Gayest Episode Ever

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Maude Goes to a Gay Bar May 27, 2020

Show notes

"The Gay Bar" (December 3, 1977)

And then there's Maude — for a second time! In this final-season installment, Maude battles Arthur (Conrad Bain) over his opposition to a gay bar that's just opened up in town. It's basically Arthur having conversation after conversation in which other character break apart his justifications for homophobia. But funny!

Listen to Happy History, the new podcast Drew produced.

Check out the work of Norn, the talented artist who contributed some original art to a forthcoming GEE merch project. Thanks, Norn!

If you want the backstory about how Maude came to be, listen to our previous episode about it. And if you want to find out about the strange way Maude ended, listen to our Night Court episode, in which Drew apparently ended up talking about it. No, he doesn't remember why either.

Back in the early days, SNL was brutal to Anita Bryant in a way it's not really capable of anymore. Also here is a song she never had any business singing.

"Inuyasha!" "Kagome!" "Inuyasha!" "Kagome!"

And, of course, the secret extended version of the theme to Maude.

Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank.

Support us on Patreon!

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

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

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.

This episode's outro theme is "She Has a Way" by Bobby O (iTunes / Spotify / Amazon Music)

Old Christine Is Married to a Woman May 13, 2020

Show notes

"Unidentified Funk" (December 10, 2008) and "Happy Endings (December 17, 2008)

The New Adventures of Old Christine may not rank among the sitcom heavyweights, but hey — if it's good enough for TV Land, it's good enough for us. In 2008, this CBS series managed to skewer homophonic-leaning companies like Chick-fil-A with an episode won an award from GLAAD. Airing immediately post-Prop 8, the episode features not only a newly out Wanda Sykes but also Megan Mullally playing against type. And while this is all great, the next episode — the latter of a "to be continued" two-parter — manages some transphobia that squeaked by in 2008 but doesn't in 2020. It's an interesting combo.

Buy a bag of Nat's Quarantine Blend of coffee at Lucky Coffee Co.

Glen was right: there really is a weird connection between Hobby Lobby and ancient Iraqi artifacts.

Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank.

Support us on Patreon! Follow: GEE on Twitter • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter

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

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.

This episode's outro track is "Bahamas (Instrumental)" by Screban.

Drew and Glen Rank Instrumental Sitcom Themes May 08, 2020

Show notes

Do you ever feel like some songs have too many words? Well, good news: instrumental music eliminates that very problem! In this episode, Drew and Glen each list off five sitcom theme songs that they think are good despite their glaring lack of lyrics. Spoiler: many of them actually do have lyrics, it turns out. But still!

If you like this episode, you may also like Singing Mountain, Drew's other podcast, which works a lot like this but with video game music. There's even an episode with Glen!

Watch Fatal Farm's alternate intros for Doogie Howser, M.D. and Dynasty. Hamburger Penis as Alexis!

Yes, Dick Van Dyke really was rescued by porpoises.

Here's the Tiny Toons parody of The Dick Van Dyke Show opening.

Because it never hurts to point it out, the number for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1 (800) 723-8255. There's also an online chat option.

Here is the "Suicide Is Painless" scene from the movie version of M*A*S*H. And here is the interview with Johnny Mandel about the creation of the song.

Is it possible that M83's "Midnight City" is in any way a reference to ALF? No? Okay.

Secret lyrics! Specifically to The Munsters, I Dream of Jeannie and The Andy Griffith Show.

The possible (probable) inspiration for the Futurama theme is the 1967 song "Psyché Rock" by Pierre Henry. There is also a Fatboy Slim remix of that "Psych é Rock" that sounds even closer to the Futurama theme, but it was released in 2000, after the debut of Futurama. And here is the interview with composer Christopher Tyng where he doesn't cite "Psyché Rock" as a direct inspiration.

Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank.

Support us on Patreon!

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

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

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, but our Patreon Iogo was designed by Jeff Hinchee.

This is a TableCakes podcast.

This episode's outro track is "Won't You Help Me" by Yanguru, which Drew picked because it sounds like the closing credits of ever 80s movie ever.

What's Gay About Scooby-Doo? May 06, 2020

Show notes

If you listen to this podcast, you've probably noticed that Scooby-Doo's resident brainiac, Velma Dinkley, can read as a little queer. It's all subtext and implication, really, but what if we told you there is a canonical connection between Velma and lesbian pop culture? Listen as we unmask her, in true Scooby-Doo style, to reveal that Velma is actually Zelda Gilroy, a character on the 1960s teen sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis — and Zelda, in turn, is Sheila Keuhl, all-around badass, a queer trailblazer in California politics and someone who's still serving Angelenos today.

Check out the Tom of Finland Foundation, the world's largest repository of erotic art. The foundation is planning events worldwide for Tom's 100th birthday, and see which events you can check out digitally here. And read Drew's article about the foundation. Link is actually SFW!

Listen to Not Alone, the paranormal podcast that Drew thinks reminds him of himself and Glen, just with more ghosts.

Ride the Great Space Coaster.

"Sounds like Daphne!"

Watch Zelda in action in a clip from Dobie Gillis.

All of Hanna-Barbera's self-cannibalizations of Scooby Doo. ALL OF THEM, courtesy @johngraywb on Twitter.

Sheila Keuhl's interview about Zelda Gilroy with the Archive of American Television.

The New York Times article about Sheila's election win: Zelda's Unwavering Love Is No Longer Unrequited.

An episode of Sheila's LGBT talk show, Get Used to It.

Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank.

Support us on Patreon!

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

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

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.

The episode's outro track is "The Garden" by 'Lectric Workers.

