Shows
Gayest Episode EverDrew Carey Has a Cross-Dressing Brother Who Just Might Be Trans“Drew’s Brother” (November 19, 1997) We finally did it! We not only found the perfect guest for this episode — writer, performer and UCB alum Joan Ford — but we also got the chance to tell the world that The Drew Carey Show deserves to live it. It’s not only the most successful Friends clone but also the only one that sustained a whole series about working class young people. And in its third season, it introduced Drew’s brother Steve (John Caroll Lynch) who is a cross-dresser who might just be a transwoman. What’s more, the show pairs Steve off w...2024-06-261h 59
Gayest Episode EverGimme a Break Meets Yet Another 80s Orphan“Nell and the Kid” (April 28, 1983) As if network TV didn’t have enough sitcoms about non-biological parents stepping in to care for parentless children, Gimme a Break — itself a show about a woman acting as a substitute mother for three girls — has a second season episode in which Nell Carter’s character meets a spunky orphan (LaShana Dendy) and then entrusts her to the care of the neighborhood deli owner (Don Rickles). It didn’t end up becoming its own series, but Drew and Glen are pretty sure that this serves as a sort of soft launch for another sh...2023-11-291h 26
Gayest Episode EverThe Sarah Silverman Program Has Gigantic, Orange Gays“Muffin’ Man” (March 1, 2007) You know what’s super complicated? The Sarah Silverman Program. It’s funny, but just talking about why it’s funny in 2023 necessitates a lot of discussion of controversial topics including but not limited to ironic racism, straight dudes playing gay characters, January 6 and several people who are now canceled. Nonetheless, Drew (and not Glen, because Glen is not in this episode) is joined by Henry Gilbert to discuss why this show’s queer representation was novel and still should be important all these years later. And yes, if you’re like “I could swear that...2023-11-083h 15
Gayest Episode EverBenson Literally Plays a Game With DeathHappy Halloween! You're getting this week’s episode one day early because it is, in fact, a Halloween episode. “The Stranger” (October 25, 1985) Benson may have been a more conventional sitcom than Soap, the show it spun off, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t have its exceedingly weird moments — including this final season Halloween special in which Benson must play a trivia game with death personified in order to save the lives of 41 hapless schoolchildren. It’s basically the last moment in time an otherwise grounded sitcom could get away with this, and we’re lucky to have...2023-10-312h 05
Gayest Episode EverBarry’s NoHo Hank Is a Great Gay Villain“it takes a psycho” (April 30, 2023) Barry is not a sitcom, though it was frequently one of the funnier shows on TV. We’re doing a bonus summer episode about it anyway because its gay character, NoHo Hank, is a rarity on TV because he’s both a villain and a person who doesn’t let his sexuality define him. That’s not necessarily a good thing, but we’re all about complex, messy queer characters, and this is one people should be talking about. Special thanks to Emily Heller for sharing her recollections of working on the show. S...2023-08-221h 51
Gayest Episode EverAmerican Dad Puts on a Play“Blood Crieth Unto Heaven” (January 27, 2013) Yes, we’re giving you two American Dads this season, with this one representing how this show uses high-concept premises better than most other sitcoms. In this one, the show presents itself as a stage play, complete with all the restrictions and encumbrances that come with denying itself the ability to do quick cuts, and what results is as funny as it is bizarre. Here to discuss why this episode is a stand-out is Johnny LaZebnik, who sings the praises of Wendy Schaal’s comedic delivery. Do you love old TV? Then...2023-06-281h 57
Gayest Episode EverAlex Mack Is a Lesbian Icon“Bad Girl” (November 12, 1996) If you were not the target audience (and target age) for this live-action Nickelodeon series, you may be shocked to find out that The Secret World of Alex Mack is a sci-fi show. It’s basically Spider-Man with a baby gay lead protagonist, played with remarkable aplomb by Larisa Oleynik. We’re joined by Katie Mathewson, screenwriter on Hawkeye and the breakout hit Jury Duty, to discuss how very queer this show is — and in particular this episode, which plays out like a mid-90s lesbian teen romcom. Check out Lizzie Borden (no, not that...2023-06-212h 21
Gayest Episode EverMiss Piggy Is a Gay Icon“Miss Piggy’s Hollywood” / “First Show” (May 14, 1989) Better known by the segment title, Miss Piggy’s Hollywood, this mostly forgotten bit of TV history aired on NBC in 1989 and more or less works out to be the thing Drew and Glen dreamed into existence: The Comeback but with Miss Piggy. In this half-hour, you see Miss Piggy repeatedly try to assert herself in Hollywood, only to be knocked down every time. Gee, is there a reason gay men are drawn to this character who’s seeking acceptance from a society that refuses to give it to her? Watch M...2023-03-221h 48
Gayest Episode EverThe Crew Was Fox’s Queer-Inclusive Alternative to Friends“The Man We Love” (June 30, 1996) Last week, we looked at Married… With Children’s take on an anti-Friends. This week, we decided to look at the last episode of a show that aired the previous season on Fox. While it was not designed as a response to Friends, it nonetheless managed to solve some of that show’s major problems. Namely, it’s racially diverse, there’s a queer character in the opening credits, and the characters actually work. It’s also funny, and having been co-created by writers who cut their teeth on The Golden Girls, that’s no surpri...2022-11-161h 43
Gayest Episode Ever30 Rock Questions Its Sexuality“Cougars” (November 29, 2007) As comedically successful as it might be, 30 Rock is a very straight show. That’s why our best pick for a queer episode is one where the sexually interesting narrative is the C plot and it ends with Judah Friedlander’s Frank convincing himself he can’t like guys because he doesn’t fit prescribed definition of gay. This episode is ultimately harmless but indicative of some traps later Tina Fey efforts would fall into. But hey — it’s got “Muffin Top.” Check out our sponsor, Spaces! And join our spaces for Gayest Episode Ever and Ca...2022-09-281h 41
Gayest Episode EverAl Borland Is a Model for the Modern American Gay Bear“Roomie for Improvement” (November 4, 1992) Al Borland is not gay. This episode makes a point of saying that he is a heterosexual, despite how many of his (comparatively) immasculine qualities might indicate otherwise. However for some, Richard Karn’s sensitive flannel man is an example of a kind of guy some of us would grow up to like and some of us would grow up to be: big, bearded, and free to be ourselves regardless of where on the gender spectrum we ended up being. Nick Del Prince joins Drew and Glen to discuss Home Improvement, one of the mo...2022-06-292h 03
Gayest Episode EverGirlfriends Hosts a Lesbian Baby Shower“And Baby Makes Four” (November 3, 2003) Before she was the literal mom on Blackish, Tracee Ellis Ross was the glue holding the figurative family together for eight seasons on Girlfriends. Drew and Glen are joined by Jennifer Eden to discuss why Ross is maybe one of the better examples of showbiz royalty and why this episode of TV is unique in offering viewers two black queer women in a relationship (guest stars Dawnn Lewis and Samaria Graham). Also: William is THE WORST. When they reunited for Blackish, the Girlfriends cast explained how their show ended the way...2022-05-042h 07
