We’re thrilled that Feast of Fun was nominated in two categories in the 2009 People’s Choice Podcast Awards in the “Best GLBT” category and the top prize of the “People’s Choice.”

These awards are considered the top prize for podcasting and we’re jumping with joy at the nominations. This really makes a tremendous difference in helping us to continue our programming, maintain the website and secure guests and sponsorships.

From the bottom of our hearts and on behalf of all our wonderful guests we thank you so much for your nomination. Voting starts on November 13th.

Those amazing Filipino prisoners, known for their amazing recreation of Michael Jackson’s Thriller are back at it again with a Queen medley.

Can someone explain to me why there are women dancing with the men in this prison video?

I still can’t figure out why David Hasselhoff’s music is popular in Germany. One things for sure, he never fails to entertain.

During MTV’s 2009 European Music Awards (EMA) the actor best known for his appearances on the TV shows “Baywatch” and “Knight Rider” as well as the viral video of him eating a cheeseburger off his hotel room floor.

Chances are these days he’ll show up drunk to just about anything.

As David Hasselhoff went up to the podium he blurted into the mic: “I am not responsible for the wall coming down, these Germans are responsible for the wall coming down. They are responsible for the wall coming down because they believed in FREEDOM!”

I know you might be shaking your heads in disapproval, but shouldn’t rock stars always be a little drunk?

We all know who the real berlin wall is. - Thanks D-Listed!

Cha Sa-Soon

Cha spent more than 5 million won ($4200 U.S. dollars) since taking the test in 2005. Now the driving portion of the test begins, hopefully taking place in a closed course. She told the Korea Times newspaper that she needed the license for her vegetable selling business. “Don’t give up your dream, like me. Be strong and do your best.”

I think after failing 950 attempts you’re not just persistent, you might also have a learning disability.

Read the entire story here.

One of my favorite web series is the “Cher and Chaz show” a comedy collaboration between Jackie Beat, Nadya Ginsburg, Selene Luna and the fabulous Roseanne Barr. As usual, they’re all brilliant.

You might remember when we talked to Nayda and Selene in October about working on the websieres, and here’s the next episode!

My favorite line is Jackie Beat as Chaz saying to his mom Cher “that’s not you talking, that’s the botox!”

If you live in L.A. be sure to check out Jackie Beat’s new play “Whatever Happened to Busty Jane?” Starring Jackie Beat & Mario Diaz
With Nadya Ginsburg & Sam Pancake, and Introducing Selene Luna as “Edwina.” It’s now playing at the Cavern Club Celebrity Theater.

Grammar Girl Mignon Fogarty - photo: Fausto Fernós

In 2006 Mignon Fogarty started Grammar Girl, a podcast to help others with their writing by providing short episodes done in a smart, savvy tone that makes learning fun.

Months after kicking off her new podcast Mignon was on the Oprah Winfrey Show, named by iTunes as one of the best podcasts of the year and was nominated along with us for the People’s Choice Podcast Award’s top prize.

Mignon is considered by many as one of the most successful podcasters of all time. Who knew that doing a podcast on grammar would be such a hot success?

Today Mignon joins us in our studio to talk about the common problems everyone has with grammar and gives us a behind the scenes look at her incredible journey.

Mignon’s come out with a brand new book “The Grammar Devotional: Daily Tips for Successful Writing” now available on our site.

Listen as the Grammar Girl talks about the controversial topic of sex and gender in grammar, homophones and homonyms, pigeon english and lolcats, and the possible influence twitter has on the way we write.

Visit out our sponsors:

LifeLube Your Field Guide to Gay Men’s Health
Delivering daily news and commentary on sexuality, cutting edge research, and fresh thinking on health & wellness.
2009 GLAAD Media Award Nominee for “How Are You Healthy” ad campaign.

Featured Book:
The Grammar Devotional: Daily Tips for Successful Writing from Grammar Girl: Amazon
Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing: Amazon

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Cupéro – Cupéro: iTunes

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Claire and Gretchen on Heroes.

Characters get married, have babies, die or visit alternate universes in order to stop an army of organic/mechanical hybrids that eat thermometers to stay alive–which seems plausible now that I’ve seen it on “Fringe.”

It seems lately that more shows are having characters get their gay on.

