Feast Of Fun : Gay Talk Show

One of the hardest gigs on reality television is to be the first queen sent home on RuPaul’s Drag Race. For many drag queens, getting on the program is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to show an international audience what they got.[Originally posted as FOF #2307 – Naysha Lopez Won Our Hearts – 03.16.16]Unfortunately, for the gals who go home early, it’s tough because they invest so much into their costumes they never get to show on TV.Today Naysha Lopez, the first gal to go home from Season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race joins us to talk about winning the prestigious Miss Continental 2013, and how it compares with being on Drag Race.NayshaLopez-group-IMG_5929-2Plus– Is there any truth to the urban legend of pageant girls poisoning each other’s makeup? The challenges of being Miss Continental. Who is she rooting to win this season 8?

One of the most influential LGBT documentaries of all time is The Queen, Frank Simon and Flawless Sabrina’s 1968 film that takes the viewer behind the scenes of a tumultuous drag pageant held in New York City two years before the Stonewall riots.The landmark film, which has now been remastered and is available on Netflix, inspired the likes of Paris is Burning, Wigstock, Pose and RuPaul’s Drag Race.[Originally posted as FOF #2824 – Pageant Queen Aurora Sexton Looks at the 1968 Documentary The Queen]Today, Miss Gay U.S. of A pageant winner, Aurora Sexton, joins us to look at drag pageants over the decades and what it takes for a gal to make it big in the pageant circuit.Aurora Sexton painted for the gods.Aurora Sexton snatches the crown.Aurora Sexton as Melania Trump in her solo show “Let Them Eat Cake!”Plus–➤ RuPaul brings queer and drag culture to Saturday Night Live and gives Pete Davison a drag makeover.➤ Aurora’s “LET THEM EAT CAKE! Diary Of A First Lady” A one woman show about the excitement, stress and

With the weekend coming up, we thought today we’d kick back, put a pizza in the oven and take a look at the goodies from the week and all the hot news--➤ A medical miracle: doctors grow a dong on a man’s arm to replace it.➤ Jennifer Hudson wows the internet with her powerful and dizzying musical tribute to the late Civil Rights Leader John Lewis.➤ As if Ellen didn’t have enough troubles, the ratings to her TV show are plummeting.➤ Lilly Wachowski says she likes that "The Matrix" is seen as a trans allegory.➤ Good News- all Chicago Public Schools will go fully remote to start the fall 2020

How you talk and the way you sound matters, like, you know? A whole lot. Really!Our speech patterns, accents and word choices make a strong first impression. It influences the way people think about somebody when they know absolutely nothing about them.If you spend a lot of time around gay men, black women or drag queens, chances are you’ll greet them with a — hey girl!Many young male actors coming to Hollywood, some of them gay, some of them not, secretly hire speech coaches to train their voices to sound more sexual orientation neutral, so they can pass better and take on leading man roles.[Originally posted as FOF #1550 – This is the Voice I Want to Use – 03.26.12]MyIt’s very common for business people from other countries take speech classes to help them communicate more clearly.The way we talk has a lot to do with not just where we come from, but who we surround ourselves with. Are you a fraud then if you change the way you speak?Today we’re joined by speech pathologist and video blogger Jennifer Tarle t

Celebrities have always been welcome in our homes for their ability to entertain and help us escape the troubles of the world.But during the Covid pandemic, there’s a reckoning, and many celebrities that we adored before all hell broke loose are now facing their own crisis over their inability to relate to people and at worse, spreading misinformation that can cost people’s lives.Today we’re taking a look at Ellen, Madonna and RuPaul: three beloved gay icons in crisis.From Ellen saying she’s going to quit her show if people don’t quit saying she’s secretly a meanie, to RuPaul’s mysterious disappearance from social media and even Madonna spreading a quack doctor’s claim that there’s a Covid cure being kept from the public and that demon sperm is out to get you!Plus--➤ The dubious health claims presented whack as fact in Zach Effron’s new Netflix Daddy/Son travel romp “Down to Earth.”➤ Solving the mysterious case of the haunted mirror.➤ Lifetime channel movies go gay and Asian, what’s next, fats and femmes? We

