Latest Coming out Podcast Episodes
Mailbag 28: Toxic Fandom
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - February 16, 2024 08:05 - 11 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsUsing Twilight as a launchpad, listener Victoria prompts Brenna and Joe to consider the differences between good and toxic fandom, using examples from Star Wars, RuPaul's Drag Race and Formula 1 (that's right!) Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or...
The Queer Relationships Expereince
Queerability - February 13, 2024 21:00 - 49 minutesWelcome to this week's episode of Queerability; Relationships and Dating Nick and Ellie dive deep into relationship models and structure in this Valentine's Week special. How queer dating may be different from heteronormative dating. And they share their views of Monogamy, vs Polyamory. Joi...
Orion and the Dark
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - February 13, 2024 08:05 - 28 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsWe're skewing extremely young with our latest pick: Emma Yarlett's 2014 picture book Orion and the Dark, and Sean Charmatz's 2024 animated adaptation. The book is fun and cute, perfect for young ones who have anxiety or fears. The film is from a screenplay by Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovi...
Wonka (2023)
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - February 06, 2024 08:05 - 32 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsYou've never had a Wonka movie like this before! Well...unless you've seen writer/director Paul King's Paddington films, which have a lot of shared DNA, including a silly role for Hugh Grant (delightfully slumming it). We're not surprised at the incredible success of the film, which is anchored...
Mailbag 27: Twilight Book Club
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - February 02, 2024 08:05 - 5 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsNow that we're recording regularly again, Brenna and Joe are back with new Mailbag episodes. To kick off 2024, Tea, Books and Chocolates writes in to tell us about a mom & daughter book club experience reading Twilight. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @H...
The Twilight Saga: New Moon feat. Jenny Nulf
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - January 30, 2024 08:05 - 1 hour ★★★★ - 48 ratingsIt's Stephenie Meyer time as we, along with returning guest Jenny Nulf, tackle the second title in The Twilight Saga: New Moon. Our main take-away? This is a deeply boring book and while Chris Weitz's film isn't more interesting, at least the actors, particularly Michael Sheen, bring some fun/c...
The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - January 23, 2024 08:05 - 33 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsThe second half of our "17" double bill concludes with Kelly Fremon Craig's The Edge of Seventeen (2016) which finds Hailee Steinfeld playing a frustrating/unlikable social outcast. C/W: Attempted sexual assault Plus: Why it's important to read the film from Nadine's perspective, the film's cri...
Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets of the Universe
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - January 16, 2024 08:05 - 50 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsIt's finally time for Brenna and Joe to discover Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Benjamin Alire Sáenz's award-winning 2012 novel and Aitch Alberto's 2022 film adaptation. We're *huge* fans of the book, which has 2(!) sets of great parents and a beautiful, heartwarming ...
17 Again (2009)
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - January 09, 2024 08:05 - 29 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsBrenna wanted to remember Matthew Perry, so we're revisiting Burr Steers' 17 Again (2009) starring Perry and Zac Efron. While some of this hasn't aged well, this time travel/body swap has a lot of heart and Efron's comedic chops are solid. While Joe could do with less Thomas Lennon, the sweet ...
Loveboat Taipei / Love in Taipei
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - January 02, 2024 08:05 - 44 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsBrenna and Joe kick off 2024 with Abigail Hing Wen's fantastic 2020 book Loveboat Taipei ...and Arvin Chen's extremely generic 2023 film adaptation, Love in Taipei. The book is rich, readable and filled with complicated characters which only makes the film, bland even by YA rom-com standards, e...
Mailbag 26: Brenna's Top 5 YA Scandals
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - December 22, 2023 08:05 - 25 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsBrenna and Joe squeeze in one final Mailbag for the year. At the request of listener Tea, Books and Chocolate, we're talking about the juiciest of YA scandals from recent years, including John Green leaving Tumblr, Maggie Stiefvater vs Halsey, Sarah Dessen's Twitter mob, Lauren M Davis vs Marvel...
My True Love Gave To Me (2014)
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - December 19, 2023 08:05 - 36 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsBrenna and Joe celebrate the holiday season with a look at the Stephanie Perkins-edited collection of seasonal stories. We chat about the stories we liked the best ("It’s a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown", "Krampuslauf", "Midnights", "The Girl Who Broke The Dreamer" and "Welcome to Christmas, ...
Mailbag 25: Dark Rise Recommendation
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - December 15, 2023 08:05 - 2 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsHere's a short and sweet Mailbag from Tasmanian listener Emily, with a recommendation for a future read: Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod: > Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram) > Joe: @b...
Willy Wonka / Charlie & The Chocolate Factory
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - December 12, 2023 08:05 - 1 hour ★★★★ - 48 ratingsWe've got a golden ticket! To coincide with the release of new film Wonka, Brenna and Joe dip into Roald Dahl's problematic 1964 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as well as Mel Stuart's 1971 adaptation and Tim Burton's 2005 "more faithful" take. There's *lots* to discuss: colonialism, racism,...
The Shamer's Daughter
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - December 05, 2023 08:05 - 47 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsThanks to listener Charlotte, we're checking out The Shamer's Daughter, book one in Lene Kaaberbøl's The Shamer Chronicles, as well its 2015 film adaptation by Kenneth Kainz. This medieval fantasy novel has a fantastic protagonist, strong female friendships, and complex moral stakes. The film i...
