Afleveringen
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Freddie's last ep! His and Jim's final opening convo covers Valentines Day, the Usher halftime show, Super Bowl commercials and Beyonce's country moment.
Then it's time to chat with New York's iconic musical theater queen and Drag Race & Dragnificent alum Alexis Michelle, fresh off a gig with the American Pops Orchestra! Ms. Michelle discusses the latest Broadway news & gossip, her New York drag origins (So You Think You Can Drag! Boots & Saddle!), the changing realms of drag and nightlife, the possible redux of her hit track "C.L.A.T." and her upcoming cabaret at Joe's Pub!
In the news: a recent TikTok squabble re: a night at the Cubbyhole raises questions on who is welcome in a queer space; Kandy Muse shows her bruises from a recent assault; the lawsuit against Shangela is dropped; Jasmine Rice joins an off-Broadway musical while dealing with an upsetting medical condition; Jinkx Monsoon returns to Chicago; RIP Continental Baths founder Steve Ostrow.
Thotlight is taking a little break after this... follow Thotyssey on Instagram & Facebook for updated info on it's return! Also, email us! -
Our hosts reunite to discuss the major topics of this past week's news cycle: Drake's flaccid serpent and Taylor's assault of Celine.
Then it's time to play with one NYC's most treasured comedy queens, Tammy Spanx! She discusses her rise in the local drag scene, her long residencies in Fire Island and Hawaii, the tons of gigs she's gotten since her return to the City and what her future holds, and of course her own take on the Celine / Taylor incident!
Listen to the end for a Very Special Announcement re: the fate of the Thotlight podcast!
In the news: Seattle gay bar raids raise concerns; outdoor dining sheds in NYC get chopped; Dromedary in Brooklyn reopens as a staff owned, 18+ queer space; details of a tragic death on a recent Atlantis cruise; a pool poop in Puerto Vallarta wins Twitter; RIP trans activist, actress, author and legendary nightlife alum Cecilia Gentili.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Former guest and current Best Scene Queen Zeraiya returns to Thotlight, this time as a guest co-host, to tell us about her GLAM win (she's still carrying the trophy!) and all the "afties" she had to attend to win it, then keeps us abreast of all she's been up to since her last visit! Then it's time to welcome first time guest, Best Dance Performer Dev Doee, who has much to share about her drag journey that began in quarantine, the state of nightlife, mastering her physicality, Drag Race goals (and concerns), an exciting new stage show she's premiering, and... golf camp!
In the news: there's a bill that might eliminate the long-standing tip credit system from hospitality; the Blue Store in Chelsea is moving; current RuGirl Amanda Tori Meating comes out as trans; RIP Broadway legend Chita Rivera.
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Jim, Freddie and Red Eye boss Daniel Nardicio spill all the tea regarding every GLAM winner, including all the fights and fashions! Then they're joined by the absolutely delightful Angel, who just won his second GLAM in a row for Best Gogo Boy and shares his history with classical dance and raunchy bar moves, some tales from the gogo box and his head-turning, fully ass out GLAM look that he made himself!
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Whoops, sh*t happens and Jim & Freddie had to Zoom a min-ep instead of a full studio one! That's fine though, cuz they need time to get their GLAM lewks together...
And there's still news: a newer BK lesbian bar closes; MAL Weekend in DC promoted DoxyPEP; Drag Race wins another Emmy, and Princess Poppy is suddenly the cast member that the whole world is meme-ing about; Marcia Marcia Marcia is Broadway bound; the Jan Sport / JanSport collab we've all been waiting for; the New Fire Island initiative is happening sometime somewhere in Europe; congrats to new drag competition winners in NYC!
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A favorite early ep guest, DJ Boyyyish, is back to fill in the co-ho seat today with Thotyssey's Jim! Then it's time to chat with this week's guests, the divinely dynamic duo Vena Cava & Victoria Holiday who are tearing up Brooklyn with events like The Rosemont's Glam-winning party ByLatinQueers! Lots of fun stuff to dish on including Boyyyish's funny memories of the girls' early brunch, performing at Horrorchata's wedding, Bushwigs Past, Puerto Rican power in Brooklyn nightlife, and the changing scene of NYC drag!
