My guest this week is Trip Galey, who grew up in the macho world of rodeo before leaving it all behind to join the world of fairies. At his first opportunity, Trip left home to study literature and Shakespeare, finding himself drawn to classical fantasies — to the point that he reshaped his life around them, finding a home in England and dedicating himself to the study of magical tales. Now, his first novel is about to debut. It’s entitled A Market of Dreams and Destiny, and it’s about a human teen who sees an opportunity to escape the oppressive world of his childhood for one of freedom, magic … and romance with a mysterious man.We’ll have that conversation in a minute. But first — you may have heard that I too have a new book out! It’s about the behind-the-scenes history of queer characters on sitcoms, and the role that comedy played in queer liberation — and continues to play to this day. It’s called Hi Honey, I’m Homo! and it’s available now wherever books are sold. I can even sign and personalize your copy before shipping it to you — just go to gaysitcoms.com and look for the instructions for ordering a signed copy.Also if you’re a fan of queer culture, and I’m sure you are, don’t forget to swing by my YouTube channel for my videos about film and TV history. That’s at YouTube.com/mattbaume — I’ve got one coming soon about the behind the scenes making of All in the Family. And join me every Sunday for livestreams over on Twitch at twitch.tv/mattbaume where I share the amazing bits of film &amp; TV history that I come across in my research. Also, big thanks to everyone who makes all my work possible on Patreon — visit patreon.com/mattbaume to support Sewers of Paris and get patron-exclusive benefits.

My guest this week is <a href="https://linktr.ee/tripgaley" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trip Galey</a>, who grew up in the macho world of rodeo before leaving it all behind to join the world of fairies. At his first opportunity, Trip left home to study literature and Shakespeare, finding himself drawn to classical fantasies — to the point that he reshaped his life around them, finding a home in England and dedicating himself to the study of magical tales. Now, his first novel is about to debut. It’s entitled <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/727015/a-market-of-dreams-and-destiny-by-trip-galey/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Market of Dreams and Destiny</a>, and it’s about a human teen who sees an opportunity to escape the oppressive world of his childhood for one of freedom, magic … and romance with a mysterious man.We’ll have that conversation in a minute. But first — you may have heard that I too have a new book out! It’s about the behind-the-scenes history of queer characters on sitcoms, and the role that comedy played in queer liberation — and continues to play to this day. It’s called Hi Honey, I’m Homo! and it’s available now wherever books are sold. I can even sign and personalize your copy before shipping it to you — just go to <a href="http://gaysitcoms.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gaysitcoms.com</a> and look for the instructions for ordering a signed copy.Also if you’re a fan of queer culture, and I’m sure you are, don’t forget to swing by my YouTube channel for my videos about film and TV history. That’s at <a href="http://youtube.com/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com/mattbaume</a> — I’ve got one coming soon about the behind the scenes making of All in the Family. And join me every Sunday for livestreams over on Twitch at <a href="http://twitch.tv/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">twitch.tv/mattbaume</a> where I share the amazing bits of film &amp; TV history that I come across in my research. Also, big thanks to everyone who makes all my work possible on Patreon — visit <a href="http://patreon.com/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/mattbaume</a> to support Sewers of Paris and get patron-exclusive benefits.

My Favorite Fairy (Ep 426 - Fairy tales/Trip)

My guest this week is Jesse Finley Reed, co-director and co-producer of the new documentary All Man, which dives deep into the famous (or infamous) catalog/magazine International Male. If you were a curious young queer in the 90s, chances are good that you took a furtive look through the pages of International Male, or had copies hidden in places only you knew about. It was a source of daring, adventurous fashion, and plenty of exposed male flesh. When it comes to telling the story of the rise and eventual fall of International Male, Jesse has a particularly personal connection — going back to his teen years and a doctor who completely changed the course of his life.We’ll have that conversation in a minute. But first — you may have heard that I too have a new book out! It’s about the behind-the-scenes history of queer characters on sitcoms, and the role that comedy played in queer liberation — and continues to play to this day. It’s called Hi Honey, I’m Homo! and it’s available now wherever books are sold. I can even sign and personalize your copy before shipping it to you — just go to gaysitcoms.com and look for the instructions for ordering a signed copy.Also if you’re a fan of queer culture, and I’m sure you are, don’t forget to swing by my YouTube channel for my videos about film and TV history. That’s at YouTube.com/mattbaume — I just published a new video about the incredible work of Norman Lear that I think you’ll love. And join me every Sunday for livestreams over on Twitch at twitch.tv/mattbaume where I share all of the amazing bits of film &amp; TV history that I come across in my research. Big thanks to everyone who makes all my work possible on Patreon — visit patreon.com/mattbaume to support Sewers of Paris and get patron-exclusive benefits.

