My guest this week is Ben Sander, creator of the character Brini Maxwell, a drag hostess who’s helmed shows about crafting, cooking, and homemaking, for decades. It all started with a little cable access show that he produced with some help from his mother, before becoming a cable TV series, with live shows that continue to this day — with Brini the character continuing to evolve as Ben her creator explores new artistic frontiers.
(Also: if you’re a fan of pop culture history — and I think you are — you’ll probably enjoy Sam’s great blog from a few years back, The Obscurity Factor.)
We’ll have that conversation in a minute. First, a reminder that I’ve got a book coming out next year about queer sitcoms! It’s called Hi Honey, I’m Homo, and pre-orders are open — head over to gaysitcoms.com to get all the details.
Also, big thanks to everyone who supports The Sewers of Paris on Patreon! Patrons get hours of exclusive bonus videos about pop culture history, stickers and stuff in the mail, and names in the credits of YouTube videos.
Sewers of Paris: Being Gay Was my Ticket Out (Ep 314 - Reruns/Taylor)
A Telemundo Reaction (Ep. 313 - Santa Claus Conquers the Martians)
Sewers of Paris: Deranged but Thought-Out (Ep 312 - Frank DeCaro/The Munsters)
All of Your Passions Together (Ep 311 - Max Miller/Tasting History)
The Nicest Debt Collector Around (Ep. 310 - Great British Bake Off)
Finally Dialed Up to Ten (Ep 309 - Brett White/Charles Nelson Reilly)
If You Love Wonder Woman, You're Gay (Ep 308 - Wonder Woman/Raul Pacheco-Vega)
You Can't Make Us Feel Ashamed (Ep. 307 - The Rocky Horror Picture Show/Matt Hintzen)
An Adult Candy Store (Ep 306 - Janet Jackson/Peppermint)
My Gay Suit of Armor (Ep 305 - Street Fighter/Deere)
Life with Sharks (Ep 304 - Jaws/Chris Pepin-Neff)
You Don't Want to See Minnie Mouse Take Her Head Off (Ep. 303 - BenDeLaCreme)
Your Grease Truck Voice (Ep 302 - Philip William Stover/Gay Romance Novels)
Freak of Nature (Ep 301 - Bride of Frankenstein/Sam Irvin)
Eight Great Conversations With Queer Creators (Ep 300)
Hot Glue and Rhinestones (Ep. 299 - Remembering Chi Chi DeVayne)
The Unspoken Queerness of the South (Ep 298 - Steel Magnolias/Anthony Methvin)
Bright Colors, Zany Action (Ep 297 - Skeletor/JP Karliak)
Not a Fan of Hanging Around in Reality (Steve Kmetko/E! News)
Reclaiming Power (Ep 296 - Death Becomes Her/Tom Zohar)
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