Advertise on podcast: The It Girl Podcast with Britney Shields

It’s the season 4 finale of the It Girl podcast and I’m joined by drag king legend King Phantom and viral sensation Sweet Pickles for a conversation that spans the online and the underground drag scenes. With King Phantom we discuss his start in drag in 2008 and how he’s been able to navigate the Southern California drag scene over the past two decades. He shares whether there has been any forward momentum for drag kings and what his dream for the drag king community would be. Pickles, as a more recent transplant on the other hand, discusses her move out to Los Angeles from Virginia and how she’s been able to parlay her social media skills into a successful drag career. She elaborates on the importance of marrying an online presence with live stage appearances in order to garner a fulfilling life as a performer and the muscle it took to get there.  Both acknowledge the competitive nature of the greater Los Angeles drag ecosystem and we marvel at how many entertainers the city holds without enough spaces to showcase them all. With so many it girls, how do you stand out from the pack while also standing in community? Then we get into the It Girls of the Week: (Spoilers ahead!) ·      Miley Cyrus and her mass appeal and wide vocal talent ·      Mitch McConell still missing in action and the growing calls to find the body ·      Abdul El-Sayed winning the Michigan democratic primary and our hearts ·      Perez Hilton harming himself on TikTok live and the life cycle of his inner ethos ·      Jools LeBron and Kendra Wilkinson struggling in the current economy Niche Girls: ·      Gina, a social media creator who knows that her DOLLS ARE NOT REAL but cares for them as if they were ·      Giant Junk Drawers and their appeal to the drag community ·      Butttootking – Lydia Butthole Collins, Suzie Toot, and Kori King’s viral campaign tour that has everyone posting to be selected to open for their show It Girls Who Got Away: ·      Donna Summer – a founding mother of pop music that never receives enough flowers ·      Alanis Morisette – the source material for feminine rage that we can never get enough of ·      Los Angeles – an amazing city that is struggling to survive as the entertainment industry threatens to leave the city for good amongst the greed of its billionaire stockholders Summer It Girl WINNERS We announce the WINNERS for the summer it girl categories. Thank you so much to everyone who voted! And for another fantastic season of the It Girl Podcast!!! ·      Song of the Summer ·      Brand of the Summer ·      It Girl of the Summer ·      NDA (Niche Drag Artist of the Summer) It was the Slam Pig Summer we’ll never forget! We made it through the slop even when we had our moments covered in mud.

This week on the podcast we have two drag king icons Chase Lounge and Mister IHardlyknowher for a discussion about gender f*****y and fighting for space within the LA drag scene. Chase Lounge opens up about his journey after one year of being on testosterone and two years of running an all sapphic and trans drag show called the Pink Pony Club, one of the most consistent spaces for drag king performers in LA. We discuss the origin of Chase and Mister’s friendship and how they both operate as anti-capitalists within a capitalist system while learning how to define their worth as an artist. I ask Mister about their podcast 5 O’clock shadow where they similarly platform members of the community and explore conversations around sexuality and gender identity. I ask them about their experiences with gender dysphoria and how they’re able to navigate within an otherwise binary world. Chase elaborates on self-identifying as “trans masc” and how that feels more comfortable than simply a nonbinary identity. Both Chase and Mister share what they love about performing as fabulous men onstage, elaborating on the healing power of finding the comedy and joy in masculinity. Then we get into the It Girls of the Week: (Spoilers ahead!) ·      Ariana Grande stepping back from the spotlight over scrutiny over her physical appearance in the newly released “Petal” music video which prompted widespread concern for the singer’s health ·      Avril Lavigne stealing Simone Biles’ sunglasses at Taylor Swift’s wedding who’s side are you on? How did they get invited? And is the real Avril Lavigne still alive? Niche Girls: ·      @TopFreakDaddy a Berlin based musician and very hot trans man who is so beautiful that he’s dominating our timelines ·      Nneka Ogwumike a player on the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks who is often referred to as Madame president for turning the franchise into what it is today.  ·      Mary Beth Barone and her new Netflix special being pushed to our own little cool kid group. It Girls Who Got Away: ·      The 11 Like Count on Instagram and how social media conglomerates are trying to capitalize on our gluttonous need for more public validation ·      Prunes the natural fruit that helps your body’s digestive system ·      Courtney Love the rebellious girl with the most cake that we need back on the airwaves. Summer It Girl Nominations We announce the nominees for the summer it girl categories. Voting is open from today 8/5- Saturday 8/8 at 11:59 PM. https://forms.gle/KMZoVWMkRL4UJ5ev8 ·      Song of the Summer ·      Brand of the Summer ·      It Girl of the Summer ·      NDA (Niche Drag Artist of the Summer) It’s an episode full of masculine madness that will have you screaming for more, more, more, more, MORE!

