Dennis is joined via Zoom by Jonathan Wysocki, the writer and director of the 90's-set, coming-of-age movie Dramarama , about a group of high school theater nerds and their last murder mystery/slumber party together before graduation. Jonathan talks about drawing from his own school experience in writing the script, finding the perfect 90's vests for his characters to wear and the delicious naughtiness of teenage skinnydipping. He also talks about his short film A Doll's Eyes about how seeing th...
Feb 24, 2022•1 hr 3 min
Dennis is joined film lovers Glenn Gaylord (Senior Critic at the Queen Review) and actor-writer Drew Droege for Part 2 of their year-end look back at the Movies of 2021. Films discussed include: House of Gucci , Summer of Soul, No Time To Die, Licorice Pizza, The Sparks Brothers, Drive My Car, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Nightmare Alley, The Lost Daughter, The Power of the Dog, Cruella, Nicole Kidman's AMC commercial, Being the Ricardos, Belfast, Parallel Mothers, Compartment No. 6, Wild ...
Feb 17, 2022•1 hr 14 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by Glenn Gaylord, Senior Film Critic at The Queer Review , and actor and writer Drew Droege to look back at the Year in Movies 2021. This is Part One of two-parts. Movies discussed include: In the Heights, West Side Story, Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Everybody's Talking about Jamie, Flee, Summertime, Red Rocket, Pleasure, Jungle Cruise, Titane, Come On C'mon C'mon, CODA, Free Guy, F9: The Fast Saga, The Worst Person In the World, Zola, Don't Look Up, Pig, Lamb,...
Feb 08, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by filmmaker Matt Ogens, the director of the Netflix documentary Audible , a coming-of-age story about a deaf high school football player and the people in his life, including his gay male cheerleader friend. Matt talks about what drew him to the project, trying for ten years to get it made, having to constantly recast when students would graduate and finding finally a home for the project at Netflix. Other topics include: his cinematic visual style, making the Oscar sh...
Feb 01, 2022•31 min
In his first official episode as part of the DNR Studios family of shows, Dennis chats via Zoom with D'Arcy Drollinger, the star, writer, director and co-producer of the new Dragsploitation flick Shit and Champagne . D'Arcy talks about the movie's stage origins, his creative inspirations--Mel Brooks, the Zucker Bros, Foxy Brown, Charlie's Angels--the pros and cons of having a swear word in your title, finding the perfect stunt boobs and how he raised the money to get the movie made. He also talk...
Jan 22, 2022•58 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by Stephanie Koenig, the writer-director-producer-star & editor of the feature film A Spy Movie, an action movie parody which recently dropped on You Tube. She talks about coming up with the idea while hanging with friends on a bench in Marina Del Rey, mining her Mission Impossible: Fallout obsession for tropes to skewer, doing her own stunts and how she strikes a balance between scripted moments and improv. She also talks about the no-budget Do-Everything-Yourself ...
Jan 08, 2022•58 min
Dennis connects via Zoom with author Eddie Shapiro to discuss his book A Wonderful Guy: Conversations with the Great Men of Musical Theater and the actors featured in it including Raul Esparza, Michael Cerveris, Joel Grey, Ben Vereen, Cheyenne Jackson, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Christopher Sieber, Jonathan Groff, Gavin Creel and many more. Eddie talks about why he thinks the world of musical theater seems to favor female performers over men and how the men he interviewed reconcile that. Eddie also ...
Dec 14, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Dennis chats via Zoom with performers Mitch Silpa & Drew Droege about their stage show "It's Mitch & Drew and We've Never Felt Younger," which plays Tuesday, November 23 at 8:00 PM at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles. They talk about some of the sketches that will appear in the show, including one that was conceived while they were watching The White Lotus and another that features the characters from their hit Instagram videos "Two Old Queens Who Just Have a Minute To Catch Up." Mitch ...
Nov 21, 2021•54 min
Dennis connects via Zoom with filmmaker Jesse Moss, the director of the new Amazon documentary Mayor Pete , about the history-making presidential campaign of openly gay South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg. Jesse talks about how he came to make the movie, how keeping up with Pete and the campaign was like being on The Amazing Race , how Pete and Chasten's love story became the center of the film, Pete's chemistry with Joe Biden on the trail and the jolt of energy outspoken Communications Dir...
Nov 06, 2021•39 min
Dennis connects via Zoom with illustrator Glen Hanson whose work as been seen on everything from animated TV shows like Beetlejuice and Daria to magazines like GQ, Entertainment Weekly and TV Guide, for whom he did four different covers when Seinfeld went off the air. His ubiquitous illustration of the Golden Girls is on everything from book covers, to T-shirts to phone cases. Glen talks about when he knew he was gifted as an artist, his creative process, dealing with procrastination, getting tu...
