Oral Roberts was the first televangelist and one of the most recognizable leaders for religious fundamentalism in the United States. The worldwide audience for his TV show was in the hundreds of millions. His followers claimed he was more famous than the Pope.

As a faith healer, Roberts banned from his church those whom he couldn’t cure, citing lack of faith.

At one point Roberts demanded $8 million to continue his ministry, saying he was going to hang out in his holy tower, a huge cross he had constructed, until he got the money or God was going to bring him home. At the last moment he got paid.

Oral Roberts was the Elvis of television evangelists, turning his religion into a million dollar business for politics and profit.

Randy feels a strong bond with his deceased uncle because they share much of the same experiences- growing up in a evangelical family, getting married and having children at a young age and then coming out as gay later in life.

Listen as Randy takes us inside one of America’s most famous religious families.

What drove his uncle to suicide and what inspires him to write letters in his memory.

Meeting Tammy Faye Bakker for the first time.

Why many gay men in Dallas love First Lady Laura Bush, despite her husband’s anti-gay politics.

And did Oral Roberts ever hear the famous joke about the “two gay guys named Bob?”

If you enjoyed today’s show, please help keep Feast of Fun alive so we can bring more shows for years to come. Donate

[Originally posted on 08.01.11]

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The War on Christmas, an endless battle for the real reason of the holiday season has been fought through the ages and been won time and time again, not by the little baby Jesus, but by Santa Claus.

From Constantine, to Martin Luther, to the present day, religious conservatives have tried to crush gift giving, merriment and inclusive winter celebrations in order to have the holidays be only about their religious beliefs.

But the real miracle of Christmas is that nobody can kill Santa, and not just because he never existed, but because Santa represents a universal need for people to exchange gifts, power and comfort during the difficult winter months.

Ah those kooky Dutch, here's a Christmas tradition of Sinterklaas (Santa Claus) and Zwarte Piet (Black Peter) visiting the townsfolk. Christmas is a scarier holiday than Halloween.

Why didn’t Santa’s monstrous sidekick Krampus catch on in the United States the way it did in Germany and Austria?

Join us as we talk about the devilish Krampus, Black Peter the African slave reinterpreted as a chimney sweep, La Befana the Italian Christmas Witch and many other Yuletide folks you may not be familiar with.

Plus, Santa Claus, polar bears and Coca Cola and why Halloween has a lot more in common with Christmas than you may think.

[Originally posted on 12.05.11]

Featured Music:
The Krampus Song – The Krampus Song: YouTube

For many LGBT folks, coming out is one of the most important things they can do in their lives to be the best person they can be. But sadly, it’s not always so easy or obvious and for some, it could put their lives in danger. And then with social media, some wonder: “should I just get it all over at once and simply post a status update?”

What is the best way to come out?

Today we’re joined by manners and etiquette expert Steven Petrow. In his new book The Complete Guide to Gay & Lesbian Manners, Steven covers all the important milestones on gay life including friendships, sex, dating and tying the knot.

Join us as Steven chats with us about the ins and outs of being out at work, coming out to people you just met, online vs real life flirting and how to find out if coming out is helpful to you at all.

Plus,

Getting rid of that one night stand, or how to get him to come back for more.

Dealing with that moment when you realize the person next to you at a party is the same person you’ve been flirting with online for months.

And couples at social events: how to shine on your own while still being with the one you love.

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Steven Petrow’s Complete Gay & Lesbian Manners: The Definitive Guide to LGBT Life: Amazon

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For his fourth birthday, C.J. got a signed photo from Prince Charming and Cinderella. He was thrilled.

These moms don’t care if their kids are gay, transgendered or just going through a phase, they just want them to grow up in a loving accepting society. So they are blogging about it, and want your support.

Today we’re talking to C.J.’s mom who writes the blog, Raising my Rainbow where she anonymously shares her story about raising her 4 year old son C.J. who love princesses, Barbie dolls, Alice in Wonderland and pretending he’s celebrity home style cook Paula Deen.

Listen as C.J.’s mom shares with us the messages she’s gotten from thousands of people from all around the world for being a mom who supports her kids to be whoever they want to be.