In the news: The Hangar Bar has shuttered; Jackie Cox has a new off-Broadway role; Susanne Bartsch's book is coming our way; the New Year's Eve gay kissing couple on CNN's ball drop show come forward.
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Jim & Freddie reunite to catch up on their New Years, Saltburn, The Color Purple & more!
Then it's Nick Laughlin in the Thot Seat, a recent GLAM nominee, and the co-creator (with Alaska Thunderfuck) of Divatronic, an uber-popular Brooklyn drag diva worshipfest! Nick tells us about his musical theater origins, learning to write and direct and produce, become a 3 Dollar Bill nightlife fashionista and how he navigates Divatronic's success there, working with all the RuGirls, heading a new brand of bear party and an astrology musical in the works!
In the news: Times Square NYE antics include a dangerous car crash that injured a Color Purple cast member, a gay kiss caught on camera that sent the world into a sadly predictable rage, and "Pass Around Party Bottom" Anderson Cooper losing his shit at John Mayer and some cats; a controversial NYPD initiative re: nightclub raids has finally come to an end; life-saving anti-overdose meds are allegedly being confiscated by bar security in some places; the mysterious stink bomber continues their HK reign of terror; some topical discussion on Nicki Minaj, Christina Aguilera, Mar-a-Lago and the "twice ghosted" Twitterer; RIP Drag Race Thailand's Bandit.
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It’s a holiday revue / 69th episode situation at Thotlight with Jim and guest host Svetlana Stoli, who is suddenly working everywhere!
After some proper shit talk, delightful and dramatic drag diva Jasmine Rice LaBeija joins the chat with tales of opera and nightlife, cosmetic surgery gone awry, putting aside social media drama, standing out in the crowd with talent and grace, Drag Race, the state of local nightlife, politics, design, beauty, the GLAMs & so much more!
In the news: A fire issue closed 9th Ave Saloon temporarily; is the Russian military really closing queer bars?; the HK community board has thoughts on pending casino plans; Madonna was “late” for BK concerts & called out Andy Cohen onstage; a US Senate gay porn scandal; Taylor Swift at The Box?; a $500 Tinder package.Like, subscribe, email!
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Jim & Shane Cherry have thots for the holiday season and predictions for the New Queer!
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Legends of Nat 1 pod host Shane Cherry is back to fill Freddie's co-host seat for this week's ep of the now award-winning Thotlight! And what an ep it is, as the team behind the GLAM-nominated drag competition "Polish the Queen" are the in-studio guests: producer Phil Chanel and hostesses Octavia Anyae & Jolina Jasmine! The three Jersey gworls talk about how the drag and nightlife of their native land compares to the NYC hustle (is it "just okay" per Luxx Noir London?); the Jersey pageant tradition and the interesting trend of Drag Race snatching up Miss Paradise winners that continues this year with Sapphira Cristal; and the evolution of "Polish" (yes, they know how some people want to pronounce it that other way) from Stonewall to Playhouse to its newest incarnation at Red Eye.
In the news: the site of the former club Limelight gets a new life; a brand new RuGirl has already faced a cancelation campaign for a prior interaction with an audience member; Lady Bunny's Christmas show run was abruptly cancelled; the endurance of Renaissance; what's the queerest U.S. state?
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Live from Red Eye's Cockpit, Freddie & Jim go right into the Drag Race Season 16 cast reveal... what are their thoughts on this very young, New York-heavy roster?
Then, the very talented actor (and soon-to-be neuroscientist!) Wade McCollum is in the studio to tell us about the one man off-Broadway hit that Jim & Freddie just saw him in: Make Me Gorgeous! Wade plays a fascinating real life queer person who hustled through the WWII era in a way that feels very contemporary. He also has an interesting life story of his own that he revisits while discussing the realities of being a theater actor in NYC (and beyond) today.
