Interview: Joe Zaso, the Himbo Chef

“It was one of those freezing cold days,” author and actor Joe Zaso recalls, explaining the genesis of his series of “Café Himbo” cookbooks, “I was home and I love to cook, and I decided to start dabbling in recipes and things.  Back then I was in the West Village.  Jessica Harper [from the original Suspiria] had just written a book called The Crabby Cook Cookbook and I was very inspired by [it], so I said, I think I’m gonna start a blog.  So we can exchange recipes.  And because I’m called the Horror Himbo by some sites, [like queer horror site Camp Blood] I made the name the Café Himbo, which became a blog, which became a cookbook, which became a little featurette show on YouTube, which became a brand, and here we are, still going strong.”

Zaso and I are chatting in a coffeeshop in his current neighborhood in the lower east side.  Zaso is jovial and easygoing, talking quickly and excitedly and using his hands.  He has an amusing tendency to imitate the voices of the people in his life—and books—perhaps reflecting his background as an actor.  Apart from his own roles in horror films like Revenge of the Egg and 5 Dead on the Crimson Canvas, the “Himbo Chef” is a lifelong fan of the genre himself, and his books are filled with recipes from other horror players like Rutanya Alda (Amityville II: The Possession, Mommie Dearest) and Candice Azzara (Pandemonium).

“It’s what’s so surreal about people like Rutanya Alda, I’ve been watching them in movies since I was kids, with my brother on HBO, and here I am 30 years later and we’re talking about their cats, kvetching about rent, she’s telling me about her past relationships,” Zaso says.   “She will slip into Amityville II, here and there, but, you know, we’ll be meeting here and she’ll tell me how she’s into gluten free [foods].”  Zaso draws collaborators from his personal life, horror conventions, and occasionally messaging people on social media.  “It’s cute because everybody, I think they find it flattering and fun,” he states.  “Some people they don’t return emails, or they say thank you for asking.  Camille Keaton, from [the notorious “rape revenge” film] I Spit on Your Grave, she said that she makes popcorn, and that’s about it.”

For his latest book, The Comforts of Café Himbo and Friends, Zaso teamed up with his friend Beverly Orth-Geoghegan.  “She’s fun to work with, she’s very seasoned, she knows her wines, she’s a good cooking partner,” Zaso enthuses.  “So I was like let’s write a book together.  And she said, [Zaso slips into an impression] ‘oh, it would be fun!’  We exchanged recipes, and cooked at each other’s places.”  Orth-Geoghegan has a horror connection herself; her husband Ted Geoghegan is a writer/actor who wrote the critically acclaimed independent film We Are Still Here (2015) and appeared in last year’s The Ranger.

As the title indicates, Zaso’s latest focuses on comfort food, from “Tiramisu French Toast” to “Creamy Dreamy Tomato Parmesan Soup” to “Single White Trash Chicken” (the latter from Rockbar co-owner and fellow horror fanatic Jason Romas).  “The book is about comfort food and just comforts, period,” Zaso explains. “There’s just unease at the moment, you almost feel guilty for having fun and doing certain things.  On Facebook I would see people posting every day with their favorite junk foods and all these decadent things, and I said, ‘didn’t we used to be really health conscious?’  And I think people are just saying ‘no, we want fun right now.  We want to be healthy, but right now we want to be, you know, are souls need to be improved.’”

Zaso finds certain horror films from the 70s and 80s to be a sort of comfort food, and was tickled to include some of their stars in his latest.  “One person I like very much is this actress Elizabeth Shepard, who you may know as Joan Hart, the woman who got pecked by the raven in Damien: Omen II,” Zaso says.  “She is such a doll.  She lives uptown, she teaches Shakespearean classes down here.  She gave me a whole bunch of recipes over the years.  The weirdest, most interesting recipe I got from her was for Pigeon Pie, which is very Northern English, it’s like squab, so we made a joke, ‘in honor of my attacker.’  For this one she gave me Welsh Rare Bit and Elizabeth Shepard’s Shepard’s Pie.”  The book also features Lynne Griffin, who famously played the first victim in the original Black Christmas (1974) and has found more recent success starring in Hallmark movies like Santa Baby (2006).   “She’s bubbly,” Zaso shares.  “And she has her fans, she has her horror fans, and if you’re like my mom– and I’m becoming a bit of one myself– she has Hallmark.  She’s such a good cook herself, she has such great advice.  She and her husband have recipes galore in the book and they’re just wonderful.”

