Movie Night At Camp Rainbow

The World Cup hits the United States and we expect to feel annoyed, embarrassed, or defensive. Instead, we end up watching visitors from Europe, Australia, and beyond fall hard for the stuff we barely notice anymore: strangers saying good morning, random compliments on the street, the sheer size of our states, the chaos of thunderstorms, and the kind of natural beauty that stops you in your tracks. When people start saying “we were lied to about Americans,” it pushes us into a bigger conversation about identity, perception, and why the loudest political voices are not the whole story of this country.

From the Grand Canyon to Yosemite to small cities that tourists usually skip, we talk about what it means to feel proud again without getting boxed into performative, exclusionary patriotism. There’s a difference between loving your home and loving a slogan, and seeing the U.S. through fresh eyes helps us separate the two. If you’ve ever felt like you have to stay quiet about what you love here because you do not want to be mistaken for something you are not, you’ll recognize yourself in this part of the conversation.

Then we switch gears for Pride Month with a film guide built around empathy and queer history. We dig into seminal LGBTQ movies that shaped culture and visibility across decades, including Rocky Horror, Paris Is Burning, Priscilla, To Wong Foo, The Birdcage, Boys Don’t Cry, Hedwig, and more, plus why classics like Philadelphia still matter if you want to understand the AIDS era and what came before today’s representation. Listen, share with a friend, and if you like the show, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find us.

Transcript

Welcome And The Rant Setup

SPEAKER_01 0:07

Welcome to Like Whatever, a podcast for, by, and about Gen X. I'm Nicole and this is my BFFF Heather. Hello.

World Cup Visitors Discover America

SPEAKER_01 0:18

So you text me and told me to remind you that you have a rant. I do have that's well, it's kind of a rant.

SPEAKER_03 0:25

It is and it isn't. And I've been thinking about it a lot. Okay. So I know previously you and I had discussed that they probably should have canceled the correct the World Cup here in the United States.

SPEAKER_01 0:40

When I text you and told you that there is an excellent Somalian official who was not authorized to come into the United States, so he doesn't get to referee the World Cup. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 0:53

I have changed my view on things now. Okay. I have been watching, I don't know. I I don't know. I feel like it's just all TikTok is currently because everybody is talking about it. But the fact that the Europeans coming here are so blown away by literally everything. Yes. Has been absolutely amazing. Um, you know, they've all been like, we have been lied to by the media about Americans, and and yeah, watching them eat the our food is, you know, hilarious because they're like, holy shit. But they get to go home and not be fat like the rest of us. So, you know, they don't have to eat red number 40 all the time. That's been fun. Yes. Watching them eat our experience our food.

SPEAKER_01 1:49

I did see something. I'm not on TikTok. I have been watching a lot of the World Cup. Um, especially, well, not especially, but I did watch the one in Philly, and it was really cool to see all the people up there. Um, and my daughter and her boyfriend, so they played Sunday. My daughter and my her boyfriend were up there Saturday night at a friend's housewarming party and spent the night, and they went out in the city. I was like, just see World Cup stuff. They were like, oh my god, they were everywhere.

SPEAKER_03 2:18

The thing of it is, is that because it's all over the country and not specific city, so like you know, when the Olympics comes into town, it's that city, and it's typically New York, right? You know, LA, San Francisco, you know, so this is spread out through the country. Um number one, the the Europeans saying that we never have culture and blah blah blah blah blah and all of that, and it's I think I've talked I've talked about it before, how there are British people that are living here that are like you guys are wrong, like you don't know at all what you're talking about. It's not that they don't, but they never have to leave here, they don't have to go anywhere. It's like 50 individual states or countries here, it's all different, like you don't all kinds of landscapes, they do have it all here, and then you know, well, they're they they don't walk anywhere, and and they are like it's not it's too far, everything is so far and all that. And then I did see this was hilarious. I saw one guy was like, Hear me out. He he was he's like, hear me out. We all get it that um Celsius makes sense, right? Like that is, and he was like, But hear me out. I think this Fahrenheit thing is where it's at, because Celsius is zero is water freezing, and he was like, and a hundred is water boiling, and he was like, But I am not water. So when they say it's 90 degrees, it feels like yes, it's almost boiling. And he was like, Fahrenheit makes so much more sense as people, and I was like, Oh yeah, you know, you're saying so. A couple of them have said that that they get it now. Um, some of them have been saying the heat hits different, like because that was another thing. Oh, we all have air conditioning here and we're whiny, and and it is only June, and they are struggling in the south, they really are struggling.

SPEAKER_01 4:21

Yeah, the players are struggling, like everybody's not even that hot yet. No, no.

SPEAKER_03 4:26

But the most important thing, and here's why I would like to go on a rant about it.

National Parks And American Warmth

unknown 4:33

Pat.

SPEAKER_03 4:34

I know you love my rants. It's not, it's not a it's it is, but it isn't. Okay, so watching Europeans specifically, not just Europeans, Australians too. I think they get kind of bunched into the European nonsense, but they're not European. I understand that. But um watching everybody go to our national parks and seeing I was watching a New Zealand couple who went to the Grand Canyon. I fucking, we all know how I feel about the Grand Canyon. I've been, I don't know, ten times and I've been to every part of it. I've been in it. I don't ever want to need I don't ever need to see it again until I saw people from other countries experiencing it for the experiencing it because they don't have no that kind of stuff. And I was watching another couple from Australia, so then they were in Sedona. Oh yeah, and just watching people from other countries experience Yosemite and everything here, and and talking about how just how warm we are and how inviting we are. Yes, and there was two British girls talking about how in Britain you would never be walking down the street, and people would be like, Hey, good morning, how are you? And and she was like, a lady came up to me and said she liked my shirt and then squalked away. And she was like, That would never happen anywhere in Britain. And the Australians were talking about it too. Like, they were like, you don't even realize how many people just randomly come up and and say hi and say good morning, or and then so that kind of stuff I think we all took for granted.

SPEAKER_01 6:24

And you forget about it. I mean, there's just so much going on right now.

SPEAKER_03 6:29

Here's my thing about it, and here's where Mirant is gonna come in. Okay, we are not the current administration. No, there are more of us than that. We are warm and caring, and we do care about others, and we do help each other out, and we do, and we lost that somewhere. Um as much as I thought we should have been punished for this administration and the World Cup probably shouldn't have happened here, blah blah blah. I changed my mind on that because now Europeans and the rest of the world get to see who we actually are, that we are not that guy, that that is not who we are. Right, that this country is so beautiful, yes, that we have so much. And I mean, they're they're talking about how they saw animals, they never see animals anywhere else, and then you know, a deer just walks into the middle of, and we are like, god damn deer just ran out in front of my fucking car and I almost hit it. And like we bitch about squirrels running it, and they're like, oh my god, a squirrel, and you know, and wolves, and they you know, and I think that it is so unfucking fortunate that we have gotten to this point where we can't even remember who we are. Yes, so I think that it is time that we take this opportunity to watch these videos and see who we are through other people's eyes so we can get back to that. I agree. Because I am an atheist, as we know, and I feel like I follow the teachings of Jesus Christ way more than the MAGA nonsense. And here's the thing about it they are the they are the minority. Exactly. They are not the minority. They're just louder, they are louder, they just have a platform right now, and it's so un and that is what the world has seen until they got to come here, and now they are spreading the word that that is not who we are, and we are better than that. And it's time that we take control back over and show the world who we really are, and that we are not assholes, pedophile, bullshit, mega nonsense. Yes, we are not any of those things. We are kind, warm, helpful people who have so much to offer and so many cool things that we have lost not we, some of us, I feel like on this side of the aisle, have lost our patriotism because we don't want to be wrapped up in that mega patriotism. So we don't want to be seen like that. Yes, but god damn it, it's not fair. It's not fair that we don't get to say this country is fucking beautiful. Yeah, and I am proud to be from this country where it is so fucking beautiful. Yes, where you can go from a beach. Another lady was talking about oh, you should see the British beaches are nothing like this, and you can just go from a mountain and then be at a beach, and like, yes, you can. We have it all, we do, and it's just not fucking fair.

