"All Across America" (w/ Joel Kim Booster)

first word in bitch. So what you're saying is you want to sideline me right now, I'm going to sideline you because you've encroached on me. All right, I'm gonna let you have your moment. I'm gonna let you have a moment to shine because I think everyone could have that, and as we all know, I have so many. So so um, go ahead, bone and take your space. Well, we've got a great show today, We've got the lovely

Well before we introduce our guest, let's that's. I guess why I take the lead is because I really know how to do this. I wanted to catch up, like, for example, what we might say about this person as you've seen them at a Just for Laughs festival in Montreal. You've seen him on Conan Good This is a disaster. He worked on the new show Problematic with Mosha Kasher. You've seen him writing for Billy on the Street, Honey.

He is in the show that we truly love. Lake Homo High will also be um coming back to the Annoyance Theater this Saturday night, and were so happy. We're so happy to have him. Everyone give a warm ear. Welcome to Joe Kim Booster Kim, first time callers time color. What a rocky road we've been. Yeah, it's sort of been tough because to watch this happen on my watch the breakdown of last COO jursas live in trying your eyes. Let's just do a headspace track. I'm I have I've

had a long day, have you? Yeah, Well, what have you done today? I know one thing that you did because we did it again. We did it together. We had a rehearsal, and then I had it. I had a fun little meaning and then I had to go to the Chinese consulate. This is a second time going and it was a disaster as big a disaster as the first. Anyway, I have the wrong paperwork. So I'm just a little adult by that. Um, so that's where I'm at. What about you? Do you need a green

card marriage? But I do? I would love to Just you need a Chinese green card? That, yeah, I'd love to make That's what the problem is that you can't get back in I can't get into China. But I would also funny the tables of turn. I would also love just a green card marriage. Just I would love to accommodate that for someone else. What was your song, Matt? Green card marriage? But oh, I'm gonna get married for a green card, because then I'm already American. I'm gonna

getting married for a green card. But I'm already American. I don't need a green card, but I'm getting Megan anyway for one good I'm already American. It goes like that. But when you know he messed up, you know several parts of the melody there. But this is so crazy, This is so crazy. Um. Basically, I was thinking while you were talking about what one place would I hate to be banned from? And it's Universal Studios in Orlando.

And one time and my sister smoked a blond outside the hard rock hotel, and we were very paranoid that they would see us and then never allow us to just get more Long Island by the second. It's the only place that we vacation. I've never been, never ever been to. Our Land's unconscionable. You know, I'm not a big theme park boy. Um. The only Disney I've ever been to is euro Disney. Oh that's that's a farce, I know in the wintertime. So it was like doubly sad.

Oh God, we'll listen. I'm about you enjoy six Flags. No I don't. You didn't go. I didn't go, Joe, I didn't go. I don't enjoy the six And then I was in l A two out on the mountain, which is gay six Flags night from six to when I am out on the mountain, and I didn't go because why not? I don't know. I just like I know I will die on a roller coaster, Like I'm fully aware that that is That's how I'm going to

go out, and so I'm just like pushing it, yes away. Well, as someone who also doesn't like roller coasters and also generally doesn't like six Flags, I do really enjoy Disney and end your reversal students had the best time, I know. But you're like filming bits and ship like that. Yeah, so that's what we would do, and if we would, if you were to go together, I'm gonna go to Shanghai Disney, and guys, everyone in the mainland is freaking out there saying don't go, don't go. Kids are taking

ships in the in the side, in the streets. I heard about this, taking ships in the fucking mainstream USA. What is that? That's what in China, like in a lot of the rural areas, it's just like what you do, like they so so for little kids like these butt pockets that they can just unbutton in the flap and just like taking like squat in the street and just take a home on rural China, that's it. Um so yeah,

Shanghai Disney is just a literal ship storm. Where would you joke, Kim Booster never want to be banned from? What would break your heart if they said you can never return, never go again? Um, that's like hard. I don't like a lot of places. Have you been to Provincetown? Oh? I guess like Fire Island If you're from Chicago, which you wouldn't be. But no, I mean pathetically, hypothetically. I love Chicago, but I here we go. But if I were banned at this point, it would just be like

your last man fired. No. I like, truly, Chicago is better in many ways than like any other city in the world. Your favorite of the Big Three? Um, I'm calling them the Big literally no one else ever you know the Big Three? Houston, Chicago? No, you know what? You know what? My favorite city is San Francisco. Okay, I prefer San Francisco, but I have never lived there, so it's maybe not a great Maybe I don't really know San Francisco. Haven't had that look. Yeah, I haven't

had that looking experience. I went to San Francisco, and my bit the whole time I was in San Francisco is like, where's the looking walking Tour? I want to see all the famous locations and from where's the ampartment where Jonathan Graff got his asshole licked? In the seminole? One good episode of this show. Here's the here's the woods where they had the baccanala yea the season forget the season to opener, Honey, No, I like I like, um, I like the expansiveness of New York a lot more.

Here's the thing. Here's my thing about Chicago is I love my community in Chicago. That like, my my people in Chicago are amazing and like that's what makes the city. Um. And it's like much cleaner and buses are more tenable than in any other city in the world. Like the buses are like fucking luxury in Chicago. Um. But I do find like you can go to Chicago, specifically in the North Side of Chicago and walk around and not

see a person of color for an hour. Yeah, it is like and it's it's just the segregation of it all, which is like I find difficult. Um. Hyper segregation is what some sociologists call it, because it's so specific to Chicago. It's so segregated, it is very strange. I mean, I guess it's like it's such a weird thing though, because like I like people would be like, well, that's your fault for living on the North Side. But if I moved to the South Side, they'd be like, you're gentrifying,

Like there's no way for me to win in that situation. Um, But I think I just prefer New York cities go. Um. I don't love Los Angeles and I think you think it's trash. No, I actually don't think it's trash anymore. Here's the thing. Like I hated Los Angeles when I first went. I only started going to Los Angeles a year, like basically a year ago. It was the first time I've ever met um and it is not an easy city to visit whereas, but now I think I've been

this year. In twos and sixteen, I have been every month except for February, I've been in Los Angeles, um. But and so like now that I'm like, they're a lot more, it is like, Okay, the city is way easier to live in than New York because you got your people out there. Now. Yeah, now I have people out there and friends and like I know my spots. Like the first time I went to l A, it's just so hard to find like a non chain to

go to. Like you really, I literally spent like four days in the Barnes and Noble, uh, like in the growth. That's that's where I would go in between meetings. And like I was just constantly to everyone. I was like, who says l A doesn't have culture? Have you seen the Barnes and Noble at the Grove. But it is weird because it is actually like quite gorgeous. There's a balcon and the Barnes and Noble at the grove that overlooks this like mountains, and you feel like you're in

Greece and you're standing in fucking Barnes and Noble. That's gonna be the first place I got. You gotta go to the Barnes. You will love it. Long Island, I'm sure. And look any nice chain. I still get wet for cheesecake factory. My mom says we're going there. I still get wet for cheesecake factory. But my thing is like, now I'm there and like I know, like the stupid shitty like coffee shops and like that I can go

to and hang out. What's that one coffee shop in in Silver Lake that like I ran into three different New York people who are all writers in l a now and it was just such a weird, Like I saw that bragging and then I saw I saw the guy who plays Jonah and Veep, and I was like, god, this is like I feel like I um, it's by ak Bar. It's like close. Oh so that's where like Los Felis. Then it's um, it's corrected. You Actually, I have no no vocabulary or knowledge for any of these neighbors.