I ask Zaso why he thinks horror has such devoted queer fans, and he ruminates on the topic a bit.  “I have this theory that half the horror fans in this world are gay people,” he says.  “What made me discover this is when you go to newsstands and Barnes and Noble, all the horror magazines are near the gay magazines.  Everyone who likes Pino Donnagio [composer of films like Carrie and Dressed to Kill]they always turn out to be gay, I don’t know why.  What is it about horror sequels: Damien: Omen II, Exorcist II, Elm Street II, they are always big with gay fans.  What is it?  There’s something there.  I don’t know what it is.  There’s something in horror that just speaks to their soul.”  Later, Zaso brings up a theory a friend once offered about the author’s personal connection to the genre.  “My friend Ricardo, from Rome, who’s straight, he said, ‘I think you liked horror in the 80s and 90s more, were you out yet?’  And I said, no.  And he goes, ‘when you came out, you noticed that you liked horror less, maybe it’s an exchange of aggression, maybe it was your guilt, or like hatred or darkness that exchanged,’ and he was being very philosophical and as soon as I became more comfortable with being gay I stopped liking horror as much.  I don’t know if that had something to do with.”

Zaso is more assured when it comes to advice on becoming a good cook.  “Patience and space, are the two vital things that will help you become a better cook,” he declares.  “Because when you have that, then you want to try things and relax and not rush and not burn things, and you want to take a little more time to cut that tomato up and not just, you know, hack away like Jason.  When you have a nice kitchen, and you have people there, and you have a glass of wine, and you’re talking, it’s pleasant, it makes the whole experience fun.”

The Comforts of Café Himbo and Friends is now available in physical and e-book form on Amazon and at joezaso.net.

Geeks OUT Board Interview #2 – Kevin Gilligan

We here at Geeks OUT want you, the reader, to know more about who we are. To help with that, we’ve started interviewing members of our board so you know what makes us tick. Here’s our second interview!

Who are you and what do you do for Geeks OUT?
My name is Kevin Gilligan, I’ve been a board member of Geeks OUT since 2011. I oversee our presence at conventions across the country as the Head of Conventions, and I’m in charge of Experiences (Performance Stage, Cosplay Corner, and Gaymer Lounge) at Flame Con. I also co-host the weekly Geeks OUT Podcast. 

How did you first get involved?
I saw a call for volunteers for the Geeks OUT booth at NYCC, and then I kept asking what more I could do to get involved. 

What makes you geek out?
I’m huge into comics, comic book movies, sci-fi, and horror. I’ve loved horror movies ever since I saw my first double feature of Nightmare on Elm Street & Children of the Corn, when I was 5 years old. I got into comics, thanks to a friend I had growing up. And I got into sci-fi thanks to the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his brave crew. 

What book/tv show/comic/etc are you enjoying now?
I just finished watching the final season of Jessica Jones, the new season of Veronica Mars, and just started the new season of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. And I’m almost done re-watching the series Hannibal. 

What’s something underrated you think could use a shout out?
Being a slave to trends, a lot of indy books fall under my radar at times, but there are some that I’ve found that aren’t necessarily underrated, but I think more people should discover are: Dodge City by Josh Trujillo and art by Cara McGee & Misfit City by Kirsten (Kiwi) Smith & Kurt Lustgarten and art by Naomi Franquiz (both from BoomBox). And The Closet of Secrets from Geeks OUT’s John Jennison (available here).