SPEAKER_01 9:41

No, you're right. And it yeah, I mean, this goes back to the first administration. I, you know, you'd hear things that people in the rest of the world would say about us, and at first I was like, that's not me, but then I'd be like, Well, it's fair, our country elected, which means the majority vote allegedly. Well, the majority didn't vote for him, the Electoral College majority voted for him. Um so I was like, So of course, you know, we all get lumped into that, but you're right, like it's I haven't watched stuff like that, but just watch like the game in Philadelphia on Sunday night was Ecuador versus Ivory Coast. Um and there was a uh a Scotsman there, very typical redhead, long beard, thick accent. And you know, he's just I don't know how he landed in Philly or what game he is here to see, but he just went on and on about how much fun it was and how great the people up there were, and that's Philly, and everybody thinks we're awful in Philly.

SPEAKER_03 10:47

Well that's that's it, because I think most people who come to this country go to New York and LA and Orlando, because that's where Disney World is. And and that's the parts that and now they're seeing Kansas City and you know, parts of Texas, yes, yes, and they're not going to, you know, to the normal. I mean, obviously there are some in New York, but they're going to places that they not wouldn't have not gone before. And I think it's time that we take back our fucking country and take back our patriotism because this is the 250th birthday and we should be excited. We should be proud.

SPEAKER_01 11:25

I am. I I've I've always felt proud. I I rarely will get into arguments on social media with people. I know it's your favorite thing to do, but um someone I know had posted something once like, if you don't like this country, move out. Did you even vote? And I posted, I love my country and I don't want to live anywhere

Reclaiming Patriotism Without MAGA

SPEAKER_01 11:50

else. I just want my country back. And yes, I did vote. She ended up taking that post down, by the way. But I mean, yeah, it's you do just kind of have to silently because if you get patriotic, people assume you're mega. Yeah. Exactly. And it's not fucking fair. It's not fair. You're right, that's not who we are.

SPEAKER_03 12:11

They keep taking everything from us, and they should not be able to take this away from us. And I am now so thankful to the people that are not from here who are coming here for these events, who are making me patriotic again, making me say, you know what? The Grand Canyon isn't just a big giant fucking hole in the ground that tried to kill me. It is beautiful. That Sedona is absolutely breathtaking. Yes. That the redwood forests are amazing. I've never seen them. And I've always been back and forth on whether or not I wanted to go back to Europe. Um, because as we discussed last week, off I have an issue with planes for some reason suddenly. No. Um, so I don't think I could go back to Europe. And then I was like, you know what? There's so much in this country that I haven't seen yet. Yeah. You don't need to not say you shouldn't travel, but you don't need to leave this. There's so much to see here. It's so beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 13:14

Yeah. I mean, I a couple years ago at Thanksgiving went up to Niagara Falls. That used to be when we were kids that that's where our parents went on their honeymoon. Everybody went to Niagara Falls for their honeymoon. And uh I just wanted to see it. I mean, I've seen waterfalls before, I've seen pictures of Niagara Falls, the city around it, it's just Buffalo. I mean, there's nothing really much there. There was a casino across the street, so that was nice, but but it was actually a lot like here, just little neighborhoods, little corner bars, you know, stuff like that. So, but it was awesome when I saw it. Like, yes, it was so cool getting to see it.

SPEAKER_03 13:57

We just take things for granted so much, I think, that we just forget, we get so wrapped up in the bullshit that's happening that we forget. And the couple that went to the Grand Canyon, they went to the store that we bought that I bought my t-shirt that said I like the Grand Canyon. And I was like, Oh, I've been to that store. And oh my god, we almost died there. And I don't don't get me wrong, I'm never going back to the Grand Canyon. It's still I I saw that I saw them and they're all in excitement, and I was like, it's pretty. I can move on now because I've seen it so many times. Yeah, and that's it. I've seen it so many times. Yes, I don't need to see it anymore.

SPEAKER_01 14:41

Yep, yep.

SPEAKER_03 14:42

Fuck me. Yep. It's not just a big hole in the ground.

SPEAKER_01 14:45

It's like somebody in Rome not needing to see the collector anymore.

SPEAKER_03 14:48

And that's what somebody else said. They were like, Can you imagine like how people in Rome feel when they're like, yeah, it's the Coliseum, why don't we move on?

SPEAKER_04 14:55

And we're all like, What is that?

SPEAKER_03 14:57

But yeah, we don't have the history that Europe has. We don't have the but we have giant holes in the ground and waterfalls and giant trees, and I mean we have every we have Texas and Florida and Arizona, which are steaming hot.

SPEAKER_01 15:15

We have Alaska, which is not not. We have Hawaii, which is like an island paradise, you know, and then everything in between.

SPEAKER_03 15:25

There's a lot of boring stuff in the middle there that's just like yeah, but even that, like I've never seen a tumbleweed. No, I would like to see a tumbleweed.

SPEAKER_01 15:34

I don't think I've ever seen a tumbleweed. The closest I've ever been to the Midwest is when I went to Austin last year. I'm going to St. Louis in July. That'll be exciting.

SPEAKER_03 15:45

I would like to see. I mean, I would like to see the prairies, and you know, I think I think that I've just I love your point, and that's another cool thing about the World Cup being here.

SPEAKER_01 15:57

Like, I'm not a necessarily a soccer fan. I can watch soccer, I understand soccer. It is super exciting when they score a goal because there's 90 minutes and you might say one. Yeah, that's why I can't watch soccer. It's a lot like baseball in that aspect, but there's a lot of downtime. Um, but I've also watched it enough that watching the offense and the defense, I I can see all that, and it's kind of cool. But I've just been anytime I can catch a game, I watch one. I was torn the other night because Brazil was playing Morocco, and of course I love Brazil because I went to Brazil. Um and speaking of an amazing country, the people were wonderful, the food was amazing. Oh my gosh, everything was awesome. Anyway, um, and I also have a very good friend who is like born and raised in Morocco and then moved to New York. Um and now she lives down here. So I didn't know who I went to win, but it ended 1-1. So you'd have to worry about it. We were good. Yeah, I was good. And yesterday Spain got upset by it. Spain is ranked second, and they were playing shoot, I'm not gonna be able to remember now, but they were only ranked like 65th, and it ended in a 0-0, which is basically a loss for Spain. Like it was they said maybe the biggest upset in World Cup history. Wow. I know it was very exciting. I love the World Cup, and I always have. I remember years and years and years ago when I went to school to become a sleep tech. Um, I went to school in Wilmington, and while I was taking that class over those months, the World Cup, I forget where it was. It was where they had the V Viv Vizula Viv. Remember those long things that and that's all you heard at any of them? Like it was the worst idea ever, and they've never done it again, thank God. Um but we would take our lunch and we'd all go to the little bar across the street and grab lunch and sit and watch the World Cup on all their TVs, and it's it really does bring people together. And even if you don't like soccer, a lot of people, you know, still want to watch it. So I kind of want to go up to Philly. I don't, but it's too hot. I'm too old. But if I was younger, I think going up there and just hanging out in the bars and just being around the people, you don't even have to go.

