Freak of Nature (Bride of Frankenstein/Sam Irvin)

Freak of Nature (Bride of Frankenstein/Sam Irvin)
Matt Baume & Sam Irvin
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As we head into spooky season this October, I want to take a peek back into the Sewers archives for a chat with Sam Irvin. As a kid, Sam Irvin loved Bride of Frankenstein, and he brought that influence with him as an adult when he co-produced the film Gods and Monsters, and directed the show Dante’s Cove and the movie Elvira’s Haunted Hills — among many other projects. Whether working with Christopher Lee, Brian DePalma, or Ian McKellen, Sam is an endless source of amazing haunted Hollywood tales.

We’ll have that conversation in just a moment. First a quick reminder that I host weekly livestreams every Sunday on Twitch. This weekend we’ll be continuing our watch-along of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. And you can get a heads-up on other fun projects by subscribing to my email newsletter at MattBaume.com.

I Was Always Interested in UFOs (Scott Heim/Mysterious Skin)

I Was Always Interested in UFOs (Scott Heim/Mysterious Skin)
Matt Baume & Mysterious Skin author Scott Heim
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Sorry this week's Sewers of Paris is coming a few days late -- it took a little extra time to arrange but I think it's worth it! This week I’m chatting with Scott Heim, the author of the 1995 novel Mysterious Skin, which was adapted into a film by Gregg Araki in 2004.

Scott's book is the story of two teenage boys, both dealing with the same childhood trauma in very different ways, and this conversation’s a little different from the usual Sewers of Paris interviews: Scott recently passed through Seattle, and I sat down with him at Northwest Film Forum to interview him for our local alt-weekly, The Stranger. You’ll hear the audio of our conversation in this episode. And if you’d like to watch the video version, you can find that on The Stranger’s YouTube channel, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry1RUyWAuNM

Lisa Loeb is Following Me (Reality Bites/Damian)

Lisa Loeb is Following Me (Reality Bites/Damian)
Matt Baume & Damian Pelliccione
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My guest this week is Damian Pelliccione, who started his career as an actor — if you watch closely, you can catch him on a 2005 episode of Gillmore Girls. Twenty years later, he’s in a very different role, as the co-founder and CEO of the streaming video service Revry. That service hosts an eclectic mix of queer-themed movies, shows, and original web series (including King of Drag, which just launched its second season).  But despite having dedicated the last decade of his life to building this business, these days Damian feels particularly nostalgic for a time in his life when none of it would have been possible.

We’ll have that interview in a moment. First a quick heads up that I’ll be a guest at the pop culture convention Ancient City Con in Florida this weekend, September 25, 26, and 27. I hope to see you there!

And! I have a new video up on YouTube about the many ways in which Tim Curry shaped our lives. Check that out at youtube.com/mattbaume .

Watching Two Porcupines Mate (The Thomas Crown Affair/Mike)

Watching Two Porcupines Mate (The Thomas Crown Affair/Mike)
Matt Baume & Mike Aylesworth
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My guest this week has a track record of going viral — whether he wanted to or not. Mike Aylesworth’s first brush with fame was as a teenager in the late 90s when he challenged the Boy Scouts’ ban on gay members… then in adulthood when he dreamed up an invention in the bathtub that changed his life, first for the better and then for the worse. He’s written about his work with the Scouts (and how that turned into work against the Scouts for awhile) in an upcoming book entitled Boy Pageant. As you’ll hear, Mike’s always been drawn to stories about strangers who are surprised to discover that they fit together, from the Golden Girls to art thieves to the crowned heads of Europe; those stories set the stage for the work he does now, helping young people figure out how they fit into the world.

We’ll have that interview in a moment. First a quick heads up that I have a new video on YouTube about Dolly Parton’s surprising connection to the gay community… and I have a video coming soon about the many ways in which Tim Curry shaped our lives.

I Came Out with the Latinos (Ep 580 - The Birdcage/Tony Rodriguez)

I Came Out with the Latinos (Ep 580 - The Birdcage/Tony Rodriguez)
Matt Baume & actor Tony Rodriguez
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You might recognize the voice of this week’s Sewers of Paris guest — Tony Rodriguez plays Julio on The Simpsons, a role originated by Hank Azaria. This part didn’t come to Tony in the way you might expect. It was a combination of talent, training, taking some very bold initiative, and an intercession from the podcast Gayest Episode Ever. As you can imagine, being cast on The Simpsons was the opportunity of a lifetime … and it was fitting, since Tony’s initial inspiration to become an actor came from another, much earlier Hank Azaria role.

We’ll have that interview in a moment. First a quick heads up that I have a new YouTube video on YouTube about Dolly Parton’s connection to the gay community — including in ways you might not have heard about before. Also I hope you’ll join me for weekly livestreams every Sunday on Twitch — lately we’ve been watching and talking about the film 9 to 5. Check out my book Hi Honey, I’m Homo! at GaySitcoms.com; subscribe to my email newsletter at MattBaume.com, and if you’re enjoying The Sewers of Paris, support the show on Patreon at Patreon.com/mattbaume.

Nasty Pig is Poetry (Ep 578 - Pink Floyd/David Lauterstein)

Nasty Pig is Poetry (Ep 578 - Pink Floyd/David Lauterstein)
Matt Baume & David Lauterstein
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My guest this week is David Lauterstein, the founder and CEO of Nasty Pig. You probably know his company for their sexy fetish-infused street wear, so you might not expect that David’s background is in writing poetry. But the closer you look at his approach to designing clothing, the more it makes sense — using fabric to build a scene like a writer uses words. David recently published a memoir called Sodomy Gods, chronicling the early days of his company and how its origins lie in a surprisingly wholesome love story.

We’ll have that interview in a moment. First a quick heads up that I have a new YouTube video coming soon about a Broadway director responsible for bringing tons of queer characters to must-see-TV in the 90s. To catch that new video, make sure you’re subscribed at https://YouTube.com/mattbaume. Also I hope you’ll join me for weekly livestreams every Sunday on Twitch. Check out my book Hi Honey, I’m Homo! at GaySitcoms.com; subscribe to my email newsletter at MattBaume.com, and if you’re enjoying The Sewers of Paris, support the show on Patreon at Patreon.com/mattbaume.

Southern Decadence (Ep 577 - James Baldwin/Jonathan)

Southern Decadence (Ep 577 - James Baldwin/Jonathan)
Matt Baume & Jonathan Alexander

This week marks the birthday of the author and activist James Baldwin, and to mark the occasion we’re heading into the Sewers archives for a conversation that touches on the expansiveness of Baldwin’s writing. In 2022, I spoke with a guest named Jonathan about how literature helped him discover a larger world — which led to a lifetime of eye-opening experiences, from a brief marriage to a woman to enduring the impact of Hurricane Katrina.

The Harlot's Progress (Ep 576 - Iain/composing opera)

The Harlot's Progress (Ep 576 - Iain/composing opera)
Matt Baume & Iain Bell
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My guest on The Sewers of Paris this week is Iain Bell, who made a career out of his personal passion for music. But he took a winding road to get there ... and could never have predicted that a job as a personal trainer would be a crucial step towards premiering an opera in Vienna.