This week we’re chatting with two of the staples of the Los Angeles drag community, Karen Beaches and Amber Crane with audience submitted questions through Instagram. They share their tips and tricks of the trade including how to transition from an independently booked queen to an in house regular, maintaining your love and endurance for drag, and how to live your best soft girl era. We dive into the beginning of their careers from first moving to Los Angeles to competing in local competitions and what sets the city apart from other cultural epicenters. Karen and Amber open up about their close friendship and what it means to have a drag sister that fully loves and supports what you do. They also expand on the types of relationships a drag artist should nurture within their network to maintain a balanced lifestyle with emotional stability. This week I went a little more Super Soul with my questions, but how could I not with two of the most well-respected matriarchs within our community. Then we get into the It Girls of the Week: (Spoilers ahead!) ·      Zendaya dominating red carpets left and right and how she’s been able to maintain her It Girl status with appropriate boundaries AND continue the legacy of a Movie Star ·      Dylan Mulvaney living rent free in Republicans minds and how she’s been able to maintain her peace despite constant attacks ·      Salina Estitties maximizing her Big Brother screen time with a villain arc that might not play with the rest of America Niche Girls: ·      “Quiet on the Creek” by Saucy Santana and his ability to pivot on a dime to capitalize on his virality and the widespread DL culture that permeates our culture ·      Trinity Tatum gaining even more momentum post Love Island and captivating America with her charisma and authenticity It Girls Who Got Away: ·      Britney Spears’s scrapped “Make Me” Music Video directed by David LaChapelle ten years ago and the hidden themes that kept it from being released ·      Local Girls and how we redefine success to appreciate true artistry ·      Laurieann Gibson the choreographer and reality TV personality that packaged some of our most iconic stars Summer It Girl Nominations Viewers and listeners can also nominate as many summer it girls for the following 4 categories through my Instagram stories this week. You can nominate as many it girls as you want for each category but you cannot nominate yourself. The top 4 nominees for each category will be announced on next week’s pod episode. ·      Song of the Summer ·      Brand of the Summer ·      It Girl of the Summer ·      NDA (Niche Drag Artist) of the Summer School is in session for those seeking a masterclass in living your best Soft Girl Summer.

This week we’re leaving the West Hollywood bubble and traveling on down to Melrose where Main Company Groundlings members Chase Rosenberg and Tulida Pepsi (Gaby Sandoval) have created a bimonthly drag variety show called LIPSMACK. They tell me about the inception of the show and how they’ve been able to create their unique brand of queer comedy and humor within the Groundlings framework. You know the Groundlings as one of the feeder theatres for SNL which has produced mainstream it girls such as Kristin Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, and Kathy Griffin. Chase and Tulida tell me about their early days going through the school’s rigorous training together and making it through the trenches to become the first nonbinary and first Latina in the main company. Chase shares the background behind exploring their nonbinary identity while going through the program and playing various characters of all genders. Tulida joins in with her love of genderbending but also how playing a full out feminine diva led her to discover her heightened drag identity. The conversation continues with the importance of creating spaces that blend the Los Angeles drag and comedy scenes while providing more opportunities for queer performers rather than gatekeeping the stage to themselves. True it girl behavior. Then we get into the It Girls of the Week: (Spoilers ahead!) ·      Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and reintroducing the children to a thing called literature ·      Anne Hathaway’s pregnancy watch and we speculate who will be reincarnated as her baby ·      Spain Wins the World Cup and the underwhelming halftime show that had us asking “Who was this for?” ·      “Obsession” and whether horror will receive the critical acclaim it rightfully deserves Niche Girls: ·      The Weho Water Main Leak that flooded Holloway and Palm. Does anyone know how to fix this? Genuinely asking. ·      “They’re Turning Me Evil Tomorrow” and the girlypop memes replacing our therapists ·      The Men Are Unwell – not new but still relevant. And how we have started domesticating raccoons rather than make any additional attempts at love. ·      Timothy Skylar – the West Hollywood bar back making bops It Girls Who Got Away: ·      P90X– the home work out that’s still better than ever 20 years later ·      Trimming your eyebrows and the overgrown trend that needs to end ·      The payphone because romance isn’t dead ·      Ashley Padilla and how her Emmy snub could pave the road for a comeback It’s all the it girls flooding your feeds and a discussion that will make your pipes burst so proceed with caution.

