I also want to let you know about new project I've just announced. You've probably me talk about my show Queens of Adventure, a comedy storytelling podcast where Drag Queens play Dungeons & Dragons. Well, for the first time ever we're taking our cast on the road, bringing them to Chicago to record a dozen hours of new adventures with local drag artists and D&D shows in the midwest. There's a Kickstarter underway to make the trip possible, and if you pledge now you can get some gorgeous nerdy-gay enamel pins, bonus episodes, and even guest on an episode of the show. Head over to QueensOfAdventure.com and click the banner at the top for all the details on our ongoing Kickstarter. The campaign ends on September 14.

Hello, and welcome to the Sewers of Paris! This week is the 80th anniversary of the premiere of The Wizard of Oz, and to commemorate that, we're diving into the Sewers of Paris archives. The very first interview I recorded for the show was with Josh Trujillo, a writer then based in LA and now living in New York. The Wizard of Oz played a major role in his life -- as a kid, he was obsessed with film, and later discovered that Oz conventions (yes, there really is such a thing) served as a sort of meeting-place for older closeted gay men.With the movie hitting 80s years old this week, it's a fine time to look back at the impact that it's had on culture -- particularly the culture of we people known in certain circles as friends of Dorothy.We'll have that conversation in a moment. First a heads-up about some upcoming live events I'll be hosting! This coming Sunday, August 18th, we're doing a livestream of Queens of Adventure -- a comedy storytelling show where drag queens play Dungeons & Dragons. I hope you'll join us at 4pm Pacific at youtube.com/queensofadventure to see me and our party of drag artists journey into the unknown! That's this Sunday, August 18, at 4pm pacific.And if you're going to be in Seattle, we're doing two live shows later this month. The first is on Wednesday, August 28 at Kremwerk -- tickets to that are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com. And the second show is going to a panel as part of PAX West -- so if you have PAX badge, join us on Sunday September 1st at 8pm in the Sasquatch theater.Details on all those shows is at QueensOfAdventure.com.

My guest this week is musician-turned-novelist Orlando Ortega Medina. Growing up in the music scene in and around Los Angeles, he was never really in the closet — or at least, he didn't think of himself as closeted, until he realized that his own parents didn't fully understand that he was married to a man. Explaining to his mother that she had a son in law wasn't exactly comfortable, but it changed everything for his relationship with his parents. And he processed the experience in the way he knew best — by turning it into a novel.Also, a reminder that I host twice-monthly livestreams where I chat with listeners like you about the book and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. The next one is on August 3, and there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers.And for more queer podcasting, check out the show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens on an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest! That's at QueensOfAdventure.com. Visit queensofadventure.com or follow @dungeondrag on twitter.

For years, David Quantic's only connection with queer community was cruising the bathrooms at the local mall, slipping away from his parents while the family shopped to meet up with men in stalls. But gradually, he found windows to a more expansive view of what the gay world could be, watching afternoon talk shows and eventually running away to Texas and then New York to capture queer life through a camera lens. It's probably no surprise that these days his lens is turned towards sex, telling the story of queer community through our physical connections.Also, a reminder that I host twice-monthly livestreams where I chat with listeners like you about the book and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. The next one is on July 20 at 9am pacific, and there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers.And for more queer podcasting, check out the show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens on an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest! That's at QueensOfAdventure.com. Visit queensofadventure.com or follow @dungeondrag on twitter.

My guest this week is caught between two extremes — the smart reference comedy of The Simpsons and the brutality of dramatic films about lives crumbling to pieces. Matt Fisher is the co-host of the podcast Ex-Rated movies, where he and his co-host and ex-boyfriend Ryan chat about films. Ryan was my guest on episode 235 back in May, and we talked a lot about how he finds joy in exuberant dance. In contrast, Matt's drawn to darker stories, exploring pain through cathartic release.Also, a reminder that I host twice-monthly livestreams where I chat with listeners like you about the book and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. The next one is on July 20 at 9am pacific, and there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers.And for more queer podcasting, check out the show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens on an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest! That's at QueensOfAdventure.com. Visit queensofadventure.com or follow @dungeondrag on twitter.

This episode is posting on the Fourth of July, and I'm going to celebrate America with a look back at one of my favorite early episodes of The Sewers of Paris — an interview from 2015 with director Wes Hurley, whose story of immigrating to this country is unlike anything you've ever heard. Wes was raised in Vladivostok Russia, where images of American culture floated to him through illegal midnight broadcasts and his life was so dangerous he had to carry a knife to school. His mother was able to bring them to America — she was a mail-order bride — but upon landing stateside as a young queer teen, Wes soon found the country wasn't quite what he'd been led to expect.Also, a reminder that I host twice-monthly livestreams where I chat with listeners like you about the book and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. The next one is on July 6 at 9am pacific, and there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers.And for more queer podcasting, check out the show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens on an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest! That's at QueensOfAdventure.com. Visit queensofadventure.com or follow @dungeondrag on twitter.

My guest this week has spent the last 25 years tapping into inner heroes — first on screen, and then in real life. David Yost played Billy, the Blue Ranger on Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, portraying a teenager with attitude who saved the world every week. But in his private life, he struggled to accept himself and to resist the homophobia of his colleagues. With on-set harassment exacting a heavy toll, he walked away from Power Rangers as an act of defiance and self-care, beginning a journey of self-acceptance that required as much bravery as his on-screen counterpart.Also, a reminder that I host twice-monthly livestreams where I chat with listeners like you about the book and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. The next one is on July 6 at 9am pacific, and there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers.And for more queer podcasting, check out the show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens on an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest! That's at QueensOfAdventure.com. We're doing a special preview weekend at the end of June, making over 20 hours of backer-exclusive bonus episodes available for anyone to listen to. Visit queensofadventure.com or follow @dungeondrag on twitter, where we'll post more information in the coming weeks.

