Shows
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomITBR Reviews Broadway: Is SMASH a Hit? (featuring Angela Catsaros, Christian Garcia, and Andrew Rimby)Watch this episode ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroomSo, the ITBR finally made it to see SMASH the Hit? Broadway Musical, and we do not hold back with our reviews so buckle up for an energetic and lively conversation that asks did the musical match the energy of the TV show? Spoilers Ahead So Skip and Just Listen to the Episode If You Don't Want to Know Our True Feelings:The positive aspects first...Robyn Hurder is incredibly talented and her charisma, vocal power, and dance moves light up t...
2025-05-121h 09
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomA Marilyn Monroe Musical? Recapping SMASH Episode 1 with Christian GarciaWatch this episode ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom To celebrate the SMASH Broadway musical, I am rereleasing all of our SMASH recap episodes!Christian and Andrew discuss the “Pilot” episode of the NBC show Smash that premiered in 2012. Both Christian and Andrew agree that not many podcasts have covered the hit show Smash and there are even less TV show or movie adaptations that focus on the behind-the-scenes productions of Broadway and how it pushed the envelope in terms of storytelling and controversial topics.Christian and Andrew discuss the...
2025-03-311h 07
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomThe Gay and Lesbian Review: The Pansy Craze, Mark Twain Bottom Shaming, and Sodomy in Louis XIV's Court! Talking to Writers Margaret Vandenburg, William Benemann, and Laurence SenelickWatch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom Presenting the first ever Gay and Lesbian Review magazine podcast discussion! Dr. Andrew Rimby, host of the Ivory Tower Boiler Room, interviews Jan/Feb contributing writers to the "Strange Fruit" magazine issue. Listen to William Benemann talk about Mark Twain engaging in bottom shaming...oh yeah definitely a NSFW topic, Margaret Vandenburg exploring the "pansy craze" of the 1920s, and Laurence Senelick discussing a few of his favorite issues he's written for the magazine.To subscribe to The Gay and Lesbian Re...
2025-03-131h 16
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomDr. Andrew Rimby Reacts to the 77th Annual Tony Awards (the Winners, the Performances, & the Entertainment Factor)Watch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
The curtain has literally just closed on the 77th annual Tony Awards, and if you didn't catch our TikTok Live video last night, then you're in for a special treat. Andrew is here to react to the entire evening from Ariana DeBose's hosting, to the musical performances, the winners, surprise snubs, and so much more. We hope you enjoy this special Broadway podcast episode.
Follow ITBR on IG, @ivorytowerboilerroom,
TikTok, @ivorytowe...
2024-06-1754 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR Rewatches) "Chemistry,” SMASH S1 Ep6 w/ Dr. Andrew Rimby (Hosted by Christian Garcia)Watch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
After a brief intermission, we're back with all new episodes of SMASH and so much has been happening in the SMASH universe. Recently, @smashbway has shared clips teasing the Broadway musical and we have thoughts! Before jumping back into today's SMASH episode, Andrew and Christian look into why so many new Broadway musicals have closed and how Broadway can provide more affordable ways for people who feel priced out.
Episode six provides so much food...
2024-06-0759 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomReacting to the "Wicked" Movie TrailerAfter having just seen the "Wicked" musical at the Gershwin Theater and having interviewed Gregory Maguire twice on this podcast, you know we have so many thoughts about the recent "Wicked" movie trailer. Join Dr. Andrew Rimby and Christian Garcia as they give their thoughts and opinions on the upcoming "Wicked" movie.
Follow ITBR on IG, @ivorytowerboilerroom,
TikTok, @ivorytowerboilerroom, and
X, @IvoryBoilerRoom!
Follow That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema on IG, @thatolgayclassiccinema
Listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/that-ol-gay-classic-cinema/id1652125150
Thanks to the ITBR team! Dr. Andrew Rimby (Host and Director), Mary DiPipi (Chief Contributor), and Christian Garcia (Social Media Intern)
2024-05-2031 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomTrue Crime in Academia Episode 93: The Murder of Andrew BoldtWant to listen to this episode AD FREE? Go to patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom to become a subscriber today!
Hey, true crime friends! This week we are discussing the horrific, cold-blooded murder of Perdue University electrical engineering student, Andrew Boldt. On January 21, 2014, while Andrew was working as a TA, another student burst into the classroom and brutally took Andrew’s life.
In the News Update, a pedo priest goes to jail, a nurse from PA pleads guilty to having killed multiple patients under her care, and Harmony Montgomery’s father is finally sentenced for her murder.
2024-05-1238 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR & TCIA Present) Listen to the Survivors! Reacting to "Quiet on Set"Watch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
CW: Intense discussions of s*xual ab*se and grooming
Dr. Andrew Rimby & Mary DiPipi are joined with Christian Garcia (host of That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema) to dissect, analyze, and unpack the powerful docuseries "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV." Why were so many complicit in both Dan Schneider and these s*xual predators ab*sive and exploitative behavior? Drake Bell, Alexa Nikolas, and so many others who were interviewed for this series ar...
2024-04-151h 01
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR Rewatches) "Queens of the Road," Queer as Folk, S1E10 w/ Triston PullenWatch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Triston P. Pullen wastes no time to recap "Queens of the Road" with Dr. Andrew Rimby and looks back to why his family let him watch "The L Word" but refused to let him watch "Queer as Folk"? They dissect Michael's move-in storyline and ask when is the right time for queer men to move-in with each other? And why does an older gay couple nostalgically remember getting BL*WJ0BS during World War 2...what does that say a...
2024-04-051h 14
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR Book Club) Leah Remini's "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology"Watch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
On March 3rd, we discussed Leah Remini's "Troublemaker" with our virtual book club members including Dr. Andrew Rimby, Mary DiPipi, Rebecca, and Andrew's parents. This is the first time we recorded our book club discussion so you can all get a peek behind the curtain. Next month we'll be discussing Gregory Maguire's "Wicked" on April 7th at 4pm.
Sign up for our virtual book club here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf9E4vi6Noy4yPc9u...
2024-03-2139 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomRoses Are Red, Blood is Too, Here's a Gothic Valentine's Gift For You...Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" w/ Dr. Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock & James YearyWatch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
While Halloween season may be behind us, here's a special Valentine's week treat for you...a gothic Valentine. Dr. Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock, an American gothic literature scholar, and James Yeary, a thriller and horror writer, enter the House of Usher with Dr. Andrew Rimby. All three are obsessed with Poe's gothic writing so they discuss whether Mike Flanagan's series does a good job reinventing Poe's tales? Then, Jeffrey provides a historical lesson about gothi...
2024-02-161h 26
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR Rewatches) "Daddy Dearest (Sonny Boy)," Queer as Folk, S1E9 w/ TQ SimsWatch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
TQ Sims, an author who loves to center Queer characters in supernormal situations, joins Dr. Andrew Rimby in the ITBR to talk all about Season 1, Ep. 9 of QAF and their new queer book "Godspeed Lovers." When an episode of QAF begins with a vigorous J*RK OFF and CYBER S*X fantasy sequence, you know this is going to be quite a conversation!
TQ opens up about his complicated relationship wi...
2024-02-071h 08
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR Book Club) Our Honest Thoughts on Britney Spears' "The Woman in Me" w/ Brooke Walsh & Christian GarciaWatch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
What did you honestly think about Britney's "The Woman in Me"? Join Dr. Andrew Rimby, Brooke Walsh, and Christian Garcia as they give their honest review of Britney's memoir. Then, listen to our Patreon book club members rate her book!
A few topics that Andrew, Brooke, and Christian get into include her memoir compared to the Hulu documentary, Britney's mental health and her traumatic childhood, and the nuances of her conservatorship. Is Britney a...
2024-01-301h 26
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomITBR's 2023: A Year in Review (Recapping Our 2023 Eps)Welcome to a very special end of 2023 ITBR episode as we ring in 2024 with you all! Dr. Andrew Rimby (host/director of ITBR) is joined with Mary DiPipi (host of True Crime in Academia) to recap all...yes all...of their 2023 episodes. Get a pen and pencil, or your phone will suffice, to jot down which eps you need to listen to. And there are many arts and culture (books, movies, and TV shows) recommendations so you'll be busy in the new year!
