Ira and Louis dive into the ongoing Nicki Minaj and Megan thee Stallion feud, the uproar after Barbie’s perceived Oscar snub, Justin Timberlake’s new single, Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl, and what the hell the movie Argylle is. Sasha Velour joins to discuss her new tour, Real Housewives, and filming the new season of We’re Here.

 

TRANSCRIPT

 

[AD]

 

Ira Madison III And we are back with an all new episode of Keep It. I’m Ira Madison, the third.

 

Louis Virtel I’m Louis Virtel, and if you identify as a Barb or a Barbie fan, I am so sorry about this week. I thought you really fell off the rails. Sorry. I’m scared for you and for me and for us talking about it. But we are going to talk about it.

 

Ira Madison III The girls are down bad this week.

 

Louis Virtel Woof. Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III Actually, it’s it is. It is so funny that this is all connected to the Barbie movie in a way.

 

Louis Virtel Yes, right.

 

Ira Madison III Because of Barbie World, Nicki Minaj, a song. And when we get into that, we’ll talk about how she dragged Megan Thee Stallion song with Renee Rapp, which it’s very rude. We’ve Renee out of it.

 

Louis Virtel We enjoy the song. I’m sorry. This may be Renee peaking. I don’t mean to insult the girl, but I really enjoy the song.

 

Ira Madison III So it started out with hashtag Hillary. Barbie.

 

Louis Virtel Already? I’m honestly, I’m too daunted to do this episode. I think I actually have to look up the studio.

 

Ira Madison III Hillary Barbie to Bigfoot. Like, what a week, what a week in pop culture we’ve had. But Louis, before we get started, I believe you had a burning question.

 

Louis Virtel Yes. What is Argylle? Do I have to be seeing it? First of all, every person is in it, including Mr. Samuel L Jackson. Just.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah.

 

Louis Virtel All these choices feel shocking. Did you see the single that came out with Boy George and Ariana DeBose? Did you know that they were in Argylia or wherever we’re at?

 

Ira Madison III Oh, okay. Well, that’s not helping the singing, rumors.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah. It’s a hard. It’s a, old fashioned disco song, as in Nile Rodgers as the producer. So it’s, like, designed to sound like 70s disco. I have to say good lane for Ariana DeBose. She kind of has the pipes and energy for that. You know, bringing back like the, the feel of fast boogie songs or whatever the emotions are that kind of A Taste Of Honey things that sound like that.

 

Ira Madison III This has such an insane cast and it, it, it, it feels like, it feels like one of those Kingsman movies where everyone was just popping up, but it has Henry Cavill, Dua Lipa, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ariana DeBose, Sam Rockwell, John Cena, Samuel L Jackson, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Rob Delaney, Viola Davis she’s not in it.

 

Louis Virtel I remember when.

 

Ira Madison III Jonathan Majors.

 

Louis Virtel By the way. Yeah. Rob Delaney, remember when he was in Mission Impossible? God, he just is like infiltrated everywhere. This used to be somebody who said on Twitter all day, I mean, it’s just it’s very interesting. Not all the people who are like Twitter jockeys in 2010 went on to, you know, illustrious careers like Rob Delaney made it happen.

 

Ira Madison III He really did. And I feel like he still tours as a comedian.

 

Louis Virtel And so he’s a great writer. Yeah, seemingly a fabulous person.

 

Ira Madison III I want to talk about Dua Lipa in Argylle, because the press tour for Argylle has had a lot of bad looks.

 

Louis Virtel Okay.

 

Ira Madison III I don’t know what’s going on with the red hair.

 

Louis Virtel It feels like everybody has a bright red hair moment, though. You know, I don’t know if Lianna made that, you know, sort of canon, but everybody sort of has that moment.

 

Ira Madison III I’m just. I’m wondering if I’m feeling the Dua era.

 

Louis Virtel I you’re right.

 

Ira Madison III Currently.

 

Louis Virtel It feels like like half an era at the moment. Like a trend. You know, it’s like when Kacey Musgraves followed up the album of the year win with that kind of slowish affirmation of her talents as opposed to a big moment. Maybe the next album will be the, you know.

 

Ira Madison III The yeah.

 

Louis Virtel A high point again. But that said, yeah, I think Dua Lipa is a good album artist, so I am eagerly awaiting the album.

 

Ira Madison III Yes, Houdini is fine. And listen in Danny Harlow and Kevin Parker from Tame Impala. I do trust, however, I don’t even know if I like the snippet that we heard from training session or whatever the new album was with the white cover. She’s she’s hanging on a pole. Very Britney 123 Video. I feel like Dua Lipa is an artist who would be great if she did one of those old school. Like Beyonce, say Rihanna. Even like Kanye. Things of like, here’s a camp, you know, invite a bunch of great artists to make songs for you and then pick which best ones if you like. But sometimes you just have to like a singer, like people she’s working with. And we’ll see how it turns out.

 

Louis Virtel I mean, like Houdini to me had fourth single energy when, you know, and I think there was some rejiggering like she changed one song or switched something out. So, but that said, like the song from the Barbie movie grew on me. Didn’t think it would, and I thought it was maybe a little ho hum at first. But then there’s something about her songs, and I think her attitude within the songs that sort of worms her way into the subconscious. There’s like a cool.

 

Ira Madison III She’s just star.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah. Right.

 

Ira Madison III And she’s a star and her voice is just so I love her voice. I love hearing hearing  Dua speak.

 

Louis Virtel Apparently her podcast is good. You know, I don’t listen to those, but.

 

Ira Madison III It is good. It is good. I like her podcast and newsletter. It’s weird to think of her being a pop star who has thoughts.

 

Louis Virtel Right? That exists, I guess what she’s thinking.

 

Ira Madison III So thinking of things, you know.

 

Louis Virtel I avidly avoid Madonna’s so you know, and it’s like, I know some of them have thoughts, but I can’t be hearing them. You know what I’m saying.

 

Ira Madison III Girl, when that bitch brought Amy Schumer out for Vogue.

 

Louis Virtel But like, they are kind of like, I’m not surprised because of course, free thought or whatever, Madonna would scream. But secondly, Amy did promo for Madonna’s Celebration Tour, right? Like she did the, that video where they’re all sitting around the table and then, it’s like a Truth or Dare style clip where she’s daring Madonna to go on a big greatest hits tour, so I’m not surprised to see her come back.

 

Ira Madison III Contractually obligated.

 

Louis Virtel Yes.

 

Ira Madison III As it were. You know, like, Sarah Silverman and Maestro, we’ve we’ve talked about maestro being bad so much, by the way, but we have not truly addressed.

 

Louis Virtel How horrible.

 

Ira Madison III Sarah Silverman is in that movie. Sounding like, a mobster’s moll the entire time. Oh, by.

 

Louis Virtel The way, lots of interesting accent choices in that movie. I mean, like, it’s it’s borderline a muppet Christmas Carol. What’s going on in that movie?

 

Ira Madison III So anyway, I will forgive Madonna if it was a contract thing, but, you know, pull out the Ouija board, okay? Ask Tupac what he would think. Okay. I don’t think the Shakurs.

 

Louis Virtel Just all of them.

 

Speaker 3 Would be supporting the Schumers

 

Louis Virtel Right. Okay. Talk to that painting of Basquiat you throw out or whatever. And ask what it wants. Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III Do you know we are getting like, multiple Basquiat projects?

 

Louis Virtel So that’s about right, because we only know like three names from the art world anymore. And so it’s like IP we have to keep working with, you know, it’s like it’s like Snow White or whatever. It’s going to keep coming back.

 

Ira Madison III Last week we talked about Jeffrey Wright and like he was a Basquiat.

 

Louis Virtel The concealer Basquiat.

 

Ira Madison III Yes. Yes. And he didn’t give nomination for it or not. He should have. But I do know we have one project coming out. Apparently Lena Waithe is working on something about Basquiat Sisters. And then there is the adaptation of that awful play that I saw starring Paul Bettany and Jeremy Pope last year on Broadway, which is going to be happening. So I think that will be getting a lot of Basquiat stuff, but still not the project that we’ve been talking about on this show for years. Louis, where is the Basquiat Madonna story?

 

Louis Virtel Also, it’s like, I don’t say it too loud of Madonna. I’ll just fucking write it and then we’ll have to see it, and then she’ll be like, as I’ve said a thousand times in the show, I just find her way too enamored with having known famous male artists. Like it should be that they knew you as what we’re obsessed with, but I don’t know, she’d like. It’s it’s it reminds me of that in. You share did talking about her career where she said one, I’m not a Cher fan because which kind of makes sense. Like she’s not really the audience for that kind of pop music, but two, she said she would be so intimidated in the 70s, hanging out with, like, Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Houston and saying, these people are making these this great art. And I was stuck making Dark Lady. It’s like, you know, Dark Lady has outlasted plenty of other things from that time, plenty of other Jack Nicholson movies.

 

Ira Madison III It outlasted Heartburn.

 

Louis Virtel So, yes. Oh, Heartburn. Not good. Not Nora’s best. And then, of course, we learned on Drag Race this week that maybe Dark Lady isn’t as well known as we wanted to be. We get into this with our guest this week, by the way.

 

Ira Madison III Speaking of artists that people should really be digging into, by the way, besides Basquiat, what is the Keith Haring work.

 

Louis Virtel By the way. Well that’s going to be coming because people still don’t know that name too. And you see that design all over the place. It’s always incorporated into one thing or another.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. There is this great profile in the Document Journal about Sean Dickerson, who works in nightlife in New York. He’s been around for 40 years. I see him all the time when I go out. But just basically talking about, you know, 40 years ago about Keith Haring and those people, you know, hanging out in New York and going to parties and about how Keith would always come up and talk to him and like just chatting with people at the club and stuff. And I’m like, I really want a biopic of one of these people to get the vibe of what it was like hanging out in New York in the 80s, like going to parties and clubs and things. I feel like so many of these things are so dry.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, right. You don’t get a sense of like, yeah, the actual we’re all hanging out, having a good time vibe, like what it was actually like to be there. Again, I have to recommend Party Girl in this way that to me has the vibe of, here are the people who are here every week. We’re familiar with each other in this way. She’s a mess because of this. He’s amazing. Because of this. Yeah, more movies like that? Definitely.

 

Ira Madison III I rewatched that recently and it’s it’s so good. It feels so much like New York currently. You know, it’s New York just always sort of feels like that. If you’re in that younger sphere of going out and having fun. You know.