Two “straight” characters on two different TV shows have same-sex experiences recently–OK, chaste, harmless experiments. On “Heroes” immortal cheerleader Clare Bennett, played by Hayden Panettiere, shared a kiss with Gretchen, her college roommate. On “Gossip Girl” manipulative antagonist Chuck Bass locked lips with a tertiary character named Josh. Both main characters–Claire and Chuck–were passive participants in these closed-mouth kisses. There was no reciprocal smooching going on.
Claire seemed afraid and Chuck seemed bored–but maybe that’s just Ed Westwick’s poor acting.

Is this same-sex smooching something the gay community should celebrate? It brings homosexuality and bisexuality to the forefront on TV. Or should the community admonish the showrunners for using gay story lines only for shock value to increase ratings?

Read the entire story on Chicagonow.

What do you think of it?

Glaad says this:

“Though this seems to represent a well-intentioned effort by the creators of South Park to delegitimize a vulgar anti-gay slur, the fact is that the word is and remains a hateful slur that is often part of the harassment, bullying and violence that gay people, and gay youth in particular, experience on a daily basis in this country. It is an epithet that has real consequences for real people’s lives. Just this year, an 11-year-old Massachusetts student named Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, unable to endure the unrelenting anti-gay bullying and name-calling he experienced at school, committed suicide.

The creators of South Park are right on one important point: more and more people are using the F-word as an all-purpose insult. However, it is irresponsible and wrong to suggest that it is a benign insult or that promoting its use has no consequences for those who are the targets of anti-gay bullying and violence. This is a slur whose meaning remains rooted in homophobia. And while many South Park viewers will understand the sophisticated satire and critique in last night’s episode, others won’t – and if even a small number of those take from this a message that using the “F-word” is OK, it worsens the hostile climate that many in our community continue to face.”

I did a Google search for the MALIK NIDAL HASAN, the last entry is a chilling – www.makingakilling.org. The finance site has nothing to do with today’s mass murder but what a weird coincidence.

Cameron Esposito, Marc Felion and Fausto Fernós - photo by Fausto Fernós

Move over Halloween, tell Turkey Day to stuff it! Christmas season is here, the holiday where people from all religions come together to worship the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

But before we dive into the eggnog, the very funny comedian Cameron Esposito joins us to take a last look at our outrageous Halloween Costumes as the Wild Things and go over her hyper-lesbian Battlestar Galatica costume complete with fake tattoos.

Cameron is recording her first comedy album on December 3rd and 4th at the Lincoln Lodge produced by Rooftop Comedy. She’s looking for belly busting-laughers, gigglers, snorters, chucklers and cacklers to provide the laugh track- which means she wants you come to see the show. We’ll be there so let’s get a big table and sit in the back so we won’t be tempted to heckle.

If you live in Chicago, be sure to see her tonight at the Center on Halsted along with Bill Cruz and Jessica Halem for Outlaugh.

James Miller, dressed as breathalyser

In the news-
Maine Says No to Marriage Equality but yes to pot. In a disappointing election on Tuesday, voters in Maine overturned a law allowing same-sex couples to wed, dealing another huge setback to the gay marriage movement. Were they too high to tell the difference between “yes” and “no” ballots?

So what are we going to boycott to teach this New England state a lesson– lobsters, LL Bean or Steven King novels?

But it’s not all bad news- voters in Kalamazoo, Michigan finally pass the highly debated anti-discrimination ordinance, approved by the City Council earlier in June.

A woman calls police to complain that her daughter is better at performing oral sex according to her husband.

High tech help for modern day Santas.

Google is sued for religious bias against witches.

Visit out our sponsors:

LifeLube Your Field Guide to Gay Men’s Health
Delivering daily news and commentary on sexuality, cutting edge research, and fresh thinking on health & wellness.
2009 GLAAD Media Award Nominee for “How Are You Healthy” ad campaign.

Featured Music:
Cupéro – Cupéro: iTunes

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Happy Anniversary to Sesame Street, and thank you from all Gen X, Y and Z’ers (and beyond) who have benefited from the show since its start in 1969.

Man inside his rebuilt Pan Am cabin

Pam Ann needs to get in touch with this man. They’ll make beautiful Pan An babies!!!

