The Sewers of Paris

My guest this week has noticed something funny about the way we each live our lives: we all fumble through life like we're the first one to have ever figured out how to live. And Walt Odets has had a lot of life; he's worked as a photographer, as a airplane pilot transporting priceless cargo, and as a psychologist working through the worst days of the HIV epidemic. We'll be talking about trauma and loss in this episode, including some pretty heavy topics around mortality -- but also emerging from trauma and finding the optimism and strength to carry on. Walt's new book is called Out of the Shadows: Reimagining Gay Men's Lives, and provides a pathway for dealing with feelings of loss, pain, and aimlessness -- guiding people to self-acceptance, self-confidence, and self-realization. We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a reminder that I host twice-monthly livestreams where I chat with listeners like you about the book and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. The next one is on June 22 at 9am pacific, and there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed. Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers. And for more queer podcasting, check out the show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens on an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest! That's at QueensOfAdventure.com. We’re doing a special preview weekend at the end of June, making over 20 hours of backer-exclusive bonus episodes available for anyone to listen to. Visit queensofadventure.com or follow @dungeondrag on twitter, where we’ll post more information in the coming weeks.

My guest this week occupies some unlikely intersections. Michael Twitty is the author of the James Beard awarding-winning book The Cooking Gene, in which he explores the history of African American cuisine through his own family history and his Jewish faith. He's been on a lifelong exploration of those very different identities and others, seeking answers to his past in journeys to Africa, to synagogues, and in the kitchen. We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a reminder that I host twice-monthly livestreams where I chat with listeners like you about the book and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. The next one is on June 8, at 9am pacific, and there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed. Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers. And for more queer podcasting, check out the show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens on an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest! That's at QueensOfAdventure.com. The episode we just posted is a recap of the entire adventure so if you've been looking for a good place to jump in, now's your chance!

What can you gain by giving yourself a fresh start? My guest this week is Noah Michelson, an editor at the Huffington Post. He's been lucky enough to give himself a couple of reboots in life, jumping from situations that were unsafe or unfulfilling to find something better once he wiped the slate clean. We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a reminder that I host twice-monthly livestreams where I chat with listeners like you about the book and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. The next one is on June 8, at 9am pacific, and there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed. Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers. And for more queer podcasting, check out the show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens on an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest! That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

How do you balance time spent in your head with time spent around other people? My guest this week is Ryan Weadon, host of the podcast Ex-Rated Movies where he chats about films with his ex boyfriend. After searching for years to find the work that he loved, Ryan found his true joy on a sweaty dance floor, and now his passion project is mixing exuberant dance with thoughtful conversation between friends and solitary contemplation. We'll have that conversation in a minute. First a reminder that I host twice-monthly livestreams where I chat with listeners like you about the book and movies and music and shows that are bringing you joy right now. The next one is on June 8, at 9am pacific, and there's a link at the top of the Sewers of Paris twitter feed. Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to SewersOfParis.com and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers. And for more queer podcasting, check out the show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens on an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest! That's at QueensOfAdventure.com.

This weekend, I'll be attending The Descent, a Dungeons and Dragons live event in Los Angeles. And so for this week's episode, we're diving into the Sewers archive with a conversation from 2016 featuring game writer David Gaider. You may recognize his name as one of the co-creators of some of the most popular sci-fi and fantasy stories in the world -- his work appears in Baldur's Gate 2, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, Neverwinter Nights, and many more. Though he's been telling stories his whole life, David never planned to become a professional game designer. He didn't think creative work could ever be practical, and even went so far as to turn down the job that would eventually change his life. For years, he operated under the assumption that nobody would be interested in the kinds of stories he really wanted to tell. Until one day he included a piece of himself in his work and found that it didn't just open a door for him, but unlocked new possibilities for everyone around him. And if you like hearing about queer game creators, you might also like Sewers of Paris episode 177, where I chat with Jeremy Crawford, lead rules designer for Dungeons and Dragons. Big thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon -- head over to Sewers and click "Support the show on Patreon" to check out the rewards for backers.

My guest this week is writer and psychologist Victoria Lee. She’s got a soft spot for villains — not just for the deeds they do, but for the emotions they feel and the creativity with which they solve problems. Understanding the difference in everyone’s perspective on good and evil informs the work she does today, conducting experiments to figure out how people respond to challenges in real life — and also in her fiction, which draws on her love of fantasy, science, and the human brain. And BTW, I hope you'll join us for a brand new weekly queer Dungeons & Dragons stream, every Saturday at 11am Pacific. Join me and Connor Olmstead, Brian Moreno, Justin Saint, Jen Vaughn, and my partner James as DM. We just started and now's a perfect time to join us at twitch.tv/prettyprettypixel. And of course, I'm also doing twice-monthly hangouts on YouTube, where I chat with you about the books and movies and music and shows that you're obsessed with right now. There’s a link to the next one on the Sewers of Paris Twitter feed. As always, huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to Patreon.com/mattbaume to check out the rewards available to backers.