 

Louis Virtel I also, by the way, sometimes I just listen to studio 54 Radio on Sirius XM, which, by the way, it’s it’s basically a bunch of people mythologizing three years in American history, talking about this one club, when it existed, when and, it’s never not educational. You find out what it was like to be there and seeing, you know, Halston lingering over or Liza minnelli or whomever, and who randomly got to walk in unaccompanied by anybody famous and who was never got in and stuff. So tune in every once in a while.

 

Ira Madison III Well, you know, I’m Parker Posey now because I have a monthly party in New York.

 

Louis Virtel I write you’re what we call an impresario.

 

Ira Madison III I prefer doyenne, okay.

 

Louis Virtel So that’s Anna Wintour. Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III That bitch better watch out. Okay. Yes. Before we get started, though, if you are in New York, come to that on Thursday at the bar Dingaling, at 10 p.m.. It’s That Thing.

 

Louis Virtel Where is Bar Dingaling?.

 

Ira Madison III It’s. And it’s on Avenue A on the East Village.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, you sounded like a character from rent the way you just said that. How exciting. You’re out on the town.

 

Ira Madison III You know what? And I sing songs from Rent when I wander the street with my scarf. I got my camcorder.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, my God, camcorders. What an awesome word. That’s like a great 90s thing that should be brought back in some way, but not in a dumb, noxious, I’m a photographer way. I just want to hear the word camcorder more often.

 

Ira Madison III Camcorders and voice machines and.

 

Louis Virtel Talk boys.

 

Ira Madison III Answering machines. Answering machine. Yeah, it’s talk boys. I mean, I just recently watched Home Alone for Christmas, so the talk boy being in it, I did have a talk boy.

 

Louis Virtel I did not.

 

Ira Madison III By the way.

 

Louis Virtel I was so jealous because I would record my little radio shows when I was a child. Right. And I had to do it on a normal recorder. And do you know what else I would do? Record game shows off the television with an audio recorder? What was wrong with me? Like, I would just find like an audio tape in my parents closet, and it’s, an episode of Family Feud featuring two different sets of miss USA contestants. What is wrong with me?

 

Ira Madison III Hahahahahahahaha I’ve thought about bringing a camcorder back, though, only because there’s so much footage online. If you Google it and look on YouTube or whatever of just like type in like New York or LA, like 80s, 90s of like Fire Island or pride festivals where people used to film them the same way that we filmed shit with our iPhones now. But, you know, it looks more like it is archiving history.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, it’s like I’m obsessed with, old footage of Sunset Boulevard in the 80s or 70s where it’s like it’s just billboards everywhere. And, you know, the whiskey a Go-Go is a meaningful place to be or whatever the Viper Room and stuff that stops.

 

Ira Madison III You and Tarantino.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, right. Yeah, definitely hanging out at whatever Vidiots. And yeah, screaming about, Dario Argento or whatever.

 

Ira Madison III Well, I think that we have delayed the inevitable for a little too long. We have the exciting Sasha Velour here this week. We’re going to talk about her new tour, The Big Reveal. We’re also going to talk about Real Housewives, which was shocking. To me. I didn’t peg her for a house.

 

Louis Virtel Me neither. I sort of was digging. I said, well, we’ll get to the interview, but I’m like, what else are you into besides drag? And then she brought that up and I was like, okay, well, I’ll sit this one out. Moving on.

 

Ira Madison III When we get back, it’s time to piss off some Barbs.

 

Louis Virtel Whew.

 

Ira Madison III Myself included.

 

Louis Virtel I’m looking forward to that.

 

Speaker 3 [AD]

 

Ira Madison III Megan Thee Stallion’s latest single has dropped and unsurprisingly, the hoes are mad.

 

Louis Virtel Hoes rarely happy. You’ll find. Not really a company with the zeal of life, A hoe.

 

Ira Madison III Show me a happy hoe.

 

Louis Virtel Sounds like the beginning of a lot more.

 

Ira Madison III Show me a happy ho and I’ll show you a Madonna album post 2015. That’s good.

 

Louis Virtel Right. Precisely. Confusing. But we’re almost there.

 

Ira Madison III Yes. Yeah. Anyway, most notably, Nicki Minaj is mad.

 

Louis Virtel But that’s also that’s her comfortable space. I think she prefers to be in a jilted, pissed state, if you will.

 

Ira Madison III She is a dungeon dragon.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III And I don’t know if you’ve seen Pete’s Dragon recently, but he was always, you know, mad, right?

 

Louis Virtel Right. Dragons have a lot in common. Yes.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah, mostly because other people couldn’t see him.

 

Louis Virtel Tough.

 

Ira Madison III You know? Yeah. Imaginary. And I feel Nicki has been feeling like she’s imaginary lately, you know, existentially or whatever. She’s been ignored by the rap game, by everyone. Let’s let’s talk about who Nicki’s been mad at lately. TikTok. Yeah. If you if you recall this last week, she said that she was being censored on TikTok. There is also an account. I do not remember the name of the account. It’s this white woman who holds a coffee mug and does blind items because there’s so many accounts. Try to be doing more on TikTok. I apparently she did a blind item about someone going to rehab and heavily insinuating it was Nikki and the Nikki and the barbs were in her mentions on TikTok, harassing her, etc. and then she really just kept going. She kept kept going. And that’s women’s mentions day in, day out, which was a precursor to Meghan dropping Hiss, and then Nikki then spending three days tweeting, Instagram Live-ing, and finally dropping Bigfoot, which she claimed at first wasn’t a just track. It is very much a.

 

Louis Virtel Does excuse me the music drops out. Music, by the way, liberally defined, the music drops out and then she just simply talks to Meghan and intimidates her and implies she’s lying about a number of things, including, by the way, her dead mother. Can I just say something.

 

Ira Madison III On your dead mama? Yeah. Oh, your damn mother.

 

Louis Virtel So the fact that she’s coming in with that is crazy. I mean, like, in the tradition of Nicki Minaj, it’s crazy. But.

 

Ira Madison III Listen, I almost got beat up in grade school, because I was trading barbs. Remember when barbs just meant.

 

Louis Virtel And so, yeah, we love that.

 

Ira Madison III Trading barbs with someone. I threw out of your mama.

 

Louis Virtel In Living Color classic.

 

Ira Madison III And. But it’s. I was like, his mom’s dead.

 

Louis Virtel That’s right. Out of Pen15, by the way. Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III And. And they were ready to kick my ass. Haha. Thank you. Shout out to my cousin who stopped it. And as like Ira, Ira didn’t know, but I had to, I was cornered in the alley. Girl.

 

Louis Virtel Okay, where’s the beat up video? Oh, yeah. Oh.

 

Ira Madison III Oh, it took like, two times of my life of, like, a serious fight. And that was. Anyway.

 

Louis Virtel You’re here now.

 

Ira Madison III Throwing out people’s dead mamas. Wouldn’t recommend that, right?

 

Louis Virtel Right, right.

 

Ira Madison III Also, that is just, like, a little bit uglier than God likes it, my love. Okay. God, you are, like, ugly. And he, like, that’s that’s that’s. There’s no good and bad here. That is just the ugly.

 

Louis Virtel Right?

 

Ira Madison III Right. It’s like it’s the ugliest. It’s it’s doth levels of ugly. Okay.

 

Louis Virtel I will say this now I in the way that I cannot stand when people talk about Trump and they’re like. But he is a little bit funny. I’m about to do that right now. During that.

 

Ira Madison III She’s funny.

 

Louis Virtel During the track. But at some point she says, because, you know, I got tea and she goes and I let you off easy. The inflection. You know who she sounds like? It’s like when Ghostface has been unmasked and they’re just holding Sidney at gunpoint. No, I got I let you off easy. You know, it was getting a little Laurie Metcalf in Scream two, and I got a little knife happy. You know.

 

Ira Madison III Obviously, I’m a big scream fan, but when you said Ghostface unmasked, what am I, brain go to Space Ghost?

 

Louis Virtel Wow, I have no idea.

 

Ira Madison III So I imagine Nicki Minaj at the desk performing Bigfoot, but like a Space Ghost coast to coast.

 

Louis Virtel That would be really cool. Of her one and two. That’s actually way more in line with Megan Thee Stallion, who apparently her all of her tweets from 2010 are like eating cereal and watching SpongeBob. Love this life I’m living. They keep trying to like, shame her with these tweets and they’re all, like, extremely quaint.

 

Ira Madison III But my favorite was someone made it seem like she was commenting on Nikki’s response track, Bigfoot because she wrote oh hell no, not that song, but it’s a tweet from 2011. Like, where were you? What are you talking about?

 

Louis Virtel Yeah. Rolling in the deep. What is it? Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III Let’s talk about Hiss first. Meghan’s song. The song that launched a thousand ships. So the song hits a lot of people.

 

Louis Virtel Yes.

 

Ira Madison III Nikki gets hits first with, “These hoes they’ll be mad at Meghan. These hoes mad at Meghan’s Law.”

 

Louis Virtel Meghan’s law is like a punch line, I have to say a little funny. I mean, it’s uncomfortable for me, but I mean go there. I mean, your name is mango. Go ahead.

 

Ira Madison III And of course, Megan’s Law references how sex offenders have to list their address.

 

Louis Virtel Right.

 

Ira Madison III Basically. And whatever someone’s talking about, Nikki. They reference her husband, Kenneth Petty, convicted sex offender who cannot leave his home.

 

Louis Virtel Let me just say, is it possible she married that guy just so she could call herself Mrs. Petty? Because there is no more appropriate sobriquet in the history of music. But it’s like if I married, like, oh, my husband, you know. Nick. Oscar, bitch. You know what I mean? Like, oh, it works out.

 

Ira Madison III Hahahahahahahaha. You know what? Now we’re getting.

 

Louis Virtel Sober. I think I saw her. Yeah, I’m like Argylle.

 

Ira Madison III It’s Argylle. A mystery.

 

Louis Virtel I don’t know, and it’s it’s rude to ask. Please, I don’t I can’t go further.

 

Ira Madison III All right. What’s wild is I feel like the last your line was about Drake, right? The. These niggas hate on BBLs and be walking around with the same scars. We’re talking about Drake’s BBL.

 

Louis Virtel She’s. She’s implying this man had, like, an ass lift?

 

Ira Madison III He implied that he gets plastic surgery.

 

Louis Virtel Right? The same scars. Okay. That works.

 

Ira Madison III We’ve seen him with transformations over the years.

 

Louis Virtel Reveals that Sasha Velour would say yes.

 

Ira Madison III Have you seen Drake’s Instagram lately? Can you please open up your Instagram and look?

 

Louis Virtel I got a.

