While I’m in the edit cave prepping the next episode here’s a treat for the feed. Return of friends of the pod Allison and Joe from Queer Cinema Catch Up!

Alison and Joe asked me to come on their podcast to talk about Lady Gaga’s latest album Mayhem! Tune in to hear us dig into this current moment in pop music and diva worship!

Make sure to check back in a few days for REFERENTIAL’s upcoming episode examining the theme of Black Girlhood in media with critic and writer Shannon Miller!

Queer Cinema Catchup is independently produced by Allison Theveny and Joe Murphy.

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In this episode of Queer Cinema Catchup, Joe and Allison are once again joined by Dr. Khaliden Nas of the Referential podcast to review Lady Gaga's latest album, 'Mayhem.' Together, they discuss Gaga's evolution as an artist; reflect on their personal relationships to her music; and complete a track-by-track analysis.

00:00 Welcome to the Queer Cinema Catchup and Referential Collab

01:10 Personal Histories with Lady Gaga

03:42 Lady Gaga's Evolution and Public Persona

08:31 Reactions to Born This Way

17:40 Theatre Kid Roots and Artistry

20:04 Expectations for the New Album

35:12 Madonna's Influence and Pop Culture Shifts

36:10 Album Review: Mayhem's Chaotic Intentionality

36:57 Fan Feedback and Emotional Themes

37:35 Comparing Albums: Fame Monster vs. Mayhem

39:32 The Pressure of Reinvention in Pop Music

42:10 Success Anxiety and Artistic Authenticity

50:15 Track-by-Track Breakdown: Disease & Abracadabra

53:39 Garden of Eden and Perfect Celebrity

57:50 Vanish into You & Killah

01:01:20 Zombie Boy & Gwen Stefani

01:03:1 Love Drug

01:06:40 Taylor Swift and 80s Influence in How Bad Do U Want Me

01:08:12 Diverse Songwriting Styles

01:10:13 Emotional Ballads (Blade of Grass) and Personal Stories

01:21:11 Final Thoughts and Final Review

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

While I’m in the edit cave prepping the next episode here’s a treat for the feed. Return of the podcast cousin Sara Century!

Some time ago I was asked the host of Best Issue Ever Podcast to join her for a discussion and I chose Wonder Woman Vol. 2 #20 (by George Perez, Bob McLeod, Carl Gafford, John Costanza, and edited by Karen Berger) as the comics I wanted to talk about the most #BringBackMyndiMayer

Sara Century also has a new zine now available for preorder! You can get your digital or physical copy of ‘My Heart Bleeds with Yours: Writings on Lesbian Vampires by Sara Century’ at saracentury.gumroad.com! 

And while you’re there make sure to also check out her other work and support at ko-fi.com/saracenturypodcasts or patreon.com/saracenturypodcasts.

REFERENTIAL will be back on your feeds in a week with a brand new episode exploring the theme of ‘Black Girlhood in media’ with Shannon Miller (aka PopDishKitchen). 

Back in your ears soon!

BEST ISSUE EVER is independently produced and hosted by Sara Century. 

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______________________

REFERENTIAL

Hosted and produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Additional editing assistance by Laila. 

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

All videos edited by Victor Alexander.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com Follow me @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Find out more about REFERENTIAL’s upcoming episodes on www.alsopurple.com/citations

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

Thank you for listening! Leave the pod a rating to help other people find the show

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tangent episode #18

Crossover!

I got together with Elana Levin from Graphic Policy Radio to talk through our feelings about the current state of the X-Men franchise in the comics.

 A conversation in two parts!

First we sat down to talk about the Fall of X and the end of the X-Men & Marvel's 'First Krakoan Age'. 

Then we came back to the mic to talk about the state of the X-Office today and the relaunched slate of X-Men comics under the 'From The Ashes' banner. 

Tune in!

+

• Fall of X
• From the Ashes (Starts at 47:46)
• Kieron Gillen’s Immortal X-Men, X-Men: Forever & Rise of the Powers of X
• Gerry Duggan’s Fall of the House of X, Hellfire Gala 3, Invincible Iron Man & Uncanny Avengers
• Al Ewing’s Resurrection of Magneto & X-Men: Red
• Si Spurrier’s X-Men Blue: Origins
• Jonathan Hickman
• Gail Simone’s Uncanny X-Men
• Jed McKay’s X-Men
• Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly’s NYX
• Eve L. Ewing’s Exceptional X-Men
• Lucas Werneck
• R.B. Silva
• Adam Kubert
• Luciano Vecchio
• Pepe Larraz
• Matteo Lolli
• Solos!
• “My name is Alex.”
• Democracy in the 2nd Krakoan Age
• The End of Hope Summers
• Remembering Utopia
• Kate Pryde and the gates
• Remembering Dr. Moira MacTaggart
• Assimilation Or Unity
• #XSpoilers and fandom
• Read comics, its good for your skin

One more time, Krakoans. For the children!