Gayest Episode EverMadame’s Place Was TV’s First Gay Puppet Sitcom“#001” (September 20, 1982) Look, Madame’s Place wasn’t a good sitcom, but it was the gayest puppet-focused sitcom and also a contender for one of the first gay sitcoms, on account of its draggy sensibility and the fact that the man behind Madame was one of the first openly gay entertainers. Drew and Glen discuss how weird this show is, including the fact that its antagonist is a TV executive who’s literally missing a face and who can control the weather. All this plus dick jokes. Read a 1985 L.A. Times interview with Wayland Flowers. Deca...2022-04-271h 30
Gayest Episode Ever3rd Rock from the Sun Goes to a Gay Bar “World’s Greatest Dick” (November 10, 1996) Sally Solomon is a straight, cis character, but for the first two seasons of the 3rd Rock from the Sun, there was this queer or trans aura around her. This episode dispels it, for the most part, and allows the writers to craft storylines and jokes that are no longer different versions of the “man trapped in a woman’s body” trope. Drew and Glen disagree on exactly what the gay man trying to date her thinks is going on with Sally, but for all that could go wrong with this kind of plot, it’s not that bad...2022-04-131h 32
Gayest Episode EverThe Cartoons That Made Us Gay: GargoylesYes, we said there was no episode this week, but then we realized that we had all these bonus episodes just lying around on Patreon, so here is one of those. BTW, listen to more queer readings of old cartoons here for just $1 a month. “The Mirror” (September 11, 1995) It is technically possible that someone could have watched Gargoyles and not realized that it was one of the horniest animated series ever. We think this episode — which has a very fey Puck teaming up with Demona to turn our heroic gargoyles into humans, loincloths still in place...2022-03-301h 33
Gayest Episode EverOscar From The Office Comes Out “Gay Witch Hunt” (September 21, 2006) Whelp, you asked enough so we finally did it: we covered The Office, despite the fact that its entire series run came and went during the age of online recaps and extensive online coverage. This is one of the most requested episodes we've gotten since we began this podcast. It’s up to you to decide what we can add to discourse about this mid-2000s phenomenon — which, BTW, was not as big of a hit as you might remember — but we can at least point out that the epidemic of arrested development glimpsed on The Office the...2022-03-231h 30
Gayest Episode EverGomer Pyle Writes Gay Love Letters“Love Letters to Sarge” (January 29, 1965) Not only is this the only installment of a podcast that will explain the gay history of Gomer Pyle and the man who played him, but also it’s the only discussion of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C to feature relevant clips from both The Simpsons and Sailor Moon, because that’s the kind of show this is. Special thanks to listener Robyn Pavlakovich for suggesting this episode. Watch this great explainer video on Gomer Pyle and Jim Nabors by friend of the show Matt Baume Watch the video of Jim Nabors and Rock Huds...2022-03-161h 28
Gayest Episode EverBecker Meets a Trans Woman“He Said, She Said” (November 1, 1999) The legends speak of a forgotten volume of lore known as… Becker. Allegedly a hit CBS television series starring Ted Danson, it is apparently a victim of the same magic spell that befell Wings, making it all but forgotten from pop culture discourse today. However, as guest Jasmine Friend brought to our attention, Becker did a 1990s twist on the “old friend in town turns out to be trans” trope we discussed in our recent Jeffersons episode. This will likely be the only podcast you will listen to this week that will discuss not only Becker but...2022-03-091h 39
Gayest Episode EverPhilip J. Fry Has a Gay Grandpa (Repost fort Apple Podcasts)I guess Apple Podcasts didn’t like the original title for this episode, and so now I have to post it again. Fun! “Roswell That Ends Well” (December 9, 2001) Equal parts sitcom and sci-fi epic, Futurama has some deep lore, and at the core of one of its most important storylines — that Fry is genetically destined to save the universe — is the fact that he also accidentally kills his gay grandfather and impregnates his own grandmother. Which is a lot, we realize, but in this episode we try to explain why Futurama is great and why dead, gay Grandpa En...2022-03-021h 31
Gayest Episode EverPhilip J. Fry Has a Gay Grandpa (Until He Doesn’t)“Roswell That Ends Well” (December 9, 2001) Equal parts sitcom and sci-fi epic, Futurama has some deep lore, and at the core of one of its most important storylines — that Fry is genetically destined to save the universe — is the fact that he also accidentally kills his gay grandfather and impregnates his own grandmother. Which is a lot, we realize, but in this episode we try to explain why Futurama is great and why dead, gay Grandpa Enos is vital to the cosmology of the show. If you like deep dives into Futurama, go throw money at the Talking Simpsons Patreon, where they’ve...2022-03-021h 31
Gayest Episode EverThe Jeffersons Meet a Trans Woman“Once a Friend” (October 1, 1977) Often cited as TV’s first sympathetic portrayal of a trans character, this episode of The Jeffersons introduces Edie Stokes as someone who, unlike other trans characters in earlier portrayals, is not at a point of crisis. She’s transitioned, she’s living the life she wants and she’s merely reaching out to her old Navy buddy to say hi — not to get his approval. Drew and Glen are joined by Marsha’s Plate host Diamond Stylz to discuss why this episode is not only good for when it aired but also better than many portrayals of tr...2022-02-231h 53
Gayest Episode EverRoss Geller Brings Gay Panic to The Single Guy“Neighbors” (November 2, 1995) So it’s been a hot second since we talked about friends, and to be honest, we can’t mentally deal with the combined phobia attack that is Friends so instead we are offering everyone a glimpse of a forgotten, perhaps even lost fragment of the Friends would tour of terrible, that being Ross Geller’s pitstop on The Single Guy, where he helped bring about gay panic. Honestly, this episode is not actually all that bad, and it makes a guy wonder why this show failed when other Friends clones succeeded. Listen to the latest episode of Smart...2022-02-161h 31
Gayest Episode EverI Dream of GEE-nnie“Indispensable Jeannie” (November 25, 1968) We’re as surprised as anyone that we’ve found an episode of I Dream of Jeannie that we can cover on this podcast. All credit goes to Brett White, who’s not only host of the Must Have Seen TV podcast but also the guy currently writing a book on the life of Hayden Rorke, who played Dr. Bellows on Jeannie but also was openly gay to the show’s cast and crew — and who pulled some important strings in TV history. This episode is even more interesting when considered in the context of Rorke’s lif...2022-02-092h 01
Gayest Episode EverHappy Endings Explores Gay Subcultures“Ordinary Extraordinary Love” (January 8, 2013) Bears, twinks, otters, wolves, panthers, yetis and bunniculas. The breadth of subcultures that gay life offers is both wide and weird — and a subject rarely approached by mainstream sitcoms. However, Happy Endings brought this to broadcast in the mid-2010s, all centered around the uncategorizable Max. The content warning that wasn’t: In the original intro clip, Max references a trans slur that, if we’re being responsible, would have gotten a warning. It’s a garbage joke. I cut it from our episode, and it could be removed so cleanly that 1) you won’t notice it being gone...2022-02-021h 18
Gayest Episode EverThe Golden Girls: Rose Nylund vs. the Stigma of AIDS “72 Hours” (February 17, 1990) We figured the only proper way to start this season would be to say goodbye to Betty White — and a great way to do that would be to discuss a Golden Girls episode where Rose takes an HIV test. Not only does it showcase a wider range of Betty’s acting chops, but it’s also a great kickoff to a new sort of episode we’ll be covering on GEE in the future: very special episodes about HIV and AIDS. Even if there are no LGBT characters in this episode, the subject matter hit home for the community — a...2022-01-261h 29
