Diva Worship

We are Proud Mary's over here on the pod because this week we're worshipping the incredible, the undeniable... simply the best: Tina Turner! Allen and actress/playwright/Allen's work wife Ash Hicks (@ashjeanhicks) exalt our Buddhist Queen. She's 80 years old and still got it. Ash is following in her footsteps. They're both Buddhists, Sagittariuses, and went to the same high school. What!? Though we try to avoid it, to dive into the greatness that is Tina, we have to acknowledge the scumbag, trash, POS: Ike Turner. Did you know he was going to continually switch Tina's out from his band? That's why he trademarked the name. Ugh, disgusting. But it's okay because Tina always comes out on top. She has the grace of a saint. Ash started worshiping her from a young age while watching What's Love Got to Do with It? Don't worry, her mom made her turn her head at the worst moments. We love that Tina's heels got higher and her dresses got shorter. Work, kween! Also, she's a James Bond Chanteuse! But that's only one of her biggest diva moments. Some of her biggest, over her five decade long career: keeping her name, moving to Switzerland, surviving a stroke, and getting one of her husband's kidneys! Lastly, we are unofficially endorsing Tina: The Tina Turner Musical! Come Worship with us!

IG/Twitter/Venmo: @allenstarby
@DivaWorship
@AshJeanHicks

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Hi Divas! Welp, this week we had to jump on the black and white fairytale train because: Taylor Swift dropped folklore! My guest this week, Hunter Kaufer (@huntykay__ / @_ari_d_) breaks down all things Taylor. Did you know she wrote folklore in quarantine? All I did was start a great podcast. Pretty much the same thing! Hunter reveals the Swifties are mourning the end of Lover but devouring their new cottagecore, forest witch, walking through the woods, nymph-like Taylor. We dive into her illustrious and drama filled career. She's won Woman of the Decade, twice. Reputation is her most flawless album, according to Hunter (1989 according to moi). Reputation started with a solar eclipse, culminated in a year of seclusion, all to reemerge on UPS trucks. "There will be no explanation, there will just be Reputation." I mean, couldn't you just? She's a lyricist after all. Then, we obviously dive into the Kanye story-line. Dicey territory, but after hearing Taylor's version of things, how could we not take her side? This is a podcast to defend divas, after all. Did you know Taylor's worth a measly $360 million? Meh, pocket change. I then dive into her ridiculous Vogue 73 Questions. It all leads up to the pièce de résistance: Cats. Which I reveal I cried twice during. I also can't diagram a sentence. I need help! Finally Hunter and I dive into the discourse of snot acting. The question: does Taylor have the range? Listen to find out! Come worship with us!

It's Supercalifragilisticextra-DIVA-docious! This week Allen sits down with actress, host, and VO artist Reba Buhr (@reba.buhr) to discuss the eternal guardian of happy endings (and not the sexual kind): Dame Julie Andrews! For many of us (aka theater kids), we grew up with Mary Poppins and Sound of Music in our households, and that's where Reba got the Julie bug. She even surfed Ebay when it first started for all the Julie paraphernalia she could get her hands on. We're talking full cork board, red string, overstuffed folders with pictures falling out type behavior. We gush over Julie's voice. It's pure perfection. And her energy. She's a mother AND a model?! I mean, come on! Her biggest diva moment: winning the Oscar for Mary Poppins the year Audrey Hepburn replaced her in My Fair Lady. Julie then went on to withdraw her name from Tony nominations for Victor Victoria because her cast was overlooked. What a gem! Sadly though that was the show she lost her voice on. But there are so many recordings, and she's such a star, Reba legitimately DOES NOT NEED TO DEFEND HER. We dive deep into Star! and The Americanization of Emily. James Garner's performance in the latter gave Reba... feelings. Finally we get to Julie's next act which is, drum roll... a new Shonda Rhimes Show called Bridgerton! We can't wait. Come worship with us!

