Gayest Episode Ever

"Some of My Best Friends Are…" (October 9, 1976) The fifth season of The Bob Newhart Show has a gay episode functions differently than most other show's gay episode. For one thing, its central gay character is one who'd been on the show before; it's just that no one — neither on the show or watching the show — knew he was gay. For another thing, it's not the last time we see this character; unlike most LGBT guest characters on sitcoms, his existence does not end with the one episode that revolves around his queerness. End of episode question: If you were making a podcast called Gayest Video Game Ever, what game would your talk about first? For Mother's Day, buy your mom a classic "ALF Says Gay Rights" mug from our TeePublic store. Read Brett White's piece of how this episode's Mr. Plager was the first pre-existing character on a sitcom to come out. Watch the pilot to Carlton, Your Doorman, the animated spinoff to Rhoda that almost was. Yes, you can watch all four hours of Carol Burnett's Fresno online right now! Xuxa has a heart AS BIG AS THE WORLD! Bears in Games explains why Final Fight is one of the gayest video games ever. Watch Drew's video compilation of every LGBT joke ever on the history of The Simpsons. Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank. Support us on Patreon! 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 This episode's outro track is "Delirio Mind" by Scotch: Apple Music • Spotify • Amazon Music

"Pride & Prejudance Adventure" (March 14, 2021) The Great North is not Bob's Burgers with snow. Okay, it is a little bit, but the show has its own vibe and, more importantly for our purposes, an out gay teen as well. In the show's sixth episode, Ham not only meets a love interest but actually gets to kiss him full on the lips — and that is neither remotely controversial nor is it the only queer plot thread in this episode. Yeah, we're fans of this new show and we think you should be too. End-of-episode question: If you could pick one one-shot sitcom character and build a show around that character, who would you pick and why? For Mother's Day, buy your mom a classic "ALF Says Gay Rights" mug from our TeePublic store. Listen to Jenny Slate's amazing bonkers brain in her episode of the podcast Good One. You can actually watch all four hours of Carol Burnett's Dallas parody series, Fresno, online right now. Watch Julio Torres' SNL sketches "The Actress," "Wells for Boys" and "My Little Step Children" Watch Drew's video compilation of every LGBT joke ever on the history of The Simpsons. Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank. Support us on Patreon! 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 This episode's outro track is "Lady of Ice" by Fancy: Apple Music • Spotify • Amazon Music

Hey, remember when Drew and Glen discussed that one episode of King of the Hill where Peggy meets a drag queen and halfway through we realized there was a trans reading to this character that probably should be explored in greater depth than two cisgender guys were capable of? Well, we had always regretted falling short in that respect and had even talked about revisiting the episode with a trans guest. However, this weekend Is It Transphobic? — the podcast hosted by previous GEE guest Ashley Lauren Rogers — covered "The Peggy Horror Picture Show" and did such a good job exploring all the ways to interpret Carolyn and her friendship with Peggy that we just asked Ashley if we could post an intro to the episode on our feed in hopes that you all would want to listen to the full version on the Is It Transphobic? Feed. This is that! This preview of IITP's episode ends 24 minutes and 32 seconds into their original episode, and you can listen to the full version of the episode here. Subscribe to IITP: Apple Podcasts • Google Podcasts • Spotify • Stitcher Also please do support Ashley's show on Patreon. And if you haven't yet listened to Ashley's episode of GEE, you can listen to that here.

"Pilot" (February 28, 2001) In the wake of Will & Grace's success, the other broadcast networks each made efforts at their own homo-centric TV shows, and the CBS twist on this formula was Some of My Best Friends, which lasted only five episodes. The show was an adaptation of the indie comedy Kiss Me Guido, and it starred Jason Bateman and Alec Mapa as its resident gays. Guy Branum — stand-up comedian, funny book-writing person and all-around good opinion-haver — joins us to talk about this pop culture also-ran, twenty years after the fact. Buy Guy's book, My Life as a Goddess. Listen to the latest episode of Katherine's podcast Smart Mouth, where she tells Molly Lambert all about the history of enchiladas. Listen to Alec Mapa's episode of Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon Movie. Also listen to the latest episode of Drew's 80s music podcast, Deep Cuts & Superficial Wounds. Recommended viewing: The pilot for Some of My Best Friends The pilot for Lipshitz Saves the World The pilot for High School USA The pilot for The Crew A selection of episodes of The Five Mrs. Buchanans The opening credits to Where's Rodney? Watch Drew's video compilation of every LGBT joke ever on the history of The Simpsons. Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank. Support us on Patreon! 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 This episode's outro track is "Frogs in Spain" by FAKE: Apple Music