Gayest Episode EverIt’s a Will & Grace Christmas!“A Little Christmas Queer” (December 8, 2005) Lest you be tempted to believe that Christmas miracles aren’t real, we finally found an episode of Will & Grace that Drew doesn’t hate. This one, from the final season of the show’s original broadcast run, focuses on Will and company spending Christmas with his family and the problems posed by the fact that Will’s nephew seems so very gay. It’s actually a more nuanced look at the difficulties of being gay and leaving your life to spend the holiday with your (presumably straight) family. It doesn’t suck! Not even the Grace storyl...2021-12-221h 07
Gayest Episode EverOut of This World Does a Gender Swap Episode“Evie Stevie” (December 16, 1989) Whether you remember it as the show with the talking geodesic dad cube or the one with the girl who could freeze time, Out of This World has been relegated to the further reaches of 80s nostalgia. You might even believe some naysayers that it wasn’t a good show; however, it was exactly as good of a show as you could hope for about a half-alien teen girl whose supernatural powers cause wacky, zany hijinx. It’s not Norman Lear, but you know what? Neither were ALF, I Dream of Jeannie or Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Watch...2021-12-151h 16
Gayest Episode EverMad About You Hijacks a Coming Out Storyline“Ovulation Day” (January 7, 1996) Mad About You was one of NBC’s major sitcoms in the 90s, but it hasn’t left a legacy the way many of its Must See TV mates have. We talk about why in this episode, which is actually the part one of a two-part crossover with the queer film podcast A Piece of Pie, where we’re also discussing Helen Hunt’s Oscar-winning turn in 1997’s As Good as It Gets. Listen to Drew and Glen guest on A Piece of Pie’s discussing of As Good as It Gets here. Subscribe to A Piece of Pi...2021-12-081h 12
Gayest Episode EverEmpty Nest Uses the F-Slur“Single White Male” (January 7, 1995) Even if you were the kind of person who watched all of NBC’s Saturday night sitcoms back in the day, the following things may surprise you: 1) Empty Nest is a solid sitcom. 2) Empty Nest was a strong ratings performer that often beat the show it spun off from, The Golden Girls. 3) Empty Nest was still on in 1995. 4) When it uses the “f”-slur, it actually uses it appropriately — to mark someone as being heinously gauche. Watch the interview where Rita Moreno talks about hating the filming of the backd...2021-12-011h 20
Gayest Episode EverSmithers Has a Boyfriend (Interview with Rob and Johnny LaZebnik)“Portrait of a Lackey on Fire” (November 21, 2021) Either we traveled to the future or the showrunner of The Simpsons reached out and asked us if we want to preview a new Smithers-centric episode airing this Sunday. Maybe both? This new episode happens to be written by Rob LaZebnik (a straight) and Johnny LaZebnik (his son, a gay), and we spoke with both of them about how they write together, what it’s like growing up gay in the shadow of Smithers and what it means that Helen Lovejoy is down with the gays. Follow Rob and Johnny on Twit...2021-11-161h 01
Gayest Episode EverJo Polniaczek Is a Lesbian Heartthrob (Re-Upload for Apple Podcasts)Not to gunk up your feed with too much from us this week, but some of you have been having problems getting the track to play on Apple Podcasts. If you are, delete that first version of the episode and listen to this one. If you didn't have a problem, just delete this one. Sorry for the confusion! “The New Girl, Part One” and “The New Girl, Part Two” (November 19 and 26, 1980) True, the first episode of The Facts of Life is the one that comes closest to addressing LGBT issues, but so much of Jo and Blai...2021-11-102h 12
Gayest Episode EverJo Polniaczek Is a Lesbian Heartthrob“The New Girl, Part One” and “The New Girl, Part Two” (November 19 and 26, 1980) True, the first episode of The Facts of Life is the one that comes closest to addressing LGBT issues, but so much of Jo and Blair’s relationship treads close that we are returning to discuss Nancy McKeon’s two-part introduction to the show. Librarian and Facts of Life scholar Erin Fletcher joins us to discuss the many layers to Jo and many lines that, upon second thought, seem like they might be double entendres. Listen to our first Facts of Life episode, “Blair Warner Is a Ho...2021-11-102h 12
Gayest Episode EverPaul Lynde Makes Halloween Gayer The Paul Lynde Halloween Special (October 29, 1976) It’s the first TableCakes crossover! But is Gayest Episode Ever making an appearance on Monday Afternoon Monday or vice versa? Who cares! The point is that Sam Pancake — actor, comedian and host of MAM — is discussing The Paul Lynde Halloween Special with Drew and Glen in all its vintage bonkers badness. If there is one significant difference in this episode, it’s probably that it’s light on clips because 1) the jokes aren’t great and 2) Sam does a good enough impression of Paul Lynde that he can spare you from having to listen to...2021-10-271h 28
Gayest Episode EverWeirdest Episode Ever: The Terror of Zombie Sandy Duncan“Nightmare on Oak Street” (November 23, 1987) We had to break format to do it, but at long last, we are talking about The Hogan Family… a.k.a. Valerie, a.k.a. Valerie’s Family. And yes the history of how this one sitcom had three different names is explained, but more to the point we ask why a show that killed off its title character would choose to confront its young viewers just a few weeks later with zombie horror — and worst of all, the Zombie Sandy Duncan. The Associates, the lawyer sitcom starring Martin Short and created by...2021-10-201h 30
Gayest Episode EverGloria Vane Is a Part of Frasier’s Queer History“PIlot” (1993) This unsold pilot, featuring JoBeth Williams as an aging actress in 1930s Hollywood, represents writer Joe Keenan’s attempt at selling NBC a TV series with a gay sensibility back in 1993. And while Gloria Vane never made it to air, its legacy lives on in Frasier, as Keenan joined the Frasier writers’ room and ended up penning some of the series queerest and most farcical episodes. Even without that Frasier connection, however, Gloria Vane would still merit its own very special episode, because it’s very funny and very queer. Watch the Gloria Vane pilot on YouTube.2021-10-131h 04
Gayest Episode EverThe Other Two Finds a DaddyEDIT: Apologies for the original file cutting off early. It has since been fixed. “Pat Connects With Her Fans” (August 26, 2021) The Other Two is not a gay show, necessarily, but one of the two titular characters is gay, and through him this sitcom explores aspects of gay life that most shows don’t. Its current season has Cary (Drew Tarver) explore what kind of gay man he wants to be, and this episode in particular does that through a wacky sitcom misunderstanding that’s both expertly crafted and that could only work in a gay context. We love it...2021-09-221h 14
Gayest Episode EverHe-Man Fights a Gay Bunny-Man“Quest for He-Man” (October 5, 1983) A thousand gay nerds debating on a thousand twitter threads could come up with any number of candidates for the gayest episode ever of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, but the one we’re talking about with Talking Simpsons co-host Henry Gilbert is the one where our hero travels through a swirling rainbow hole to an alternate dimension ruled by a gay-seeming bunny-man who loads a phallic rocket full of his precious, life-giving fluid, and no, we’re not making any of that up. Follow Henry on Twitter, and listen t...2021-08-172h 20