Plus–

Good News Everyone! DOMA, The Defense of Marriage Act or is done! The Obama Administration dropped a bombshell saying it will no longer defend the constitutionality of a federal law banning recognition of same-sex marriage.

Can Lady Gaga and Target avoid a Bad Romance?

The King’s Speech uses the same set as a British gay adult film.

Aretha tells Fantasia to calm down.

and protesters in Wisconsin get an unexpected pizza delivery from supporters in Egpyt.

[Originally posted on 02.24.11]

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NOH8, It Gets Better, Lady Gaga, and even YouTube’s Honey Badger- all started out as small projects that grew into viral phenomena when LGBT folks jumped on the bandwagon. What happens when our favorite outside things become monster ballads of popular culture?

Hipster Kitty only listens to audio blogs, not podcasts.

Matt had a bad attitude however as personal assitant to the stars, and shares a lot of his hilarious edgy ideas on his blog The Unabashed Queer.

Listen to find out why Adam Carolla fired him, how he pissed off Jimmy Kimmel and why Arianna Huffington called him “disgustingly hip.”

Plus-

What happened between Lady Gaga and Weird Al Yankovic? First she reportedly said no to Weird Al’s Born this Way parody and now she’s giving it the green light!

Is Glee is using demonic manipulation to make you gay?

Gay cynicism, our kinship with hipsters and why inside every gay man is a strong black woman struggling with her weight.

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Tom Goss: iTunes

Angela Wells actually made this Feast of Fun Easter egg!

Eggs babs! Believe it or not, the egg you have for breakfast is a symbol that has been used by many different cultures to represent fertility, the return of Spring, and sometimes the whole universe. What if we were all inside an egg inside an egg inside Lady Gaga’s egg-shaped vessel? Think about it people.

Today I learned that Faberge eggs aren't made from real eggs.

Today artist and blogger Angela Wells joins us to crack the case on the origins of egg decorating, strange party games and how the humble egg has inspired everyone from ancient Persians, to chocolatiers to Lady Gaga.

Join us as we scramble up a delicious show, all about eggs!

Plus-

Hunky New Zealand Olympian Blake Skjellerup urges you to wear Pink in support of LGBT youth on Pink Shirt Day, April 14th.

J Crew’s ad showing a mom painting her boy’s toenails pink has conservatives seeing red.

Conde Nast Traveler Magazine suggests Libya as the perfect April getaway.

And whatever happened to the delicious blog “This is Why You’re Fat?”

Featured Music:
Pixikill – Your Highness: iTunes

Many people were surprised when Cher won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her leading role in Moonstruck.

When asked how she had the courage to take so many risky moves in her career, Cher responded: “This ain’t no dress rehearsal,” saying that we only have one life to live, one very short run, and then it’s over — there are no do-overs.

For therapist and blogger Damon L. Jacobs, hearing Cher’s courageous sentiment inspired him to come out of the closet as a teenager.

Today, Damon is using his experience as a therapist to help others embrace aging because the true fountain of youth is the satisfaction and inspiration you get from growing older.

Sadly many people feel that aging is something to be afraid of, and many older folks feel ignored and isolated.

On April 25, Damon turns 40, and he’s dedicating a series of blog entries–”40 Lessons of 40” to celebrate the aging process and forge a new path for anyone who has been told to fear the inevitable.

Join us as we talk about–

How to become strong, sexy and open-minded at any age.

How to find satisfaction in life by giving to others.

The story of the old lady and the black and white cookie.

And how the drama addicted life won’t get you a standing ovation.

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Kids of 88 – Just a Little Bit: iTunes

Today is a big day for L.A. realtor Josh Flagg, co-star of the reality TV show “Million Dollar Listing” he’s coming out with a big secret, can you guess what it is?

Josh Flagg and his partner Colton look so cute and cuddly in their jammies!

His grandma Edith Flag survived the Nazi’s with only $5 in her pocket and made it big by introducing polyester to the United States. Your mom probably wore one of her dresses back in the 1970s and today many of her fabulous creations are found in thrift stores everywhere because of the longevity of polyester.