We'll be back with new ITBR and TCIA episodes starting on January 8th so...
2023-12-301h 09
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomWhat Does a Gender and Sexuality Philosopher Study? Dr. Shannon Dea Goes "Beyond the Binary: Thinking about Sex and Gender"Watch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Dr. Shannon Dea, a Professor of Philosophy at University of Waterloo, enters the ITBR to discuss her new book "Beyond the Binary: Thinking about Sex and Gender" which focuses on questions about Gender and Sexuality and attempts to lessen misconceptions about trans, indigenous, racialized and subaltern communities. Shannon and Andrew discuss a growing cosmopolitan community in urban areas as new groups of people come together to form larger more diverse communities. Shannon and Andrew also discuss self-censoring in academia and...
2023-11-201h 22
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR Rewatches) "Enter Mr. DiMaggio," SMASH S1 Ep3 w/ Dr. Andrew Rimby & Mary DiPipi (Hosted by Christian Garcia)Watch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon for only $10 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Welcome to the "Enter Mr. DiMaggio" episode of ITBR Rewatches the iconic "Smash" 2012 American TV show! Hosted by Christian Garcia (Host of That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema)
Christian brings attention to the luscious scenery surrounding the Broadway theater and how the city itself is portrayed as a secondary character.
Andrew and Mary discuss Tom’s shortsightedness in saying Marilyn Monroe’s life story would not be as interesting without the inclusion of Arthur Miller and JFK...
2023-11-151h 24
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR Teaches) BravoCon, Reality Reckoning, and the Real Housewives Franchise w/ Randomly Ronnie Jr.Watch/Listen ad-free to our Real Housewives discussion for only $10 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Podcast host and producer, Ronnie Jr., enters the ITBR to discuss up to date unfiltered gossip on everything Real Housewives related on this special episode of ITBR Teaches.
Ronnie and Andrew discuss Andy Cohen's management decisions like: why doesn’t he take more risks and create meaningful talk show moments instead of focusing on clickbait and drama?
Andrew discusses the difficulty of having current Bravo stars on the podcast like Lisa Barlow and the issue with upholding contracts and facing consequences...
2023-11-1156 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomFollowing Your Creative Path and Becoming an Entrepreneur w/ Dr. Anne Sophie Andersen (Co-Artistic Director of New Music for Strings)Watch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Violinist-composer, Dr. Anne Sophie Andersen, enters the ITBR to discuss her take on being an entrepreneur of the New Music for Strings classical music festival and the pros and cons of following your creative career path.
Andrew opens up about his fear and excitement about being an entrepreneur on the ITBR. Andrew and Anne discuss the challenges with developing partnerships in their businesses. Anne talks about the importance of enjoying your passion and developing “pleasure and pride” in yo...
2023-11-061h 14
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR Teaches) Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and Orange County Tea & Gossip w/ Lenzi (The Housewife Historian)Watch/Listen ad-free to our Real Housewives discussion for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
For part two of this Real Housewives conversation, Andrew, Mary and Lenzi share their thoughts on Mary Cosby’s mental health and whether Bravo is exploiting her health for ratings! Andrew and Mary roleplay as Brooks and Meredith and talk about all of the RUMORS and NASTINESS going on in Salt Lake City. Why does Andrew thinks the RHOSLC are just like an SNL cast? Andrew, Mary, and Lenzi discuss Angie Harrington and how her role was too “clean cut” for the producers...
2023-11-041h 06
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR Rewatches) "The Callback," SMASH S1 Ep2 w/ Dr. Andrew Rimby (Hosted by Christian Garcia)Watch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon for only $10 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Welcome to "The Callback" episode of ITBR Rewatches the iconic "Smash" 2012 American TV show! Hosted by Christian Garcia (Host of That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema)
Christian and Andrew discuss the similarities between the drama that both Karen and Ivy face in the show as compared to Marilyn Monroe’s real-life drama like the sacrifices she made for her work and battling off sexual advances from men in the Hollywood industry.
Andrew also reads from Marilyn Monroe’s...
2023-11-021h 18
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(Gay Culture Corner) Vampires and Witches in New Orleans (AHS: Coven and Interview with the Vampire) w/ Joseph FedericoWatch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Social Media Marketing Maven, Celebrity/Content Liaison and founder of Anchors to Dusk Publishing, Joseph A. Federico, enters the ITBR to discuss queer elements in the third season of the American horror anthology television series “American Horror Story: Coven," and the drama series “Interview with the Vampire” based on the novel series “The Vampire Chronicles” by Anne Rice.
Joseph and Andrew discuss the significance of the Coven House located in the Garden District of New Orleans, Louisiana which attracts many h...
2023-10-311h 34
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR Teaches) Meeting the Real Housewives of New Jersey & Analyzing The New Cast of RHONY, Bethenny Frankel, and Kyle Richards w/ Lenzi (The Housewife Historian)Watch/Listen to the rest of our Real Housewives discussion on Patreon for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Lenzi, the Housewife Historian enters the ITBR to discuss personal experiences with the Housewives cast, including a few from New Jersey who have doxed her. Lenzi and Andrew discuss their recent experience meeting Teresa Giudice and Jackie Goldschneider at live events, and Lenzi reveals the tea about what she witnessed at the Namaste B*tches Live Podcast with Teresa and Melissa Pfeister! Lenzi, Andrew and Mary discuss their honest thoughts about the new cast of RHONY, and they all ob...
2023-10-281h 10
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR Teaches) "What's Your Favorite Scary Movie"? Horror Meets Satire in SCREAM w/ Lorentz and Mary DiPipiWatch/Listen to the rest of our SCREAM discussion on Patreon for only $10 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Andrew is joined with his college friend Lorentz and host of True Crime in Academia Mary DiPipi to watch and teach all about the 1996 horror/slasher film “Scream” directed by Wes Craven.
Andrew and his guests discuss Drew Barrymore’s role in the movie and how she had scheduling conflicts during the shooting. They also discuss possible queer undertones in the script as well as the possibility of a new installment directed by a gay man.
Andrew a...
2023-10-211h 29
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR Rewatches) "Pilot," SMASH S1 Ep1 w/ Dr. Andrew Rimby (Hosted by Christian Garcia)Watch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon for only $10 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Welcome to the premiere episode of ITBR Rewatches the iconic "Smash" 2012 American TV show! Hosted by Christian Garcia (Host of That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema)
Christian Garcia is joined by Dr. Andrew Rimby to discuss the “Pilot” episode of the NBC show “Smash” that premiered in 2012. Both Christian and Andrew agree that not many podcasts have covered the hit show “Smash” and there are even less TV show or movie adaptations that focus on the behind-the-scenes pro...
2023-10-181h 13
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomAre You the Gay Best Friend? The Phenomenon of the GBF in Pop Culture w/ Nicolas DiDomizioWatch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Nicolas DiDomizio, author of "Burn It All Down," returns to the ITBR to discuss his new novel "The Gay Best Friend" which is a wedding comedy told entirely from the POV of the gay best man.
Nicolas shares with Andrew his inspiration for writing about the topic of the Gay Best Friend (GBF) trope and says, “it was interesting noticing who expected me to be loyal” in terms of girl best friends vs. guy best friends. Andrew also asks...
2023-10-141h 30
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR Teaches) Welcome to Spooky Season! A Haunting in Venice and The Haunted Mansion w/ Kathy Rimby (Andrew’s Mom)Watch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon for only $10 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Join us in welcoming Kathy Rimby (Andrew's Mom) onto this special spooky season episode of ITBR Teaches where Andrew and Kathy discuss their likes and dislikes about two recent film releases: A Haunting in Venice and The Haunted Mansion. Listen with us as we discuss Tina Fey’s role in A Haunting in Venice. Did you enjoy her performance? or would you agree with Andrew that “maybe we needed more drama from her at the beginning”? Do you remember feeling...