Gayest Episode EverMarge Simpson Is a Homophobe and a Transphobe“There’s Something About Marrying” (February 20, 2005) Gayest Episode Ever would not exist without The Simpsons — mostly because we stole Talking Simpsons’ podcast format and applied it to LGBT episodes of classic sitcoms, and Talking Simpsons would not exist without The Simpsons. But cultural and personal importance aside, there comes a time to point out when a thing you love screws up, and this episode — the one that should be about Marge disapproving about Patty marrying a woman but ends up being a nasty little parable about transphobia — is not the series’ best moment, despite promising bits in the first two ac...2021-06-302h 04
Gayest Episode EverPeter Griffin Becomes a Gay“Family Gay” (March 8, 2009) Is it anticlimactic to say that this episode of Family Guy is not as terrible as you might expect? It concerns Peter being injected with the gay gene and becoming temporarily gay, and for the Seth MacFarlane of it all, this one gets some stuff right, lands a few decent jokes, biffs some bad ones and sometimes sacrifices laughs altogether to shock, horrify or offend. In short, it’s typical Family Guy. Listen to Drew and Glen on You’re Making It Worse. Listen to the summer/pride episode of Deep Cut...2021-06-231h 50
Gayest Episode EverThe Naked Truth Has Two Pretend Gays (Zero Actual Gays)“Woman Gets Plastered, Star Gets Even” (January 23, 1997) There was a time when two different networks were trying to push Téa Leoni as a sitcom star. The Naked Truth’s three seasons spanned ABC and NBC, and while it didn’t launch Leoni to TV success at this point in her career, Glen and Drew share a love of all things Téa with our guest, comedian H. Alan Scott. This episode is one of the more forgettable gay sitcom episodes sure, but there’s something to learn from the sitcoms that manage to make LGBT themes seem boring...2021-06-161h 44
Gayest Episode EverIs It Transphobic? Talks King of the HillHey, remember when Drew and Glen discussed that one episode of King of the Hill where Peggy meets a drag queen and halfway through we realized there was a trans reading to this character that probably should be explored in greater depth than two cisgender guys were capable of? Well, we had always regretted falling short in that respect and had even talked about revisiting the episode with a trans guest. However, this weekend Is It Transphobic? — the podcast hosted by previous GEE guest Ashley Lauren Rogers — covered “The Peggy Horror Picture Show” and did such a good job...2021-04-1927 min
Gayest Episode EverLiberace Hosts The Muppet Show“Liberace” (October 14, 1978) After a suggestion by Drew’s heterosexual acquaintance, we’ve decided to discuss the gayest episode of The Muppet Show we could find. Tony Rodriguez joins us for a discussion of Muppets but also a fairly obscure FCC ruling that shaped prime time television for every child who grew up in 80s and 90s America, plus a rundown of why Liberace is awful. There is a lot going on in this episode, but that seems appropriate given the bonkers chaos that is the Muppets. Yes, there is a “lost” TableCakes podcast you may never have h...2021-04-071h 57
Gayest Episode EverDrew and Glen Don’t Talk About Any Episode in ParticularWhelp, we’ve made it: one hundred episodes. By which I mean that we actually hit that mark several episodes ago, by various standards, but this is when we are actually observing that this is a thing we have done repeatedly over a set amount of time. For this episode, Drew and Glen talk about what this podcast has ended up doing in contrast to how they thought it would work when it launched. Also discussed: WandaVision (finally!) in some depth that you may regard as spoilerish if “Agatha All Along” has not already spoiled it, which is to say yo...2021-03-3150 min
Gayest Episode EverRest in Peace: Phyl Petrillo, Dorothy Zbornak’s Trans SisterHeads up: This episode revolves around a funeral for a character that we are reading as trans. The humor had at the expense of the deceased may be difficult for some audience members to hear. ”Ebbtide’s Revenge” (December 15, 1990) If you’re reading this episode title and saying, “I’ve seen every Golden Girls, and I’m pretty sure Dorothy doesn’t have a trans sister,” we’ve got a guest to respond with “Are you sure about that?” Dr. Ada-Rhodes Short, mother of robots and co-host of the Totally Trans podcast, joins us to talk about trans lesbians...2021-03-242h 06
Gayest Episode EverDoogie Howser’s Best Friend Is a Homophobe“Spell It M-A-N” (January 6, 1993) You might be surprised to learn that Doogie Howser M.D. only lasted four seasons and 97 episodes, but perhaps because Neil Patrick Harris has continued to be famous ever since, the show casts a lot longer of a shadow than it might otherwise. This fourth-season episode deals with Vinnie (Max Casella) being horrified to learn that his college roommate is gay, and because NPH is himself an out gay man, it plays out a lot different today. All this plus a special appearance by Teen Witch herself, Robyn Lively! Listen to the...2021-03-171h 48
Gayest Episode EverCybill Befriends the Gay Waiter“Three Women and a Dummy” (May 13, 1996) Alongside Murphy Brown, Designing Women and The Nanny, Cybill was one of CBS’s female-forward heavy-hitters in the 1990s. It didn’t last as long as the other three — and yes, there’s quite the story there — but in its four seasons it did manage to give us the Waiter. Played by Tim Maculan, he’s one of the more important queer characters to recur on a popular sitcom in the decade. We discuss this, plus Alan Ball’s involvement, the whole Cybill vs. Baranski controversy and whether this show was a remake of Absolu...2021-03-031h 47
Gayest Episode EverThe Golden Girls Meet a Trans Man“Strange Bedfellows” (November 7, 1987) The Golden Girls is beloved by many in the queer community, and for good reason, but the series is not batting a thousand when it comes to LGBT representation. This third season episode features a character who may just be the first trans man character on American TV. It’s… not great, but not wholly a disaster, and writer Henry Giardina is here to offer the perspective of a GG newbie. Listen to our previous Golden Girls episodes: Glen Writes a Golden Girls (a.k.a. “Vince Meat”) The Golden Girls Had a Gay Li...2020-11-251h 49
Gayest Episode EverALF Never Did a Gay Episode“We Are Family” (May 2, 1988) Finally, at long last, ALF! This is the first in a new series where Drew and Glen discuss shows that never did a gay episode. “But wait, Drew and Glen! You have done episodes that weren’t explicitly gay before,” you may be saying. This is true, but at the very least we could pretend that the writer maybe-kinda-sorta had some gay metaphor in mind. This new series is for all the shows that never even treaded that far, but we think there’s something to talk about anyway. In this episode, ALF contemplates...2020-11-181h 21
Gayest Episode EverSpin City Stumps for Same-Sex Marriage“Grand Illusion” (October 29, 1996) Because this is either the episode you’re getting immediately before the election (if you’re on the Patreon feed) or directly after (if you’re on the main feed), we decided we’d try for something political. No, we don’t know why we attempted this, but we ended up picking the first LGBT-themed episode from Spin City, which is arguably the most politically focused sitcom of late. And while this episode should focus more on the out gay character, Michael Boatman’s Carter Heywood, it instead shifts the spotlight to Connie Britton’s Nikki, which Dre...2020-11-111h 17
Gayest Episode EverJennifer Slept Here Is a Little Gay Boy’s Fantasy“Jennifer: The Movie” (October 29, 1983) We’re celebrating both Halloween and week two of our celebration of Ann Jillian with an episode about how the 1983 NBC series Jennifer Slept Here is both so very weird and also a little gay boy’s fantasy — because it pairs an awkward boy with glamorous ghost, and that’s secretly what every little gay boy wishes he had to guide him through his awkward years. This is peak 80s, but also it has one of the best sitcom themes ever, regardless of decade. Watch Drew’s video of the 1982 Night of a Thousand...2020-10-281h 28