 

Ira Madison III He’s, he’s just turned into a Instagram influencer. Like a get ready with me girl.

 

Louis Virtel Here I go putting on a shirt with buttons. Yeah, okay, here we go. He’s still Champagne Papi, look at these photos. Yeah. Oh, he’s just holding, like, an Aperol spritz for real.

 

Ira Madison III Holy it. Afro spritz in a luscious caramel coat.

 

Louis Virtel Right. I’m walking through a hotel lobby. Isn’t this cosmopolitan life of mine extraordinary? You’re Drake.

 

Ira Madison III He is one of the funniest rapper dichotomies to me ever. It’s just just that is the general vibe of Drake. And then also he’ll be like, I got killers.

 

Louis Virtel Right?

 

Ira Madison III People try to think that, you know, he’s not really living that gangster life, but really he’s living like Bond villain life. You know queer coded.

 

Louis Virtel Sure.

 

Ira Madison III Taunting.

 

Louis Virtel Give him a cat.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah yeah that’s it. Drake’s a Bond villain. Drake is definitely the kind of person who would explain the plan to you for 30 minutes before he kills you.

 

Louis Virtel Now, which do you prefer, Hiss or Bigfoot? Just as a song. And again song I’m liberally defining.

 

Ira Madison III Well, one of them is a song, right?

 

Louis Virtel See, that’s where we. I think his wins. Yes.

 

Ira Madison III Hiss does win. The video is better than the song. I think it’s good. I still don’t particularly love the, the intro in the middle part where she’s just talking. It, I get it, that’s the vibe of her TikTok, but I’m trying to listen to a song.

 

Louis Virtel Right.

 

Ira Madison III I’m sure someone’s gonna make it into a TikTok sound and then that will help it go viral. You know, there these are all the tricks of the trade, as it were. But. Oh, that the beat goes in, I enjoy it. And. It’s fun. It’s a good song.

 

Louis Virtel You know what is just inconceivable to me? That whatever Nikki is trying to claim in this song that people are going to, like, turn on Megan. What could have happened? That now we will just hate her. I mean, it just doesn’t make any sense to me.

 

Ira Madison III Well, she’s been lying on a dead mom. On a dead mother.

 

Louis Virtel I just. Meaning what? It’s so crazy.

 

Ira Madison III Okay, so before she released Bigfoot, did you see the Instagram Live? Where it’s just her closet, and she’s sort of repeating some of the lyrics. And here’s the thing. If the internet is clowning you before you even drop the track because of the lyrics. One foot, two foot, get up on your good foot, Bigfoot. Like, maybe that just means things aren’t going in the way that you’d hoped.

 

Louis Virtel Right. This should have. This is like a, you know, a beta testing. You threw it out there and oops, it’s a it’s not that great. Also just being in the closet and she’s sort of murmuring to herself, it’s giving Howard Hughes with the pee jars in the closet. It’s concerning.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. Well, considering her husband, that’s why she’s in the closet, you know. R. Kelly loved to hang out there.

 

Louis Virtel Okay.

 

Ira Madison III He was trapped there, in fact.

 

Louis Virtel Right. Yeah. In 13 installments or however many. Yeah. Speaking of installments, that’s my favorite thing that Nikki keeps bringing up in Bigfoot. She’s like, I’ll save that for the next installment. Like, it’s. Like she’s some performance artist.

 

Ira Madison III And artist, honestly. By the way, side note if you’re talking about the one, the only thing in culture that is really it’s just sort of like really vanished, now that we’ve taken R. Kelly out of the equation, is how utterly insane the trapped in the closet saga was.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, wait.

 

Ira Madison III When it first came out?

 

Louis Virtel Oh, no. I mean, it was because it was funny. And.

 

Ira Madison III It was.

 

Louis Virtel We didn’t need to see it 176 times as he thought we did. And it went to a point where they brought in midget comedy. And I said, I have this is where I leave.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah.

 

Louis Virtel The closet.

 

Ira Madison III It ran longer than Passions.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III Okay.

 

Louis Virtel Precisely. It was the Guiding Light. I mean it went from radio to TV to streaming. Okay.

 

Ira Madison III 12 installments would have been good. And at a certain point, I just remember Trapped in the Closet still being on, and I was like, okay, shout out to her.

 

Right. No, it was it’s like how you like too many cooks. It’s funny that it goes on that long, but also it went on that long, so I can’t watch this whole thing.

 

Ira Madison III But getting back to Nikki’s track.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III Bigfoot. It is not good. But I did laugh quite a bit. Not at bad bitch. She like six foot. I call her Bigfoot the bitch love. I said good about your good foot. That part is so confusing to me because she later insinuates that it is lying about getting shot.

 

Louis Virtel Right?

 

Ira Madison III But then why would she have to hop up on the good foot? There’s there’s inconsistencies in the song.

 

Louis Virtel Right. You know, you’re being a bad detective right now. Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. I mean, go ask for Gaga’s help. Okay? That’s a that’s a pop detective.

 

Louis Virtel Right? Yeah. She’s doing the research herself. Yeah. Inspecting the premises.

 

Ira Madison III Can you imagine if Gaga got into this fight, and she was like, I’m going to the location where Megan Thee Stallion was allegedly shot. I looked for evidence.

 

Louis Virtel Full Al Capone, her all the Rivera outside the vault. Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III But I did really laugh at this line when she was talking about Gayle King. Because if you recall, Tori Lanza’s attorney implied that they had slept together, but they had had a relationship before the shooting. But Megan on Gayle King said that they did not have a sexual relationship. So some people believe that Megan lied about it, some people doubt, etc. but Nikki’s line fucking your best friend man, it’s crazy. You the type though. You was lying to the queen, then you were lying to the king. Gayle. I’m sorry I laughed.

 

Louis Virtel Also, then for even a second she is actually calling Gayle the King like, of all media, like what? So funny. Well also, I’ll say this about Nicki Minaj. I mean like however bad it gets with her, some people just have funny baked into literally how they speak, like when she’s on Drag Race or whatever, just making a casual comment. It’s going to be funny. So like as heinous as she will get, it will always be funny. That’s just how some people communicate. It’s not like, I mean, it’s a it’s a very casual talent. But when we call her funny, it’s not like we’re saying at all is forgiven. You know?

 

Ira Madison III That’s why I also laughed at the line, how are you going to go on Gayle King and can’t cry. Child. By just saying child and by in the song with her intonation. It’s funny. She’s a funny person.

 

Louis Virtel I also repeat, you forget that once upon a time before the rapping, she wanted to be an actress. You know she has and she has that. Like you can picture her.

 

Ira Madison III She went to LaGuardia.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah. Yes, there you are. You can picture her being like, an eye popping supporting role in a movie, you know?

 

Ira Madison III You know, where are. Where is that show? That never happened, by the way. Nikki, remember, there was supposed to be a Nikki and high school show?

 

Louis Virtel Right.

 

Ira Madison III That was supposed to happen. I mean, I just want to see Nicki Minaj planted into fame.

 

Louis Virtel Yes, actually, the girl is fucking hating her, right?

 

Ira Madison III Fame. Fame cost.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III And then she’s fighting with Debbie Allen.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, my God. Put those two in room. Just period. Actually put her in a room with Gayle King. What am I saying? I want to see that interview.

 

Ira Madison III I’m gonna always refer to Gayle King as the King.

 

Louis Virtel From now on. Must be sorry. I’ll referring to the king. Yeah. Sorry Elvis.

 

Ira Madison III And here’s my ultimate thing about Nikki. This. Was not just like a thing to be laughing at all weekend. It also felt really sad and desperate and like, you kind of like just feel for her in a way, because it’s it to be in your home to be this obsessed ranting for three days. The only interaction you have with the outside world seems to be your fans who are pumping you up, gassing you up to attack people constantly. It just feels that’s not the Nikki that’s.

 

Louis Virtel It’s pathetic.

 

Ira Madison III That on love with. It is and it’s, you know, not to get all. I missed the old Kanye on her, but it’s starting to feel like that in that specific period where Kanye was just getting erratic and you could tell that he was throwing his legacy out of the window. And it’s people constantly bring up the fact that if you are the Queen, why are you constantly responding to everything it’s giving? A hit dog will holler. As Meghan said when she called in to The Breakfast Club, and talked about it. And it’s just you don’t want to see her having to resort to this. I like rap beef. I like fighting, sure, but it’d be very different if Nicki just. It’d be very different if Nicki just dropped this song. Right. And and had days of lead up because just hearing, like, I don’t go mama is kind of crazy, but it’s not crazier than, you know, Ether, or you know, Shoot Em Up, you know, so it’s, it’s we’ve seen rap beef of this level before, but just drop it. I feel like the days leading up to it made it feel erratic and crazy in a sense, you know.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, no, you don’t want to watch people like Guesstimating. What drug cocktail she’s on. I mean, like, that’s not like a fun place for any fan or non fan. I think to be in, like, it’s just like it’s uncomfortable all around the passion she has for whatever. I mean, it’s it’s not lighthearted, you know what I mean? Like, it’s it’s grim and ongoing and, as you just said, you can tell she has lost in her mansions. And in fact, in the middle of this song, she thanks her fans in a moment. That is all so funny, but, but it’s but at the same time, it’s like you’re clearly listening only to your fans. You know, that’s like the the voice that’s like propelling you into this.

 

Ira Madison III That outro of the song that is deranged. And there have been a lot of funny memes about it, but when that music dropped out, as she just goes, now listen up, Bigfoot. You know, I got a lot of tea.

 

Louis Virtel I mean, again.,She had a lot of nerve, but there was some line deliveries in there.

 

Ira Madison III At the end of the day, I am a barb. I’m always going to be one. You really can’t get Barb out of your system. I’m always going to be at the bar or restaurant, ordering a margarita. And someone says, can I get salt around the rim? And my brains are going to go to. Can I get all around that rim, rim, rim, Trey?  Like, the words are always there. It’s always going to be in my son’s memory. She’s still incredibly funny even when she’s throwing out Bigfoot. Get up on your good foot. The unintentional funny parts are still funny. There’s a lot of comedy. Pink Friday 2, you know? But it just it’s sad that Pink Friday 2 sort of feels like a swan song, right? Because I don’t know where she goes after this. She’s still going to be around. I don’t think Nikki’s not going to fade into obscurity, certainly not over the next week. But is she ever going to shake the table again? Is she ever going to gag us again? I don’t know that that I think that’s I think that’s off the table.