Join us as we chat with Josh about his new book, the art of selling, how not to come across as despreate and the one thing you can do to help sell your property.

What’s going on with trans entertainer Candice Cayne and her new Mexican restaurant?

His love for bear media tycoon Andy Cohen.

And plastic surgery excess in Hollywood. Why do some people can’t stop when it comes to going under the knife.


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Josh Flagg- Brokering the Dream: Site

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Jeremiah Clark – Just Another Sad Song: iTunes

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For over two decades comedian Bruce Vilanch has written some of the best received Academy Awards shows. Although the writing process starts months in advance he really shines when he’s in the hot seat, coming up with funny things for the hosts to say as the show unfolds live.

This isn't James Franco's first time in drag. He sure makes sucking on his fingers look purty.

Why can’t Cher catch a break?

Listen as Bruce takes us inside the Oscars, his best and worst Oscar memories, and how he still might be able to get James Franco to dress up in drag!

Plus:

James Franco posts his own off-key rendition of Cher’s “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me.”

a bizarre Oscars message from Shirley Phelps, the matriarch of the Wesboro Baptist Church

Is Anne Hathaway chemistry with James Franco just a reprise of her oscar nominated role in Brokeback Mountain?

Why the Golden Globes will never be the Oscars.

And Bruce shares his insights on why, after all these years, people still love the Oscars.

Featured Music:
Kazaky – Love: Youtube

Facebook is killing the internet, or maybe not.

The social network that promised to bring the world together so you could see just how ugly your childhood bullies have become, has grown into a a black hole of internet traffic where nothing escapes except your privacy. Stalkers, identity thieves and your annoying family are all watching your every update as if to say, “That’s a pretty Facebook you got there, be a shame if something happened to it.”

But does it really have to be so threatening? All social networks are just a powerful tool if you learn how to use them wisely. Today, Facebook expert Dave Awl, author of “Facebook Me! A Guide to Socializing, Sharing, and Promoting on Facebook” joins us once again to navigate us through the choppy waters of the world’s largest social network and answers your questions on how to be as nasty as you wanna be but stay out of trouble.

Plus all the hot news:

First Lady Michelle Obama is pissed, but manages to dress fabulously.

Ariana Huffington says there’s nothing to worry about over AOL acquisition of HuffPO, which probably means she’s tottally screwing everybody over.

First Lady Michelle Obama is keeping both of her daughters off of Facebook for good.

And those horny Republicans! New York Representative Chris Lee resigns over shirtless photos he posted of himself flexing his guns in search of sex on Craigslist.

Featured Book:
Dave Awl- Facebook Me! A Guide to Socializing, Sharing, and Promoting on Facebook (2nd Edition): Amazon

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Final Fantasy: An Ocarina Odyssey – The St. Louis Ocarina Trio: iTunes

How many are in your party? For some people monogamy is just right, but for a growing number of people, open relationships is where they find true happiness.

We are raised on fairy tales of a handsome prince rescuing a fair maiden and then they live happily ever after, but how close is this image to real life?

As gay people, we try to reinterpret that image of monogamous marriage in our fight for gay rights and marriage equality. There is even a new study that shows that GLBT youth want to be married and have kids by the age of 30.

How many people are truly satisfied by having one lover for their entire life?

Tristan Taormino, award-winning author, columnist, pornographic film director joins us to talk about her new book “Opening Up: A guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships.”

Tristan studied over a hundred polyamorous people, in a sort of Kinsey Report on non-manogamy. Tristan interviewed in person, over the phone and by email, people who were content and settled, and others who were at a crossroads in their relationships.

She discovered that all the people engaging in this lifestyle “exude an above-average level of sexual and emotional satisfaction -something that in my experience and observation seems to elude a lot of people.”

So how do you convince your wife to have a three way with the nanny, or the pool boy?

Well, it can be a very difficult topic to bring up because relationships are often viewed as sacred and some people are not going to react well to even bringing the topic up. Tristan recommends you start slow and put little feelers out there to see if they are the same wavelength. Of course, you have to make sure the person you are currently involved with has good self esteem otherwise you are in for a lot of trouble and soul searching.