Silver Lake and Echo Park are a thing that are close together. I seriously I'm panicked. So for the for listeners who don't know, Bowen and I are going out to Los Angeles, and I'm It's just been revealed to me that I'm going to be out there two weeks prior to Bowen mid October, and I truly anxious because I just really wanted a friend to be with me

every second of the time. And I'm being such a baby about this, like I'll go and I'll be fine have friends there, I know, but you'll make camp friends very quickly because you're doing You're doing Did you say that you're doing the CBS Diversity show. We are doing the CBS Diversity Showcase. The diversity that you hear out here on the podcast is coming to the stage. And I'm nervous about it because I basically why, we don't know anyone that's going to be in the thing that

we're doing. But I'm assuming we'll know like some friendly faces. But I'm but I'm really more just nervous because as I was walking here, you know where we record this podcast, very nearby to where Boone and I went to college to university, and it's like, I truly feel like I grew up here, and it feels like a college two point note type thing where I do feel a l

anxious about it, but I know it'll be fine. I have the same anxieties talking to someone, I have the same anxieties about this as I did, and it sounds very silly about college. I was like, oh, I'm leaving this very familiar. Wow, you just said the same thing that I know. But I'm saying like it's oh my god, oh my god, we're both feeling the same way about it,

and it's not a coincidence. Yeah. I just pictured us getting off the plane at l a X together like with a dream in a card again, like two hands in the air, like welcome in the club, like fan excess. That would have been fun. You know. I think I felt that way a lot about moving to New York. And I had already been like a fully realized adult for four years in Chicago, and I still felt that way in New York. So why they moved to New York just to like started to start your career. Well,

here's the thing. So I so I started doing stand up like technically, I guess five years ago or so, yeah, technically, but I did not know how to do it right. And I was so I come from a theater background in Chicago. I was acting, I was writing, I was producing, I was doing it all. He was getting his place published. Yeah, and a book shop may have some book shop Samuel French, you know, just on Amazon though you can find it. Okay, I'm sorry, yeah, please get it ready, but no, it's

um so. And I was just like really frustrated at a certain point because I get called in to be a Chinese food delivery boy. I think like the in two thousand and twelve when I when I was in the last years in Chicago, I got called in five different times across many different mediums, movies, television, commercials, all of it industrials all um. And I just like it was like such a master of nun situation because I

was with the same dudes. And I just remember this one guy who I was like, yeah, but we're just like paying our dudes, and like, you know, we play a Chinese food delivery boy today and then we get to be stars tomorrow. And he was like, oh, you're an idiot. Um. Like He's like, I've been doing this for ten years. This is where it starts and ends for us, Like we get to play Chinese food delivery boys, or like you know, the fucking scientists in the crime lab who explained sperm or like an I T guy

who gets to explain deep Web to a detective. He's like, those are the three. So did that guy really like give you an epiphany? Well, yeah, no, I definitely did. It was sent me first into spiraling into like an existential crisis, and then I was like what do I do? And I was working as a writing assistant on a play at the time called Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche, which has since played off Broadway and Snapple Theater Center

It Center Center. But anyways, this comedian best selling, uh some of you might have heard it was the lead in that play at the time, and I remember on a break, she just like you just to stand up. Um, you write and you perform, and like that's truly like stand up. Like half the battle is just being comfortable

on stage and saying nonsense. Um, people are gonna be so mad at me for saying that I don't know, but um yeah, And so I did stand up like once that summer, and then didn't do it again for another like three months, and then didn't do it again for another five months, and then like so that first year that I did stand up, it was like I was just bad at it because I was like still like, oh, I'll be a playwright, and like I was like still trying to and it's hard because like in comedy, you

have to hang out and you like have to be fully immersed in the community and this isn't so weird, but like I couldn't do that in Chicago because all of my friends were in theater and I was like, I just like all the event, like everything I wanted to do was so centered around like being with my people, and it was so hard for me to spend enough time in the comedy community to not feel like an

interloper like it was. And like my my comedy career in Chicago was so weird because I did not come up in like clubs are doing open mics, like I did not know I was supposed to be doing open mics at all, um and so every time I did stand up, I would do I thought you couldn't rehearse or recycled materials, so I just wrote ten minutes of new material every time I went up, which was a disaster, but I would do things like I opened, uh this show at Stepping Wolf called We Three Liza's, which is

a Christmas Carol but with Liza and Elle's. Uh, lies of of present, lies of future, lines of paths. That's great. I'm a team's like Chicago is in this like weird road where it's plays are I'll have numbers and some gay elements. It's truly. I mean, that's why Chicago. You heard it here, baby um bone just started a feud

with the city. Come at me, but no, I still, long story short, I moved to New York principally because I was like, I want to do stand up, um so I just need to hit the reset but it and go to a city where I could just do

stand up and nobody knows me. And it was like very effective because I moved here with like very few friends and I just did open mics and like stand up comedy bullshit for the first year, like and it is awful and like tiring, but where you are just like wild of me to say, But did your friends in Chicago that because you were in a more theatrical I guess setting, and those were your people were more theatrical people. Do you feel that they took themselves a

little bit more seriously than you wanted to know? Not at all, because like the storefront scene in Chicago is like so like gritty and like it like just like down to earth, Like it's just like the best place. Like if I ever were to write another play, I would only wanted to go up in Chicago. That's the

other thing, Like, um, theater New York sucks. There's I just think there's like a huge gap between like Broadway off Broadway and then like some of the like sort of indie theater I've seen in New York has just

been really bad, just like god awful. Um, and whereas in Chicago, like it's hard to find bad theater, like there's just so much of it, and like you know, I did so much store Front, which is like you could get paid fifteen bucks a show, and like you know, it's all new, and it's just like I never felt the same casting restraints that I felt on the screen because I was like, I played a soldier and a

frat guy and like all different kinds of craziness. Like at my time, I played an autistic accountant on Rollerblades. That's deep. Yeah, absolutely, you go favorite. So in a way, it's like New York was the perfect place for you to ditch the whole theater back, because it's like, well, you don't you wouldn't even want to be involved. Well I wouldn't, yeah, and I wouldn't know. I actually don't

understand how people do theater in New York. I mean, most of the people I went to theater school, and most of people I know who are working in theater who live in New York are working out of town. Like nobody I know is working I've done I've done one play here and it was the manager I used to have before, the one I have now was sending me out on a lot of theatrical things and it

was so god awful. And I think of the reason why, And this is not a slight to anybody, but like I think the reason why it's kind of not good and why we're not connecting with it is because everyone

that's like really a lot of people. Most people this is a generalization, Like note that before I say this, but there's a lot of like older people writing the theater here, like and they're not really in touch with well I think, well, I think it's just like the barrier to entry in New York is so much higher to work and to like get in. Like I started a theater company in Chicago the first year out of school,

and it was like easy, not easy. It wasn't easy, but like there's just like I never felt like, oh I had to like pay my dues before like things started to happen for me in that world. It's just like everyone is doing their own thing. Like there's just so many like backyard theaters that actually produce like such

legit work that like you, it's insane. Coming out of school, it's easier too, Like we're going to start off a little hony are like when we were like we're going to do our musical sketch comedy group, and that's going to be the only thing we do right out of like would not have happened. Well, that's the other thing is like I don't understand how anybody didn't go to school in the city and then comes out of school and then works in the city. It seems like I wouldn't.

I would have. If I would have moved to New York after college, I would have been swallowed. I would have I don't. I don't know. I'd be like not be doing anything in entertainment or at all. Probably. I mean a lot of people that went to school and at NYU with us aren't doing this anymore either. It's it's bizarre. It's very interesting. I I kind of I feel like I was kind of swallowed alive by New

York after graduation because maybe the move into Brooklyn. And this sounds so like it sounds so weak and so dumb, but like I just it traumatized me. I was like, wait a minute, this is like the real and then you moved into Brooklyn, Brooklyn me like not not finding a job, me pulling my applications from at school out, and then me being like, I guess I have to temp and I tempt my god, you are Hannah Horvav

I'm here. Oh my god, Lena Dunham really did she She has a finger on the fucking pulse of our generation. And what I did, like I just still do. I like girls. I know that's a very contentious thing to say this last season was really good. You can you can say that Girls is great while also acknowledging that Lena Donna says some dumb Here's my thing though, a lot of people criticize Girls and they're like, oh, they're so awful, and like Lena doesn't understand that they're awful,

and I find that to be wrong. I think it's no. You were fully supposed to hate these people and like be annoyed by them. They're all like fully And in fact, I think that is the problem of why Looking didn't work, is that Looking did not have enough of a handle on when their characters were supposed to be unlikable and when they were supposed to be like time. Yeah, I agree with that. I just didn't see anything in the Jonathan Groff character that I could really relate to, Like

I don't. I guess I understood it. But remember the first episode I watched, I was being so basic and I was like, oh my god, I'm him, he's me, he's me, Like what do I do? Like now I can't write my experience because someone did it. He's made.

