The GAG: A Spoopcast

8. Oh, My Genitalia! (w/ Emily Sucher!)

Trigger Warning at the jump for this one: We are discussing the R*pe and Revenge genre of horror. But it's Women's History Month gahdammit so we are doing so via Coralie Fargeat's REVENGE (2017)!

Along for the journey is professional intimacy choreographer Emily Sucher, who brings her expertise of staging sexy moments onstage to discussing the sexy (and VERY unsexy) aspects of this amazing/gross movie.

We also yell at Joa*uin Phoenix! Then Emily lays out the important pillars of staging scenes of intimacy and sexual assault. Then I dream of becoming a stripper pole! I'm also pretty sure I use the term "diatribe" incorrectly?? (Whatever. I'm not a dictionary y'all.)

Also on this ep: CAT PEOPLE (1942), Natalie Portman, and stanning the feminist queers of French Cinema. Books mentioned are:

MEN, WOMEN, and CHAIN SAWS: Gender in the Modern Horror Film, by Carol J. Clover

FILMS of the NEW FRENCH EXTREMITY: Visceral Horror and National Identity, by Alexandra West

Follow me @joshuasimonsays and Emily Sucher @emalaia !

Enjoy and Rate and Subscribe and Junk! Don't be a dick! Learn the rules of consent! Yay!

7. Sluts for Archaeology (w/ Danny Baird!)

Don't let the dumb title I chose fool you: This episode is all about SPACE. Or rather, it's about my special guest Danny Baird and how THE FIFTH ELEMENT made us both a couple of queer space cadets. We also tackle the tough questions:

Is Bruce Willis daddy?

Is the director of this film a creep?

Is gay porn racist?

The answer to all of these questions...... is YES. But listen to the episode anyway and find out why!

CW: This episode contains discussions of real world and fictional violence, including discussions of sexual assault and gun violence. We also spoil THE FIFTH ELEMENT but you should still check it out because GURL THOSE OUTFITS.

Follow me @joshuasimonsays and Danny at @basiclybaird and also check out his work over at frickin' NASA! And PLEEZ like and rate and subscribe and junk!

So get off your pelotons and put on your tap shoes, it's time for a confusing (but sexy) space romp!

6. Tits, in General (w/ Tracy Lynn Olivera!)

I got to interview my boss! DC performer, director, and badass Tracy Lynn Olivera gags on New Jersey's greatest superhero, THE TOXIC AVENGER (1984), and how to translate Tromaville's pure lunacy onto the stage as we begin performances on the MUSCIAL (yes, MUSICALE) based on the beloved and repulsive flick.

We are only interrupted twice by her Saint Bernard.

We talk blood, guts, boobs, trauma porn, Bea Arthur, BURLESQUE (2010), BODY WITHOUT SOUL (1996), Jersey's penchant for smelling its own farts, and the concerning lack of fat asses in Reagan's America.

And of course I shit on Kubrick again. CW: spoilers for Toxic Avenger, discussions of fictional and real world violence and trauma, and every possible form of offensive language. Yay!

Performances for The Toxic Avenger: The Musical begin JANUARY 31 at Rorschach Theatre (@rorschachdc)! Tix: rorschachtheatre.com

Follow Tracy on Insta @tracylynnolivera and Joshua on Twitter/Insta @joshuasimonsays

Fight the power! Subscribe and rate and junk! Don't be a dick!

5. Go to Hell, Linda (w/ Greg Atkin!)

T*ts the season! Greg Atkin joins us on the comfy couch to talk CHOPPING MALL, a true Christmas Classic.

Maybe.

We dive into why shopping malls made us gay, and how they were the pinnacle of 80s excess all the way through 2006.

We talk gay dads, lousy first dates, Bong Joon-ho's PARASITE (no spoilers), and Nicolas Cage.

CW: spoilers for Chopping Mall (watch it anyway), discussions of body dysmorphia, the most upsetting and unnatural forms of heterosexuality, and (again) Nicolas Cage.

You can follow Greg the Macaroni on Insta @gratkin and Joshua on Twitter/Insta @joshuasimonsays

P.S. Ferdy stans 4 lyfe. Thank You. Have a Nice Day.

 

4. Power Bottom Jesus (w/ Caroline Dubberly!)

It's a bountiful harvest of gags this week, as we have a special HOLIDAY episode for you. At this time of year we eat our weight in cranberry sauce and pie and give thanks that we no longer live in Puritan New England like the unfortunate characters in THE VVITCH (Robert Eggers, 2015).

Considering how difficult it was to survive the harsh terrain in those days, it's no surprise that special guest Caroline Dubberly and I needed a little help from "nature's greatest gift" to get us through a late night recording sesh. Hence, the occasional sound of something green being burned...

ANYWAY, we managed to only be distracted by such topics as: power bottoming, Jesus of Nazareth, redheaded twins, face masks, Caroline's tea mug, Amazon deliveries, Kari Ginsburg, feminism, and the whiniest wizards of the Potterverse.

CW: This episode spoils The Witch, and a few very popular books (Harry Potter and THE BIBLE, to be exact). It contains discussions of fictional and real-world violence, misogyny, homophobia, and systems of oppression.

Enjoy the tryptophan, y'all.

3. The Tighter the Better (w/ Miss Buffy Wilde!)

Drill baby drill! DC drag star-to-be Miss Buffy Wilde is on the comfy couch to talk about a real classic (finally...): SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE 2. Before smearing ourselves in hot takes, however, we also chat AOC, Sasha Velour, and Pissi Myles, and why drag will always be a political statement.

Follow the gay, anxious gremlin @joshuasimonsays and Buffy @missbuffywilde

CW: this podcast contains discussions of fictional and real world violence, as well as queer trauma, systems of oppression, and PIMPLES (yikes).

Enjoy your spoops, you greasy ghosts.

Encyclopedia Brittonica (w/ Frank Britton!)

On this latest episode of The Gag, Frank Britton, the dear heart of DC, stops by to demonstrate his VAST knowledge of all things cinematic. We chat about the genre-defying GANJA & HESS (Bill Gunn, 1973) an unlikely horror standout in the era of blaxploitation. We show our respect to legends like Lou Gossett, Jr. and Pam Grier (among MANY others) and discuss why JAWS 3D is just a REALLY great time.

CW: This podcast contains discussions of real-world and fictional violence, racism, sexism, and homophobia. It totally spoils Ganja & Hess (which we HIGHLY recommend, so yeah) and contains mild to major spoilers for IRON EAGLE, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, JAWS 3D, and DOLEMITE IS MY NAME. Y'all, we went on some TANGENTS.

You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @joshuasimonsays and Mr. Britton @frankbrittonactor.

Enjoy, you gorgeous goblins.

Haus of Torrance (w/ Rebecca Ballinger!)

On this, the VERY special VERY first VERY episode of The GAG, Rebecca Ballinger stops by to discuss why THE SHINING (1980) made us very anxious but also a little bit gayer. I also dismiss Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick right away so I can stan Shelley Duvall and Scatman Crothers. And hedge mazes. I love hedge mazes.

CW: This episode contains discussions of real-world and fictional violence, mental health, and abuse. It also spoils The Shining, and contains mild spoilers for PIECES (Juan Piquer Simon, 1982). Watch Pieces anyways though. I implore you.

You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @joshuasimonsays and Rebecca @reberkk

And please keep shining.