Join us as we chat with Tristan about the tips and tricks on open relationships. We talk about how you design an open relationship, the pitfalls of an nonmonogmay, keeping it fresh five or ten years later and what to do if one person is kinky and they other is not.

There is a lot to take into consideration if you are going to turn your relationship into an open one. For example, what do you do if one person is attracted to it and the other isn’t? Is coming out as polyamorous like coming out of the gay closet? What do you do when someone reacts negatively to your identity? And what about the children, do the kids even care?

Tristan Toarmino is the niece of famous American author Thomas Pynchon, so of course we just have to ask her what he thinks of her work.

Take a dip in our jacuzzi of love- Feast of Fools.

[Originally posted on 06.16.08]

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Josh Kilmer-Purcell was once Aquadesia, a popular drag queen living in New York City. True to her name, she was known for wearing a custom made acrylic bra that held live goldfish.

Josh turned his wild experiences into a book, “I Am Not Myself These Days“- one of the best drag queen memoirs ever.

Since then, he’s traded his goldfish in for herd of goats. Josh and his partner Dr. Brent Ridge from the Martha Stewart TV show bought a rustic farm in upstate New York named Beekman 1802. Life on the farm is now the focus of Josh’s new book, “The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Goat Farmers” and a reality TV show on the Discovery Channel’s Planet Green, “The Fabulous Beekman Boys.”

The TV show, set to premier on June 16th, is a real life green acres gone gay. What happens when a gay urban couple try to earnestly make it as farmers? There’s lots of funny moments and delicious organic homegrown food.

Join us as Josh tells us about his journey going green, his bizarre friendship with Shirley Phelps, the matriarch of America’s best known hate group the Westboro Baptist Church and why Oprah loves to give him full body hugs.

Also, what is the key ingredient that Goat Milk Soap and Crystal Meth share in common? And what’s the difference in milking a cow, a goat and a man?

[Originally posted on 06.08.10]

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Alison Arngrim is loved and feared by people all over the world for playing Nellie Oleson on one the most popular TV shows of all time, Little House on the Prairie.

Although the series mostly focused on Laura Ingalls family’s struggle to make it on a farm in the late 1800s, one of the main reasons the show was so popular was the classic battle between good and evil that took place between the wholesome freckled faced Laura Ingalls and the lying, scheming, manipulative, mean little rich girl with blond locks, Nellie Oleson.

It’s the intense scenes between the two child actresses, real-life best friends, that made the show such intense, campy and fun.

Feast of Fun Winner 2010 Book of the Year

It’s our favorite book of the year, and we think you’ll love it too.

As the daughter of eccentric Hollywood parents, Alison was left on her own and sexually abused by her brother the teen actor Stefan Arngrim.

Alison credits playing a fabulous villain on TV with saving her sanity and eventually coming to terms with her brother’s abuse and family’s neglect. She’s survived it all and has come out with a touching sense of humor and a fabulous outlook on life.

Join us as we talk with the extraordinary Alison Arngrim about: growing up in a crazy Hollywood home, Nellie Oleson as a verb, her father’s job managing Liberace, her parents friendship with the first famous transsexual Christine Jorgenson, and the performance group The Nellie Olesons.

Plus, everything about Little House on the Prairie- the Wheelchair Episode, why they drank so much on the set, and her TV husband Steve Tracy dying from AIDS in the 1980s.

[originally posted on 09.02.10]

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Smart, funny and sassy, Elizabeth Pisani is a superstar in the HIV/AIDS healthcare crisis. As an independent researcher, Elizabeth has interviewed hundreds of sex workers all around the world to figure out how best to fight sexually transmitted diseases.

And she has come up with some surprising results- in Southern Africa, the biggest HIV risk for men is to get married, but in Southeast Asia, the more sex that women have before marriage, the less likely HIV infections will occur overall.

It’s not always obvious how to reduce HIV infections and that’s why Elizabeth fights to make sure that good research gets translated into good government policy.

At the TED “ideas worth spreading” conference, Elizabeth dazzled the audience of influential people working in technology, entertainment and design by bringing up the idea that a great way to develop policy is to look at things from the point of view of people at risk- sex workers, drug users and gay men.