And then like all of a sudden, he was like he was like thirty one on the show, and he's like, wait, what's anal my Dom, who's like maybe the most likable character on that show doesn't have a personality or right, but like literally, if you ask a fan of the show to be like, tell me about Dom the character, and they're like, he wants to open a restaurant and he's best friends with Doris, And that's where it ends, like there's nothing beyond he the waiter. He ye want Yeah?

Who got with Scott Bacula who is my first child? Yes? Yes? Also, can I tell you, like, what's so annoying about people with looking pretending that Doris was the best character. I'm like, get out of here, Like you've never seen a character like this before. She's stocked. Hey, I'm the tough talking best friend. Alright, come on, I'm I'm I'm straight. I'm with these faggots Like I can say that, get because I'm who I am. Bitches, watch Cheers and that's Carla.

That's sucking. That's Carla. It's a Perlman mixed with grace and like, oh god, I feel so shitty, like shifting up show that like is not even on the air anyone, Just like I haven't even seen the movie yet. Um, but like the fact that they did not have a single Asian gay character on that San Francisco is outrageous because that's where we are there. They had they had

Andrew last character on the show. It was a gay Asian comedian who is a brilliant gay Asian comedian, and they had him play the straight best friend, which is so annoying. He was in like three episodes, and I thought that he'd be on the show more. It was I was crazy to me. It was so bizarre. You're right, because go to San Francisco and try and throw a fucking rock without hitting an Asian person, like it's it's you just can't do it, and like it's so weird.

And that's the thing, Like you, I don't want diversity for diversity's sake, but if you want to talk about putting a place, putting a show in a in a real setting and having to be grounded, then you can't pick San Francisco. If you want your cats to be lily white, then put it in Ohio. Don't put it in San Francisco. Put it in Columbus. Let's put looking

in Collisi. So I remember I remember when Looking got canceled, there was like a bunch of gays that were like on Twitter and Facebook being like, um, not for nothing. But I don't know why we're cheering this. We just lost a show that was about gay men. It was for us, and like it failed and now they're not

going to make shows like it anymore. And it was like, no, because I don't want a gay show on the air just because it's gay, and it's just because and also we're allowed to criticize it and critique it and want it to be good. Here is my thing. Like with people who liked Looking, and like, I kind of see where they're coming from with that, because I'm sort of going through the same thing with Finding Prince Charming, which

I'll get into. But I wish I wish we lived in a landscape we're looking was It's it's unfair to Looking. It's actually really unfair to Looking that we are all projecting our own ones and needs on this show because

it is the it is the only show. I wish we lived in a world where they're we're looking tod it just exists and we could all ignore it and would be fine because there's so many other options for us, like because like a lot of people who like looking who hated the criticism would be like, well, don't watch it. And it's like, actually, though, like if I want to see a gay person on screen, this is the only option for me right now, So I can't not watch it.

I wish I could find another option also to like probably the closest thing that we have to like someone that's going to fill that kind of romantic comedy lead would be Jonathan no And I I really wanted that show to succeed because I love him. I've spoken about this on the show before. I but then I think he's so fucking talented and that show had all this had all like had all the right stars in line, like just everything aligned nicely. But Leam Michelle never came out.

And I will never forgive it just what it was flat for me. It wasn't. I don't think it was

aggressively bad. I just think it was flat. And I think because it was the only one, like it's fun to like to pile on um, but I and I do think that like there is a problem when like we are so loud in our criticism sometimes when it does like it gets a little like we we gotta like gay people exist in television, like in ways even sometimes we don't, like I don't think that we should not criticially, not criticize, but sometimes it's like this show

shouldn't be on, like with Finding Prince Charming. I gotta tell you guys, it's I'm not a good show. It's a fun show. You gotta watch. It is the silliest It is the silliest stuff, and it's so transparent and like they think they're pulling one over on you, but it's so transparent. It's like trash, but it's like trash in the same way The Bachelor is trash. It's no

different or worse. And like it is like there's this like sort of narrative going on on gay Twitter where like all these gay men are like I'm home phobic now after watching the show, like like look at and it's like, well, let's just stop congratulating ourselves for being above watching this show, like we get it, like you're better than the people on this show, um, and like but it's just like just enjoy like just for that. That's what it is. That kind of thing. It's like

you can take it or leave it. It's not HBO, it's fucking logo, it's not aflding anybody. So I don't think it's damaging the community totally. I do have a lot of problems with I have a question about it just in terms of like how the game gets played on finding pressing and again I have not watched even the second of it. What's why? What is it about the bachelor that makes them all interested in him and not each other? So that's that's what it plays with it,

that is all. And here's no, it doesn't actually I mean in the first episode, like it was mingling with all the others. That was a really fun part. They didn't reveal who the bachelor was, like at a certain pointing episodes and he's like actually I am the bachelor, um, and I'll put their hands on the person. That was fun. But now like they are really trying to like push this narrative like they're all so into Robber and not

into each other, and like there's like weird. I mean, they're just like there's such characters and like it is this is my thing with fighting Prince Charming. That is so interesting though, is that like there's no there's very little self awareness of what the gay community is like, because here's the thing. Let's be real, Um, none of

those black guys are gonna make it to the end. Uh. But meanwhile, like the black guys and um, I mean Dali, but like I was watching the clips where they enter each other they introduced themselves and like they were the only ones who seemed sane. We totally and one of

them is like the hottest guy in the house. And then also they have like varying body types on the show, which is like I get what they're doing in theory, but it's so kind of sending to it to like not to just be like, yeah, these guys have just as much of a chance with this beautiful like model like chiseled, hard rock body guy as these other guys. Like in the second episode, this like little twink, they like play a volleyball game to like compete to see

who goes on a one on one date with him. Um, and this like beautiful like Twinkye boy goes on this perfume date with him and it's like no more obnoxious than anything that's ever happened on The Bachelor. Chel And then he gets to choose who goes on the next perfume date. What's that like choose a scent together, and then he gets to go back to the house and choose who gets to go on the next one on one date with him, and of course he picks the

last bear guy that's standing. He's like, I just know that, like you haven't had a chance to come out of your shell yet with Robert, and I really I think you deserve the date. And it's like, bitch, you're picking the like the least likely competition in this house. And

sure enough that guy goes home. Uh in that episode because the Bachelor spends all the entire date talking about another guy with this this like bear dude, and it's like and it's like never address and like I wish if they if they have like a like another layer of like self awareness about like yeah, aren't gay men like like so like into like into image and image in physique in the same like in the same way like the Bachelor is like it's just like trying to

like shoehorn in like like no, that dude is gonna go for like a hot porn looking like white dude, because that's what happens in the real world. And like if we could just accept that, I would enjoy the show so much more even though I hate it. It's like such a weird conflicting emotion while watching the show. See I'm like, tell me, what's going on? I just don't know, Like how many family they went through before they landed. Probably Neil Patrick Harris wouldn't do Oh of

course he was like no, thank you. Ricky Martin was like no, Matthew Bombers like thank you? Who is or they first? Maybe they did, you know what? Knowing they probably did. He's bad. I mean, he's bad. He he brings nothing to the show. I think he's actually charisma lesque. I think I think there's not And did you know that this is a true fact. Back in the day when instinct was at their height, they made like barbies out of instinct, like they were like dolls, and he

was the most popular doll. But meanwhile, Lance Bass was the least. I mean, I mean, yeah, it's a low base. I mean friend of the show, Guy Brandham like said it best like Lance or no, it wasn't even guy random said I can't believe I'm attributing this guy. But no, but like somebody said, like thank god, Lance came out as gay because like if he didn't, like, no one would actually it might have been guy, Oh my god, take this all out. But just say somebody said, can

I remember? Can I say? I? I was in Universal Studios one time and I saw Joey Fatone with his wife and his daughter was on his shoulders and they were walking through this crowd and no one knew it was him but me, And I'm like, this is surreal, Like we're standing next to one of the biggest pop stars of the last two decades, and this is a person that like millions and millions and millions of girls like screamed for end gays and boys, um like, and

he was just like totally existing. And I'm sure just like and I'm sure rather that. I'm sure he'd rather that. But I mean, well, I mean you know who, really I feel like probably is the most b I A T. T. E. R Is because he was genuinely talented and then like I think, so incredibly hot, and his career just didn't go. He was the Kelly. He was the Kelly to Justin's Fionce. Yeah, I guess so. But Kelly Rowland, you could argue as

quite hosts something though. He was on America's Next Best Dance Crew that and he he was on there with Little Mama, Little Mama, who said things like you always you're You're amazing. You always ceased to amaze me. You are the train, you are the train on the tracks, and you are what I love about you was your beautiful. You didn't know that and you dance beautiful. Thank you so much? How okay, wow, Little Mama, Little Mama. I used to get my life to lip glosses popping. Yeah.