It’s the interview you’ve all been waiting for… this week on the it girl podcast we sit down with Annie Biotixx and Blaque Tea following the final show of Free Clinic that we hosted together after the announcement of its cancellation at Mattie’s. Annie spills the tea on how it all went down, from receiving the news to the messy aftermath of having to cancel the bookings of over 60 drag artists (during the month of pride no less). It’s been a strange pride month indeed, and even stranger following the 4th of July when faith in our country is at an all-time low. But it’s not all drama and sadness! Blaque Tea shares her joy of performing, singing, and even cooking and reflects on how finding joy even in the most difficult of times can be the greatest rebellion. She talks about working with Annie back at an old downtown bar called Redline and the importance of non-competitive spaces like Free Clinic within the fierce West Hollywood community. Blaque Tea elaborates on participating in more of the Indie drag scene and collaborating with the artists within that space. Some of those performers are the same activists working behind Drag Performers United in an effort to create better working conditions so situations like Annie’s don’t happen again. Then we get into the It Girls of the Week: (Spoilers ahead!) ·      Madonna releasing her best album in 20 years with Confessions II ·      Demi Lovato and her gender identity journey ·      The Empire State Building Couple and the proposal that could have gone terribly wrong ·      JUST&T MARRIED – Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce officially tie the knot in New York Niche Girls: ·      God of War – announcing its new female protagonist that has the incels infuritated ·      Tilly Norwood – the AI actress stealing our jobs ·      Odious Ari – the mysterious drag laureate representing West Hollywood for the next three years that we have yet to meet ·      I am Furious, but I am Sailing – the new iconic Patti Lupone quote that just dropped ·      Fab Five Fallout – the toxically positive reality TV gays that actually hate each other IRL ·      Tyra Banks and her lawsuit against Netflix for the same cutting room crimes she committed It Girls Who Got Away: ·      Girl Talk – a pioneer in music mashup culture ·      Pinning your events and the importance of communicating your event details clearly  ·      Alanna Ubach and the unrecognized star power of character actresses It’s a full on tea spilling session with two queens who know how to serve it up hot!

This week, it girl apparent Virgo Please is joined by her mother Barbra Please following her win of the Hunty Games Season 2. We talk about the competition and the best criticism she received (which was basically just praise). Virgo talks about how she leaned on Barbra for support and as a sounding board for her ideas and elaborates on the kind of mother she is, even while Barbra was busy on the road with a drag version of the Eras Tour. Famous on the West Hollywood streets for both their mugs and their hair, they discuss their shared obsession with perfection and aiming for the highest standards. Having started in the same Battle Babies competition with Barbra, I ask Barbra how she quickly went on to create and host one of West Hollywood’s most popular drag shows, Beachin’ Mondayz which has become a hot spot for local it girls. With Virgo’s new show “Virgo’s Groove” launching the same week as this podcast, the Pleases have officially become the dominant drag family on Monday nights. Then we get into the It Girls of the Week: (Spoilers ahead!) ·      The Love Island Girls banding together after a scandalous Casa Amor ·      Raven being announced as a contestant on Drag Race Down Under ·      Democratic Socialists backed by Zohran Mamdani winning big in New York Niche Girls: ·      The Last Free Clinic – the abrupt cancellation of a local show that has the girls spiraling ·      Pickles – and the crazy recipes dominating Virgo’s feed ·      Rhode Island – the smallest state having its biggest year ·      Gabriel Gonzalez – the West Hollywood hottie taking over our feeds It Girls Who Got Away: ·      Indigo – the color of the rainbow that is too often forgotten ·      The Education system and the lack of reverence for intellect  ·      Stop! That! Train!, and how the drag community could be riding harder for mother RuPaul It’s a mother daughter duo more clinically insane than Joan and Christina finally getting the televised therapy they desperately needed. Did it work? That’s for the academy to decide.