Today Elizabeth joins us to talk about her fabulous book “The Wisdom of Whores: Bureaucrats, Brothels and the Business of AIDS” If you’re interested in sex, drugs and taxes, you owe it to yourself to read her remarkable book.

Listen as Elizabeth answers questions from you on her research, how she builds trust with sex workers, why junkies choose to put themselves at risk and share needles, why banning prostitution can be bad for women and how to navigate your slut phase.

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Kate Bornstein - photo of Kate on the left by Maxwell Ander, Toronto. Montage by Fausto Fernós

Every year in the U.S., thousands of teens commit suicide due to bullying over being perceived as LBGT or as outsiders. The holidays, with all its pressures and unrealistic expectations can leave many with feelings of isolation and despair. What’s the best way to get through it all?

Joining us today is Kate Bornstein, author of the groundbreaking book “Gender Outlaw” as well as “My Gender Workbook” and most recently “Hello Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks and Other Outlaws” which is also available as an iPhone app so you can get the bite sized words of wisdom right when you need it.

Kate’s writing bridges the gap between people from all sexual and gender walks of life, between man and woman, between old and young and between popular culture and academia.

What's a girl trapped in a cybernetic, sentient robot hellbent on destroying humanity supposed to do?

Most recently Kate has gotten into an intense discussion with other bloggers about the controversy over the word “Tranny.” On top of all that, ze (that’s Kate’s preferred pronoun) has also been trying to save the SyFy Network’s canceled TV series “Caprica” which portrays the digital consciousness of a teenage girl trapped in a hulking robotic body living in a world where gay couples are gangsters and religious fundamentalists live in poly-sexual group marriages.

Listen as we talk about the appeal of avatars to trans people, the dangers of wanting to fit in, becoming straight but not heterosexual, how to bring peace and joy into your holiday season and for the rest of your life, and are you a war mongering hater-homo? Take our quiz and find out!

Bonus Question:

Now that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell has been repealed, besides marriage equality, what is the future of the LGBTQ movement? What challenges do we face in the future? What do we need to pay more attention to? Post it in the comments below, the best ones get read on tomorrow’s show.

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Kate Bornstein:
Hello Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks and Other Outlaws
My Gender Workbook
Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us

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Joe Fitrzyk was an ad executive working in Detroit Michigan when he had an epiphany, quit his job and moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dreams of becoming famous by chasing celebrities.

In Hollywood Joe looked for a lot pretty people but found lots of ugly details.

Today writer and pop culture junkie Joe Fitrzyk shares with us his notes of what he hopes to become his tell all book on Hollywood’s underbelly.

Listen as Joe shares with us his secrets on approaching famous people and getting them to pose for a photo with you and dishes the dirt on celebrity bloggers like Perez Hilton and Trent Vanegas from Pink is the New Blog.

Plus-
Is Bradley Manning gay? A photo of the solider who allegedly leaked all the current documents on WikiLeaksby by hiding them on a Lady Gaga CD, is on our site, and boy is he cute! If DADT didn’t exist, would he have felt a disconnect to the military and leaked all those documents?

Too Hot for the Vatican: Shirtless Male Acrobats perform for Pope Benedict.

New study says sleep deprived people are percieved by everyone to look ugly.

And Time Magazine picks Facebook’s co-founder Mark Zuckerberg over Lady Gaga and the WikiLeaks guys as the Thingy of The Year.

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Magicfolk – Shaman Spirit Reindeer of Siberia – Pagan Christmas: Site

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We all know people, who regardless of life’s circumstances, never seem to stop complaining. Well, instead of writing a book about their endless supply of bellyaching, some have turned to putting their grousing into a song for the whole world to hear.

That’s exactly what Finnish-German duo Tellervo Kalleinen and Oliver Kochta-Kalleinen did when they traveled as far away as Chicago to Singapore to organize regional choirs that come together to compile a list of complaints that will later be set to music and sung.

The complaints are mostly mundane and involve the everyday little things that get to you, but in some areas of the world where free speech isn’t the norm, the complaints are more controversial.

The Complaints Choir is like a modern day Martin Luther’s 99 Thesis, but instead of the complaints being nailed to the church door, they’re nailed into your ear.