Hosted and produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Additional editing assistance by Laila. 

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

All videos edited by Victor Alexander.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

Episode podcast cover by Valentine Smith/Fall of X promotional art by Mark Brooks & Richard Isanove 

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com Follow me @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Find out more about REFERENTIAL’s upcoming episodes on www.alsopurple.com/citations

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

Thank you for listening! Leave the pod a rating to help other people find the show

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

PART 2!

(slight Act 2 spoilers from 54:15 to 57:11)

Tangent episode #17

REFERENTIAL rings in the new year with a 2 parter on the latest film adaptation of Act 1 of Wicked! 

Welcome back to the ‘Session of The Witch’!

I’m joined by returning guest Miss Sundi to talk about the 20 year history Wicked the musical and its most recent film adaptation! 

Directed by Jon M. Chu,  ‘Wicked: Part 1’ is a film adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. 

The original musical featured music and lyrics by Stephan Schwartz, book by Winnie Holzman and starred Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. The musical itself was an adaptation of Gregory Macguire’s 1995 revisionist retelling of L. Frank Baum’s Wicked Witch of the West character (renamed Elphaba in tribute) from 1900’s Wonderful Wizard of Oz children’s novel. 

[Part 1- 'The Music' 

We recap of the story of Act 1 + a music commentary delving into the music of the musical track by track and note by note!]

Part 2 - 'The Movie' 

A conversation about the history of the book, the shows musical origins and more of our thoughts on the recent film adaptation!

+

• A 120 year 'Ozian' history - from book, to musical, to movie)
• Interpretation
• Colour grading
• Vocalists.
• The war on terror
• Avengers level talent - A vocally demanding musical
• A roll call of musical titans who played Glinda and/Or Elphaba including: Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Nikki Bentley, Rachel Tucker, Annaliegh Ashford, Brittney Johnson, Louise Dearman, Shoshanna Bean, Megan Hilty, Eden Espinosa, Alice Fern, Kerry Ellis, Jessica Vosk (...)
• Holding space in queer media
• CGI animals and zoology girlies
• Black Elphaba
• Rudity
• Practical effects
• Janet Jackson's turn as Aida
• Lesbians
• The racialisation of Elphaba
• The racialisation of Glinda
• Yuh
• The 'G' slur
• Act 1 vs Act 2 - soft spoilers
• Give us Hadestown the adaptation
• Jill Scott
• BOQ

___ 

This one is for the musical nerds who found themselves awake at 2 am listening to Elphaba and Glinda high note compilations.

___

Hosted and produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

All videos edited by Victor Alexander.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com Follow me @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Find out more about REFERENTIAL’s upcoming episodes on www.alsopurple.com/citations

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

Thank you for listening! Leave the pod a rating to help other people find the show

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

PART 1!

REFERENTIAL rings in the new year with a 2 parter on the latest film adaptation of Act 1 of Wicked!

Welcome back to the ‘Session of The Witch’!

[an ongoing miniseries of episodes diving into the resurgence of witches in pop culture fiction and their thematic relationship to this moment in feminism, womanhood, queerness, misogynoir (and musicals!]

I’m joined by returning guest Miss Sundi to talk about the 20 year history Wicked the musical and its most recent film adaptation! 

Directed by Jon M. Chu, ‘Wicked: Part 1’ is a film adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda..

The original musical featured music and lyrics by Stephan Schwartz, book by Winnie Holzman and starred Idina Menzel as Elphaba and Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda. The musical itself was an adaptation of Gregory Macguire’s 1995 revisionist retelling of L. Frank Baum’s Wicked Witch of the West character (renamed Elphaba in tribute) from 1900’s Wonderful Wizard of Oz children’s novel. 

Part 1 - 'The Music'

We recap of the story of Act 1 + a music commentary delving into the music of the musical track by track and note by note!