Many of the world’s religious leaders disagree on a lot of things, but one thing that brings them together is their condemnation of the gays. But why pick on the gays at all? Isn’t God all about love anyway?

Today we’re talking to filmmaker Ky Dickens about her fascinating new documentary “Fish Out of Water” which details her struggle to come to terms with how religious people view same-sex loving folks.

Ky came out as a lesbian to her friends in college but was met with hostility and religious condemnation. She was encouraged to seek counseling and reparative therapy. Instead, she sought out all the specific references in the Bible to homosexuality and debunked them.

After finding out that the few mentions of homosexuality in the Bible didn’t carry much weight when taken into context, Ky wrote a letter to her friend detailing what she found. Her friend not only understood her message but apologized. This powerful moment inspired Ky to reach out to a larger audience with a documentary on what she found out.

Listen as Ky talks about interviewing everyday Americans in truck stops, barbershops and shopping malls about the Bible’s take on homosexuality.

Hanging out with Shirley Phelps- is she for real? Who are the good guys fighting the good fight? And why don’t more ministers and churches stand up for equality?

Fish out of Water shows this Sunday in Chicago at the Music Box theater as part of Reeling, the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.

In the news:
The French Courts convict The Church of Scientology of fraud, fining them $900,000.

And a Wisconsin woman called the police on herself for driving drunk.

Visit out our sponsors:

Human Rights Campaign Gala 2009 – Time to Shine
Join us on Saturday, Nov. 7 for the most elegant evening of the year featuring Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child and Joe Solmonese, HRC’s President. Visit hrcchicago09.com for tickets and info.

Featured Music:
Saffire – The Uppity Blues Women – Havin’ the Last Word: iTunes

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Did you miss the Naked Pumpkin Run?

The sexy and zany annual Halloween tradition in Boulder, Colorado is about to be shut down by the cops because they’re cracking down on “indecent exposure” during Halloween.

The Naked Pumpkin Run features lots of guys and gals, a lot of them in great shape running down the streets on Halloween night wearing not much except a pumpkin on their head.

Seriously, these guys are hot. I wouldn’t mind them knocking on my door for a trick or treat!

This years run still happened, with around 4,000 people taking part in the Halloween revelry, thwarting the efforts of local police to arrest them by covering themselves up to be “within the law.”

And best of all, they have their own website. Check out their pics of their runs from years past. (Not safe for work because of nudity.)

– Read the entire story in the Wall Street Journal.

Amazing mash-up made by UK writer and musician Ricardo Autobahn, celebrating what he calls the “Golden Age of Video.” Love that he picked the half-man, half-woman “freak” from Todd Browning’s classic film “Freaks” to open the whole thing.

It completely blows my mind when I think about the hours the guy spent on making this video.

So crazy and loveable, Chicago’s answer to Little Edie, Victoria Lamarr sings her Halloween song.

Self Doubt by Flickr user Ashenzil

Marc and I heard blogger Laura Fitton speak at this year’s Blogworld Expo, talking about how we cheat our communities of our own insight and experience when we bring into question weather we should even put our own ideas forward.

It’s in this spirit that the Feast of Fun: Fresh section was built, as a way for people to sort content and find other people blogging about the same things.

Please really take ownership of this section, it’s yours! Don’t hold back. Don’t be mean. Post often!

The Creepy USS New York, built from the wreckage of the World Trade Center

While I think in many ways that it’s a beautiful concept to reuse the metal from such a tragedy, I also think it’s a little creepy.

In 1926, Mae West and the entire cast of her play “Sex” were arrested for “corrupting the morals of youth and others.”

Mae West aroused the wrath of the New York City moralists because her bedroom farce features a brazen unapologetic sex worker, who after a series of misadventures, falls in love and lives happily ever after. Mae West wrote the play for herself because she was no longer content with playing the good little girl mistaken for a hooker or the working girl that ends up dead in the gutter. She wanted to be the woman that had a good time and wound up with the man in the end, if you know what I mean.

Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere.

As an early supporter of the women’s liberation movement and gay rights, Mae portrayed people seeking both romance and sexy fun in spite of the restrictive standards of the time.