What fictional setting would you most want to live in?
I would like to live on a Starfleet ship, either Enterprise or Discovery

We hope you dug this interview and hope to see a bunch of you at NYCC October 3rd-6th!

Rose City Comic Con 2019 in Review

Portland has long been the west coast capital of the comics industry, and since 2012, Rose City Comic Con has been the city’s own homegrown comic convention. Every September fans from throughout the Pacific Northwest, and some from further away, flock to the Oregon Convention Center. I myself have attended well over half the shows RCCC has put on. It’s always a wonder to see how the con grows and changes from year to year. Sometimes in delightful ways, sometimes, well, less so. I’d like to break down my experience of this year’s show from a few perspectives through which I experienced it, simultaneously a fan of comics, a retailer, a creator, someone who dresses up for cons, and also a visibly queer person.


Being at Rose City is a somewhat mixed bag as a retailer in the comics industry. Compared to Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle, Portland’s show doesn’t seem to attract as many members of publishing and editorial staff. One of the more important things you can gain from attending a comic con as someone representing a brick and mortar store is a relationship with the companies whose material you carry. That being said, you can always meet wonderful people in artist’s alley, and if you let them know you’re looking for new material to carry, you may find that some folks are willing to work out a wholesale arrangement. Pins are great for this sort of thing, and if the person is also able to ship, you may end up discovering a new long-term product line for your store.


Sabs Cooper (left, Ash Cooper (right)

One thing I decided to do this year was, rather than bringing business cards I made little zines with all of my info on them. They cost about $1.50 to make, which isn’t enormously cost effective for something you intend to give away, but I wanted to try it and see how it worked out, and I’m really glad I did. I asked everyone first before giving them one, and everyone seemed excited about them. They’re a great way to make a memorable impression, and also show that you are physically capable of putting the work in to make something. A few people even insisted on paying for them, or trading me for their own merch, which is a very nice feeling, but not something I would advise anyone to expect or ask for. I brought about thirty, which ended up being pretty much the perfect amount.


Now, I should preface that when I do cosplay, it’s at a pretty casual level. I’m not building armor, I’m not checking props, and I don’t need a handler to get through the door. I just like setting a day aside to be in costume. This year my wife and I went as Aziraphale and Crowley from Good Omens, and it was marvelously fun. Getting positive feedback on the outfit you worked hard to put together and being asked to pose for pictures can be fun, as long as you’re up for the attention, but what really made it special for us was that there were so many spots specifically set up to take pictures. Whether it was the diner set from American Gods, a booth built to look like the Death Star’s trash compactor, or Fujifilm taking fee polaroids to promote their cameras, there were constantly exciting opportunities for fun and unique pics.


Ash Cooper (left) Sabs Cooper (right)

I can only speak to my own experience of course, but I have historically felt very safe and respected at Rose City. When I started exploring my gender some years ago, RCCC was the first place I ever presented as femme, and I received nothing but support and positivity. And now as a trans woman who is also married to another woman, I feel totally welcome in that space. That having been said, despite the number of queer artists and fans at Rose City, it is in many ways, not an especially diverse show. Considering Portland’s increase in white supremacist violence over the last several years, what I have to say as a white person about feeling safe in these spaces should perhaps be taken with a grain of salt. 


For the last few years I’ve considered Rose City to be my favorite convention, but it is not without its own problems. The line to get in on Saturday for instance, was a monstrous experience. The insistence upon only having a single entrance resulted in a line wrapped around the entire convention center three times. Another unfortunate side-effect of this is that stepping out of the show for a moment, whether to grab lunch, drop bags off at the hotel, or just to get some air, is often not worth the effort, an exhausting addition to navigating the show. It’s entirely transparent that the reasoning behind this is that it will compel attendees to buy more expensive “fast-pass” style badges, allowing them to use the same entrance as guests, vendors, and those who require special accessibility. The defining factor of RCCC used to be that it was a smaller, more intimate show with a specific focus on comics. More people getting to attend and having a good time is not a bad thing, and it’s nice to see the show enjoying success, but the larger it gets, the more it becomes indiscernible from every other corporate con, with everything that goes along with that.