This week on the It Girl Podcast, we dive into the creative and kooky minds of Kit D Crooks and Marci Morningstar who’s love for everything fantastical bonded them together. Marci shares her background of being a tattoo artist, dressing in cosplay, and how being an artist originating from Sin City informs her drag. Kit D Crooks comes from the military and jokes about how most of her army pals knew she was a drag queen before she did. She talks about doubling down on wearing her elf ears and how she maintains her joy and infectious positivity that she is known for in the West Hollywood scene. Marci delves into the background of her name as an homage to both her comic book sensibilities as well as her love for her mom who always knows how to have a good time. She talks about how nice it is to have other queer people in her family, even if they may caution her with being so out there as to not paint a target on herself. Both of these queens are chronically online and hysterically witty, which is why I knew they would be perfect for the podcast. Then we get into the It Girls of the Week: (Spoilers ahead!) ·      Kit D Crooks getting to perform for KATSEYE and the theories behind Manon’s absence ·      Zohran Mamdani’s political winning streak that continues to give us hope in dark times ·      The Love Island bromance between Zach and Bryce heating up that has all of us screaming “Girth check!” Niche Girls: ·      X-Men ’97 Season 2 – and the stories that resonate even more powerfully today ·      House of Dragons Season 3 – and the upcoming stories about to devastate our timelines ·      Alaska’s new song “Revolution” – and culture’s hunger for a revolutionary figure It Girls Who Got Away: ·      Tinashe, fighting for her space in the music industry tooth and nail ·      The Baby Black Pegasus, from 1940’s Fantasia who needs a full franchise now ·      Girlicious, from the Mastermind of the Pussycat Dolls Robin Antin In this pod, we go down every wormhole imaginable. It’s comic books, it’s pop divas, it’s fantasy franchises all with an underlying political message worthy of conversation.

This week on the It Girl Podcast, we have Precinct Award Winning improvisers from Alaska Thunderfuck’s Drag Show 5000, Maureen San Diego and Fred Henson. Both are multi hyphenates dominating the performance art scene here in LA. Fred just released a country single “Ride Out” and shares his journey on his return to music, fundraising money for the last ever AIDS lifecycle (we solved it), and dabbling in drag. Maureen is the pod’s first female female impersonator and delves into the booming bioqueen scene and the importance for women to be just as bad at drag as the rest of us. She talks about the conception of her upcoming show “A Star is Aborted,” where she plays a fetus impregnated in Alan Cumming’s ass. We discuss creating the show in a post Roe v. Wade world and how gay men can be showing up more for their female counterparts.  Then we get into the It Girls of the Week: (Spoilers ahead!) ·      Los Angeles’ brand new D train and why everyone should Ride the D ·      Nithya Raman v Karen Bass and how we hope they’ll make each other better candidates ·      The Nicks winning the big game/championship/tournament Niche Girls: ·      Tin Canned Fish Reviews – truly a recession indicator ·      Dyke Day ·      Mattie Meow’s bob – the local queen starts a new trend with her iconic look It Girls Who Got Away: ·      Nadia Oh, a hyperpop diva ahead of her time ·      Patra’s Charbroiled Burgers, another affordable LA restaurant bites the dust ·      Maureen SanDiego’s lovelife, listen she’s bipolar so it’s like a two for one It’s a conversation that is equal parts compelling as it is chaotic – it’s all over the place and we go there.