Muscle is the new drag. A lot of folks fell in love with the she larious Varla Jean Merman after seeing her play the ingenue in the iconic camp film Girls will Be Girls. When she made the film, she was already over a decade into the world of drag and ever since, she hasn’t stopped selling out shows across the globe.VARLA JEAN MERMAN: https://www.varlaonline.com/But some things have changed for Varla, for the past several years she’s been hitting the gym hard, and it shows. While riding a New Orleans float at a Provincetown parade she got too hot in the summer sun so she took off her top and showed the world that the beauty is also a beast- a stunning, muscular hairy beast, with a fish tail!Today Varla Jean Merman joins us to talk about how folks have reacted to her rocking bod and how she alters her drag to make room for bodybuilding.Welcome to my wedding. Deven Green officiates Jeffery Roberson and Dewitte Loe’s wedding. Photo: Jeffrey Roberson.Jeffrey Roberson (Varla Jean Merman) out of drag at the gym. Pho

Denise Chanterelle DuBois has lived an outrageous life right out of a TV show like Narcos or Orange is the New Black. A closeted trans woman in the 80s, Denise was a cocaine dealer in Southern California until she got caught with a kilo, went to prison, and then managed to get out after serving only four and a half months.In her new memoir Self-Made Woman, Denise takes us on a roller coaster ride through her adventures as a transgender gal surviving drug addiction, alcoholism, car crashes, risky sex and life behind bars.[Originally posted as FOF #2532 - Fortune's Favorite Daughter - 09.25.17]Listen as Denise Chanterelle DuBois joins us to talk about her life as a cocaine dealer, being a tour guide in Costa Rica and why she handed out donut holes to the public to celebrate a major trans victory.Fausto Fernós, Denise Chanterelle DuBois and Marc Felion. Photo: Fausto Fernós.Featured Book:Denise Chanterelle DuBois - Self-Made Woman: A Memoir: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0299313905/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&c

Celebrities are just like us except when they fall on hard times, they get a boat load of money for endorsing embarrassingly crappy products. From useless fitness gadgets, to psychic phone services, to horrible food, the products that they are now schilling makes their fall from grace even more spectacular.Today comedian Matt Brown joins us to take a look at the most ridiculous celebrity product endorsements ever.[Originally posted as: FOF #2639 – The Most Ridiculous Celebrity Endorsements Ever – 08.02.18]Listen as we take a look at the best and worst celebrity themed restaurants, why everyone was a spokesperson for Pizza Hut and how computer generated graphics forced celebrities to endorse products from beyond the grave.Here’s a celebrity endorsement we love, Lauren Bacall for High Point Coffee. It’s a coffee lover’s dream:Plus–➤ Women who can’t sing who are famous for singing.➤ Amanda Lepore gets photoshopped out of Travis Scott’s album cover.➤ Who the hell is Rula Lenska?

Although we like to think of our LGBT spots as permanent places that will always be there, the reality is that they come and go. Afterall, for much of human history, people were nomads, moving from place to place.Today writer and historian Owen Keehnan joins us to talk about the rainbow magic at the Belmont Rocks, a very public space in the heart of Chicago’s lakefront park where gender and sexual non conformists hung out in the sun to find community and a little bit of love in the early days of the gay rights movement.The Belmont Rocks are not what it used it be but so many people have fond remembrances of the place that Owen has started a community project “A Place for Us: LGBTQ Life at The Belmont Rocks” where people can submit their photos or stories of their time spent at the Rocks.Listen as we talk about why the gay beach isn’t the same thing as the Rocks, the legacy of Chuck Renslow and IML, Jim Flint and the Baton Club and how Chicago became an international city of crossdressers and leathermen.

Gigi Isn’t just good, she’s incredible. For top three RuPaul’s Drag Race queen Gigi Goode, theater and art is a family affair- Her mom inspired her passion for fashion and performance and even her brothers are designers and engineers.After growing up watching RuPaul’s Drag Race on TV as a teen, Gigi Goode’s dreams came true. Not only did she get cast on the show, she got to showcase her talent all the way to the season finale. Then the pandemic hit and instead of a non stop whirlwind tour of drag, Gigi’s at home on the internet like just all other queens shaking their hips, syncing their lips and hustling for tips.But don’t worry, Gigi’s about to drive the crowds wild in Chicago, live, from a sensible distance of course.VOSS EVENTS - DRIVE N' DRAG: https://vossevents.com/drive-n-drag/Togay, Gigi Goode from RuPaul’s Drag Race, Season 12 joins us to talk about Voss Event’s Drive ‘N Drag, her first public performance since the pandemic shut everything down and her season of Drag Race wrapped up.GIGI GOODE: https