Hit Me, Diva, One More Time! Here we go, queens, this week, Allen sits down with singer/songwriter/witch Seph Hamilton (@CutieGarland, they/them) to talk about our Child Like Empress: Britney Jean Spears! Seph remembers listening to her with their neighbor before school. Did you know Miss Britney Jean did three albums in three years?! We stan watching her break a sweat to a mid-tempo jam like "Sometimes." Then we briefly compare her to another diva, Sutton Foster (don't @ us!!!) Seph breaks down the iconic "Toxic" music video. She didn't break the mold, she created it. Also, that Diane Sawyer interview was bullying, and Diane knows it! Seph and Allen have both tragically missed seeing Britney live. But luckily she's not going anywhere. We can dive deep into the mythology of her instagram. I mean, come on. To love her is to defend her. Allen dissects the devastatingly beautiful crying-on-the-bathroom-floor scene of Crossroads (written by Shonda Rhimes, and don't you forget it). And Seph discusses their theory on the Pink Power Ranger. Finally, #FreeBritney, the woman cannot vote, and that's the tip of the iceberg. Worship with us!

Deep Breath. Okay, divas. Today Allen sits down with Broadway's Taylor Iman Jones (Head Over Heels, Hamilton, and Devil Wears Prada) to discuss their queen, their goddess, their reason: Audra McDonald *cue Hallelujah Chorus*. We open talking about unlearning our own success metrics and how Audra has taught us there's multiple ways to learn the craft of performing. She's opened the door for so black women. Six Tony's. SIX. More than anyone else in any acting category. The audacity to be that talented! And then she was naked onstage just last season! Taylor recounts when Audra saw her perform in Scotland, PA at Roundabout. Can you imagine? Couldn't you just! Then we dive into her infamous battement at the Tony Awards when she was, say it with me: pregnant! She is unstoppable. Taylor's dream for Audra: to protect her legacy. It's not going anywhere but we will defend her at all costs. Then we sidebar for a sec to hear about when Cynthia Erivo literally wiped Taylor's tears away. Divas on divas on DIVAS in this episode!

IG/Twitter/Youtube: @TaylorImanJones
IG/Twitter: @allenstarby

This week Allen sits down with playwright, Michael Allen Harris, to worship our Taurean queen: Janet Jackson. We start off learning about Michael's kitten, Moesha, whom he saved from a hole in a wall. Allen describes being blinded by a tree dancing down the street while listening to "Feedback." Janet's music is just THAT inspiring. And Michael's remembers getting his Janet Jackson card after watching the "If" video. Allen learns Janet has over forty #1's and was the highest paid artist twice in her career! And Janet's like, "Meh. Casual. Whatever." Michael remembers Janet referencing the Matrix before the Matrix was even a thing in the "What's It Gonna Be Video." We talk about her iconic key earring. And Michael dishes on his Antigone-esque biography of Janet's life (the divas cannot wait for this to happen). Also, Janet is the reason Youtube exists! Finally Michael says "Thank you, Miss Jackson" because he's nasty. Worship with us!

This week Allen welcomes singer/songwriter Segun Oluwadele to get into the multiplicity of the one, the only, Tracy Chapman! We start off by talking about lying to our therapists. Segun recounts being compared to Tracy from a young age (okay, brag much?). We clutch our pearls for our respective divas. Segun then dives deep into one of Tracy's many incredible ballads, "I Used to be a Sailor." Also, Tracy sang with Pavarotti?!?! Then we discuss the politics of coming out. And Segun defends Tracy's genius to his very last breath and explains how we need to place emotional equity into our divas. Finally, we're dreaming of a Tracy Chapman documentary, complete with sit down interview by none other than Segun himself. Come drive this Fast Car with us! *wink*

@segunoluwadele
@allenstarby

This week Allen welcomes in actress, cinephile, and dog mother: Brooke McHugh! Together we discuss the iconic career of *drumroll please* Barbra Streisand. From Italian movie posters for A STAR IS BORN, to her ironic narrative of not being pretty. We swoon remembering Mandy Patinkin in Yentl. And we adore her many husbands and very public love affairs. Then we take a slight diversion to talk about the Royal family, but trust us, it all will get back to Babs! Pay homage with us!

IG: @Mchugh.brooke
IG/Twitter: @allenstarby

Allen dishes with their friend Zach on all things Cher! From her comeback, comeback, comeback tours to the Mamma Mia-verse, we stan a true decades-long career queen. We deep dive into The Cher Show on Broadway, which Zach saw twelve times. Twelve! And no stone is left unturned when we dissect Cher's iconic emoji-filled twitter account. Come worship with us!

IG: @ZachKaufer Twitter: @ohhhzach
IG/Twitter: @allenstarby

Hi Divas!
 In this episode I'll introduce myself to new listeners, and explain the origins of Diva Worship! Follow me @allenstarby.