My guest this week is Jesse Finley Reed, co-director and co-producer of the new documentary <a href="https://www.internationalmalemovie.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">All Man</a>, which dives deep into the famous (or infamous) catalog/magazine International Male. If you were a curious young queer in the 90s, chances are good that you took a furtive look through the pages of International Male, or had copies hidden in places only you knew about. It was a source of daring, adventurous fashion, and plenty of exposed male flesh. When it comes to telling the story of the rise and eventual fall of International Male, Jesse has a particularly personal connection — going back to his teen years and a doctor who completely changed the course of his life.We’ll have that conversation in a minute. But first — you may have heard that I too have a new book out! It’s about the behind-the-scenes history of queer characters on sitcoms, and the role that comedy played in queer liberation — and continues to play to this day. It’s called Hi Honey, I’m Homo! and it’s available now wherever books are sold. I can even sign and personalize your copy before shipping it to you — just go to <a href="http://gaysitcoms.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gaysitcoms.com</a> and look for the instructions for ordering a signed copy.Also if you’re a fan of queer culture, and I’m sure you are, don’t forget to swing by my YouTube channel for my videos about film and TV history. That’s at <a href="http://youtube.com/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com/mattbaume</a> — I just published a new video about the incredible work of Norman Lear that I think you’ll love. And join me every Sunday for livestreams over on Twitch at <a href="http://twitch.tv/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">twitch.tv/mattbaume</a> where I share all of the amazing bits of film &amp; TV history that I come across in my research. Big thanks to everyone who makes all my work possible on Patreon — visit <a href="http://patreon.com/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/mattbaume</a> to support Sewers of Paris and get patron-exclusive benefits.

The Fantasy That They Sold Us (Ep 425 - International Male/Jesse)

I have two guests this week — Shantel Buggs and Trevor Hoppe are the co-authors of a new book about how queer people talk to each other about sex entitled “Unsafe Words: Queering Consent in the #MeToo Era.” I spoke to them both about what brought them to this topic, and about their individual experiences growing up as queer people in very different environments. We’ll hear first from Shantel, who planned to be a doctor before she felt the unexpected call from a very different field of study. And then from Trevor, who was a self-described “horny little teenager” whose early experiences with gay community involved a chaotic nosebleed caused by dancing too close to a butt.We’ll have those conversations in a minute. And just a heads-up before we get going — this episode will include some brief discussion of sexual assault.But first — you may have heard that I too have a new book out! It’s about the behind-the-scenes history of queer characters on sitcoms, and the role that comedy played in queer liberation — and continues to play to this day. It’s called Hi Honey, I’m Homo! and it’s available now wherever books are sold. I can even sign and personalize your copy before shipping it to you — just go to gaysitcoms.com and look for the instructions for ordering a signed copy.Also if you’re a fan of queer culture, and I’m sure you are, don’t forget to swing by my YouTube channel for my videos about film and TV history. That’s at YouTube.com/mattbaume — I just published a new video about the incredible work of Norman Lear that I think you’ll love. You can also subscribe to my email newsletter for weekly dispatches, and join me every Sunday for livestreams over on Twitch at twitch.tv/mattbaume where I share all of the amazing bits of film &amp; TV history that I come across in my research. Big thanks to everyone who makes all my work possible on Patreon — visit patreon.com/mattbaume to support Sewers of Paris and get patron-exclusive benefits.

I have two guests this week — Shantel Buggs and Trevor Hoppe are the co-authors of a new book about how queer people talk to each other about sex entitled “<a href="https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/unsafe-words/9781978825406" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Unsafe Words: Queering Consent in the #MeToo Era.</a>” I spoke to them both about what brought them to this topic, and about their individual experiences growing up as queer people in very different environments. We’ll hear first from Shantel, who planned to be a doctor before she felt the unexpected call from a very different field of study. And then from Trevor, who was a self-described “horny little teenager” whose early experiences with gay community involved a chaotic nosebleed caused by dancing too close to a butt.We’ll have those conversations in a minute. And just a heads-up before we get going — this episode will include some brief discussion of sexual assault.But first — you may have heard that I too have a new book out! It’s about the behind-the-scenes history of queer characters on sitcoms, and the role that comedy played in queer liberation — and continues to play to this day. It’s called Hi Honey, I’m Homo! and it’s available now wherever books are sold. I can even sign and personalize your copy before shipping it to you — just go to <a href="http://gaysitcoms.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gaysitcoms.com</a> and look for the instructions for ordering a signed copy.Also if you’re a fan of queer culture, and I’m sure you are, don’t forget to swing by my YouTube channel for my videos about film and TV history. That’s at <a href="http://youtube.com/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com/mattbaume</a> — I just published a new video about the incredible work of Norman Lear that I think you’ll love. You can also subscribe to my email newsletter for weekly dispatches, and join me every Sunday for livestreams over on Twitch at <a href="http://twitch.tv/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">twitch.tv/mattbaume</a> where I share all of the amazing bits of film &amp; TV history that I come across in my research. Big thanks to everyone who makes all my work possible on Patreon — visit <a href="http://patreon.com/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/mattbaume</a> to support Sewers of Paris and get patron-exclusive benefits.

