Barbary Lane Dispatches Podcast

Here’s a transcript of his talk: I’d like to have a few words today with my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. I have noticed — on my page on Facebook and elsewhere — that there have been people who identify as gay or lesbian, but who think that entitles them to exclude trans people from the equation. I came from a time and a place where we were all talking about “LGBT,” and that meant includin...

Isherwood was not only a literary hero of Armistead’s (as you’ll note from the earlier episode on Isherwood ), he was a dear friend and mentor. A Single Man , which was published in 1964, is often regarded as his best work. It follows a single day in the life of George, a gay man who is mourning the loss of his longtime partner. I imagine most of you will also know of the wonderful 2009 film adapt...

Armistead was invited to the Oval Office when Richard Nixon was President (don’t worry, it’s not a moment he’s proud of). He reflects on what it was like being at the White House, as well as this physical manifestation of Trump tearing America apart. If you haven’t read the Maureen Dowd piece that came out yesterday on the subject, it’s a great read. This is a public episode. If you'd like to disc...

Michael Cashman came from a humble, working-class background, growing up in London’s East End. His acting talent was recognized early, and at just 14 he starred in Oliver! in the 1960s. He later became known to millions as Colin Russell on EastEnders —the show’s first gay character. In 1987, his on-screen kiss with his character’s boyfriend made history as the first gay kiss on British television....

Armistead met Tammy in the 1980s, and they quickly became close friends. Standing just 31 inches tall, she still is, recognized as the shortest ever actress in the world. Armistead has described her as having “a bit of a Bette Midler personality in a little person’s body.” She was the life of every gathering she attended. After they met, she went on to play E.T. in Steven Spielberg’s film—or more...

In our latest Dispatch, we take you on a tour of some of our favorite spots in Soho, with a detour to the historic Salisbury Pub. The Salisbury was a well-known gay hangout from the time of Oscar Wilde through the 1980s, and it played a starring role in the groundbreaking 1961 film Victim . That film was the first to use the word “homosexual” on screen and was banned in the US for being too sordid...

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit armisteadmaupin.substack.com/subscribe

Mona of the Manor and Babycakes feature a manor house inspired by Stanway House in the Cotswolds, about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from London. In this video, Armistead tells how he first visited Stanway in the 1980s—and how we recently returned. I was awestruck. Stanway is widely considered one of the most beautiful Jacobean manor houses in England. One of the most striking things about it is it...

Transcript “You remember that old ad we used to see on TV — “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” It was a pitiful old lady who’d hit the ground somewhere and couldn’t get up. It was so badly done. That was kind of a joke, but they were trying to deliver a message I got loud and clear the other night when I fell and couldn’t get up. Chris wasn’t at home at the time. I was in my bedroom, and I needed t...

In the very first “Tea with Armistead,” Armistead sits down with his longtime friend Celeste Lecesne—founder of The Trevor Project and The Future Perfect Project . What begins as laughter and reminiscence unfolds into a moving conversation about queer ancestry, chosen family, and the urgent need to protect and uplift the next generation. Everyone needs a little Celeste in their life: through their...

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit armisteadmaupin.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit armisteadmaupin.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit armisteadmaupin.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit armisteadmaupin.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit armisteadmaupin.substack.com/subscribe

In this first video of the series, Armistead speaks plainly about transphobia today—calling out J.K. Rowling and TERFs. Drawing on over fifty years of choosing empathy as a queer man, he urges us to look through trans people’s eyes and to recognize our shared humanity. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit armisteadmau...

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit armisteadmaupin.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit armisteadmaupin.substack.com/subscribe