The Girl that Wasn't Supposed to be Famous (Ep 438 - Karel/Barbra Streisand)

My guest this week is Karel Bouley. Back in the 90s, Karel and his partner Andrew Howard were the first openly queer couple to host a major market drive time radio show in the US. And after Andrew unexpectedly passed away in the early 2000s, Karel helped change California laws around suing for wrongful death. For leaving a mark in those and many other ways, the city of Long Beach will recognize the couple with a ceremony next week, adding them to the local wall of fame in Harvey Milk Plaza. I talked to Karel about his inspirations, getting into radio, and how Barbra Streisand gave him something to aspire to.

We’ll have that conversation in a minute. 

First, a couple quick reminders, starting with a heads-up that my new video about Psycho and the creation of Norman Bates  is now live — check that out on my YouTube channel. Also, I hope you’ll join me for weekly livestreams over on Twitch every Sunday afternoon at twitch.tv/mattbaume. We just did a watch-along of some excellent episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and we’ll be enjoying some very gay Halloween specials this weekend.

And if you haven’t yet, take a look at my new book about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! — available now wherever books are sold. Go to gaysitcoms.com for details. You can even get a signed, personalized copy … which might make a nice holiday gift, if you’re the kind of person who likes getting your shopping done early.

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.

Something More Than Just a Secret (Ep 437 - Wilson/Will & Grace)

I’m speaking this week with Wilson Paulino, who co-hosts the Wilferland podcast with his partner Fernando. Wilson grew up in a pretty idyllic tourist town in the Dominican Republic, where life was good … as long as he didn’t talk about who he really was. Quietly closeted, he watched gay couples on American TV shows, living lives that seemed impossibly far away. But meeting his partner helped open a new chapter for them both — one that bears surprising resemblance to some of their favorite fictional queer heroes.

We’ll have that conversation in a minute. 

First, a couple quick reminders, starting with a heads-up that I’ve got a video coming your way this weekend about the making of the movie Psycho and the long strange journey of Norman Bates.

Also, I hope you’ll join me for weekly livestreams over on Twitch every Sunday afternoon at twitch.tv/mattbaume. Last time we watched some classic episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and we’ll be continuing that this weekend. And if you haven’t yet, take a look at my new book about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! — available now wherever books are sold. Go to gaysitcoms.com for details. You can even get a signed, personalized copy … which might make a nice holiday gift, if you’re the kind of person who likes getting your shopping done early.

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.

People Wearing Masks (Ep 436 - Hocus Pocus/Rantasmo)

In honor of the start of October, the spookiest month, this week we’re diving into the Sewers of Paris archives to hear my 2015 interview with Jamie Mauer, who you may also know as Rantasmo, the creator of the Needs More Gay YouTube series. Jamie grew up loving unsettling stories — like a lot of queer people. 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 couple quick reminders, starting with a heads-up that I’ve got a video coming your way soon on YouTube about the making of the movie Psycho and the long strange journey of Norman Bates.

Also, I hope you’ll join me for weekly livestreams over on Twitch every Sunday afternoon at twitch.tv/mattbaume. This weekend we’ll be watching and dissecting some classic episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. And if you haven’t yet, take a look at my new book about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! — available now wherever books are sold. Go to gaysitcoms.com for details.

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 Can't Believe We Pulled This Off (Ep 435 - Happy Days/Frank)

My guest this week is Frank Abate, who’s about to open the first shelter and community center for queer youth in the Dominican Republic. He’s been working on this project for a long time, with the help of many fellow activists, and it hasn’t been easy. But Frank’s drawn inspiration from many sources, from moving queer stories in movies like Torch Song Trilogy … and from his travels around the, which were partially inspired, many years ago, by sitcoms. Which is how queer youth in the Dominican Republic will soon have new opportunities to thrive thanks. in some small part, to Ron Howard.

We’ll have that conversation in a minute. 

First, a couple quick reminders, starting with a heads-up that I’ve got a video coming your way soon on YouTube about the making of the movie Psycho and the long strange journey of Norman Bates.

Also, I hope you’ll join me for weekly livestreams over on Twitch every Sunday afternoon at twitch.tv/mattbaume. And if you haven’t yet, take a look at my new book about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! — available now wherever books are sold. Go to gaysitcoms.com for details.

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.

A World of Wolves (Ep 434 - The Little Mermaid/Scott)

My guest this week is Scott Mainprize, a two-spirit author, lawyer, and instructor based in Ottawa. Scott’s been walking in multiple simultaneous worlds his whole life, and he’s always found himself drawn to stories of characters doing the same — starting with a childhood interest in the movie The Little Mermaid and a lesser known TV show called The Little Vampire. Both are about people figuring themselves out while living in places they were told they weren’t allowed to be — a topic of particular interest in Scott's adult work with justice systems, and in his new novel The First Few Feet in a World of Wolves.

We’ll have that conversation in a minute. 

First, a couple quick reminders, starting with a heads-up that I’ve got a video coming your way soon on YouTube about the making of the movie Psycho and the long strange journey of Norman Bates.

Also, I hope you’ll join me for weekly livestreams over on Twitch every Sunday afternoon at twitch.tv/mattbaume. And if you haven’t yet, take a look at my new book about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! — available now wherever books are sold. Go to gaysitcoms.com for details.

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.

Is What We Do Homosexual? (Ep 433 - Hemmingway/Tate)

My guest this week is Tate Barkley, whose new memoir comes out September 25 and is entitled Sunday Dinners, Moonshine, and Men. It’s the story of a closeted kid growing up in an environment surrounded by toxic masculine figures, protective women, and moonshine operations that planted the seeds of a dangerous relationship with alcohol. Pulling himself up out of that world was a years-long process — and these days, Tate’s found a life that brings him joy he couldn’t possibly have envisioned back then.