My guest this week is a man of intense confidence -- which seems like a prerequisite for the work that he does. Michael Fabiano is an opera singer, and also former baseball umpire, debater, and business student. Opera was a side-passion for him until a teacher told him that his talent was so great that he had a moral obligation to dedicate himself to cultivating his art to the exclusion of all else. And so that's just what he did -- though he still makes time for casual hobbies now and then, like flying airplanes.And by the way, Michael just released a new album of songs -- check out Michael Fabiano: Verdi & Donizetti to hear him present a spectacular set of songs.I've had quite a few guests discuss their love of opera, and if you'd like to hear more you can check out Episode 4 (Salome), Episode 38 (Angels in America), Episode 89 (Mama Tits), and Episode 127 (Sailor Moon) -- all go into even more depth on the genre and the craft.Also, a reminder that I host twice-monthly livestreams where I chat with listeners like you about the book and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. The next one is on June 22 at 9am pacific, and there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers.And for more queer podcasting, check out the show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens on an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest! That's at QueensOfAdventure.com. We're doing a special preview weekend at the end of June, making over 20 hours of backer-exclusive bonus episodes available for anyone to listen to. Visit queensofadventure.com or follow @dungeondrag on twitter, where we'll post more information in the coming weeks.

My guest this week has noticed something funny about the way we each live our lives: we all fumble through life like we're the first one to have ever figured out how to live. And Walt Odets has had a lot of life; he's worked as a photographer, as a airplane pilot transporting priceless cargo, and as a psychologist working through the worst days of the HIV epidemic. We'll be talking about trauma and loss in this episode, including some pretty heavy topics around mortality -- but also emerging from trauma and finding the optimism and strength to carry on. Walt's new book is called Out of the Shadows: Reimagining Gay Men's Lives, and provides a pathway for dealing with feelings of loss, pain, and aimlessness -- guiding people to self-acceptance, self-confidence, and self-realization.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a reminder that I host twice-monthly livestreams where I chat with listeners like you about the book and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. The next one is on June 22 at 9am pacific, and there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers.And for more queer podcasting, check out the show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens on an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest! That's at QueensOfAdventure.com. We're doing a special preview weekend at the end of June, making over 20 hours of backer-exclusive bonus episodes available for anyone to listen to. Visit queensofadventure.com or follow @dungeondrag on twitter, where we'll post more information in the coming weeks.

My guest this week occupies some unlikely intersections. Michael Twitty is the author of the James Beard awarding-winning book The Cooking Gene, in which he explores the history of African American cuisine through his own family history and his Jewish faith. He's been on a lifelong exploration of those very different identities and others, seeking answers to his past in journeys to Africa, to synagogues, and in the kitchen.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a reminder that I host twice-monthly livestreams where I chat with listeners like you about the book and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. The next one is on June 8, at 9am pacific, and there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers.And for more queer podcasting, check out the show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens on an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest! That's at QueensOfAdventure.com. The episode we just posted is a recap of the entire adventure so if you've been looking for a good place to jump in, now's your chance!

What can you gain by giving yourself a fresh start? My guest this week is Noah Michelson, an editor at the Huffington Post. He's been lucky enough to give himself a couple of reboots in life, jumping from situations that were unsafe or unfulfilling to find something better once he wiped the slate clean.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a reminder that I host twice-monthly livestreams where I chat with listeners like you about the book and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. The next one is on June 8, at 9am pacific, and there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers.And for more queer podcasting, check out the show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens on an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest! That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

How do you balance time spent in your head with time spent around other people? My guest this week is Ryan Weadon, host of the podcast Ex-Rated Movies where he chats about films with his ex boyfriend. After searching for years to find the work that he loved, Ryan found his true joy on a sweaty dance floor, and now his passion project is mixing exuberant dance with thoughtful conversation between friends and solitary contemplation.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a reminder that I host twice-monthly livestreams where I chat with listeners like you about the book and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. The next one is on June 8, at 9am pacific, and there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers.And for more queer podcasting, check out the show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens on an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest! That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

https://therpgacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Faculty-Meeting-131-with-Matt-Baume.mp3 Hello and welcome to Faculty Meetings - The general advice and discussion podcasts from The Rpg Academy. This is Faculty Meeting # 131 where my guest co-host is DM, podcaster, author Matt Baume. We discuss his show QueensofAdventure and talk about some lessons his learned from jumping behind the DM screen for this group, entertaining an audience, editing and more. You can find all of Matt's work with the Queens of Adventure HERE Comments and Feedback are always welcome. Thanks!! ~Michael E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy Visit our Facebook Page Support our show by becoming a Patron at www.Patreon.Com/TheRpgAcademy Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

https://therpgacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Faculty-Meeting-131-with-Matt-Baume.mp3 Hello and welcome to Faculty Meetings - The general advice and discussion podcasts from The Rpg Academy. This is Faculty Meeting # 131 where my guest co-host is DM, podcaster, author Matt Baume. We discuss his show QueensofAdventure and talk about some lessons his learned from jumping behind the DM screen for this group, entertaining an audience, editing and more. You can find all of Matt's work with the Queens of Adventure HERE Comments and Feedback are always welcome. Thanks!! ~Michael E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy Visit our Facebook Page Support our show by becoming a Patron at www.Patreon.Com/TheRpgAcademy Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

https://therpgacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Faculty-Meeting-131-with-Matt-Baume.mp3 Hello and welcome to Faculty Meetings - The general advice and discussion podcasts from The Rpg Academy. This is Faculty Meeting # 131 where my guest co-host is DM, podcaster, author Matt Baume. We discuss his show QueensofAdventure and talk about some lessons his learned from jumping behind the DM screen for this group, entertaining an audience, editing and more. You can find all of Matt's work with the Queens of Adventure HERE Comments and Feedback are always welcome. Thanks!! ~Michael E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy Visit our Facebook Page Support our show by becoming a Patron at www.Patreon.Com/TheRpgAcademy Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