Oct 30, 2021•53 min
Dennis connects via Zoom with poet Steven Reigns to discuss his new book A Quilt for David , which explores through poetry the story of David Acer, the dentist from Treasure Cove, Florida who was accused by multiple people of giving them HIV through dental work in the early 1990s. The story made national news, led to several $1 million-plus insurance settlements and turned David into a convenient scapegoat for a nation wary of gay people and terrified of AIDS. Steven talks about the book's mixtu...
Sep 28, 2021•54 min
After surviving a breakthrough case of COVID, Dennis returns with this Zoom with filmmaker Wes Hurley whose delightful autobiographical film Potato Dreams of America is currently playing the festival circuit and will be released in 2022. The film tells the story of how he moved from Eastern Russian at 16 when his mother became a mail order bride for an American man in Seattle. He talks about his decision to use magical realism to tell his own story, using two sets of actors to play the mother an...
Sep 20, 2021•1 hr 7 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by Todd Stephens, the writer director of the new film Swan Song , which is about retired hairdresser named Mr. Pat played by Udo Kier who busts out of his nursing home to do one last job, styling the hair of the dead society matron for her funeral. Todd talks about the real-life Mr. Pat who inspired the movie, collecting stories from people who knew the real Pat, and how the character of Mr. Pat was supposed to be in Todd's first film Edge of 17 but got cut. Todd talks ...
Aug 07, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by actor Arianna Ortiz one of the stars of the new film Nine Days , a unique and moving film about seven souls and the man who decides whether or not they're going to go to earth. Arianna talks about the role she plays Maria, what it's like to create a character with virtually no backstory and what made Nine Days a dream-come-true experience. She recalls how the audition came to her, the thrill of getting the part and what it felt like to shoot the scene in the movie wh...
Jul 28, 2021•45 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by four of the creative forces behind the new film Summertime ; director Carlos Lopez Estrada, and actors / poets Paolina Acuña González, Raul Herrera and Marquesha Babers. Carlos shares the projects origin story, recalling how he saw a live performance of a group of LA poets and was so knocked out by their performances that he came up with the day-in-the-life-of-Los Angeles idea as a way to showcase them all in a feature film. Paolina talks about her poem "Red Lipstick...
Jul 07, 2021•33 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by comedian Julia Scotti who is the subject of the new documentary Julia Scotti: Funny That Way , which tells the story of how she began her career in comedy as Rick Scotti in the 80's and 90's before transitioning in her late 40's and going back into comedy as Julia. Julia talks about why she chose to trust filmmaker Susan Sandler to tell her story, how she was denied contact with her children for 14 years after her transition, and what it was like to finally reconnect...
Jun 21, 2021•1 hr 19 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by four of the creators behind the new audio drama 90069: West Hollywood - Brunch, Interrupted , which is one of a series of Zip Code plays produced by the L.A.-based Antaeus Theatre Company. The four guests are writer Sean Abley, actors Parnell Damone Marcano and Bill Brochtrup (who is also the company's Artistic Director) and sound designer Jeff Gardner. The quartet talk about the process of creating the project during COVID and the play's oh-so-current theme of gentr...
Jun 14, 2021•41 min
On this special Pride month podcast, Dennis handles the audio editing on this one as he welcomes past podcast guest Steven Reigns to present a project he produced about the legendary disco star Sylvester's Los Angeles roots. Here's the official synopsis: Born in Watts, Los Angeles, to a middle-class African-American family, Sylvester developed a love of singing through the gospel choir of his church. Leaving the church after the congregation expressed disapproval of his homosexuality, he found f...
Jun 03, 2021•28 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by Michael Anthony, author of the new book Life at Hamilton, which documents his experience as the Bar Manager at the Richard Rogers Theater where the Broadway sensation Hamilton premiered in 2015 and went on to become a global phenomenon. Mike talks about the book’s humble beginnings as social media posts, how they gradually became more and more popular, the time he would spend responding to posts from his followers and how the posts involved into a book. He also talks...
May 30, 2021•1 hr 29 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by singer-dancer-actor=model-porn star-Only Fans entrepreneur Valton Jackson who just released an EP of remixes for his sexy single "Shirtless" and also posted a spot-on video to Instagram, where he recreates Britney Spears' "Sometimes" video at a water villa in the Maldives. He talks about the making of that video, growing up in Georgia, how he got into performing and what it's like to be in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in the morning...and fly home to have dinne...
