Gayest Episode Ever

Yes, we said there was no episode this week, but then we realized that we had all these bonus episodes just lying around on Patreon, so here is one of those. BTW, listen to more queer readings of old cartoons here for just $1 a month. "The Mirror" (September 11, 1995) It is technically possible that someone could have watched Gargoyles and not realized that it was one of the horniest animated series ever. We think this episode — which has a very fey Puck teaming up with Demona to turn our heroic gargoyles into humans, loincloths still in place — helps demonstrate just how much homoeroticism was going on, both in the minds of viewers and the minds of people Want to spend more time with Goliath? Then listen to the What a Cartoon podcast's take on this very same episode of Gargoyles. (We will assert that ours is at least marginally gayer.) Read the Polygon article about the extended Gargoyles universe that could have been. Also read about the plans for the live-action movie. When did English-speakers decided that fairies = gay? Also read about the difference between gargoyles and grotesques. (This show should technically be called Grotesques.) Goliath : Eliza :: Bonkers : Miranda Watch a commercial for 1985's English language dub, Captain Harlock and the Queen of a Thousand Years. Purchase the first issue of Drew and Glen's new comic anthology, Beyond Sunset. Go shop at our TeePublic store! Follow: GEE on Facebook • GEE's Facebook Group • GEE on Twitter • GEE on Instagram • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn And yes, we do have an official website! We even have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This episode's art was designed by Ian O'Phelan. This is a TableCakes podcast.

"Gay Witch Hunt" (September 21, 2006) Whelp, you asked enough so we finally did it: we covered The Office, despite the fact that its entire series run came and went during the age of online recaps and extensive online coverage. This is one of the most requested episodes we've gotten since we began this podcast. It's up to you to decide what we can add to discourse about this mid-2000s phenomenon — which, BTW, was not as big of a hit as you might remember — but we can at least point out that the epidemic of arrested development glimpsed on The Office the show was not limited to Michael Scott. No, Drew was right: there *was* a peculiar preponderance of redheads on this show. Purchase the first issue of Drew and Glen's new comic anthology, Beyond Sunset. Go shop at our TeePublic store! Follow: GEE on Facebook • GEE's Facebook Group • GEE on Twitter • GEE on Instagram • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn And yes, we do have an official website! We even have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This episode's art was designed by Ian O'Phelan. This is a TableCakes podcast.

"Love Letters to Sarge" (January 29, 1965) Not only is this the only installment of a podcast that will explain the gay history of Gomer Pyle and the man who played him, but also it's the only discussion of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C to feature relevant clips from both The Simpsons and Sailor Moon, because that's the kind of show this is. Special thanks to listener Robyn Pavlakovich for suggesting this episode. Watch this great explainer video on Gomer Pyle and Jim Nabors by friend of the show Matt Baume Watch the video of Jim Nabors and Rock Hudson appearing on The Carol Burnett Show, just two years before the rumors ended their friendship Listen to Drew talk about Pete's Dragon on the Inside the Disney Vault podcast. Listen to the latest episode of Smart Mouth. Find out what TV shows are part of the Tommy Westphall extended universe Purchase the first issue of Drew and Glen's new comic anthology, Beyond Sunset. Go shop at our TeePublic store! Follow: GEE on Facebook • GEE's Facebook Group • GEE on Twitter • GEE on Instagram • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn And yes, we do have an official website! We even have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This episode's art was designed by Ian O'Phelan. This is a TableCakes podcast.

"He Said, She Said" (November 1, 1999) The legends speak of a forgotten volume of lore known as… Becker. Allegedly a hit CBS television series starring Ted Danson, it is apparently a victim of the same magic spell that befell Wings, making it all but forgotten from pop culture discourse today. However, as guest Jasmine Friend brought to our attention, Becker did a 1990s twist on the "old friend in town turns out to be trans" trope we discussed in our recent Jeffersons episode. This will likely be the only podcast you will listen to this week that will discuss not only Becker but also the pop culture legacy of Jadzia Dax, the extreme gendering of Ms. Pac-Man and Persian custom of taarof in a single episode. Read Jasmine's Twitter thread, which is what brought this episode to our attention in the first place. Purchase the first issue of Drew and Glen's new comic anthology, Beyond Sunset Go shop at our TeePublic store! Follow: GEE on Facebook • GEE's Facebook Group • GEE on Twitter • GEE on Instagram • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn And yes, we do have an official website! We even have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This episode's art was designed by Ian O'Phelan. This is a TableCakes podcast.