I don't know if you heard, but somebody tried to make a movie about Bohemian Rhapsody recently. And it's nice that the film might introduce the band to a new generation, but there are some queers among us who got to live through Queen the first time. My guest this week is Jim Provenzano, author of the novel Now I'm Here, which tells the story of two small town boys who fall in love to the soundtrack of the late 70s. Jim's a product of that time as well, and grew up in a time of innocent homoeroticism, and at times, dangerous disobedience.We'll have that conversation in a minute. And I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat, with the delightful Dave and Alonso of the Linoleum Knife family of podcasts. It's next weekend, and it's a little earlier than usual: Saturday December 8 at 8pm pacific, 11am eastern.Head over to SewersOfParis.com to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode of the show.The Sewers of Paris is listener supported -- click "support the show on Patreon" to join the folks who make the show possible.And for more queer podcasting, check out Queens Of Adventure to hear drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons quest. And we'll be doing our next Queens of Adventure livestream on Saturday December 22, so head over to QueensOfAdventure.com for details.

Thanks to everyone who supports The Sewers of Paris on Patreon -- with your pledges I'm able to release monthly bonus episodes like this one. This week we'll be going beyond The Sewers of Paris with someone for whom I am truly grateful. Kate Kendell is the outgoing director of the National Center for Lesbian rights. Over the last 22 years of history-changing moments for LGBTQ people, she's not only had a front row seat, but she's been one of the key figures pushing those moments forward. I'm so excited to bring you this conversation, ranging from the moment she discovered live theater, to proudly working for the most hated organization in Utah, to becoming an LGBTQ community leader, and what she sees next for queer liberation.And BTW, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat, with special guest, performer Timmy Roghaar. That's this weekend -- Saturday November 24 at 2pm pacific. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Head over to SewersOfParis.com to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode of the show. And for more queer podcasting, check out Queens Of Adventure to hear drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons quest. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

How much do you know about the people who paved the way for you? We all benefit from foundations laid by those who came before, but so often -- and particularly for queer people -- those forebears are lost to history. But my guest this week is dedicated to shining a light on the incredible queer pioneers who led unimaginably fascinating lives and blazed the trail we now walk. You might know Jaymes Mansfield from her appearance on Drag Race Season 9. And these days you can catch her on YouTube, where she's become one of the internet's leading drag historians with her series Drag Herstory, shining a light on the people and stories that you won't believe you've never heard about before.We'll have that conversation in a minute. First, a quick reminder -- I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat, with special guest, performer Timmy Roghaar. That's this weekend -- Saturday November 24 at 2pm pacific. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.The Sewers of Paris is listener supported -- click "support the show on Patreon" join the folks who make the show possible.And for more queer podcasting, check out Queens Of Adventure to hear drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons quest. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

This week's episode is going to be a bit of a song and dance. My guest is Bryan Lowder, associate editor at Slate and co-host of the Outward podcast. Known now for his cerebral essays and thoughtful analysis of queer culture, as a college student Bryan was drawn to New York's underground dance clubs, where years ago he found inner peace, and also encountered up-and-coming artists like Lady Gaga.And the next Sewers of Paris live chat is this weekend -- Saturday November 17th at 2pm pacific. I hope you'll join us for a fun friendly chat about whatever entertainment has been changing YOUR life lately. And then mark your calendars for the next livestream, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, November 24th. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.Head over to SewersOfParis.com to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode of the show. And for more queer podcasting, check out Queens Of Adventure to hear drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons quest. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

How do you measure your success? For a lot of us it's career or fame or money or family, but the common theme among all of those is happiness. That is, what makes you happy? But often happiness as a goal gets drowned out by the things that we think are supposed to get us there. My guests this week are John and David, a husband-and-husband team who met on the dance floor and formed a bond that's only grown stronger for more than a decade. And one secret to their relationship's longevity has been some honest, and at times difficult, conversations about whether they needed to change everything about how they were living their lives.BTW, I hope you'll also join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat on November 17 at 2pm pacific. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.Head over to SewersOfParis.com to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode of the show. And for more queer podcasting, check out Queens Of Adventure to hear drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons quest. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

We're going back into the Sewers of Paris archives this week, for an interview with ex-boybander Kevin Yee. Kevin's new comedy special recently premiered Hulu, as part of the Comedy InvAsian series. He's been a performer for almost all his life, with his career taking a wild twist in his teens when he was cast in a 90s boy band. Three years later, things hadn't quite turned out as he'd hoped, and he thought his dreams of performing were over before he had even reached adulthood.These days things are looking a bit better -- in addition to his Hulu special, you can hear him on the podcast 2 Dope Queens, and at the upcoming Cucalorus Festival and Dead Crow Comedy Comedy room in November. And you can get the story of his journey from boy band to stand up right now in our conversation.Quick reminder that the very first Queens of Adventure livestream is coming up -- November 4 at 1pm pacific. It's a game of Dungeons and Dragons played live, with queens in full drag; and it's a fundraiser to benefit Seattle Children's Hospital. Get the details and watch us live at bit.ly/extralifeseattle.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.Head over to SewersOfParis.com to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode of the show. And for more queer podcasting, check out Queens Of Adventure to hear drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons quest. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