 

Louis Virtel To like, take this to a Madonna fan place. I think the reason she still has fans after like years of questionable choices, strange statements, whatever. It’s like people admire that when like a star of this magnitude has a lot of fight in them to the point of self-sabotage like that almost. We almost root for that in a way like they can’t help but like, nurse this feeling, this drive they have, even if it’s against their better interest at that at least feels genuine, as opposed to like appeasing their audiences all the time, like so. Nikki will always kind of have that feeling, I think. And in fact, she kind of is the Madonna of her time, you know, like, she did shake the table and she did get too petty about certain things. And, but at the same time, her legacy is only hers, like, there’s, there’s no other rapper, period that has done what Nicki Minaj has done.

 

Ira Madison III I mean, she did famously say, bitch, I’m Madonna. These hoes know.

 

Louis Virtel Right? Yes. And then she got to be on another Madonna song after that. And as you know, Madonna likes to throw people out, so that’s impressive.

 

Ira Madison III Also shout out to Bitch on Madonna, a Sophie produced song.

 

Louis Virtel Right? Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III So was Madonna like, innovative too. One of the first people to work with Sophie in that pop mainstream realm, you know?

 

Louis Virtel So, in the meantime, I hope BetterHelp gets to gag city, because it’s it’s it’s needed. Judd Hirsch and ordinary people, if you can make some house calls to gag city. Thank you.

 

Ira Madison III And Meghan announced her tour today.

 

Louis Virtel Help.

 

Ira Madison III So they’re both going to be touring this summer. Nurse.

 

Louis Virtel Oh love, Meghan. Also Meghan. I mean, we just ask sometimes people to come on Keep It. But come on Keep It, I feel like we’ve earned it. Just come on.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. Nikki. Come on Keep It.

 

Louis Virtel Okay, well, I’m. I’m frightened, but I’m ready. Okay.

 

Ira Madison III Also, Ziwe asked, Nikki? Yeah. I think you’d be an iconic guest. And then a day later, Ziwe’s account was no longer on Twitter.

 

Louis Virtel Bone chilling.

 

Ira Madison III The Barbs said, how about not?

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, right. That’s true. That’s true.

 

Ira Madison III But also, we saw the George Santos interview, and I think that girl, I don’t I don’t think anyone’s ready to interview Nikki.

 

Louis Virtel No. That’s true.

 

Ira Madison III I’m not even.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah. You need, like, three strategies and you need three people. It’s like intervention. Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III I you you. We need a Azelia Banks as a co-host.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, God. I’m almost positive we don’t need that.

 

Ira Madison III She can have my Nikki. Actually, I just want to see their Frost Nixon. Yeah, I want to see the sit down.

 

Louis Virtel I think it would be me more in Ahmadiyya situation, but. Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III Banks. Petty.

 

Louis Virtel Scary.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. All right. We’re back. We’re joined by the fantastic Sasha Velour.

 

[AD]

 

Ira Madison III Our guest today is an icon not only of drag. As the winner of season nine of RuPaul’s Drag Race, she has risen to the forefront of the craft, touring the world in dazzling stages with the mesmerizing, gender warping style that we know her for now. Here with an all new live tour inspired by the book The Big Reveal. Please welcome to Keep It the captivating Sasha Velour.

 

Sasha Velour Thank you so much for having me. I am Madison, the third, and Louis Virtel. I’m so excited to be here with some brilliant comedy writers, comedians and your takes on pop culture are on point, so I’m honored to be sitting down.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, that’s so nice of you. Also, you are in the Alaska crowd of you open your voice to speak. I’m like, whoa, this is like a different universe of like, dulcet tones. Oh, I have to, like, contain myself.

 

Sasha Velour A dulcet tones, vocal fry, you know, different descriptions for different people, but it’s, it’s the only voice I’ve got, so.

 

Louis Virtel Okay, I want to get a Big Reveal momentarily, but I want to say that you’ll be on, We’re Here this season, and I think this is a very unusual task for, a drag artist, because, I don’t know, I feel like if you get into drag, your ideal is I’m going to go out there and be myself and, I don’t know, push boundaries, etc. but then this show is sort of saying inviting people into drag who would never do it in the first place. And how? I guess my question is, how ready were you to do that? To reach out to people unfamiliar with drag and bring them into it?

 

Sasha Velour That was the hard part. I mean, I’m used to teaching a drag number in like 30 minutes to other drag performers because, you know, in my monthly show, we learn a group number in like a very short amount of time and bring it to its feet. So I was like, this will be fine. Working with people who have never stood onstage before, I realized, okay, you actually have to train this person how to walk again, like, like a literal. And then I literally became their drag parent. But it also like the drag does the work for them and that a reminder of those first days. Just seeing yourself have the transformation, seeing yourself in the lipstick, in the corset, in the body, it just makes you inherently more performative and dramatic and going to see that transformation for people for the first time. It’s beautiful.

 

Ira Madison III This is so exciting to have the show be coming back, because I feel like Louis and I talked about it when it first came on. It was this a new kind of, I thought, queer show, where it was showing people that obviously that we wouldn’t see normally on a lot of the shows that we watch. How did you find filming this as a reality product different from, you know, filming Drag Race? I know there are two very different shows, but where there’s similarities, where there’s some differences that were really noticeable to you.

 

Sasha Velour Just being out in the world is a very different experience. There’s nothing so safe about our gorgeous, like, fake brick drag studio that is Drag Race. And literally going out into rural America, small towns like the one where I grew up that I got the hell out of because I didn’t feel safe there. But talking to people, particularly other queer people who still have connections to their hometowns, want to be able to stay, want to nourish some kind of queer community for them to exist in? It was really, really interesting. I think the biggest challenge is like when the camera crew goes and you’ve just been hearing this story about how someone was like, you know, attacked or discriminated against in this same on the same block, and then you’re just suddenly there with only a team of queer people and no protection. It’s like, actually, am I in danger? And those are the moments you remember. This is why we need community. Because when you’re not alone, it feels so much safer to be who you are. And so, at the very least, us and all our big drag provides, back up for them and their beautiful lives.

 

Louis Virtel So as you continue to do your live, act and evolve and, you know, come up with all this stuff that’s outside of RuPaul’s Drag Race, what is your appetite for the show like? How do you come back to it every week? Like, do you look forward to watching it, or does it feel a little bit like, I don’t know, you’ve graduated in a way, and so you don’t necessarily have to watch it week to week.

 

Sasha Velour I think the first two years, right after I was on, I did not want to watch it anymore. And I did reluctantly, just to like contribute to the discourse, which is always very exciting, because I think that’s the show itself. But I love it again. I just, I love seeing drag. It’s, you know, we say the generations in drag turn over very fast. So I’m like a great grandma to the kids that are, the kids, you know, so to speak, that are on Drag Race now. And, you know, I it’s really exciting to see how adventurous and out of the box people still are with this drag. Well, the big wide world of drag. What do y’all think?

 

Louis Virtel I want to say that it is bone chilling that you consider yourself a great grandparent because while you were on the show, what, six years ago or something, and now it feels like part of this universe where people are offended that somebody might have to know the lyrics to Dark Lady, where once upon a time, knowing the Cher song was just how you got on the show, you know what I mean?

 

Sasha Velour No. It’s true. Listen in drag, knowing the the divas guts you very far. And I remember, like, when I was touring and my first year on Drag Race, being able to, like, bust out a Barbra Streisand performance or a Dionne Warwick song or something like that, that goes a long way with fans of drag and with other drag artists, because we know those things are timeless. They are. The Dark Lady is going to be good for forever. So, you know.

 

Ira Madison III I always wonder about specifics like that, especially after this recent episode of Drag Race with the Dark Lady incident. How is it being a queen? And, you know, being in the space where people are consuming, like there’s the audience who wants a Barbara song, the audience who want share. And then there’s our audience who wants maybe just like a Mariah or something. And then there’s a younger people who maybe don’t even know. I feel like it’s drag. How we’re getting that education out to queer people. What are some gay standards that we always hear in the club? Right. You know, you hear like MacArthur Park or something every time you go out. But I’m sure there’s 20 year old gays who have heard that for the first time at like, a disco gay party in New York.

 

Sasha Velour That’s so true. You know, I think I only know Taylor Dayne “Tell It To My Heart” from seeing at a drag club. Like, for some reason that didn’t come on the radio before. So we have you have to go to the drag show to get your education with this new show I’m doing, I’m like, I have some very out-of-the-box choices. There’s like a Stevie Wonder song. I’m doing a Deep Purple song from 1970, and there’s some people who like that’s their favorite song, and they can’t believe they are ever seeing a drag queen lip sync to it. And for other people, they’re like, what was that? I have no idea. They write it down. They never heard of Deep Purple, actually most of the time. But often they can go off and it’s, you know, introduce them to something else you’ll appreciate. I am performing in like three weeks at the theater in Schenectady, where Mariah Carey filmed her hero.

 

Ira Madison III Oh, wow.

 

Louis Virtel I know exactly the environment.

 

Ira Madison III Yes. Yeah.

 

Sasha Velour So I get to grace that stage if I’m not doing anything into that.

 

Louis Virtel And so your show, The Big Reveal is centered around the idea of reveals, which is still, I think, the centerpiece of most drag that we see on Drag Race in the world. Talk about conceiving of this and what that word means in the context of the piece, and what the audience gets from a reveal.

 

Sasha Velour I mean, reveals keep life exciting. It’s really my way of embracing all the disasters that, like, we can’t control the. Happen in the world and to our lives. You’re like with drag. You tell yourself, this is in my fantasy. This is just a reveal I didn’t see coming. You know, I’ve learned something new about the world. Usually something, horrible. But if we make it dramatic, then it’s it’s fine. And when it comes to the reveals in the show, you know, I wanted to pay tribute to the big reveal that I think pushed my name into pop culture.

 

Louis Virtel I do remember that he did that. Yes.

 

Sasha Velour But there’s so many other kinds. And I think the biggest reveal in my life was discovering this history of drag that has been purposefully erased and hidden and excluded from other forms of art, even though drag has been there alongside everything. And it’s been a really important part of queer activism, queer community. And we don’t always hear those stories in those figures either. So there is a little history in this play that I’m doing, inspired by the book that I wrote that charts the history of drag alongside my own life. But the best way to do history is to pay a tribute to it with a performance. So to all the things drag has been, all the different kinds of reveals. People have done, the stunts, the surprises. I try to give them a fresh life in this show and chart you through the history of a person and the history of drag, and one 90 minute presentation that keeps you on the edge of your seat and surprises even the most jaded, know it all. Drag them is my goal.