Talking About Pleasure (Ep 424 - Madonna/Shantel & Trevor)

Welcome back to the Sewers of Paris. Thanks for your patience during the brief pause in the podcast during the month of June — and now I’m delighted to get back behind the mic for more conversations about the entertainment that changed the lives of queer people. On tonight’s episode: My guest this week is Manuel Betancourt, whose new book of essays about hunks, heartthrobs, and what pop culture taught him about men — and the desire for them. Manuel’s found his way through a series of re-inventions, moving from Colombia to Canada to New York and California, each time deciding to try out a new life as he zeroed in on the one that fits best — one that, it turns out, includes naked garden parties.We’ll have that conversation in a minute. But first — you may have heard that I too have a new book out! It’s about the behind-the-scenes history of queer characters on sitcoms, and the role that comedy played in queer liberation — and continues to play to this day. It’s called Hi Honey, I’m Homo! and it’s available now wherever books are sold. I can even sign and personalize your copy before shipping it to you — just go to gaysitcoms.com and look for the instructions for ordering a signed copy.Also if you’re a fan of queer culture, and I’m sure you are, don’t forget to swing by my YouTube channel for my videos about film and TV history. That’s at YouTube.com/mattbaume — and I’ve got a new video premiering this weekend all about Norman Lear that I think you’ll love. You can also subscribe to my email newsletter for weekly dispatches, and join me every Sunday for livestreams over on Twitch at twitch.tv/mattbaume — on the last livestream, we watched clips from a bunch of my favorite failed TV show pilots, and there’s lots more to watch on the next one.Oh and one more thing — I’ve added two new free features to my Patreon. The first is a free tier that gets monthly Q&amp;A videos where I respond to questions and clips sent in by folks like you. And the second is a free trial, so you can watch hundreds of Patreon-exclusive bonus videos for a week, and then decide if you want to stick around. You can check out the Patreon at patreon.com/mattbaume.

Welcome back to the Sewers of Paris. Thanks for your patience during the brief pause in the podcast during the month of June — and now I’m delighted to get back behind the mic for more conversations about the entertainment that changed the lives of queer people. On tonight’s episode: My guest this week is Manuel Betancourt, whose new book of essays about hunks, heartthrobs, and what pop culture taught him about men — and the desire for them. Manuel’s found his way through a series of re-inventions, moving from Colombia to Canada to New York and California, each time deciding to try out a new life as he zeroed in on the one that fits best — one that, it turns out, includes naked garden parties.We’ll have that conversation in a minute. But first — you may have heard that I too have a new book out! It’s about the behind-the-scenes history of queer characters on sitcoms, and the role that comedy played in queer liberation — and continues to play to this day. It’s called Hi Honey, I’m Homo! and it’s available now wherever books are sold. I can even sign and personalize your copy before shipping it to you — just go to <a href="http://gaysitcoms.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gaysitcoms.com</a> and look for the instructions for ordering a signed copy.Also if you’re a fan of queer culture, and I’m sure you are, don’t forget to swing by my YouTube channel for my videos about film and TV history. That’s at <a href="http://youtube.com/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com/mattbaume</a> — and I’ve got a new video premiering this weekend all about Norman Lear that I think you’ll love. You can also subscribe to my email newsletter for weekly dispatches, and join me every Sunday for livestreams over on Twitch at <a href="http://twitch.tv/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">twitch.tv/mattbaume</a> — on the last livestream, we watched clips from a bunch of my favorite failed TV show pilots, and there’s lots more to watch on the next one.Oh and one more thing — I’ve added two new free features to my Patreon. The first is a free tier that gets monthly Q&amp;A videos where I respond to questions and clips sent in by folks like you. And the second is a free trial, so you can watch hundreds of Patreon-exclusive bonus videos for a week, and then decide if you want to stick around. You can check out the Patreon at <a href="http://patreon.com/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/mattbaume</a>.

Do I want him or do I want to be him? (Ep 423 - Manuel/Disney films)

On the last episode of Sewers of Paris, we heard from Max Miller, host of the YouTube series Tasting History the book of the same name. This week, we’re revisiting my 2020 conversation Max’s partner José, who as a kid was a shy gay nerd before he grew up to be … also a shy gay nerd. But one who helped launch Disney Plus, who now cohosts a YouTube series of his own, created a life for himself he could never have imagined when he was young.Also: A quick reminder that I’ve got a book of my own about to come out — Hi Honey, I’m Homo — and I’ll be hosting live readings this month in New York, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, and we’re about to add Los Angeles to the itinerary.

On the last episode of Sewers of Paris, we heard from Max Miller, host of the YouTube series <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsaGKqPZnGp_7N80hcHySGQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tasting History</a> the book of the same name. This week, we’re revisiting my 2020 conversation Max’s partner José, who as a kid was a shy gay nerd before he grew up to be … also a shy gay nerd. But one who helped launch Disney Plus, who now cohosts a YouTube series of his own, created a life for himself he could never have imagined when he was young.Also: A quick reminder that I’ve got a book of my own about to come out — <a href="http://gaysitcoms.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hi Honey, I’m Homo</a> — and I’ll be hosting live readings this month in New York, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, and we’re about to add Los Angeles to the itinerary.

Tough on the Outside, Nice on the Inside (Ep 422 - Pokémon/José)

On this week's Sewers of Paris podcast, we’re diving into the archives to revisit my 2020 interview with Max Miller. He’s the creator of the Tasting History YouTube channel, and author of the new book Tasting History, which comes out this week. In Max’s video series, he shares historical recipes and intriguing stories about the origin of the foods that humans have eaten throughout history, and his book expands on that work. It was inspired, in part, by Max’s appreciation for The Great British Bakeoff, and at first he didn’t intend for his videos to be anything other than a fun hobby to entertain family and friends — which is why nobody was more surprised than him when it took off, making unexpected use of his background in musical theater and his time swinging from the rafters of a cruise ship.We’ll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that I’ve got a book of my own about to come out in May — tracing the history of queer characters on American sitcoms and entitled Hi Honey, I’m Homo. I’ll be hosting live book readings around the country to celebrate launch! So far we have New York, Chicago, and Seattle on the calendar, and we’re about to add Portland. Plus there’s more on the way. Check out the details at gaysitcoms.com, or subscribe to my weekly newsletter for all the latest at mattbaume.com.

