Queertowne

In this episode of Queertowne, Mase and Javi sit down with two members of Austin's queer South Asian community - Dr. Debarun Majumdar and Ananyaa Ravi - for a moving conversation on their experiences emigrating from India as a queer person and what it's been like settling in Austin. Deb (he/him) opens up about why he founded Khush ATX, a now 200 person organization for queer Desis in Centr...

In this episode of Queertowne, Mase and K Wash sit down with stand up comedian Brandi Davis, host of Cabin Fever Comedy. Brandi (they/she) walks everyone through some famous lesbian romances before answering Mase's rapid fire questions about love, sex and the 512. Laughs ensue!

In this episode of Queertowne, Mase and Javi sit down for their first one on one conversation in a year. Honestly we're not even sure if we can list off everything that's discussed in this moving, hilarious, and very very gay episode.

In this episode of Queertowne, the gang sits down with comedian Ivy Le, who isn't just out of the closet, she's outside. Ivy (she/they) opens up her podcast, The Fear of Going Outside (FOGO), as well as her queer open mic show, Tongue & Cheek. Mase then leads Ivy and Javi through a round of Queertowne QuizTime, which Laura enjoys judging for the first time. Laughs ensue!

In this episode of Queertowne, Mase and Laura sit down with Armin A. Dorri, a doctoral student at the University of Texas. Armin (he/him) researches factors that influence health and well-being among LGBTQ+ populations, and aims to answer specific questions - like what can we do to encourage folks to seek out resources? - in an effort to improve their lives.

In this special episode of Queertowne, Mase sits down with our producer Kristen to revisit some of their favorite moments from the past year.

Just in time for the winter holigays, Mase, Javi and Kristen examine our thoughts and anxieties heading into the busiest time of the year and how our personal backgrounds inform how we engage in holiday activities. Javi walks us through his family's trip to El Salvador over Thanksgiving and why he's grateful for alone time. Mase shares an update on his dating life and how he's trying to frame his...

In this episode of Queertowne, Mase sits down with Jen Parkhill and Damian Joseph Quinn, two long-term friends who've been collaborating on a short film called Honey & Milk for the past three years. During this wide-ranging conversation, JP (they/she) and Dame (he/she/they) open up about their collaborative partnership, how they curated the right team to bring this project to the finish line,...

Today's episode of Queertowne features Austin's prevailing rock and roll glamour boy: Caleb De Casper, a classically trained vocalist and pianist who’s bringing glam rock and dark synth pop to stages across the country. Caleb (he/they) chatted with Laura, Mase and Kristen about his set at ACL this fall, what happened when the City of Austin declared April 21 to be Caleb De Casper Day, and who insp...

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of Queertowne's live show, we held our first ever live recording of the podcast during ColdTowne Theater's 16th anniversary celebration. Once nestled up in front of our live studio audience, the QT gang sets out to make the safe space for anti-swifties, Javi makes a not at all bitter Negroni Sbagliato, Laura regales the crowd with world cup penguins and other les...

In this episode, Mase is joined in the QT clubhouse with two dear friends: Dylan Garsee and Irielle Wesley. Dylan (they/them) is the mastermind behind some of Austin's most evocative comedy sketches, and Irielle (she/her) is Queertowne's youngest guest to-date. They discuss their upcoming improv show 'We're the Queers' (playing at Fallout Theater Saturdays at 7 this November), the importance of pr...

For our Season 2 premiere, Mase, Laura and Kristen sit down with Trace Thurman of the popular podcast Horror Queers. Trace (he/him) is an award winning podcast host, freelance writer, and film critic who visited Queertowne shortly before relocating with his husband from Austin to Colorado. We discuss Trace's thoughts on his time in Austin, his favorite scary movies with queer elements, and why the...

For Queertowne's Season 1 Finale, Mase, Laura and Javi compete to see who can ask the highest, most stoner-iest question. Giggles ensue.