We’ll have that conversation in a minute. 

First, a couple quick reminders, starting with a heads-up that my new video about Some Like it Hot is now live — check that out on my YouTube channel. Also, I hope you’ll join me for weekly livestreams over on Twitch every Sunday afternoon at twitch.tv/mattbaume. We just started a watch-along of the movie Psycho, and we’ll be resuming that this Sunday the 17th.

And if you haven’t yet, take a look at my new book about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! — available now wherever books are sold. Go to gaysitcoms.com for details.

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.

Meatpacking Dance (Ep 432 - Donna Summer/Frankie)

My guest this week is Frankie Miranda, the first openly gay president and CEO of the Hispanic Federation — a nonprofit serving the Latino community. Frankie’s background isn’t what you might expect for the head of a political organization. When he moved from Puerto Rico to New York, the plan was to study theater. But his dramatic training turned out to serve him well in work where he could serve his community — especially after stepping into a leadership role that threw him multiple immediate curveballs. Fortunately, he was prepared — thanks in part to confidence-building pop divas and an education that included daytime TV.

We’ll have that conversation in a minute. 

First, a couple quick reminders, starting with a heads-up that my new video about Some Like it Hot is now live — check that out on my YouTube channel. Also, I hope you’ll join me for weekly livestreams over on Twitch every Sunday afternoon at twitch.tv/mattbaume. And if you haven’t yet, take a look at my new book about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! — available now wherever books are sold. Go to gaysitcoms.com for details.

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.

To Be Disgusting Is Good (Ep 431 - Beautiful Thing/Huw Lemmey)

On last week's Sewers of Paris podcast I spoke with Ben Miller of the Bad Gays book and podcast. This week I’m talking to his co-host and co-author, Huw Lemmey, a writer whose work investigates the disgusting. It’s an unlikely fascination, one borne out of attitudes he heard expressed about queer people when he was growing up. In looking at the realities of human life, from its best to its worst, Huw’s writing has evolved from asking whether people can be loveable despite being gross … to whether they are lovable because they are gross.

Also, a couple quick reminders, starting with a heads-up that I’ve got a new video coming your way this weekend on YouTube! This one’s about the behind the scenes making of the film Some Like it Hot. Join me Sunday at 11am pacific at youtube.com/mattbaume for a livestream and then the premiere of the video.

And I hope you’ll join me for weekly livestreams over on Twitch! Every Sunday afternoon we watch and talk about classic episodes of television, great movies, and occasionally old commercials that have a way of sticking with you. That’s at twitch.tv/mattbaume every Sunday.

And if you haven’t yet, take a look at my new book about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! — available now wherever books are sold. It’s the book that Dan Savage called “a triumph” and said “everyone should read this book.” So you should! Go to gaysitcoms.com to get a copy and request a personalized signature.

You and Your Peacocks are Ridiculous (Ep 430 - Salome/Ben Miller)

My guest this week is Ben Miller, co-author and co-creator of the Bad Gays book and podcast. Ben was headed for a career in international relations until he realized just how out of place he was in that role. It was a lucky encounter with a historical communist leader who helped him course-correct, and now he helps lead the largest queer archive in the world while enjoying his passions for opera and some of the most infamous queer villains in history.

We’ll have that conversation in a minute.

First, a couple quick reminders, starting with a heads-up that I hope you’ll join me for weekly livestreams over on Twitch! Every Sunday afternoon we watch and talk about classic episodes of television, great movies, and occasionally old commercials that have a way of sticking with you. Lately we’ve been doing a watch-along of one of the greatest comedies ever made, Some Like it Hot. The livestreams are every Sunday at noon pacific over at twitch.tv/mattbaume.

And I also have a Some Like it Hot video coming your way soon on my YouTube channel. It’s the behind the scenes story of the making of the film that helped change movies as we know them, including the incredible backstage drama that threatened to destroy some of the lead actors’ lives. That’s coming your way soon at YouTube.com/mattbaume.

And if you haven’t yet, take a look at my new book about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! — available now wherever books are sold. It’s the book that Dan Savage called “a triumph” and said “everyone should read this book.” So you should! Go to gaysitcoms.com to get a copy and request a personalized signature.

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.

Gay Guy Seeking Lesbian to Live a Lie (Ep 429 - Big Valley/John)

My guest this week is John Griffiths, the founder and executive director of GALECA — that’s The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics. From an early age, John loved spending time with TV families, and as an adult he turned that passion into a career, spending time hob-nobbing and covering icons of entertainment. But like those found-families that captured his attention as a kid, he’s also assembled a family of his won — one consisting of hundreds of like-minded queer journalists and cultural critics. 

We’ll have that conversation in a minute. 

First, a couple quick reminders, starting with a heads-up that I hope you’ll joining me for weekly livestreams over on Twitch! Every Sunday afternoon we watch and talk about classic episodes of television, great movies, and occasionally old commercials that have a way of sticking with you. That’s every Sunday at noon over at twitch.tv/mattbaume.

And over on my YouTube channel, I’ve got a video coming your way about the behind the scenes story of the movie Some Like it Hot — including the incredible backstage drama that threatened to tear many of the lead actors apart. That’s coming your way soon at YouTube.com/mattbaume.

And if you haven’t yet, take a look at my new book about the history of queer characters on sitcoms, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! — available now wherever books are sold. It’s the book that Dan Savage called “a triumph” and said “everyone should read this book.” So you should! Go to gaysitcoms.com to get a copy and request a personalized signature.

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.