On this week's Sewers of Paris podcast, we’re diving into the archives to revisit my 2020 interview with Max Miller. He’s the creator of the Tasting History YouTube channel, and author of <a href="https://amzn.to/3GVIf02" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the new book Tasting History, which comes out this week</a>. In Max’s video series, he shares historical recipes and intriguing stories about the origin of the foods that humans have eaten throughout history, and his book expands on that work. It was inspired, in part, by Max’s appreciation for The Great British Bakeoff, and at first he didn’t intend for his videos to be anything other than a fun hobby to entertain family and friends — which is why nobody was more surprised than him when it took off, making unexpected use of his background in musical theater and his time swinging from the rafters of a cruise ship.We’ll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that I’ve got a book of my own about to come out in May — tracing the history of queer characters on American sitcoms and entitled <a href="http://gaysitcoms.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hi Honey, I’m Homo</a>. I’ll be hosting live book readings around the country to celebrate launch! So far we have New York, Chicago, and Seattle on the calendar, and we’re about to add Portland. Plus there’s more on the way. Check out the details at <a href="http://www.gaysitcoms.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gaysitcoms.com</a>, or subscribe to my weekly newsletter for all the latest at <a href="http://mattbaume.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mattbaume.com</a>.

All of Your Passions Together (Ep 421 - Max Miller/Tasting History)

My guest this week is Andrew Rimby, host of the Ivory Tower Boiler Room podcast. Andrew’s career as an entertainer began at an early age as a stage performer, but then he took an unexpected swerve into academia, and he’s spent the last decade pursuing a PhD, exploring the work of Victorian poets and in particular the homoerotics of Walt Whitman and Oscar Wilde. We’ll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that I’ve got a book coming out this May — Hi Honey, I’m Homo, now available for pre-order at gaysitcoms.com. And we’ve just announced a bunch of in-person events I’ll be hosting around the country to celebrate the book launch! So far we have New York, Chicago, and Seattle on the calendar with more on the way. Check out the details at gaysitcoms.com.And! I popped by Andrew’s podcast to talk about my work, activism, and queer liberation. Check that out here.

My guest this week is Andrew Rimby, host of the <a href="https://ivorytowerboilerroom.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ivory Tower Boiler Room podcast</a>. Andrew’s career as an entertainer began at an early age as a stage performer, but then he took an unexpected swerve into academia, and he’s spent the last decade pursuing a PhD, exploring the work of Victorian poets and in particular the homoerotics of Walt Whitman and Oscar Wilde. We’ll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that I’ve got a book coming out this May — <a href="http://gaysitcoms.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hi Honey, I’m Homo</a>, now available for pre-order at <a href="http://gaysitcoms.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gaysitcoms.com</a>. And we’ve just announced a bunch of in-person events I’ll be hosting around the country to celebrate the book launch! So far we have New York, Chicago, and Seattle on the calendar with more on the way. Check out the details at <a href="http://www.gaysitcoms.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gaysitcoms.com</a>.And! I popped by Andrew’s podcast to talk about my work, activism, and queer liberation. <a href="https://ivorytowerboilerroom.com/the-ivory-tower-boiler-room-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Check that out here.</a>

Comrades and Bedfellows (Ep 420 - Walt Whitman/Andrew)

Author Christopher Rice is known for a lot of things, from his thrillers to his podcast to collaborations with his mother Anne Rice to his more recent foray into novels about gay romance. I spoke to him last year about his book Sapphire Sunset, and now he has a new book in that series coming out. It’s entitled Sapphire Storm, and it’s about two men who start as bitter enemies before they realize that there’s an irresistible force pulling them closer together.I caught up with Christopher for an update to our previous conversation, and we spoke about his writing process and why gay romance matters. Because of his busy schedule, this conversation’s a little shorter than the usual Sewers of Paris interviews. But chatting with Christopher is always a delight — and if you want more, after this episode you can jump back to our conversation last year in episode 378.Also, a quick update on my upcoming book about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, Hi Honey I’m Homo: we’ve announced some live in-person events, with more on the way! Head over to GaySitcoms.com to see if I’m coming to your town for a reading and book signing — so far we have events confirmed for New York, Chicago, and Seattle, with additional ones in the works.

Author <a href="http://www.christopherricebooks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Christopher Rice</a> is known for a lot of things, from his thrillers to his <a href="http://thedinnerpartyshow.com/christopherandericpodcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">podcast</a> to collaborations with his mother Anne Rice to his more recent foray into novels about gay romance. I spoke to him last year about his book Sapphire Sunset, and now he has a new book in that series coming out. It’s entitled <a href="http://www.christopherricebooks.com/book/sapphire-storm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sapphire Storm</a>, and it’s about two men who start as bitter enemies before they realize that there’s an irresistible force pulling them closer together.I caught up with Christopher for an update to our previous conversation, and we spoke about his writing process and why gay romance matters. Because of his busy schedule, this conversation’s a little shorter than the usual Sewers of Paris interviews. But chatting with Christopher is always a delight — and if you want more, after this episode you can <a href="https://www.mattbaume.com/sewers-shownotes/2022/3/10/secrets-kill-ep-378-disaster-filmschristopher-rice?rq=rice" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">jump back to our conversation last year in episode 378</a>.Also, a quick update on my upcoming book about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, Hi Honey I’m Homo: we’ve announced some live in-person events, with more on the way! Head over to <a href="http://gaysitcoms.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GaySitcoms.com</a> to see if I’m coming to your town for a reading and book signing — so far we have events confirmed for New York, Chicago, and Seattle, with additional ones in the works.

