Sewers of Paris: A Gateway Drug to Fabulous (Ep. 360 - 80s Cartoons/Ted Biaselli)

At first glance, Elvira — the late-night movie hostess — looks like a character custom-engineered to appeal to straight men. So why do so many gays love her? I’ve got a new video up on YouTube exploring that very question, with help from someone who knows a thing or two about the character — her longtime collaborator and writer, Ted Biaselli, who also happens to be Director of Original Series at Netflix. Several years ago I interviewed Ted for The Sewers of Paris, and this week we’re returning to that conversation about his work with Elvira, aka Cassandra Peterson, as well as his journey from a flamboyant child in Pennsylvania to an art-school gay to developing shows that will hopefully speak to weird little kids like the one he used to be. We’ll have that conversation in a minute. First a reminder to check out my YouTube channel where I post videos about queer pop culture. And you can also head over to my Patreon to watch hours of bonus videos featuring stories of TV and film history. And check out my cute little newsletter where I share sneak peeks at what I’m working on at mattbaume.com. And a big thanks to everyone who supports the Sewers of Paris at Patreon.com/mattbaume. And to everyone who’s left a review on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen.