Craig & Friends

Michael Mann's 1986 classic MANHUNTER gets the full Movie Club treatment. So full, it had to be split into 2 parts. Gala Avary & Rich Johnson join me for a an in-depth investigation of the first film adaptation of a Hannibal Lector fable (Lecktor in this film), Michael Mann's masterful color-coding, Alex Cox's dismissive and rather confused summary of the film, Miami Vice, William...

Adult performer & producer, pegging enthusiast & pioneer Michael Vegas joins me to talk Altoid roulette, filmmaking, color-coding, overcoming internalized shame, Taser golf, meeting the love of his love (creative & life partner Siouxsie Q) in a uniquely specific, Robert Greene & The 48 Laws Of Power , Ada & I making a cameo in Michael & Siouxsie’s upcoming passion project T...

Released in 1990 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES was a blockbuster smash. No one burned with the fever of Turtle Power more than my guest, Tom Schwartz (Vanderpump Rules). Get a nice cheese pizza, stay out of the sewer and enjoy our chat about this cultural phenomenon. This series is brought to you by  ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/CraigAndFriends⁠⁠⁠   Head on over and see which tier suits you, support...

Musical pioneer Chaz Jankel welcomed me to his home to discuss his legendary musical career - from his days with Ian Dury & The Blockheads (co-writing Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, Sex & Drugs & Rock’N’Roll and more) through his wildly influential solo career, his later foray into film scoring and that time  Quincy Jones covered one of his songs. We also get deep into society’s conven...

Craig, special guest co-host Katya & Sapphira continue their chat and talk going vegan, discovering opera, straight tone, vibrato’n’viagra, Miss D’America, resting diva face, doing the thing you need to be doing and MORE! This series is brought to you by  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/CraigAndFriends⁠  

Originally posted in the salad days of the pandemic (August 2020), this Encore Presentation is in honor of our beloved Sapphira Cristál gooping and gagging the world on Season 16 of RuPaul's Drag Race. Craig & special guest co-host Katya welcome Sapphira Cristal via satellite to talk perfect pitch, homeless schooldays, sorority sister saves, carbonara complications, putin’ it out your mout...

Our girl for all seasons Eureka O'Hara joins me to talk the mirth, magic and mayhem of the undercover feminist cult classic GREASE 2! We get into what a T-Bird could mean these days, the majesty of Michelle Pfeiffer, shooting dance numbers before the songs are ready, the chaotic grandiosity of producer & impresario Allan Carr, the impact of RSO & Robert Stigwood on our culture, fan the...

Nashville’s pre-eminent film critic, connoisseur & Prince devotee Jason Shawhan returns to Movie Club as we talk Prince’s 2nd film UNDER THE CHERRY MOON. We get into Prince’s ever-practical wardrobe choices, Jerome Benton’s woefully short film career, the rather progressive queerness of the film, “Martin Scorsese’s Pee Wee’s Big Adventure”, Wendy & Lisa, The Linn LM-1 drum machine, Prince’...

My dear friends Mike Chapman & Maddy Paterson join me to talk writing and producing decades of hits like “Ballroom Blitz”, “Hey Mickey” “Simply The Best” and much more, Michael Des Barres, producing Agnetha from ABBA, Suzi Quatro, pairing Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne, the trouble with Sharon Osbourne, working with mentor Micky Most, Dreamland Records, The Knack, telling the truth, producing B...

The Muppet Movie, Phantom Of The Paradise, Bugsy Malone, A Star Is Born , “You And Me Against The World” , Smokey & The Bandit...w hat singular magical element do these cultural touchstones have in common? The legendary, inspirational & hilarious singer, songwriter, actor,  author, recovery advocate/counselor AND President of ASCAP known as PAUL WILLIAMS . Yes, one of my all-time heroes jo...

This candid chat with legendary compser, co-creator of Hedwig & The Angry Inch and all-around terrific person known as Stephen Trask continues, picking up where we left off: the difficulties of coming out during the Reagan era, the extremes of youthful idealism, protest & arrests, Don Hill's and the dream of a better nightlife future coming true with Squeezebox!, meeting John Cameron M...

Nashville's pre-eminent film critic, curator & connoisseur Jason Shawhan returns for EATING RAOUL. We talk Paul Bartel, Mary Woronov, The Roger Corman Expanded Universe, Robert Beltran, swingers, wine-snobs, bad musical theater, the lurking terror of The Beach Boys, SCENES FROM THE CLASS STRUGGLE IN BEVERLY HILLS and much more. Join the Craig & Friends Patreon For more Jason Shawhan: ⁠...

Stephen joins me to talk scoring films, replacing Randy Newman, taking Hedwig & The Angry Inch from stage to screen, studio sabotage, leading the house band at the legendary SqueezeBox! party, negative pickups, falling in love with punk & piano lessons, the terror of coming to terms with being queer in the early 80s, hitting big at Sundance and much more. Taped in late 2020 but unreleased...