Enemies to Lovers (Ep 419 - Christopher Rice/Gay romance novels)

My guest this week is Harvey Brownstone, who in 1995 became Canada’s first openly gay judge. Focusing his career on family law, Harvey helped shine a spotlight on Canada as a destination for same-sex couples to wed before it was legal in the US. But before all that, he was a young gay kid who’d been thrown out of the house, struggling through school, living on welfare, and searching for others like him.We’ll have that conversation in a minute. First just want to let you know that we’re gearing up for the release of my book, Hi Honey I’m Homo, on May 23rd. It’s all about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, and you can pre-order now at gaysitcoms.com. As the book release approaches, there may be a few gaps in the podcast release schedule — but I’m hoping to keep those to a minimum. Thanks for your patience, thanks to everyone who’s pre-ordered already!

My guest this week is Harvey Brownstone, who in 1995 became Canada’s first openly gay judge. Focusing his career on family law, Harvey helped shine a spotlight on Canada as a destination for same-sex couples to wed before it was legal in the US. But before all that, he was a young gay kid who’d been thrown out of the house, struggling through school, living on welfare, and searching for others like him.We’ll have that conversation in a minute. First just want to let you know that we’re gearing up for the release of my book, Hi Honey I’m Homo, on May 23rd. It’s all about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, and you can pre-order now at <a href="https://gaysitcoms.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gaysitcoms.com</a>. As the book release approaches, there may be a few gaps in the podcast release schedule — but I’m hoping to keep those to a minimum. Thanks for your patience, thanks to everyone who’s pre-ordered already!

Where the Action Was (Ep 418 - Harvey Brownstone/Making Love)

If you happen to be in Toronto this weekend, you may want to find your way down to Massey Hall on Saturday night for a one-night-only performance called Och and Oy!, starring actor Alan Cumming and NPR correspondent Ari Shapiro. Their collaborative show is a mix of cabaret and storytelling, and to mark its debut, I’m diving into the Sewers archives to revisit my 2018 conversation with Ari Shapiro, who was then as now one of the hosts of NPR’s flagship show All Things Considered. As a journalist, Ari primarily tells other people's stories, but his own story is considerably is more winding than you might expect -- behind his calm voice is a man who spent time as an undocumented immigrant, who carried mace for protection in high school, and who might never have found his place on the radio if a gay icon hadn't intervened on his behalf.We’ll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that I’ve got a book coming out this May about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, from Bewitched to The Golden Girls to Friends. It’s called Hi Honey, I’m Homo. Pre-orders are open — and those pre-orders are so important, so if you’ve been meaning to get one in, now’s the time! Head over to gaysitcoms.com to reserve your copy. And if you like pop culture history, check out my YouTube channel for tales from behind the scenes of iconic movies and TV shows! I just posted a video about the movie The Birdcage and its long winding journey to the screen, and I’ve got another coming soon about a gay couple that transformed the way television depicted queer people in the 1970s — and the psychiatrist who tried to stop them. Check those videos out at YouTube.com/mattbaume.

If you happen to be in Toronto this weekend, you may want to find your way down to Massey Hall on Saturday night for a one-night-only performance called <a href="https://masseyhall.mhrth.com/tickets/alancumming/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Och and Oy!</a>, starring actor Alan Cumming and NPR correspondent Ari Shapiro. Their collaborative show is a mix of cabaret and storytelling, and to mark its debut, I’m diving into the Sewers archives to revisit my 2018 conversation with Ari Shapiro, who was then as now one of the hosts of NPR’s flagship show All Things Considered. As a journalist, Ari primarily tells other people's stories, but his own story is considerably is more winding than you might expect -- behind his calm voice is a man who spent time as an undocumented immigrant, who carried mace for protection in high school, and who might never have found his place on the radio if a gay icon hadn't intervened on his behalf. We’ll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that I’ve got a book coming out this May about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, from Bewitched to The Golden Girls to Friends. It’s called <a href="http://gaysitcoms.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hi Honey, I’m Homo</a>. Pre-orders are open — and those pre-orders are so important, so if you’ve been meaning to get one in, now’s the time! Head over to <a href="http://www.gaysitcoms.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gaysitcoms.com</a> to reserve your copy.  And if you like pop culture history, check out my YouTube channel for tales from behind the scenes of iconic movies and TV shows! I just posted a video about the movie The Birdcage and its long winding journey to the screen, and I’ve got another coming soon about a gay couple that transformed the way television depicted queer people in the 1970s — and the psychiatrist who tried to stop them. Check those videos out at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube.com/mattbaume</a>.

Excited and Scared (Ep 417 - Ari Shapiro/Stephen Sondheim)

Revealing stories about the books, movies, tv, music and more that have changed the lives of gay men. Each week, a guest plucks a piece of entertainment from their past, and answers the question: how did it change your life?

