Gayest Episode Ever

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The Gay Pre-History of Mama's Family Oct 05, 2022

Show notes

"There Is Nothing Like the Dames" (February 17, 1990)

Believe it or not, Mama's Family has a deeply queer history. While the final result of — the syndicated revival that returned to TV after NBC canceled the it — bears little of that, this episode goes over all the ways a recurring sketch on The Carol Burnett Show originally told the story of a queer-coded artist who can't relate to his family back home. It's all the stranger to consider that Mama's Family never did an explicitly queer episode, even with all those Bob Mackie costumes.

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Buy the new issue of Beyond Sunset here.

Read the article in which Bubba actor Allan Kayser talks about his famously tight jeans.

Vicki Lawrence sings the original, non-instrumental version of the Mama's Family theme song. But also listen to her disco banger "Don't Stop the Music" and the no. 1 murder mystery pop hit "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia."

Watch the brilliant 1982 TV movie adaptation of the Harper family saga, Eunice. Also watch The Carol Burnett Show's famous "Went With the Wind" sketch. But most importantly watch the original sketch version that led to Mama's Family, when it was just called "The Family." It made Drew way more sad than sketch comedy usually does. Go shop at our TeePublic store!

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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.

30 Rock Questions Its Sexuality Sep 28, 2022

Show notes

"Cougars" (November 29, 2007)

As comedically successful as it might be, 30 Rock is a very straight show. That's why our best pick for a queer episode is one where the sexually interesting narrative is the C plot and it ends with Judah Friedlander's Frank convincing himself he can't like guys because he doesn't fit prescribed definition of gay. This episode is ultimately harmless but indicative of some traps later Tina Fey efforts would fall into. But hey — it's got "Muffin Top."

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Buy the new issue of Beyond Sunset here.

Listen to Drew and Glen talk Teen Angel on Talking Simpsons.

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Nikki Explores the Gay Side of Pro Wrestling Sep 21, 2022

Show notes

"Stealing Nikki" (November 26, 2000)

Go figure: It's our longest episode yet, and it's about a show you might not even remember!

We were fortunate enough to get Talking Simpsons co-host Henry Gilbert back for a second go-around, and we decided to make use of his encyclopedic knowledge of professional wrestling. Lucky for us, there is in fact a sitcom that discusses pro wrestling and queerness in the same context, and it's Nikki Cox two-season comedy series, which could not be more early 2000s. Even better? It aired on The WB, which allows us to discuss that netlet's role in TV history.

Listen to Talking Simpsons, because we ripped it off in making this show.

If you haven't yet, treat yourself to GLOW: not the Netflix version (which is also good!) but the original syndicated 80s Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling show.

Read the 2006 Outsports interview with Kevin Nash, this episode's guest star, where he daringly shares his progressive views on gay people.

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Go shop at our TeePublic store!

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Bill Dauterive Is Gay for Pay Sep 14, 2022

Show notes

"My Hair Lady" (February 15, 2004)

Welcome to season six of Gayest Episode Ever! True, season don't really mean anything on this kind of podcast, but we are back from our summer hiatus and we're super eager to get back into talking sitcom queerness.

We're kicking off this season with our fourth look at King of the Hill. It's an interesting one in that it has (presumably) straight writer Wyatt Cenac telling a story about Bill pretending to be gay, yet it's pretty well done, in that both Glen and Drew walked away not being offended or annoyed by anything Bill says or wears. This is actually high praise for us.

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Listen to the Teen Creeps episode about Cherry Falls here.

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Wings Meets a Gay Aug 24, 2022

Show notes

Hi. This is the fourth and final installment of our summer rerun series wherein we send out old episodes that we think are good but perhaps didn't get all the attention they should have. This Wings episode is actually our least-listened-to episode, and we're pretty sure that is a result of Drew naming it originally "Roy Biggins Has a Big Gay Son." We're betting that forefronting the fact that it's Wings will help more people listen to it, because you're more likely to know what Wings is than you are to remember who Roy Biggins was. Either way, this is an episode we will be revisiting in the not-too-distant future when we do the episode where Roy's gay son comes back to the show!

See you in September with new episodes!

"There's Always Room for Cello" (December 14, 1990)

Roy Biggins is the chuckling villain of Wings, an NBC sitcom that is a solid B but which has a reputation for being a C minus. In the second season, Roy's son came out and Roy was given — and totally biffed — a chance to act like a grown-up. Jonathan Bradley Welch, host of that *other* gay TV podcast, A Special Presentation, is on hand to discuss growing up in Massachusetts, the charms of Crystal Bernard and which Hackett brother is hotter.