Chicago blogger Mia Jones answered the call to participate in the Chicago choir where they sang lamentations about the public transportation system, out of town baseball fans and how everyone is a moron. She’s also featured in the documentary that accompanies the CD release of the Complaints Choirs.

Listen as we take a closer look at how to constructively deal with your own unhappiness and what it means to be truly heard.

Bye Liz.

Howard Stern may ditch Sirius in favor of iTunes

Words that will be overused in 2011.

And rest in peace, Elizabeth Edwards- a long time ally of the LGBT community, she posted her final Facebook update and died the next day.

Please vote for Feast of Fun in the 2010 People’s Choice Podcast Awards in the “Best GLBT” category and the top prize of the “People’s Choice.” We can’t win without your help. Thank you!

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Must have something to do with that white dragon.

Pete Subkoviak, health advocate, blogger for Lifelube, and policy coordinator at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago joins us to talk about fighting homophobia, in obvious and not so obvious ways. Next week in Chicago, Lifelube is holding a public discussion on fighting hate and bigotry, and they want to hear your ideas on what works.

Pete also shares with us his own experience in being a trans guy, and how he got the support from his family to transition at the young age of 18.

Plus we take a look at some trans guy myths and legends, like why so many guys choose the name Bastain or Sebastian and what part the film “The Never Ending Story” has in choosing that name.

In the 90s gay men protested by sewing their mouths shut, instead of today where just get to use duct tape.

Republicans completely ignore the bad economy and take us back to the early 90s as they attack the Smithsonian for daring to show art made by radical gay men like- Andy Warhol, Marcel Duchamp and Grant Wood. On World AIDS Day, the museum caves into pressure from religious hate groups by removing a work by late artist David Wojnarowicz that criticizes the church’s inaction in the 80s to help people with AIDS.

Peter Pan and Pirates.

Talk on the taboo word tranny.

Foods that naturally enhance the testosterone in your body.

And a new study finds mercury poisoning makes some birds go gay.

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Cosmo Jarvis – Gay Pirates: ITunes

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Next to the Mona Lisa, American Gothic is one of the most reproduced and parodied paintings of all time.

The dour portrait of a Midwestern farmer holding a pitchfork with a woman in front of an American Gothic style house is highly celebrated for its intensity and by many conservatives as a Nationalist symbol for America and the virtue of marriage.

In 2002 anti-gay groups wanted to tie the popularity of the painting to their efforts against marriage equality by naming the Federal Marriage Amendment “the American Gothic Amendment” even though Grant Wood, the artist who created the work was gay.

Today we’re joined by art historian R. Tripp Evans whose bold new book on the artist- Grant Wood: A Life” chronicles the full rich gay life behind this American painter.

Listen as we talk with R. Tripp Evans about Grant Wood’s journey as an artist, the homoerotic imagery in his work, how his sister erased his gay sexuality after his death, and the homophobic review of Tripp’s book by the New York Times.

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R. Tripp Evans – Grant Wood: A Life: Amazon

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Levi Kreis- Where I Belong: iTunes | Amazon

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Lesbian rumors! Although many lgbt folks know from an early age their affinities for the same sex, some come out late in life not because they were in the closet, but because these feelings rised up late in life.

Today, writer Trish Bendix the managing blog editor for After Ellen joins us to talk about late bloomers, and the book “Dear John, I Love Jane” where her essay on how she suddenly discovered her lesbian love one day.

Plus join us for this all the hot news:

Big announcement on the next season of RuPaul’s Drag Race

Oprah and Gayle toy around with lesbian rumors.

Queen Latifah – It Gets Better, but she’s still not coming out of the closet.

A gay man in Mexico becomes a father, thanks to his mother, who acted as a surrogate to bear his child.

An Oregon Couple gives out condoms on Halloween.

And in a mad world, only a mad woman speaks the truth. Madonna says on Ellen: “We need to pay attention to our own crazy attraction to young gay teen suicides.”

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In 1995, writer Will Clark took his acting career in a new direction by starring in the gay adult leather film “Dr. Goodglove.”