SPEAKER_03 18:18

Did you see that they have tried they have stopped tailgating in every other stadium except for Philadelphia?

SPEAKER_01 18:26

That's probably against Philadelphia law.

SPEAKER_03 18:28

They were like, yeah, no, we're not doing it. Apparently, FIFA was like, no, we don't want it in Philadelphia. It was like, yeah, we don't care. Yeah, that's it. And they let them they are tailgating in Philadelphia.

SPEAKER_01 18:37

They also um are letting some of the bars stay open until 4 a.m. So that when the games get over, people can go out. Still, they said with so many out of out-of-towners there, it was better to have them have access to that than to be wandering off looking for other things to do and the streets filling aren't always the safest.

SPEAKER_03 18:56

I'm very much not. Yeah, that's my rant. I'm I'm glad that if you get a chance, check out some of the videos. I'm sure there's reels and it's uplifting and positive for you.

SPEAKER_01 19:10

I'm I know. And you're you're in a rage right now, too. So I am in a I'm very surprised that that you're all right with that.

SPEAKER_03 19:16

But that was Well, I mean, it did rate it did make me angry that that we don't get to sell, we don't get to be patriotic because then we look like jackasses and we're not that. And it's fucking unfair. So that's my rage about it. Exactly. Exactly. Stop taking shit away from us, motherfucker.

Soccer Energy Philly Rules And Storms

SPEAKER_01 19:33

There was another cool storyline that I I heard it on the news, and then I watched some of the game. Um, that so South Africa was playing Mexico in this past week, and the South Africans were all rooting for Mexico because there is a protest over anti-immigration sentiment and the mistreatment of African migrants in South Africa. Oh. So they were all Team Mexico, Mexico won two nothing. Nice. Yep, yep. But I love those kinds of things too. Like, that's where your voice gets heard. That's where you get to make a difference. And really, like on a world stage, let your country know that they're not being what you want them to be.

SPEAKER_02 20:18

So it's time we take back this country. I know. I can't wait. It's time to remember Simba.

SPEAKER_03 20:26

Remember who you are. Because we're not who they think we are.

SPEAKER_01 20:32

We definitely are not. And I think that's where a lot of the division keeps getting worse and worse because it's discouraging for people like us. Yes. Like we just wanna why can't we all just get along?

SPEAKER_03 20:45

Yeah, you know, and just why can't we all just look in the Grand Canyon together? Exactly. Without tossing somebody in.

SPEAKER_01 20:53

I don't know. Oh man.

SPEAKER_03 20:59

Well, that was lovely. Thank you for that. It's a positive speech. Check it out. If you're on the tickety talk, I'm sure you've seen it, but I'm sure there's reels and Twitter and I'm sure Instagram and all of it, or to search it out of Europeans in the United States for this kind of stuff and watch some of these people experience the Grand Canyon, and you will see it through it's kind of like going to Disney World with your kids and experiencing the magic all over again.

SPEAKER_01 21:27

Yeah. Um, I don't remember what platform it was on, but I did see uh it was a post, and then you could flip it, must have been on Instagram. Um, and you could flip through each one, and it was a younger fan, and he was experiencing, but it was all the tiny little things like trying in an outburger, and something about the highways, and then something about like a storm bro came up out at like oh, they were fascinated by our storms, they had no idea.

SPEAKER_03 21:58

And somebody I saw somebody. Somebody post because I guess one of the games got postponed for lightning and somebody was like taking video of the storm coming through and we're like, ah, and somebody else posted, is your lightning not deadly over there? Or like what? Is your you got nicer lightning than we do or something?

SPEAKER_01 22:21

Lower voltage lightning. What's up?

SPEAKER_03 22:26

But I guess they don't get it, especially I don't think Britain does. They don't think they really get thunderstorms there because I don't think it gets that hot. Well, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:34

And then they don't have this big, massive, empty center of the country for everything to build momentum.

SPEAKER_03 22:40

Yeah. They don't, I mean, they're small, so anything blows through. I mean, I think Texas is larger than Great Britain. So Yeah, I think you're right. I think, you know, I but that was that was some the the American under it was like, does your lightning not kill you over there? You got better lightning than us? What's up with that?

unknown 23:00

I don't understand.

SPEAKER_03 23:01

That's hilarious. I saw one that was in Kansas and the um tornado sirens went off, and I was like, oh man, that poor. He was like, I don't know what to do. When one got off. I think it was Denver. I think it I don't remember what airport it was, but you know how they have the and on some in the Midwest airports, they have uh like tornado shelter signs for you in the and he and they kept putting on the like is this really gonna be a problem?

unknown 23:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:30

Sure is. Yeah, I don't know how those people live there. I'm I'm nervous going to St. Louis next month because I'm like, uh no. I will be right in the city though, so I think you're safe from tornadoes.

SPEAKER_03 23:42

I don't think you're safe from tornadoes. I don't think they just don't know.

SPEAKER_01 23:45

You can't build up in between like skyscrapers and stuff.

SPEAKER_03 23:49

I think they can come through though. It's not like a hurricane that gets knocked down by anything.

SPEAKER_01 23:54

I just don't remember ever remember hearing of a tornado ripping through like downtown city.

SPEAKER_02 24:00

I don't know. I'd have to Google it.

unknown 24:02

Yeah. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 24:03

Well, don't if you Google it before I go, don't tell me. Because I'm just gonna live in this illusion that it's not gonna happen. Yep, yep, all right. All

Quick Housekeeping And Social Links

SPEAKER_01 24:11

right. Um, like, share, rate review. Please find us where you listen to podcasts. Yes. Follow us on all the socials. All of them. At like whatever pod. We are on YouTube at Like Whatever. We have a website. We do likewhateverpod.com. Yeah. And you can email us at likewhateverpod at gmail.com. Yes. Alrighty. So keeping with the spirit of Pride Month. Hey, Bye. Um, you actually kind of triggered this in me um with yours last week. You were talking about um um seeing characters and people in movies and um TV shows back in our day and how rare it was, or they were the butt of a joke. Um, and I was gonna do movies and TV shows, but then I found good information on some movies I really love. So we're going to fuck around and find out about movies to watch this Pride Month. Excellent. Yep. Alrighty, and I got I think I got all this information from advocate.com. All right.

Pride Month And Why Movies Matter

SPEAKER_01 25:14

All right, Gen Z. I know it's not Gen X, but Gen Z is making waves and upsetting the status quo in unique ways by living louder and prouder than past generations had been able to and speaking truth to power in bigger numbers than we've seen before. But older generations still have something to learn from the older queer generations, including the seminal LGBTQ films that have both been shaped by and impacted queer culture and have influenced countless TV shows and movies that get young people love today. Despite how it may feel these days, we have made amazing strides in getting closer to equal rights and being able to live loud and proud more than previous generations. And while most of that is thanks to the tireless work of LGBTQ advocates, movies about queer people have helped to move the needle too. Movies have the power to create empathy where none existed before, show the public, the general public, a segment of society that was largely ignored, and make marginalized groups feel seen and accepted. So let's take a look at the groundbreaking, iconic and seminal queer films that every young person needs to see. And I would argue adults too. Um, and it is I I that really hit me where it said that it creates empathy. Um and to show a society that was ignored. I can remember when I was in my very early 20s, I worked for Publishers Clearing House. I still remember. Oh my god, that was the worst job ever. Oh my god, I can't I worked in the call center. Um, I eventually got promoted to data entry, which was a million times better than the call center. But um yeah, that job. It it was so sad because it was all old folks calling in um on fixed incomes that were buying all that crap out of the little leaflet that they would put in it because they thought that's how you won the money. Yeah. And they wanted to win the money to pass on to their children. In the meantime, they're spending their children's entire heritage on all this crap. And they were very, very upset. It was it was a really tough job, um, especially for like a 20-year-old. Yeah. Um, but anyway, I worked with a guy, I worked with a number of people. One of them was a gay man, um, one was not a gay man, and he was probably around my age, and he was a homophobe. I mean, he would openly say things, and back then you could. I mean, he'd say it right in front of the guy.

unknown 27:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:51

And I actually started like talking with him and trying to explain things and trying to make him understand things, and he really I he said that I it impacted his thoughts on it. And then, you know, being exposed to this guy, I don't know if this young man had ever been exposed to a gay person really before in his life. Right. Um so it is about not knowing, and that's what a lot of um stereotypes, racism things come from, because you don't live in their world. Um, you hear about a 18-year-old gangbanger, and you're like, well, he got what he deserved. Well, you grow up the way he grew up, and then you tell me how you turn out. Exactly. Everybody sees it from their own viewpoint, like everybody lives the way you live, and they don't. So, yeah. Anyway, I guess I had a little rant today, too.