Listen to Jonathan's gay TV podcast, A Special Presentation, and listen to the episode Drew did about Animaniacs.

Read the transcript for this episode here.

Support us on Patreon!

Follow: GEE on Twitter • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter

Listen: iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Play • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn

And yes, we do have an official website! And we even have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson.

This is a TableCakes podcast.

Married With Children Lets Its Out Star Play Gay Aug 17, 2022

Show notes

It's another summer rerun! This time, of our 17th episode, which never really pulled in the numbers we thought it should. We swear it doesn't suck!

"Lez Be Friends" (April 28, 1997)

For many kids watching sitcoms in the 90s, Amanda Bearse would have been one of the first actors they would have known to be openly gay. That's what makes this episode so special. She'd put in her time on Married… With Children season after season, playing Al Bundy's sparring partner, Marcy D'Arcy. So it's sweet that toward the end of the series, she got to play Marcy's cousin Mandy, who is so down to hang that Al actually likes her — and she's openly gay.

Are there more than two gay episodes of Married… With Children? Because we did the one where Al and Peggy meet a gay couple. So if you've got any suggestions for additional Married… episodes, we're all ears.

Support us on Patreon!

Follow: GEE on Twitter • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter

Listen: iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Play • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn

And yes, we do have an official website! And we even have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson.

This is a TableCakes podcast.

Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy Are Domestic Partners Aug 03, 2022

Show notes

This is a summer rerun of an episode that originally aired July 30, 2018. We're posting not only because Harley and Ivy went from subtextual lovers to full on romantic partners on the HBO Max series but also because we've got a new Batman: TAS episode of Cartoons That Made Us Gay, which you can listen to here.

Excuse the echo! It was 2018 and we didn't know better!

"Harley and Ivy" (January 18, 1993)

In GEE's first bonus episode, Glen and Drew focus on something that's not a sitcom but is nonetheless pretty damn gay — the Batman: The Animated Series installment that put a lesbianish aura around Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, which extended to the comics and ultimately made the duo a full-fledged couple years later.

Support us on Patreon!

Follow: GEE on Twitter • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter

Listen: iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Play • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn

And yes, we do have an official website! And we even have episode transcripts courtesy of Sarah Neal. Our logo was designed by Rob Wilson.

This is a TableCakes podcast.

Sanford Arms Meets a Gay — And He's Black! Jul 27, 2022

Show notes

"Phil's Assertion School (September 23, 1977)

Sanford Arms was NBC's attempt to continue the world of Sanford and Son without either Sanford or the Son. It didn't work, and of the eight episodes produced, only four ever aired. That said, it's second ever installment not only introduced a gay character but also it became the first black cast sitcom to ever do a gay episode with an out gay person of color. So while this attempt at a Sanford spinoff didn't work, it still landed its place in history. We're joined again by Dr. Alfred L. Martin to discuss.

Buy Alfred's book, The Generic Closet: Black Gayness and the Black-Cast Sitcom.

Listen to our previous Sanford and Son episode.

Watch this episode of Sanford Arms on Vimeo.

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Listen: Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn

Sanford Thinks His Son Is Gay (And Vice-Versa) Jul 20, 2022

Show notes

It's our first-ever summer rerun! And we're doing this one in preparation for a full-length, main feed bonus episode next week, where we're talking about Sanford Arms, the sequel series to Sanford and Sun. Enjoy!

"Lamont, Is That You?" (October 19, 1973)

Norman Lear for the win! This podcast probably won't go in depth on '90s classics like Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Family Matters or A Different World because many black sitcoms of that era didn't do gay episodes. Back in 1973, Sanford and Son did, however, and the result is classier and more interesting than what you'd see on shows ten and twenty years later.

Check out A Love Bizarre, Los Angeles' new queer art space:

Support us on Patreon!

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

Al Borland Is a Model for the Modern American Gay Bear Jun 29, 2022

Show notes

"Roomie for Improvement" (November 4, 1992)

Al Borland is not gay. This episode makes a point of saying that he is a heterosexual, despite how many of his (comparatively) immasculine qualities might indicate otherwise. However for some, Richard Karn's sensitive flannel man is an example of a kind of guy some of us would grow up to like and some of us would grow up to be: big, bearded, and free to be ourselves regardless of where on the gender spectrum we ended up being. Nick Del Prince joins Drew and Glen to discuss Home Improvement, one of the most successful shows this podcast has examined so far — and easily one of the straightest.

And here's the queer SNL think you may recognize Nick from.

Ask Harriet? No thank you, we won't be asking her anything?

TEENAGE MUTHA!

Tim Allen has never looked sexier than he does in his mug shot.

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