Gayest Episode EverIt’s a Living Waits on a Trans Woman“Gender Gap” (January 11, 1986) Heads up: Initially, at least, Drew thought the episode being discussed was more transphobic that most, but special guest Ashley Lauren Rogers pointed out the ways the one trans episode of It’s a Living isn't a total wash — and since Ashley happens to be the host of the Is It Transphobic? podcast, that counts for something. Whatever you think, this episode offers a glimpse at the proto-Golden Girls sitcom that Drew has been talking about for weeks and weeks, as well as the first part of a mini Ann Jillian festival that you won’t fi...2020-10-212h 01
Gayest Episode EverDiane Chambers Revisited (An Episode That Glen Can Actually Listen To)”The Boys in the Bar“ (January 27, 1983) If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a bit, you may be aware of the fact that Glen refuses to listen to it. Drew thinks this is too bad, because this really seems like the kind of podcast Glen would really enjoy. In celebration of Glen’s birthday month, Drew asked Sam Pancake and Tony Rodriguez to do a reading of one of the best episodes we’ve done: Episode 10, “Diane Chambers Is an LGBT Ally,” based on the Cheers episode “The Boys in the Bar,,” Drew’s only real instruction to...2020-09-211h 19
Gayest Episode EverMike Seaver Actually Said the Word ‘Gay’“Mike’s Madonna Story” (November 5, 1985) Yep. We’re actually doing Growing Pains — specifically because of one scene in a first-season episode in which Kirk Cameron’s character tosses of the line “Maybe I’m gay.” It might seem small, but it’s crazy to consider the word “gay” even being spoken on this quintessential 80s family show, much less by a character played by a guy who’d shortly thereafter become a born-again Christianity and who’d eventually disclose some seriously homophobic views. Glen and Drew are joined in this episode by Dan Steadman, a writer and filmmaker who actually was f...2020-09-161h 27
Gayest Episode EverIn the House Had RuPaul Play a Heterosexual“Boys II Men II Women” (December 4, 1995) Twenty-five ago, long before he’d become a media mogul and the face of an international franchise, Rupaul made 1995 his most mainstream year yet. Not only did he have his mainstream debut in The Brady Bunch movie, but he also did one-off guest roles in a number of network sitcoms. But only In the House had him playing a drag queen who was an avowed heterosexual. Drew talked with In the House creator Winifred Hervey about her time on Golden Girls. Read his roundtable interview with her and other Golden...2020-09-021h 06
Gayest Episode EverFinch’s Buddy Is Trans“Brandi, You’re a Fine Girl” (November 16, 2000) Finally! It’s Gayest Episode Ever’s first trans episode. Glen and Drew decided to start with a 2000 episode of Just Shoot Me that features Jenny McCarthy as the childhood friend of David Spade’s character who rolls into town with some surprising news. It’s not great, largely because edgy humor does not age well, but more than anything else, this episode’s shortcomings demonstrate how the general conversation about trans folks has evolved in the past twenty years. TableCakes jill-of-a-trades Meika Grimm Is on hand to talk Just Shoot Me, Xena...2020-08-261h 40
Gayest Episode EverEric Forman’s New Buddy Is a Homo“Eric’s Buddy” (December 6, 1998) Trigger warning: The episode we’re talking about doesn’t bring up sexual assault in any way, but because it’s That 70s Show, the subject comes up. Skip from the 25-minute mark to the 29-minute mark if you want to listen to the episode without that discussion. Debate among yourselves whether That 70’s Show qualifies as a classic sitcom, but you can’t say it wasn’t a successful show, running eight seasons and then forever in syndication. In its first season, the show featured Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a student who befriends Toph...2020-08-121h 07
Gayest Episode EverSuperstore Is Queerer Than You Think“Gender Reveal” (April 12, 2018) This week, Glen and Drew are joined by Karen Tongson, chair of the Gender and Sexuality Studies department at USC and the co-host of the Gen X pop culture podcast Waiting to X-Hale. We asked Karen what show she’d most like to discuss, and she chose Superstore, the current NBC ensemble comedy. Not only does it have a queer Asian lead character, but as Karen points out, there’s a lot of ambient queerness on the show, in addition to one of the more diverse casts on a sitcom today. Watch Smack th...2020-08-051h 42
Gayest Episode EverMr. Belvedere Discourages a Teen from Being Gay “The Competition” (February 13, 1987) Yes, we did do an episode last year in which we summed up Mr. Belvedere are a whole and said it never did an outright gay episode. We were wrong, and thanks to two different listers who politely exposed our ignorance, this week you are getting Drew and Glen talking about the one where Heather convinces her boyfriend he’s gay and Mr. Belvedere convinces him he’s not. It’s a weird bit of TV, but it’s also one of the very few family-focused sitcoms of this era to actually acknowledge...2020-07-291h 16
Gayest Episode EverRoc Has a Gay Uncle“Can’t Help Loving That Man” (October 20, 1991) Looking at the various 90s-era Fox shows that focused on black characters, Roc was the one with the reputation for tackling social issues with the most gravitas. Early in the show’s run, Richard Roundtree — Shaft himself! — guested as the title character’s uncle, who comes bearing the news that 1) he’s gay; 2) he’s getting married; and 3) his beloved is a white man. To discuss the various layers of this Roc episode, Drew and Glen are joined by University of Iowa professor Dr. Alfred L. Martin Jr., whose field of study includes...2020-07-081h 39
Gayest Episode EverToo Close for Comfort Does an Episode About Male RapeContent warning: In this episode we talk about sexual assault. “For Every Man, There's Two Women” (July 20, 1985) This week, we’re not talking about an explicitly LGBT-focused episode of TV. No, we’re talking about the episode of Too Close for Comfort in which a male character, Monroe, is sexually assaulted by two women. No, really. Jim J. Bullock, the actor playing that character, is gay in real life, and because Monroe is coded as queer as well, this episode serves as a bizarre example of not just how a sitcom can handle a sensitive topic bu...2020-07-011h 19
Gayest Episode EverI Love Lucy Makes the First Gay Joke in Sitcom History“Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying to Murder Her” (November 5, 1951) Can we do a whole 52-minute episode that is essentially about one single joke? Hell yes we can. The fourth episode of I Love Lucy sure seems like it might feature the first gay joke in the history of sitcoms. And although we are open to arguments otherwise, it’s nonetheless interesting to think that the show that wouldn’t allow its married leads to share a bed onscreen would slip even a small gay joke past the network censors. Visit our new Tee Public store and plas...2020-06-2451 min
Gayest Episode EverGEE TVGEE TV is a weird little art project that Drew felt compelled to do. It’s six 80s-era NBC sitcoms in a three-hour block, complete with of-the-era commercials. In order: Silver Spoons, The Facts of Life, Gimme a Break, 227, Empty Nest and Night Court. Hit the audio to hear Drew explain it all to Glen, who’s being a good sport about this. Watch the video here. And it’s on Vimeo here. Episodes, in order: Silver Spoons, “Me & Mr. T” (October 16, 1982) The Facts of Life, “Cousin Geri Returns” (December 30, 1981) Gimme a Break, “Nell’s Friend” (December...2020-06-1812 min