 

Ira Madison III That was interesting to me that obviously you are including the your reveal where we saw you on Drag Race with with the roses and everything. It was so big. It was on television. It’s everywhere. It’s constantly still being watched online. Was there a period where you didn’t want to reference it, where you wanted to sort of lay it to rest where you were? You were like, I need to step away from the roses for a bit, so everyone doesn’t expect me doing this. And what made you comfortable sort of bringing it back for this show?

 

Sasha Velour I didn’t want to do it at all after it happened. It was like it was a good memory, but it was also a very stressful bad memory that, you know, was very intense behind the scenes. And then I started incorporating it in my first one, Queen show, Smoke and Mirrors. And just like the way the audience loved to see, it made me, I was like, you know, it’s not about like, it’s not just about what I want to do. They’re very excited to see. Even though they know what’s going to happen, they’re almost more excited. So for this show, I don’t do so emotional, but I do another Whitney Houston song. I do I’m Your Baby Tonight, right? A little wink because it’s, whatever you want from me. I know, I think I know it.

 

Louis Virtel Cynical. Okay, okay.

 

Sasha Velour Cynical.

 

Ira Madison III Her full lesbian era. Basically that album. My Name Is Not Susan’s got a lot going on on that album.

 

Sasha Velour She’s dressed like Gladys Bentley in the music video has a lot of stuff happening. With the queer codes were popping.

 

Ira Madison III It is interesting to even think about how a moment like that is sort of for a pop star that we go see, right? You know, you want to see Madonna do this song at her tour and you’re hoping, is she still going to be doing that corridor? I’m thinking specifically of how gagged I am the audience was when she pulled out Don’t Tell Me, and then was doing the word choreography from the video, and it’s like, that’s what I want to see.

 

Sasha Velour Which I realized was my first introduction to Madonna. I have to it was, don’t tell me that video. It was on repeat on my TV.

 

Louis Virtel No, I remember, Paula Abdul saying once, I think somebody on American Idol, after she had left up idol covered Straight Up, and then she, did a surprise appearance and she said, oh, that song’s been like a best friend to me. And I felt like that energy was. People are so excited to see it. It becomes less about how repetitive you find doing it and more like, oh, this is, this belongs to everybody, including me, you know?

 

Sasha Velour Right. Oh, that’s I mean, I had to head.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah.

 

Sasha Velour It’s I’m so grateful for anything that, you know, people love.

 

Louis Virtel Now I think of you as one of the great, shall we say, art kind of sewers of drag. As somebody who cares a lot about just knowing pop culture, period. Knowing, you’re from New York, as I remember it. What is your favorite kind of stuff? To be obsessed with? Pop culturally, that is completely outside of drag that you find yourself most avid in seeking out?

 

Sasha Velour Just like everyone else. I love my housewives. I love. I love like, pop music and all the drama with the pop girlies. On a on a heavier note, I do love theater, and I try to go see, like, you know, with great theater in the city. And I love going to see trying to write a play actually, as we speak.

 

Ira Madison III Okay.

 

Sasha Velour And headed for maybe some Broadway moment for drag. And I go to art museums all the time, sometimes to read the art for filth. I think that’s kind of fun as well, but also. Just to appreciate, like, beauty in all its forms.

 

Ira Madison III That’s so fun. I just saw, Kola Skola’s “Oh Mary” at the Lucille. Also, I wish I could see that, and some that is like that is that is that it’s what you want to see when you’re mixing, like, drag and theater, and it’s so fucking funny.

 

Sasha Velour That he’s so brilliant.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah.

 

Louis Virtel So you really just wander around the museum like you? I think that’s fucking rad. I mean, I like, I’m so, I get my information from things like Wikipedia because I can consume it quickly and then go on with my day or do Wordle or whatever. And so when people go to a museum, I feel like there’s a real serenity to that vibe. And like, do you find yourself just actually remembering the things you take in at a museum? This sounds I sound like such a trog talking about this. But anyway.

 

Sasha Velour Yes. Although the scent, the sensation of like, you know, really walking up to the thing and looking at it closely, I can, like, I can help you remember we’re so overstimulated. I feel like we need those moments of serenity.

 

Ira Madison III Like, yes. What is your favorite time to go to the museum? Because especially in New York it is. You got to time it right where you’re there and you can actually look at it because there’s just people standing around. But like, what’s your favorite, like time of day to go around the museum and just hang out?

 

Sasha Velour I mean, it’s hard to get out of Flatbush early enough for the first time in the morning. Early in the morning is the best. And then you can go in. You have like an afternoon cocktail and discuss what you saw, what you liked, what you didn’t like, what you remember. I like to go with like friends who don’t go to art museums because I feel like they have the freshest perspectives on the art. Yeah. It’s just fun. Ella.

 

Louis Virtel Here’s a question I have for you. If you couldn’t live in New York City and you couldn’t live in New York State, where would you live?

 

Sasha Velour Where would I live? You know, I just was in Oklahoma for filming. We’re here. And I was really an incredibly conservative state. Let’s just be clear. But they’re like this the drag scene in Tulsa I was blown away by. And obviously, like Tulsa has such a complex history that is like constantly being discussed. And I, I feel like there’s, you know, there’s culture, there’s movies and TV here. Being from there, it’s quite a cool place. So strongly recommend.

 

Louis Virtel Also Hansons from there. So I mean talk about culture.

 

Sasha Velour And I think they’ve gone quite conservative.

 

Louis Virtel You know what. I didn’t investigate that but I do believe. Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah yeah.

 

Sasha Velour Yeah. They have a studio there. I was like like the Hanson. And then I looked it up and I learned that. Yeah you’re right. They’re not only from there, they still live there.

 

Ira Madison III Well, you know, the original Hanson brothers, started the riot song.

 

Louis Virtel Is that so?

 

Ira Madison III Oh, yeah. That’s.

 

Sasha Velour Yeah, yeah.

 

Ira Madison III This goes down through generations. Listen to the lyrics to Mm Bop. Okay. What are they saying? What are they saying? It’s it doesn’t shock me that Tulsa has amazing drag, though, because I feel like one of the beautiful parts of watching Drag Race is obviously it’s fun when the New York girls are there and they don’t recognize each other. But when you see two girls and they’re both like, hey, we’re from Denver or something like that, you’re imagining the world that they live in from their interactions. And it’s it’s so much fun. You know, I feel like that’s why I really enjoy We’re here. I feel like that must be why you enjoy touring. You know, you get to see these locals who are doing so much great stuff that we might not ever see just because it’s not going to be on TV. It makes me wish that there were, you know, more avenues just to see local performances regularly.

 

Sasha Velour I agree, I think I keep trying to tell people like the quote unquote local scenes, that is where real drag is happening. It all filters down to TV after that. But if you want to be on the cutting edge of what drag is, you have to go to your local drag bar. And everyone’s got them and we got to keep them in business. The one in my hometown where I first went out in drag in small town Illinois at a closed down like five years ago. And there’s, it’s like it’s hard to bring when something’s been around from the 70s. You can kind of Keep It around, but it’s hard to bring these, these cultures back or fight for them to keep existing.

 

Ira Madison III We’re in Illinois. Where were you two from? The same area.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, I’m from a southwest corner called Lamont.

 

Sasha Velour Oh, I’ve never heard of Lamont. So I’m from Champagne.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, okay. You’re from Roger Ebert country, as we say.

 

Sasha Velour Yes. Roger Ebert country. Yeah. There are still cornfields, but there are professors.

 

Louis Virtel Right. Nice mix. I guess my last question for you is, is there anything from your earliest days of drag when you’re basically figuring out how to do it that you would never do now? Did you do experimental stuff then? Just trying to figure out your voice, before you’re like, okay, wait, actually, that wasn’t me. Things you attempted.

 

Sasha Velour Oh my gosh. I think it’s like the the fully copying someone else’s number of it all about every baby drag queen does. You’re like I. I love how she mixed those two songs together. I’m going to do that exact moix.

 

Louis Virtel With me.

 

Sasha Velour That is such a no no. But on the other hand, how else do you learn.

 

Ira Madison III Before you grow up? Obviously you said you love, you know, your housewives. Is there a moment from any of the shows, any franchises where you feel like if you were to incorporate it into a drag show, or maybe there’s one you already have? You know, like, I feel like there are so many people probably doing receipts proof timeline all across the US right now, but what moment sticks in your head where you’re like, I would love to conceptualize that in drag someday.

 

Sasha Velour You know, the the Beverly Hills like Amsterdam fight scene with.

 

Ira Madison III Yes.

 

Sasha Velour Smashed wine glass.

 

Ira Madison III Yes. Let’s talk about the husband.

 

Sasha Velour Let’s talk about the husband. Just like the the the dance of it all is is just like peak drama. Like the best of TV. Certainly best of housewives. And then, you know, it’s all about Salt Lake City this season is kind of a dull season. But that reveal.

 

Ira Madison III The big reveal talking about.

 

Louis Virtel You know,  that spoke to you, huh?

 

Sasha Velour Yeah. It spoke me. It spoke to me.

 

Ira Madison III What were your thoughts on Monica. Because it was kind of a fun season until the end, and I feel like a lot of people were like, she saved the show. She was so amazing. And I feel like she. Heather saved the show because she caught her.

 

Sasha Velour Yeah. Yeah. Heather was the one giving drama, giving Shakespeare about it. I really needed Monica to inhabit like, the campiness of a villain better. She kept trying to justify it. And it’s really unjustifiable. So I think those are the moments you have to just go full villain if you want to be a reality TV villain. It’s too late to be sympathetic.

 

Ira Madison III I always think of like a, you know, Johnny Bananas for someone from the MTV world, who is always for years played the villain on the Challenge and does it online. It’s very wrestling. Like he loves being the villain and it’s him being. It’s it’s a thing that you sort of get in drag to, you know, being generous with the audience. As my friend, Ray, sorry, who’s been on the show before, has described it. You have to be generous with the audience to give them a villain. But if you’re concerned with I’m going to give them what they need in a villain. But also they have to like me as well. Then you’re failing because they have to hate you for you to be the villain. And then they’ll learn to love to hate you.

 

Sasha Velour Right. And some ways, like wanting to be liked is not a good need for being on a reality TV show at all.

 

Louis Virtel Right.

 

Sasha Velour And totally, and probably not a good life lesson, you know, like, if you like yourself and like what you’re doing, like, just embrace it.

 

Louis Virtel And also it’s like you’re not going to be in the edit bay girl. So stop pretending like you’re not getting.

 

Sasha Velour exactly. And maybe you don’t know that. You’re not like, yeah, right.

 

Ira Madison III Right now. Well, thank you so much.