"Roswell That Ends Well" (December 9, 2001) Equal parts sitcom and sci-fi epic, Futurama has some deep lore, and at the core of one of its most important storylines — that Fry is genetically destined to save the universe — is the fact that he also accidentally kills his gay grandfather and impregnates his own grandmother. Which is a lot, we realize, but in this episode we try to explain why Futurama is great and why dead, gay Grandpa Enos is vital to the cosmology of the show. If you like deep dives into Futurama, go throw money at the Talking Simpsons Patreon, where they've done whole bonus seasons about it. What does it mean that Leela is "the other"? If you want to listen to us discuss a far less good episode by the same writer, listen to "Marge Simpsons Is a Homophobe and a Transphobe," about the Simpsons episode "There's Something About Marrying." It really sucks! Less critical is "Drew and Glen Discuss Instrumental Sitcom Themes." Bender's connection to The Breakfast Club is sourced to this Mental Floss article, which sadly does not cite its sources. Listen to Astonishing Legends breakdown of the Alien Autopsy hoax. Listen to Smart Mouth's episode about how World War II made American children eat like they were going to war. Read about the history of Japanese hydrogen balloon bombs. Read about how studying after a test can make you retroactively do better on it, time causality be damned. No, microwaved water is not toxic and neither are microwaves. And listen if you dare to Tom Arnold's rendition of "I'm My Own Grandpa" from the movie The Stupids. Purchase the first issue of Drew and Glen's new comic anthology, Beyond Sunset Go shop at our TeePublic store! Follow: GEE on Facebook • GEE's Facebook Group • GEE on Twitter • GEE on Instagram • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn And yes, we do have an official website! We even have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This episode's art was designed by Ian O'Phelan. This is a TableCakes podcast.

"Once a Friend" (October 1, 1977) Often cited as TV's first sympathetic portrayal of a trans character, this episode of The Jeffersons introduces Edie Stokes as someone who, unlike other trans characters in earlier portrayals, is not at a point of crisis. She's transitioned, she's living the life she wants and she's merely reaching out to her old Navy buddy to say hi — not to get his approval. Drew and Glen are joined by Marsha's Plate host Diamond Stylz to discuss why this episode is not only good for when it aired but also better than many portrayals of trans characters who'd come in the years to follow. Subscribe to Marsha's Plate, Diamonds podcast that discusses topics relevant to the black trans community. Make a donation to Black Trans Women Inc. or subscribe to the newsletter. Listen to the episode of Alison Arngrim's podcast where she interviews Veronica Redd, who played Edie. Listen to the episode of Gender Reveal that features Diamond as a guest. Also listen to the Trans Vagina Dialogues, a new TableCakes podcast hosted by Lindsey Deaton and featuring a weekly guest. Follow on Twitter, on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify. Purchase the first issue of Drew and Glen's new comic anthology, Beyond Sunset Go shop at our TeePublic store! Follow: GEE on Facebook • GEE's Facebook Group • GEE on Twitter • GEE on Instagram • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn And yes, we do have an official website! We even have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This episode's art was designed by Ian O'Phelan. This is a TableCakes podcast.

"Neighbors" (November 2, 1995) So it's been a hot second since we talked about friends, and to be honest, we can't mentally deal with the combined phobia attack that is Friends so instead we are offering everyone a glimpse of a forgotten, perhaps even lost fragment of the Friends would tour of terrible, that being Ross Geller's pitstop on The Single Guy, where he helped bring about gay panic. Honestly, this episode is not actually all that bad, and it makes a guy wonder why this show failed when other Friends clones succeeded. Listen to the latest episode of Smart Mouth. Purchase the first issue of Drew and Glen's new comic anthology, Beyond Sunset Go shop at our TeePublic store! Follow: GEE on Facebook • GEE's Facebook Group • GEE on Twitter • GEE on Instagram • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Play • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn And yes, we do have an official website! We even have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This episode's art was designed by Ian O'Phelan. This is a TableCakes podcast.