We've got a special two for one deal on this episode: Drag Race star Alaska, and her friend and collaborator Jeremy. With a friendship dating back to their weird college days, Alaska and Jeremy recently released an album of songs called Amethyst Journey that is surprisingly sweet and folksy. We talk about all about their early influences, watching Rocky Horror together on a little laptop screen, and also the creation of Alaska, the time they sang Dolly Parton songs so loud the cops were called, and also how Alaska bombed her first audition from drag race -- plus we'll also have a very brief cameo from Alaska's mom.Because of their busy travel schedule, Alaska and Jeremy were only able to do an interview from the road, so you'll hear a little background noise in our interview. I've cleaned up the sound quality a bit and I hope it doesn't distract too much from their fabulous stories.Also, speaking of The Rocky Horror Picture Show -- I posted a brand new video in my Culture Cruise series last week. It's a deep dive on how that film went from being a commercial failure to a cultural phenomenon, and why it's such an important midnight movie for outcasts and weirdos. Head over to YouTube and search for Rocky Horror Culture Cruise to watch that.And we're just a few days away from our weeklong livestream of games, a fundraiser for Seattle Children's Hospital! Starting on October 28, I'll be hosting a big gay game of Dungeons & Dragons featuring Comedian Bryan Safi, Culture Critic Carlos Maza, Writer Anthony Oliveira, and Scholar Bryan Wuest. Then I'll be streaming games every day from October 29 to November 3. And on Sunday, November 4th, join us for another game of D&D featuring the drag queen cast of Queens of Adventure in full drag! We'll be serving looks, interacting with viewers, and encouraging everyone to donate to Seattle Children's Hospital -- 100% of everything you give goes straight to the hospital. Get the details and watch us live at bit.ly/extralifeseattle. See you starting October 28.BTW, I hope you'll also join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat, with special guest Seattle drag superstar Arson Nicki. It's Saturday October 27 at 2pm pacific. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.Head over to SewersOfParis.com to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode of the show. And for more queer podcasting, check out Queens Of Adventure to hear drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons quest. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

How do you muster the nerve to keep going when it seems like the odds are stacked against you? My guest this week picked up some life advice from improv comedy -- in particular, the lesson to say yes and then heighten whatever's happened so far. Though you may know Michael Henry from his YouTube comedy videos, his acting background is far more serious, and he expected to become a serious dramatic actor. The fact that he could only seem to make audiences laugh troubled him for years -- until he realized he could say yes to comedy, and the unexpected direction it would take him.We'll have that conversation in a minute. But first I want to invite you to a weeklong livestream of games starting Sunday, October 28! It's the return of Extra Life, an annual fundraiser for Seattle Children's Hospital. We're kicking the week off with a big gay game of Dungeons & Dragons featuring Comedian Bryan Safi, Culture Critic Carlos Maza, Writer Anthony Oliveira, and Scholar Bryan Wuest. Then I'll be streaming games every day from October 29 to November 3. And on Sunday, November 4th, join us for another game of D&D featuring the drag queen cast of Queens of Adventure in full drag! We'll be serving looks, interacting with viewers, and encouraging everyone to donate to Seattle Children's Hospital -- 100% of everything you give goes straight to the hospital. Get the details and watch us live at bit.ly/extralifeseattle. See you starting October 28.BTW, I hope you'll also join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat, with special guest Seattle drag superstar Arson Nicki. It's Saturday October 27 at 2pm pacific. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.Head over to SewersOfParis.com to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode of the show. And for more queer podcasting, check out Queens Of Adventure to hear drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons quest. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

You've seen this week's guest on RuPaul's Drag Race, and you've seen his choreography in Footloose, on the Emmys, and videos and stage shows for Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, and the Spice Girls -- despite having never taken a dance class. Jamal Sims' dream began when he saw The Wiz and knew he needed to be up on stage dancing. And now, after a career spanning nearly three decades, he's shining a spotlight on up-and-comers with the documentary When the Beat Drops.We'll have that conversation in a minute. But first I want to invite you to a weeklong livestream of games starting Sunday, October 28! It's the return of Extra Life, an annual fundraiser for Seattle Children's Hospital. We're kicking the week off with a big gay game of Dungeons & Dragons featuring Comedian Bryan Safi, Culture Critic Carlos Maza, Writer Anthony Oliveira, and Scholar Bryan Wuest. Then I'll be streaming games every day from October 29 to November 3. And on Sunday, November 4th, join us for another game of D&D featuring the drag queen cast of Queens of Adventure in full drag! We'll be serving looks, interacting with viewers, and encouraging everyone to donate to Seattle Children's Hospital -- 100% of everything you give goes straight to the hospital. Get the details and watch us live at bit.ly/extralifeseattle. See you starting October 28.BTW, I hope you'll also join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat, with special guest Trish Bendix -- managing editor of Into, the queer news site that's a part of Grindr. That's on Saturday October 13 at 2pm pacific. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.Head over to SewersOfParis.com to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode of the show. And for more queer podcasting, check out Queens Of Adventure to hear drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons quest. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