These interviews make my day every time I listen to them. Keep bringing us this great content!

I love this podcast.

Utterly intelligent and well informed. One of the best podcasts out there!

Soooo good

The Sewers of Paris

Ari Shapiro

My guest this week is Ari Shapiro, host of All Things Considered. These days, he tells other people's stories on NPR, but his own story was considerably is more winding than you might expect -- behind his calm journalistic voice is a former illegal immigrant who carried mace for protection in high school, nearly became an actor, and might never have found his place on the radio if a gay icon hadn't intervened on his behalf.

Excited and Scared (Ep. 155 - Ari Shapiro of NPR's All Things Considered)

This bonus episode has two guests: Mitch and Greg are the creators of the super popular YouTube series ASAP Science. They met years ago through a Facebook hack, and grew close as they searched for a way to blend their love of science and art. Now they've built a quirky queer science empire together, as creative partner and life partners.

This bonus episode has two guests: Mitch and Greg are the creators of the super popular YouTube series ASAP Science. They met years ago through a Facebook hack, and grew close as they searched for a way to blend their love of science and art. Now they've built a quirky queer science empire together, as creative partner and life partners.

Bonus Episode: Science is Queer (Ep. 218 - ASAP Science's Mitch and Greg)

When it's hard to find the words you know you need to say, can you use someone else's? This week's guest is actor and producer Emerson Collins, whose new film A Very Sordid Wedding is a sequel to the classic Sordid Lives. Growing up around the big hair and church bells of Texas, Emerson struggled to speak openly about who he really was. Until he got up on stage.

A Britney-Whitney Gay (Ep. 141 - Best Little Whorehouse in Texas)

Marilyn Manson

What's the difference between confidence and arrogance? My guest this week is Evan J. Peterson, author of the memoir The PrEP Diaries. For years, he trained himself to be aggressive, aloof, above it all, as a way to pre-empt criticism. That meant erecting masks and disguises, from gothic costumes to club-kid confusion. But what was missing behind his ostentatious displays for others was confidence in himself -- something Evan's still reaching for as he journeys through recovery, faiths, and sexual exploration.Thanks to everyone who supports The Sewers of Paris with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. If you're enjoying the show, head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to join the folks who make bonus episodes like this possible. Or if you can't pledge, you can still help out by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice.You can also follow @sewersofparis on Twitter and Facebook -- I post clips of stuff we talk about and chat with listeners about the entertainment that you love. And join us for the next Sewers of Paris livestream on Saturday, April 28 at 2pm Pacific! We've been doing those livestreams twice monthly with special guests, and it's such a fun chance to hear about the movies and shows and books and music that you're obsessed with right now. There's a link to the next livestream pinned to the top of the SewersOfParis twitter stream.

What's the difference between confidence and arrogance? My guest this week is Evan J. Peterson, author of the memoir The PrEP Diaries. For years, he trained himself to be aggressive, aloof, above it all, as a way to pre-empt criticism. That meant erecting masks and disguises, from gothic costumes to club-kid confusion. But what was missing behind his ostentatious displays for others was confidence in himself -- something Evan's still reaching for as he journeys through recovery, faiths, and sexual exploration. Thanks to everyone who supports The Sewers of Paris with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. If you're enjoying the show, head over to <a href="http://SewersOfParis.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SewersOfParis.com</a> and click "Support the show on Patreon" to join the folks who make bonus episodes like this possible. Or if you can't pledge, you can still help out by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice. You can also follow @sewersofparis on Twitter and Facebook -- I post clips of stuff we talk about and chat with listeners about the entertainment that you love. And join us for the next Sewers of Paris livestream on Saturday, April 28 at 2pm Pacific! We've been doing those livestreams twice monthly with special guests, and it's such a fun chance to hear about the movies and shows and books and music that you're obsessed with right now. There's a link to the next livestream pinned to the top of the SewersOfParis twitter stream.

Vampire Drag Queens (Ep. 165 - Marilyn Manson)

My guest this week is actor Wyatt Fenner, who you've seen on Veronica Mars, Bones, and the movie Take the Yuletide Gay. New Yorkers, you can see him right now in the show Transparent Falsehood at Theater 511 on West 54th Street. As an actor, Wyatt's an expert at inhabiting personas and hiding himself behind someone else. But an accidental outing and an attack that could have killed him helped him realize just who it was he was hiding.By the way, if you're heading to DragCon in LA next month, I hope you'll join me for two panels! On Saturday, I'll be hosting a fun friendly chat about tabletop gaming, featuring a panel of queer and ally gamers sharing recommendations for finding games and people to play with. And on Sunday, I'll be hosting a breakneck game of Dungeons and Dragons played by BenDeLaCreme, Erika Klash, Kitty Powers, and Fraya Love. It's going to be a blast -- hope to see you there.And no matter where you are in the world, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat -- it's on Saturday, April 28, at 2pm Pacific with special guest Ray Miller. We want to hear about the book and movies and songs and shows you're obsessed with right now.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.