2023-10-0457 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(ITBR Rewatches) "Premiere," Queer as Folk, S1 Ep1 w/ Christian Garcia (Hosted by Dr. Andrew Rimby)Watch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon for only $10 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Welcome to the premiere episode of ITBR Rewatches the iconic "Queer as Folk" 2000 American TV show!
Andrew is joined with friend of the show Christian Garcia, who hosts the "That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema" podcast, and right away they question one of the iconic lines from the premiere episode of QAF: Do gay men think about sex every nine seconds? We're introduced to what will become one of the rockiest, heartwarming, and transformative relationships in TV history...
2023-09-271h 22
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema) Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo w/ Christian Garcia, Andrew Rimby, Mary DiPipi, & Travis RountreeA special podcast episode from our friend Christian Garcia's podcast, That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/that-ol-gay-classic-cinema/id1652125150
Welcome back to That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema, I am joined by "Ivory Tower Boiler Room's" host, Andrew Rimby, "True Crime in Academia" host, Mary DiPipi & Travis Rountree as we discuss Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo. Travel with us as we discuss the homo eroticism within this film masterpiece. See how we break apart the stereotype of a women's role in the late 1950s and how Judy & Madeline fight for the love of a man whose only fear...
2023-09-2327 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomCracking the Closet on Male-Male Love in Ancient Greek Society with Dr. Andrew Lear (Classics scholar and founder of Oscar Wilde Tours)Watch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Dr. Andrew Lear, who holds a Ph.D. in Classics from UCLA, enters the ITBR to discuss his work on male-male love in ancient Greek society. First, he explores the state of Classics departments in American universities and why ancient Greek culture/history is such a captivating subject to both students and the public. Then, he digs into the historical record of ancient Greek sexual relations between men and how this system of ancient Greek pederastia inspired futu...
2023-09-201h 13
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomA Queer Male Gaze...Does It Exist? Hunks, Heartthrobs, and Desiring Men with Manuel BetancourtWatch/Listen to this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Manuel Betancourt, a Los Angeles-based queer Colombian writer and film critic joins Andrew in the ITBR to talk all things Hunks Heartthrobs and Desiring Men! Andrew asks Manuel why he decided to write "The Male Gazed: On Hunks, Heartthrobs, and What Pop Culture Taught Me About (Desiring) Men" which
is a memoir-in-essays that is both a coming of age and coming out journey. Manuel reveals that while some were enjoying Mario Lopez's performance in "Saved by the Bell," he...
2023-09-161h 22
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomDr. Andrew Rimby's Hot Boy Summer (Part 1: ITBR's Steamiest Summer 2023 Eps)Watch/Listen to Part Two by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Welcome to a very special unfiltered conversation with Dr. Andrew Rimby! Andrew is ready to recap ITBR's empowering steamy summer episodes so get your pen and paper ready to take notes. Andrew reveals how interviewing guests who work on gender, sexuality, and/or erotic studies helped him become more authentic and unapologetically gay this summer, especially as he finished quite a homoerotic dissertation! He opens up about wanting to start dating again, whether he could be in an open relationship, and how straight friends of his...
2023-09-0759 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(Gay Culture Corner) Joseph Federico and Andrew Discuss Their Coming Out Journey, Relationships, and TV/LiteratureWatch this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Cafe for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Joseph Federico (the Social Media Marketing Maven) joins Andrew for the first ever Gay Culture Corner! First, Andrew and Joseph bond over their New Jersey upbringing, their coming out journeys, and the trials and tribulations of gay dating and friendships. Joseph opens up about why Gothic TV and Literature resonates so deeply with the gay community and why he loves writing gothic fiction! Get ready for Joseph to come back during the Halloween season and be sure to watch the n...
2023-08-231h 11
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomDr. Andrew Rimby Gets Vulnerable...What Happens After You Get a PhD?Watch this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Cafe for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
The time has come for me, Dr. Andrew Rimby to open up and get vulnerable on this podcast. I rarely, if ever, have recorded a solo episode, let alone one that reveals that I'm scared and don't know what my future holds. However, I have so many cheering me on, including all of you who listen to the Ivory Tower Boiler Room, that I thought I should get vulnerable and open up about what happens after you receive a PhD. What...
2023-08-1632 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomDr. Tim Dean Revisits His 2009 Book "Unlimited Intimacy: Reflections on the subculture of Barebacking" (Part 1)Watch this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Cafe for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
(Content Warning) There will be a lot of discussion about gay sex and pornography...you've been warned!
Andrew first saw Tim Dean's name when he was an undergrad at Kean University and encountered a book called "Unlimited Intimacy: Reflections on the Subculture of Barebacking." That was 10 years ago and now Andrew is virtually sitting down with Dr. Tim Dean to revisit his iconic book on gay men engaging in condomless sex and representations of it in gay pornogr...
2023-08-141h 09
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(Bonus Ep) Andrew Gets His Astrological Birth/Natal Chart ReadWatch Andrew's birth chart reading for FREE on our Patreon!
patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Welcome to a special episode where Andrew is joined with his good friend Sarah. Sarah is an astrologer who asked Andrew if he wanted to have his birth chart read and Andrew said yes! The following helps you understand what happens when an astrologer sits down with you and reads your birth chart. Thanks to Sarah for allowing us to share this with all of you.
Be sure to follow Sarah on Instagram @northnode.alignment and if you want to book your o...
2023-08-121h 37
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomWhat Happened to 70s Gay Male Erotic Liberation? The Nostalgia of the Golden Age of Gay Pornography with Dr. Thomas WaughWatch this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Cafe for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
(Content Warning) Dr. Thomas Waugh and Dr. Andrew Rimby talk extensively about vintage gay porn and all things gay male erotic studies...you have been warned!
This is truly a full circle moment since Andrew first learned about Dr. Waugh's iconic gay male erotic academic writing when Andrew was working on his dissertation. Andrew turned to Thomas' 1996 book "Hard to Imagine: Gay Male Eroticism in Photography and Film From Their Beginnings to Stonewall" (published by Columbia University...
2023-08-071h 15
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"What does sport mean?" Philosophizing about the Aesthetics of Athleticism and Sport with Dr. Jason Holt -Part 1Watch this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Cafe for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Our first official philosopher, Dr. Jason Holt, joins Andrew to discuss what it means to philosophize about all things sporting and athletic culture! He quickly answers Andrew's burning questions about the origin of the gymnasium...you will be surprised about the meaning of this word...and they journey back to ancient Greece. Then, he explains how a philosopher of sport, like himself, is interested in ethical and moral questions about performance enhancing drugs. What does Jason think about fit...
2023-07-3152 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomEnter the Male Homosexual: Discussing Victorian Sexology with Tom Crewe (John Addington Symonds, Henry Havelock Ellis, and Their Wives) -Part 2Watch this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Cafe for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Part 2 of Andrew's chat with Tom Crewe continues! Tom left us on the edge of our seats when he discussed why water is such a male homoerotic symbol in literature. He begins here and then jumps right into the nuances of John Addington Symonds' marriage to a woman while having sexual affairs with men. Andrew asks Tom what happened when Symonds and Ellis theorized what it meant to be a "male homosexual"? Was anything lost because men who sex...
2023-07-2941 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomDr. Andrew Rimby's Dissertation, "The Pool of Narcissus: Walt Whitman's Homoerotic Poetics"You can watch my presentation for FREE on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47SeHV2zouw&t=2s
Thanks so much to an amazing dissertation committee! Drs. Susan Scheckel, Michael Tondre, Victoria Hesford, Karen Karbiener, and Nikos Panou! And yes, I officially became Dr. Andrew Rimby.
Here's a description of my project:
The deployment of the myth of Narcissus in mid- to late nineteenth century American literature allows for a homoerotic imaginary to be built around romantic and sexual relations between men at a time when homosexuality had not yet been...