For much of history, the rich and powerful avoided the limelight because they knew once everyone knows your name and how rotten you are, the guillotine comes next.But then, something changed- “Keep my name out of your mouth” became “fake it til you make it" and fame and power became the ultimate goal. The rich hired publicists to capitalize on their image and now celebrity culture is another tool to keep terrible people in power.How did we get here?Today, gossip reporter Ben Widdicombe, joins us to talk about how celebrity culture is destroying everything, which he details in his new book: “Gatecrasher: How I Helped the Rich Become Famous and Ruin the World.”Listen as we chat with Ben about how the media machine that gave us Paris Hilton made it possible for Donald Trump to become president, celebrity sex tapes and lunching with gay legend Quentin Crisp.Featured Book:

With the exception of songs like Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” or Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out,” very few pop songs written as a tribute to LGBT folks have ever reached the top of the charts.But that doesn’t mean the songs that weren’t so gay to begin with couldn’t end up being the soundtrack at our favorite bars, drag shows or pride celebrations.[Originally posted as FOF #2468 – Uncovering Gay Anthems – 03.29.17]Today, we take a look at songs that didn’t start out as gay anthems, but somehow the cover versions ultimately became LGBT legendary tracks.Listen as we take a look at: Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love,” Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” Grace Jones’ “La Vie en Rose,” the theme song of the Golden Girls- “Thank You for Being a Friend” and many more.

This weekend, Lady Red Couture, a well known drag entertainer in L.A. and the co-host of the youtube talk show Hey Qween died at the age of 43.Jonny McGovern, who co-hosted the talk show with Lady Red, announced the news on social media saying “It doesn’t feel real but the beautiful light that was Lady Red is gone. I love you baby. I will miss you every day.”[Please enjoy this encore presentation of our podcast with Lady Red recorded on 11.18.15.]Inch for inch, pound for pound Lady Red Couture may well be as she calls herself “the world’s largest drag queen in captivity” but it’s not just because of her size, but because she commands a room and fills our hearts with love.As Jonny McGovern’s sidekick on the fabulous talk show Hey Qween, Lady Red Couture keeps it real by throwing some legendary shade as she munches down on snacks while sitting on her own couch.Today we kiki with Judge Lady Red Couture about crowdfunding her new album “Stunt Qween,” her deep friendship with Jonny McGovern and the challenges she’

The coronavirus pandemic is one of the biggest challenges we’ll face in our lives, the death toll is staggering but it also exposes the racism, police violence and corrupt leadership that America faces.Despite the current horrors, one thing that keeps us going is our relationships with wonderful people like our friend musician Tom Goss.TOM GOSS:http://tomgossmusic.comToday Tom Goss joins us to play songs from his new album, “Territories” including his passionate new single “Regretting.” The music video for “Regretting” stars Mean Girls actor Daniel Franzese. Regretting is Tom and Daniel’s third music video collaboration after “La Bufadora” and “Quebec.”Listen as Tom chats with us about opening up his relationship and how it’s hard to make art during these difficult times.FEATURED MUSIC

The year 2020 has turned the world of drag upside down and round and round. Since most venues have closed, performances have gone online and drag queens are speaking truth to power like never before.With the industry going through some contortions it’s oddly fitting that super elastic Yvie Oddly would be the last drag queen before the ‘Rona Pandemic hit to be crowned America’s Next Drag Superstar.But not even an apocalypse will keep fierce queens down- new forms of entertainment are adapting to entice audiences and Voss Events’ Drive ’N Drag Series is merging the world of drive in movies and drag into an innovative show where you don’t even have to leave your car to take a selfie with a queen.Today the wonderfully weird Yvie Oddly, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11, joins us to talk about doing drag during the times of Rona, the surprising criticism she got from fans and fellow contestants after being crowned and killing it as a lip synch assassin on RuPaul's Drag Race All Star Season 5.Plus--➤ Why did R