 

Louis Virtel What a pleasure. Thank you so much for spending your time with us.

 

Sasha Velour Thank you so much. Anytime. I adore to you guys.

 

Louis Virtel Likewise. Thank you. .

 

Speaker 1 [AD]

 

Ira Madison III Nikki wasn’t the only Barbie that got publicly dissed. Recently, after the Oscar nominations were dropped, several fans of white women took to the internet, took to the internet to defend Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig, who were not nominated for best actress and director. A scandal, I guess. Louis. You’re a resident Oscar correspondent.

 

Louis Virtel Sure. Oh. Shall I? Okay. Well.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. I want them to attack you, girl.

 

Louis Virtel Okay.

 

Ira Madison III I got nothing to say. I got nothing to say.

 

Louis Virtel I will say this. First of all, I thought Barbie had an awesome Oscar nominations day. I mean, I got eight nominations, way more than most other movies. Whatever. All this really proves to me is that the Oscars remain the relevant awards show. I mean, people are pissed because there is sanctity to who actually gets in with these nominations. And it’s because I’m so sorry, the Grammys. They stick with the five nominees in the various categories. There’s still only a few people who have Oscars. It’s not like the Grammys where, oh, if you miss out one year, don’t worry, you’ll win for the next year. You know, there’s just like, they don’t mean anything anymore. There’s still like. And there’s kind of hallowed ground to the ceremony is still. And I have to say, selfishly, I love seeing that. I love seeing people worked up about a snub. Now, that said, I think Danielle Deadwyler is a worst snub. I feel like we needed more volume for other snubs then and this year. Teyana Taylor to me was an extraordinary lead performance. Can’t believe it didn’t make any headway this year. Truly, it’s an amazing if you haven’t seen 1001. It’s so fucking good.

 

Ira Madison III So fucking good. And, Avy Rockwell, the director. Like, what a stunning day.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah. Oh, my God, it’s so well directed. It’s amazing. It’s amazing. There, by the way, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, in Origin that would be an extraordinary nomination for that category, a very, intellectual, conversational movie. And she makes it extremely dynamic. Like, there’s no.

 

Ira Madison III Didn’t Frances Fisher try to start a To Leslie for her?

 

Louis Virtel Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III But a little too late.

 

Louis Virtel Yes. I was literally a little too late. I think if maybe we had started a month before, that could have been possible. But, the first thing that Barbie fans are upset about is Margot Robbie not getting in for Best Actress. I will say this. I think Margot Robbie’s performance is the best thing about the movie. Like, and as Diablo said last week, tall order making this doll and her journey from plastic to the real world not just interesting, but emotional. There’s a lot of curiosity about the character. There’s a lot of, discovery. That’s a lot of fun to watch in the movie. That said, historically at the Oscars, a big, kind of bold, colorful comedic performance rarely gets into the top five for Best Actress. The fact of the matter is, people are way likelier to vote for a comic performance if it’s in the supporting categories. This is just the way it is. I don’t know if people don’t think that, like a comedy performance, even with emotional elements, just isn’t as competitive when up against these dramatic roles. But that’s how it shakes out, like a Goldie Hawn and Private Benjamin, who was nominated, or Julia Roberts and Pretty Woman who was nominated. That is extremely rare. And in fact, Julia Roberts has four Oscar nominations. She only has one for the things she’s amazing at, which is being the lead in a funny movie. You know, all the other ones are like very dramatic roles, etc.. So I think just, I think a good, historical comparison is Kristen Wiig in Bridesmaids. If you love the movie bridesmaids, you love that performance. What she brings that she’s not only these, hilarious moments, obviously. It’s a hilarious movie. It’s a melancholy performance. There’s a lot of, like, sad reality of that character, and it’s really dynamic. She was never in the discussion for Best Actress basically that year, and Melissa McCarthy was immediately for giving just a broad supporting performance. I don’t I don’t know what to say about that other than I think people prefer comedy and the Oscars conversation when it’s in a featured capacity. There’s something about popping in with funny that feels like it, satisfies the word supporting in a really satisfying way. And that’s why you have lots of wins that are like, what? Be Goldberg and goes to supporting Marisa Tomei and My Cousin Vinny, Mira Sorvino, Octavia Spencer in The Help, another movie where the lead was not nominated. And if you liked The Help, you liked Emma Stone in it, you know? So I just feel like, weirdly, there’s a lot of historical precedent for Margot Robbie getting left out of the I don’t want to say left out of the conversation. She almost certainly came in sixth. She almost certainly came in sixth. One thing I want to say, Barbra Streisand, perhaps the definitive comic actress of the second half of the 20th century on stage and in movies, she has one Oscar nomination for a lead comic performance. She also has another nomination for The Way We Were, which is way more dramatic. But the fact of the matter is, if she gave the performance as she did in What’s Up, doc? In The Owl and the Pussycat, and those were supporting performances, she would have been way likelier to get nominated for that.

 

Ira Madison III Wait, let me guess. Is it for The Guilt Trip?

 

Louis Virtel Still waiting on those noms

 

Ira Madison III Also, what do you think about what you just said as well? Ryan Gosling fits that to a T.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III One, a beloved actor since 1997. Earlier, if you’re Mickey Mouse Club and you.

 

Louis Virtel Certainly are that.

 

Ira Madison III Yes, yes, Mickey Mouse.

 

Louis Virtel Keri Russell, we speak your name.

 

Ira Madison III Yes, like people love Ryan Gosling. You know, that’s why he’s been nominated before and a supporting role in a comedy, like you said. Is a tall order. You come in. You more than the ones that get nominated to the like. You mentioning ghost? Whoopi, you missing Melissa McCarthy? Bridesmaids. Even Marissa tolmach. Yeah. You know, these are the performances that basically. Yes. You love Barbie because you love Margo Robie, right? But when you love Barbie, you’re also thinking of Ryan Gosling. And he sort of makes the movie in a way. And I feel sad saying this because, you know, he’s a man. But I said it when it came out. The movie is about toxic masculinity. The movie, in turn, has to highlight Ken’s turn toward toxic masculinity. So the movie, a lot of the plot hinges on his journey. And with the I Am Ken song being nominated, that just feels like people celebrating the movie, but celebrating it in the way that they feel like acceptable nominating a comedy. You know.

 

Louis Virtel Right? Right. Well, also, it’s like, I mean, I felt like people who are really bummed about the Margot thing are trying to use the Ryan Gosling nomination against her, as if to say, if you nominate him, will you obviously have to nominate her. But honestly, they’re just two completely different races. You know what I mean? Like there’s less going on in Supporting Actor this year.

 

Ira Madison III Oh he’s black?

 

Louis Virtel That’s not what I meant. Race. Let’s get let’s look let’s get a dictionary. And race has multiple definitions. But the fact of the matter is, like I was less passionate about the supporting actor category this year. And I’m not saying Ryan Gosling is bad, but like, I think in in a more competitive year, he would probably be left out if there were more performances like as epic as Robert Downey Junior in Oppenheimer. I can’t believe Charles Melton didn’t get in. That’s still. Strange to me, but if you look at the lead actress category, I mean, like, those women are running those movies like Sandra Buehler. I mean, I can’t even think of another performance that’s like that. Like, Emma Stone is technically a comedic performance, but at the same time it is chockablock with crazy acting choices. So there’s a lot to immediately reward. You know, it’s like, oh, she’s borderline braindead at the beginning of the movie. And then it she evolves into this, sort of realize, still Frankenstein he plays. It’s a one of a kind performance. So.

 

Ira Madison III And honestly, if you’re thinking about what people are rewarding as well, that’s what the money is for, to quote Mad Men. This movie made so much fucking money. And I feel like you can tell me if this is wrong. But just like in recent history, at least at the Oscars, when they are celebrating a movie that is a big box office hit, they want to celebrate that film. And of course, you want that represented at the award show, because that’s what people are going to tune in for. They’re going to, like, Margot will be at the Oscars. She’s nominated anyway. Yes, it’s producer, but, even last year when Top Gun saved cinema, right. Top Gun Maverick is nominated for Best Picture. Tom Cruise didn’t get nomination.

 

Louis Virtel Precisely right, right, right, right.

 

Ira Madison III And also, he was great in that film. I think that that’s, one up there with some of his best performances. But, you know, like, he wasn’t even in the conversation really for it because I feel like a lot of people feel like the box office result is your reward, or action is their reward, and like.

 

Louis Virtel Spider-Man and also like, I mean, like historically, there’s just so many examples of, for example, like Audrey Hepburn not nominated for My Fair Lady, which won Best Picture, Leslie Caron not nominated for Gigi, which won Best Picture. It’s like, well, what do we like about the movie if not this thing? But it’s like Best Picture, I think, is we’re saying it’s greater than the sum of its parts, you know what I mean? It’s not a just about any one part. So I think it’s fair to say, I think it’s fair to nominate the movie for Best Picture, particularly when there are ten nominees and there’s only five for everything else. Like, it just makes sense that like, something would land in the Best Picture category and then maybe be snubbed otherwise. By the way, there are always movies every year that are nominated for Best Picture. They get no acting nominations. So, you know, it’s like, you know, the zone of interest, great performances. Sandra was never really a contender in supporting this year, even though she was amazing, you know? So I just feel like the Barbie stands as I’m hearing them are well, that’s exactly what they are stands. They like this one thing and they liked it a lot. And they’re like, well, why isn’t it here if I liked it a lot? But I think the point of the Oscars is nobody is coming in only having seen one movie. The point is, there’s lots to enjoy about lots of things. And because only five fit into certain slots, that doesn’t mean we hate anything else. And I feel like that’s the implication of a lot of these arguments. When people are sitting at their computer voting, they’re picking five things in their individual voters. There’s not a committee of like, a bunch of mean gay guys being like, who to leave out. Like, it’s not how it works. You just pick five things you like, and presumably you’ve seen all the movies.

 

Ira Madison III Well, and to get into that argument specifically, there’s the whole the Barbie direct itself argument, because Barbie is nominated for Best Picture and Greta Gerwig is not nominated. There are more Best Picture nominees. First and there are directing nominees. So you’d have to say that about all the other pictures. Like did they direct themselves?

 

Louis Virtel Right.

 

Ira Madison III You know, and you also have to know that Oscar nominations come from the branches. Yes. People can vote once things are nominated, but the branches are directors are voting for best director, actors are voting for the acting nominations. And so no one is meeting. There’s no collusion.

 

Louis Virtel There’s no even Venn diagram of there. Yeah. Right.

 

Ira Madison III Okay. Collusion delusion. Okay. They are not conspiring against well, I could argue the directing snub was a little, Greta-sy.

 

Louis Virtel You think so?

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. I just feel like for some reason, they don’t see it for my girl. But I do think that she will get nominated again while she’s growing up into Narnia. Right?

 

Louis Virtel But who knows what that will mean for everybody.

 

Ira Madison III I see her win, actually, for a movie that she writes and directs without, Noah involved.

 

Louis Virtel I mean, like, Lady Bird was exactly that. One of the best movies, that was, that was 2010. And it’s, you know.

 

Ira Madison III No, it’s her best film.

 

Louis Virtel Also, at this point.

 

Ira Madison III Keep that man off the set.

 

Louis Virtel At this point, it actually is weird that Judas hasn’t wound up with a win. I mean, she’s so, so respected, like you say, just I think of the last decade of movies and there would just be a gaping hole without her in it. But, I mean, like when you look at who’s nominated for best director, though, I mean, like, these are largely extremely epic movies. And they were the control in the direction is so fabulous. Like, again, Justine Triet for Anatomy Of A Fall. Give me a break. That is like perfection, like the absolutely deserved nomination. All of those people like, I’m not like a Christopher Nolan stan, but that’s probably his best movie. Right? So, just like, I feel like it was an extremely competitive year. You know.

 

Ira Madison III I think that if you are taking anybody out, you know, people, there’s, you know, there’s  Urgost, maybe. But that’s my favorite film of the year, even though it’s not for everybody.

 

Louis Virtel And also it’s a distinct and stylistic risk. I think, like Poor Things does not remind me of his previous movies. That’s an advancement upon his movies. The look is very strange. We’ve called it like Roald Dahl, like in a way, but like it’s very particular to the world he creates. And I think it’s it’s all from his vision. So I think it’s a really qualified nomination.

 

Ira Madison III You know, controversy. I would have taken out Marty.

 

Louis Virtel I might have done the.

 

Ira Madison III Top two killer. I love Killers of the Flower Moon, I do, but, it’s not what I don’t think. It’s what a Scorsese is best films to me. And I think that there are other things to highlight in the film besides the directing. I feel like there’s some other directing work that I really enjoyed this year more than, Scorsese and, killers of the Flower Moon. I mean, fuck, we’re talking about Greta, but a snub in directing for me this year is Iris Ax.

 

Louis Virtel Love that movie.

 

Ira Madison III Where was Passages? Just not a single nomination this year. Where was the conversation with this? The conversation needs to be about passengers and not, all of us strangers.

 

Louis Virtel Passages was fucking fabulous. It’s it’s in my top three of the year that friends were guys who I don’t even know if I’d seen him before. That’s, like, the most jarringly realistic gay dude I’ve seen on screen recently. Not just the fashion. Like the way he treats. There’s a lot going on in that performance that I really admire.

 

Ira Madison III You need to watch The Great Freedom. If you haven’t seen it.

 

Louis Virtel I need to, I need to.

 

Ira Madison III It’s really amazing. I love Franz Rogowski and I’m glad that that at least seems to put him on a bigger, stage, for him to be celebrated, because that is a amazing actor.

 

Louis Virtel Also, it must be said, you just touched on the thing that is most frustrating to me about this Barbie conversation, which is by all means zero in on a snub that pisses you off. You have to then do the work of picking the person who doesn’t belong in the nominees when when it’s this cutthroat in directing. And I think of Killers of the Flower Moon, and I think, you know what? You probably could have taken 25 minutes out of it. That, to me, is worthy of taking somebody out of the conversation. I didn’t feel that way about the other movies. But when people are just saying, why didn’t she get in? It’s like, well, you have to look at who did get in, because that’s what people are picking. They’re not picking who is left out, they’re picking who was left in. So in a way, by the way, that’s the most fun thing about talking about a snob. Be a fucking asshole. Say who like, wasn’t worthy of it this year.

 

Ira Madison III But that runs in diametric opposition of this whole like hashtag Hillary Barbie movement. Right? It’s very these women were snubbed and we have to support that. But you don’t want to talk about who needs to be cut that right. It’s it’s just any man.

 

Louis Virtel Right. Vaguely. Also, Hillary’s message to Margot and Greta hurt my brain. I couldn’t believe I was seeing it. It was so. Am totally sympathetic. It’s just like, have you said anything about Barbie before? Like what? What is the thing about the movie that you’re defending? What is it about other movies that’s not as good? I just found it so nauseating. It was it was sentiment, meaningless sentiment.

 

Ira Madison III Which, by the way, speaking of the Hillary of it all. You know, maybe it was just a man who took your spot. It’s giving very. It’s giving very Larsa, on The Traitors.

 

Louis Virtel The definitive document of our times.

 

Ira Madison III Well, who shouldn’t be nominated? Maybe a man, but that’s how she figured out who a traitor.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, right.

 

Ira Madison III But it reminds me of to bring up Nikki again. Do you remember where Nikki and Taylor were having a back and forth?

 

Louis Virtel Oh, yeah. Someone took your spot.

 

Ira Madison III About VMAs.

 

Louis Virtel Yes.

 

Ira Madison III Yes I’ve done nothing but love and support you. It’s unlike you to pit women against each other. Maybe one of the men took your slot.

 

Louis Virtel What is so nauseating? The rhetoric is so infuriating.

 

Ira Madison III It goes into speaking of Taylor. This thing that has really happened with Barbie and this over identification with a commercial product. That is just the the commercialization of identity. And it just feels so cool. You’re getting worked up about Barbie. Because it’s like another, you know, white woman, you know, it feels very, you know, identity laced. It feels like the snub against this movie. It’s a snub against you personally because you like the movie and it meant a lot to you.

 

Louis Virtel And I will say like, look, it should be commended. This movie connected not just like people are fans with like this movie connected with viewers in the way that I associate with like a blockbuster album, you know what I mean? Like, it reminds me of whatever Jagged Little Pill or something, or Tapestry or Exile in Guyville or whatever. Like people pick this album, it’s like their thing and they’re going to watch it forever. And there’s something about it that like, they want to keep returning to.

 

Ira Madison III That which is beautiful. And that’s what cinema is for. And I think that there’s a lot that, Greta has done for, artists who want to make a good film within, you know, the commercial realm.

 

Louis Virtel Yes, right.

 

Ira Madison III Right? You know, but this over identification with it, where, you know, a slight against Barbie is a slight against you. Yeah. Going back to what we talked about before, turning a slight against Nicki is a slight against you personally. You know, a slight against a joke about Taylor Swift is an insult to you personally. It’s the they’re not you.

 

Louis Virtel Right. They aren’t. You’re right. If it feels too personal, it’s cool to have a personal connection with a movie, but you can’t take it personally when it’s criticized. Yes.

 

Ira Madison III There’s actually nothing I love more than talking about a movie with someone that someone doesn’t like, that I do like, and vice versa. Yeah, right. That’s that’s that’s this is the best part, loving film and also especially this period now debating with friends at, over drinks or at dinner and stuff like I like that. Well, I didn’t like that. Like, and the push and pull and having a conversation about film and when you just shut it down immediately, with, well, this is why, you know, because they don’t want to support women, etc., etc.. Without getting into the specifics of that, because there is misogyny at play, probably particularly in Greta, you know, but is there misogyny at play in Margo not being nominated when she’s up against other women?

 

Louis Virtel Right, right. Well, also, by the way, you just said it like to me, there’s actually something reorienting about getting into a discussion about something I am personally obsessed with and somebody else, you know, is indifferent about or whatever, because it’s nice to remember that this is just a product that exists outside of you. Like I’m guilty of over identifying with this stuff myself, you know what I mean? Remember a few years ago, people were like, oh, Jagged Little Pill is not good, or there was that Jezebel article or something that actually was refreshing to the soul. Ultimately, even though I would obviously kill for that Canadian woman.

 

Ira Madison III Hahahahahahahaha. Yeah. I mean, this, this, this, this over identification with pop culture is really, I mean, it’s great for advertisers. You know, it’s great for execs because they want people to do that. But there just has to be this separation of the product and who you are as a person. So you can have a healthy debate about art and culture. And I feel like that’s why criticism is dying. That’s why Pitchfork is fucking dead, you know, being folded into GQ like it’s all good. It’s it’s all connected.

 

Louis Virtel Also, maybe it’s again, a Barbie has a lot of very funny moments, personal humor and moments. It also has a car commercial and a doll commercial. So, I mean, there’s things to love and then things to like. Just question as a, you know, a viewer.

 

Ira Madison III Also, maybe she needed one more scene, but if we want one more scene in like a monologue, but if we really want to talk about someone who gave a hilarious performance in Barbie and was supporting and a woman who snubbed Issa Rae

 

Louis Virtel She was.

 

Ira Madison III The funniest part of that.

 

Louis Virtel The funniest part of the movie. Yes.

 

Ira Madison III The funniest part of the movie. Every line reading.

 

Louis Virtel Yes. And like.

 

Ira Madison III What’s so funny.

 

Louis Virtel The doll universe. The her choices, you know, if.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah.

 

Louis Virtel They were all very funny. Also very funny. To have the president of the United States is part of the story. Like she hasn’t made the discourse that much. Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III What was it her pronouncing Godfather.

 

Louis Virtel Issa, also very funny and, and good. And American Fiction, by the way.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, yeah. She’s great. Even with that wig. Yeah. I don’t know what’s going on in that scene with the hair, but I will say that you have to remember to who is voting for these nominations. By the way, America Ferrera was not shocked that she got in. Because when you think about actors voting for other actors, actors always flocked to the monologue into one character has a monologue. To an actor, that means I’m acting. It means that’s that’s the role that they wish they’d be playing. You know, it’s if you did theater in college, the amount of times I had to sit through that inane monologue from Neil Simon’s The Star Spangled Girl, it’s it’s just it’s so much. But actors, they get the the attached to a monologue and you’ll never hear the fucking.

 

Louis Virtel It sounds like you have a case of the Biloxi Blues. I don’t there’s no cure. There’s no cure. No. You’re right. I feel like Julianne Moore in May-December maybe needed a monologue moment in order to, synch something closer to a nom.

 

Ira Madison III Well, and Natalie Portman’s monologue is why the actors didn’t vote for her. They felt it was too dark to tolerate. Okay. Natalie Portman say, get up on your good foot. Okay. All right. Break, break a leg can break a leg however you can, but. I’m not going to break any legs. I’m gonna get the part.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, fun.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. All right. Well, we’ve solved both problems this week.