"Indispensable Jeannie" (November 25, 1968) We're as surprised as anyone that we've found an episode of I Dream of Jeannie that we can cover on this podcast. All credit goes to Brett White, who's not only host of the Must Have Seen TV podcast but also the guy currently writing a book on the life of Hayden Rorke, who played Dr. Bellows on Jeannie but also was openly gay to the show's cast and crew — and who pulled some important strings in TV history. This episode is even more interesting when considered in the context of Rorke's life, but it does actually feature a real live gay joke. Listen to Must Have Seen TV's I Dream of Jeannie episode with Jackie Cox Yes, the Jeannie cartoon spinoff is online in all its Mark Hamill-inclusive glory Beware The S From Hell Follow Brett on Twitter and also give him money to write his book about Hayden Rorke Also follow his husband Sebastian Dekken on Twitter and buy his book on the music of Final Fantasy VI Listen to the episode of Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon Movie about the Barbara Eden movie The Stranger Within, in which Sam followed up having Drew and Glen as guests with founding SNL star Laraine Newman, making us look like real chumps Purchase the first issue of Drew and Glen's new comic anthology, Beyond Sunset Go shop at our TeePublic store! Follow: GEE on Facebook • GEE's Facebook Group • GEE on Twitter • GEE on Instagram • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Play • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn And yes, we do have an official website! We even have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This episode's art was designed by Ian O'Phelan. This is a TableCakes podcast.

"Ordinary Extraordinary Love" (January 8, 2013) Bears, twinks, otters, wolves, panthers, yetis and bunniculas. The breadth of subcultures that gay life offers is both wide and weird — and a subject rarely approached by mainstream sitcoms. However, Happy Endings brought this to broadcast in the mid-2010s, all centered around the uncategorizable Max. The content warning that wasn't: In the original intro clip, Max references a trans slur that, if we're being responsible, would have gotten a warning. It's a garbage joke. I cut it from our episode, and it could be removed so cleanly that 1) you won't notice it being gone and 2) you have to realize how unnecessary it was in the first place. Should you watch the Happy Endings episode, be forewarned that it does feature this pointless joke. See the framed otter photo that Drew thinks looks like Glen here. Read After Elton's piece on Happy Endings opting out of a same-sex kiss in its first season Read the NY Magazine piece on Happy Endings Purchase the first issue of Drew and Glen's comic anthology, Beyond Sunset. Go shop at our TeePublic store! Follow: GEE on Facebook • GEE's Facebook Group • GEE on Twitter • GEE on Instagram • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Play • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn And yes, we do have an official website! We even have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This episode's art was designed by Ian O'Phelan. This is a TableCakes podcast!

"72 Hours" (February 17, 1990) We figured the only proper way to start this season would be to say goodbye to Betty White — and a great way to do that would be to discuss a Golden Girls episode where Rose takes an HIV test. Not only does it showcase a wider range of Betty's acting chops, but it's also a great kickoff to a new sort of episode we'll be covering on GEE in the future: very special episodes about HIV and AIDS. Even if there are no LGBT characters in this episode, the subject matter hit home for the community — and the fact that so many AIDS/HIV episodes revolved around the heterosexual experience of the disease is itself very telling. Goodbye, Betty. You will be missed. Read NPR's piece "What The Golden Girls Taught Us About AIDS" "Why Was HIV/AIDS Never Discussed on Will & Grace?" The episode of Date With the Angels we discuss is "Brown Derby" — worthwhile watching for diehard Betty White completionists The pilot to the Alfred Molina series Ladies Man, with a stacked female cast that included Betty, is also on YouTube Listen to our previous AIDS episode, "Julia Sugarbaker Plans a Gay Funeral" Listen to our previous Golden Girls episodes: Rest in Peace, Phyl Petrillo The Golden Girls Meet a Trans Man Glen Writes a Golden Girls (a.k.a. "Vince Meat") The Golden Girls Had a Gay Live-In Cook Blache's Homo Brother Wants to Get Gay Married Blanche's Brother Is a Homo Dorothy's Friend Is a Lesbian Purchase the first issue of Drew and Glen's comic anthology, Beyond Sunset. Go shop at our TeePublic store! Follow: GEE on Facebook • GEE's Facebook Group • GEE on Twitter • GEE on Instagram • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Play • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn And yes, we do have an official website! We even have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson. This episode's art was designed by Ian O'Phelan. This is a TableCakes podcast.