We never get back the time we spend in the closet, so once queer people come out we often have to find time to make up for lost time. But if you could go back, and enjoy the things you wanted to, what would you give yourself permission to love? My guest this week is Marc Snetiker, senior editor at Entertainment Weekly. It's a role where he has the freedom to chase the pop culture that he craved as kid and feared being found out for loving. And BTW, I hope you'll join us for a brand new weekly queer Dungeons & Dragons stream, every Saturday at 11am Pacific. Join me and Connor Olmstead, Brian Moreno, Justin Saint, Jen Vaughn, and my partner James as DM. We just started and now's a perfect time to join us at twitch.tv/prettyprettypixel. And of course, I'm also doing twice-monthly hangouts on YouTube, where I chat with you about the books and movies and music and shows that you're obsessed with right now. The next one is on Saturday May 4 at 9am pacific, noon eastern with special guest Jaymes Mansfield from RuPaul’s Drag Race. As always, huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to Patreon.com/mattbaume to check out the rewards available to backers.

My guest this week has been through a lot -- growing up with caretakers who were processing a lot of pain, losing people he thought he could count on, confronting alarming mental illness, and learning far later than most people how to function in the world. Despite all that, Nico Lang's still here, still discovering what it means to be a functioning human being, and still working on understanding everything that happened to him and why. And BTW, I hope you'll join us for a brand new weekly queer Dungeons & Dragons stream, every Saturday at 11am Pacific. Join me and Connor Olmstead, Brian Moreno, Justin Saint, Jen Vaughn, and my partner James as DM. We just started and now's a perfect time to join us at twitch.tv/prettyprettypixel. And of course, I'm also doing twice-monthly hangouts on YouTube, where I chat with you about the books and movies and music and shows that you're obsessed with right now. The next one is on Saturday April 27 at 9am pacific, noon eastern. As always, huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to Patreon.com/mattbaume to check out the rewards available to backers.

How do you reconcile two communities that have been at odds for as long as any of us have been alive? My guest this week is Ross Murray, Senior Director of the GLAAD Media Institute and the Naming Project, as well as a Lutheran Deacon. He felt from an early age that he was called to a life of service to the church, and was lucky enough to live in a bubble where his sexuality and his faith weren't in conflict. And now he's doing what he can to make that a reality for others. And BTW, I hope you'll join us for a brand new weekly queer Dungeons & Dragons stream, every Saturday at 11am Pacific. Join me and Connor Olmstead, Brian Moreno, Justin Saint, Jen Vaughn, and my partner James as DM. We just started and now's a perfect time to join us at twitch.tv/prettyprettypixel. And of course, I'm also doing twice-monthly hangouts on YouTube, where I chat with you about the books and movies and music and shows that you're obsessed with right now. The next one is on Saturday April 27 at 9am pacific, noon eastern. As always, huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to Patreon.com/mattbaume to check out the rewards available to backers.

My guest this week is busy fomenting revolution, but not without his spreadsheets. John Leavitt is an artist and community organizer pushing for the end of debt, plutocracy, and capitalism itself -- sometimes on the front lines of protests, but it turns out social upheaval also requires a lot of office work, and it doesn't hurt to have a wealthy patron or two. If that sounds like a bit of a throwback to a hundred years ago, it's because that's really where John feels the most at home, sometimes calling himself the last person to learn how to cruise in bushes before apps took over. And BTW, I hope you'll join us for a brand new weekly queer Dungeons & Dragons stream, every Saturday at 11am Pacific. Join me and Connor Olmstead, Brian Moreno, Justin Saint, Jen Vaughn, and my partner James as DM. We just started and now's a perfect time to join us at twitch.tv/prettyprettypixel. And of course, I'm also doing twice-monthly hangouts on YouTube, where I chat with you about the books and movies and music and shows that you're obsessed with right now. The next one is on Saturday April 27 at 9am pacific, noon eastern. As always, huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to Patreon.com/mattbaume to check out the rewards available to backers.