My guest this week is actor Wyatt Fenner, who you've seen on Veronica Mars, Bones, and the movie Take the Yuletide Gay. New Yorkers, you can see him right now in the show Transparent Falsehood at Theater 511 on West 54th Street. As an actor, Wyatt's an expert at inhabiting personas and hiding himself behind someone else. But an accidental outing and an attack that could have killed him helped him realize just who it was he was hiding. By the way, if you're heading to DragCon in LA next month, I hope you'll join me for two panels! On Saturday, I'll be hosting a fun friendly chat about tabletop gaming, featuring a panel of queer and ally gamers sharing recommendations for finding games and people to play with. And on Sunday, I'll be hosting a breakneck game of Dungeons and Dragons played by BenDeLaCreme, Erika Klash, Kitty Powers, and Fraya Love. It's going to be a blast -- hope to see you there. And no matter where you are in the world, I hope you'll join us for the next Sewers of Paris live chat -- it's on Saturday, April 28, at 2pm Pacific with special guest Ray Miller. We want to hear about the book and movies and songs and shows you're obsessed with right now. 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.

Becoming Real (Ep. 166 - The Velveteen Rabbit)

You might’ve seen this week’s guest onstage at some point — Indigo Blue is an accomplished burlesque performer and teacher. She also got a degree in anthropology by writing about sex work while working as a stripper, so she has a unique set of skills to pass along to students.

You might’ve seen this week’s guest onstage at some point — Indigo Blue is an accomplished burlesque performer and teacher. She also got a degree in anthropology by writing about sex work while working as a stripper, so she has a unique set of skills to pass along to students.

Permission to be Sexual (Ep. 213 - Cher & Prince)

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 &amp; 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&amp;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 &amp; 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 &amp; 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&amp;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 <a href="http://bit.ly/extralifeseattle" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">bit.ly/extralifeseattle</a>. 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 <a href="http://twitter.com/sewersofparis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sewers of Paris twitter feed</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 "<a href="http://patreon.com/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Support the Show on Patreon</a>." 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 <a href="http://sewersofparis.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SewersOfParis.com</a> 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 &amp; Dragons quest. That’s at <a href="http://queensofadventure.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QueensOfAdventure.com</a>.

The Go-Out Girls (Ep. 198 - Alaska Thunderf*ck)

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 &amp; 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.

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 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3YCZkewV4s" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the next Sewers of Paris live chat</a>, 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 <a href="http://SewersOfParis.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SewersOfParis.com</a> to see clips of the stuff we talk about on each episode of the show.The Sewers of Paris is listener supported -- click "<a href="http://patreon.com/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">support the show on Patreon</a>" 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 &amp; Dragons quest. And we'll be doing our next Queens of Adventure livestream on Saturday December 22, so head over to <a href="http://QueensOfAdventure.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QueensOfAdventure.com</a> for details.

Unleash the Queen (Ep. 205 - Freddie Mercury)

Tori Amos

Thanks to everyone supporting The Sewers of Paris on Patreon, I'm able to bring you bonus episodes every month. We're going to go Beyond the Sewers of Paris, with special guests beyond just gay men, and deep-dives on topics I think you're going to love.This month, I'm bringing you an unusual conversation with a very special guest: radio DJ Cindy Howes. I first interviewed Cindy about a year ago, for what I thought would be a fun, lighthearted chat about Tori Amos and how music empowered a young queer woman's search for herself.But then after our interview, things unexpectedly changed for Cindy, both in her work and her personal life. A year went by, and when the dust settled we came back for a second interview about how Cindy had changed in that time, how her outlook on life and love had shifted, and how music helped her confront and overcome depression and anxiety.I always expected that Cindy would have tons of great music suggestions for Sewers of Paris listeners. She's a fantastic resource when it comes to the singers and songwriters you should know. But I was surprised to also get some brilliant suggestions for coping with adversity, recovering from loss, and learning to love yourself.

Thanks to everyone supporting The Sewers of Paris on Patreon, I'm able to bring you bonus episodes every month. We're going to go Beyond the Sewers of Paris, with special guests beyond just gay men, and deep-dives on topics I think you're going to love. This month, I'm bringing you an unusual conversation with a very special guest: radio DJ Cindy Howes. I first interviewed Cindy about a year ago, for what I thought would be a fun, lighthearted chat about Tori Amos and how music empowered a young queer woman's search for herself. But then after our interview, things unexpectedly changed for Cindy, both in her work and her personal life. A year went by, and when the dust settled we came back for a second interview about how Cindy had changed in that time, how her outlook on life and love had shifted, and how music helped her confront and overcome depression and anxiety. I always expected that Cindy would have tons of great music suggestions for Sewers of Paris listeners. She's a fantastic resource when it comes to the singers and songwriters you should know. But I was surprised to also get some brilliant suggestions for coping with adversity, recovering from loss, and learning to love yourself.

Crazy Pirate Madonna (Ep. 154 - Tori Amos)

What are the excuses you make for not doing what makes you happy? It's so easy to come up with reasons that NOW is the wrong time to launch into that project or hobby or career change you've always wanted. So where do you find permission to make a change in your life? This week's guest, Jason Powell, has only recently learned to give that permission to himself. Jason's one half of the podcast Ladywatch -- I interviewed his co-host, Ryan O'Connor, a few weeks back on episode 122. Each week on their show, Ryan and Jason talk about their shared admiration for powerful women. But off mic, they both have struggled with self-imposed limitations. We'll talk this week about the great southern belles who helped Jason find the bravery to stand up for himself to himself.