On this week’s episode of the It Girl Podcast, we have this season’s winner of Dragged Out Hunnie Bunnz alongside Dragged Out All Star and all-around West Hollywood legend Cake Moss. Hunnie talks about starting up in drag in the current scene while Cake is able to share her perspective starting 14 years ago. Hunnie opens up about her relationship with Miami Knight from the Roccette’s and what it means to receive their guidance and endorsement in the Dragged Out competition. We dive into some of the challenges Hunnie faced in the competition including a drunk audience member crashing her performance and some bad behavior from the other queens. The conversation then turns to West Hollywood Pride which faced criticism for not collaborating more closely with working artists and drag queens in the local community. West Hollywood Pride has long faced scrutiny over corporate sponsorships and transforming a protest into a music festival for profit. We discuss the gentrification of West Hollywood general and the cultural push to becoming Beverly Hills Jr. that locals are resisting. Then we get into the It Girls of the Week: (Spoilers ahead!) ·      Kathy Hilton being removed as Weho Pride Grand Marshall and the politics of Paris and other pop stars ·      Principal Laura ANDREWS effortlessly taking down a homophobic parent ·      A woman with no hands getting arrested for talking on the phone while driving ·      The Tony’s and Qween Jean becoming the first openly trans person to win a Tony, alongside celebrity performers P!nk and Megan Thee Stallion Niche Girls: ·      The Los Angeles Mayoral race with Nithya Raman beating out Spencer Pratt and now going to a run off against her old ally Karen Bass ·      Salina Estitties and Aura Mayari clashing and crashing out on RuPaul’s Drag Race ·      The Flamingo Girls, a burlesque female dancing group here in West Hollywood ·      Billy Francesca’s Big Gay Show before Pride to commemorate LGBTQ History ·      Cake Moss’ drag daughter Robyn Gravees’ returning to drag It Girls Who Got Away: ·      Rasputin, an old West Hollywood club venue that pulled out all the stops ·      Drag Competition Camaraderie and backstage etiquette ·      Cupcake Canne, a fabulous drag queen taking a break from the game It’s hot takes and even hotter tea from a baby queen with fresh eyes and a veteran who’s seen some things. Listen up bitches!

It’s Season 4 babyyyy!!! And we’re starting things off with one of the greatest drag matriarchs of Southern California, Jewels Long Beach. She comes on the pod to kick off pride month and to share the story behind Long Beach Pride getting cancelled due to lack of permits and how she and her long time collaborators (such as Delta Work and Mayhem Miller) came together to throw an event for the community. Jewels shares her story on how she started doing drag in Hamburger Mary’s before it became a drag chain that would syndicate across the country. She shares her optimism in the prevalence and power of drag despite the political and economic pressures the community currently faces. We also discuss meeting at Lake Arrowhead Pride and what gave her the nerve to pioneer it’s first ever pride in 2019. It all stems from her background of growing up in a small town outside of Death Valley, leaving the house at 18, and forging a path on her own to make a drag career that would give her the life she deserves. (Spoilers ahead!!!) Then we get into the It Girls of the Week: ·      The drag drama reaching into even straight people’s feeds: Patagonia vs. Pattie Gonia ·      Ciara Miller and the Summer House scandal Niche Girls: ·      Keke Palmer and Sean Evans steamy chemistry blowing up Britney’s feed ·      The questionable choice of Kathy Hilton serving as the Grand Marshall of West Hollywood Pride ·      Pride tips and tricks for surviving a month long celebration It Girls Who Got Away: ·      Voting! While we still have the chance… or according to Elon Musk’s baby mama Ashley St. Clair, is Elon going to rig it anyway? ·      The Plot!! We have a crumbling economy, men going to therapy with their AI companions, confirmation on alien existence to distract from the release of the 3pste!n files, and more plot holes than a TV show that’s gone on for ten seasons too long Buckle up for pride month it girls, because community is the only thing that’s going to get us through this mess.

This week, Britney Shields is joined by her sisters Mary Kate Lohan and Icon Lewis for a divine, delusional, and deeply nostalgic episode — all three of them in full drag as the Holy Trinity: Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and Britney Spears. Religion has never looked this correct. We talk about the surreal experience of performing as working drag queens while embodying the very icons who defined nightlife in the same city we now call home. There’s something poetic (and a little unhinged) about partying where your muses once partied and then getting paid to do it. Mary Kate and Icon reflect on their early days in drag what they would’ve done differently, what they learned the hard way, and how it feels now that their reputations and careers are actually gaining momentum. It’s growth, perspective, and just enough delusion to keep things interesting. Then we get into the It Girls of the Week: ·      The Hannah Montana 20-year anniversary special ·      Britney Shields attending the iHeartRadio Music Awards ·      The undeserved backlash against Chappell Roan (and whether it feels… coordinated?) ·      The immense, underpaid pressure placed on Transportation Security Administration agents keeping airports running ·      And yes our queen Valerie Cherish returning via The Comeback, exactly when we needed her most In our Niche Girl spiral: ·      The drag drama shaking the streets Berlynn Atomic allegedly destroying a dressing room at Hamburger Mary's Ontario ·      Raye’s new album This Music May Contain Hope as a full cinematic experience ·      The trailer drop for Tony Soto’s Learn the Words, Bitch documentary ·      The viral TikTok of a woman trapped in Zoom purgatory asking “Can you hear me? Can you see me?” on loop ·      The stacked, chaotic trailer for Stop! That! Train! ·      Angelina Keeley calling out gender bias in Survivor 50 editing And finally — our It Girls Who Got Away (spoilers ahead): ·      Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and the loss of what could’ve been) ·      The LG enV2 — a plea to abandon smartphones and return to simpler, sexier tech ·      A heartfelt call for Halsey and the misunderstood legacy of her signature cursive singing It’s sisterhood, satire, nostalgia, and nightlife with three queens embodying icons while becoming icons in their own right.