For this merry Movie Club Monday, an encore presentation of the very first Movie Club episode. Taped in 2018 with my former co-host Katya, this is a gleeful exploration into the magic and mystery of Brian De Palma's oft-misunderstood masterpiece BODY DOUBLE Sign up to The Craig & Friends Patreon to support the show and get hott bonus content.

The gorgeous & hilarious scientist of drag known as JUDY returns to discuss our membership in the Bipolar gang, my fairly recent diagnosis, vacation rashes, massage vibes, biblical floods, intentional consumption, calm candy moments, cognitive behavioral therapy, loving partners, Gordon Lightfoot’s guiding light, British food VS American food, the rumination rhumba and more. Get yer Judy merch...

From NYMPHOWARS , the International Amuse Douche chanteuse Macy Rodman joins me via satellite from Pittsburgh to discuss the lurid, sinister and quasi-legal pleasures of David Cronenberg’s prescient 1983 masterpiece VIDEODROME . We talk the divine Deborah Harry, Spectacular Optical, the brilliant actor yet repellent person that is James Woods, Canadian content, tax-shelter filmmaking, the continue...

Willam joins me to discuss the power and particulars of the latest and greatest adaptation of a story as old as show-business itself : 2018's A STAR IS BORN. Starring Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper (who also co-wrote and directed) with William, Shangela, Andrew Dice Clay & Sam Elliott. Willam takes us through the casting process, working with Gaga & Cooper, Stefani's backrubs, ARTP...

Shocked to learn of the death of our darling Sophie. To celebrate the laughter, love and lust she brought to this world, here is an encore presentation of our first chat in London, from 2019. Rest In Peace, my dear 💔 Original Episode Notes: Craig welcomes the enchanting Sophie Anderson to London HQ1 for her very first podcast! We talk Cock Destroyers, Krispy Kremes, being a Mom, finding your comm...

Gala Avary of The Gala Show & The Video Archives Podcast celebrates her birthday by joining me to talk Uncle Ken’s lurid 1984 classic CRIMES OF PASSION . We examine the magic mirth and mayhem of Russell’s aesthetic, Anthony Perkins’ penchant for poppers, the majesty of Kathleen Turner, sex-worker positivity, Gala & Craig’s “Correct Cut” feud, Oliver Reed, Robert Stigwood, Paul Nicholas, Si...

Legendary filmmaker Allan Arkush joins me to talk GET CRAZY, directing Dokken, Bette Midler, getting dosed by The Grateful Dead, enrolling the Ramones into ROCK'N'ROLL HIGH SCHOOL, dealing with difficult people (Chevy Chase, Andy Kaufman), getting Sinatra to do more than one take, FAME, Mick Jagger’s kitchen, Electric Larry, making THE TEMPTATIONS, graduating Roger Corman University, direc...

A sleaze masterpiece directed by star Anthony Perkins, PSYCHO 3 plunges Norman Bates deep into the vibe & venom of the mid 80s Nashville's pre-eminent film critic, curator & connoisseur Jason Shawhan joins me to talk Perkins magic, the consistent brilliance of the PSYCHO franchise, the horror of Bill Wyman, Alfred Hitchcock, lurid lighting, Michael Mann's BATMAN, Siskel & Ebert...

The hilarious & charming Venus Black joins me to talk Subculture, Elvira, beer roadies, Paul Schrader, underground drag, Videodrome Discothèque, how to sneak booze into venues, Steven Tyler’s Can O’ Coke & Pill Stuffed Scarf, feather boas, Tootsie, Knott’s Berry Farm and much more. Head over to  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/CraigAndFriends⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Snatch up ad-free & early versions of t...

The hilarious stand-up comic Olivia Flood-Wylie joins me to laugh and talk the current comedy scene, audience energy, meeting her sweetie in Amsterdam, our shared membership in the Bipolar gang, the perils of perfectionism, Dara Ó Briain , The Comedy Store, karaoke disasters, the legendary rudeness and inherent danger of Canadians and more. More Olivia! https://www.instagram.com/oliviafloodwylie/...

Comedian, writer, raconteur, director and fellow podcaster Jake Fogelnest joins me to talk being new fathers, stating SQUIRT TV on public access at age 14 before taking it to MTV, rebuilding after rehab, TIMES SQUARE, Upright Citizens Brigade, our shared obsession with RSO Records & Filmworks, LADIES & GENTLEMEN THE FABULOUS STAINS, Jake’s podcast and much more.  Head over to  ⁠⁠⁠https://w...

Anne Carlisle - the star and co-writer of LIQUID SKY - joins me and James St. James for an in-depth exploration of this pioneering film. One of the first films to explicitly depict & discuss pansexuality, androgyny & gender fluidity in any substantial way, LIQUID SKY also serves as an essay on toxic masculinity, ingrained homophobia and the ingrained misogyny of both overground & under...