2023-07-171h 05
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomFeminism in the 21st Century with Dr. Alex KetchumWatch this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Cafe for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Dr. Alex Ketchum, a Faculty Lecturer of the Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies of McGill University, joins Andrew in the ITBR! Get ready to enter Dr. Ketchum's feminist classroom where you'll learn all of the different critiques in feminist studies including the feminist theories and the waves of feminism. Alex and Andrew discuss what feminist thought looks like in 2023, and why the mainstream media looks towards celebrities, like Paris Hilton, Lizzo, Jane Fonda, Glo...
2023-06-101h 04
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomCelebrating Andrew's "Walt Whitman and Queer Theory" with Jack Parlett!Watch this and all episodes ad free by joining the ITBR Cafe for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
This is a special celebratory episode since I, Andrew Rimby, am pulling back the literary curtain and discussing my recent publication, "Walt Whitman and Queer Theory" (published by Gale Literature Criticism). This article teases my dissertation...more on that in a future episode...and I want to thank Hollis Beach, my editor (Senior Editor at Layman Poupard)!
I'm joined with a special ITBR guest co-host who I called my "queer male spirit animal," Dr. Jack Parlett! We...
2023-05-2952 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room“There’s so Much More to Estée Than Meets the Eye,” the Face Behind the Estée Lauder Bottle with Renée Rosen (author of “Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl”)Renée Rosen, a bestselling Chicago-based author, joins Andrew for a chat in the ITBR to talk about her new historical novel, “Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl,” that’s all about Estée Lauder! She is the USA Today bestselling author of “The Social Graces,” “Park Avenue Summer,” “Windy City Blues,” “White Collar Girl,” “What the Lady Wants,” “Dollface: A Novel of the Roaring Twenties,” and “Every Crooked Pot.” She is working on a historical novel about Ruth Handler, the inventor of the Barbie doll that arrived in toy stores for the first time in 1959.
Renée talks all about her writing process. She is...
2023-05-0848 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room“Being On the Fringe of American Culture as a Queer Person,” Dr. Eric Solomon and Martin Padgett Discuss LGBTQ+ Life in the SouthAndrew reunites with fellow queer male intellects Marty Padgett and Dr. Eric Solomon after having met them at the Queer History Conference in San Francisco! They discuss Marty and Eric’s lives living in the South as members of the LGBTQ+ community and how that has affected them. Marty discusses his childhood, where he lived across tobacco farms, and coming from a very Southern family. Eric grew up in Mississippi and discusses the pressure of playing football to fit the narrative of “what it is all men do.”
Marty has an MFA from the University of Georgia’s Grady C...
2023-04-241h 16
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Glitter and Be Gay," the Story of Hollywood Legend Madeline Kahn (William V. Madison, author and producer, talks about his biography "Madeline Kahn: Being the Music, A Life")William V. Madison, author of “Madeline Kahn: Being the Music, A Life”, reunites with Andrew, in the ITBR, after Andrew’s 30th birthday bash on Fire Island to share how his life led to writing Madeline Kahn‘s only biography. William is a former producer for CBS News and a former associate editor of Opera News. He was the lone production assistant for the Broadway musical “Rags” in 1986, and he studied at both Brown University and Columbia’s School of Creative Writing.
Though William never got to meet Madeline, he was able to gather anecdotes of her life through fri...
2023-04-2255 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Nobody Represents Anybody," Dr. Ramzi Fawaz's Uncensored Queer and Feminist Theoretical Opinions (Queer Forms, LGBTQ+ Pop Culture, & Academia's Digital Wave)Listen to the rest of the episode by joining the ITBR Cafe for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Today we have the pleasure of hosting Dr. Ramzi Fawaz, a queer scholar with a PhD in American Studies, and a professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ramzi joins Andrew in the ITBR to cover many thought-provoking topics that are discussed in Ramzi’s book “Queer Forms” such as pop culture, academia, activism, and identity.
Ramzi recalls his time as an undergraduate at UC Berkeley and his PhD experience at George Washington University, mentioning the Que...
2023-04-171h 08
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomDr. Marc Stein’s Climb to Queer Public History: From the 90s Queer Study Explosion to Taking Risks in LGBTQ+ Scholarly WorkToday, Dr. Marc Stein and Andrew reunite in the ITBR after having first met each other at the Queer History Conference in San Francisco! Marc specializes in LGBTQ+ public history in both his teaching and scholarship. He is a professor at San Francisco State University, the director of OutHistory, and is a co-curator, along with Lisa Arellano, of Queer Pasts. Marc has published widely in the field of LGBTQ+ history and his most recent book is “Queer Public History: Essays on Scholarly Activism.”
Marc recalls the time when he started to explore LGBTQ+ history. He describes queer comm...
2023-04-101h 10
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"My Poetry Comes From a Place Where I Feel," Queer Male Authenticity in Poetry and Theater with Jarrett J. DeStouetHappy National Poetry Month, ITBR listeners! To celebrate, we have special guest Jarrett J. DeStouet, a queer poet, actor, playwright, and professional massage therapist. Jarrett and Andrew reminisce about their theater days performing in the musical “Godspell” together. Jarrett also talks about his experiences as a writer. He shares a sneak peak of his upcoming satirical comedy, “Jemima’s Monologues.”
Jarrett reveals his process of writing poetry, and how it “comes from a place where he feels.” He mentions how his poetry often expresses the experiences of himself and others, so he makes sure to respectfully reflect them in his wri...
2023-04-0853 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Liberation is Not Something That's Completed, It's an Ongoing Project," Matt Baume on the Importance of LGBTQ+ TV, Film, and Pop CultureMatt Baume, a Seattle-based writer, podcaster, and video-maker joins Andrew in the ITBR. Matt gears his content towards LGBTQ+ culture, geeks, and all things strange and wonderful! Matt is the creative genius behind the podcast The Sewers of Paris and his over 220,000 subscriber YouTube channel! Matt was nominated for the GLAAD award for journalism and recognized by the New York Times as “thoughtful and thorough… informative and funny.”
Matt reveals the inspiration for his 2015 book, “Defining Marriage: Voices from a Forty-Year Label of Love.” Before marriage equality was enacted, Matt heard a plethora of stories from couples hoping for...
2023-04-0349 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room“I Will Harness Love,” An America 2.0 and a Progressive Vision with Marianne Williamson (2024 Presidential Candidate, political activist, spiritual leader, and best-selling author)Marianne Williamson, a Democratic presidential candidate for the 2024 election, joins Andrew in the Ivory Tower Boiler Room. Marianne is a political activist, spiritual leader, and best-selling author. In total, she has published 15 books, 4 are #1 NY Times best sellers. In 1989, she founded Project Angel Food, a nonprofit organization that aims to deliver nourishing meals to those with serious illnesses who are home-bound. In 2004, she co-founded The Peace Alliance, a nonprofit organization that pushes for a U.S. Department of Peace.
Marianne and Andrew discuss the current political and social climate of the United States, particularly the anti-LGBTQ+ policies t...
2023-03-271h 05
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Theater Shakes Us Up So We Can Go to a New Place Together," Karin Coonrod, a galvanic theatrical force, Discusses The Dynamism of the TheaterThe “prodigiously inventive” and “galvanic” Karin Coonrod (as noted by the NY Times) joins Andrew in the ITBR to kick off the Spring 2023 season! Karin is a theater director that teaches at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. She has an academic background in English at Gordon College and Theater Directing at Columbia University. Additionally, she has founded not one, but two theater companies: Arden Party (1987-1997) and Compagnia de’ Colombari (2004-present). Karin’s show-stopping experience in theater grants us a chance to learn about her process of a play’s production and how the ancient Greek god Dionysus in...
2023-03-201h 07
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Same-Sex Behavior Has Been Around Forever," Dr. Vernon Rosario Discusses the Medicalization of Sexuality and LGBTQ+ PsychiatryTo end our Winter 23 season, we’re so happy to welcome Dr. Vernon Rosario who has written extensively for The Gay and Lesbian Review! Rosario is a historian of science and Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA and joins Andrew to talk about the intersection between the LGBTQ+ community and psychiatry. Vernon and Andrew mention an array of historical figures such as Foucault, Freud, and Kinsey in their discussion. Is Freud still relevant among psychiatrists today?