In the news: World AIDS Day is observed in New York, and current infection statistics are reviewed; stink bombs and trans slurs disrupt VERS; new local venues from The White Lotus actor Michael Imperioli & DJ Eli Escobar; George Santos is a Cameo Queen; Jackie Cox is back on Days of Our Lives; RIP Cock Destroyer Sophie Anderson; a new Pantheon queen is crowned; GLAM nominees for Best Gogo Dancer & Best Club Party are dissected.
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Freddie & Jim catch up after their short break; will Freddie spend his retirement as a Raleigh bottom? Also, some notes on the sad closing closing of Frankie's Pub.
Then it's time to meet the special guest: Brooklyn drag diva Devo Monique! She's seen a lot and done a lot, and has much to say about how she got into the scene and how it's changed since she arrived. Devo's facing some major life challenges now, and she tells us how art will be her voice through it all.
In the news: New York finally has a new "Nightlife Mayor," and he's quite different from his predecessor; Gen Z still aren't doing nightlife and they're nostalgic for scenes they didn't live through; a new doc explores NYC's old trans-led red light district; London's G-A-Y Late to close; RuGirl Stacy Layne Matthews quits drag; the new Miss NY Latina World and Mx. Rockbar are crowned.
Then, it's time to start discussing the GLAM categories! Freddie and Jim break down Best Bar Party and Best Podcast, and... Freddie's got some things to say about how Thotlight was recognized here.
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A cute little minisode with Jim, Freddie and special-sometimes-guest co-host Shane Cherry (of the Legends of Nat podcast), where Thanksgiving plans are shared and future nightlife headlines are predicted. Full episodes return next week!
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While welcoming Freddie Cosmo back to the co-host chair, Jim talks about the end of one of his weekly events while hinting at maybe the death of all nightlife (and birth of Freddie's "content!")
Then it's time to talk to the stars of "Showtunes Sundays" on the Pines and "Showtunes in the City" at Playhouse... queen Bubbles D'Boob & DJ Mike Borowski! The pair discuss their origin stories (fun fact, Thotyssey caused a fall-out between Bubbles and her original DJ), how they work so well together, some tea re: Broadway & recent Pines drama, the state of drag & Drag Race, strange Connecticut connections, Real Housewives shenanigans, revisiting the Chicken Fingers Kid; the magic of Busted & Bootsie, and the new HK oasis that is Balcon!
In the news: Frankie's Pub is closing (in HK); businesses in the Pines are up for sale, while beach erosion there has suddenly become a huge problem; a new list of top and bottom queer-friendly US cities (NY has a surprising placement); more GLAM Awards info.
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An alum of Broadway's Hairspray and the hostess of HK's most star-studded open mics, Friend of the Pod Michelle Dowdy fills in as Jim's co-ho this week! And WHAT a week... Jeanna de Waal is here, who's got a number of major musical credits herself: Wicked, Waitress, American Idiot, Sweeney Todd, KinkyBoots, and most famously the titular lead of Diana: The Musical! Jeanna is an absolute, humble delight as she talks to us about all the ups and downs and real stuff that goes on behind the scenes of a bona fide Broadway career. the fabulosity of her Diana wigs and wardrobe and the legacy of its infamous Netflix screening, and the hype behind her upcoming Red Eye cabaret with Maria Bilbao!
In the news: November honors trans people in NYC: the Bear World Magazine Awards winners; the return of the Get Out Magazine Awards; an elder diner's "unimpressed" reaction to a local drag brunch goes viral; the new Miss Big Adams Apple Comedy Queen is crowned.
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Svetlana Stoli returns to the podcast, this time to fill in for Freddie as co-ho! If you remember our Svetlana ep or know her in any way (she's got a new show at a new venue, Balcon, btw), then you know she will be pouring all the Russian Tea in this Room! Then Drag Race star Jackie Cox comes to share her Halloween hangover with us. She shares her thoughts on the goings on and the fallout of the riveting pandemic television that was Season 12, as well as her surreal chapter as a soap star and the strange and challenging place she finds herself in as a Westerner with Iranian heritage with a platform in 2023.