I used to sit next to this girl. I had computer information processing class where they taught us the type fast and they sat me on the other side of the room, away from all my friends, and I made friends with this like his spanner girl who was like three years older than Mary. Her name was Jasmine, and she was like she introduced me to to to artists Little Mama and Joe Joe. She said, this girl was thirteen years old. Changed your life, she should change my life.

I often wonder where that girl is. Jojo just had another single come out recently, Not Joe Joe, Jasmine, the other diabok. Her name was Jasmine Rodriguez. I'm not only to look up Jasmine Rodriguez probably find quite you got to bleep out her name. You can't be done, you know, I want to know where are you, Jasmine, Joe? Where are you? Christmas? Jojo made me real self conscious when she blew up, because I was like, this is a girl who's my age, who's so famous? Yeah, why am

I not famous? You want to be a doctor. At that point, well, at that point I was like, oh, I just saw the high school production of Hello Dolly, I want to be a musical theater. Musical theater star. Sudie Green famously has revealed that when she first saw Taylor Swift, she said, oh my god, it's the new Joe Joe. This is years ago. It's the new It's every way. How many times do you think Faith Hill took Taylor Swift aside, was like, don't crossover, girl, it's

not going to go well. And Taylor was like, thanks, Faith, you know she's one that fell right off Shill. There was Faith Hill, and then there was Carrie Underwood, and then there was Taylor Swift, and there's always been Martina McBride and of Cockroach of Country and Shania Famously, who was in the first Diva's concert in hindsight looks just

like so outrageous, like what are you doing there? Let me tell you, sometimes, Sudy and I will just get totally stoned and watch the Diva's Life where in the entire crowd is stopping with sweat, fanning themselves with their programs. Because I read the Franklin famously said the a c will not go on. She's she said, this is a night about me, the Queen of soul, and there will be no air conditioning. I don't care what anyone says. It's bad for your voice, that form and what sorts

of parts did you get in high school? Oh, here we go, speaking of fucking type cansting. Uh, as you were talking about earlier, I got like the like the comedic roles, which is fun, but then my scene. Okay, so here's a whole saga for you guys. There was the dance teacher who would come in every year to direct the huge musical show each year. Meanwhile the drama teacher direct like the regular plays. Uh. And she was just no nonsense, very strict like. And I admired that.

At first. I was like, great, I love I love her. I'll just say her name, Miss would. I love miss which she is so like she's there, she's there to work, she wants to like make us better performers. I love her.

So freshman year we do Once upon a mattress and my first audition, like in any kind of setting, and like they give you the sheet, like with the form that says, um here the here are the roles, um check anything that check any roles that you will not accept, and then meanwhile, next to each role, there was also like a line for understudy, like a box for understudy. So I was just like, oh, well, I guess it'd be bad to be an understudy. I guess I want to show that, like I want to really be involved.

So I checked not understudy all the way down the form, and then miss Wood had to put like after my audition, she she pulled me aside. She was like, Hi, there was a really good bowen. Um okay, so you're a freshman, I go, yep, go oh, just just so you know, um, you know, normally normally you you would you would and this is your first show, you would sort of have to like open yourself up to like a chorus part or whatever, and this and this and this, and I

just felt so embarrassed. And then she really just and I apologized profuse. I was like, oh my god, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't mean to seem like I'm I only want the lead roles. And so she sort of carried with her this this this image of me where I was just this huge diva. And then like and then meanwhile I would diligently, I was doing little. She was dead, she didn't know she had clocked you earlier. It keeps going because here here's what happens.

I mean, I followed your year after year. It follow the year after year. So fresh freshman year was once upon a mattress was a chorus member, just put in the work, did a great job in the work. I put in the work space for himself, had seed honey. And then sophomore was Crazy for You, which is juke Box, the musical of Gershman songs. You play you know, Oh great, I'm biding my time. What a hot name. It's a

good play. It's a musical. It's pretty solid. Um and and so I think I got like some small speaking part. It was fun. And Junior was when things really there

was a huge fallout. Um, we were doing Barnum, which just what a bullshit musical, and then Barnum and then like I was just really busy with my academic baccalaureate program called the International Bacalori Program, which into your junior year had a lot of had like a thousand page paper to write every week, and for a high school that's like traumatic, and so UM was really spread thin.

And then ms Wood thought that I wasn't committing enough time to the musical, so she asked me to leave the show, which I'm still I still think it's like actually traumatic today I think about that. And then it was a really bad falling out, Like she had this

really long conversation. She sat me down in her office and was like this, I don't Oh my god, what a horrible bit, Like like she was like so full of power AND's like if you don't come, if you're not committed to the fucking high school play and now your academics, you gotta get out. What the hell? So those huge falling out And meanwhile, my choir teacher, Mr. Grant was always like a champion for me. Love that love the guy still um. And then I was like

you you know what, I think. I think the story will end well for both of you. And so senior year, he really pushed for me to like make amends, which the onus wasn't necessarily on me a fucking seventeen year old. Oh go up to an adult and be like hi, um I guess I was. I was out of line this way, and like it's totally inappropriate. So anyway, like we made up and like we had a long conversation senior year and then senior year was any goes and

guess what the bitch casts me as my God. That's vindictive, the Chinese yellow face stowaway. That is so vindictive. And was there another Asian person? There was another Asian person who played with me, this really sweet girl um I forgot her name, but she was great and she was just like she did not have any interest in musical theater. She was just in the choir. She was in the top choir. She was otherwise like a really good student. And I be with me and she was just like, yeah,

I'll do it. And it was really chilled the whole time, and like didn't think anything of like this horrific type cast. It was. It was my principle and never got it and miss would and like I read The Artist's Way and like in that book, the author tells you to really think about the people who who have traumatized you creatively, and I was like, first one, first person I thought of this would so yeah, that's oh I've never really

shared that with anybody. That's my high school. Uh, there was nary one Asian person in my school, and that did not stop them. I'm doing and I mean the King and I And let me tell you all my girlfriends that did the play, we're all in the Uncle Tom's Cabin sequence, which was in the show just like doubly layers upon layers, let me tell you. And how much eyeline it was used in this production too much

like like yellow face doing black face. It was insane And that's what my eyes are huge, because I'm just tired of I yeah, yeah, you do that, that that guy, thank you. Yeah. We also did the Whiz Oh my god. Literally high school and the superintendent at the time was like, you know, we just we can't do anything inappropriate. We're not We're not doing Greece. He wouldn't allow, he wouldn't allow anything with any sort of sexual references, but he would allow us to Oh, that's rich stomp all over.

Any idea was a little bit more defensible than the King and I. I guess. I guess it's not as it's not as explicit like it is of that culture, but it is not explicit. But there's an imperial this because it was the hip hop Wizard of Oz. I mean, that was obviously right. It's like, I don't think I'm not defending the choice, but I think like doing The King and I with an all white cats, he's like pretty explicitly racist, right, Doing the Whiz with an all

white cast is pretty implicit. I think, in all fairness, the the guy that played the King was like so like like some sort of like light because you started this that with. In all fairness, all right, I'm just gonna put the brakes on this because he wasn't white. He wasn't white, the kid that and he, I don't know, I didn't dig into his racial background because, like like the rest of my town, we just didn't think about it.

I remember thinking in the back of my mind, like, is it weird that we're doing this, Like, I don't know, I guess it's better than us doing something with like pussy Wagon in the song you know what I mean. Like And then the year after I graduated, they did do Greece because we got a new superintendent. But that's Long Island funny that the superintendent would have. Yeah, the superintendent was like, just so you know, you are not

not not doing anything racy as the musical. That's interesting, Joel. What were your high school? So sophomore year I went to this church school that was like basically being homeschools because yes, you were homeschool but we did a musical. We did music Man first ever, first ever musical. Tommy jellis the second male lead. I mean like I guess no, the young lead, like he's in love with the mayor's daughter.