Will Clark in the 1990s. Will says he did it for the sex and it was a huge boost to his self-esteem.

When films were first marketed as condomless or bare-back gay as the key selling point, Will raised concerns whether or not film companies that create bareback films should be eligible for winning awards like the Gay Erotic Video Awards.

Will leveraged his adult film career into blogging on gay sex and politics and he joins us today to share the story of his long, hard slippery road into porn and life as an HIV/AIDS advocate.

Listen as Will talks about the hard times he faced as a teenager growing up in Wisconsin, the debate over the impact of condom-less films has on HIV infections and how gay men’s complex relationship with barriers and condoms fuels the Rubber Fetish which eroticizes tight fitting rubber suits made out of polyvinyl chloride.

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Featured Music:
Justin Utley – Stand For Something: iTunes

Visiting a strip club when you first come out can be a very liberating experience as it validates your desire to look at other men. Craig Seymour was so fascinated by his experience at the strip club that he did his college thesis on the subject of stripping and interviewed many male dancers and their clients. He eventually felt that if he was really going to know what it’s like to be one of them he’ll have to take it all off and work the pole.

The seedy clubs where Craig worked were famous for full-on nude men and he would spend hours working the crowd in his birthday suit to get just the right angle for his thesis. Now that’s research!

Craig put it all in his book “All I Could Bare: My Life in the Strip Clubs of Gay Washington, D.C” and he’s here today to talk about his experiences as a stripper, a professor and journalist.

Listen as Craig chats with us about the escalating costs of higher education, the changing face of LGBT journalism and why digital media is making it harder for conservative closeted politicians to lead double lives.

Plus-

His relationship with the conservative blogger Matt Drudge and why Matt wears those awful hats.

And how Luther Vandross almost came out to Craig during an interview but never quite got there

[Originally posted on 03.11.10]

Craig Seymour – All I Could Bare: My Life in the Strip Clubs of Gay Washington, D.C.: Featured Book:
Amazon

Featured Music:
Tom Goss – Back to Love…: iTunes

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There is no argument that the “It Gets Better” campaign is a runaway success with literally thousands of people coming forward to speak about their experience being abused as teenagers.

From Hillary Clinton to Amanda Lepore, everyone’s creating video testmonals to inspire young people to live the best life possible.

Now we may be drowning in an ocean of “It Gets Better” videos but are we still ignoring the real problem here?

Today Damon L. Jacobs, therapist and author of “Absolutely Shouldless: The Secret to Living the Stress-Free Life You Deserve,” joins us to take a look at other ways we can help prevent teen suicide and make lasting changes in our community.

Plus,

One thing we all can do to eradicate HIV that has nothing to do with condoms.

Five things you might be doing to sabotage your relationships.

Where have all the gay soap stars gone?

And how to survive tragedy and loss.

Featured Book:
Damon L. Jacobs -Absolutely Shouldless: The Secret to Living the Stress-Free Life You Deserve: Amazon

Featured Music:
Oh No! Oh My! – Walk In the Park: iTunes

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Since the dawn of time, gay men have been coming together to help preserve culture and even save humanity itself. Although some politicians and scientists endlessly discuss the possible causes of why some people are gay, they seldom talk about how gay folks benefit society.

Larry-bob Roberts' new book The International Homosexual Conspiracy has a nice sinister ring to it.

On today’s show, we’re joined by writer and zine publisher Larry-bob Roberts, who for over two decades has been boldly creating a cultural ecosystem for alternative gay voices in zines and blogs.

He’s got a fantastic new book- “The International Homosexual Conspiracy,” a collection of rants on a wide range of topics, from getting turned on by your own bully to the mainstreaming of underground culture.

Listen up as we take a look at:

Are you a boring mainstream homo? Take the quiz and find out.

Dan Choi is in the Army now, riches from digging ditches soon to follow.

And how not to be an annoying gay couple.

Featured Book:
Larry-bob Roberts – The International Homosexual Conspiracy: Amazon

Featured Music:
Meet the Griffles – Winsome Griffles: iTunes | Amazon

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I want to suck your… blood. Argggh! When you really think about it, movie monsters, vampires, werewolves and slashers may be killers but they can be pretty darn sexy too. Is our attraction to horror films just a thinly veiled metaphor for our sexuality or is it a coping mechanism for the everyday transgressions we endure from the outside world.