SPEAKER_03 28:46

All right, so that's why I say we live more to the teachings of Jesus Christ than anybody else, than the actual Christians, or I should say some actual Christians.

SPEAKER_02 28:56

The majority, I would say.

SPEAKER_01 28:58

Some of them are good people. Oh, of course they are. I know. Not all Christians. Yeah, one of my very favorite people at work is very, very Christian. And when she prays for me, I love it. Um, all right, so these range from the 1950s to the early 2000s.

Early Queer Cinema That Changed Culture

SPEAKER_01 29:13

Um, so it really is kind of in our wheelhouse. There's only one in the 50s, then starting in the 70s. Um, so it was during our generation that these things were coming out. And there were some movies. It's so funny because even thinking about doing this on queer movies, I had no idea, no movies in my brain that I was thinking of. And as I went through this list, I was like, oh my god. And I remember watching these movies as like a young person, and just the fact that they were queer didn't even occur to me. It was just entertaining and fun. Yeah. So, all right, so the first movie, I hadn't heard of this one, but it's from 1953 and it's called Glenn or Glenda. But in 1953, this is pretty wild. Uh, it was a psychiatrist uh tells the story of a transvestite named Glenn or Glenda and a pseudo-hemaphrodite named Alan or Ann. Uh, it was loosely inspired by the gender-affirming surgery, Christine uh Jorgeson, which made national headlines and directed by enthusiastic cross-dresser Ed Wood. Um, while not perfect, the film is a plea for tolerance and a surprisingly loving depiction of a trans woman that was unheard of in the 50s. It's a film that is frequently referenced and was the starting point of a lot of campy and avant-garde queer movies we see today.

SPEAKER_04 30:38

I've never heard of it.

SPEAKER_01 30:39

I didn't either. And if you would ask me if they had a movie about trans in the 50s, I'd have said, no, I don't think so. Right.

SPEAKER_02 30:50

And not uh Victor Victoria.

SPEAKER_01 30:54

Yeah, yeah. Who was that? Um what was his name? I can picture his face.

SPEAKER_02 31:03

Oh well. No, it was uh what's her face? Mary Poppins. Oh yeah. Which one am I thinking of? I don't know what you're thinking of. Maybe Tootsie. Oh uh. That's Dustin Hoffman. That's who I was thinking of. I know. That's what the what the fuck is Mary Poppins' name?

SPEAKER_01 31:21

Julie Andrews. Julie Andrews. It's actually a really good movie. She might as well be named Mary Poppins. That's my favorite movie of all time. I decided. I hate that movie. Oh my god, I know every word, every song. Ugh, I hate it. I love it.

SPEAKER_03 31:35

You know why I hate it? One reason and one reason only. Dick Van Dyke. I have a serious issue with it. I don't know why. What? I don't know why. I don't like him. I don't like him. I can't stand anything with him in it. That man just turned a hundred years old. I know. And I feel bad for hating him, but I can't stand him. I don't know why. I can't watch it. And as soon as he pops on the screen, I'm like, oh my gosh, he makes that movie.

SPEAKER_01 32:02

I can't deal. I can't. It wasn't the women's suffrage or anything like that. It was poor little Dick Fantasy. Yeah. All right. Movie number two, Boys in the Band, is from 1970. Um, also one that I don't think that I have ever heard of. But I really am curious to go in and watch some of these. Um the ones that I haven't seen anyway. All right, anyway. Uh so Boys in the Band, a group of 30-something gay men gathered to celebrate the birthday of their friend Harold, who is a self-hating gay man, but one of their straight friends crashes the party. Based on the groundbreaking off-Broadway play and starring the original cast, this is a seminal piece of queer cinema because every plot you've seen in a gay movie since likely has its genesis in this film. While there may be some stereotypical characters, it showed gay men on screen at a time and focused on gay topics at a time when it was unheard of.

unknown 33:09

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 33:10

All right. So number three is called Pink Flamingos. It was in 1972, and I can't say I remember seeing this movie, but I do know this of this movie. Um notorious Baltimore criminal divine uh goes up against a sleazy married couple who attempt to humiliate her and seize her title as the filthiest person alive. That would happen in Baltimore. Um, this cult film, made by alt gay director John Waters and starring the drag queen divine, was banned in several countries, but remains a classic of queer cinema for its outside art feel, its transgressive visuals, and a taboo smashing plot, and for celebrating filth like only the king of sleaze could. That one's a yeah.

SPEAKER_03 34:00

You remember that one? I know that one. I dumb, yeah. I'm a big John Waters fan.

SPEAKER_01 34:04

Yeah, I know. Because that was the one that I was really thinking about watching.

SPEAKER_03 34:08

Is it kind of it's it's well, Divine eats actual shit. Oh it's uh it's yeah, the filthy is similar. Just so you know, I don't know if you know this, but the character of Ursula from The Little Mermaid is based on Divine.

SPEAKER_01 34:29

Really? Wow. Yep. I love hearing twisted stuff about Disney. They try to act all innocent and sweet, and they're not.

SPEAKER_03 34:39

John Waters has an amazing book for anybody who cares. I can't remember the name of it. I should have Googled it, but I just thought of it just now. Um, he hitchhikes across the country and he writes about it from Baltimore to I don't remember if it's San Francisco or LA to his other. He lives in Baltimore also, and he has a house over there, and he hitchhikes across the country. It's a fucking amazing book. Ooh, I mean, it's really good. Ooh. Yeah. If I was a reader, I'd totally read that. You should get it on tape, maybe, because it is or not on tape, audio.

SPEAKER_01 35:14

I keep thinking about audio too, and I think it's gonna be the same problem. My brain, the talking never stops in my brain. So when I try to read, I get sidetracked with the conversations happening in my head. And I think audio, it happens to me in movies and TV shows. I'll have to pause it and rewind it if I miss something important because my brain, I could be staring right at the TV. It's great. It's it's I imagine it's narrated by him too.

SPEAKER_03 35:40

I'll have to look now. I want to, but it's great. I don't remember what it was called, but it was it was it's very good.

SPEAKER_01 35:45

Okay. Well, if I ever listen to audio, maybe I'll absolutely you should. It's worth it. All right, 1975 of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I heard of that. We have a whole episode on it. Again, even watching that as a kid, it never really occurred to me that he was a transvestite. Or that means he says he is. Well, I probably didn't know what a transvestite was. Um, Transylvania. Yes. Uh-huh. Yeah. And I definitely didn't know what he was doing behind that sheer curtain.

SPEAKER_03 36:22

What was the name of the episode that we did?