The Geeks OUT Podcast: Disney Peacock Envy

The Geeks OUT Podcast

Opinions, reviews, incisive discussions of queer geek ideas in pop culture, and the particularly cutting brand of shade that you can only get from a couple of queer geeks all in highly digestible weekly doses.

In this week’s episode of the Geeks OUT Podcast, Kevin is joined by Brett Mannes from the Comic Book Queers podcast, as they discuss Disney+ and NBC’s latest entry into the streaming wars peacock, anxiously await the new series Raising Dion, and celebrate Angelica Ross hosting the LGBTQ Presidential Forum in This Week in Queer.

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BIG OPENING

KEVIN: NBCUniversal announces peacock streaming service with revival of Saved by the Bell, reboot of Battlestar Galactica & more
BRETT: Disney+ day-one offerings

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DOWN AND NERDY

KEVIN: Ad Astra, Undone, AHS: 1984
BRETT: Titans, House of X, J.J. Abrams Spider-Man

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STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER

Paramount Animation introduces new mascot

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THIS WEEK IN QUEER

Angelica Ross makes history hosting LGBTQ Presidential Forum

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CLIP OF THE WEEK

New trailer for Raising Dion

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THE WEEK IN GEEK

MOVIES

New short Jurassic World: Battle at Big Rock
• New trailer for In the Tall Grass
• New trailer for Knives Out
• New trailer for In the Shadow of the Moon

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TV

• Smallville return coming to Arrowverse Crisis
GLOW renewed for final season
Boondocks revival coming to HBOMax
• New trailer for Big Mouth
• New trailer for Living with Yourself
• New trailer for Daybreak

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COMIC BOOKS

Russian politician belittles comic readers
Nicola Scott educates the internet on Dick Grayson’s asset

The Geeks OUT Podcast: Nintendo Shoulda Put a Ring-Con Fit

The Geeks OUT Podcast

Opinions, reviews, incisive discussions of queer geek ideas in pop culture, and the particularly cutting brand of shade that you can only get from a couple of queer geeks all in highly digestible weekly doses.

In this week’s episode of the Geeks OUT Podcast, Kevin is joined by Kyle-Steven Porter as they discuss Nintendo’s new fitness game/attachments, the Ring Fit Adventure and Ring-Con controller, the new trailer for Hulu’s Castle Rock based on Stephen King’s books, and celebrate Rupaul and all the queer winners at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards in This Week in Queer.

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BIG OPENING

KEVIN: New trailer for season 2 of Castle Rock
KYLE: Nintendo reveals new Ring Fit Adventure

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DOWN AND NERDY

KEVIN: Hustlers, Powers of X
KYLE: Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Invader Zim, Elite, Roswell

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STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER

New trailer showcases Regina Hall in HBO’s Watchmen

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THIS WEEK IN QUEER

Rupaul and Queer Eye win early Emmy’s

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CLIP OF THE WEEK

New trailer for AppleTV+’s See

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THE WEEK IN GEEK

MOVIES

Margot Robbie developing reboot of Tank Girl
• Full cast of The Suicide Squad announced
• New trailer for Countdown

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TV

• New trailer for the revival of Are You Afraid of the Dark
• David E. Kelly developing Stephen King’s The Institute for limited series
• New cast announced for CBS All Access’ limited series The Stand
J.J. Abrams gets new deal with WarnerMedia
• AppleTV+ releasing reboot of Ghostwriter
• Hailee Steinfeld in talks to play Kate Bishop in Disney+’s Hawkeye
• GLSEN honoring Riverdale with Gamechanger Award

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VIDEO GAMES

Pewdiepie changes his mind about donating to ADL
• New trailer for the Final Fantasy VII remake

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SHILF

• KEVIN: The Colonel from KFC dating simulator
• KYLE: Raphael from Fire Emblem: Three Houses