Vernon dives into the climate of queer studies in the 90s– which was newly deve...
2023-03-131h 03
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"These Bad Gays Are Trying to Murder Me," Ben Miller Exposes the "Bad Gays" Throughout HistoryJoin The Ivory Tower Boiler Room Cafe, $5 a month, to watch the video interviews and listen to bonus episodes: patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Andrew continues his San Francisco Queer History conference episodes with Ben Miller, a writer, podcaster, and academic, who has made a splash with his new book, co-written with Huw Lemmey, "Bad Gays: A Homosexual History." Ben begins by explaining the origin story for how the "Bad Gays" podcast was created, and how he and Huw met. Andrew asks why the word choice "Bad" instead of say "Evil" was chosen? Don't worry, Ben has an answer.
2023-03-061h 06
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Angela Bassett Did The Thing," Andrew and Mary's Winter 23 Arts and Culture Recap (Prince Harry, Pamela Anderson, the Golden Globes, and Their Oscar Predictions)Today, the ITBR gets sprinkled with sugar and spice– a diverse, opinionated commentary on arts and culture for Winter 2023. Join Andrew and Mary as they recap recent buzz in arts and culture including Prince Harry, Pamela Anderson, the Golden Globes, and the Oscars. Andrew and Mary dive deep into films such as "Avatar: The Way of Water"… Um, James Cameron, where is our "Titanic 2"?
Andrew and Mary have another 50 minutes of hot takes! Listen to the rest of this exclusive episode on our Patreon, ITBR Cafe! For the price of a coffee per month ($5), you get access to t...
2023-03-0418 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomWait...Jesus Had a Bulge? The Power of the Phallus and Queer Male Fashion in European Culture with Dr. Dominic Janes!Dr. Dominic Janes is not only a professor of Modern History at Keele University, in England, but also one of Andrew’s queer male academic mentors! Following Dr. Chuck Upchurch’s episode last week about sodomy and 19th-century England, Dominic takes us into Victorian England and discusses queer male fashion.
Right away, Andrew asks Dominic how his new book "British Dandies: Engendering Scandal and Fashioning a Nation" has opened up conversations around queer ways of doing fashion in history. Dominic explains that he saw a gap in the field of queer history because not many historians had explo...
2023-02-271h 05
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Horror and the Gothic typically fall under the rubric of Pop Culture," Dr. Jeffrey Weinstock (academic and author) Discusses His Passion for all things Horror, Gothic, Pop Culture, and CompositionListen to the rest of the episode by joining the ITBR Cafe for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Andrew is joined with a fellow Andrew, Dr. Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock who is a professor of English at Central Michigan University, where he teaches American literature and popular culture. Right away, he explains why the Horror and Gothic texts (including literature, film, and TV) fall under the rubric of Pop Culture. Then he lays out his own rubric for what classifies a piece of art as pop culture. First, something seen as part of pop culture must include...
2023-02-061h 05
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Wars Are Fought by the Desperate and Disillusioned," Zac Topping Discusses "Wake of War" (his Dystopian War Novel) and Reflects on Being an Army VeteranListen to the rest of the episode, over 40 minutes, by joining the ITBR Cafe for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom.com
For the first time ever, Andrew is joined with a dystopian and war novelist, Zac Topping! Zac explains that his novel "Wake of War" was inspired by one question in the back of his mind...what would happen if America experienced a second Civil War? He didn't know his novel would be so timely since it was released right after January 6th, the COVID pandemic, and Trump's presidency. Andrew asks Zac whether his dystopian approach m...
2023-01-301h 07
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"How Did We Go From Concentration Camp to Gay Bar," Dr. Jake Newsome Discusses the Pink Triangle's Legacy (The Intersection Between the Jewish Community and the LGBTQ+ Community)Listen to the rest of the episode, another 25 minutes, by joining the ITBR Cafe for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom.com
On January 27th, the world recognized International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and it seemed poignant and fitting to have Dr. Jake Newsome, a scholar of American and German LGBTQ+ History, join Andrew in the ITBR to discuss his new book "Pink Triangle Legacies." Jake begins by explaining why so many don't know the Nazi persecution of LGBTQ+ people and the origin story of the pink triangle. He explains why it's so important to learn about the c...
2023-01-281h 04
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Being Authentic and Real in Your Writing," Rochelle Weinstein (the author of "When We Let Go") Discusses Women's Literature, the Miami Lifestyle, and Is She a Romantic Realist Novelist?Join The Ivory Tower Boiler Room Cafe, $5 a month, to watch the video interviews and listen to bonus episodes: patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
What is Romantic Realism? Well, Andrew starts off his conversation with author Rochelle B. Weinstein by coining a new literary genre that he calls "Romantic Realism." Rochelle provides so much literary insight in this episode, and she first explains why after giving birth to twin boys she knew she needed to become a writer! Then, Andrew asks why Miami holds such a special place in Rochelle's literature and life. For Rochelle, Miami is not just a...
2023-01-2355 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"When Your Character Confesses to Murder," Chatting About Kelly Ford's "Real Bad Things" (Writing a Queer Southern Suspense Novel)Join The Ivory Tower Boiler Room Cafe, $5 a month, to watch the video interviews and listen to bonus episodes: patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Andrew first learned about Kelly J. Ford's gripping queer Southern suspense literature from author P.J. Vernon, who we interviewed last year about his queer thriller "Bath Haus." When Andrew opened up Kelly's "Real Bad Things" and discovered that the novel begins with the main character confessing to murder, but isn't punished for it, he knew this was going to be a wild ride. As P.J. Vernon says about Kelly's novel, it's "gothic suspense at...
2023-01-161h 00
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Why Not Take Your Clothes Off and Be an Intelligent Journalist," Playboy Vs. Playgirl (T*ts Out and As*ses Out or a Pen*s on Every Page) with Entertainment Reporter Taylor FerberJoin The Ivory Tower Boiler Room Cafe, $5 a month, to watch the video interviews and listen to bonus episodes: patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
On January 5th, 2019, Taylor Ferber posed in Playboy's "New Wave" issue which featured female journalists who explored whether intellect and nudity are mutually exclusive, or can go hand in hand. Taylor sits down with Andrew and Mary to dig into her Playboy experience, and the three of them discuss why sexiness and intellect are not seen as similar concepts. This episode will definitely question your assumptions about being smart while also embracing open conversations around s...
2023-01-021h 01
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"The Cassandra of the Artworld and the Gayworld," Michela Griffo Is Not Afraid to Be Cancelled and Speaks Openly and Honestly about Being a Lesbian Artist and ActivistTo listen to our bonus episode with Michela, join the ITBR Cafe for only $5 a month! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom.com
If you've ever thought "how would I handle sitting down with someone who is part of the same marginalized community but has different viewpoints than me," then Andrew's conversation with Michela Griffo is that conversation you needed. First, Michela is a lesbian force to be reckoned with! She is not only a prolific lesbian artist, whose current exhibit "The Price We Pay" is being shown at Pen + Brush, but she was one of the original members of t...
2022-12-261h 05
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Gay White Male Problems," author Henry Fry chats about London's Gay Scene, Straight and Gay Gym Bros, and his novel "First Time for Everything"Join The Ivory Tower Boiler Room Cafe, $5 a month, to watch the video interviews and listen to bonus episodes: patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Andrew is joined with fellow gay white man, Henry Fry to talk about Henry's new novel "First Time For Everything" which focuses on all of Danny Scudd's problems as a gay white man. Not only is Henry a notable gay author, but he is also an activist, vegetarian, and designer! So Andrew and Henry soon become the closest of friends as they discuss straight and gay male relationships. What makes them so unique and Andrew r...
2022-12-121h 02
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"A Queer Modernist Self-Education" with Jesse Ataide, the creator of "Queer Modernisms"To hear the rest of the episode, join our Ivory Tower Boiler Room Cafe ($5 a month): patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom.
