Holy cow! It's the podcast's THREE HUNDREDTH EPISODE, and to celebrate this landmark event, Lauren has brought on the *incomparable* Amber Ruffin (Late Night with Seth Meyers; The Amber Ruffin Show)! Amber is an Emmy and Tony-nominated writer *and* a best-selling author, but most important of all: she and Lauren go back nearly twenty years. Despite being incredibly open to the idea of being queer (not to mention being surrounded by lesbians for most of her career in comedy), Amber only recently realized that she was more than just a *really* good ally. Amber explains how the type of people she's attracted to - androgynous women and non-binary folks - just weren't super visible until recently; also, there was the whole thing where she was married to a man for thirteen years. Amber shares how she accidentally outed herself to her male coworker because phones are hard and discusses how gay butch women have somehow ALWAYS been able to clock her, even before she could clock herself. All this, plus the "gay as hell" leather sweatsuit that Amber owned and wore as a five-year-old child!Amber is at @amberruffin across all social media, but you can also watch her on your TV on Late Night with Seth Meyers and Have I Got News for You. Plus, check out the two books she wrote with her sister Lacey and their hilarious podcast, The Amber & Lacey, Lacey & Amber Show! Lauren was a guest in October!
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Episode 299: Mary Ellen Capek
WHAT A WEEK, AMIRITE?!?!? It's been seven days since we found out the less-than-desirable results of the 2024 presidential election, and it's feeling like we could all use a candid but encouraging conversation about where things stand. But not before we hear a 1987 lesbian meet-cute! Mary Ellen Capek (who will be eighty-three next month) is a writer, an activist, and a self-described "relapsed Methodist." Her first book of poetry ("Love Lessons: Poems 1973-2023") comes out this Friday, and she's been on an impressive number of boards and committees. Mary Ellen's story includes compulsory heterosexuality, marriage and (incredibly amicable!) divorce, being the "token heterosexual" in lesbian spaces, and a ten-day women's hiking trip that forever changed her life. An expert in organizing and community building, she discusses the importance of keeping our energy up in dark times ("I'm not gonna let that sonofabitch steal my joy!"), and shares practical ways to avoid burnout. It's a funny, tender, and inspiring conversation with someone who has been doing the work her entire life.Like Mary Ellen says, she is easily reachable! Find her on Facebook at facebook.com/mecapek and check out her website, maryellencapek.com (the piece she wrote the morning we recorded is posted at https://maryellencapek.com/some-post-election-thoughts/). Last but not least: find "Love Lessons" online and in bookstores starting November 15th!
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Episode 298: Queer Horror with BJ & Harmony Colangelo
It's eve of Halloween (or "All Hallows' Eve-Eve"), and so it seemed appropriate to do an episode all about QUEER HORROR! When writer and film analyst BJ Colangelo was first on the pod back in March of 2022, we scratched the surface of the indelible link between queerness and the horror genre. Now, in honor of spooky season, BJ is back with her wife Harmony for an exhaustive deep dive! The Wives Colangelo (TM) discuss how, when it comes to horror, "the absolute building blocks and foundational texts of the genre are either made by queer people, or they are queer stories." It's an episode full of revelations (Chucky has a non-binary kid?! Hellraiser is based on gay S&M clubs?!) and controversial hot takes! Whether you're a horror aficionado or, like Lauren, you only ever watch the smooching scene compilations on YouTube, it's a thoroughly delightful and absolutely fascinating episode about how our community SLAYS the horror genre (#halloweenpuns). Listen...IF YOU DARE!!Check out BJ's writing at /Film (SlashFilm) and follow her everywhere at @bjcolangelo, follow Harmony on Twitter and Instagram at @veloci_trap_tor, and purchase "Sleepaway Camp" through DieDieBooks or digitally at Amazon! Also listen to This Ends at Prom wherever you get your podcasts, and follow @ThisEndsAtProm on all platforms.
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Episode 297: Catherine McCafferty
It's National Coming Out Day, and Lauren is joined by the hilarious and talented Catherine McCafferty, host of the digital series Pretty Gay! Pretty Gay (which is also how Catherine identifies) is an interview series in which Catherine goes on mock dates with queer comedians and creators, and this season even has her bringing on her ex-girlfriend (#brave). Catherine explains how, throughout high school and college, she genuinely never had an inkling that she might be queer, despite once telling a therapist that she was going to marry a man and "watch him die," after which she would get to have a "second life" where she dated women (classic!). Catherine and Lauren commiserate over how difficult breakups are when your entire queer identity feels tied to your first relationship, and bond over having BOTH done shows that required them to go on fake dates (that sometimes felt real...). Plus, Catherine discusses playing the FMK-inspired "finger, U-Haul, ghost" with her very own mother!Season 2 of Pretty Gay is airing right now on Patreon at patreon.com/PrettyGay. Only $5/month to see alllllll the gayness (and there's even a 7-day free trial)! Also check out Pretty Gay's YouTube channel at youtube.com/@PrettyGayShow, and follow Catherine on Instagram and TikTok at @catherine_mccaff. Happy National Coming Out Day, everybody!
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Episode 296: Boy Jr.
Lauren sits down with artist Boy Jr. (they/them) to talk relationships, gender, and their upcoming album "I Love Getting Dumped." Shortly after graduating, Boy Jr. (who describes their gender identity as "a non-binary unknowable entity who lives in your walls") was very interested in getting top surgery and starting testosterone. However, as they began to embark on their music career, they got the distinct sense that their success as an artist "hinged on being as desirable as possible to as large a pool of people as possible." As a result, they put gender on the backburner and leaned heavily into their femme identity. But if there's one thing we know about queerness, it's that you can't suppress it forever! Boy Jr. shares how much more authentic they feel now that they're "making decisions based on comfort instead of...desire to feel desirable." Plus, we discuss their deep foundational love for Joe Jonas, and the etiquette around giving your exes a li'l heads up when you're releasing breakup songs about them.Follow Boy Jr. on Instagram at @boyjrofficial, on TikTok at @boyjr.69, and on Twitter at @BoyJrMusic. You can also find them as "Boy Jr." on YouTube, Patreon, Fiverr, and alllll the music platforms. Last but not least, check out their Linktree at linktr.ee/boyjr, and look for the release of "I Love Getting Dumped" at the end of October!
Coming Out Pod is a weekly podcast hosted by Lauren Flans where queer folks from all walks of life tell the tales of how they came out to friends, family, and the world at large! Because who doesn't love a coming out story?
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