He's the Romeo. Oh. And also that year we did much Ado about Nothing and I played like the old man. That's fine the d M. Then in public school junior year, I was uh the dad and bye bye Birdie, which is where no fucking Sullivan kids And I will never forget like that was a formative moment for me. Doing kids is because I got a fucking standing ovation at the end of Kids, and I will I mean that was when I was like, oh my god, I have to do this for the rest of your I was like,

oh my god, I'm a star. And it was really the first moment to where I was like, I'm not a great singer, but I might be. I might be no singer, but exactly, and like I acted this shift out of that song, you know, and that was great. And then senior year, I was also doing this uh program outside of school called only a Stage And it was once like in the Chicago suburbs, like well known as one of the best like theater training programs. Okay, but then my senior year it really fell into like

just like no one stopped going. Margot was like a very difficult woman who alright, she's she's passed away, but she was amazing. She was amazing, but she was like a theater person who like ran a business, which is usually not like the easiest thing. Um So, my senior year, like, uh, they were doing little Shop of Horrors and maybe five guys auditions, but I got to be seen more. But yeah, and it was honestly the best, the best thing. I didn't do any of the place. I was too scared.

I was too scared everyone would think or find out that I was gay. I didn't do any of the musicals. Wait, really no, I didn't act at all until I was in college, and I could have had a real high school musical moment, but I really, I really, I would sit there and I would be jumping out of my skin because I want to do it so bad. And I remember they were all did by by Roodie and they were like, why don't you Underson for Conrad, Like you would be so good, you would have been a

great Conrad. And I was just like, no, I don't singing a choir. Didn't sing at all. Really, it's all it's all like raw natural talent for me, which is much I would have loved to have done that. It's just like I said, it's and I'm not saying it's harder here than it is everyone else, like, but it's really hard on the island to step out of a box. I mean, like it's a small town on the island.

There was two seventy kids in my graduating class, and like everyone knew each other enough to generalize, you know what I mean. My god, So here's a pro tip from me to everyone listening is look up the Jimmy Awards UMM music school, like and they take it very seriously. It's in the Northeast and like they get stars to come out, and said Zachary Levi hosted the two thousand sixteen Jimmy Awards, and it is it is my like go to gay YouTube party, Like all right, I'm gonna

do that tonight. It's pretty good. Oh yeah. The girls, especially girls are outstanding. And it's so just to describe it. So there's like they're all nominated for performance, and they put them in these groups and there's like three groups of girls, three groups of boys, and they put them in a lineup and they're like they introduced them all and they're like Genevieve so and so from this high

school as Bell and Beauty and the Beast. And then and never inevitably, every high school does the same fucking musical. So there's like three bells in the same group and they all sing the same like different cuts of the same song, and it's like all choreographed, and like every girl who's nominated like is connected. It's so bizarre and wonderful.

And every guy, like the guys are a real mixed bag, and there's like always like two guys that you're like, oh you are you broke your knee playing football and you're like, I'll just do the musical as a lark. And now you've been nominated for Jimmy Award. That's not that's that's not good for kids at age ego though, oh my god, to be nominated for a Jimmy. I think Jasmine Sullivan was did something like that. Never Jasmine Sullivan singer from The Whiz. Oh, I don't even know

she's sang the famously like saying it. Am I talking about Jasmine Sullivan? Am I talking about someone else famous R and B singer? I think it is Jasmine Sullivan. She did like, what's that song? As long as he needs me? Where is that from? I have no idea, but that was beautiful. It was really good. I didn't sing the point don't peak early? Um, that's what Who said that? Who said that, don't be successful early? Oh

fucking Sarah Paulson just said that after her. I mean, wait, so while we're just saying in this world of the past, Joel, we have to ask you, um, what's the culture that shaped Joel Kim Booster young Jolie. When did you side that decide that culture was for you. Wow, that is a tough question. I'm going to say. Um, I really got keyed into culture at a young age. Watched a

lot of television early on faith shows included Power Rangers. Yeah, yes, Batman, the animated adventure, Living in the Living in the Animated and the violence. Yeah, Living in the Animated and the violence. That's that's I think. Honestly, Comic books were like the earliest thing that like shaped my like cultural comic You've got a depth of knowledge with with with comics, I owned thousands. Do you really I didn't know that. I don't. I'm not as much. I don't buy I'm not as

like up to date as I once. But you can toss off like trivia. Oh yeah, um okay. Can we talk about Spider Man in the animated series when we were growing up? I thought it was it was great and it was like a soap opera. It was a soap opera. And then the way Peter Parker was animated, he was so hot. Yeah, I mean, aren't they always hot?

But like the cartoon that sounds so crazy hand type bullshit, but cartoon Peter, cartoon Peter Parker was the second when I would masturbate growing up, I thought that if I was masturbating two cartoons, it wasn't wrong. So I did a lot of I did a lot of really good Batman. I did a lot of Spider Man. I did a lot of Archie Archie. So I look for the issues in my backlog of Archie comics where they're at the beach, because for whatever reason, Archie was always in a speedo always,

and I found that to be very round. Reggie was the hottest. Reggie was the hottest, and jud Moose hot in his own way. Moose Moose was Yeah. Did you guys ever play UM the snowboarding video game SS? Oh? My god, I mean I know of it. I don't know if I used to pull it to this character. I used to pull and tug and jerk and flug myself to UM this character Simon P. S y m o N. He was like this ripped shirtless guy on the snowboard and I would just be tugging and tugging

Google that. And I would always play as Alice, who wore a high poem. Always always female character. I was always except Mario kar and I was never Peach because, like I have so much. I have so many problems with Peach. I was always told Peaches the best acceleration, and I always felt very queer. Yeah, I I think. I think the reason that I did choose female characters and fighting games and whatever avatar that I could choose

it was because I felt they were underrepresented. Absolutely, so you identified with especially in Asian for me at least, especially going to like Asian households and like parents are eating dinner, let's have the kids play video games. Like it was just this masculine energy of Asian guys, of Asian boys being like we have to beat a boat. I mean like that's not culturally exclusive to us, but like, yeah, like it's rampant. In Double O seven Golden, I that

first person that was everywhere, I always played as Natalia. Yeah, I was Zenya, Zena You're more of and more of because Jill could kill you with these school starting. Sorry, I did not know it was Johnson until this. Fumka Johnson. She was an early celebrity beard for me as well. Mine was alicious over Stone. Um. I mean, i'll talk,

I'll do this off the year, but she was. She was at SNL with Nick Jonas I think who never mind, we just let's cut this was there like to see Nick Jonas and Nick Jonas and do not do not Okay, wait, never mind, we're not cutting this out. Funky Jansen was at SNL when Nick Jonas was a musical guest and she was waiting in the sterile with us for us to go into the musical guy, I see, I can't remember this. No, this was when Anna and I went to you guys went, oh my god, I fucking love

Nick Jones. So Andrewsen and I went to s guest of Suedi Green Big Jonas either um, but like he was there and and foon Ka Yanson was in the sterile with us just like too. I mean, I'm sure lots of women are lining up to fun. So this is a funny thing about like talking about celebrities that ways, because I'm like the Jonas brothers not for me. Meanwhile, like if any of them were standing in front of me right now, I dropped my pants and media well not maybe not maybe Kevin, I don't even know. I

can't tell anyone. You don't want to Ken who's Kevin? Was like ear who honestly is probably fine. He probably looks great. There's these photos of we'd be lucky to have any of them. We'd be like, there's these photos of like Nick Jonas playing baseball. Man. Oh man, wait, it's been He's meant to wear baseball pants. Some people have a destiny. His is to wear baseball pants. I don't know how he played. I don't know how his game.

Is this sort of tangentially on the point. I was thinking about this when we were talking about Finding Prince Charming. First of all, sucks that they were like just for diversity sick, including like different body types of different different races.