What a special queer male reunion of sorts, since Andrew met Jesse in June, 2022 when they both attended the Queer History conference, in San Francisco. When Andrew discovered Jesse's queer artistic Instagram account, @queer_modernisms, he knew that Jesse had to come into the Ivory Tower Boiler Room to discuss his project with you all. Jesse has never given a podcast interview, and this is such a treat because many who follow his account don't know who is...
2022-12-0554 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"I Left Home Because of Homophobia," Matthew Clark Davison Finds His Queer Literary Voice in San Francisco and the Process of Writing "Doubting Thomas"Join The Ivory Tower Boiler Room Cafe, $5 a month, to listen to our bonus episode with Matthew here: patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Content Warning: Sexual Abuse
Andrew is joined with queer male author, Matthew Clark Davison who recently wrote "Doubting Thomas," a novel about an openly gay male fourth-grade teacher who gets accused of sexually abusing one of his students. But what happens when you are innocent and unjustly accused? Matthew's book deals with topics like "cancel culture," "homophobic rhetoric," and "education in the 21st century." Matthew opens up about fleeing home because of homophobia and t...
2022-11-301h 02
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Finding Your Queer Space" in Edgar Allan Poe's Literature, with David Greven and Paul C. JonesWant to hear the rest of Andrew, David, and Paul's Queer Poe discussion? Become an Ivory Tower Boiler Room Café member (only $5): https://www.patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
What a special academic episode since Andrew is joined with David Greven and Paul C. Jones who Andrew considers his queer male 19th-century American Lit. mentors and guides! He met David and Paul at the Fifth International Edgar Allan Poe conference in Boston last April, and they don't waste any time digging into what drew them to Poe's stories and poetry. They discuss their favorite queer theory scholars, how they t...
2022-11-2142 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomFact Vs. Fiction of Marilyn Monroe, Dissecting the “Blonde” FilmWant to hear the rest of Elizabeth and Andrew's review of Blonde? Become an Ivory Tower Boiler Room Café member (only $5): https://www.patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Content Warning: Sexual Abuse and Psychological Abuse
Elizabeth Winder, the writer of Marilyn in Manhattan: Her Year of Joy joins Andrew to share their hot takes on the new Netflix film Blonde. This is most definitely an uncensored film analysis since Elizabeth and Andrew don't hold back from giving their honest opinion of this film. They parse out what's fact vs. what's fiction in the film and explore the sou...
2022-11-1950 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"One Wilde Ride," Bringing Oscar Wilde Back from the Dead with writer, Ardythe AshleyBecome an Ivory Tower Boiler Room Café subscriber to watch the unedited video: patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Andrew is joined with writer Ardythe Ashley who is all things an Oscar Wilde enthusiast, lover, and devotee. Ardythe recently wrote The Return of the Century: The Death and Further Adventures of Oscar Wilde. It's not everyday that Andrew gets to talk with a fellow Wilde fan and one who wrote a fictional novel in which he gets resurrected from the dead. They talk about Ardythe's archival research at the British Museum and Andrew digs into his own Wilde manuscript research a...
2022-11-1457 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomITBR's First Live Podcast! Interviewing Tonya Hurley about "ghostgirl," a NY Times Bestselling SeriesBecome an Ivory Tower Boiler Room Café subscriber to watch the live podcast video: patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
On Oct. 29th, Andrew and Mary had the pleasure of interviewing NY Times bestselling author Tonya Hurley, known for writing the hit series ghostgirl! And yes, this is our first ever live podcast so you'll hear an audience and get to hear questions from them. Thanks so much to Pen + Brush for hosting us at their art gallery space in Manhattan.
If you are nostalgic for the Halloween season, this episode is for you! Tonya explains the origin st...
2022-11-1250 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomThe Haunting of Edgar Allan Poe; Recapping a Poe Literary ConferenceBecome an Ivory Tower Boiler Room Café subscriber to watch the unedited video: patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Who's ready to be haunted by the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe? In April, Andrew went to a literary conference all about Poe where he met so many Poe scholars and lovers, but now it's time for all of you to join him as he takes you behind the scenes. If you're a horror/thriller/gothic literature fan and especially a Poe one, this episode is for you! And just in time for Halloween.
Andrew is joined with fellow 19th...
2022-10-241h 13
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomGive My Regards to the Broadway Musical, with musical theater scholar Stacy WolfJoin The Ivory Tower Boiler Room Café and get access to our bonus episodes and unedited videos: patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Dr. Stacy Wolf, one of America's leading scholars on musical theater, sits down with Andrew to talk about the magic of musical theater. Right away, she realizes that Andrew is just as obsessed with Broadway, and they discuss their approach to teaching the Broadway Musical. At Princeton, Stacy is a professor of theater and the director of the program in Music Theater, and she explains that one of her favorite questions to ask her students is their ex...
2022-10-171h 03
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Intensely Held by the Throat by a Poem," Richie Hofmann's A Hundred LoversBecome an Ivory Tower Boiler Room Café subscriber to watch the unedited video: patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Andrew sits down with poet Richie Hofmann to talk about Richie's new book of poems A Hundred Lovers (2022). In Richie's own words, this is "an erotic journal in poems" and a queer male "catalog of encounters, sublime, steamy, and frank."
As soon as they sit down together, Andrew and Richie bond over their South Jersey upbringing and their queer male literary aesthetic. Richie opens up about how his book explores promiscuity, monogamy, and a series of love affairs.
In...
2022-10-101h 11
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Literary Interpretation as an Everyday Activity," a Literary Theory and Criticism Discussion with Anne StevensBecome an Ivory Tower Boiler Room Café subscriber to watch the unedited video: https://www.patreon.com/posts/fall-season-ep-1-72474945
Andrew and guest co-host, Ceren Usta, welcome literary scholar Dr. Anne Stevens into the Ivory Tower Boiler Room. Right away, these three literary scholars jump into the difference between literary theory and literary criticism. There are so many Public Humanities questions that are asked in this episode including why would a literature lover, who isn't a literary scholar, be interested in learning more about literary theories? How does it shape their reading experience? As Anne reveals, starting to...
2022-09-261h 06
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomAndrew's NSFW 30th Birthday on Fire Island...the Erotic Behind the ScenesA FREE Ivory Tower Boiler Room Café Patreon video of this episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/72269405
This is definitely a NSFW episode and sexually explicit so...you've all been warned :)
Yes, it's Andrew Rimby's 30th Birthday so here's a special Fire Island birthday episode! Andrew takes you behind the scenes of his Cherry Grove birthday vacation.
Imagine that you arrive, on a rainy day, to the Sayville Ferry and are schlepping your luggage onto the ferry, but once you arrive to Cherry Grove and pull up to the dock, a gay pleasure isl...
2022-09-2144 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomQueer Male Cruising and Desire on Fire Island, with Jack ParlettBecome an Ivory Tower Boiler Room Café subscriber to watch the unedited video: https://www.patreon.com/posts/72172823
Fresh off of his 30th birthday Fire Island celebration, Andrew turns to author Jack Parlett to answer all the burning questions about Fire Island. Jack is the author of Fire Island: A Century in the Life of an American Paradise and The Poetics of Cruising: Queer Visual Culture from Whitman to Grindr which were both published in 2022.
Be prepared for an explicit discussion about how Queer male eroticism and desire manifests itself at Fire Island. Here are a...
2022-09-191h 03
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomGoin' to the Chapel and We're Gonna Get...Murdered, Celia Laskey's "So Happy For You" an Explosive Queer Wedding ThrillerBecome an Ivory Tower Boiler Room Café subscriber to watch the unedited video: https://www.patreon.com/posts/summer-season-ep-71876847
Celia Laskey, joins us back in the Ivory Tower Boiler Room to talk about her explosive new novel So Happy For You which is a queer wedding thriller. Right away she opens up about the writing process and explains what it was like to go from Under the Rainbow, a novel made up of short stories, to So Happy For You, a novel that centers on one character. So Happy For You is a satirical dystopic novel t...