In the news: Club Q in Colorado Springs, site of a hate crime shooting, to reopen under a familiar name; Halloween looks / numbers from a Bartshland It-girl and a local Drag Race alum come under scrutiny; a beloved Coney Island venue shutters.
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Freddie & Jim reflect on the weirdness of their lives and the seasonal Sanderson Sisters fever of it all, as well as their first impressions of new venue Balcon and who they saw on the soft opening.
Then it's time to meet our lady of the hour-and-a-half, Balcon door queen and rising star of NYC drag, SKYE WALKER! She talks about her funny stage persona, and native New Yorker origins, being pro weed-and-video games and somewhat anti-Broadway, watching the success of her sis Lemon, nearly being the First Drag Queen of Twitch, the notorious queen who said the MEANEST thing when she won Miss Barracuda, the power of having a good time and all her exciting gigs old and new!
In the news: a "Roofiegate" detainee changes his plea; Balcon opens to the public; an important march / rally passed through NYC; updates on Drag Race stars Anetra, Kamron Michaels and Farida Kant (Drag Race Italia); an official new "Partying Handbook" for you.
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Jim and Freddie remind us that our "hot takes" about current events are all wrong! Jim recounts behaving foolishly at Michelle Dowdy's special open mic, and running into fun people at 9th Ave Saloon.
Then, Thotlight's Guest Du Jour is nightlife producer / queen / hot person RIFY ROYALTY! The talk covers Rify's long journey from the gogo box to producing a GLAM winning party, his Jersey & Escuelita roots, Pam Anderson's makeup (and lack thereof), taking part in the evolution of Brooklyn nightlife, why is hit party Straight Acting became Earrings Plaza, his horror movie death scene and slaying some Halloween shows this season.
In the news: DeSantis continues to fail at drag banning; a local nightlifer makes the Out100; Madonna & Bob the Drag Queen deserve all the love; Kim Petras shouts out Brooklyn queer nightlife; Interview Magazine covers The Cock; a new Miss Hell's Kitchen is crowned.
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Freddie discusses his Red Eye DJ Weekend debut, and Jim reviews Witch Perfect starring Tina Burner, Alexis Michelle & Scarlet Envy as well as Busted's Red Eye debut.
Then it's time to chat with two actual drag legends: Panzi, who co-led the very first Pines Invasion on Fire Island (and she's got all the deets on that) and every Invasion since; and Brini Maxwell, who hosted the popular cable access-turned basic cable campfest The Brini Maxwell Show that originally co-starred Panzi. They talk all about their fascinating careers, the state of drag today and an upcoming show they're co-starring in!
Next up: Liam Yung, Thotyssey's co-producer for their new event THOT MESS at Boxers HK (Thurs. Oct 26) comes in to chat about the event with Jim.
In the news: The ACLU sues a TN city for their recent anti-LGBTQ policies; groundsbreaking out tennis champ Martina Navratilova goes TERF on the socials; new TV gigs for Symone, Gigi Goode & Priyanka; the new Mr. Eagle and Miss Universo Latina USA are sashed; some brunch spots are pushing a "vomit fine."
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Freddie performed at the iconic OTA ballroom party in Brooklyn last weekend... how did it go?
Then it's time to meet the unique recording artist / actor / model / sexy scenester Boy Radio, who's famously tall, chiseled, masterful physique can be seen on... multiple bar bathroom walls? The discussion covers Radio appearing on every episode of Hulu's Drag me to Dinner where he spills tea on all the loveable chaos (including smooching NPH) behind the scenes, as well as his unique time on the AHS set; his SoCal and music writing roots; doing Crunchy Drag; and several important gigs and milestones this month including his final Rocky Horror shadowcast and his new single "HIMBO!"
In the news: another nightlife performer is attacked; another crazy rando caused a ruckus in a Jersey City gay bar; the woman who murdered a beloved local vocal coach was finally sentenced with more time then originally thought; locked boys celebrate Locktober; Boomer Banks stars in an OnlyFans scripted show and a new season of his porn reality show; a local queen is announced as being part of the new Dragula cast. Plus, exciting news from Thotyssey Events!
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