But one show, one dating show that was really diverse and like truly diverse, and like it made it a better show was I Love New York was the men were all diverse, and like it didn't really affect her decision of who she liked because like the second season she liked that that dumpy white guy away. That's actually

kind of true a flavor of love too. I mean there was a much more diverse like sort of set of women and the kinds of women that were I mean, both of these shows are like so problematic, outrageous and like like in another reality, like I'm not even sure you can call it reality television anymore because it's just so out there. But god, god, um, somebody said to me yesterday that Elyssa Edwards is as is like the first prolific reality star that we have had since New York,

and I was, honestly, I do too. But do you think we'll see Elyssa with her own reality show? Yes? I think logo would be. But here's the after the reaction to elicit this season, because it because like Elissa became a thing after her season, I've come to find she was not the Lissa we know on her season. Do you know what I just listened to today? Um,

Michelle and Rue. They interviewed Nicole and it was like fine, but their interview with Alyssa like two or three times now, it's so good she is and she I think there's something about Alyssa Edwards that like even puts her like beyond Alaska to a little bit like how much? And so let's let's chat about RuPaul's jagers a little bit. And mind you check out Joel his reviews on Vulture because he does a great job recapping and he has

seen the episode of this week. I have seen the Revenge of the Queens, and I can't go any more than just it is. I mean, you'll be listening to this. I'm assuming people will be listening to this after the episodes comming. No, no, this will be out tomorrow, so this will be okay, well, I mean I'm no spoilers obviously,

but it is the greatest episode of the show so far. God, it's really hard to like top the ending of of last week's episode with them in the Mirror, which was, yeah, just like an incredible way to end the episode, and

you're like, how are they going to top this? And the content of the first three minutes is just so great and like everything I want to show the big I'm I'm literally thinking about pushing a trip back so I can watch it in a gay bar because I just need to hear the shrieks of gay men throughout the episode, because like tomorrow, because throughout the episode it's

just like so it's so good. It's just like such good reality television, and like every every moment of it, it's like everything you want we're going to watch right after Um, okay, let's we talk about days. I just want to make a point and this is this is the Nick Jonas thing really quickly and about this. This is what Guy Brandam said, and Guy Brandam actually did say this. Um was that uh And he might have

cribbed this from someone else, like another thought leader. But but gay in game in don't want to see someone on stage or on TV unless unless, unless he's a drag queen or um just like a porn star. Basically, you know what, This is really real And I sometimes catch myself doing this where it's like as gay men, like as a group or as like a pack, we are so quick to like hoist the women up like we all are in like our Lady Gaga camp or are like you know, Beyonce Camp or Katie Perry, and

like we want to idolize all these people. Arianna grand Day nowadays it feels like and a little passive aggressive no, but like I'm just saying, she's kind of gotten to that point, like yeah, deserve and it's just funny because like we don't do that for gay men. Says this In on stage, and he makes a good point that we were so quick to be done with Sam Smith, and I get why Sam Smith is not my favorite person either, but we are forgiving of every other like

female pop star. But Sam Smith says one dumb thing at the Oscars and we're like burning, Yeah, that's true, that's true. And also like would we would we like these gay men that are on RuPaul's dragons as much if they weren't dressing up like and you know what I mean, we talk about them like they're women. That's why we love them so much. Like would we love Justin Johnson as much as Elyssa Edwards? I don't know. I think we might find out, because I think the

reality show is going to be beyond belief. I think it's going to be about Justin and his dance studio. I don't think we're gonna see Alyssa Edwards, which I would love to see because he seems to really care

for the kids. There are moments, especially in this episode, where they're they're out of drag for a lot of this episode feels like not a lot, not not the majority, not anymore than in a regular episode probably, but there are a lot of moments with Alyssa out of drag, and I think you get a good sense of them out of drag too, and it's like fun and I like Justin. I like Justin Johnson, I you know what

I really liked. Um in the episode where in the last episode where Fife's kind of coming or Jeremy it's kind of coming for Elyssa Justin saying you switched it up, and she's like, no, I didn't switch anything up. Let's choose our words wisely. And I was like, absolutely for the for all of it. Because Nicole Silverbury glast step On on this podcast said they are building up the

edit for analysta versus VV blowout. Um, I don't know if I don't know if it comes to okay right well, and look who actually did something interesting this last week with this episode two, And I wonder if it was to appease FFI in some way. Is I don't know if you noticed this or where you watch this, but they cut out on the logo website the deliberation like the backstage like, um uh yes they did do that.

There was and like and because I mean Fifi was being a monster, being pretty bad, like just being monstrous backstage and they like, I don't want to talk him to anyone, I don't need to horrible, which was truly

like insane. And this was This was something that I realized watching this episode, but it's based on comments that she made at the end of last episode where she was talking about Alyssa and she was like, I was just tired when she was like justifying sending like choosing a lista as well, even though she we all forget and it's actually in this episode you you keep forgetting the last Alaska was actually the one who's had it

her home. But like she's like saying, like I was tired of the judges like allowing her to get away with wearing ship and then and just being like, oh, but it's Alyssa, so it's fine. And it's like, bitch, weren't you the one who's like, we should listen to the judges. They're the professionals, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. So it's

like you can't have it both ways. You can't be like I'm done listening to the judges and of fawning over Alyssa and also be like, um, I don't think there's anything wrong with the way that Alyssa was thinking when she made her elimination. She I absolutely would be thinking, Okay, throughout the competition, this person has consistently been in the bottom.

This person has not this person who's been winning challenges. Um, and so I see it the way I see it, and therefore this person is stronger and I'm going to keep them in reality absolutely. And you also know, you know that Fifi is just panicked because she knows that she's Yeah, oh this this, this meltdown is bad. It's hard to watch. Oh yeah, it really has to. And this episode is actually like a really great sort of reflection, like a metaphor almost for her entire social media presence.

And mind you, I don't know who gets kicked off. Logo is not kind enough. Logo is not kind enough to send us the last minute of the episode. So I have no idea who gets kicked off until tomorrow morning when I get to call a logo producer and wow, so what so in terms of this recap that you're writing,

so you would you can't even write it? No, I can't, to be to be completely honest, I have a mole in viatcom that I usually ask who they get the full cuts, and I ask, but that mole is currently on a vacation and so she like gives me like a very assistinct like play by play and like thank god because like logo would only tell you who gets kicked off last week, And if you only knew who got kicked off last week and didn't know about how would you write comprehensive recap for because you have to

you'd have to book an appointment with the therapist that mole is that Moll has apologized to me. She's been like, yeah, I'm sorry, and I'm like no, like use it, like please? I would take full advantage. Oh I I literally was finding trying to find a way to ask Joel in the elevator, like, so, how do I, you know, get get the I mean, what what does the boy have to do? Um? It's like it's no fun that when

you get to watch it without the end. I screamed twice, and it's like no fun to shriek when there aren't

other games shrinking along with you. Although I don't love I don't love watching them as a gay bar I find you know, so I watched almost the entire series leading up to season eight with a lover um and so like that was my experience, like watching the backlog of seasons that I hadn't seen, and then I was like, very sad not to be watching with a lover, but then watch But then I watched at gay bars all of season eight, and I would not have like that's

the way to watch. It was really fun. I think communal like fun experience watching it my reality as I watched every episode three or four times. Anyway, I'll probably do one at the gay bar. Henry and I will watch together. One I'll watch it together. I watch it by myself one time. And then also, I don't know if you guys do this, but did you go through Logo TV and like the videos and watch all the extras? I haven't. I love the extras? And did you see

did you see? Um? So after Fifi had her like explode, so apparently this is some t um Fifi was hosting at Rosco's. Yeah, at Roscoe's and after during a commercial break, she got on stage and was like, I just want to say, this is bullshit. This edit is out of control. They did not show Lysa's true critiques. Um Jeremy Scott was cruel towards Alyssa and did not have anything nice

to say about her outfit and act. The comment the positive comment that they showed you that Jeremy Scott allegedly said towards Alyssa was said to Ginger Minge and he was like, I swear this is what happened, And so Logo put up on the website Alyssa full critiques Jeremy Scott. So it was a direct So what you're saying about them taking out that segment might be right. It was a direct response to something that Fifi set at a nightclub.

So and also Rus tweets, so they're really paying attention and they do care because she's not going to the reunion, which I find very hard to believe that there is not a single thing in her contract that is not like compelling her to go to. But what what happened was she gets sued if she doesn't come, which would be a terrible look for a logo like that. I've been in that position before where it's like, oh, what

are they gonna do. They're gonna like Fifi is not enough of a celebrity or a star for them to be able to sue her without it being a terrible look for Logo, And it's like that would just be playing into her hands because then she could play the victim even more. We'll go to her Twitter feed and

look at her fans and it is outrage. It's so wild to me that she has so many defenders and fans and she just does nothing but retweet them all day and yeah, and it's like the same show that I'm watching right now, because they're all like, yes, Queen, like you are, like you're such a good hearted person and that shows on the show and it's like where, Well, I think people truly want to want to blame the edit, but like again, like we've said a million times, like,

you can't blame the edit when the words are coming out of your mouths and it wouldn't fit so seamlessly into the edit if you didn't allow them to have that, And also you should know better. I think, if anything, she should be disappointed in herself because she got got again. Well, I think this is the thing with Fi that I think becomes especially clear in this episode is that she is so concerned with with the optics of it that

she loses like she's like she loses it entirely. Like I think she is like the other queens, Like she's constantly talking about her edit and while they were filming, and I think like her way of trying to come off looking better actually just didn't work for her at all, work in her favorite at all. It just made her

seem like petty and respired and desperate. And I think, like they've and like other queens have said it, like on the show and online, like if she would just own this, Like no, the thing that is that is I think driving people up a wall is like she's blaming the edit and trying to play the victim, and it's like, bitch, if you're being a bit just be And like we love will Um. People love Willam and he was one of the biggest bitches on that show but it was great, but like everyone loved him because

he owned it. And like it's sort of like you can't we've forgiven Roxy, who might have been worse, might have been worse on her season. And I realized halfway through this episode. I was like, I actually think Roxy has redeemed herself and like's she had got her doom. Roxy Andrews were doomed after all. Okay, that's a podcast. Um well I did want to. So the theme of this episode was going to be New York versus l A, the first ever debate debate. So we're gonna do it.

We're gonna do it very special. I don't think so, honey. Today we're gonna choose the United States city. Okay, it doesn't have to be one of the jew that And you've traveled a lot doing really just this year though, like I, you've seen it, you've seen I've seen the country. Um, and we're all going to choose the United States city, honey, and we're gonna come for it, and we're gonna let it know and everyone there. No, I came today wanting

to I don't think so, honey, Melo. You apolis, but maybe that's too heavy for it's way too on the nose. You need to know better. Okay, I don't think so, honey. You think we're all on the same page about okay, okay, alright, So also, I'm sorry, are we supposed to think that he's hot? No? I think people do think he's hot. Like those people, he looks like a like a fucking Madame Tussau. Yeah well actually yeah, Madam Tussau. That's like half melted. He looks like the justin Timberlake Madame Tussau

got left out in the kid people. Yeah for me, hold on, let me let me make myself a victim right now, like so many white people are lately. Yeah, Bowen and I Bowen and I have had an interaction with a true fucking idiot. Um. I almost just revealed too much about him. But like, anyway, like basically, what was it about? It was about you took a screenshot of the of the alert for the child. It was

the Chelsea bomber, the Chelsea bomber. We were up. I made a point of saying that it was bullshit that they just sent out like a Middle East going too heavy by the way, and now we're talking about Chelsea bomber. Sure, but let's let's just talk about this because this is fun. This is so basically, Yeah, that New York City fucking blasted it out to all of us and are just

a name in staid see media for photo. And it was like you blessed out the name like ahmad something like we all like, you know, the masters are going to think that they're gonna think, are they gonna go actually go to the media and look for the picture. I doubt anyone did. It was just gonna stoke racism and everyone. It was such bullshit and also like if they had, honestly they caught him minutes later, like you know what I mean, they obviously could and did do

this themselves anyway for this guy. So this guy. Um, I was like, well they were just trying to catch the guy, Like what do you mean? Yeah, he was playing Devil's advocate in a way that's just like so gross something. And I was just like, well, that's the police's job. The public, isn't the police. And then Bowen chimes.

I chimed in. I was like, well, if you're just giving them a name and nothing else than every brown guy in the Tristate area, it just doesn't want it would be a fool to leave the house and like that's awful, and he responds, um okay, and I'm just like shut up. And then about eighteen hours later, he finally chimes back in and goes, well, what what would you have done? And I was like, um, like what

were they supposed to do? And I was like, well they should have had some kind of communications person like think think ahead on this and be like, well, maybe this isn't the best day anything exactly, anything but a name exactly, so like it's so and so then this guy was like, well, well, you you're not really offering up solutions. And then finally I just lost my patience and maybe this wasn't the best thing for me to say,

but I was like, oh my god, shut up. So today he posted a status where he just got really sulky and was like, Wow, I'm getting really exhausted and just downtrodden on how no one, no one I'm arguing with his bring solutions and all they can do is tell you to shut up. And it was like, it's so hard to try to find solutions when the argument on the other side is always just shut up. That's all my argument was. And it's like, what did you say?

You were like, oh wow, like has fragile almost make them feel so endangered, like you must feel really just like subjugated by them, just so stupid, like white people like you don't have to jime in on everything. My my, my fucking favorite thing lately is white people, straight white people announcing that they're listening, shut up. Shut that stuff on social media is like what a performance? I know.

And also like another thing that really gets me is it's like, um, just so you know I'm watching you and you haven't posted a hashtag black Lives Matter. It's like, shut up, you know. That is one of my actually biggest pet peeves right now is like people being like if you're posting bits or you're posting this, and it's like, I think social media is like ten years old. Ten years old, we're all still figuring it out. We are all still and it's like so like individualized and personal

the way we use social media. I personally am the person who like posts after Orlando like a big long Like I am famous for posting big long screens on Facebook that everyone, oh, I do as well. I feel

like some people, but some people just don't. People don't use Facebook that way and that's fine, Like and I think, like I it's just like so weird when we are expect people use social media in the same way when it is like relatively so new and none of us really have like there's just no standard, there's no tax.

And that's when you lose your personality and become someone that's just on social media, when you allow it to become so fucking real to you that you're like, I'm personally offended that you're not taking a stand on your social media and I am watching and guess what, you know what I believe you. I believe that you are sitting on your Facebook wait for people to thousand friends on Facebook. How can you be like paying on everybody and not that that's the biggest problem in the world.

Like and I'm but I'm just saying like it's frustrating when you make it feel like that, like just I don't know. Yeah, all right, let's get to where. I don't think so Honey City Edition. I'm ready to go. All right, you have and I don't think alright, So for our listeners and maybe first time listeners, I don't think so Honey is the centerpiece of our show. It is UM sixty seconds to rail against something in culture. We have a very special locational edition UM. And Bowen

Yang has is I don't think so Honey. I can see jillkan Booster thinking hard about I'm about to burn some bridges. I'm about to burn some bridges, Honey. Well, I don't want anyone to come from me or my homeland. Okay, no, don't worry. And Bowen Yang, I don't think so Honey starts now. I don't think so Honey. Austin, Texas faux hipsterism is a farce, and I see right through you, bitch.

Oh my god. I was walking down the streets of Austin, Texas in March, just this march, walking down this perfectly manicured sixties art or fucking art deco whatever, it's hodge pods of inspirations of it's just perfectly manicured, perfectly white. Just everything is just so like it's just the veneerest cracking honey, and listen. I was walking down the streets and then this fucking white bearder do with tats up his aren't like a tat sleep was on a typewriter

typing up poems for a dollar. And I was like, honey, I've seen this. I saw this in Williamsburg in two thousand and eight. I do not care for this. Ahead of you, I'm ahead of you, and look, mom at like torties. I went to I went back to Denver and there was a new fucking Tortise Tacos, which is a taco chain in Austin, Texas. Great tacos, but like it was just so obnoxiously garish on Broadway in Denver, and I was like, oh no, Like Austin's even like

taken over this and like, I don't think so. Honey, Austin Texas, you're fake. I see right through you. That's one minute. That's one minute. That was Bonang taking down Austin, Texas. If I may add something about Austin, Texas. Yes, Austin Texas, I have been to you once. Yes, Austin Texas. Sides did have one or nine or twelve cocktails. Yes, Austin Texas. I did get into a fight and argument that almost got physical with the taco truck employee who's still fifty

dollars from me. Yes, when I come back, I will find you. Yes, when I come back, I will get fifty. Yes, I did cry at the bar. That's huge and had to be consoled by my instin. You have the whole lifetime in Austin. Austin is the true Vegas. No offense to Chrissie Shockoler because an Austin Native, and I do like Austin. She's not an Austin Native. She's from around Oh no, no, she lived in them. She moved there after college. Yeah, I believe she grew up in Dallas

or outside of Dallas. That's true. But Austin, like I don't know. I don't know, honey. I think I don't know, honey. Fan of Christy Shackelford and her work on four Nights in Orlando, but yes, or two nights in Miami. Why don't you check out Bowen and Eyes four nights in Orlando, two nights in Miami series to find out Christie Shackoler the performer, what she's capable of, because she plays quite

a villain like any worthy featured like guest role. Absolutely, absolutely, she is the guest actress she deserved the we're building up a lot of she is. She is honestly the Connie Britton to your sisters, Sarah Paulson in that like we only see Christie once in the series, and we see Chelsea a lot, but I honestly prefer prefer con Britton. But I feel like she's the Gaga of the series,

where she's sort of the centerpiece of that series. A little bit, um guys were building up a lot of anticipation for the next theme park for our city, uh soap opera or horror anthology, and we can confidently say that it will probably take place. What is it gonna be? Three months in Los Angeles you're gonna be in one. It's gonna be just It's gonna be justin evening in Anna,

justin evening and justin evening and Annah. And maybe we'll also go to Valencia, Darling and Valencic Spice Magic Mountain, have a night out on the mountain. I still said before, Um, I guess I'll go next. Okay, here we go. This is my I don't think so, Honey, here we go, bow and bring me in. I don't think the honey matts. I don't think that honey, time starts now. I don't think so. Cincinnati, Ohio, bitch was in you just last

year and there was nothing to do. Your Panera bread clothes at eight clock, your your restaurants closed at eight o'clock. I couldn't believe it. It It was a Tuesday evening. It's as if you believe that people have dinner at six thirty and then call it a fucking night. And also your hotels horrible. And I had stayed in a brand new holiday in and guess what, nary a restaurant for me to order from? What am I supposed to do? Starve?

You're starving for culture. I walked down the street to Cincinnati. I've seen nothing but industrial building. I've seen nothing. Your baseball team sucked, the Reds. What a name is that? I had to leave the city and go thirty miles outside the city to go to Paramount King's Island Theme Park to find any some entertainment. Let me tell you something, Cincinnati, I don't think so. You're never gonna get a theme song sung by Taylor Swift. You're gonna get nothing. Cincinnati, Ohio.

You're boring your bland. You're not very grand. That's one minute. Can I just say really quickly about Sincinday? I agree. I also in the before I moved to New York, I managed a call center in Cincinnati, Um, very long from remotely for so. I worked for a company called group On. Heard of it, And my last job at group On was I managed remotely from Chicago call centers in Cincinnati, Austin or Cincinnati, Virginia and Austin. Wow, that's legit.

Um yeah, it was way too much responsibility for twenty year old man. And let me tell you when a twenty four year old game Asian man walks into a call center in Cincinnati and starts bostling around all the old white men that that like run the call center there for the day to day. I did not love it. And it was literally election night it was Romney lost, so tensions were already high. But Cincinnati, I will say this for them, they have a restaurant called Thanksgiving every day.

It is literally what you think it is. It is a fast casual restaurant where you can get turkey stuffing, uh like rolls, all of the thanks Giving fix things. And it's brilliant and it's open until three. Everything closed so early there though, I know. But this guy, this place was opened by a college student. Oh that's brilliant. Good for him. I was hearing the last time I was talking shit about Cincinnati. UM was in at Maud and our director at the time, bed Weed Marsham, was like,

I'm from Cincinnati's the nicest sketch. Oh yeah, he's great. He's very funny. He fucking writes some some such some So you just said you'd fuck him. He's attracted. I don't know. I mean, I don't know what I said. In Park Slope at a coffee shopping we just had the loveliest conversation. Is a very nice I like him very much. Yes, I like him a lot, and he

writes some funny ass ship. He is very funny, I will say in our one on one at the end of two oh one, and I was in a hollacious two o one class in the middle of the afternoon and it was literally all twenty two year old boys from Long Island. Sorry, like was it was just so bad, but like he was great, and in our one on one he was like, I can I can tell that you're very, very funny and good at this. I don't

know if I always get what you. Ben said that, and I was like, hey, you wrote a sketchow about baseball and I liked it, but also same like I know you're very funny, and maybe we don't we just don't schell, you know, like he directed the show where I played Ryan Murphy, and the whole sketch was just turning turning television shows gayer because that's how that's how

you make them good. And Ryan Murphy's broad and I remember just like I'd be doing this sketch in his note to be like, yeah, okay, that was funny, just be like yeah, I don't know for like going to change much about this, but I love ben Um and what the sketch with Dommin's a litto where he played Dookie Tits. I didn't see that, Okay, no, look up, dom Men's a little place. Dukie Tits Langon Kingsley's in the video, Katie Ruth in it for a little bit at the end, Alex dixons in it. Oh my god,

it's Alex Dixon's really funny. She's great. Okay, all right, it's such a funny video. Joel. I don't think it's honey. All right, this is Joel's. I don't think some new debut and it's an anxiety and this is your legacy. Say, I don't think so honey as much. Here we go, I don't think so honey, Joel Kim Booster jolly go Now, I don't think so honey. Saint Louis not Lois Missouri, bitch. I see you, I see you so close to Chicago. Do you think your proximity and the fact that we

share a river makes you as good as us? Don't even step You are trash and everyone knows you are trash. What do you favous for? Fried ravioli? That's not a food. You can't just take another food and fry it and say it's your signature fucking dish. You gotta come with a good signature food, bitch, and your signature landmark and arch that you have to pay twenty four dollars to get into a rickety elevator to get to the fucking

top of the arch, I don't think so, honey. I can go to Chicago and get into a fucking glass floor yea Billis tower for a way cheaper than that, Honey. I don't think so. Your gay bar I went to it. It's under a highway for like, especially good for all you fucking little goblin boys in in St. Louis, because I don't think, Sonny, your gay community side meant St. Louis is gay community sucks. He doesn't. But everything else that I mean totally you can own everything else. I'm

I'm very happy with that. I don't think that was wonderful. And also I learned a lot what how expensive to go to the top of the arch? You know, I just um, we got there and it was just us in a bunch of fucking Amish people, and we turned right around and found out twenty four hour speaking of the word willis me Zach Willis and Eric Gerson went to the top of the Freedom Tower a few weeks

ago and it was so cool. It was have you. Yeah, the pictures are one thing, but the experience is another thing, because you the elevator ride is like a ride in and of itself, and as you ascend, like you can see that the creation of the city around you. Like it, it's as if you started like year fifteen hundred, and then when you get to the top of your twos and sixteen and it shows like the rise and fall of the buildings and like they're being It was very emotional.

And then when you get to the top, like this is a movie, and then the movie screen pulls up in there's the view of Manhattan and you're like, whoa, that's a cool experience. It was. I was happy that that I did it. I'm going to do that. Um, great, this is This has been a great episode of It's

been a great episode. We've learned a lot about the musical theater past, which is which is actually a great sort of like like a narrative for for for every person who's dabbles in musical In fact, maybe next week we should do a whole episode about musical there Broadway cast chords, waitress. I can't get in half. I think we have we might have a guest in mind. I have a guest in mind. All right, Well, to be continued. Thanks so much to Joel for joining us um. I

hate Joel Kim. That's your Twitter hand anything else, that's where you can find him. Come on. So I'm on Comedy Central third season of The Mountdown with Jonah CuMo, which premieres on septemb I believe I'm on the first step, but I'm not sure. But either way you'll find me on that season. And I We'm wearing a crop top on TV. Absolutely you must and come see us at um do perform in Lake Homo High. Will not be in this show. You're not going to be in it. No,

And there's this story off camp or off camp. We're always on cam. Alright, guys, good night, good night, wait Lost Culture Recess. Hey, listeners, I love you, we love you. This has been a Forever Dog production executive produced by Joe Cilio, Alex Ramsay, and Brett Boum. For more podcasts, please visit Trevor Dog Productions dot com