This week, Britney Shields is joined by the razor-sharp, impeccably painted, and newly crowned Librarian of the Year, Samara Sin, mother of the House of Sin and a true architect of precision, discipline, and drag excellence. We get into Samara’s reputation as a reader par excellence where those skills come from, how she’s honed them, and how that same discernment shows up in her drag parenting. The House of Sin isn’t just a collective,  it’s a standard. Known for her painted-down mugs (with praise from none other than Raven), Samara reflects on what brought her and her children together and the inspiration she draws from them, including her legendary child Mylique E. Fawcett. We talk aesthetics and influence from Leigh Bowery and the club kid lineage that informs her facekini looks, to blending fashion, performance, and spectacle into something unmistakably her own. She also opens up about navigating sobriety within nightlife spaces and what it means to stay grounded in an environment built on excess. Samara shares her involvement in parties like Brat and themed nights (including a Pokémon moment featuring her iconic Umbreon look), and we get into the power of embracing your villain energy not for destruction, but for purpose. Whether it’s calling out figures like Nicki Minaj and the conservative right or pushing back against management that refuses to pay their dancers, Samara believes in wielding that edge with intention. We also hear about her first meeting with Calypso Jeté-Balmain, who was immediately drawn to her — famously loving those that others might resent. Then we get into the culture: ·      The economic realities impacting gogo dancers, and how often their labor is undervalued ·      Secret Lives of Moprmon Wives star Taylor Frankie Paul and the latest Bachelor Nation scandal ·      The return of The Comeback and the enduring brilliance of Valerie Cherish ·      “Squishies” as the new stress-relief obsession replacing slime ·      Revisiting the joyful femininity of Alysa Liu ·      Darlene Mitchell’s “Cater 2 U” lip sync going viral — and what clips of us might circulate if the algorithm hits just right ·      Why ingrown hair removal videos might officially outrank pimple popping We close on something deeper. In a conversation about nightlife, memory, and survival, Samara honors her best friend Latisha King, whose life was tragically taken too soon. It’s a powerful reminder that the call isn’t just to protect the dolls, it’s to save them. It’s discipline, decadence, darkness, and devotion — all from a queen who knows exactly who she is.

This week, Britney Shields is joined by internet icon and cultural commentator Michael Henry, celebrating a major milestone: hitting 100K on Instagram after nearly 17 years of making online videos that question, critique, and lovingly roast gay culture. We talk about his journey from early YouTube-era sketches to his Queerty-nominated series Wish You Were Queer, created alongside longtime collaborators Tim Murray and Paul McGovern Jr. and why he’s genuinely at peace losing to Lushious Massacr. Growth! Michael opens up about his latest creative pivot into man-on-the-street interviews, what he’s learned from constantly evolving online, and which of his past creative eras he’d actually revisit (and which can stay buried). We also get into something real: how even queer media is starting to self-censor and soften itself in response to a more conservative cultural climate and why Michael believes it’s more important than ever to confront taboo topics head-on and strip shame from conversations about sex and identity. He cites early inspirations like Real Sex and Taxicab Confessions, which pushed boundaries long before the algorithm got involved. Yes, this includes a very unfiltered (and very funny) debate that proves nothing is off-limits. Then we spiral into the culture: ·      The competing pop strategies of Tate McRae vs. Zara Larsson — and who’s playing the It Girl game smarter ·      The rise of Connor Storrie and the chaos of the Oscars, including Britney hosting a viewing party at Beaches Tropicana before attempting to infiltrate Elton John’s after party ·      Gia Gunn’s rib surgery discourse ·      Why Timothée Chalamet and Marty Supreme became the internet’s punching bags of the week ·      And why Kevin O'Leary might benefit from taking his own advice about staying in his lane In the niche corners of the internet: ·      Jake Shane’s surprising rise to red carpet host ·      Harry Jowsey and the ongoing queerbaiting discourse ·      The Poke buzz around Pokopia ·      The unexpected resurgence of sardines as a “recession indicator” food trend ·      Michael breaks down the difference between dentures and veneers (because of course he does) ·      The diminishing returns of HGTV and the disappointing cancellation of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot It’s a conversation about longevity, evolution, censorship, sex, and staying honest in a world that increasingly rewards playing it safe.