2022-09-1246 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomQueer Boys' Hopes and Dreams in Phil Stamper's "Golden Boys"Become an Ivory Tower Boiler Room Café subscriber to watch the unedited video: https://www.patreon.com/posts/summer-season-ep-71530551
Phil Stamper, bestselling author of Queer books for kids and teens, joins Andrew to talk about his recent book Golden Boys. Golden Boys is the perfect summer friendship story, starring four queer boys with big hearts and even bigger dreams. As Phil discusses with Andrew, it's like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, except the boys might be romantically interested in one another.
He is also the author of Small Town Pride, The Gravity of Us, and...
2022-09-0557 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomBringing E.M. Forster's "Maurice" Out of the Closet with William di CanzioBecome an Ivory Tower Boiler Room Café subscriber to watch the unedited video: https://www.patreon.com/posts/71231329
Calling all British Modernist literature lovers and Gay Fiction lovers, this episode is for you!
Andrew is joined with William di Canzio, who is a novelist, playwright, and scholar, and he recently wrote Alec, which expands E.M. Forster's openly queer male love story, Maurice. Andrew and William open up about their first experience with E.M. Forster's groundbreaking love story and how it speaks to their gay male identity. William reveals why he didn't change any of...
2022-08-301h 06
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"Let's Talk About the Husband" A Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Scholarly Discussion, featuring Taria FaisonWant to watch the entire video of Parts 1 and 2, become an Ivory Tower Boiler Room Café subscriber here: https://www.patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
If you haven't listened to Part 1, make sure you do: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/bigtUmWRMsb
Now where did we leave off? Oh, that's right Andrew and Taria were about to reveal their opinions on Andy Cohen!
Get ready for Andrew and Taria to bring the Real Housewives into the Ivory Tower! They reveal the behind the scenes of creating the Real Housewives and provide a scholarly analysis for many eyeb...
2022-08-2659 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomReading Queer Bodies and Pleasures in American Literature, with Dr. Christopher LoobyBecome an Ivory Tower Boiler Room subscriber to watch the unedited video interview: https://www.patreon.com/posts/70868407/
This week, we're back with another special Broadview Press episode. Last time we discussed all things poetry with Susan Holbrook, but this week we're in Andrew's scholarly field, queer 19th-century Literature!
Andrew is so excited to be joined with a prominent Queer American Literature scholar, Dr. Christopher Looby to talk about his work on Broadview Press' new American Literature anthology. Like Ishmael in Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, they jump head first into what makes American Literature so homoerotic an...
2022-08-2245 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(Educator's Corner) Andrew Talks about Being Openly Gay in AcademiaWatch the video interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1yd83UFI_4&t=124s
Andrew Rimby, our director, was interviewed by the Association for Writing Across the Curriculum (AWAC) to kickoff their "Queer in Academia" series. They were kind enough to allow us to broadcast the interview on our podcast. Definitely watch the video version featuring the amazing interviewer, María Cardona Pérez!
Here are the episode notes from the YouTube interview: To kick off this series, we sat down with the wonderful Andrew Rimby to talk about pedagogy, finding your voice, and the unique challenges that come...
2022-08-1546 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomTwo South Jerseyans Deliver an Epic Real Housewives Recap, featuring Taria Faison (Part One)Andrew is joined with a fellow South Jerseyan and Real Housewives enthusiast! You aren't ready for this epic Real Housewives recap with Taria Faison, the host of What Else is Going On; the podcast intersection where Pop Culture Life and Real Life meet up.
Right away, Taria and Andrew are reminiscing about their South Jersey upbringing, including glassblowing at Wheaton Arts, the Cherry Hill Mall, Rowan University, and Atlantic City. Then, Taria reveals her hot takes and insider information on many of the Real Housewives shows (Atlanta, Beverly Hills, New York, Orange County, and Potomac).
H...
2022-08-081h 00
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomThe Crime of the Century: Evelyn Nesbit and the Murder of Stanford White (w/ Simon Baatz)Become an Ivory Tower Boiler Room subscriber to watch the unedited video interview: https://www.patreon.com/posts/69904875
(Content Warning: Sexual Assault)
To introduce "The Crime of the Century," Andrew is joined by two special guests who know a lot about what it would have been like to attend one of Evelyn Nesbit's Atlantic City vaudeville shows. So, why not bring them on to introduce the episode.
Mary, from "True Crime in Academia," joins Andrew to deep dive the murder of Stanford White with author Simon Baatz. Simon wrote The Girl on the Vel...
2022-08-011h 05
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomSarah Fraser on TLC, the Real Housewives, Open Marriages, and LA VS. NYCBecome an Ivory Tower Boiler Room subscriber to watch the unedited video interview: https://www.patreon.com/posts/69485823
This week Sarah Fraser, from "The Sarah Fraser Show" joins us for another energetic and pop culture infused episode. Sarah is a former Radio Personality, TV Host, Comedian and TV Producer. Following in the vein of David Yontef, Dana Wilkey, and Taylor Ferber, Sarah is full of so many pop culture hot takes. When the episode begins with Sarah comparing herself to Jerry Springer, you know this is going to be a juicy discussion! She gives her opinion on R...
2022-07-2548 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomJeremy Atherton Lin Talks about Gay Bars and Why We Go To ThemBecome an Ivory Tower Boiler Room subscriber to watch the unedited video interview: https://www.patreon.com/posts/69246500
After last week's episode with Jonathan Parks-Ramage, Andrew continues queer male summer conversations with author Jeremy Atherton Lin. Jeremy discusses his nonfiction book Gay Bar and analyzes the ins and outs of gay bars and why we go to them. So many of Gay Bar's book reviews emphasize the reviewer's own personal experience in a gay bar so we hope you all are reflecting on your own gay bar experiences (or why you should go to one). For Andrew, h...
2022-07-181h 06
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(TV Corner) The Gilded Age on HBO Max with Danielle Nero (Part 1)Welcome to our inaugural TV Corner episode! If you haven't yet watched The Gilded Age series on HBO Max, this episode will provide really helpful historical context, and if you have watched it, it'll definitely give more depth to the characters and narratives. Andrew is joined with a special co-host to help him with this deep dive, his real estate agent, Danielle Nero. When Andrew found out that Danielle has a deep passion for Gilded Age architecture and history, and renovated both an 1800's brownstone and a 1920's colonial home, he knew that she needed to join him for...
2022-07-0850 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(Actor's Corner) Triston Pullen Pulls Back the Curtain on Being a Freelance DirectorWatch the full unedited interview with Triston Pullen here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/68518405
Andrew first met Triston, a few years ago, when they both met celebrating Whitman's 200th birthday, and now they both are board members for the Walt Whitman Initiative. But, this is the first time that Andrew got to learn all about Triston's career as a freelance director and his immense theater education knowledge. Because Andrew was teaching a Broadway Musical course for Stony Brook University, a few of his students actually got to sit in on the recording.
There are so m...
2022-07-0142 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomAlex Sanchez Reflects on Coming Out and the YA Gay Lit. Legacy of "Rainbow Boys"[Become a Patreon subscriber to watch the unedited video interview! Watch here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/68026620]
We're continuing our Pride Month episodes and today is a really special one for Andrew. Alex Sanchez joins Andrew in The Ivory Tower Boiler Room to discuss his award winning career as a YA Gay Literature author. In 2008, when Andrew was a freshman in high school, he discovered Alex's Rainbow Boys series in his South Jersey Barnes and Noble (shout out to Deptford) and he felt so seen and accepted. So many meaningful and deep questions are raised in this in...
2022-06-201h 06
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomBurn It All Down, or Nicolas DiDomizio On His Gay Bad Boy Phase and Working Under Anna WintourTo watch the video version become an Ivory Tower Boiler Room subscriber: https://www.patreon.com/posts/67067151
Andrew sits down with author, Nicolas DiDomizio who chats about how he came to write Burn It All Down. He opens up about how real life spurred the creation of this novel including his gay bad boy phase and his close relationship to his mother. Nicolas explains that his novel is like a break up song and it definitely comes through!
Nicolas not only talks about the creation of his novel but working under Anna Wintour, when he w...