"Liberace" (October 14, 1978) After a suggestion by Drew's heterosexual acquaintance, we've decided to discuss the gayest episode of The Muppet Show we could find. Tony Rodriguez joins us for a discussion of Muppets but also a fairly obscure FCC ruling that shaped prime time television for every child who grew up in 80s and 90s America, plus a rundown of why Liberace is awful. There is a lot going on in this episode, but that seems appropriate given the bonkers chaos that is the Muppets. Yes, there is a "lost" TableCakes podcast you may never have heard: You Have to Watch This Movie, which is not technically defunct and which was hosted by Tony and which featured guests such as Nicole Byer, Lennon Parham and Beth Dover. Listen to the episode of Smart Mouth where Katherine talks with Jeremy Bowditch about the history of breadlines in the United States. The article Drew mentions is "The Performance of Non-Conformity on The Muppet Show – or, How Kermit Made Me Queer" by Jordan Schildcrout. It doesn't seem like it's posted online for free anywhere but if you access to various academic journals you can probably read it. Alternatively you can also just pay to read it here. Listen to the Bad Gays podcast's episode about Liberace for more details about his biography. Watch "My Muppet Valentine," the Muppet Babies episode Glen mentions about Rowlf making everyone think he is depressed. Also watch the dark and violent Jim Henson-produced ads for Wilkins Coffee. But maybe don't watch SNL's Muppet-starring "Land of Gorch" sketches because they are just strange. Read the Stater & Waldorf gay fanfiction that went viral. Swedish people do not think the Swedish Chef is funny and also don't think he sounds Swedish. Watch Drew's video compilation of every LGBT joke ever on the history of The Simpsons. Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank. Support us on Patreon! 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 This episode's outro track is "I Like Chopin" by Gazebo: Apple Music • Spotify • Amazon

Whelp, we've made it: one hundred episodes. By which I mean that we actually hit that mark several episodes ago, by various standards, but this is when we are actually observing that this is a thing we have done repeatedly over a set amount of time. For this episode, Drew and Glen talk about what this podcast has ended up doing in contrast to how they thought it would work when it launched. Also discussed: WandaVision (finally!) in some depth that you may regard as spoilerish if "Agatha All Along" has not already spoiled it, which is to say you are probably fine. And yes, Drew did once compile "Every Instance of Doubling on Twin Peaks." It is a thematic forerunner to every LGBT joke ever on The Simpsons. Watch Drew's video compilation of every LGBT joke ever on the history of The Simpsons. Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank. Support us on Patreon! 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 This episode's outro track is "Inside Out" by Martin Dupont: Apple Music • Spotify • Amazon

We are very pleased to congratulate Tony Rodriguez, our friend and the most-frequently occurring guest on Gayest Episode Ever on his new job: voicing Julio on The Simpsons. Tony is a gay Cuban-American and Julio is a gay Cuban-American, so it's just too perfect that the former made his debut on The Simpsons on last Sunday's episode, "Uncut Femmes." Before he goes too Hollywood, we managed to get him to talk with us about how he became the new Julio, which we are calling "Newlio." Follow Tony Rodriguez on Twitter. And while you're at it, follow Christine Nangle and Matt Selman on Twitter too. Watch the video Tony made of him showing off his best Julio. Watch the video that helped made this happen: Drew's compilation of every LGBT joke ever on The Simpsons. Also buy Glen's movie, Being Frank. Support us on Patreon! 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 This episode's outro track is "¿Que sucede ahora?" by Vocoder, which is not streaming anywhere so just listen to it on YouTube.

