Weird and Queered (Ep. 222 - Return to Oz)

What is it about queer people and villains? This isn't the first time I'd had a guest on the show who loves sympathetic monsters. Michael Lee Richardson is a writer and filmmaker in the UK who takes the world around him and makes it weird ... and queered.

And BTW, I hope you'll join us for a brand new weekly queer Dungeons & Dragons stream, every Saturday at 11am Pacific. Join me and Connor Olmstead, Brian Moreno, Justin Saint, Jen Vaugn, and my partner James as DM. We just started last week, and now's a perfect time to join us at twitch.tv/prettyprettypixel.

And of course, I'm also doing twice-monthly hangouts on YouTube, where I chat with you about the books and movies and music and shows that you're obsessed with right now. The next one is on Sunday March 10 at 2pm Pacific with JP Brammer of Hola Papi.

As always, huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to Patreon.com/mattbaume to check out the rewards available to backers.

Seek Queer People Out (Ep. 220 - My Gay Roommate)

This week's guest in Noam Ash, a theater actor and youtube-gay who co-created the web series My Gay Roommate, which features a gay man and a straight man living together as platonic friends. That might not sound like the sort of thing that would be inspired by Harry Potter, but ever since he was a kid, Noam found solace in stories of outsiders discovering someplace new where they belonged -- and occasionally someplace foreign where they didn't.

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

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.

Hypersaturated (Ep. 216 - Knitting & Dance)

My guest this week was almost a world famous dancer, but instead he's a world famous knitter. Steven West's fiber art is known all far and wide for bright color, surprising stitches, and beguiling design -- you might think of it as hipster knitwear. Behind the celebrity knitter is a former Bible camp kid who loved to dance. Looking at him then, you might have had a feeling he'd become famous, and he did. Though it was for a reason no one could have predicted.

And don’t forget to join us for the next livestream! It’s on Saturday, February 9, at 2pm pacific.

Working on Something Big (Ep. 215 - Sci-Fi and Ham Radio)

There’s a good chance that the Internet as we know it wouldn't be a thing without this week's guest. Alan Emtage grew up in Barbados, where his connection to the outside world came through amateur radio projects that allowed him to talk with people around the world. He went on to pioneer the way we find information on the Internet at a time when there was no way to search, inventing the technology that eventually became familiar tools like Google. Alan made it possible for queer culture to flourish online, and for people who grew up isolated to find their community.

And don’t forget to join us for the next livestream! It’s on Saturday, February 9, at 2pm pacific.

Star Power (Ep. 214 - Tales of the City)

This week's guest is John Russo, a celebrity photographer who’s on a first name basis with subjects like Catherine Zeta Jones and Leonardo DiCaprio. John always projects a persona of complete and total confidence, a vibe that he also calls forth from his subjects. It’s a technique that's worked well for him, ever since he started out in his field, faking it until he made it.

And don’t forget to join us for the next livestream! It’s on Saturday, January 26, at 2pm pacific.


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

This Week’s Guest: Indigo Blue

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.

And don’t forget to join us for the next livestream! It’s on Saturday, January 26, at 2pm pacific.