Queerly Popular

This week we are going to dive deep into Heartstopper Season 2. Two warnings:

1. This is all spoilers. If you haven't seen the season and don't want to be spoiled, watch the season first and then come back and listen.
2. This is a very long episode, almost 90 minutes. I try not to go over an hour if possible, but this one just had so much going on that I had to go longer.

In this episode, we will dive deep into season 2. We examine the couples and their dynamics (particularly Nick and Charlie). I also talk a lot about Ben, why he had to be in this season, and why he was so important to Charlie's story. I also spend time talking about Isaac and his asexuality storyline and why that is so important to see. We end with talking about minor characters and my hopes for future seasons.

I really hope you enjoy this episode, even if it is much longer than anything else I've done. Don't worry, it isn't setting a precedent for episode lengths or anything. I also wrote a review of the season the day after the season aired. It has a lot of the same points, but there are differences, so if you're interested, there it is.

As always, please rate and review the podcast on whatever platform you listen to it on. You can follow the podcast on Instagram, Twitter, or Threads (@queerlypopular). You can also send questions or comments to [email protected]

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Today, we talk about Alexis Hall's books Boyfriend Material and Husband Material. They are a queer romances where two very different men pretend to date each other and it turns into something real and then they decide to get married and all the wacky hijinks that ensue. I really love these books and encourage you to go read them if you like romances. A lot of it is follows romantic tropes, but there are a few twists that I didn't see coming and quite enjoyed.

Our next episode will be about Heartstopper Season 2 and will be on August 10th. If you haven't seen these videos, I would encourage you to do so:

Heartstopper Season 2 Teaser

Heartstopper Season 2 Date Announcement

The First Scene from Heartstopper Season 2

Heartstopper Cast Rewatch of Some Season 1 Scenes

Heartstopper Stars Recap Season 1

Heartstopper Season 2 Trailer

As always, please rate and review the podcast on whatever platform you listen to it on. You can follow the podcast on Instagram, Twitter, or Threads (@queerlypopular). You can also send questions or comments to [email protected]

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Today's episode is about the 2020 Netflix film The Prom which is based off of a musical, which is based off of a real life event. It's a lovely, lovely film that I really love and enjoy about the trauma a young lesbian undergoes at the hands of homophobes and "allies" who don't really care about the person they are trying to help. Except for one thing that I will go on a bit of a rant about (10-15 minute long, so longer than a bit, I guess). I have seen this movie several times and would really encourage you to watch it if you have the chance.

Here are a few of my favorite songs:

Unruly Heart

Zazz

It's Time to Dance

It's Not About Me

And here is the link to the Glamour article about Red, White, & Royal Blue.

As always, please rate and review the podcast on whatever platform you listen to it on. You can follow the podcast on Instagram or Twitter (@queerlypopular). You can also send questions or comments to [email protected].

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Today we are doing something a little different and talking about Dear Evan Hansen the movie and the book. I talk about the book because the book has some added material that sheds some light on some of the events of the story. I talk about why I prefer certain things from the musical or the movie and why, a problem I have with the movie, a problem I have with a lot of fans of the show unfairly vilifying Evan, why this story resonates with me, the queer subtext of the story, and why I thought the movie had a queer relationship after hearing the music but not knowing the plot. I hope you enjoy.

Here are a couple of things related to Dear Evan Hansen to enjoy:

Jordan Doww's cover of "Waving Through a WIndow"

Some Thoughts about Dear Evan Hansen (from my movie blog)

"You Will Be Found" (from the Broadway soundtrack) (THE BEST VERSION!- MV)

"A Little Closer"

"Disappear"

As always, please rate and review the podcast on whatever platform you listen to it on. You can follow the podcast on Instagram or Twitter (@queerlypopular). You can also send questions or comments to [email protected].

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Hey all, I lost my voice over the weekend (sounded like someone who inhaled a ton of helium and was speaking very softly) and it is still rough. I'm gonna try and record my Dear Evan Hansen episode tonight or tomorrow, but there is no guarantee it will happen. Just depends on how my voice holds up. Thank you for your understanding.

This week, we'll be talking about Pose, a series in FX about ballroom culture in NYC in the 80s and 90s and the lives of queer and trans people who were a part of that culture. This episode is heavy on talk about characters because the characters are the backbone of the show and they have rich and interesting lives. I also talk about my favorite scenes (see the links below) and why having three main characters who were white in the first season was a mistake.

Our next episode will be about Dear Evan Hansen (the movie and the book, not the Broadway play) and how its themes resonate with me as a queer person.