Heads up: This episode revolves around a funeral for a character that we are reading as trans. The humor had at the expense of the deceased may be difficult for some audience members to hear. "Ebbtide's Revenge" (December 15, 1990) If you're reading this episode title and saying, "I've seen every Golden Girls, and I'm pretty sure Dorothy doesn't have a trans sister," we've got a guest to respond with "Are you sure about that?" Dr. Ada-Rhodes Short, mother of robots and co-host of the Totally Trans podcast, joins us to talk about trans lesbians and why a few TV characters, Phyl Petrillo included, speak to a trans experience, and why Phyl's funeral speaks to a trans nightmare. Listen to our previous Golden Girls episodes: The Golden Girls Meet a Trans Man (with Ada's co-host, Henry Giardina) 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 You should subscribe to Ada's podcats, Totally Trans! Do it now! And listen to the Totally Trans episodes we mention in our talk: Ariel from The Little Mermaid is a trans girl Pinocchio is a trans boy That time Golden Girls was totally transphobic Also have a listen to the Bone & Sickle episode about Medusa that Drew somehow found a way to bring up. Watch Drew's video compilation of every LGBT joke ever on the history of The Simpsons. Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank. Support us on Patreon! 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 This episode's outro track is "Don't Treat Me So Bad" by Linda "Babe" Majika: Apple Music • Amazon Music • Spotify

"Spell It M-A-N" (January 6, 1993) You might be surprised to learn that Doogie Howser M.D. only lasted four seasons and 97 episodes, but perhaps because Neil Patrick Harris has continued to be famous ever since, the show casts a lot longer of a shadow than it might otherwise. This fourth-season episode deals with Vinnie (Max Casella) being horrified to learn that his college roommate is gay, and because NPH is himself an out gay man, it plays out a lot different today. All this plus a special appearance by Teen Witch herself, Robyn Lively! Listen to the episode of Smart Mouth explains the history of Pocky to food writer Tien Nguyen. Listen to Monday Afternoon Movie's special tribute to the late, great Cloris Leachman. Listen to Drew's 80s music podcast and its new episode about South African synthop. Drew was on this week's Talking Simpsons, discusses Sophie Krustofsky and Drew Barrymore. And finally, if you want to know what the hell Drew was talking about at the end of this one, listen to Astonishing Legends' series on the Black-Eyed Kids... if you dare. You can actually watch the entirety of Neil Patrick Harris cinematic masterpiece Purple People Eater right now on YouTube. Check out the cover art they picked for the very not gay third season of Doogie Howser. There is not a single accepted explanation for what prostitutes have to do with pasta puttanesca, and don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise. Before there were The Croods, there was Cro. This is the Drider of which Glen speaks. Watch Drew's video compilation of every LGBT joke ever on the history of The Simpsons. Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank. Support us on Patreon! 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 This episode's outro track is "Song of Arabia" by Clad, which is actually not available on any streaming service but maybe just listen to it on YouTube?

"The Dance Show" (October 21, 1990) Given the reputation of Married… With Children, you might be surprised to know that its treatment of a same-sex married couple is actually rather progressive. But yeah, in spite of his many hang-ups, Al Bundy seems unbothered by the prospect of two guys being married, even if the part that impresses him most is dedicated food preparation. We'll take what we can get, and at least comedy-wise, this fifth-season episode is firing on all cylinders. Listen to Smart Mouth's new episode on the history of breakfast with comedian Kate Willett. Watch Matt Baume's Culture Cruise video on this Married… With Children episode, which we cite several times in this episode. Listen to the What a Cartoon episode on TailSpin, which talks about Sally Struthers in addition to many other things. Read the Vulture piece on the "lost roles" of Married… With Children. Watch the Television Academy video in which Michael Moye talks about 227. Shop for Gayest Episode Ever shirts, totes and more on our TeePublic page. Watch Drew's video compilation of every LGBT joke ever on the history of The Simpsons. Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank. Support us on Patreon! 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 This episode's outro track is "Girl Dream" by Connie Hyland, which is actually not available on any streaming service but maybe just listen to it on YouTube?