Mae West’s play, Sex was so outrageous that it has never been staged in Chicago until now, some 84 years later. The Prologue Theater Company has brought “Sex” back to life, staging the comedy in a series of rooms located in an old historical mansion on the edge of Lake Michigan.

The play’s bawdy dialogue lends itself well to the enthusiasm of the young theater company and actress Jes Bedwineck does a lovely job playing Mae’s character of Margy LaMont without turning Mae into a cartoon, even though she was quite a bit of character herself.

We’re joined today by Jes and her love interest in the play, actor Sean Patrick Ward, to exchange our favorite Mae West quotes and talk about talk about sexuality and morality of the 1920s. Have we come a long way baby or is the best yet to come?

In the News:

The Chicago Cubs say hello to the first lesbian major league baseball team owner!

The USS New York, a naval warship built from steel salvaged from the wreckage of the World Trade Center arrives in New York City.

and If you’re in Maine, please vote today NO on Proposition 1.

Visit out our sponsors:

Steamworks Gym, Sauna and Baths.
Visit Steamwork’s website and register to get a discount
on your next visit. Enter “Feast of Fun” on the promo
code field to get the special discount.

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Telling on Trixie- Telling on Trixie: iTunes | Amazon

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Taking it to the Max

We had a blast on Halsted Street with Michael, Curtis and Neal. As you can see, we went as the characters from “Where the Wild Things Are.” Although we saw plenty of people dressed up as Max, we were the only ones to do a whole group of monsters.

Visit our Flickr set for more photos.

Fausto and Marc during Halloween, 2007

One of Chicago’s best kept secrets is the Annual Halloween Parade held in the heart of Boystown, Chicago’s primary gay neighborhood, where thousands of people in costumes parade down the street, drawing a flavorful mix, amateur drag queens, sexy Spartans, dressed up doggies and a contest with cash prizes- and busloads of Korean tourists.

Because of the chilly weather, the crowds are modest compared to most major cities Halloween celebrations, so its like a party with all your friends instead of a overwhelming mob of strangers.

What are you going as? We’re going as the monsters from Where the Wild Things Are, — let the wild rumpus start!

Curtis Jensen, gingerbread house aficionado, robot lover and director of marketing for Steamworks joins us to talk about our Halloween adventures of the past and the exciting things to come.

Will San Francisco overcome their Halloween woes?

Levi Johnston claims that Sarah Palin repeatedly joked about her Downs Syndrome baby saying– “Wheres my little retarded baby?” No she wasn’t talking about her husband Todd.

A Florida Man accused of killing his son-in-law is arguing that he was unable to commit the crime because he’s too fat and get this, his name is Edward Ates.

Christmas cards used for revenge.

California on the brink of legalizing pot.

And a phone call from a gay listener who says he’s been asked to leave a gay bar because he appears to be too straight.

Visit out our sponsors:
Interactive Male’s Big Gay Kiss Contest
Interactive Male, the hottest gay chatline in North America is offering you the chance to win $10,000 in the Big Gay Kiss Contest. Send in a video or a picture of two guys kissing and Interactive Male will donate money to Marriage Equality USA.

Human Rights Campaign Gala 2009 – Time to Shine
Join us on Saturday, Nov. 7 for the most elegant evening of the year featuring Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child and Joe Solmonese, HRC’s President. Visit hrcchicago09.com for tickets and info. d.

Featured Music:
Spy For Hire – Speak In Numbers: iTunes | Amazon

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Halloween fast approaches and tales of horror ensue as the protagonist in our melodrama suffers from the curse of the she-wolf! No, it’s not an infliction caused by Shakira’s famous song, it is an evil that lurks in the heart of all mankind, where the beast takes over and all humanity is lost when the moon is full.

What’s next in our gay story of tranny terror?

Did you miss our gay haunted house? We had a blast at Feast Beast tonight – rats and all! Join us as we talk Cursed Chicago, a house of horror that’s sure to scare you.

Listen as we take a look back on our extraordinary trip to California, thanks to our sponsors and all the fabulous people in LA and Las Vegas who made the trip a resounding success. Thank you so much, it is truly appreciated.

In the news:
Obama signs the Hate Crime Bill into effect making it a federal hate crime to assault people based on sexual orientation, gender and gender identity.