Gayest Episode EverWKRP LGBTQ+“Les on a Ledge” (October 2, 1978) For reasons we can’t imagine, WKRP in Cincinnati decided its third episode should feature a trans-themed B plot alongside an A plot about one of the characters contemplating suicide because people think he’s gay. It’s a lot. And while that plot synopsis might seem like a recipe for disaster, this one is funnier and more progressive than you might expect. Don’t get us wrong: It does things that today’s audiences will probably roll their eyes at and might even shake their head at. But among these are some things tha...2020-06-181h 09
Gayest Episode EverAmerican Dad Steals a Gay Couple’s Baby“Surro-Gate” (December 7, 2007) Okay, hear us out. Some of you may be surprised that we’re doing American Dad or that Glen and Drew are both fans of it. We put forward the case that it’s a different sort of show than Family Guy is. This episode follows a previous gay-themed installment, and it demonstrates how bringing a homophobe around to respecting queer people as equals isn’t a one-and-done thing; it’s a continual process, and lots of people who think they’re tolerant need to realize when their tolerance has limits. Buy Glen’s movie, Being F...2020-06-101h 02
Gayest Episode EverHerman’s Head Meets a Lesbian“Sperm ‘n’ Herman” (September 20, 1992) At long last, we’re finally talking about the series that you’ve been dying to hear about… if your name is Drew or Glen. Yeah, we both have memories of liking Herman’s Head. And while its one gay episode does some things right and some things wrong, it’s the first sitcom we’ve discussed that tackles the complicated issue of being queer and also being a parent. It also allows us to talk about all the crazy stuff happening on Fox back in the early 90s. The Junger-Witt font, BTW, is Claren...2020-06-031h 19
Gayest Episode EverMaude Goes to a Gay Bar“The Gay Bar” (December 3, 1977) And then there’s Maude — for a second time! In this final-season installment, Maude battles Arthur (Conrad Bain) over his opposition to a gay bar that’s just opened up in town. It’s basically Arthur having conversation after conversation in which other character break apart his justifications for homophobia. But funny! Listen to Happy History, the new podcast Drew produced. Check out the work of Norn, the talented artist who contributed some original art to a forthcoming GEE merch project. Thanks, Norn! If you want the backstory ab...2020-05-271h 24
Gayest Episode EverDrew and Glen Rank Instrumental Sitcom ThemesDo you ever feel like some songs have too many words? Well, good news: instrumental music eliminates that very problem! In this episode, Drew and Glen each list off five sitcom theme songs that they think are good despite their glaring lack of lyrics. Spoiler: many of them actually do have lyrics, it turns out. But still! If you like this episode, you may also like Singing Mountain, Drew’s other podcast, which works a lot like this but with video game music. There’s even an episode with Glen! Watch Fatal Farm’s alternate intros f...2020-05-0856 min
Gayest Episode EverWhat’s Gay About Scooby-Doo?If you listen to this podcast, you’ve probably noticed that Scooby-Doo’s resident brainiac, Velma Dinkley, can read as a little queer. It’s all subtext and implication, really, but what if we told you there is a canonical connection between Velma and lesbian pop culture? Listen as we unmask her, in true Scooby-Doo style, to reveal that Velma is actually Zelda Gilroy, a character on the 1960s teen sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis — and Zelda, in turn, is Sheila Keuhl, all-around badass, a queer trailblazer in California politics and someone who’s still serving Angelenos today....2020-05-0649 min
Gayest Episode EverMr. Humphries Is a Poof“The Apartment” (November 9, 1979) And now for something slightly different. Katherine Spiers, TableCakes CEO and our first-ever heterosexual guest, joins Drew and Glen to talk about the British sitcom Are You Being Served? and in particular its resident homo Mr. Humphries. It’s also our first remote guest, because this was recorded during pandemic times, so please forgive the fact that this outing has less-than-optimal sound quality. We will do better next time. If you can hang with Zoom-level audio, there’s some interesting talk about how sitcoms play out across the pond. Shop at Smellbent, a queer...2020-04-081h 21
Gayest Episode EverWhat’s Gay About Perfect Strangers?Happy Friday! Or maybe just tolerable Friday. Since everything sucks, we decided to give you an extra episode this week: a Patreon exclusive that we decided the general audience might want to listen to in case you’re needing extra entertainment. We’re still giving you a regular episode this next coming Wednesday, but meanwhile please enjoy this. America or burst! For most of us ’80s babies, Perfect Strangers is a quintessential sitcom of the era — it looked ’80s, it had a perfect ’80s opening theme, and like so many situation comedies aimed at families, it was maybe not the...2020-03-2033 min
Gayest Episode EverDrew and Glen Answer Listener QuestionsIt's a GEE Q&A! Following the Golden Girls table read, we decided to take a week off, and it turns out we needed one more before we jump into the cycle of actual “episode” episodes. So in lieu of that, Drew and Glen answer a bunch of questions we've been sent by listeners over the past two years. We swear it’s actually content! Call us and leave a message on the TableCakes Hotline at (209) 566-CAKE. No, really. Listen to the two “lost” episodes that SoundCloud took offline but which are live again since we migrate...2020-03-1856 min
Gayest Episode EverGlen Writes a Golden Girls“Vince Meat” (February 22, 2020) Have you seen that one Golden Girls where Blanche accidentally sexes a man to death and the girls have to hide the body? Well, your answer should be no, because that episode didn’t air back in the day. It's a script written by our own Glen Lakin and then, for the purposes of this episode, read by a host of our actor friends. It’s fucked-up and funny, and we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate our fiftieth episode. Cast: Dorothy: Meghan Parks Rose: Tony Rodriguez Blanche...2020-03-0437 min
Gayest Episode EverFrank Lambert Is Worried His Son Is a Hairdresser“Frank & Son” (October 18, 1991) Is Step By Step a classic sitcom? Glen says yes, but Drew says no. Listen to an episode that a different podcast that prompted us to examine paternal homophobia and a long-running but perhaps non-classic TGIF sitcom, which Drew prefers to shorthand as “shitbag Brady Bunch.” Listen to the episode of You’re Making It Worse that inspired this episode. Support us on Patreon! Follow: GEE on Twitter • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Play • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn And yes, we do have an offic...2020-02-191h 17
Gayest Episode EverDrew and Glen Rank the Sexiest Sitcom DadsTwo announcements: No. 1, Drew is tired and he is wanting to take a week off with an episode that requires less editing; and and No. 2, this podcast is launching a series of Patreon-only episodes where Drew and Glen discuss subjects unlikely to arise in their typical episodes. In this one, they both list off their picks for the hottest dads in sitcom history. And if you’re seeing this for the first time on the main, non-Patreon feed, then there’s already another one of these ready for your rabid consumption. Hit the link to our Patreon below to list...2020-02-1246 min
Gayest Episode EverEdith Bunker’s Cousin Is a Lesbian… And Also Dead“Cousin Liz” (October 9, 1977) After two years and more than a few negative comments, Drew and Glen once again focus their gaze on All in the Family, a sitcom about America’s favorite ignoramus. This episode is a sweet and it is elegant, and it shows how readily Jean Stapleton’s Edith can accept that love between two women isn’t at all different from her love for her husband. There’s no B plot and only three characters, yet this is one of the best episodes GEE has reviewed so far. If you haven’t yet, please giv...2020-01-291h 06