My guest this week is Nathaniel Atcheson, writer and director of the film Domain, which comes out this week. Like the movies that inspired him as a kid, Domain is a story about isolation and loneliness and coping with the fear of being life-threateningly disconnected from other people. That might sound grim, but behind the scenes of his work, Nathaniel is hardly disconnected -- for him, making films is a way of finding a union with other people, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. And human capacity to overcome obstacles can surprise us -- for example, when Nathaniel met the man who he would, against considerable odds, one day marry.We'll have that conversation in a minute. But first I want to invite you to a weeklong livestream of games starting Sunday, October 28! It's the return of Extra Life, an annual fundraiser for Seattle Children's Hospital. We're kicking the week off with a big gay game of Dungeons & Dragons featuring Comedian Bryan Safi, Culture Critic Carlos Maza, Writer Anthony Oliveira, and Scholar Bryan Wuest. Then I'll be streaming games every day from October 29 to November 3. And on Sunday, November 4th, join us for another game of D&D featuring the drag queen cast of Queens of Adventure in full drag! We'll be serving looks, interacting with viewers, and encouraging everyone to donate to Seattle Children's Hospital -- 100% of everything you give goes straight to the hospital. Get the details and watch us live at bit.ly/extralifeseattle. See you starting October 28.BTW, I hope you'll also join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat, with special guest Trish Bendix -- managing editor of Into, the queer news site that's a part of Grindr. That's on Saturday October 13 at 2pm pacific. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.Head over to SewersOfParis.com to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode of the show. And for more queer podcasting, check out Queens Of Adventure to hear drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons quest. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

How do you make friends as an adult? Without school to throw lots of people together in far greater combinations than a workplace, it's easy to feel stuck in the wrong group -- especially when other gays are hard to find. So my guest this week did something about that. Nick Schiarizzi is the co-founder of the brutally bizarre dance party Cheryl, where everyone comes expecting something weird and leaves having something even weirder. But you'd never guess it to look at him -- Nick is calm, deadpan, and for most of his life terrified to dance. But when he found himself feeling lonely and frustrated as a young adult, he decided to find a way to break through his inhibitions to he could finally find others like him.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.BTW, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat. It's on Saturday September 29th at 2pm pacific. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Head over to SewersOfParis.com to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode of the show. And for more queer podcasting, check out Queens Of Adventure to hear drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons quest. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

Acts of selflessness are great, but what's in it for me? This week I'm chatting with my friend Phuong, who's made a whole lifestyle out of making things for others. Whether it's bread or soap or knitted hats, it seems like every minute of his day is dedicated to creating stuff for the people around him. But even though he gives all this stuff away, there's something important that he's getting back.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.BTW, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat. It's on Saturday September 29th at 2pm pacific. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Head over to SewersOfParis.com to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode of the show. And for more queer podcasting, check out Queens Of Adventure to hear drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons quest. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

My guest on this bonus episode has a difficult task ahead of her, a different kind of gay marriage -- not of people, but of industries. Trish Bendix is the managing editor of Into, the queer news site connected to Grindr. And in that role, she's in charge of bringing news of the world together with social flirty hookups that made the app famous.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.BTW, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat. It's on Saturday September 29th at 2pm pacific. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Head over to SewersOfParis.com to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode of the show. And for more queer podcasting, check out Queens Of Adventure to hear drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons quest. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

My guest this week is an artist whose creations include the persona he's established for himself. Since childhood, John Michael Byrd has always felt like more of a cartoon character than a normal human, which wasn't a particularly easy role to play growing up in a small southern town. But after spending years disconnecting from the physical world around him, he's found a place where he's finally free to be as animated as he's always felt.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.BTW, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat. It's on Saturday September 15th at 2pm pacific with guest Bryan Lowder -- editor at Slate and co-host of the new Outward podcast. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Head over to SewersOfParis.com to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode of the show. And for more queer podcasting, check out Queens Of Adventure to hear drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons quest. That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

You can't accuse this week's guest of ever making things easy for himself. Growing up south of Boston, he was the town's only gay metalhead before he decide to join the army, deploying to the middle east in the 1990s. Now he's enjoying his retirement by going back to school to become a physician's assistant, while also occasionally noodling around with other musicians and singing on military bases. It's hard to imagine that anyone else on Earth has lived a life like Dan's, or so many different lives from his small town to metal bands to Saudi Arabia to supporting the health of his community.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.BTW, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat. It's on Saturday September 15th at 2pm pacific. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.Check out the podcast Queens Of Adventure to hear me lead a troupe of drag queens on an epic Dungeons & Dragons adventure -- that's at QueensOfAdventure.com. We just started a new story arc this week, so if you've been waiting for a time to jump in, look for episode 8: Operation Watersport.

What happens when you allow yourself to become a character in the stories that you tell about the world around you? My guest on this episode is the fantastic Gaby Dunn -- actress, journalist, writer, comedian, activist, blogger. Her podcast and forthcoming book are both entitled Bad with Money, and chronicle Gaby's attempts to help others manage their finances as she learns to manage her own. Gaby's background is in journalism, where the first rule is to remain neutral and never inject yourself into the story. But she felt drained by the pressure to hide behind her reporting, and discovered that getting personal and revealing was a gateway to more fulfilling work, and a more fulfilling life.Huge thanks to everyone who makes bonus episodes like these possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.BTW, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat. It's on Saturday August 25th at 2pm pacific. You can find a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed -- that's @sewersofparis. And head over to SewersOfParis.com to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode.Also! If you're looking for more queer podcasts, check out the show I host with some fantastically funny drag queens called Queens of Adventure. We play an ongoing and very queer game of Dungeons & Dragons and we just announced some more live shows. Subscribe, sign up for the mailing list, and get tickets at QueensOfAdventure.com.

