Advertise on podcast: Night Fever

Hosts James St. James, Fenton Bailey, and Randy Barbato are joined by multidisciplinary artist and former Club Kid Desi Santiago (aka Desi Monster) for an unfiltered journey through 1990s New York nightlife. Desi opens up about growing up above a Newark bar, serving acid punch at 18, the origins of his shapeshifting "zero" gender aesthetic, and raw memories of icons like Lee Bowery and Michael Alig. Plus, he reflects on his creative pivot from the chaotic club scene to metalsmithing, high-concept fashion collaborations, and immersive art installations.

This week on Night Fever, James St. James, Fenton Bailey, and Randy Barbato sit down with legendary journalist, author, and fashion insider William Norwich to talk all things New York society and gossip culture. William breaks down how he bridged the gap between uptown high society and downtown club life, recounting everything from watching a drunk Truman Capote wipe out on the dance floor to navigating high-stakes media rivalries with legend Aileen Mehle aka Suzy Knickerbocker. Packed with unfiltered stories about Blaine Trump, Anna Wintour, and more, this is an extraordinary, sharp, and hilarious look at NYC history from the ultimate insider.

In this episode, hosts James St. James, Fenton Bailey, and Randy Barbato are joined by downtown legend and nightlife icon Sally Randall. Step inside the glitter, chaos, and legendary stories of the club scene as Sally opens up about her wild adventures, the eccentric characters of the era, and what it really took to rule the night. From backstage secrets to front-row culture, hit play for an unvarnished, hilarious, and unforgettable deep dive into nightlife history.

Step beyond the velvet ropes with hosts James St. James and Fenton Bailey as they welcome the legendary Lincoln Palsgrove IV, the suave gatekeeper who masterfully curated the doors of Manhattan’s most exclusive '80s and '90s clubs. In this episode, Lincoln reveals the secret psychology behind the clipboard, the volatile formula for mixing club kids with Wall Street elites, and how he maintained his cool amidst bribes and tantrums.

This week on Night Fever, hosts James St. James, Fenton Bailey, and Randy Barbato sit down with quintessential New York nightlife icon, writer, and comedian Nora Burns. From arriving in Manhattan in the late '70s to pioneering downtown comedy with celebrated troupes like Unitard and The Nellie Olesons, Nora has lived through the golden eras of disco, counterculture, and after-hours chaos.

In this episode, Drag Race legend Raja discusses her earliest experiences in the LA club scene of the '90s at places like Ripples, Peanuts, Arena, and Circus. From her teen years experimenting with Club Kid looks to running her own club and working with Tyra Banks on America's Next Top Model, we've watched her style evolve to the regal queen we know today.

This week, James, Fenton, and Randy sit down with the undisputed king and queen of the underground, Chi Chi Valenti & Johnny Dynell. From the grit of the Mudd club to the glamorous theater of Jackie 60 and beyond, this iconic duo has spent four decades shaping the soundtrack and style of New York City nightlife. Tune in as they share wild, never-before-told stories from the DJ booth, the dance floor, and the creative trenches of the city's most legendary subcultures.

On this episode of Night Fever, hosts James St. James and Fenton Bailey sit down with legendary nightlife figure Christina Visca. Tune in as they dive deep into the campy, glamorous, and wild history of running NYC's biggest clubs in the late 80s and early 90s, her friendship and partnership with world famous DJ Junior Vasquez, Halloween '89 with Grace Jones at the Sound Factory (peep the poster in the video), and what she's doing now.

Night Fever season six starts with an extra special guest who really needs no introduction - James St. James himself! James chats with WOW co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato about his childhood, moving to New York City, and making it big!

Supericonic downtown sister act Tish & Snooky recall their days as backup singers for Debbie Harry, their own band The Sick F***s, opening the first punk boutique in America, and creating their game changing hair color product Manic Panic.

The undisputed Queen of House Music, Screamin’ Rachel, talks about recording the first house music song, her early days in the Chicago warehouse scene, and her friendships with Frankie Knuckles and Marshall Jefferson.

Former It-girl April Palmieri discusses Club 57, her time in the band Pulsallama (once described as “13 girls fighting over a cowbell”), and singing backup as a Bodacious TaTa for her best friend, John Sex.

It’s a special two-part episode as we catch up with a couple of former clubkids and give them back their 15 minutes of fame. First up: Christopher Comp on working for Michael Alig as well as his favorite parties and lewks. Then Really Denise discuses the early days of the Tunnel and the ‘80s versus ‘90s club scenes.

Photographer and artist Christopher Makos talks about the ‘70s and ‘80s nightlife scene, his legendary tenure at Interview magazine and being besties with Andy Warhol.

Male model turned bestselling author Brad Gooch talks about Warhol, Mapplethorpe, his former life in the fast lane, and his new biography of Keith Haring, Radiant: The Life and Lines of Keith Haring.