Mailbag 24: Bat Mitzvah
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - December 04, 2023 18:29 - 2 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsAfter our episode on You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah, listener Tea, Books & Chocolate wrote in to share her experiences, including expensive gifts and a Mitzvah project that involved a protest rally with grandma! Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky ...
You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - November 28, 2023 08:05 - 52 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsBrenna and Joe are working on our Mitzvahs as we discuss Fiona Rosenbloom's 2005 book You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah and its 2023 Netflix adaptation by Sammi Cohen. While both texts are relatively slight, we found these quite enjoyable. The book's conflict is a little manufactured and...
History of Queer Music
Queerability - November 27, 2023 23:00 - 56 minutesWelcome to this week's episode of Queerability; The history of Queer Music? In this episode, we look at Nick's and Ellie's the history and development of Queer Music. They discuss their views on music, how music has shaped queerness, and how queerness has shaped music. Join us for an intimate ...
Mailbag 23: Alanna Recommendation / Imogen Consolation
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - November 24, 2023 08:05 - 5 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsWe're responding to mail from listeners Aimee, who has an Alanna-inspired contemporary recommendation, and Victoria, who is drawing on lessons from Imogen, Obviously and There's Someone Inside Your House to confront toxicity in her personal life. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitte...
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023)
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - November 21, 2023 08:05 - 40 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsBrenna and Joe return to Panem for The Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, directed by franchise regular Francis Lawrence. While Joe struggles with the transition from Part 2 to 3, Brenna is unconvinced by lead actor Tom Blyth or the romance between Snow and Lucy Gray. We...
Do You Like Dating?
Queerability - November 17, 2023 05:00 - 1 hourWelcome to this week's episode of Queerability; Do You Like Dating? In this episode, we look at Nick's and Ellie's dating experiences. They discuss their views on dating, queer dating vs straight dating, and share some of their worst experiences. Join us for an intimate and enlightening journ...
Mockingjay Part 2 feat. Alex Heeney
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - November 14, 2023 08:05 - 1 hour ★★★★ - 48 ratingsWe're wrapping up Mockingjay which means our resident The Hunger Games expert Alex Heeney of Seventh Row is back! We're closing out the back half of Suzanne Collins' book (Chapter 13 -> End) and Francis Lawrence's Mockingjay Part 2 (2015) with a discussion about PTSD, the Capitol as arena, and ...
Trans Awareness Week: Monica Mulholland
OUTcast Podcast - November 13, 2023 04:02 - 28 minutesMarking Transgender Awareness Week, we reshare Rotary Club chair Monica Mulholland's story. Monica Mulholland was the first trans chair person of Rotary New Zealand's Inner Wheel Club. Monica grew up in 1960s Catholic Ireland and came out as trans in her fifties after decades of hiding her true ...
Trans Awareness Week: AJ Clementine
OUTcast Podcast - November 13, 2023 04:01 - 33 minutesMarking Transgender Awareness Week, we reshare Australian influencer AJ Clementine's story. AJ tells Rosie her coming out story and discusses why positive trans representation on screen and elsewhere in the media is so crucial. Topics discussed: Coming out as transgender. Gender dismorphia. ...
Trans Awareness Week: Sarah Jones
OUTcast Podcast - November 13, 2023 04:00 - 39 minutesMarking Transgender Awareness Week, we reshare transgender priest Sarah Jones's coming out story, in which she discusses the Anglican church’s approach to LGBTQ+ rights, and shares the issues facing the trans community today. Topics discussed: Experiencing life as a trans person from the 60s t...
Mailbag 22: Cursive
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - November 10, 2023 08:05 - 6 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsBrenna and Joe gush over new listener Chantal's cool grandmother (reader of Harlequin romance novels), then sidestep into a conversation about cursive writing as a lost art form and how it can connect us. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use t...
Reservation Dogs S03
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - November 07, 2023 08:05 - 46 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsBrenna and Joe bid a sad farewell to S03 of Reservation Dogs. We spend a lot of time discussing the use of elders, the unique portrayal of the effects of residential schools, cycles, and where our fave characters wind up. Plus: stunt casting Elora's dad and Graham Greene, the spin-off we want, ...
Queerness on the Silver Screen
Queerability - November 03, 2023 05:00 - 56 minutesWelcome to this week's episode of Queerability; How Fashion Fuels Queer Visibility In this episode, we look at how Queerness has been impacted by Films and Cinema. How our community is represented on the silver screen. Join us for an intimate and enlightening journey through the diverse and vi...
There's Someone Inside Your House
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - October 31, 2023 07:05 - 50 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsBrenna and Joe wrap up another Spooky Season with Stephanie Perkins' 2017 slasher novel There's Someone Inside Your House and Patrick Brice's 2021 Netflix adaptation. The book is fast-paced, although it loses its message and winds up being a little forgettable, while the film starts off strong,...
Goosebumps feat. Paul Farrell
Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr - October 24, 2023 07:05 - 54 minutes ★★★★ - 48 ratingsWe're still on the gateway horror track with a look at three R.L. Stine texts and Rob Letterman's 2015 film adaptation, starring Jack Black (again!) Guiding the discussion with encyclopedic knowledge is Goosebumps super fan Paul Farrell, who advised Brenna and Joe to read The Ghost Next Door, T...