A Shimmering on the Horizon with Simon Doonan

WELLLLLL that is a wrap on Homophilia, at least for now. But before we go, we want you to hear this conversation with activist/CEO/Pennsylvania State Rep Brian Sims. We’re all processing the news from this week, and Brian gets real about what’s at stake, what’s ahead, and what we can do. Also: meeting a future husband at the P-Town High Tea, The Repair Shop, what makes us cry, why Sarah McBride gives us hope, coming out to a college football team, and why “teddy bear restorer” is the dream job title. To our listeners: thank you for spending an hour a week with us for the last 7-plus years. It’s been an honor. We love you. 

One of our favorite human beings and most beloved guests Drew Droege takes a break from Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors to talk about working with Luca Guadagnino and Daniel Craig in the upcoming Queer, plus: flake culture in San Diego, important vampires and villains in The Lost Boys, Dark Shadows, and Sleepaway Camp, relating to the Final Girl, our collective lack of interest in the Terrifier franchise, Lady Gaga’s pen, paper, and process, the significance of Desiree Gould, a paranormal experience at Casita del Campo, why Saturday Night is worth seeing, and the long-overdue streaming debut of Kate & Allie. Do not flake: See Drew as Lady Van Helsing and many more demented characters in Dracula at the Old Globe in San Diego: visit theoldglobe.org for tix!

The American, no, GLOBAL treasure joins us from rural Pennsylvania where he is starring as Dr. Frank in The Rocky Horror Show to talk Sunset Blvd., Mamma Mia, the Charli XCX Sweat Tour, the Sympathy is a Knife remix, Halloween Horror Nights done right, kicking Lunesta, getting sober, learning from a throuple, meeting a man on line dance night and marrying him on Star Wars Day, watching Big Brother as an alumnus, and why it’s actually important to call Twitter “X” now. Don’t dream it, be it; see Frankie in Rocky Horror at the Bucks County Playhouse until November 3: https://bcptheater.org/shows/the-rocky-horror-show/. 

Former creative director of Barney’s, Making It judge, and proud High-Low Bitch Simon Doonan stops by to talk about his new book The Camp 100: Glorious Flamboyance from Louis XIV to Lil Nas X. Also: Lord Byron as superfreak, Pete Burns’ memoir Freak Unique, the pop of color Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton brought to the ‘60s, the optimism inherent in glamour, a The Wizard of Oz porta-potty, the legacy of Russ Meyer, Camp vs. campy, a future husband showing up to a first date covered in clay and on rollerblades, and a piece of music-video trivia that will blow your damn mind. 

The best thing about Only Murders In The Building AND YOU CAN QUOTE US ON THAT joins us to talk about an epic Emmys night, the timeless appeal of Madeline Kahn, enduring a cat allergy for love, a big gay road trip revenge tour, the dachshund who made his family complete, the genius of Tanya Donelly, the box office archetype, coming out of the closet and coming out of the closet as the creator of a web show, his breakthrough in Stage Kiss, a chance encounter with Catherine O’Hara, and meeting a future husband on Friendster. 

Hodor himself hops on board to talk about his life as a global DJ, Our Flag Is Death, con life, and the apparent best mother of all time.

The genius comedian celebrates the release of his new stand-up special Path of Most Resistance [OUT NOW] with special memories of Alex Jones and Mike Lindell, Thunderball and Goldfinger, Clue and all its endings, the early influence of Saturday morning cartoons, a ghost experience in a party mansion, and space cigarettes. 

Dancer and choreographer of RuPaul’s Drag Race (and about a hundred music videos whose choreography you know by heart) Jamal Sims joins us from the sweltering Valley in the dead center of a heat wave to talk about the upcoming Emmys, Janet Jackson, Expose and SWV, the dance masterclass scene in Los Angeles, high school football, a big start in the industry via Puttin’ On The Hits, remembering the time he was in Michael Jackson’s Remember The Time video, a pandemic hike that made him say “I’m gonna marry that man,” and the mystical qualities of a borrowed RuPaul suit. 

The man behind Missing Richard Simmons, Surviving Y2K, Running From Cops, and the new Audacy Original podcast Hysterical joins us to talk about the disarming intimacy of The Robin Byrd Show, the comfort of the Ezra Klein and Times Literary Supplement podcasts, the charm of Tim Walz, the inherent danger of new wave as a symbol of gayness, the whimsical intensity of a Richard Simmons exercise class, the real-life horror of mass psychogenic illnesses, the significance of showering go-go boys, the difficulty of coming out while married, and a meet-cute at the Russian and Turkish Baths.

The actor/writer/producer/legend joins us at the height of the DNC to talk about the familiar sensation of hope, the first gentlemanliness of Doug Emhoff, the elusive joy of the hair flick, the various international iterations of The Traitors, the significance of Significant Others, the cast of characters on Chimp Crazy, the genius of his producing partner Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback, Web Therapy, The Opposite of Sex, Scandal, and the importance of pineapple in one’s diet. (It’s not for the reason you’re thinking of. Stop being disgusting.)