2022-05-301h 02
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(Book Corner) Ursula Klein's "Enchanted Autumn" and Its Lesbian, Campy, Romantic, and Witchy VibesThe full interview is up on our Patreon so become a subscriber here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/book-corner-and-66827245
For this special book corner episode, Andrew sits down with Ursula Klein to talk about her debut novel, Enchanted Autumn. Why is it a mixture of lesbian, campy, romantic, and witchy themes? Well, Ursula digs into these themes, her favorite witch themed movies, and even shares Andrew's passionate love for Salem, MA!
You can find Ursula's book, Enchanted Autumn on Bold Strokes Books: https://www.boldstrokesbooks.com/books/enchanted-autumn-by-ursula-klein-3692-b
While you're at it, m...
2022-05-2715 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomMarilyn in Manhattan, Elizabeth Winder On Writing a Marilyn Monroe BiographyBecome a Patreon member for $5 (a cup of iced coffee) and watch our video version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/66398839
Writer of Marilyn in Manhattan: Her Year of Joy (2017), Elizabeth Winder joins Andrew and Mary in the Ivory Tower Boiler Room. One major theme that Elizabeth discusses is how the general public views the tragedy of female celebrities and why the media delights in the tragedy of these women?
Elizabeth discusses her biography process which started with the Marilyn Monroe photos taken in Manhattan (specifically the one taken at the Ambassador Hotel, the book's cover p...
2022-05-161h 12
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomWhat's LGBTQ+ Small Town America? "Under the Rainbow"'s Celia Laskey Has the AnswerJoin our Patreon community and watch the video version here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/66111196
Celia Laskey, author of Under the Rainbow (her debut novel) joins Andrew and Mary to discuss so many insightful questions that speak to writing an LGBTQ+ novel in the 21st century. Here are a few questions she addresses: What is it like to write an LGBTQ+ novel as someone from the community? Where does homophobia actually come from? How do you represent all different members of the LGBTQ+ community as an author? Why does the LGBTQ+ community in America's coastal metropolitan areas...
2022-05-091h 17
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomDana Wilkey Dishes the Drama About All Things Beverly Hills Housewives and Current GossipDana Wilkey joins Andrew in The Ivory Tower Boiler Room with all of her Gossip and Reality TV expertise! Dana is the host of the podcast and Patreon, Dishing Drama With Dana Wilkey and DecaDish Gossip, her exclusive YouTube channel. Dana is a former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member and with her Housewives insider knowledge she appeared on both The Housewife and the Hustler and The Housewife and the Shah Shocker (streaming on Hulu).
Why does Dana call herself the rebellious Bravolebrity? She indulges Andrew by breaking down her Real Housewives of Beverly Hills scenes a...
2022-05-021h 04
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomDavid Yontef Takes Us Behind His Velvet Rope(Watch the free video interview here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/65427804)
Andrew is joined with David Yontef who is a self-made millionaire, Reality TV Insider and Host of the Award Winning Podcast Behind The Velvet Rope. David begins the interview explaining that Margaret Josephs told him he needs to make a business out of his Real Housewives connections. And he did just that after attending a dinner with Dolores Catania, Ramona Singer, Kelly Dodd, and her husband Rick Leventhal. Margaret, Andrew thanks you immensely for encouraging David, and thanks David for serving as Andrew's podcast mentor!
...
2022-04-251h 16
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomNo One Mourns the Wicked? A Conversation with the Great and Powerful Gregory Maguire(Want to see the video version of this interview become a Patreon subscriber: https://www.patreon.com/posts/63634175)
We're delighted to present a truly special interview with author Gregory Maguire who discusses all things Wicked with Andrew. From what inspired him to write about the Wicked Witch of the West, a heartwarming story about when he knew he had to write the novel, his reaction to the musical adaptation, and what he knows about a future TV adaptation. You don't want to miss this interview which also includes anecdotes about Carole Shelley and Idina Menzel.
B...
2022-03-141h 13
Ivory Tower Boiler Room(Patreon Corner) The Gilded Age with J.P. GarlandWatch the rest of Andrew's discussion with author J.P. Garland on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/63633764
Welcome to our bonus episode with author J.P. Garland who shares Andrew's enthusiasm with Gilded Age Literature and history and discusses why he was drawn to writing historical fiction based in 19th-century New York City!
You can find J.P. Garland's books here: https://www.amazon.com/Joseph-P-Garland/e/B08GVC5Q2Y?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1646943247&sr=8-1
Be sure to follow J.P. Garland on Twitter, @JPGarlandAuthor.
Fo...
2022-03-1129 min
Ivory Tower Boiler Room"In Search of Walt Whitman" with Filmmaker Andrew KaplanJoin the dynamic duo of Andrews, Andrew Rimby and our featured guest, Andrew Kaplan the director and producer of the recent Walt Whitman documentary, In Search of Walt Whitman. They discuss the power of music in his documentary, how he approached Whitman's themes on the body and sex, and why it's so important to visit places that the author experienced.
Watch the video version of this interview and become a Patreon subscriber: https://www.patreon.com/posts/63143929
Follow him on Twitter and Instagram, @akaplan41.
Watch In Search of Walt Whitman on PBS: https://ww...
2022-02-2858 min
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomBoardwalk of Dreams, a History of Atlantic City with Dr. Bryant Simon(Thank you all for listening and make sure to click those hyperlinks!)
For our last 2021 Ivory Tower Boiler Room interview, Andrew is joined by Dr. Bryant Simon, writer of Boardwalk of Dreams (2004) to talk all things nostalgic and historic about Atlantic City, New Jersey. The conversation ranges from Atlantic City's late-19th-century to its 21st-century history. A few topics include the history of the Miss America pageant, how Atlantic City became a middle-class resort city, its racially segregated history, its Jewish American history, its LGBTQ+ history, and how to categorize Atlantic City now? Dr. Simon even breaks...
2021-12-201h 13
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomJosh Sabarra Talks All Things Coming Out and Working as a Hollywood Publicist and Producer(Listeners be advised, Josh and Andrew talk openly about sex and other steamy topics! Thanks for listening and make sure to explore our hyperlinks.)
Josh reveals the behind the scenes of working in Hollywood as a publicist and now as a Hollywood producer. He then discusses his writing process for both Porn Again and Enemies Closer. Josh's discussion about coming out leads Andrew and Josh to openly discuss their approach to consuming pornography and the importance of sexual education. Follow Josh Sabarra on Instagram, @joshsabarra, Twitter, @JoshSabarra, and Facebook, /JoshSabarraAuthor. Head on over to his website where y...
2021-12-131h 14
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomA Deep Psychological Dive Into Micah Nemerever's "These Violent Delights"(Thanks for listening and make sure to click our hyperlinks.)
Andrew and Mary are joined with creative writer, Micah Nemerever who provides a deep dive into his 2020 novel, These Violent Delights. They get into the queer Jewish themes in his book as well as such vivid psychological thriller moments. Andrew and Mary may still be having Hitchcockian nightmares! While asking intense questions about where violent tendencies stem from, there is also a lot of humor and lightness, like Micah surprising Andrew and Mary with a special furry friend.
Check out Micah Nemerever's personal website! Follow M...
2021-12-061h 13
Ivory Tower Boiler RoomPulling Back the Curtain on Writing During the ApocalypseTwitter: @IvoryBoilerRoom Facebook: The Ivory Tower Boiler Room Adam Katz, PhD in English adamskatz@gmail.com Facebook: Moreh Avi Kay Andrew Rimby, Academic, Public Scholar
https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/english/people/_grad-students/rimby.php
https://andrewrimby.wixsite.com/website
Twitter: @AndrewDRimby
Tiffany Sowa, Writer, Professor of Creative Writing, Education Manager at Arts Partners, Wichita:
@TiffanySTwisted
Joseph Milholland, Writer
https://newreleases.substack.com/p/coming-soon?r=3559c&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&utm_source=copy
Anne Sophie Andersen, Musician:
www.annesophieandersen.com
www.newmusicforstrings.org
Mary DiPipi, Writer, Full-Time Nanny:
Twitter and Instagram: @dipips
Website: http://marydipipi.com
Caitlin...
2021-02-201h 04