SPEAKER_02 36:30

Gender, it's just a jump to the left. Yes. That's what it was. September.

SPEAKER_01 36:36

Yes, September 2025. If you want to hear in depth about the Rocky Horror Picture show. All right, so it is a musical that follows a newly engaged couple who break down in an isolated area and must seek shelter at the bizarre residence of Dr. Frankenfurter. Brad and Janet. Damn it, Janet. I love you. Not only does the Rocky Horror Picture Show feature a whole spectrum of queer characters, including Frankenfurter, Riff Raff, and Magenta, who all come from the planet Transsexual, and was super campy, but it became a cult classic at midnight theaters with audience interaction and on stage performances that became a haven for queer youth to express themselves. It's just the whole culture around it is great. It is all of it. It just is awesome. You should really, if you haven't heard that episode, you should really listen to it. It's there's so much cool stuff in that. Yeah. Um,

80s Breakthroughs And Hidden Queerness

SPEAKER_01 37:35

all right. Next, I was shocked a little bit. I did not know that the color purple was considered a queer film. I did not either. And it's from 1985. I remembered it. Mm-hmm. And it had Oprah in it. I thought of Oprah in it. Uh who was on CBS Mornings this morning, which is always fun because that's where Gail King is, and they're besties, and they're so cute. All right. Uh, based on the novel by Alice Walker, spans 40 years and tells the story of Seely, a black woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. When she is 14, she becomes pregnant by her father. She's then married off to an abusive and uncaring man, and then forms a close relationship with a woman named Shug. So, although there have been other adaptations since the 1985 Whoopi Goldberg starring version remains iconic. How are they going to put Whoopi Goldberg and not Oprah Winfrey? Anyway, um, author Alice Walker has been very clear about Seely's queer identity. And in the film, the only loving romantic relationship Seely has is with Shug. Um, while other physical relationships wait, while their physical relationship is relegated to a single scene in this Steven Spielberg directed film, at the time people were still incensed that it was included at I didn't think I knew it was Steven Spielberg either. I don't think I did either. I know when I read that earlier, I was like, whoa. All right, another one in 1985 is Desert Hearts. Um, I also had not heard anything about this one. Uh, while waiting for her divorce papers, a repressed professor of literature is unexpectedly seduced by a carefree spirited young lesbian. Uh, made by out-lesbian director Donna Deitch. Deitch. Um, at a time when few women were directing movies at all, let alone queer ones, this seminal lesbian film is one of the most romantic queer films ever made. Not only does the film have a nuanced depiction of a lesbian love story, but it was also the first lesbian-themed feature film written and directed by a woman.

SPEAKER_03 39:51

I don't think I've seen that one. Girl Power.

SPEAKER_02 39:53

I have seen the next one.

SPEAKER_01 39:55

I have heard of the next one, and I probably saw it at some point. All right, 1990. Paris is burning. Oh, yeah, I have definitely seen this one. But it's one I need to watch again because it's been a really long time. Uh, this documentary chronicles the New York drag scene in the 1980s, focusing on balls, voguing, and the ambitions and dreams of the queer community. Jeannie Jenny Livingston's documentary showed America a part of black queer culture that most were unaware existed. It celebrated queer culture and serves as a time capsule and intimate look at the pageant and ballroom scene of that era and the discrimination black queer youth faced every day. And that sounds a lot to me like again, I'm gonna bring up pose because that show is just so good. Yeah. So, so, so good. And that's exactly what it is. And it's not only, I mean, the emotions are just all over the place when you watch it. Like there are friends and peers and boyfriends and whatever dying of AIDS. And then there's the family with the mother and the children, and she's teaching them how to navigate life, you know, in their skin. And um, then the ballroom scenes are just too die for. Yeah. The outfits and the dances and the moves. Oh my gosh, love it, love it, love it. Here's another one I did not realize was considered a queer film.

SPEAKER_02 41:23

You might want to do your oh okay.

Gen X Diary Break And Growing Up

SPEAKER_02 41:27

Oh, hold on, we're gonna pause.

SPEAKER_00 41:30

Pause, I'm in cuty alike, block and through her teenage like a sex and break, just so madness out of control.

SPEAKER_01 41:43

Alright, so today back in time. Back in time, April 28th, 1985. Um, this um on this one page I have three different short entries. Oh boy. So we're gonna go ahead and do all of them. Uh-oh. Um April 28th, dear diary. Today I caught my first, second, and third fish ever. I don't know what to say.

SPEAKER_03 42:15

85?

SPEAKER_02 42:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 42:17

You didn't catch a fish until 85. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 42:21

Okay. I know.

SPEAKER_03 42:23

I come from redneck, redneck stock.

SPEAKER_02 42:25

I grew up on boots. I know.

SPEAKER_01 42:28

Maybe nobody let you know what I would never bait my own hook. So I didn't either, but I've caught fish. Maybe I fished a lot. That was just the first time I forgot. Oh, okay. You're right. It's called fishing, not catching. Yes. Um I got them out of Nanan's freshwater pond. I remember that pond, man. Oh, she bought that house in Lincoln, and it was like a nice brick, little one-story brick house. Wooded, and then at the back of the yard was a little dock that went out into this freshwater pond.

unknown 43:02

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 43:03

We had so much fun in that pond. Um, all right. June 11th, 1985. We are moving right on down the hall. Yeah, we we skipped a month. Um, Nan Ann and Ed, I remember her boyfriend Ed, went to Nova Scotia. That's it. I'm gonna go to Nova Scotia. And then June 12th, your diary. Today is the last day of sixth grade. And I started my period.

SPEAKER_03 43:36

What the fuck? I remember sixth grade. I got my period of sixth grade also.

SPEAKER_01 43:42

I remember it being the last day. June twelfth, nineteen eighty five is the first day I have my period. Look at that. I know. Isn't it sweet ever? I'm see this diary for nothing else.

SPEAKER_02 43:52

Now you know how long it's been that you have suffered.

SPEAKER_01 43:55

Ugh. And I'm still suffering, just indifferent. Yeah. Different ways. Now old people suffering. Man, 40 years. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:07

That's crazy, right?

SPEAKER_01 44:08

That is crazy. Although I got an IUD like 10 years ago, though. That's true. So that's been pretty awesome. That's true.

SPEAKER_03 44:16

That takes it away for a little while.

SPEAKER_01 44:18

Oh, it took it away the whole time. I know that's what I mean. Yeah, yeah. It's it's been lovely. It probably should come out, but I don't want to take it out.

SPEAKER_03 44:25

Mine needs to come out bad. It's been dead for a long time. When I was at the doctor the other day, she was like, that needs to come out. And I was like, Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 44:32

I mean, my tubes are tied. I only got it because I was crampy.

SPEAKER_02 44:37

What's the point of getting it out? Yeah. I think it can migrate.

SPEAKER_01 44:41

I think it can also become embedded.

SPEAKER_03 44:42

But if it hasn't done that in 10 years, then I want mine to get fucking infected so they can take the shit out. Ooh.

SPEAKER_01 44:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:50

Well, I'd like to.

SPEAKER_01 44:51

Yeah, because your hormones aren't bad enough now. Let's just go ahead and rip your eating.

SPEAKER_03 44:54

I mean, they're not working. So nothing in there is working. It's all sad and dead. Like the rest of my interior.

SPEAKER_01 45:07

Alrighty. Moving right along.