My guest this week has honed a variety of superpowers -- among them a skill that so many queer people discover they have, assembling a logical family to achieve greatness that once seemed impossibly distant. Ray Goldberg is a content producer with the podcast Tabletop Potluck, and a screenwriter based in Chicago who had a series of life-defining revelations -- from finding happiness to finding themselves. And BTW, I hope you'll join us for a brand new weekly queer Dungeons & Dragons stream, every Saturday at 11am Pacific. Join me and Connor Olmstead, Brian Moreno, Justin Saint, Jen Vaughn, and my partner James as DM. We just started and now's a perfect time to join us at twitch.tv/prettyprettypixel. And of course, I'm also doing twice-monthly hangouts on YouTube, where I chat with you about the books and movies and music and shows that you're obsessed with right now. The next one is on Saturday April 20 at 9am pacific, noon eastern. As always, huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to Patreon.com/mattbaume to check out the rewards available to backers.

A few weeks ago, I welcomed Kathy Tu to the Sewers of Paris -- she's the co-creator of the podcast Nancy from WNYC. And this week, we're chatting with Nancy's other parent, Tobin Low. He's a recovering cellist-turned-podcaster who realized he hated his career and needed to make a change for his own good. As a young queer person, Tobin got swept up in the fairytale love stories of rom-coms and wedding announcements, but life got messy when it turned out relationships aren't all storybook romances. And BTW, I hope you'll join us for a brand new weekly queer Dungeons & Dragons stream, every Saturday at 11am Pacific. Join me and Connor Olmstead, Brian Moreno, Justin Saint, Jen Vaugn, and my partner James as DM. We just started and now's a perfect time to join us at twitch.tv/prettyprettypixel. And of course, I'm also doing twice-monthly hangouts on YouTube, where I chat with you about the books and movies and music and shows that you're obsessed with right now. The next one is on Saturday April 6. As always, huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to Patreon.com/mattbaume to check out the rewards available to backers.

As wonderful as it feels to live at a time when podcasts rule the earth, this isn't the first golden age for audio storytelling. My guest this week is Briggon Snow, who plays Caleb on the podcast The Bright Sessions. He grew up listening to old radio shows like Abbott and Costello, and Burns and Allen. He developed a keen ear for rich characters expressed through wordplay and vocal inflection, and as an adult, it became his job to inhabit different roles in his professional life. That's how he came to realize that he was inhabiting too many roles in his personal life as well. Also, just a reminder that I host twice-monthly hangouts on YouTube, where I chat with you about the books and movies and music and shows that you're obsessed with right now. The next one is on Saturday April 6. There's a link at the top of the SOP twitter feed. And BTW, I hope you'll join us for a new weekly queer Dungeons & Dragons livestream, every Saturday at 11am Pacific. Join me and Connor Olmstead, Brian Moreno, Justin Saint, Jen Vaughn, and my partner James as DM. On our recent adventure we snuck into a cultist lair inside a giant statue to rescue a man with beautiful cheekbones. You can join us over a twitch.tv/prettyprettypixel. As always, huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to Patreon.com/mattbaume to check out the rewards available to backers.

My guest this week discovered himself somewhere in the lost dark lounges of Miami beach. He grew up in the 1970s, enduring raids on drag shows, wild drug culture, and occasionally running from the police or paddling away in an escape rowboat. Anthony's adventures took him from doing painkillers with the granddaughter of deposed presidents, interviewing Grace Jones, and to a comparatively placid life today of selling tea with his cat-loving husband. And BTW, I hope you'll join us for a brand new weekly queer Dungeons & Dragons stream, every Saturday at 11am Pacific. Join me and Connor Olmstead, Brian Moreno, Justin Saint, Jen Vaugn, and my partner James as DM. We just started and now's a perfect time to join us at twitch.tv/prettyprettypixel. And of course, I'm also doing twice-monthly hangouts on YouTube, where I chat with you about the books and movies and music and shows that you're obsessed with right now. The next one is on Saturday March 23 at 9am Pacific. As always, huge thanks to everyone who makes The Sewers of Paris possible with a pledge of support on Patreon! Head over to Patreon.com/mattbaume to check out the rewards available to backers.

My guest this week is on Mars. Troy Lee Hudson is an Instrument System Engineer for NASA's Insight mission, which just successfully landed a probe on a planet hundreds of millions of miles away from Earth. But he doesn't only explore space -- here on Earth, Troy's ventured into BDSM, finding kink and leather through a chance encounter with a Tom of Finland magazine. And BTW, I hope you'll join us for a brand new weekly queer Dungeons & Dragons stream, every Saturday at 11am Pacific. Join me and Connor Olmstead, Brian Moreno, Justin Saint, Jen Vaugn, and my partner James as DM. And of course, I'm also doing twice-monthly hangouts on YouTube, where I chat with you about the books and movies and music and shows that you're obsessed with right now. The next one is on Saturday March 23 at 9am PST. There's a link at the top of the SOP twitter feed.