[Originally posted as FOF #1409 – We Love Mo’Nique, Jul 7, 2011.]One of the most fabulous Oscar winners in recent years is Mo’Nique– last year she won the Best Supporting Actress award for her stunning portrayal of Mary Jones, the vicious cruel mother in the critically acclaimed film “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.”Her husband and writing partner Sidney Hicks recommended she take the unusual role because he felt that the film would have the power to save lives, but Mo’Nique was stunned when she discovered that playing the horrible character would save her own life.Join us as we talk to the very funny queen of sass, Mo’Nique, about her amazing journey from stand up comedian to Oscar winning actress and what’s happened to her since she won the award.MO'NIQUE: https://moniqueworldwide.com➤ Her devoted fight for Marriage Equality as part of the LGBT community and being a rainbow mom.➤ How Precious director Lee Daniels convinced Mariah Carey not to wear any makeup in the film.➤ Her live concert

[Originally posted as FOF #2780 – The Puerto Rican Bombshell, Barbra Herr, on Sep 17, 2019]Television in Puerto Rico in the 1970s and 80s featured drag front in center with many comedy legends cross-dressing for laughs. During that time, Walter Mercado, the flamboyant psychic astrologer and bombshells like Iris Chacon became household names all over the world.Iris Chacon was the spokesperson for Amelie Coolant in the 80s because the word butt and the word coolant sound the same in Spanish.You know corrupt Gov. Roselló’s gig was up when even politically neutral Walter Mercado asked him to resign. Photo: Walter MercadoOne cabaret sensation who dazzled the airwaves was Barbra Herr, who along with her drag mamita, Pantojas brought lavish performances to life in the best gay and straight nigclubs in San Juan.Today, Puerto Rican bombshell Barbra Herr joins us to talk her amazing career as a drag and cabaret performer, from fighting the AIDS crisis in Puerto Rico to working with the legends in New York City.Plus– Ba

Audiences are raving about Mucho Mucho Amor, the new documentary on the incredible life of Puerto Rican TV astrologer Walter Mercado.The film, titled after Mercado’s catchphrase “lots and lots of love,” gives audienceslots and lots to chew on with an unprecedented look into the private life of Latin America’s most beloved tv personality whose mysterious, gender non-conforming made them a queer icon.Today queer Latinx historian Larry La Fountain joins us to take a look at Mucho Mucho Amor and the life of Walter Mercado the bejeweled gender and sexually ambiguous superstar who meant so much to so many people around the world.LARRY LA FOUNTAIN: https://www.facebook.com/larrylafountainA BETTER HELP:http://www.betterhelp.com/funPlus--➤ #BoycottGoya: why did the CEO of one of the most iconic food brands in the world praise Trump?➤ Chicago’s gay neighborhood of Boystown is looking to reinvent itself.➤ And what wild and fabulous things did the documentary leave on the cutting room floor?

[Originally published #2801, on Nov. 11, 2019.]TV psychic astrologer Walter Mercado captivated generations of people all around the world with his Liberace inspired elaborate fashion and campy astrological readings which were often messages of hope.A household name in Latin America, Walter Mercado just passed away in Puerto Rico at the age of 87.Musician Gloria Estefan called it an end of an era.Despite his flourished demeanor, Walter Mercado never claimed any gender or sexual identity. When asked if he was gay he would respond: “I am not gay, because to be gay I would have to be in love with a man, and I am in love with the entire universe.”Above all, Walter Mercado wanted folks to let go of their inhibitions and to shine as brightly as he did, even urging his followers to approach life with a tantric sensibility so they could “have sex even with a sunset.”Of all his eccentricities, Walter was probably best known for his television sign off where he’d wish his fans: “paz, pero sobretodo mucho mucho (kiss) am

It’s been 25 years since the Showgirls hit movie theaters to a confused and terrified public. Promoted as “All About Eve in a G-String” the movie is a demented rollercoaster ride through the eyes of an ambitious dancer Nomi Malone who screams, slams and screws her way to the top of a Las Vegas showgirl revue- Goddess.Nomi Malone is Goddess.Like Paul Verhoven’s previous film Basic Instinct, Showgirls was supposed to be a star vehicle for Elizabeth Berkley, instead the Saved by the Bell actress spent the rest of her career wrestling with the trauma of being labeled the worst actress in the worst film in Hollywood history.Today documentary filmmaker Jeffrey McHale joins us to take a look at why people still can’t stop talking about Showgirls all these years later. Jeffrey’s feature film debut, You Don’t Nomi, explores the themes of sexual violence, camp and outrageousness in Paul Verhovens films and interviews a wide variety of fans of this cult classic including our dear friend Peaches Christ.YOU DON'T NOMI:htt