Homophilia

Actress and star of the must-see movie Monica Trace Lysette is here to talk Somebody Somewhere, Henry Louis Gates on PBS, Kathryn Hahn’s Tiny Beautiful Things (or something?) The Jets, Remy Ma, Latto, the importance of a good playlist for a day shooting hoops, FloJo nails, the rollercoaster of awards buzz, the power of kooky writing workshops, and what stories she wants to tell next. 

Author/professor/policy expert/political strategist and ally for the ages Kate Black is here to talk about the state of American electoral politics, the five steps of getting involved in your own community to advocate for what you believe in, and Kelly Clarkson’s Chemistry. Also: becoming a born-again tidy person, donating a kidney and all that that entails, the challenge of triathlons, the quiet bravery of keeping your head down and continuing to swim, the joys of the Midwest, the cost of diapers, June Diane Raphael as life-changer, how to support LGBTQ+ candidates, why we’re still stuck with the language of hyper-masculinity, and how we’re feeling about the 2024 election. PLUS: the true story of Michael Patrick King on Matt’s new podcast And Just Like Matt!  

Straight-up legend Jake Shears broadcasts from a rare week off in Laguna Beach to talk about his brilliant and summer-defining solo album Last Man Dancing, and: spontaneous New Orleans house parties, Jessie Ware, Alison Goldfrapp, Padam Padam, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, the gentle heaviness of Queens of the Stone Age, life as a gay teen in Seattle the year Nirvana broke, Dan Savage as mentor, the magnetic pull of Emerald City, what he looks for in a man, and a surprising semi-celebrity crush (who we have independently researched and can verify could get it). 

On the heels of the announcement of a season three for Max's Somebody Somewhere, the show’s charming co-star Jeff Hiller comes back home to Homophilia, where he has always felt a deep sense of belonging. We talk about his upcoming memoir, the challenges of urban wildfire smoke, the trap of self-deprecation, the enduring popularity of the idea that the world is getting worse, the essential bro-ness of improv, the significance of an original Broadway cast recording to a certain kind of boy, the importance of in-unit laundry, and why Vanessica cannot work with a dark wig. 

Activist and author Matt Baume joins us to talk about his excellent book on queer representation in sitcoms Hi Honey, I’m Homo!. Also: devastatingly elegant kiss-offs to the ignorant and angry, catching up on the classics, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the rise of PlutoTV, Boober from Fraggle Rock as gay icon, cinemaphobia, the genius of Bewitched, All In The Family and Soap, the problem of Jody, the joy of a progressive family, and the place where the hottest men on television can reliably be found: reruns of Supermarket Sweep. 

Friend of the show and author of the just-released and critically-acclaimed Big Gay Wedding Byron Lane is back! The first order of business is holding space for one another in the wake of the Kim Cattrall And Just Like That news, and speculating on its personal, local, and global implications. But there is time for other topics, and these include: finally getting around to reading Kavalier & Klay, gay weddings real and fictional and big and small, auspicious meetings on Tinder, testicular odd couples, Carrie Fisher, Tilda Swinton, the responsible side of New Orleans and the sleazy side of Catholic confession, our evolving relationships with the concept of Pride Month, and how TV can teach us how to write a novel. 

Writer and Co-Chair of the LGBTQ+ Writers Committee at the WGA West Rob Forman joins us to talk about the upcoming Pride Picket at the Warner Brothers lot on June 1. (Be there! Bring donuts!) Also: Succession, gay love on Ted Lasso, getting fucked out of a window on The Great, the formative one-two punch of Princess Leia and Buffy Summers, the moment that was the WB, grade-grubbing and its social implications, the spectrum of queer characters on The Magicians, and the importance of a strike boyfriend. For more information on the WGA strike, go to wgastrike.org, and for more info on the Pride Picket, follow Rob on Twitter and IG at @robsforman. 

It’s a family affair this week, as Matt and Dave talk a glittering Eurovision, celebrified pickleball drama, Succession theories, Vanderpump conspiracies, and the pros and cons of revisiting exes. This episode is NOT sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, but what a great opportunity that would be for the legendary carmaker, whose 2023 EQS 580 combines luxury with eco-consciousness.  Subscribe to Matt's new limited-run podcast: And Just Like Matt here or wherever you listen to podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/and-just-like-matt/id1688052599?i=1000613321675

The GREAT Mollie Merkel is here to dish about having a shocking amount of siblings, 5 brothers and 3 sisters. Growing up on a corn/pumpkin/Xmas tree farm. The origin stories of her character videos. Being an elite athlete before transitioning to comedy. The quiz her girlfriend gave on their first date. And whether or not she (and Dave) should finally start playing pickleball. 

This week, we're joined by Deanna Cheng and Drew Pokorny to pay tribute to our late friend Michael Hannus, aka Mike Nice. Matt reveals their "Golden Eagles" origin story, and Drew and Deanna recall their days performing sketch comedy with the funniest man they've ever known. Dave also shares his own experience of meeting Mike at Matt's wedding, and a moment he captured that Matt will treasure for years to come. Prepare for lots of laughs (and more than a few tears) as we unpack the strange nature of grief and salute this incredible human. Fly high, Eagle.