A church made famous in the “Legend of Sleepy Hallow” by Washington Irving says “no thanks” to Halloween themed weddings.

Giant inflatable statue of a man with a huge member is put on display in China to promote “Masculine Health Day” but what is it missing?

An an iPhone ap that can remotely drive a car but should it?

Visit out our sponsors:
Interactive Male’s Big Gay Kiss Contest
Interactive Male, the hottest gay chatline in North America is offering you the chance to win $10,000 in the Big Gay Kiss Contest. Send in a video or a picture of two guys kissing and Interactive Male will donate money to Marriage Equality USA.

Get a FREE audio book at Audible.com
Go ahead and get one- it’s free! Follow the link: www.audiblepodcast.com/feastoffun
to get that free download.

Featured Music:
Matt Alber – Hide Nothing: iTunes | Amazon

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Get ready to cast a spell, a sexy spell that is. Halloween is just days away, so we’ve invited Shivian Balaris — a real-life cute gay witch to help us get into the spirit of the season.

Shivian is a full-time neo-pagan running his own online witchcraft parlor Potionwood, specializing in unique solutions for your every wish. Problems with the boss? Lost love? Money woes? He’s got a spell for that! Or maybe even a curse!

Listen as this Ginger Witch talks about hoodoo hijinks, warlocks, wiccans, sex magic and the seven highly effective habits of successful witches. What do practicing modern witches really do and why are they so obsessed with cauldrons, eye of newt and pointy hats?

Endora from the Bewitched versus Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter- who would win in a battle royal of famous witches?

Join us on a spooky kooky journey as we delve into the roots of Halloween, the origins of jack-o-lanterns, why witches ride broomsticks and the reason cats are so closely associated with the occult.

Shivian reads our tarot cards for a peek into the future and performs an incantation to bring you the listener great success. Please let us know how that works out!

Visit out our sponsors:

Steamworks Gym, Sauna and Baths.
Visit Steamwork’s website and register to get a discount
on your next visit. Enter “Feast of Fun” on the promo
code field to get the special discount.

LifeLube Your Field Guide to Gay Men’s Health
Delivering daily news and commentary on sexuality, cutting edge research, and fresh thinking on health & wellness.
2009 GLAAD Media Award Nominee for “How Are You Healthy” ad campaign.

Featured Music:
Mike Rickard – Sweat: iTunes

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We’re working on our costumes based on Where The Wild Things Are! Wait till you see the pocket gay we got to go as Max. He’s adorable, and we can’t wait to eat him!

Featuring acts from The Scootie & Jojo Show

BEAST FEAST
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 28TH 2009 7PM – 11PM
@ The Chronicles of the Cursed Haunted House
560 W. Grand Ave , Chicago

The November 2008 election dealt an unsettling blow to the gay rights movement when voters in California narrowly passed Proposition 8 a measure to take away the state’s ability to issue same-sex marriage licenses.

After the measure passed, fashion photographer Adam Bouska and his partner, Jeff Parshley, founded the “NO H8 Campaign” to promote the overturn of Proposition 8.

The campaign shows photos of people dressed in white shirts against a white background with their mouths covered in duct tape in silent protest and the words NO H8 emblazoned across their cheek. Although it began with just photos of everyday people the campaign grew to include the enthusiastic participation of families, police officers, filmmakers, actors, musicians, celebrities, politicians and even Kathy Griffin.

Although some criticize the project as superficial, its anything but. The NO H8 Campaign has galvanized people on the internet to take a very active stand and to raise funds for this important cause.

Listen to the show to find out why Adam and Jeff were so inspired to start the campaign, what risque photos are too sexy to be included and how you too can participate.

And the Hate Crime Bill is finally passed and will be signed into law by President Obama, what does this mean for you?

Visit out our sponsors:

Steamworks Gym, Sauna and Baths.
Visit Steamwork’s website and register to get a discount
on your next visit. Enter “Feast of Fun” on the promo
code field to get the special discount.

LifeLube Your Field Guide to Gay Men’s Health
Delivering daily news and commentary on sexuality, cutting edge research, and fresh thinking on health & wellness.
2009 GLAAD Media Award Nominee for “How Are You Healthy” ad campaign.

Featured Music:
Jeffery Straker – Step Right Up: iTunes | Amazon

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