“Truth and Consequences” (September 29, 1997)

Though it didn’t even get a chance to finish out its second season, Fired Up was one of the rare Must See TV sitcoms to feature two female leads. What’s more, the recurring gay character, Shannon (played by Mark Davis), is unusual in that he’s out, confident and going about his life in a way you just didn’t see on other NBC shows of this era. What’s even odder is that his traditionally masculine dad (Jonathan Banks) loves his son and supports his career as a drag performer. Can we thank Arleen Sorkin for this?

See the photo of Mark Davis looking hunky as hell here.

See all the episodes of Fired Up – including the ones that didn’t air on NBC — on archive.org.

It may not be news to listeners of this podcast, but the Looney Tunes cartoons can be very gay. In celebration of the nearly 800 shorts being hosted on Tubi, Drew, Glen and returning guest Tony Rodriguez look at some of our favorites that also lend themselves to a queer reading. And no, it’s not all Bugs Bunny in Drag. In fact, we probably didn’t pick the drag moments you’re expecting. But no worries: There is zero Tweety content in this episode.

(The search function on the desktop version of Tubi sucks, so you will have to settle for mostly non-Tubi links. Oh well, we tried.)

1. To Hare Is Human: https://archive.org/details/to-hare-is-human

2. Ride Him, Bosko https://archive.org/details/reb11452

3. Hare Trimmed: https://archive.org/details/hare-trimmed-1953-restored

4. Two Gophers from Texas: https://vimeo.com/1074846138

5. What’s Up, Doc?: https://vimeo.com/75457120

6. I Love to Singa: https://tubitv.com/tv-shows/200243359/s01-e08-mr-mrs-is-the-name-i-love-to-singa-porky-of-the-northwoods 

7. Hillbilly Hare: https://archive.org/details/looney.-tunes.-s-1950-e-19.-hillbilly.-hare.-720p.-blu-ray.h-264.-aac-ma-g-chamele-0n

"Siskel & Ebert & Jay & Alice" (March 12, 1995)

Finally, we get around to discussing one of our more formative comedic experiences, and it’s one shared more or less exclusively by elder millennials: The Critic, which somehow managed to be both more grown up and more juvenile than The Simpsons. In this episode, we discuss how the two seasons of this cult favorite repeatedly insinuated that the title character was gay, and how and episode guest-starring Siskel and Ebert manages to be the gayest episode of all.

The Mr. President episode of our bonus series The Fox Files is free to listen to on Patreon, even if you're not pledging money!

Listen to Talking Simpsons discuss Capitol Critters so you don’t have to watch it yourself.

And listen to us guest on Talking Simpsons to discuss the other Al Jean & Mike Reiss effort, Teen Angel.

“Honeymoon Hotel” (February 22, 1977)

You innocent TV Land watchers may not have suspected that there was anything queer about Laverne & Shirley, a show about two women who share an apartment and work at a brewery. Sure, they’re boy crazy, but also there’s this episode where they scam their way into a bridal suite and downtown Milwaukee’s finest hotel. Here to help us unpack the sapphic undertones is the final girl herself, Stacie Ponder! Also: Ghosts! Farrah Fawcett! And Rosie O’Donnell!

Listen to Stacie’s new podcast, Final Girl After Dark, as well as her watchthrough of the entire Twin Peaks franchise, The Detective and the Log Lady. 

Listen to the What a Cartoon episode about Laverne & Shirley in the Army… if you dare!

Listen to the Monday Afternoon Movie episode with Natalie Lander.

And click here to watch the SNL sketch Drew mentions with Rosie O’Donnell, Penny Marshall and Whitney Houston.

“Terry Unmarried” (February 20, 2011)

The second season of the Family Guy spinoff makes the surprising decision to have Terry, Cleveland’s womanizing coworker buddy, come out as not straight. And while that’s good, it’s sort of weird how no one ever suggests that he might be bisexual. This retcon underscores problems with bi representation in media, but we’re also going to talk about how during the four years it was on Fox, The Cleveland Show was one of the only black sitcoms on broadcast TV… for better or for worse.