It’s Halloween so it’s time to delve into the world of horror, where it only gets better, if you live.

Today we’re joined by horror film fanatic and writer for Fangoria and Big Gay Horror Fan, Brian Kirst- he’s here to talk about some gay moments from classic horror films you may have have missed.

Listen as we talk about our favorite horror movies and Brian shares with us fantastic stories about some of the amazing actors he’s interviewed over the years.

And you don’t want to miss Brian playing the priest at Lady Gaga’s Funeral at the Haunted Halsted Pub Crawl on Oct 24th.

Plus-

Jimmy McNichol’s bare ass in the gay friendly movie Night Warning.

Actor Stephen Geoffreys from Fright Night who went into gay porn and is now back making horror films.

And the behind the scenes backstabbing, partying, and sleeping around on the set of Friday the 13th, Pt 7, the gayest Friday ever!

Featured Music:
Baby Teeth- Hustle Beach: iTunes | Amazon

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Dan Parent with Archie Comic's First Gay Character Kevin Keller

Archie Comics teen sensation Kevin Keller, the first gay character in the Archie-verse, is a hit with young and old fans alike.

Last April, Archie writer and artist Dan Parent broke the news to us at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo that the beloved comic series would introduce its first openly gay character in the pages of Veronica.

Kevin Keller is not only cute, but also likes to point the obvious things in the Archie-verse. Why doesn't Jughead just tell Ethel he's not interested?

The mysterious “hot new guy” of Riverdale issue was such a success that it quickly sold out and is now making history as the first ever Archie series to get a reprint.

This is refreshing news as the world focuses on the challenging circumstances of today’s queer youth and the recent public incidences of teen suicide.

Today Dan Parent joins us again to break even more exciting news about Kevin Keller: besides appearing in future installments of Veronica, he’s getting his own four part mini-series due out in summer 2011.

Back in the 1960s, Archie had to beat off three men.

Plus, why the characters look the way they do: Kevin Keller’s hotness, Archie’s hash marked hair, Jughead’s needle nose and why Betty and Veronica are, respectively, a blond and brunette.

Featured Music:
Nakia – Water to Wine: iTunes | Amazon

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Much of gay culture, our words and identity come from England in the late 19th century, where a sexual underground flourished in Victorian London and Aestheticism, a gay centered literary movement help pave the way.

At the center of this movement was Oscar Wilde, the Lady Gaga of his day who at the high point of his career sued the Marquess of Queensbury the father of one of his lovers Lord Alfred Douglass because he scribbled on his own calling card that Oscar Wilde was a sodomite.

EXHIBIT A: For Oscar Wilde posing as a Sodomite - Basically Oscar Wilde threw his life away over a Facebook status update.

The Marquess of Queensbury (don’t even go there) wrote it in a bar after we think several pints of beer, which is probably why he misspelled sodomite. It seems everybody in England at the time was a little tipsy. The lawsuit eventually bankrupted Oscar Wilde and forced him to live in poverty his remaining days, exiled to France.

Today, over a hundred and ten years later we’re joined by graphic novelist Jon Macy- he’s got a powerful new graphic novel “Teleny and Camille” an erotic love story between a celebrated musical genius and an aristocratic young man.

Lots of gay kissy kisses in Jon's book.

Based on “Teleny,” the secret round-robin novel written by Oscar Wilde and his anonymous circle of friends, the classic work of erotica is now visually re-interpreted by Macy in all its lush, sexual excess.

Join us as we take a look at the origins of modern gay culture in Victorian England, the origins of one guy one jar, the complicated man that was Oscar Wilde and how to cruise for sex in ye merrie olde England.

Check out today’s sponsors:

Steamworks Gym, Sauna and Baths.
Visit Steamwork’s website and register to get a discount
on your next visit. Enter “Feast of Fun” on the promo
code field to get the special discount.

Featured Book:
Teleny and Camille – Jon Macy: Northwest Press

Featured Music:
Romantica – Oscar Wilde: iTunes

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