The Geeks OUT Podcast: Young Avengers: A Brazilian Copies Sold

Geeks OUT Podcast: Young Avengers: A Brazilian Copies Sold

In this week’s episode of the Geeks OUT Podcast, Kevin (@Gilligan_McJew) and Eric Green (@thegodofpunder) as they discuss Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep and IT Chapter 2, the new trailer for the Black Christmas reboot, and why a Young Avengers comic from 7 years ago is creating “controversy” in Brazil in

In this week’s episode of the Geeks OUT Podcast, Kevin and Eric Green as they discuss Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep and IT Chapter 2, the new trailer for the Black Christmas reboot, and why a Young Avengers comic from 7 years ago is creating “controversy” in Brazil in This Week in Queer. 

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BIG OPENING

KEVIN: New trailer for Doctor Sleep
ERIC: Joker wins top award at Venice Film Festival

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DOWN AND NERDY

KEVIN: IT Chapter 2, Steven Universe: The Movie, Titans, House of X, Something is Killing the Children
ERIC: Sabrina, Dark Crystal, Alice Isn’t Dead, The Two Princes

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STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER

New trailer for Aeronauts

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THIS WEEK IN QUEER

Brazilian Mayor singles out gay heroes in Young Avengers in crackdown at literary event

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CLIP OF THE WEEK

New trailer for Black Christmas reboot

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THE WEEK IN GEEK

MOVIES

New trailer for Gretel & Hansel
• Kristen Stewart told to tone down the gay if she wants in the MCU
• New trailer for Jojo Rabbit

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TV

• New trailer for Disenchantment Part 2
• New trailer for Limetown
Patty Jenkins signs deal with Netflix

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COMIC BOOKS

• Marvel teases something is Incoming!

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SHILF

• KEVIN: Prudence Blackwood
• ERIC: Nicholas Scratch

The Gay Canon

My geeky, Pokemon Go loving friend Mick came out not too long ago, and I got the idea to make him a list of my personal “gay canon” of films and TV (with a few books thrown in for good measure).  I sent him this list on the occasion of this past weekend’s Pride celebration in his hometown of Manchester, England.

Armie Hammer and Timothy Chalamet in Call Me By Your Name

Philadelphia (1993)—It may play as outdated now, but Jonathan Demme’s drama, the first studio movie about AIDS, is a significant time capsule and features a terrific Oscar winning performance by Tom Hanks as a gay lawyer who sues his firm for firing him when they learn he has the disease.  Denzel Washington is equally strong as the initially homophobic lawyer who represents him on the case, and it’s a compelling and undeniably affecting tear jerker.  The soundtrack, featuring Bruce Springsteen’s award winning ballad “Streets of Philadelphia” as well as Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, and the Indigo Girls, is also terrific.

Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis in the original Tales of the City

Tales of the City (1993-2019)—Armistead Maupin’s saga of the lives and loves of straight and queer San Franciscans isn’t just one of my favorite gay series, it’s one of my favorite things, period.  The original 70s-set miniseries brilliantly captured the excitement and uncertainty of living on your own for the first time, as Mary Anne Singleton (a terrific Laura Linney) moves into a magical apartment complex lorded over by sage transgender landlady Anna Madrigal (Olympia Dukakis, sublime) and becomes fast friends with adorably wide-eyed Michael “Mouse” Tolliver and acerbic, frizzy haired omnisexual Mona, who memorably melts down in a board meeting with a snooty client by bellowing “crotch, crotch, CROTCH!!!!”  The three original series—Tales, More Tales, and Further Tales—possess an irresistible mixture of soapy shenanigans and genuine heart.  Later, un-filmed books in the series included Babycakes, the first work of fiction to address AIDS, Significant Others, Sure of You, Michael Tolliver Lives, and Mary Anne in Autumn. All are worth reading, and this year’s Tales of the City, while not a direct adaptation of any of them, incorporates elements and characters while perfectly updating the franchise for the 21st century.  (Just try not to think about how Linney and the other returning players are nowhere near old enough to have aged forty years since the originals.)  The newest installment pays particular care to the trans characters, including casting trans actress Jen Richards as a young Ana Madrigal in a captivating flashback episode.