Fried Green Tomatoes To Desert Drag

SPEAKER_01 45:12

The next movie is Fried Green Tomatoes from 1991. As I said, another one I did not realize was considered queer. I can tell you I did not watch this movie. I did back then. I haven't I couldn't tell you a thing about it now. But no part of me would have ever wanted to see that movie. Yeah, I know. I don't I don't really need to go back and watch it. Um, Housewife Evelyn Couch, uh, who played by Kathy Bates. Well, there's one reason to watch it. Um Befriends Ninny Threadgood, who is played by Jessica Tandy. Another one. I do like Jessica Tandy. I do love Jessica Tandy. Um, she's been in American Horror Story, right? I'm not sure. I don't know she's been. I'm not thinking of her. Is she dead? She's been dead.

SPEAKER_03 45:54

She's old.

SPEAKER_01 45:55

No, I know she's old.

SPEAKER_03 45:57

I'm pretty sure she died before he did.

SPEAKER_01 45:59

Oh, I'm thinking of a different oh you don't think I'm thinking of somebody else.

SPEAKER_03 46:03

She was married to uh yes, Jessica Tandy's been dead quite some time.

SPEAKER_01 46:14

Yes, she died three years after this movie came out. Um yeah, I think I was thinking of Jessica Lang. She was in Driving Miss Daisy.

SPEAKER_02 46:20

Yes. Saturday's not included.

SPEAKER_01 46:22

Yes. All right, so Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy are on a visit to a nursing home. Ninny recounts the exploits of her free-spirited sister-in-law, Igie, who is played by Mary Stuart Mastison, who still looks exactly the same as she did back then. That woman does not age, uh, in the 1920s, and the bond Iggy shared with her friend Ruth, who was Mary Louise Parker, another one that I like. It was a good cast. Um, while the film is never explicitly clear uh clear, queer, it's partially set in the 20s after all. It quickly became a lesbian classic because of the love story between Iggy and Ruth. Their love story is sweet and sad, and although the words gay and or lesbian aren't used to describe them, even their small town recognizes what the two women are to each other.

SPEAKER_02 47:14

Got it. This one.

SPEAKER_01 47:19

This was the one when I got to it, I was like, oh my god. This one. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

SPEAKER_02 47:29

Greatest movie just ever. Ever. It's perfect. From 1994. But I can't even believe it was 94.

SPEAKER_01 47:37

I thought it was before that. The next one after it's pretty great, too.

SPEAKER_02 47:41

Yeah, but it pales in comparison.

SPEAKER_01 47:42

Yeah, you're right. You're right. Um, this comedy follows an Australian drag queens played by Terrence Stamp, Hugo Weavy, and Guy Pierce as they travel on a bus named Priscilla to a gig in the Outback and get into hijinks along the way. That's so great. The film was a surprise worldwide hit with mainstream audiences and broke boundaries because it showed gay men in drag as opposed to straight men cross-dressing like had been done in the past. In the future. In the next movie. In the next movie.

SPEAKER_03 48:17

Which I can't believe was only a year later. Right?

SPEAKER_01 48:19

That's crazy. They wrote that bandwagon. They sure did.

SPEAKER_03 48:21

I mean, it's basically the same movie. That's why it's crazy that they came out so close together. I didn't realize it was that close together to like throw that to I mean, it's the same, it's exactly the same movie. How did they know? It takes longer to film a movie. True. That's crazy, right? It was interesting. Anyway, back to Priscilla.

SPEAKER_02 48:41

Yes, Priscilla.

SPEAKER_03 48:42

Um they had a the 30th anniversary of Priscilla come out, and uh our friend had passed prior to that, and I was very sad because that was our movie. We have watched that movie, quoted it to each other hundreds of thousands of times.

SPEAKER_01 49:07

It's just yeah, it really is great. It's another one that I haven't seen in a long time, and I hate to watch again.

SPEAKER_02 49:14

It's so good. So good.

SPEAKER_01 49:17

So the next one, in case you haven't guessed yet, is a two wong fu. Thanks for everything, Julie Newmar.

SPEAKER_03 49:22

I mean, it's a fine movie, it's good.

SPEAKER_01 49:24

Well, the thing I love the most about this movie is that it had Patrick Swayze in it, and he will forever go down as a god in my eyes. Like he was a good person. He was awesome in that movie, too. Yeah, John Leguzama is always good.

SPEAKER_03 49:40

I mean, and everything he does.

SPEAKER_01 49:41

Yes, just to me. I always love him, but I have a spot in my heart for Patrick Swayze. Anyway, uh Swayze Snipes and Leguzamo star as drag queens who travel cross-country until their car breaks down, leaving them stranded in a small town. You can criticize it for not getting dragged quite right and for sanitizing a subversive part of queer culture, but it's also a heartwarming movie that was groundbreaking in the 90s and brought a brought drag queens into the homes of everyday Americans.

SPEAKER_03 50:15

The reason I think it is an important movie is it's not great. I mean, it's not, it's it is fine. The thing I think about it is that because of who it who the cast was, Wesley Snipes and Patrick Swayze. Right. I mean, two very manly masculine.

SPEAKER_01 50:34

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 50:34

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 50:35

They were always the dog guy or the sexy man.

SPEAKER_03 50:39

Especially Wesley Snipes. Oh yeah. Patrick Swayze had that sex, you know, like the he was doing the rom-coms. Well he was a dancer, too. So he had the more, but Wesley Snipes was a man. Yes. Like a man, yes. And yes, it's probably there's probably could have done a better job with it. It's not Priscilla. No. But it is good, and it is a good it was good because it had those colors.

SPEAKER_01 51:11

And again, it's bringing something to people that they don't know anything about. It's a culture they don't know anything about. Exactly. And again, the empathy and things like that. So, in a funny way, that's what it brought. And I thought it was great. It's a good movie. Yeah, yeah. But the next one is one of my favorites.

The Birdcage Love And Broadway News

SPEAKER_02 51:31

I can't even with this movie. I love this movie so much.

SPEAKER_01 51:33

I this is one I watch often. I just watched it maybe a month ago. I've watched this recently also. The Bird Cage. That's great. Oh, it's so good. It's from 1996. Starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. The Birdcage follows a gay Miami drag club owner and his drag queen companion who agree to pretend to be straight, a straight couple, so that their con son can introduce them to his fiance's right-winged parents. Yeah, so and the in the right-wing parents, uh, Gene Hackman was the dad, and he he was really good. I I thought he did a really good job of really being like how people felt.

SPEAKER_02 52:18

And then he came around to it.

SPEAKER_03 52:19

So it's and uh and Hank Azaria in it is just great, and his shoes, uh oh yes.

SPEAKER_01 52:28

That's just a great it is a great movie. It's so so good. And Nathan Lane just cannot be beat in that movie. Like his drama and his emotions, and he's so prissy. It's just he's so funny. I love when he fights with Robin Williams and they he pouts.

SPEAKER_03 52:46

Yes. I like when he's like, you gotta butch up your walk and they're trying to walk. Oh my god, this is great.

SPEAKER_01 52:54

The 90s was still a rough time to be queer, and gay characters in movies were still few and far between. So while the LGBTQ plus characters may seem like caricatures, the birdcage was groundbreaking because it showed a loving gay couple who had a healthy, happy son of their own and gay culture inside the club.

SPEAKER_03 53:14

That is exactly correct. Yeah. And he wasn't gay. No, imagine that. They didn't turn him gay. Right.

SPEAKER_01 53:19

That's crazy. So weird.

SPEAKER_03 53:21

I know.

SPEAKER_01 53:22

You know what I always think of that? What happens when you're so straight and your kid turns out gay? I don't know. Does that mean you're really gay?

SPEAKER_03 53:29

Yeah. Or somebody, no, you know what happened? The schools got to them and indoctrinated them with their rainbows.