+

• A recap
• Mother Schwartz
• The Glinda and Elphaba binary
• Motifs
• Glinda's double speak
• Optional notes
• Making Good
• Jonathan Bailey is thriving
• Back phrasing
• High stamina 'I want' songs
• LAR
• Sharon D. Clarke
• Fresher's week at Shiz
• The Mics are on
• Nessa Um Nessa
• Madame Morrible's DBS
• Men singing
• Sopranos and Belters
• BALLGOWN!
• Mindful riffing
• Lesbianism
• Colours('Colors')
• Musical Lesbianism

[Part 2 - 'The Movie'

A conversation about the history of the book, the shows musical origins and more of our thoughts on the recent film adaptation.]

___

This one is for the musical nerds who found themselves awake at 2 am listening to Elphaba and Glinda high note compilations.

___

Hosted and produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

All videos edited by Victor Alexander.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com Follow me @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Find out more about REFERENTIAL’s upcoming episodes on www.alsopurple.com/citations

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

Thank you for listening! Leave the pod a rating to help other people find the show!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tangent episode #16 

REFERENTIAL enters the ‘Session of The Witch’ with a special series of episodes diving into the resurgence of witches in pop culture fiction and their ties to this moment in feminism, womanhood, queerness, misogynoir (and musicals!).

To start us off, I’m joined by host of Best Issue Ever’s Sara Century to talk the MCU’s latest instalment Agatha All Along! Created by Jac Schaeffer and starring Kathryn Hahn, Joe Locke, Aubrey Plaza, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Patti LuPone and Debra Joe Rupp. Agatha All Along continues Agatha Harkness’ story from Wandavision and gives us a glimpse into her ambiguous past. 

Listen to our thoughts on the series + find out how we fit the following in the conversation

• It works for Sarah Paulson
• Crushing on Kate Winslet 
• Patti LuPilled
• Justice for Alice
• Death
• The Current State of the MCU
• Messy Morality 
• I was falling
• The first openly gay serial killer
• We’re the weirdoes mister
• Regressive adaptations 
• Jennifer Kale did what she had to do
• Femme supers
• Tents
• Ambiguity 
• RIP Mrs Hart

Find Sara Century @saracentury on Instagram

Get Sara’s Scream zine! http://saracentury.gumroad.com

Find out more her work and podcasting at https://saracentury.com and subscribe to Best Issue Ever everywhere you get your podcasts!

Hosted and produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

All videos edited by Victor Alexander.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com Follow me @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Find out more about REFERENTIAL’s upcoming episodes on www.alsopurple.com/citations

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

Thank you for listening! Leave the pod a rating to help other people find the show!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tangent #15 Josie and the Pussycats (Crossover)

I’m joined on this episode by hosts of the Queer Cinema Catch Up Podcast Allison and Joe!

We get into 2001’s Josie and the Pussycats, directed by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan and starring Rachel Leigh Cook, Tara Reid, Rosario Dawson, Alan Cumming, Missy Pyle and Parker Posey.

The film was a commercial and critical failure that turned into a cult classic in the years since its release. We sit down to reappraise the biting satire and think about what it was trying to do in the context of today!

+ Find out how we fit the following in the conversation

• Nostalgia
• Predicting pop-punk
• The mainstreaming of punk music
• Rockism vs Poptimism
• Dicks the Musical
• Authenticity in the age of
• Pop’s teen queens and sexuality 
• Innuendo bops
• Parker Posey as Elon Musk
• An ode to Missi Pyle

Find Joe and Allison on instagram @Queer_Cinema_Catchup and on their YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@QueerCinemaCatchup 

And make sure to check out their podcast!

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com and following @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Hosted and produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

All videos edited by Victor Alexander.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

Find out more about REFERENTIAL’s upcoming episodes on www.alsopurple.com/citations

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

If you liked this episode, help other people find the podcasts! Share, tell a friend, and remember to leave a rating and review!

Thank you for listening!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tangent episode #14 'The Vampire Sessions'

I’m joined on this episode by award-winning poet and vampire aficionado Derrick Austin!

We delve into the most recent adaptation of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, AMC’s Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire (Starring Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Bailey Bass, Eric Bogosian & Assad Zaman)

This conversation also includes our thoughts on the original book [Book 1 of The Vampire Chronicles] and the 1994 film adaptation of the story (Directed by Neil Jordan and starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt & Kirsten Dunst)

[spoilers all!]

+ Find out how we fit the following in

• Early 90s straight-washing 
• Race-blind casting vs adding to the narrative
• Repressed desire and the glass closet
• The existential terrors of being alive
• ‘Demonic White Daddies’
• Queer hierarchies of privilege 
• Mentorship and inter-community conflict
• Abusive relationships
• Selfishness & the toxicity of ‘queer families’
• ‘Containing’ Claudia
• In defence of Armand 
• The glass closets and taking queerness outside
• De-centring whiteness in queer narratives
• Clinton-era ‘radicalism’ today
• Creole Lady Marmalade
• Fantasies of carefree existence 
• Rabid fanbases
• This is a story about control.