Is it possible to be a responsible adult without giving up the imaginary worlds you enjoyed as a child? My guest this week is Anthony Hudson, also known as Portland's premier drag clown Carla Rossi. Growing up, he'd slip into fantasy worlds to escape the reality of the dreary little town where he lived. But his reliance on escapes as a kid meant that he was unprepared for life as a grown up -- until he figured out how to invite real life into his fantasies.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show. Thanks to Trey Johnso8 who writes, "Relatable ... Listening helps me remember how much I love the topics discussed and sometimes gives me ideas for new things to try."BTW, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris livestream. It's this Saturday, August 11th, at 2pm pacific, with special guest Isabella Price -- an expert in horror films. We'll be talking about our favorite queer monsters, gay vampires, and everything spooky. There's a link to the livestream at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And we've just announced two more Queens of Adventure live shows, featuring drag queens playing a fantastically funny Dungeons & Dragons adventure for a live audience. The first is on August 30th at Kremwerk in Seattle, where we'll be part of a double-feature alongside the podcast d20 Dames. The second show is on September 1st at PAX West, also in Seattle. Tickets and details are now available at QueensOfAdventure.com -- where you can also subscribe to the Queens of Adventure podcast, join the discord, and follow the show on Twitter.

Where do you see yourself 200 years in the future? My guest this week is artist Nayland Blake, for whom sci-fi and fantasy were an opportunity to create the future that he was sure he'd never have. Growing up in New York in the 1960s and 70s, it seemed like imaginary worlds were his only opportunity to inhabit a world where he could be openly gay. But then he moved to San Francisco, and lo and behold, it appeared that the future had finally arrived.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- click "Support the Show on Patreon" to join the folks who make the show possible and sign up for backer rewards. Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.BTW, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat. It's on Saturday August 11th at 2pm Pacific. There's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.And if you're looking for more queer podcasts, check out the show I host with some fantastically funny drag queens Queens of Adventure. We play an ongoing and very queer Dungeons & Dragons adventure full of action and suspense and shady banter. We've got some announcements about live shows coming up soon -- subscribe to the podcast and get on the mailing list at QueensOfAdventure.com.

Zack Ford never planned to become the LGBTQ Editor at ThinkProgress.org. He was going to be a music teacher, and writing about current events was just a hobby. But after he came out in college and began living a more authentic life, he realized that he was holding himself to some expectations that he simply didn't want to meet. And that his happiness depended on a radical shift in his assumptions about work, pleasure, social justice, and sex.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- click "Support the Show on Patreon" to check them out. Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.BTW, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat. It's on Saturday August 11th at 2pm pacific.Also! If you're looking for more queer podcasts, check out the show I host with some fantastically funny drag queens Queens of Adventure. We play an ongoing and very queer Dungeons & Dragons adventure full of action and suspense and shady banter. Subscribe and get on the mailing list at QueensOfAdventure.com.

My guest this week is Nick Kochanov, host of the podcasts Squirrel Friends Cocktail Hour and The No Good, Very Bad Gay. Growing up, he dreamt of having his own version of the salon from Steel Magnolias. He envisioned himself hanging out with his own versions of Dolly Parton and Sally Field and Julia Roberts. But it took years for him to realize that there was a problem with his vision -- that the man he was envisioning hanging out with them wasn't really authentically him.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- click "Support the Show on Patreon" to check those out. Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.BTW, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat. I want to hear about the books, movies, music, and games that you and your fellow Sewers listeners are obsessed with. The livestream is on Sunday July 29th at 2pm pacific -- there's a link on the Sewers of Paris twitter feed, and you can click a reminder button to get a notification when we go live.Also! If you're looking for more queer podcasts, check out the show I host with some fantastically funny drag queens Queens of Adventure. We play an ongoing and very queer Dungeons & Dragons adventure full of action and suspense and shady banter. We've got some big announcements coming soon -- head over to QueensOfAdventure.com to subscribe to the podcast, and to get on the mailing list to find out when you can see the queens performing live.

How do kids learn to be people when the adults in their lives aren't teaching them? Kai's parents weren't always there to give her the guidance she needed, and so she was forced to fend for herself. That meant learning basic life skills on her own, but also how to function around other people -- and how to take care of herself during a period of homelessness, moving across the country, and starting fresh with a day job in education and a nighttime gig in drag shows.By the way, Kai is one of the San Francisco performers in our upcoming lives show, Queens of Adventure, where drag performers play a game of Dungeons & Dragons for a live audience! Kai plays a high elf Wizard with a magic owl. You can see her onstage along with Erika Klash, Pollo Del Mar, Kitty Powers, and Rock M. Sakura in two brand new adventures on July 13 and 14 at Oasis in San Francisco. Tickets are available now at QueensOfAdventure.com.

This week's guest has had a hand in shaping a lot of queer culture we enjoy today. Q. Allan Brocka created one of the shows that aired on Logo as the network was getting off the ground; he directed the Eating Out series of films that have been a mainstay at LGBT film festivals for over a decade; and he's currently working on some intriguingly upcoming film and TV projects. Before he was a successful filmmaker, he was a shy kid from Guam, quietly absorbing what seemed then like forbidden culture.We'll have that conversation in a minute -- but first, San Francisco, we're bringing our show Queens of Adventure back to Oasis! Come see drag queens playing a real Dungeons & Dragons adventure live on stage, July 13 and 14. That's right, two nights -- two completely unique adventures, starring Dragula's Erika Klash, as well as Kitty Powers, Pollo Del Mar, KaiKai Bee Michaels, and Rock M. Sakura. Tickets are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com.And if you can't make it to the live shows, don't worry -- you can check out the podcast Queens of Adventure, featuring four MORE drag queens on an ongoing quest! Season 1 is now underway. Listen and subscribe at QueensOfAdventure.com.A huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice.