SPEAKER_01 53:36

Yes. Yes. Fucking rainbows. Yes. God damn rainbows. All right. And and I also wanted to bring up um yesterday morning, I was watching CBS Mornings. I work from home on Mondays and Tuesdays, so I get to see CBS mornings on those days in between working. Um, and Billy Porter was on, which I was super excited to see him because he had a real bad health scare last year. He got sepsis and he almost died twice. I remember. Um, and not only has he recovered, but he is now back on Broadway and he is doing like all kinds of stuff, and he's just his regular old fabulous self. Like good. He's probably in my top three. If you could meet somebody and hang out with him and have lunch, he'd be one of them. I love that man so much. I did actually listen to his book on audio. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 54:21

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. That's how much I love him. The person that I would like to meet most, I'm going to do next week. Oh.

SPEAKER_01 54:29

I at first I was like, you're gonna meet him. I was like, you don't go anywhere. Where are you gonna meet like the person that I would want to have lunch with? Okay, good. All right, um, but anyway, so he was on to promote um all right, so it's French. It's bird cage in French. Lacage Folise. Okay, I was hoping you remembered enough. Lacaja Folise. I was hoping you remembered enough um French. But Billy Porter and Wayne Brady are playing the couple. Oh, yes.

SPEAKER_02 54:58

That's lovely.

SPEAKER_01 54:58

Yes, so uh Wayne Brady is um Rob Williams and Billy Porter is Nathan Lane in and it's in New York, uh if you're in anywhere in the area, it's in New York at the New York City Center from June 17th to the 28th. And if I didn't have so much going on right now, or if it was playing longer, I would definitely try to see that because I would want to see that. That would be amazing. I love Wayne Brady. He's so super talented. Like that's what they were talking about with Billy Porter on you. Don't think about it because he's done so much silly stuff, and now he hosts Let's Make a Deal and stuff. But he can do everything, he can sing, dance, act. One of my most all-time favorite um um um Dave Chappelle skits. Yes, do you know the skit I'm talking about with Wayne Brady? He and um Dave Chappelle are hanging out, and Wayne Brady's like, Hey, you want to go, whatever. And so on the way to wherever they're going, Wayne Brady's driving, and um Dave Chappelle's like, This isn't the way to get there, and he's like, Oh, I have to make a stop first. And he pulls up on the side of the road, and all his hoes come up and are handing him his money, and one of them doesn't have enough, and like he's gets out and he's done, and Dave's like, What is going on? And then they like drive along some more. Oh, and then he um makes forces Dave to smoke this um joint and he laced it with angel dust. So Dave's like seeing everything, and uh Wayne Brady's laughing, and then Wayne Brady ends up getting pulled over by a cop, and while during the stop, he shoots and kills the cop, and Dave Chappelle's like, Oh my god! And it's like little Mr. Innocent Wayne Brady. It was so funny, and he did it so well. Like, he is really, really talented.

Late 90s Classics And A Hard Watch

SPEAKER_01 56:43

All right, number 12 is a movie called Bound from 1996. Corky, a lesbian ex-con hired to work in an apartment as a plumber. This all just sounds like so much stereotype. I read that first sentence and I was like, okay. Lesbian ex-con working in an apartment as a plumber. Anyway, meets neighbors Caesar, meets neighbor Caesar, who launders money for the mafia and his girlfriend Violet. The two women have a love affair and decide to steal $2 million that Caesar has in custody before he gives them back to the mafia boss Gino Marzone. Starring Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilley.

SPEAKER_02 57:31

I love Jennifer Tilley. I know that you do.

SPEAKER_01 57:34

She's the one that's a poker player now, right? Yep, yep, yep. She's so cute. She is an amazing poker player. She is so cute. Um, and directed by the Wachowski sisters, sure. I think I actually got that right. Um, who had yet to come out as trans. Uh, this low budget erotic thriller borrowed from Noirs of the Past and Noirs of the Past. Noirs. I didn't know what I said. Whatever. Noir. You're making fun of me now. Yeah. Um, but made the hero a woman and her love interest another woman. It was daring in the mid-90s to make such a sexy, erotic movie focused on a lesbian couple.

SPEAKER_02 58:16

I've never seen that.

SPEAKER_01 58:17

Mm-mm. Number 13. But I'm a cheerleader from 1999. A naive teenager played by Natasha Lyon is set to re-um, is sent to rehab camp when her straight-laced parents and friends suspect her of being a lesbian. Uh the film holds cult classic status for many reasons, including the candy-colored aesthetic, the queer characters, the fact that it made straight people the butt of the joke in the 90s, and for being a self-aware comedy about growing up queer in a homophobic place. That sounds like a good one, too. That was another one. I was like, I may have to look that up.

SPEAKER_02 58:58

I'm not particularly fond of Natasha Leon, though. No? No. Kaelin doesn't like her either. I don't know why. She just rubs me the wrong way, I guess. I don't know. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 59:09

The next one I definitely saw, Boys Don't Cry. Ugh. From 1999. Tearjerker. Yeah. Based on a true story, Boys Don't Cry follows a young transgender drifter named Brandon as he navigates love, life, and trying to pass as a boy in rural Nebraska, but is ultimately murdered in a violent hate crime. Spoiler alert. Yeah. I mean, if you haven't seen it yet or didn't know.

SPEAKER_03 59:38

If you don't know any true crime at all.

SPEAKER_01 59:42

While there has been fair criticism since the movie came out because of the broad interpretation of Brandon Tina's heroing story, and because Hilary Swank was cast instead of a trans actor, the film was humani also humanized a trans men and catapulted the brutal hate crime that killed him into the spotlight. Directed by gender queer filmmaker Kimberly Pierce, who even traveled with the transsexual menace activist group as research for the film. That's very sad. Yeah, yeah. I also love, like I I guess I just didn't think about it, but all the people making these movies are also queer. So, which makes sense, but I don't know. Well, except for Steven Spielberg. Yeah. Well, maybe he's queer. I don't know. Anyway. No. He's had a very long life with his wife, but who knows? Uh, and finally, the last movie uh is called Headwig and the Angry Itch. I've never even heard of this. Me neither. And it's 2001, and I definitely want to look up this one because it sounds super interesting. This film, adapted from a critically acclaimed off-Broadway hit, follows a German emigrant living in a trailer in Kansas and is the victim of a botched sex change operation and tells the story of the internationally ignored rock singer Hedwig and her search for stardom and love. Hedwig and the Angry Itch came out shortly after 9-11 and took theaters by storm. At a time when the most prominent queer characters in media were the sanitized gay men on Will and Grace, Hedwig celebrated a gender queer character challenging the status quo. And that is my list

Philadelphia And Knowing Queer History

SPEAKER_01 1:01:31

of movies. Can I add wide month? Of course you can.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:34

I knew, I know I'm missing some, but these I think one of the most and this is a straight cis woman, so I don't take it for what you will. But I think one of the most important films for the gay community is Philadelphia. Man, that movie kills me. That movie you've always loved that movie. That movie is literally the only movie that I have seen that it took me 15 minutes to get myself under control before I could leave the movie theater. And literally everyone in the theater, when the lights came up, we just all sat there like just I I I you couldn't you couldn't get composed. I don't think I've ever sobbed so hard in a movie that an animal didn't die. I just it was heart-wrenching. Yes. And I think it really shows the struggle of the AIDS epidemic of the time.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:44

And you know and and I mean it's just uh you had that on VHS when we lived at UD.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:54