The Broken Hearts Club (2000)—A friend once mocked this film, written and directed by future TV mega producer Greg Berlanti, as the story of a young man who becomes enmeshed in a world of shallow West Hollywood gayness.  There’s some truth to that, but Broken Hearts Club is still an entertaining, occasionally affecting, and trailblazing comedy about the lives and loves of a group of gay friends.  There’s an inspired bit of casting with TV Superman Dean Cain as a man-eating lothario, plus lots of retroactive recognition with Timothy Olyphant, Justin Theroux, Zach Braff, and Billy Porter in the mix.  John Mahoney shines as the mother hen of this squabbling but ultimately loving and supportive group.


Queer As Folk (2000-2005)—Let me start by admitting I never watched the British original—set in Manchester, appropriately enough—and have heard it’s great, and maybe superior.  But QAF, as fans in the know called it, was an endearing if occasionally dopey and maddening soap opera that portrays “boys becoming men” in that well known American gay capitol… Pittsburgh.  The whole cast is great, but Peter Paige is transcendent as unapologetically queeny Emmett, and Robert Gant is charming and extremely sexy as HIV positive professor Ben.

John Cameron Mitchell as Hedwig

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)—John Cameron Mitchell directs and stars in this brilliant, intensely cinematic rock musical about a “little wisp of a girlie boy” who escapes East Germany via a botched sex change operation for the promise of a better life in America.  Abandoned by his would be sugar daddy, Hedwig falls in love with Tommy, a teenage Jesus freak, then winds up stalking him across the country when Tommy gets famous off the songs they co-created and embarks on a national tour.  The songs are terrific, the performances are outstanding, and one liners abound in this sardonically funny, moving film.  It’s considered somewhat problematic in these more enlightened times, but I think its genuine heart and innovation outweigh any such concerns.  Mitchell has gone on record stating he doesn’t consider it a representation of the transgender experience, a sentiment with which many would agree.

Mary Louise Parker and Justin Kirk are some of the disparate souls whose worlds collide in Angels in America

Angels in America (2003)—Mike Nichols’s made for HBO adaptation of Tony Kushner’s epic “Gay Fantasia on National Themes” puts most feature films to shame for sheer ambition and cinematic art.  An indomitable cast led by Al Pacino and Meryl Streep breathe life into this elaborate work of magical realism, which dramatizes the anguish and inspiration of the AIDS crisis and a particular moment in queer Manhattan.  It’s a really extraordinary and engrossing production.  Related: I’ve always wanted to see the two part play live. Maybe you’ll get the chance sometime.


Brokeback Mountain (2005)—Ang Lee’s heartbreaking shoulda-been Best Picture is certainly depressing, but it’s a sublimely crafted and essential film in queer cinema history.  Heath Ledger was rightly praised for his tormented ranch hand Ennis Del Mar, but the entire cast is first rate, including Jake Gyllenhaal as his lover Jack Twist (swoon), and Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway as their long-suffering wives.  The cinematography and Oscar winning music are excellent, too.  Related: Annie Proulx’s gorgeous short story.

The L Word stars Leisha Hailey and Kathering Moennig

The L Word (2004-2009)—The trailblazing saga of the lives and loves of lesbians—and occasional straight women and trans folk—in very glamorous Los Angeles could be all over the place, but it was never boring and often moving.  A strong, almost entirely female cast (many writers, directors, and crew members were women as well) portrayed women’s struggles with sex, relationships, monogamy, family, and, um, the high stakes world of lesbian poker (?!).  There were some missteps—the cynical and unnecessary killing off of a beloved character, iffy trans storylines—but this was still an addicting and often rewarding series. The L Word: Generation Q , a “woke” revival with original cast members Jennifer Beals, Leisha Hailey, and Katherine Moennig (my favorite character, womanizer with a heart of gold Shane) is coming in December, so cram now!