Imaging growing up to find that the fantasy worlds you envisioned as a kid aren't just real, but have been waiting for you to lead them. My guest this week is Jeremy Crawford, lead rules designer for Dungeons & Dragons. We'll be talking about the witches, wizards, and elves who shaped his work in games, his relationship with his husband, and the queer content he now gets to insert in the world's most iconic tabletop game.And BTW, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat. I want to hear about the books, movies, music, and games that you and your fellow Sewers listeners are obsessed with. The livestream is on Saturday, June 30th at 2pm pacific -- there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed, where you can set a reminder to get a notification when we go live.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show. Thanks to Cappafeo who wrote on iTunes, "I came to the show through Queens of Adventure and I'm so glad I did."Well, speaking of which! If you're looking for more queer podcasts, check out the show I host with some fantastically funny drag queens Queens of Adventure. We play an ongoing and very queer Dungeons & Dragons adventure full of action and suspense and shady banter. Season 1 just launched -- head over to QueensOfAdventure.com to subscribe.And the Queens of Adventure live is coming to San Francisco for two shows on July 13 and 14. Come see drag queens playing D&D live on stage! Tickets are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com.

My guest this week is Ryan La Sala. He's got a very queer fantasy novel coming out next year, and while he's always been imaginative, he didn't always exactly use his powers for good.BTW, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat. It's on June 30th -- there's a link to the next livestream at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed, and you can set a reminder to get a notification when we go live.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There's rewards for folks who back the show -- just click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show. Thanks to AdamSmith520 who wrote on iTunes, "I've learnt so much from this podcast! If you're interested in gay stories and culture, check it out."If you're looking for more queer podcasts, check out the show I host with some fantastically funny drag queens Queens of Adventure. We play an ongoing and very queer Dungeons & Dragons adventure full of action and suspense and shady banter. Season 1 just launched -- head over to QueensOfAdventure.com to subscribe.And the Queens of Adventure live is coming to San Francisco for two shows on July 13 and 14. Come see drag queens playing D&D live on stage! Tickets are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com.

Do you always NEED to dream big, or is it sometimes ok to just be happy with what you've got? My guest this week has some experience when it comes to achieving big dreams -- Scott Flanary was the winner of Season 29 of The Amazing Race, which had been a goal for pretty much all of his adult life. So now that he's accomplished goals that once seemed impossibly difficult, he's grappling with a tough question: now what?Thanks to everyone who joined us for the Sewers of Paris live chat last weekend. Our next one is June 30th -- there's a link to the next livestream at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed, when you can set a reminder to get a notification when we go live.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. If you're enjoying the show, click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show. Thanks to Alestrial who wrote on iTunes, "Yes please, A rare podcast that helps you discover something about yourself while learning about others." Aww that's really sweet.Also, if you're looking for more queer podcasts, check out the show I host with some fantastically funny drag queens Queens of Adventure. We play an ongoing and very queer Dungeons & Dragons adventure full of action and suspense and shady banter. Season 1 just launched -- head over to QueensOfAdventure.com to subscribe.If you're in Seattle, we've got a live Dungeons & Drag Queens show coming up on June 21! And the Queens of Adventure live is coming to San Francisco for two shows on July 13 and 14. Tickets are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com.

Join us on tonight's episode when my guest D'Arcee recalls what may have been the worst thing anyone's ever been told by their boss.We'll have that conversation in a minute -- but first, if you're looking for more podcasts to listen to, check out the show I just launched along with some fantastically funny drag queens. The show's called Queens of Adventure, and it's based on our live shows where drag queens play a real Dungeons & Dragons adventure. Queens of Adventure brings together larger-than-life drag shows and epic fantasy adventures, with the queens rolling the dice every other week to combat killer wigs, tame burly bears, investigate shady seamen, and misty step their way into your heart. Season One just launched -- head over to QueensOfAdventure.com to subscribe.And if you're in Seattle, mark your calendars for June 21! We're doing our next live Dungeons & Drag Queens show at Kremwerk just in time for Pride. Tickets are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. If you're enjoying the show, click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.And I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat -- on Saturday, June 9, at 2pm Pacific. There's a link pinned to the top of the SewersOfParis twitter feed -- see you there!

A well-told joke doesn't just have the effect of making an audience laugh -- it can also provide armor for the person telling it. My guest this week is actor and comedian Byron Lane, whose projects include the webseries Last Will and Testicle, and the stage show Tilda Swinton Answers an Ad on Craigslist. Through his work, he went from the kid who always wanted someone to protect him to a man who could protect himself through laughter.We'll have that conversation in a minute -- but first, I want to let you know that I've just launched a new podcast along with some fantastically funny drag queens. It's called Queens of Adventure, and it's based on our live shows where drag queens play a real Dungeons & Dragons adventure. Queens of Adventure brings together larger-than-life drag shows and epic fantasy adventures, with the queens rolling the dice every other week to combat killer wigs, tame burly bears, investigate shady seamen, and misty step their way into your heart. Season One just launched -- head over to QueensOfAdventure.com to subscribe.And if you're in Seattle, mark your calendars for June 21! We're doing our next live Dungeons & Drag Queens show at Kremwerk just in time for Pride. Tickets are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. If you're enjoying the show, click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.

How do you know when it's time to move versus when is it time to stay put? My guest this week is Santiago Melli-Huber, who's on a constant hunt for a place that feels right. Whether trying new jobs, new cities, or new social circles, he's made himself into a bit of an investigator, always asking what needs to change and then taking action to try something new.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. If you're enjoying the show, click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.Hey, if you're in Seattle for Pride next month, mark your calendars for June 21! We're doing our next live Dungeons & Drag Queens show at Kremwerk. Tickets are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com.

No matter how thoroughly you've planned, life has a way of taking you by surprise -- and when it does, it's often family that gets you through the tough times. Alexis was born to a woman unprepared for motherhood, and so grandparents stepped in to raise her. As she grew older, Houston's drag scene provided a second family where she was free to express herself more freely. But it was an unexpected health crisis that brought both families together when their daughter needed them most.BTW, The Sewers of Paris is made possible by everyone who pledges a dollar or more a month on Patreon. If you're enjoying the show, click "Support the Show on Patreon" to help make this podcast possible. Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.And if you're in Seattle, mark your calendars for June 21! We're doing our next live show, featuring drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons, just in time for Pride. Tickets are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com.