This week, host Mase Kerwick talks to his best friend, Denver-based stand-up comedian Lee Robinson. Lee (they/them) visited Queertowne to discuss launching their popular queer variety show Dyketopia, why their friendships have been so important to developing their comedy style, and which experiences best prepared them to create their own content with confidence. Mase and Lee also reminisce about t...

Kyle DeLeon is a testicular cancer survivor and grassroots organizing manager for the American Cancer Society. Kyle (he/him) visited Queertowne to chat with Mase and Javi about how he's cultivated control of his own narrative as an education tool for others, his favorite pop divas and how they inspire him during hard times, and how he’s come into his own over the past few years. The guys also cove...

In this episode, Mase kicks off his 30s with Javi and our producer Kristen for a hilarious deep dive into some of the most shocking and special moments from the - wait for it - 100 first dates he's gone in his lifetime. Our tipsy trio is joined by call-in voice recordings from Jules Mandel, Haley Alea Erickson, and Blair Stokes, who share their perspectives on key romantic moments from Mase's dati...

Jo Chan is an Austin-based executive chef who competed on Top Chef Season 19. Jo (she/her) visited Queertowne to chat with Mase about her amazing experiences on Top Chef and reveals how she brings an empathetic leadership style with a strong work ethic to the kitchen. Jo opens up about meeting her now fiancé during the intensity of the first Covid wave in 2020 and what brought her from California...

In this episode, Mase is joined for the first time on the pod by Laura AND Javi for our first all host conversation. Recorded just before Laura moved to LA, we reflect back on our many experiences working on Queertowne together since 2017 and our favorite memories along the way. After Mase discusses one of his nascent pop-culture crushes while growing up, Laura and Javi join for a spicy roundtable...

Briona “Bri” Jenkins is a 32-year-old Black, queer woman changing the world by empowering people to own their stories through vulnerability. Bri (she/her/hers) visited Queertowne to discuss what it was like moving to Austin from the northeast and how isolating it felt to find herself the only Black person in the room. Bri and Mase talk about what it looks like to find community in the 512 as a sin...

Born in Taiwan, raised in Texas, Ivy Chiu is a cinematographer versatile in scripted and unscripted filmmaking. Ivy (she/they) visited Queertowne to discuss how Austin's film scene has cultivated her personal identity and artistic community, how her childhood within an immigrant family impacts her artistry and worldview, and her initial experiences in Austin while attending UT's RTF program....

Kelsey Smith is an actress, child psychologist, and one of Mase's closest childhood friends. Kelsey (she/her) visited QueerTowne to chat about her childhood in Austin with Mase, coming out as bi several years into her current relationship, and what she learned about herself in 2020. Javi and Kelsey discuss the difficulties of providing mental health services to students throughout the pandemic and...

Adri Pérez is an unapologetically queer, trans, and first generation immigrant who's working as a LGBTQ+ Policy Advocate for the ACLU of Texas. Adri (they/them) visited QueerTowne to discuss the important advocacy work they're doing on behalf of queer & trans Texas and how they cultivate inner resiliency during turbulent times. Adri and Mase discuss being single in Austin and what it means to...

Please give a warm welcome as our third co-host Javi makes his Big Gay Entrance in QueerTowne! Mase and Javi sit down to discuss the experience of pivoting a live show into a podcast. Javi opens up about the recent passing of his dog Studley, why Palm Springs is gayer than Austin, and how he got into natural wine. Mase and Javi talk about how Austin has changed over the last 20 years, why it was h...

Michael Barnes, a renowned local historian and longtime columnist for the Austin American-Statesman, dropped by the QT Clubhouse to chat with Mase and Laura about Austin’s queer history, the importance of community and chosen family during these turbulent times, and why visibility matters for younger generations. Michael (he/him) shares his perspective on how sex positivity has advanced in Texas o...

Please welcome Eddie Campos a.k.a. Chorizo Funk to the QT Clubhouse. Laura and Mase sat down with one of Austin’s best DJ’s for a meaningful chat about coming out later in life, how our upbringings shaped our current relationship with Christmas, and bad behavior when interacting with a DJ at a club. Eddie (he/him) describes how COVID-19 impacted his career, what his experience has been as a Latinx...