Find Derrick on all socials @ParadiseLAust and more about him & his writing here: https://linktr.ee/DerrickAustin

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com and following @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Hosted and produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

All videos edited by Victor Alexander.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

Find out more about REFERENTIAL’s upcoming episodes on www.alsopurple.com/citations

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

If you liked this episode, help other people find the podcasts! Share, tell a friend, and remember to leave a five star rating and review to help people find us!

Thank you for listening!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

(Preserving Pride Part 1)

Trying something a little different and introducing a new format...

I started working on this after being advised to stay in doors because the streets we’d marched on were now being threatened by rioters who feel anyone Brown, Black or different doesn’t belong. 

Trans Pride Brighton was the first Trans Pride event outside of the United States. It is also one of the largest, gathering 45,000 people in 2024 in protest and celebration. Grass-roots and community-led, the TPB organisation is run by a team of volunteers who deliver an event that has only grown more vital since its establishment in 2013.

Trans Pride Brighton is where people gather in action to share their intention for the world to be better for them and each other.

Press play and join the march.. 

Featured voices in order of appearance 

• Khaliden Nas
• Sarah Savage
• Al
• Mzz Kimberly
• Ruth from SolFed (Brighton Solidarity Foundation)
• Oli
• Bosun
• V from the ECP (English Collective of Prostitutes)
• Victor Alexander from the Trans Pride Brighton Committee
• Cass From the Trans Pride Brighton Committee 
• Traveller Pride
• Alaska Nas

Thank you everyone who contributed their voices to this episode and to the Trans Pride Brighton Committee for another year of pride and protest without compromise.

Find resources and more about Trans Pride Brighton at https://linktr.ee/transpridebrighton

Make a donation at https://transpridebrighton.org/donate/

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com and following @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Hosted by Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Produced & edited by Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

Videos by Victor Alexander (Check out his film video essays @Clevvergirl on tiktok!)

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to leave a 5 star rating and review to help people find the podcast!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Back to regular programming!

[Part 1 of a series.]

Have you ever heard the term 'digital blackface'? The Real Housewives franchise has spawned a million gifs and opinions; all asking if this is how 'we'' should be represented- and what these shows mean for the community.

For our third main episode we decided to examine that statement through a discussion about Bravo's Black led Real Housewives franchise (with some thoughts on the other casts sprinkled in).

Do these shows reduce Black women to something problematic for mass entertainment? Or is it us who do that work because of our hang ups?

I’m joined by screenwriter, social media producer and classically trained musician (?!) Lauren Warren (Nerd of Prey!)(Caw!!)(most recently a finalist in the ScreenCraft Virtual Pitch Competition) to talk all about Bravo's Real Housewives franchise.

We cover Real Housewives of Atlanta [RHOA] and Real Housewives of Potomac [RHOP], with thoughts on some of the other casts sprinkled throughout (Orange County, New York, New Jersey, DC, Salt Lake City and Vancouver).

Listen to us think about existing as a Black woman in public, failing in public, respectability and the weight of representation

+ Find out how we also fit the following into the discussion

• Secret lesbians, queerness, panic and RHOA
• Kim, whiteness and power in early RHOA
• Corporate activism as a commercial exercise
• Colorism, and RHOP
• The collapse of polite fiction, pretence and reality in public
• Shout out to The Nerds of Prey!
• Mash Ups and Remixes
• Alaska the cat attacks
• Pocket gays
• Double standards 
• The reality reckoning 
• Reality vs Documentary
• Nene Leakes you will always be famous
• Bravo’s Flop era
• Existing

If you like homework, or looking for a recommendation list you can find the 'Citation Page' for this episode on my website, available from the first Sunday after the episode is up! !

https://www.alsopurple.com/citation-corner

You'll find all the quotes, books, tv, and pods referenced and recommender in this conversation.

Find Lauren Warren @TheValidVictorian on Instagram and @IamLaurenP2 on Twitter all the socials!

Keep up to date by following @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Produced and hosted by Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

Video production by Victor Alexander (Find more on the REFERENTIAL Youtube page!)

Find out what I’m up to at www.alsopurple.com

Don’t forget to leave a 5 star rating and review to help people find the podcast!

Thank you for listening!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy