The Drama Kid (Ep 359 - Funny Girl/David Pevsner)

October 28, 2021 Matthew Baume

My guest this week is David Pevsner, writer, actor, and erotic blogger. His book Damn Shame, a memoir of desire, defiance, and show tunes comes out in January (it’s available for pre-order now) and catalogs his adventures on Broadway and on TV, as an escort, and as a naked Tumblr star. It all starts with a kid dancing in secret to Barbra Streisand records.

We’ll have that conversation in a minute. First a reminder to check out my YouTube channel where I post videos about queer pop culture history — I’ve got a new one coming this weekend about how Elvira became a gay icon and the Queen of Halloween. And you can also head over to my Patreon to watch hours of bonus videos featuring stories of queer TV and film history.

And check out my cute little newsletter where I share sneak peeks at what I’m working on at mattbaume.com.

And a big thanks to everyone who supports the Sewers of Paris at Patreon.com/mattbaume. And to everyone who’s left a review on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen.

My Space-Brothers (Ep 358 - Star Trek DS9/David)

October 21, 2021 Matthew Baume

My guest this week has some catching up to do. David is a writer who grew up in a religious family, and until his early 30s was closeted and struggled through ex-gay treatments until he finally came out. Helping him to make the adjustment: Star Trek, where he came to realize he’d picked up more of his sense of right and wrong than from the church. After cutting ties with his old life, he sold almost everything he owned for a one-way bus ticket to LA, where a couple of lucky breaks kept him from living on the street and got him into the industry he’d always dreamed of joining.

We’ll have that conversation in a minute. First a big thanks to everyone who supports the Sewers of Paris at Patreon.com/mattbaume. And to everyone who’s left a review on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen.

Also don’t forget to check out my YouTube where I post videos about queer pop culture history — I’ve got a new one all about The Paul Lynde Halloween Special. And you can also head over to my Patreon to watch hours of bonus videos featuring stories of queer TV and film history.

And check out my cute little newsletter where I share sneak peeks at what I’m working on at mattbaume.com.

A Big Purple Man in a Loin Cloth (Ep. 357 - Fazaad/Gargoyles)

October 14, 2021 Matthew Baume

Next week is the anniversary of the premiere of the show Gargoyles, an animated 90s series with queer subtext simmering just under the surface — and that’s according to the show’s creator. In honor of that anniversary, we’re diving back into the Sewers archives for a chat with Fazaad Feroze, who became obsessed with the show when he was young. The child of immigrants from Guyana before moving to the United States, he only has to look back one generation on his family tree to see a life that is unrecognizable to him. And as you can imagine, the family’s introduction to American culture wasn’t always easy and came with frequent surprises — including, when Fazaad was a teenager, the discovery of his real name.

Also don’t forget to check out my YouTube where I post videos about queer pop culture history — and you can also head over to my Patreon to watch hours of bonus videos featuring stories of queer TV, film, and Broadway history.

And check out my cute little newsletter where I share sneak peeks at what I’m working on at mattbaume.com.

Always Pushing Boundaries (Ep 356 - Madonna/Farhad Dadyburjor)

October 7, 2021 Matthew Baume

My guest on the Sewers of Paris podcast this week is the author of The Other Man, a forthcoming novel set in Mumbai about two men from very different cultures falling in love. Farhad Dadyburjor knows a thing or two about bridging cultures — growing up in India, he developed a deep obsession with western pop stars like Madonna and even came out to a friend via a carefully phrased comparison to George Michael. These days he’s gained a much richer understanding of himself and his community — thanks to a combination of queer literature and dance parties.

And check out my cute little newsletter where I share sneak peeks at what I’m working on at mattbaume.com.

About The Sewers of Paris

About Defining Marriage

About Matt's So-Cast Pod

Listen & Subscribe