Ivory Tower Boiler Room

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- This is an episode truly like no other, as I'm joined by spiritual guru, author and long-time universal truth-seeker: Harrison Viers Newberry. Never before have we had such extensive discussion on the increasingly real possibility that we may not be alone in the univers...

A live podcast episode from the New Jersey College English Association conference hosted by Seton Hall University. This roundtable conversation is moderated by Ameenah McKiethen from Kean University and features the following professors: Dr. Andrew Rimby (Kean, Montclair, and Seton Hall) Dr. Angela Weisl (Seton Hall) Dr. Jan Balakian (Kean) Dr. Mary Balkun (Seton Hall) Dr. Stefanie Shapiro (SUNY M...

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom⁠⁠⁠ -----Marie Rutkoski is here! The author of 2025’s most irresistibly charming and hopeful queer novel Ordinary Love provided us with a great conversation here on ITBR, both going all in on her newest novel and giving us some insight on her perspective of the current state of the LGB...

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom⁠⁠⁠ ----- Many academics yearn to be single-author scholars but are afraid that it simply will not be sustainable or possible. That's why Dr. Devoney Looser is joining me today! Devoney is a writer and professor at Arizona State University and a Jane Austen scholar. She goes in depth on...

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- Kiersten White is here! The author of the 2024 novel Lucy Undying, among a plethora of New York Times best sellers, goes all in on what it was like shaping her vision of Lucy from Dracula's story. Weaving a story with a modern and queer touch surrounding a character or...

Want to listen to this episode AD FREE? Go to patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom to become a subscriber today! Hey, true crime friends. I’m back! In honor of Women’s History Month, this episode explores the life- and brutal murder- of Dian Fossey. A fearless conservationist who dedicated her life to protecting mountain gorillas, Fossey’s legacy is undeniable, but her death remains shrouded in myster...

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- Re-release time! I'm visiting Salem, Massachusetts for the Society for the Study of the American Gothic and figured this would be a great episode to put out again to a fresh audience! From its European roots, the gender differences in witchcraft accusation and persecution,...

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- Clarence A. Haynes is author of the urban fantasy novel The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery (Legacy Lit) and co-author of the acclaimed YA Afrofuturist series Nubia: The Awakening and The Reckoning (Delacorte Press), written with actor/producer Omar Epps. He is also author of t...

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom ⁠⁠ ----- Olivia Wolfgang-Smith is the author of the novels Mutual Interest (2025) and Glassworks, which was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and named a Best Book of the Year by NPR, Apple, and Good Housekeeping. She is a 2024 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellow in Fiction! Joi...

SPOILER ALERT!! I continue my conversation with my husband to discuss our thoughts about Scream 7, and whether or not we enjoyed the addition of new characters. We end with our thoughts on the motives of Ghostface, and we'll pick back up there with part three next week!

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom⁠ ----- Mary Balkun is Professor of English and Founding Director of the Center for Faculty Development at Seton Hall University and American Literature Scholar! Joining Ameenah and me today on ITBR: Teaching the Humanities is Dr. Mary Balkun! On today's episode, Mary has incredibly insight...

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom⁠ ----- Stacy Wolf is a Professor of Theater at Princeton University and is one of America's foremost scholars on musical theater! On this week's episode of ITBR, Stacy Wolf is here! We share a conversation with some much-needed warmth in these trying times, along with the importance...

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom⁠ ----- Bill Hulseman joins me today on ITBR! Religion and sexuality have had an opposing relationship for thousands of years. Bill breaks down the confusing world of living with both a queer and religious identity. To be yourself and not pick any "sides" in your identity is what Bi...

TRIGGER WARNING: Today's episode contains mentions of sexual assault, pedophilia, sex trafficking and violence. Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom⁠ ------ An award-winning author, public speaker, and former special victims prosecutor, Roger Canaff has devoted his legal career to the eradication of violence against women an...

SPOILER ALERT!! Right after seeing the new Scream film, my husband and I jumped on the podcast to review the film since we both are fans (well my husband is a diehard fan) of the Scream franchise. If you saw the film, what were your thoughts?

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom ------ David Starkey, English Professor at Santa Barbara City College joins me on this week's episode of ITBR to discuss the recent ramifications that AI has had on the academic process for the current generation of writers. David's guide, Academic Writing Now serves as a strong founda...

Since gothic and horror is all the rage right now in pop culture (think Scream 7, Frankenstein, and The Bride), here are a few books that I'd love to recommend to you all for your TBR piles! 1. Your Favorite Scary Movie (Ashley Cullins) 2. It All Began With a Scream (Padraic Maroney) 3. Rear Window: The Making of a Hitchcock Masterpiece in the Hollywood Golden Age (Jennifer O'Callaghan) 4....

Since so many gothic and horror films have just been released, including a new Dracula, Frankenstein, The Bride, and Scream, I thought I'd rerelease this exciting conversation with Robin Werner and Elizabeth Lewis! They edited the book Vampire Literature: An Anthology (published by Broadview Press). Use the promo code ivorytower for 20% off the book: https://broadviewpress.com/product/vampire-...

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom ------ It's steamy, thrilling and equally serious! Kink culture is all around us. Subconsciously, what we yearn for in terms of our pleasure and bodies reflects back into who we are. Joining me today are The Gay & Lesbian Review's new managing editor, Jeremy C. Fox along with contributing w...

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom Drew Droege is here! The star-studded queer comedian, actor, writer and director joins this week's co-host, Brian Alessandro, and me to talk all things Luca Guadagnino, the LGBTQ social climate in life and entertainment, and Drew's newest satirical play: Messy White Gays! In such a wildly turbul...

Since Scream 7 is now in movie theaters, I thought it would be fun to rerelease our Scream episode from a few years ago! Watch the 1996 SCREAM film with me, Mary, and Lorentz! It was such a fun time talking about such an iconic horror film. To watch the second part, head on over to our Patreon (for free): https://www.patreon.com/posts/91376830

In honor of Scream 7's opening weekend, here's a past episode we did with Scream expert Padraic Maroney! We hope you enjoy it.  I'm joined with horror film expert Padraic Maroney who has written about both the Final Destination and Scream franchises! If you don't know, not only am I a horror fanatic, but so is my husband who couldn't miss out on this exciting conversation. Padr...

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom On today's historical deep-dive episode of The Ivory Tower Boiler Room, I'm joined by queer author Robert Fieseler who takes us back to McCarthyism and how it set the stage for queer persecution for decades to come. We discuss the cultural and political significance of queer life under au...

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom In this episode, I sit down with Poe scholar Dr. Amy Branam Armiento to explore why Edgar Allan Poe continues to captivate readers nearly two centuries later. From discovering “The Raven” as a young reader to teaching gothic literature today, Amy shares how Poe’s exploration of power dynamics, psy...

Watch this episode ad-free by joining the ITBR Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom In this episode, we talk with author Jonathan Lerner about his memoir Performance Anxiety and his journey through gay identity, radical politics, and 1960s counterculture! Lerner reflects on his involvement with Students for a Democratic Society and the broader movement against police brutality, ra...