Gayest Episode EverSusan’s Dad Had a Gay Affair With John Cheever“The Cheever Letters” (October 28, 1992) Poor Susan Ross. If she only knew what her association with George Constanza would ultimately cost her, she would have run screaming. Early in the show’s fourth season, Susan got a glimpse of what George was capable of when he indirectly caused her dad to be outed — if not as gay then at least certainly as a one-time lover of John Cheever. Mike Ciriaco joins Glen and Drew to discuss how this episode is a Seinfeld sleeper classic, both because of and in spite of how nonchalantly it deals with Mr. Ross’s sexualit...2020-01-221h 32
Gayest Episode EverHomer Moves to the Gayborhood“Three Gays of the Condo” (April 13, 2003) Six seasons after its inaugural gay episode, The Simpsons revisited the subject matter in the age of Will & Grace, and the end result sent Homer to live with two guys in Springfield’s gay district. This one exemplifies what it meant to do a gay sitcom after the point in time when it was no longer enough to just showcase straight characters being surprised that gay people exist, but is this a worthy successor to “Homer’s Phobia”? Drew and Glen talk though the good and the bad and the Weird Al. Watch the...2020-01-151h 15
Gayest Episode EverA Very Brady Christmas Is Gay Enough, Say Drew & GlenWe’re celebrating the holidays and closing out 2019 with one of our all-time favorite Christmas specials: A Very Brady Christmas, a 1988 TV movie that reunited all of the original cast that matters. If you’ve seen this special, you may be wondering what’s gay about this family holiday outing. Some stuff, we say, but perhaps most subtly the use of racecar-driving as a metaphor for Bobby Brady’s reckless homosexual lifestyle. Just go with us on this one. Listen to our interview with Stan Zimmerman, who wrote the two Brady Bunch movies. Also, if you haven...2019-12-181h 31
Gayest Episode EverEverybody Loves Raymond’s Possibly Gay Brother“What’s With Robert?” (January 10, 2000) Drew had never seen an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond before Glen pulled a gun on him and forced him to watch this one. To Drew’s surprise, this ostensibly family-friendly CBS sitcom handles gay panic a lot more thoughtfully than other shows of the era, even if it hinged around the ridiculous proposition that a man as tall as Brad Garrett might be homosexual. Support us on Patreon! Buy or rent Glen’s movie, Being Frank, on iTunes Listen to Underbelly L.A., the new TableCakes...2019-12-041h 06
Gayest Episode EverGayest Game Show EVERNo, this is not a deep dive into Paul Lynde’s most salacious innuendos. Instead, GEE is bidding farewell for a few weeks because Drew is heading to Japan, and we thought it would be cool to do an episode based around classic sitcom trivia, and Drew is hosting while Glen is pitted against special guest contestants Tony Rodriguez (who has guested before!) and Katherine Spiers (who hasn’t!). It’s fun, we swear, if not *actually* all that gay. Katherine’s podcast, Smart Mouth Tony’s podcast, Spanish Aquí Presents Support us on Patreon!2019-11-1351 min
Gayest Episode EverEndora Turns Darren Into a Homo“Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall” (November 7, 1968) When it came time to pick a Halloween special for Gayest Episode Ever, the only real choice was Bewitched, a seasonally appropriate sitcom that also happens to be one of the gayest things ever broadcast on network television. In this fifth-season outing, Endora curses Darren to become hopelessly vain, and Dick York makes the decision to play his newly narcissistic character as pretty damn gay. Comedian, actor and classic TV superfan Chase McCown joins Glen and Drew to talk through an episode that is very gay — if regrettably Uncle Arthur-free. (There’s always...2019-10-301h 17
Gayest Episode EverSuzanne Sugarbaker Accidentally Dates a Lesbian“Suzanne Goes Looking for a Friend” (April 9, 1990) The previous Designing Women made Drew cry, but this one is far tamer and far more in line with what we’d consider sitcom-ish. In this Delta Burke showcase episode, Suzanne Sugarbaker attempts to make a friend outside Sugarbaker & Associates — and ends up finding a former pageant friend who’s now an out lesbian. This episode does gay panic from the female perspective and largely holds up today… except for the episode’s final line. Buy the DVD of Glen’s movie, Being Frank. Buy or rent Being Frank on iTunes...2019-10-161h 02
Gayest Episode EverThe Gayest Saturday Morning Cartoon Episode Ever”Odyssey of the Twelfth Talisman” (September 28, 1985) Once upon a time, there was a Saturday morning cartoon based on Dungeons & Dragons, and in its final few episodes it had one of its male characters hit it off with a one-off NPC who was witty and matched him, insult for insult. This one-off also happened to be male, and whether by accident or whatever, the resulting episode plays out kinda like a male-on-male romcom that just happens to be situated in medieval fantasy setting. Don’t worry if you’ve never experienced a Dungeons & Dragons anything; Glen and Drew will wal...2019-08-281h 07
Gayest Episode EverThe Living Single Girls Throw a Lesbian Bridal Shower“Woman to Woman” (March 21, 1996) Don’t think of it as another Golden Girls or Designing Women, because Living Single is actually the show that originated the model for Friends. Yeah, Friends is just an all-white Living Single, and this episode proves how the original can handle a coming out story a lot better than its imitator. Dr. Justin Young joins Glen and Drew to talk Tootie, Latifah, Cousin Pam and Dr. Mary. Watch Justin’s movie, That’s Me on the Right Check out A Love Bizarre, downtown Los Angeles’ new queer art space 2019-07-021h 17
Gayest Episode EverInterview: Glen Lakin, Hollywood ScreenwriterGlen Lakin is more than a mere podcast host. He’s also a screenwriter whose first movie — Being Frank, starring Jim Gaffigan and Logan Miller — opens in theaters today, June 14, in Los Angeles and New York. (More cities to follow, don’t worry.) Yes, we’re using this podcast to let Glen talk about his movie, but take solace in the fact that Drew had to twist his arm to do it. This short promotional interview has Glen talking about how he came up with this story about a suburban dad’s second family and how it might relate to the wacky...2019-06-1422 min
Gayest Episode EverMurphy Brown Has a Gay Co-Worker“Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are” (March 9, 1992) Just when you think Murphy Brown’s take on a gay episode is overstuffed with heteros sharing bad information about alternative lifestyles, the last scene gives the one-off gay character some earnest, heartfelt lines. In the end, Murphy Brown did the gay character good. Queer culture impresario Matt Baume joins Glen and Drew to talk Candice Bergen, Faith Ford and gunge. (Look it up.) Culture Cruise, Matt’s YouTube series about gay pop culture Sewers of Paris, Matt’s gay pop culture podcast Drew’s episo...2019-05-281h 16
Gayest Episode EverBlanche’s Brother Is a Homo“Scared Straight” (December 10, 1988) When Blanche’s brother comes over and comes out, Blanche shows that southern hospitality has its limits. It’s a classic story about homosexuality being accepted — but only to an extent. Burgeoning podcast star Tony Rodriguez joins Glen and Drew to talk about the best-ever gay-focused episode of a sitcom to also have a B plot about a death premonition dream. Read Drew's interview with Golden Girls writers Check out A Love Bizarre, Los Angeles’ new queer art space Support us on Patreon! Follow: GEE on Twitter • Drew...2019-05-071h 07
Gayest Episode EverFresh Off the Boat Outs the Girl Next Door“A League of Her Own” (November 17, 2017) For the second of the “off season” bonus episodes, Drew and Glen wanted to compare how a modern day, family-friendly sitcom compares with the classic versions they discussed in the first season. They picked ABC series Fresh Off the Boat, which in its fourth season had a prominent character — Nicole, the “Winnie Cooper” of this flashback series on whim the lead character has a crush — come out as a lesbian. The storyline is handled very well, and what’s most surprising is that in 2017, a coming out story on a mainstream show isn’t controv...2018-10-1556 min
Gayest Episode EverHarley and Ivy Are Domestic Partners"Harley and Ivy" (January 18, 1993) In GEE’s first bonus episode, Glen and Drew focus on something that's not a sitcom but is nonetheless pretty damn gay — the Batman: The Animated Series installment that put a lesbianish aura around Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, which extended to the comics and ultimately made the duo a full-fledged couple years later. Support us on Patreon! Follow: GEE on Twitter • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Play • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn And yes, we do have an official website! And we even h...2018-07-3050 min
Gayest Episode EverDiane Chambers Is an LGBT Ally"The Boys in the Bar" (January 27, 1983) When Sam Malone makes a show of supporting his newly out former teammate, the regulars at Cheers worry that bar will suddenly go queer. It's another case of straight hysteria and straight histrionics, but luckily it's Diane Chambers to the rescue. The first season of Gayest Episode Ever closes out with a remarkable installment of one of Drew and Glen's favorite shows and singing of the praises of Shelley Long, patron saint of suffering creatives everywhere. Support us on Patreon! Follow: GEE on Twitter • Drew on Twitter • Glen...2018-05-1057 min
Gayest Episode EverJerry and George Aren’t Gay... Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That“The Outing” (February 11, 1993) Seinfeld won a GLAAD award for this episode all about how even the most well-meaning straight people would be horrified to be mistaken for gay. It helped popularize “not that there’s anything wrong with that” and, to a lesser extent, “single, thin and neat” as 90s-era gay catchphrases and also managed to spin a whole half-hour with minimal presence of actual LGBT characters. Emelie Burnette, copy editor to the stars, joins Glen and Drew to talk about what this episode gets right, as well as Veronica Mars’ enduring legacy, seeing Larry David in the men’s room...2018-05-031h 18
Gayest Episode EverHomer Simpson Is a Homophobe"Homer's Phobia" (February 16, 1997) Hot stuff, coming through! At long last, Homer Simpson asks the difficult question, "Hey, what if Bart is a homo?" This episode has none other than John Waters on hand as the primary non-Smithers Springfield queer, and the result is one of the better gay outings of the entire '90s. Learned person Dr. Bryan Wuest is on hand to help Glen and Drew talk through camp, kitsch and all manner of gayness. Support us on Patreon! Follow: GEE on Twitter • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: iTun...2018-04-191h 18
Gayest Episode EverBlair Warner Is a Homophobe"Rough Housing" (August 24, 1979) You probably remember The Facts of Life, but you may not know that the show's first season introduced a whole slew of characters who wouldn't make it to season two and also that the first-ever episode dealt with Blair's homophobia toward a tomboyish classmate that didn't even turn out to be a lesbian. Playwright and Supernatural writer Steve Yockey joins Drew and Glen to talk whether Blair is a monster, whether Mrs. Garrett crosses a line addressing Blair's monster status and why Jenny O'Hara should have remained on the show. Support us o...2018-04-121h 07
Gayest Episode EverMary and Rhoda Meet a Homo"My Brother's Keeper (January 13, 1973) Actor and comedian Sam Pancake joins Glen and Drew to talk about this third-season episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, in which the last-minute revelation that Phyllis' brother is gay gets the biggest laugh of the show. That said, this is a sweet take on a gay episode that aired when most sitcoms didn't do them. Topics discussed include Bridget Loves Bernie, "Ode to Billy Joe," Murder by Death, the theme song to Phyllis' spinoff and how Gavin MacLeod's character sure seems kinda gay. Support us on Patreon! F...2018-04-051h 23
Gayest Episode EverArchie Bunker Is a Homophobe"Judging Books by Covers" (February 9, 1971) At the very least, the fact that Richard Nixon hated this episode of All in Family should motivate you to consider why it's actually good. In it, Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) fails to learn a lesson about who's gay and who seems gay. This Norman Lear-penned script has one of the first positive portrayals of an LGBT character ever in an American TV series, and Glen and Drew's discussion covers everything from TaleSpin to Carol Danvers to Luke and Laura from General Hospital. Support us on Patreon! Follow...2018-03-2955 min
Gayest Episode EverDorothy’s Friend Is a Lesbian"Isn't It Romantic?" (November 8, 1986) An award-winning Golden Girls outing does in the mid-1980s what many '90s sitcoms failed to do by introducing a nuanced LGBT character who's not just a prop for the hetero regulars. Lois Nettleton scored an Emmy nom for her turn as Dorothy's friend Jean, who falls for Rose and who is introduced to the audience as being 100 percent comfortable with her sexuality. Everyone else? Not so much. Actor and comedian Tony Rodriguez joins Glen and Drew to talk about why this is one of the best gay episodes of TV ever.2018-03-221h 11
Gayest Episode EverRoseanne Gets Kissed by a Lesbian"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (March 1, 1994) Roseanne's kiss with Mariel Hemingway wasn't the first instance of liplock between two women on American TV, but it was the most controversial. More than two decades later, Glen and Drew talk about this episode and how it discusses sexual gray areas, how Laurie Metcalf's Aunt Jackie always seemed kinda lesbian-y and why Roseanne was a pioneer for LGBT diversity... even if she's crazy now. Support us on Patreon! Follow: GEE on Twitter • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Play • Google Podcasts • H...2018-03-1556 min
Gayest Episode EverFrasier's Boss Is Gay"The Matchmaker" (October 4, 1994) Shortly into Frasier's second season, one episode made it clear once and for all that despite appearances otherwise, Frasier Crane was not gay. The episode features Eric Lutes as the dashing station manager who thinks he's going on a date with Frasier, and this first installment of the podcast has Glen and Drew talking about how the show slut-shames Roz, how Niles should have come out and why this particular episode got awards for doing a gay episode the right way. Support us on Patreon! Follow: GEE on Twitter • Drew on...2018-03-0953 min
Gayest Episode EverTrailerGayest Episode Ever is a podcast hosted by Drew Mackie, a journalist, and Glen Lakin, a screenwriter. Each installment focuses a different LGBT-themed episode of a classic sitcom. Support us on Patreon! Follow: GEE on Twitter • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Play • Google Podcasts • Himalaya And yes, we do have an official website! And we even have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This is a TableCakes podcast.2018-03-0201 min
We Are Not Young AnymoreEpisode Thirteen: Return to OzAsk anyone who saw 1985's Return to Oz when they were a kid, and they'll probably remember it being scary. It *is* scary. (Princess Mombi is basically perfect nightmare fuel.) But in this episode, Chris, Drew and guest host Glen Lakin talk about how it's also a better movie that its reputation would have you think. Also discussed: Fairuza Balk being a precocious little moppet, Illuminati mind control, and how Return to Oz came to be the first and last movie directed by revered film editor Walter Murch.2017-10-0759 min