The Denzel Washington coming around like that, like not wanting it to be just and he had a daughter and the whole and then he c oh my god, that movie. Yeah, fucking Tom Hanks. I'll tell you, I don't give a shit who you are. If I ever found out that Tom Hanks had any kind of allegations against him, I think I think that would be the end for me. Yeah, yeah. I can't give up. I cannot let Tom Hanks go. I just can't.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:22

No, he was actually, you know, on Jeopardy, sometimes they'll have a category and they'll have a celebrity read, and he read last night's um because Toy Story's coming out. It was him and Tim Allen. They took turns telling him. I'm not a Tim Allen fan, but I was watching and I was like, all right, Tom Hanks is starting to age. Unfortunately, yes. Finally starting to age, though. Like, he's gotta be what 80. I don't know how old he is. I don't know how old he is either. But he's just starting to show signs of it. I was like, all right.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:50

Man, that I'm just telling you. I mean, if you have never I don't know where you've been living, if you have not seen Philadelphia, but the soundtrack is amazing.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:00

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:00

Oh my god. Every it's just and it's not just because it's set set in Philadelphia, which gives I mean the city of Philadelphia in that movie kind of gives it a vibe too. Like it's just like the whole fucking move. I I think it's one of the most important um yeah, you're right, films in in queer culture. It's just it's it's I'm sure it got shit for not using an actual gay character in the role. Right. But fucking Tom Hanks. Right.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:31

Man, yeah, god damn, that's a good movie.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:33

Yeah. Can you think of any more that I missed? So that was my list. Thank you. I also really love the idea that um of the young generation now going back and watching these movies so that they can see how far they've come. Because I'm sure to a young gay person now it probably feels like they're so far to go. And there is. There is, yes. But they should know their heritage and their history and who ki came before them. Yes. And it you know, just see in in different time periods how things were depicted and and why this was like so, so, such a big deal. Yeah, like that green. So if um now I'm gonna watch Philadelphia tonight.

Sports Detours And Everyday Life

SPEAKER_01 1:05:22

I'm gonna go buy a desk off-marketplace tonight after my hour and a half drive-up. I don't have it in me right now.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:31

Cannot do it. I'm still watching the Big Bang. I think I got one more season to go. Oh my gosh. And there was something else I was supposed to watch too, and I don't remember what it was.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:39

I don't have anything going on. I well, I mean, with the World Cup and then the NBA, congratulations, Nyx. That was no, I'm not a fan, but it was pr still pretty exciting. It's sports, you know, and it's a 53 year um span between championships. So that's always exciting. Um And my daughter, who I said was in Philly Saturday night, and the um all the World Cup fans, that's also the night, the next one. And she said, even in Philly, and you know, and they knocked us out of the playoffs. They knocked the Six Sixers out of the playoffs. The whole place went nuts, she said. And they were all screaming um Alicia Key's New York song, and like it just she said it was too much.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:24

Well, they understand what it's like. Exactly. So they know how it feels. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And and um also the Hurricanes won, and they had Oh and Brindemore.

unknown 1:06:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:36

Yeah. He got his cup.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:39

Yay. Awesome. I love sports. So between all that stuff going on, Go Sports. Go sports teams. I was in Ross and they had a t-shirt that said Go Sports, but I was like, that shirt's intended for women who don't know sports, so I'm not going to buy them.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:57

Where was it? Target? Ross. Ross. Mm-hmm. I want to get it.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:01

If I see it, I'll get it for you. I will. I'm in there often. I will wear it to work.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:05

And then I'll get made fun of because it'll be like, you know sports.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:08

I mean, sports ball. That's one of the fun things when I'm down in uh Florida with my parents, because my dad not only isn't a sports fan, he hates sports. And last time I was down there was during football. Not this past trip, but the trip before was football season. And it was a Sunday, and we were in there, and there's football on the TVs, and I'm watching the guys we're talking about, and I jump in and I'm talking with other guys at the bar and stuff, and they're like, wait, aren't you Georgia's daughter? How do you know all this? Like I was schooling them. Right. They would make a statement and I would elaborate on it, and they're like, Oh, I didn't know that.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:45

Okay.

Dad’s Stroke Restaurant Fears And Ghosts

SPEAKER_03 1:07:46

I just want to also, real quick before we go. Um, so we know my dad had a stroke, and today we just had when Nicole got here. Yes. Because his brother, he's not supposed to, he's not working as much anymore. I I honestly do think that it is them stepping him. I think oh yeah. I definitely think that was. I mean, was that guy annoying the cooks? Probably. And did they probably say find something else for him to do? But I also think a lot of people.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:14

And also this time of year, it is hot as fuck in the kitchen.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:17

And I do think that they are trying to the when I was little and we had our restaurant, it was a restaurant that my dad and his brother worked in as teenagers. Correct. And there was a man, the lady and man who owned it were not related to my my dad at all, but he called them Aunt Ruth and Uncle Marion. Uncle Marion died in the restaurant of a stroke. So I think his brother, which I told him today, I was like, he's telling us that he's got this guy's coming in, and I was like, Are you sure it's not just your brother doesn't want an Uncle Marion in there?

SPEAKER_01 1:09:00

He was even making up like turf war stuff, like all kinds of crap. He's like, This story is not true.

SPEAKER_03 1:09:05

It's not. They are they are trying to move, they don't want you to die in there. Yeah. So now he's only allowed to make the ticket. You scared the shit out of your brother, and he's like, Not, you're not gonna haunt this place.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:18

No, no, no, no. And you're gonna did. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:09:21

Uncle Marion and my dad was with Uncle Marion when he died. Oh, yes, it was early in the morning, and my dad had to go up. That's exactly what it was early in the morning for your dad. Yeah. It was early in the morning, and Uncle Marion had a stroke. Uncle Marion came for him. And it was it was my dad was a teenager, so it was a very long time ago. And um, yeah, my dad was there, and they had to go run to the police station because back then they didn't have this this and it's here, which really didn't have anything here. I mean, for fuck's sake, we didn't get a 911 address until like the 90s, maybe even the 2000s. It probably was the 2000s because I didn't get my house until 98. It was the 2000s, and I had like for four or five years and didn't have a 911 address. That's that tells you that. Um, anyway, yeah, I think it's his brother does not want him haunting his restaurant. And he keeps trying to tell us different than he the whole time he's arguing about it with us. And I was like, or because you're 75 and they don't want you in there. No, no, it's okay, okay. Mm-hmm. Your brother doesn't want you dying in there. Uh-huh. That's exactly what well, no, they wouldn't have said uh okay.

unknown 1:10:36

Sure.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:37

So so that he's been told he can't come in as much anymore.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:41

Another part of my that story that I really loved was he was talking about how much everybody doesn't like this guy. But they're giving him more responsibilities.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:55

Oh man. Yeah. The links we have to go through to keep the man from dying. Yeah. Killing himself. Yeah. Raising our parents is hard. He's just gonna Anyway, he's gonna die in there and haunt them, and that's their problem. Yeah. Good luck to the people of that restaurant.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:14

He's gonna annoy them for the rest of it.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:15

Yep, he's gonna return. But Uncle Marion, so when you would be in the restaurant late at night, plates would move, and he was in there. Dad has a lot of stories about it. I bet. Yeah. And dad doesn't believe in any of that. Anyway.

Final Thanks And How To Reach Us

SPEAKER_03 1:11:32

Thanks for listening. Yeah, thank you. Um we have social medias, it's like whatever pod, all of them. Uh we have places that you can find podcasts. We're there. Uh we have a website, likewhateverpod.com. Yeah. We have an email that you can send us an email about how you plan on taking our country back.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:58

Ooh.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:58

Likewhateverpod at gmail.com. Or don't, but you really should. Whatever.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:06

Whatever. Bye. Bye. Go do it.