Please note: This is the one and only time this podcast will discuss Auntie Momma.

Listen to the first episode of our new bonus series, The Fox Files, on Patreon.

Also listen to the latest installment of The Cartoons That Made Us Gay, on the "Beware the Creeper" episode of Batman.

“A Kiss Is Still a Kiss” (December 3, 1987)

We’re supporters of Shelley Long on this podcast, but in advocating for the Diane years of Cheers, we’ve overlooked the Rebecca years. As such, we’re bringing Jonathan Bradley Welch back in to speak about what works well during the back half of the show. In a lot of ways, Kirstie Alley saved Cheers, but does what she became IRL affect how we should feel about her heyday? Well, it’s complicated, but we’ll talk you through our feelings on the subject.

We have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This episode’s art was designed by Ian O’Phelan. Sound cues for this podcast were composed by Meika Grimm.

“Handsome Ransom” (October 25, 2009)

Let’s say this at the top: We are both fans in general of The Venture Bros, but this extremely homosocial show has a tendency to tiptoe up to being full-on gay and then laughing it all off as a joke. It’s a product of its time, and even explicitly gay characters like The Alchemist and Shore Leave don’t get their own episodes. So when it comes to picking one installment of the Adult Swim series that comes closest, we had to go with the one with Captain Sunshine, which sort of works but also makes the mistake of approaching pedo humor in the same manner it did gay humor. And that’s kind of a fuck-up?

Warning: Despite the presence of Brock Samson the art, Brock does not appear in this episode. We apologize.

There are two Patreon-exclusive episode that tie into this one, if you're willing to pay the very low fee of $1 a month! There's an episode all about The Tick: https://www.patreon.com/posts/cartoons-that-us-129745700

And one about Jonny Quest: https://www.patreon.com/posts/cartoons-that-us-131953014

Both have a lot to do with how Venture Bros. ended up becoming the show it did! Have a listen!

“The Throuple” (January 17, 2017)

We’re back! Officially, but also now bimonthly — or biweekly, depending on how you want to look at it. And we are coming back in grand Canadian style by doing a show that Drew for years refused to do: Schitt’s Creek! Because you asked! And asked and asked and asked! But have chosen not to do a Patrick epsiode for reasons that are well-known to loyal listeners.

And special thanks to Patreon supporter curlsthefanenby for finally getting us to do this show!

We have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This episode’s art was designed by Ian O’Phelan. Sound cues for this podcast were composed by Meika Grimm.

“Switching Places” (October 4, 1993)

If you’re reading this and deciding that Power Rangers is not a sitcom, you’re correct! We’re doing it anyway, and as elder millennials who were just a little too old for MMPR when it originally aired, we’re bringing in a ringer in the form of Sina Grace — artist, writer and bonvivant. whose work in the comics world has included writing for these very teenagers with attitude. In this episode, Billy and Kimberley swap bodies and so David Yost and Amy Jo Johnson have fun imitating each other while also commenting on gender norms… inasmuch as that’s possible in a 20-minute-long TV episode about superheroes who fight giant monsters.

Buy Sina’s latest comic, West Hollywood Monster Squad.

Support Sina’s Kickstarter for his book about dog grief, Life on Paws.

For more on the story of Saban, listen to our Cartoons That Made Us Gay episode about Samurai Pizza Cats.

And here is the This American Life episode that Drew refers to

We have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This episode’s art was designed by Ian O’Phelan.

“Mama Mork, Papa Mindy” (November 5, 1981)

Thus far, we have not attempted the Happy Days universe of TV shows, and we’re starting with this season four Mork & Mindy that has our interspecies marrieds creating a baby that redefine their gender roles. Essentially, Mork hatches an egg from which comes a child that puts a shocked Mindy in the role of father. It’s silly, but as returning guest Diamond Feit helps us explain, it’s also modelling parenthood outside typical gender conventions.

Listen to Diamond’s previous episode with us about Ranma 1/2!

Listen to our previous adult baby episode (a Patreon exclusive!) with guest Nina Matsumoto!

We have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This episode’s art was designed by Ian O’Phelan.