Left to right: Emile Hirsch, Kelvin Han Yee, Sean Penn, Alison Pill, and Joseph Cross in Milk

Milk (2008)—One of the best biopics ever made, Gus Van Sant’s dramatization of the brief career of America’s first openly gay elected official is perfect in every aspect.  The performances are uniformly excellent: Sean Penn rightly won an Oscar as Harvey Milk, a darkly compelling Josh Brolin plays troubled assassin Dan White, and a luminous Emile Hirsch brings sass to budding activist Cleve Jones.  The film makes great use of San Francisco locations and balances character with story.  Despite a tragic ending, it remains buoyantly hopeful and inspiring.  Related: Randy Shilts’ book The Mayor of Castro Street and Cleve Jones’ memoirs Stitching a Revolution and When We Rise.


Call Me By Your Name (2017)—There was backlash and criticism of the age disparity in this celebrated gay romance, but the beauty and eroticism of Luca Guadagnino’s film is undeniable.  Timothy Chalamet is sexy and utterly convincing as the teen who finds himself inextricably drawn to Armie Hammer’s hunky grad student one sumptuous summer in Northern Italy.  Dad Michael Stuhlbarg’s speech to his heartbroken son is one for the ages, and Sufjan Stevens’ songs, as well as a needle drop of the Psychedelic Furs’ “Love My Way,” provide the perfect accompaniment.

Left to right: Ryan Jamaal Swain, Angel Bismark Curiel, Indya Moore, and MJ Rodriguez on Pose

Pose (2018-Present) — I consider this the best thing Ryan Murphy has ever done.  He and creative partner Brad Falchuk were smart in teaming up with Steven Canals to offer an authentic point of view on the world of Ballroom culture.  Pose applies somewhat formulaic, crowd pleasing tropes to characters that have never before been the center of a narrative.  The record-breaking number of trans, queer, and people of color in the cast make this a show that finally centers non-whites in the LGBT community.  The series also serves as a history lesson, especially as it delves into the devastating AIDS epidemic and dramatizes real-life incidents like a “die-in” at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Related: the coming of age musical Saturday Church, co-starring Pose’s MJ Rodriguez and Indya Moore.

The Geeks OUT Podcast: Thworping to the Darkside

Geeks OUT Podcast: Thworping to the Darkside

In this week’s episode of the Geeks OUT Podcast, Kevin (@Gilligan_McJew) is joined by the VP of Geeks OUT, Steve Gianaca (@sgianaca) as they discuss Marvel continuing to tease a gay character in Eternals, the new Steven Universe movie trailer, and celebrate Linda Hamilton in the new Terminator: Dark Fate

In this week’s episode of the Geeks OUT Podcast, Kevin is joined by the VP of Geeks OUT, Steve Gianaca as they discuss Marvel continuing to tease a gay character in Eternals, the new Steven Universe movie trailer, and celebrate Linda Hamilton in the new Terminator: Dark Fate trailer for our Strong Female Character of the Week.

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BIG OPENING

KEVIN: New trailer for AHS: 1984
STEVE: Steven Universe new Toonami trailer

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DOWN AND NERDY

KEVIN: Young Justice: Outsiders, Twelve Forever, Marvel Comics #1000
STEVE: Fruits Basket, Harry Potter Series, Dragon Quest 6, Final Fantasy X-2

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STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER

New trailer for Terminator: Dark Fate

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THIS WEEK IN QUEER

Eternals’ unnamed gay hero will be married and have a family

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CLIP OF THE WEEK

New trailer for Joker

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THE WEEK IN GEEK

MOVIES

First look at characters from Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon
• New Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker teases darkside Rey

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TV

• New teaser trailer for Disenchantment Part Two
• New trailer for The I-Land
• New trailer for season 2 of Titans

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VIDEO GAMES

Pokemon Sword & Shield’s Gym Battles will be more of a spectacle

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SHILF

• KEVIN: Guy Gardner
• STEVE: Kyle Rayner