My guest this week is Phil Stamper, whose book The Gravity of Us tells the story of two young men who fall in love amidst the drama of a mission to Mars. For years, Phil struggled to balance competing impulses to be silly and serious, and to keep his creative spark alive throughout the drudgery of office work. The result is an upcoming debut novel that amplifies his own queer experiences with some help from science fiction.Just a reminder -- I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat on Saturday May 19, at 2pm Pacific with special guest Fazaad Feroze. We want to hear about the book and movies and songs and shows you're obsessed with right now.And if you're in Seattle for Pride next month, mark your calendars for June 21! We're doing our next live Dungeons & Drag Queens show at Kremwerk. Tickets are now on sale at QueensOfAdventure.com.Huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. If you're enjoying the show, click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or you can support The Sewers of Paris for free by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice -- that really helps people find the show.

Is there some secret to turning pain into art? My guest this week is Justin Saint, whose artistic expression takes the form of makeup and cosplay. Justin's chosen medium involves costumes and disguises, but behind those beautiful facades are some struggles that are still pretty tender: periods of homelessness, parents setting his creative works on fire, and a relationship that nearly drove him past a point of no return. Now he's back on his feet and leading a community of like-minded creatives, charting a course by channeling his past experiences into artistic expression with his body a canvass. Big thanks to everyone who helps keep the show independent and add free. If you're enjoying The Sewers of Paris, you can help keep the show going. Head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "support the show on Patreon" to pledge a dollar or more a month. And I hope you'll join us this Saturday, March 31, for a Dungeons & Dragons livestream! We're reuniting Bryan Safi (of the podcast Throwing Shade), Carlos Maza from Vox.com, Anthony Oliveira (aka Meakoopa, and also of the brand new podcast The Devil's Party), and LGBT film scholar Bryan Wuest, for an all-new D&D adventure played live. It starts at 1pm this Saturday, the 31st. Head over to SewersOfParis.com to join us -- there's a link at the top of the page where you can set a reminder for when we go live. And speaking of D&D, we're in the last few days of our crowdfunding for Queens of Adventure, a new podcast featuring drag queens on an epic role-playing adventure. Thanks to folks like you, the first season of the podcast is fully funded and now we're reaching for stretch goals that include livestreams with the queens and a fully illustrated adventure that you can download and play. Head over to QueensOfAdventure.com to join us in bringing the show to life -- crowdfunding ends this Saturday, March 31, so if you've been waiting to join the campaign, it's now or never.

We often talk on this show about escape, and it's usually with the assumption that having an escape is a good thing. But there can be consequences to leaving the world you've always known behind -- even when that world is actively causing you harm. My guest this week is Ryan Kendall, whose parents subjected him to devastating homophobia, and dangerous "ex-gay" abuse. After Ryan legally emancipated himself from his parents, what followed was a period of homelessness and addiction that took years for him to overcome. I first met Ryan after he testified in the trial to overturn Proposition 8. As a witness, Ryan was called to provide evidence that sexual orientation isn't something you can deliberately change. And as you'll hear, he was able to provide particularly vivid testimony to that effect.We recorded this week's episode during a thunderstorm in Colorado, so you'll hear some noise of rain in the background and a few rolls of thunder that were oddly perfect additions to Ryan's story. And I hope you'll join me for two exciting livestreams coming up. One is a Sewers of Paris livestream on March 25, and the other is a Dungeons and Dragons livestream on March 31.That Sewers Of Paris livestream is happening this Sunday, March 25th, at 2pm pacific. It has been such a delight to chat with Sewers of Paris listeners about your favorite media and what you're watching and reading and listening to right now. I hope you'll join us this Sunday, the 25th — you can find a link to the livestream in the show notes ( https://youtu.be/Xp5u9rMSvW4 ) and on the @Sewersofparis twitter feed. The Dungeons & Dragons livestream is the following Saturday, March 31. I'll be joined by comedian Bryan Safi, writer Anthony Oliveira, critic Carlos Maza, and LGBT film scholar Bryan Wuest -- we'll be playing an all new D&D adventure at 1pm pacific — head over to twitch.tv/prettyprettypixel to join us for that at 1pm on March 31st.And we're in the home stretch on the crowdfunding for our brand new upcoming podcast, Queens of Adventure, starring four drag queens playing an ongoing game of Dungeons and Dragons. Thanks to backers we've fully funded the first season of the show, and now we're reaching for stretch goals, including livestream with the queens. Head over the QueensOfAdventure.com to help bring that show to life.

For most of us, it's fun to speculate about the drag character we have hidden within. But what do you do if you've got multiple characters kicking around inside you -- and you suspect they might not get along with each other? This week's guest is Pollo Del Mar, who is both a drag queen and a professional wrestler. It took a long time for her to get comfortable making those worlds overlap -- and there were times that she had to call out other wrestlers for their homophobia. But now Pollo's happy to strut out in front of audiences in high drag -- whether it's at a gay bar or in a wrestling ring.I have a lot to announce this week. You can find links to everything I talk about in the shownotes for this episode, either on your phone or at SewersOfParis.com.Tickets for Queens of Adventure LIVE: San Francisco Edition: http://DungeonDrag.comKickstarter for the Queens of Adventure podcast: http://QueensOfAdventure.com Sewers of Paris livestream on March 10: https://youtu.be/bh6zgNuVbMASupport on Patreon: http://patreon.com/mattbaume