May 15, 2021•1 hr 35 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by his old pal, comedian Jim David to talk about Jim's hilarious new album Gay Jokes for Straight Cruisers , which he recorded on a trans-Atlantic cruise in March 2020. He talks about what inspired him to put the album together, the early-COVID time capsule quality of the album and the thrill of going to Number 1 on iTunes. Other topics include: how edgy the cruise lines that hire him allow him to get, when he thinks cruising will return, when cruise passengers complain...
May 06, 2021•33 min
Dennis connects via Zoom with actress and singer Kathy Deitch, one of the stars of the comedic musical homage Titanique, which streams live on Sunday, May 2nd at 7:30 PM EST / 4:30 PST. Kathy plays "Kathy Bates as Molly Brown" in the send-up, which originated as a stage production that played both in New York and LA. Kathy talks about how she got involved in the show, her affection for Kathy Bates and Celine Dion and what it's like to sing Celine's money notes in "All By Myself." She also talks ...
Apr 24, 2021•1 hr 19 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by actor Randy Harrison to discuss the play he's currently appearing in, Mike Bartlett's Cock, which is streaming through April 18th through the Studio Theatre in Washington DC. In the play, he plays John, a self-identified gay man who leaves a long-term relationship, begins seeing a woman soon after and ends up torn between the two lovers. Randy talks about the themes of identity, power and desire that drew him to the piece, his desire to someday do it before an audien...
Apr 06, 2021•53 min
Dennis Zooms with the three men behind the new prison romance "Luz;" writer-director Jon Garcia and actors Ernesto Reyes, who plays prison newbie Ruben and Jesse Tayeh who plays his seen-it-all cellmate Carlos. They talk about shooting in a real prison in Oregon, why they couldn't wear blue during shooting and including actual inmates in the film. Jon discusses the strong chemistry between the actors and how he knew they were the right choices and the actors talk about the strong bond they forge...
Mar 24, 2021•1 hr 7 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by writer-performer-drag legend Jackie Beat to talk about Sunday's Zoom event 'WHO'S DA BOSS? THE LOST TAPES'...a loving homage to the classic sitcom Who's the Boss? Halfway through the chat, Dennis and Jackie are joined by actor Danny Pintauro who played Jonathan Bower on the original Who's the Boss? and reprises his role in this stage / Zoom version. Jackie talks about finding ways to stay sane, creative and make money during the pandemic, having plastic surgery on hi...
Mar 06, 2021•1 hr 17 min
For the fourth year in a row, Dennis is joined my film buffs Glenn Gaylord and Michael Doughtery to look back on the films of 2020 (and early '21) Glenn is the Senior Film Critic at the Queer Review and Michael is the Director of the Reel Abilities Film Festival. Movies discussed include: The Invisible Man, Shirley, Nomadland, The Painter and the Thief, Assassins, A Thousand Cuts, Collective, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Promising Young Woman, Butt Boy, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Da 5 Bloods, T...
Feb 15, 2021•1 hr 47 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by Ryan J. Haddad the star and writer of the one-man show Hi Are You Single? which is streaming on line all through February (see link below). The show is a funny, smart and moving look his quest for love, connection, or just a decent hookup as a gay man with cerebral palsy. He talks about the origins of the show, why gay men looking for connection can be cruel to each other, and some of the reactions he's gotten to the show. He also talks about coming out to his family...
Feb 01, 2021•1 hr 13 min
Dennis is joined via Zoom by filmmaker Mike Mossalam and actor Amin El Gaman two of the men behind the new queer rom-com Breaking Fast, about Mo, a devout Muslim doctor in Los Angeles (Haaz Sleiman) who begins a relationship with a All-American-type actor (Michael Cassidy) during the month of Ramadan. MIke is the writer-director of the film and he talks about what inspired him to write it, the challenges of shooting a movie with lots of delicious food scenes and how his love of musical theater f...
Jan 18, 2021•31 min
Dennis connects via Zoom with actor-writer-director Tom DeTrinis to discuss his one-person show Making Friends , which is available to stream at the IAMA Theatre company website through January 11th. Tom talks about the central theme of the play, specifically his anger and where it comes from, how his road rage figures in, and why he chose to mount the show virtually instead of waiting until it's safe to do live theater again. He also talks about how AOL chat rooms fed his teenage horndog instin...
Dec 29, 2020•1 hr
Dennis connects via Zoom with Deven Green and Ned Douglas, creators of the new Revry game show Versus, where contestants answer questions about their own social media feeds, play silly games like Roosters vs. Snails and try to make sense of what's coming out of emcee Deven's mouth. Deven and Ned talk about how they came up with the idea for the show, how Revry got involved and how they produced the entire thing themselves from writing to shooting to editing to composing the music. They also talk...
Dec 16, 2020•35 min