The Priests of Hollywood (Ep. 132 - Designing Women & Gone with the Wind)

Eric Marcus

Is it a problem that there's "sex" in "homosexual"? My guest this week is Eric Marcus, a writer and journalist who often found himself called upon to represent the model gay man on shows like Good Morning America and The O'Reilly Factor. For years, Eric strove to put across an image of respectability and harmlessness. But these days, as the creator and host of the excellent podcast Making Gay History, and he's ready to share the pieces of our past that are enough to make anyone blush.

Royalties and a Husband (Ep. 136 - West Side Story & Eric Marcus of Making Gay History)

My guest this week is Chi Chi Devayne, who competed on Season 8 of Drag Race and is appearing now on All Stars Season 3. Despite having competed -- twice, now -- on the world's most prestigious drag show, there was a time when Chi Chi hated drag. That was before she realized that everything in life had prepared her to perform in heels -- from church to getting in fights to military training.

Hot Glue and Rhinestones (Ep. 150 - Chi Chi DeVayne)

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 &amp; 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.

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 &amp; 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 <a href="http://QueensOfAdventure.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QueensOfAdventure.com</a>.

Gunshots in the Night (Ep. 179 - Kingdom Hearts)

My guest this week is Drew Mackie. You might know him from the podcasts Gayest Episode Ever, or Singing Mountain, or We Are Not Young Anymore. The point is that he does a lot of podcasts, generally about the art &amp; entertainment that makes the world a more joyful place. It's a long way from where he started his career, as a hard journalist covering a quadruple murder in his college town. For years, he did the serious work that he thought was expected of him, even though it made him miserable, until he finally gave himself permission to walk away from his job and pursue his passion.By the way, the next Sewers of Paris livestream is coming up this weekend! Join us on Saturday, April 14th for another live chat with me and other Sewers listeners. The theme this time is animation. Can't wait to geek out with you about Steven Universe, Korra, and Bugs Bunny's drag career. Head over to the @SewersOfParis twitter feed -- there's a pinned tweet with a link to the livestream. We go live Saturday, April 14, at 2pm pacific.Thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There are special rewards for patrons like early ad-free access to content, shoutouts in videos, and a copy of my book mailed to you with some cute Sewers of Paris buttons. If you're enjoying the show, click "Support the Show on Patreon." Or if you can't pledge, you can still help out by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice.

My guest this week is Drew Mackie. You might know him from the podcasts Gayest Episode Ever, or Singing Mountain, or We Are Not Young Anymore. The point is that he does a lot of podcasts, generally about the art &amp; entertainment that makes the world a more joyful place. It's a long way from where he started his career, as a hard journalist covering a quadruple murder in his college town. For years, he did the serious work that he thought was expected of him, even though it made him miserable, until he finally gave himself permission to walk away from his job and pursue his passion.By the way, the next Sewers of Paris livestream is coming up this weekend! Join us on Saturday, April 14th for another live chat with me and other Sewers listeners. The theme this time is animation. Can't wait to geek out with you about Steven Universe, Korra, and Bugs Bunny's drag career. Head over to the <a href="http://twitter.com/sewersofparis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@SewersOfParis twitter feed</a> -- there's a pinned tweet with a link to the livestream. We go live Saturday, April 14, at 2pm pacific.Thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of a dollar or more a month on Patreon. There are special rewards for patrons like early ad-free access to content, shoutouts in videos, and a copy of my book mailed to you with some cute Sewers of Paris buttons. If you're enjoying the show, <a href="http://patreon.com/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click "Support the Show on Patreon."</a> Or if you can't pledge, you can still help out by leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice.

The Wrong Kind of Gay (Ep. 163 - Jem and the Holograms)

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 &amp; 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.

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 -- <a href="http://patreon.com/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click "Support the Show on Patreon"</a> 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 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cFpCaMFovw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the next Sewers of Paris live chat</a>. It's on Saturday August 11th at 2pm Pacific. There's a link at the top of <a href="http://twitter.com/sewersofparis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the Sewers of Paris twitter feed.</a>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 &amp; 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 <a href="http://queensofadventure.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QueensOfAdventure.com</a>.

A Bondage Analysis of Tolkien (Ep. 184 - Lord of the Rings)

What would you do if your life's work turned out to be killing you? My guest this week is Alberto Davalos, a horse boy. His whole life he expected to work with horses. And fresh out of college, he was on a farm in Kentucky, wearing gloves up to his shoulders and helping multi-million-dollar animals give birth. But working his dream job came with a price he wasn't ready to pay.

The Kentucky Derby for People (Ep. 151 - Drag Race)

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 &amp; 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.

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 -- <a href="http://patreon.com/mattbaume" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click "Support the Show on Patreon" to check those out</a>. 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. <a href="https://youtu.be/srNHUxavPWE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The livestream is on Sunday July 29th at 2pm pacific</a> -- there's a link on the <a href="http://twitter.com/sewersofparis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sewers of Paris twitter feed</a>, 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 &amp; Dragons adventure full of action and suspense and shady banter. We've got some big announcements coming soon -- head over to <a href="http://QueensOfAdventure.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">QueensOfAdventure.com</a> to subscribe to the podcast, and to get on the mailing list to find out when you can see the queens performing live.

Behind Closed Doors (Ep. 182 - Steel Magnolias)

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The best podcast episodes on physical health. Episodes talk about your diet, sleep, exercise and all the things that people do to improve their physical health and live a healthier life. This topic is for everyone, with applications in all of our everyday lives. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!