Hank Hill Goes to a Gay Rodeo Apr 29, 2020

Show notes

"My Own Private Rodeo" (April 28, 2002)

Hank finds Dale's long-estranged father at a gay rodeo, and we've gotta say: for a conservative guy, Hank takes this news rather well. In our second King of the Hill episode, we're happy to find that the show once again hits that sweet spot between red and blue, progressive and conservative, goofy and bittersweet.

BTW, the four season 13 episodes that only aired in syndication are "The Honeymooners," "Bill Gathers Moss," "When Joseph Met Lori, and Made Out with Her in the Janitor's Closet" and "Just Another Manic Kahn-Day." Watch them on Hulu!

Buy a bag of Nat's Quarantine Blend of coffee at Lucky Coffee Co.

Click here to listen to our previous King of the Hill episode, "Peggy Hill Meets a Drag Queen." And here is the What a Cartoon episode about "Peggy's Headache."

Read the Gothamist article about how "Y.C.M.A." became a crossover hit.

Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank.

Support us on Patreon!

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

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

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.

This episode's outro track is "Little Cowboy" by Joe McRoy.

Night Court Has a Night With a Gay Apr 22, 2020

Show notes

"The Blizzard" (December 6, 1984)

Night Court aired on the same Thursday night block that included The Cosby Show, Family Ties and Cheers. And while Night Court never received as much prestige as the other three did, it ran for nine seasons, it landed joke after joke and it demonstrated a better understanding of its characters than most sitcoms do. In its second season, it pit its prissy, debatably gay-seeming character, played by John Larroquette, against an actual homosexual in a way that's funny but also shows that the show could go deeper than zany. We approve.

Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank.

Support us on Patreon!

Follow: GEE on Twitter • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher •Google Play • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn • SoundCloud

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.

This episode's outro track is "In the Night" by Daydream.

Barney Miller Meets a Homo Apr 15, 2020

Show notes

"Discovery" (October 30, 1975)

Somehow, Barney Miller managed to make comedy in gritty, 1970s-era New York City, and it managed to address the rampant crime of the day even though the action never left the precinct office. In this episode, a man has to overcome his fear of homophobic police officers in order to report that he was harassed, threatened and extorted because he was gay — yet it's still funny.

Because it never hurts to point it out, the number for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1 (800) 723-8255. There's also an online chat option.

Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank.

Support us on Patreon!

Follow: GEE on Twitter • Drew on Twitter • Glen on Twitter Listen: iTunes • Spotify • Stitcher • Google Play • Google Podcasts • Himalaya • TuneIn • SoundCloud

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.

This episode's outro track is "Konya wa Hurricane" by Kinuko Ohmori.

Mr. Humphries Is a Poof Apr 08, 2020

Show notes

"The Apartment" (November 9, 1979)

And now for something slightly different. Katherine Spiers, TableCakes CEO and our first-ever heterosexual guest, joins Drew and Glen to talk about the British sitcom Are You Being Served? and in particular its resident homo Mr. Humphries. It's also our first remote guest, because this was recorded during pandemic times, so please forgive the fact that this outing has less-than-optimal sound quality. We will do better next time. If you can hang with Zoom-level audio, there's some interesting talk about how sitcoms play out across the pond.

Shop at Smellbent, a queer-owned, L.A.-based cologne house.

Listen to the game show episode that Katherine also guested on.

Listen to Katherine's food podcast, Smart Mouth, and in particular the soda series that Drew guested on.

Watch the pilot for Beane's of Boston, the attempted American remake of Are You Being Served?, which stars Charlotte Rea as Mrs. Slocombe.

And regardless of what Katherine says, watch Smack the Pony — the dating agency series in particular.

Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank.

Support us on Patreon!

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

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

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.

This episode's outro track is "Calling All Boys" by The Flirts.

Will Smith Is Uncomfortable Playing a Gay Character Onscreen Apr 01, 2020

Show notes

"As the Will Turns" (April 10, 1995)

This is as close to a gay episode as Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ever got. And while it's not necessarily the funniest piece of TV ever, it makes for a hell of a discussion of Will Smith's personal life. This episode has some weird parallels with actual events in Will Smith, real-life actor. We'd say it's unprecedented for a rapper-turned-actor to seemingly confront rumors about their sexuality in a network sitcom, but it plays out remarkably similar to the Living Single with the Queen Latifah parallels we did last season.

Special thanks to patron Erin Hardy for recommending this episode!

Shop at Smellbent, a queer-owned, L.A.-based cologne house.

Listen to our Living Single episode, which has some remarkable parallels with this one.

Why Aunt Viv No. 1 left the show, per this Bustle article.

Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank.

Support us on Patreon!

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

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

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.

This episode's outro track is "Money" by Mozzart.

The Nanny Meets a Lesbian Mar 25, 2020

Show notes

"Oy Vey, You're Gay" (October 23, 1995)

With her over-the-top outfits and bigger-than-life persona, Fran Drescher has a certain queer appeal. In fact, more than a few little boys probably turned a love of Fran Drescher and Fran Fine into a love of drag. However, the show didn't necessarily mine its Broadway theater milieu for a ton of gay storylines. In its third season, it did give us Catherine Oxenberg as a potential rival for Mr. Sheffield's affections, were it not for a plot point that's given away in the episode title.

We mention the Monday Afternoon Movie episode about the Wes Craven film Summer of Fear, which stars Fran Drescher. Listen to that episode here.

Buy Glen's movie, Being Frank.

Support us on Patreon!

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

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

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.

This episode's outro track is "Princess of the Night" by Kenny Martinez.