This week, Britney Shields is joined by the hilarious and chronically online Maxine On TV, recipient of the Comedy Queen honor at the inaugural It Girl Awards. Maxine reflects on what the recognition meant to her and the winding road that brought her there — from studying comedy in college to moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting, all while sensing that she would eventually carve out a separate persona and platform of her own. She talks about meeting her roommate and creative partner Destiny, and the dynamic that led them to start their podcast Sauvignon Blah together. We also get into the chosen-family side of drag: how Maxine met her drag mom Karen Beaches, and the weekly Drag Queen Game Show, which recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. From there, the conversation moves through the cultural chaos of the week. We discuss the renewed headlines surrounding Britney Spears and the way public reactions to her DUI mirror the same judgment and moral panic that helped justify one of the most disturbing conservatorships in modern celebrity history. Rather than pile on, the episode centers compassion and accountability while examining how quickly the public forgets what she endured. That discussion naturally connects to the ongoing frustration surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and the survivors who have repeatedly presented evidence to authorities while meaningful justice remains elusive. We also touch on the internet discourse sparked by Timothée Chalamet’s comments about ballet and opera that have sent arts communities into debate mode. In the niche corners of the internet: ·      Kylie Jenner unexpectedly impressing viewers with her acting abilities ·      Maxine’s appreciation for the Twitter presence of Aidan Zamiri, director of The Moment ·      Anne Hathaway flirting with a potential pop music era ·      Viral duo Twink and A Redhead appearing on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen with Amanda Frances We also celebrate the fabulosity of AFAB drag queens, shouting out performers in our community who continue expanding what drag can look like and who gets to participate in it. Finally, the conversation reflects on cultural figures whose influence continues to resonate — touching on icons like Brittany Murphy and Michelle Wolf along the way. It’s comedy, compassion, internet rabbit holes, and drag family — exactly the kind of cultural whiplash you get when Britney sits down with Maxine On TV.

This week, Britney Shields is joined by radiant powerhouse Queen Porshaa Lejayy for a conversation about faith, hustle, and taking up space with intention. Porshaa shares her journey into drag, from discovering the art form to receiving early support from her coworkers at Bloomingdale’s, who saw the star before the spotlight did. She reflects on the encouragement from Billy Francesca to join season one of Dragged Out, a leap that helped cement her presence in the scene. We talk about the importance of Black queens claiming and expanding space in West Hollywood, and Porshaa proudly uplifts the movement while promoting her own growing slate of events: Porshaa’s Porch at Beaches and Brunch with the Divas at Micky’s.  Porshaa opens up about a new spiritual practice she’s embraced, reclaiming God for the gay and queer community in a way that feels affirming rather than alienating. It’s a powerful reframing rooted in healing, intention, and ownership of faith. She also gives her flowers to the queens who’ve poured into her journey, including Kornbread Jeté, June Jambalaya, and Calypso Jeté-Balmain. Then we get into the It Girls of the Moment: ·      Teyana Taylor, simply for staying winning ·      Rob Rausch clinching the win on The Traitors ·      Connor Storrie’s SNL debut buzz and Gym Bar WeHo organizing a live viewing party In our Niche Girl spiral, we unpack: ·      The internet conspiracy that Jim Carrey has been cloned and replaced — and how the rise of AI images is eroding public trust in reality itself ·      The motivational spiritual accounts Porshaa follows, including Charlie Rocket and Sarah Jakes Roberts ·      The debut of Pokémon Generation 10 starters and the queer-friendly gaming commentary from Jahara Jade and Shaun, offering expressive, feminine takes that actually resonate We also vent about the chaos of media mergers and the absurd difficulty of tracking where to stream RuPaul's Drag Racewhen it keeps hopping platforms — especially when it’s all owned by the same corporate umbrella anyway. It’s faith, flowers, fandom, and fighting for visibility, all from a queen who understands that building your own porch means inviting the whole community to sit.