Favorite scene- Blanca lip syncs the National Anthem (Whitney Houston)

Second favorite scene- Elektra reads a transphobe for filth

Third favorite scene- Angel and Papi's wedding (part of it, but this is the best part IMNSHO)

Fourth favorite scene- Blanca and Pray Tell lip sync "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"

Bonus video- Elektra's best reads for filth

Bonus video #2- Blanca and Pray Tell sing "Home" (first season)

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Today's episode is about the 2011 movie, Into the Lion's Den. It is an independent suspense/thriller movie about a trio of gay friends who end up at a redneck bar. By the time it is over, there is death, nudity (most of which it totally gratuitous), and some disturbing scenes. Warning, there is sexual assault in the movie. I talk about the sexual assaults and use the word "penis" many, many times in a short period of time. If either bothers or triggers you, please take care.

I also talk about why so many queer movies have so much more sex, nudity, and language than other films. This includes talk about the film rating system, standards & practices, and how independently produced films differ from more mainstream films. I also talk about some pop culture news that has come up recently.

MPAA Film Rating System

Standards & Practices

In our next episode, we will talk about the show Pose. As I mention in the episode, there will be new episodes through the end of June. After that I will be taking off the month of July and plan to come back in early August with new episodes.

If you are enjoying the podcast, please rate and review on whatever platform you listen to it on. Please follow the podcast on Twitter or Instagram (@queerlypopular). If you have any questions or comments, please email [email protected].

Until next episode!

Today, we talk about the 2011 movie Longhorns. This is a shorter episode for a short (75 minutes) movie that was light on plot, but heavy on nudity. All 5 male main characters had full frontal shots during the movie and there was a good amount of sex. Just know that going in. If language or nudity bothers you, don't watch the movie. Want a hilarious synopsis? Here's a great one from IMDB:

"Beers, steers...and a couple of queers. The Eighties come roaring back in this risqué and sexy comedy involving a group of Texas frat-boys, a remote cabin in the Hill Country and lots of beers, that will give "ride 'em cowboy" a whole new meaning!"

If you want an excuse to just chill out or watch a movie, this is a great movie to just chill with. My favorite? Nope, but it is fun.

If you like the podcast, please rate and review on whatever platform you listen to the podcast on. You can follow the podcast on Twitter or Instagram (@queerlypopular) or email comments to [email protected].

In two weeks, we'll talk about the movie Into the Lion's Den, probably the only suspense/horror film I will ever review here.

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In today's episode, we are talking about the Valdemar books by Mercedes Lackey. This series consists of (as of this writing) 37 books, 17 anthologies, and 1 Companion (basically an encyclopedia) book that talk about the history of the world of Velgarth focusing mainly on the nation of Valdemar. There's obviously a whole lot to talk about in this episode, so I do my best to hit mostly high points.

The Last Herald-Mage trilogy came out in 1989, 1990, and 1991 and has a gay main character, Vanyel Ashkevron. It is about his growing up, coming into his magical and mental powers, and his death. It is really impressive that it came out at the time it did, because the late 80s and early 90s were not queer friendly times, to say the least. The rest of the Valdemar books also had many queer characters, almost exclusively related to sexual orientation. There is a group who are made asexual due to an oath to their Goddess and there are some gender non-conforming characters as well. There is one character who is sorta trans and does not get treated well (they are a villain too, it's complicated). But for the most part, Lackey treats queer characters well. I hope you take the time to read these books because they are well worth your time and effort.

Timeline of Events in the Books

Valdemar Wiki

Our next episode will be about the show Pose.

Please rate, review, and follow the show wherever you listen to podcasts. You can follow the podcast on Twitter or Instagram (@queerlypopular) and you can email questions or comments to [email protected].

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In today's episode, we talk about the 2017 movie Beach Rats. Disclaimer going in: this is not one of my favorite movies. I don't dislike it, but I do have some not so great feelings about it particularly about the ending and how hyper realistic the movie is. I do think it is worth talking about (hence the episode), but I will not be returning to watch it over and over again.

Beach Rats is a film about a young man from Brooklyn who grows up in a hyper-masculine environment, yet experiences sexual attraction to other men and how he deals with this and segments his life. It won several awards in 2017 and 2018 and has generally been well-received by audiences and critics.

On April 6, we will be talking about the Last Herald-Mage Trilogy as well as the world of Valdemar in general. It will probably be on the longer side due to the amount of stuff there is to discuss.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, please email [email protected]. You can also follow the podcast on Instagram or Twitter (@queerlypopular). I would love to hear your thoughts. Also, please rate and review on whatever platform you listen to the podcast on.

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