 

Louis Virtel We’ll see how the Oscars goes. Again, by the way, I’m also writing for the Oscars. Can I just say they don’t shoot at me? And, like, if you see me on the street and you’re upset, please don’t just, you know, let me live one more ceremony, please. Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III East coast, West coast podcast beat. You’re gonna get shot first, and then I’m dead like the next week. Yeah. And who did it? Diddy.

 

Louis Virtel We need to move on from that. No no no. Bye bye.

 

Ira Madison III All right, well, we’re back if you can imagine. We still have to Keep It segment coming up. And we are back with our favorite segment of the episode. It’s Keep It. Louis, who are you going to piss off?

 

Louis Virtel Okay, well, I’m actually shocked that this is sort of a light. Keep It for me. I’m not passionate about it, but, it needs to be stated for that reason, which is to say, Keep It to the new Justin Timberlake single, which to me is neither here nor there. I listen to it. And then it’s one of those songs I sort of forgot I had been listening to, but I’m so used to being extremely worked up about this person. Like, I’m not like, you know, I enjoy Britney Spears. I’m not like a defense of Britney, Stan or anything. But just when I hear the name come up, I’m like, oh God, you know, usually it’s just these feelings of like, ancient, you know, douche bag, Armani Exchange grossness, you know, fill my brain. And so when I when I heard he was coming back, I was exhausted immediately. And then I heard the song, and it was sort of pleasantly nonexistent for me. So I’m just going to say Keep It to that. I find the, upswing in the Britney selfish song being ushered up the charts by her stans amusing and witty. More of that. We like that. But yeah, the song is not one of his best to me. And you know what? If I had to pick his best song, would this be crazy to you? I might go with Summer love.

 

Ira Madison III A very good song.

 

Louis Virtel For the vibe. Whatever. We’re, we’re outside. It’s July, I enjoy it.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. I don’t know, I feel like for me it’s probably Sexy Back.

 

Louis Virtel I mean, that definitely took over the world. I mean, like or and that’s.

 

Ira Madison III Or so probably like What Goes Around Comes Around actually. I just really love how that song feels. Epic.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, I will say about sexy back, though. I mean, like, if he made it into Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, that would get in. I mean, it’s like bigger than just a song. It became, you know, something you you couldn’t stop hearing wherever you went. Not just and not just the actual song itself, but the sentiment itself you would hear everywhere.

 

Ira Madison III Listen, I like the song. It is giving, Pandora station at the office vibes.

 

Louis Virtel Great. Yeah. And by the way, we need to hear something at the office we at. Right. I, I don’t want to hear Collette’s typing at the cubicle next door.

 

Speaker 5 Collette?

 

Louis Virtel I’ve never met someone named Collette in my life other than Tony, who we’ve met together. Yes.

 

Ira Madison III It’s the Kimmell offices in the fifth and draw some. All right. So we come alive from Paris.

 

Louis Virtel Arrondissement is the word, but. Yes.

 

Ira Madison III Arrondissement.

 

Louis Virtel There you go. Arrondissement.

 

Ira Madison III You know what? Don’t correct my French.

 

Louis Virtel I know you’ve been flawless up to this point. It seems a shame to start criticizing it now.

 

Ira Madison III Well.

 

Louis Virtel My friend Nico has gotten me obsessed with saying the phrase Mamma mia the way Italians do, which is to Mamma mia! Like, it’s not meant to be said in a celebratory way. It’s meant to be like I’m despairing. Like, oh, mamma mia! Too many people are in this house, you know?

 

Ira Madison III Brings a new take to the title. Mamma mia! Here we go again.

 

Louis Virtel Right?

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. That’s us. Mamma mia! Here we go again.

 

Louis Virtel And I think we’re going to get three more. Here we go again in that. There’s no way we’re done with Mamma mia just yet. The movie. Movies.

 

Ira Madison III We need another classic from old Parker. Yeah. I love his name. Yeah. Anyway, might Keep It this week. It’s also a light. Keep It two. You know, because I’m not against this woman. We know that I do love her, but, Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl, and. My arguments, my keep. It is not really towards Taylor herself. Listen, the Kansas City Chiefs are going to the Super Bowl, right? They are playing the 49ers.

 

Louis Virtel They’re playing the game of football, by the way, if you’re unfamiliar.

 

Ira Madison III Yes, yes. It’s what Ted Lasso was about.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III And the game is fast approaching, but Taylor is going to be in Tokyo performing, like, the day before. First of all, there have been a lot of tweets about Ken Taylor. Make the game and she will be making the game. Tokyo is like a day ahead. Yeah. Of Vegas. So she’ll be there. There’s a lot of talk about how it’s her 13th game, but not fucking murder by number shit back around.

 

Louis Virtel Not this. I do not want to hear the Taylor fans losing their favorite thing. Basic edition to create theories about Taylor.

 

Ira Madison III This is where the Keep It is coming from. Okay. The brouhaha that will be surrounding Taylor at. Brouhaha. Anyway. That will be surrounding Taylor at the Super Bowl is actually what I cannot take because, you know, it was giving, Osama bin laden war room. Yeah. The day after, that game on Sunday. Okay. You know that every ad company, every PR girl across the US brainstorming, how can we reference Taylor Swift being at the Super Bowl? And we are going to be inundated by Taylor at the Super Bowl content. I’m actually tired of the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce relationship cycle that the media is wringing nothing out of. Yeah okay.

 

Louis Virtel It’s like you’re going to talk about there’s nothing. There’s nothing.

 

Ira Madison III Nothing coming out. There was a fucking article that I saw that said Travis is really trying to plan something romantic for Taylor Swift on Valentine’s Day. You fucking think? You mean they’re dating?

 

Louis Virtel They know each other. Yeah. Right. They’ll. They’ll go through a day in February together in a traditional way.

 

Ira Madison III It’s like. Oh, Ira’s hoping to have dinner with his best friend next week. Oh, really? I’m going to hang out with my friend.

 

Louis Virtel Insane predicts. Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III It is just I get that anything about them is popular right now. But give me something else bitch.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah I mean just.

 

Ira Madison III Give me a take okay. At least that at least that is Taylor Swift the lesbian take crazy Galaxy brain does. It was you know, it was something that we wasn’t used to. You know.

 

Louis Virtel No, but you’re right. Like, I think that’s sort of the the tough thing about her in general, but also this relationship where it’s like sometimes they do hug each other in public, but otherwise there’s just no there there in terms of like things to talk about. They’re not, you know, for example, Marilyn Manson and Rose McGowan, where it’s just like the sheer appearance of them is like, let me write an essay. You know, there’s just nothing to say.

 

Ira Madison III He does look good, though. The fits go crazy.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, yeah.

 

Ira Madison III I bought a few.

 

Louis Virtel Who are you? The fits go crazy.

 

Ira Madison III Get ready with me. Okay. I’m, I’m actually wearing I’m actually wearing some Air Forces that I saw Kelce wearing once. So I think I actually like following him on Instagram because I do like his fits because he’s a football player. Yeah, the broad shoulders, if it fits him, it’s going to fit me.

 

Louis Virtel Did I tell you something when I over Thanksgiving or Christmas, I was at home with my family and extended family and they had the game of football on. These men are so athletic. I don’t know if you know this. The bodies have changed so much from what I thought a football player looked like. Now they’re like like, track stars 2X like it’s a completely different body type.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. You know, and a lot of a lot of them got, you know, that. A lot of them had that StairMaster, and.

 

Louis Virtel That’s exactly what they have. Yes, precisely.

 

Ira Madison III It’s it’s it’s giving. It’s giving. What’s going on here? That’s gay culture.

 

Louis Virtel That’s not just a shelf. That’s a Barnes and Noble, you know what I’m saying? Am I a rapper?Tell me.

 

Ira Madison III They walk around with the same scars.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. Okay. Have you seen the 49ners, the hotter team, by the way.

 

Louis Virtel Oh are they?

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. Oh they are baby Jimmy Garoppolo.

 

Louis Virtel Right right right. Yes yes yes.

 

Ira Madison III Saquon Barkley these are men okay.

 

Louis Virtel Love that power. Tom. You just said.

 

Ira Madison III I actually follow quite a few football players on Instagram. Just just for the looks.

 

Louis Virtel I sure don’t I mean they have nothing to give me and I have nothing to give them. We love that mutual understanding.

 

Ira Madison III They we should really bring back Playgirl okay.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah. Right.

 

Ira Madison III . And not for the article.

 

Louis Virtel I’m talking about opening that centerfold. And there is a man reclining.

 

Ira Madison III I think that our nation has really kind of lost something with the loss of softcore porn.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, you’re right.

 

Ira Madison III That there’s a lot of hardcore porn all day, usually by people that, you know. You’re like, oh, there’s my friend getting railed at, on a balcony overlooking a Starbucks in Denver.

 

Louis Virtel Which means it’s Tuesday.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah, yeah. But what happened to softcore porn?

 

Louis Virtel Right? A little a little light nudity, a little suggestion.

 

Ira Madison III Okay, a little show, a little ankle.

 

Louis Virtel It happened one night. The porn I want.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah, okay. In olden days, a flash of stocking was looked on or something shocking. But now God knows. Fisting goes. I don’t know.

 

Louis Virtel Cole Porter would write that lyric today. I just want to say he would.

 

Ira Madison III But the last thing I want to say about Travis Kelce is the fits go crazy. But there’s something going on with his watch. Have you seen him walk?

 

Louis Virtel Yes. What do you mean?

 

Ira Madison III He. He works a little bit like Annalise Keating.

 

Louis Virtel And all that’s a butt thing.

 

Ira Madison III Because. Yeah. Well, I’m just wondering, is it the. But is it because, you know, he’s he’s he’s packing. Yeah. And and, are you happy to see me kind of way? Maybe it’s that. Maybe that’s sometimes why straight men give, like, a little waddle. But it is giving how to get away with murder. So go, go and look at him walking. Come back to me. I know they’re probably going to show a clip on the YouTube.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah. This is the kind of reading we recommend, by the way. Go ahead and watch him waddle down the street. Tell me what you think about that.

 

Ira Madison III Everyone look at that. And there won’t be a pop quiz tomorrow.

 

Louis Virtel Okay, great. Great, great. Love that.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. All right, well, that’s our show.

 

Louis Virtel I think we actually got a lot off our chest. I actually feel somewhat, exorcized, you know, of Roman and his reloading.

 

Ira Madison III Until you get doxed.

 

Louis Virtel Right? Oh, yeah. This is the last week in my life I mean to say that. Yes.

 

Ira Madison III Barbie reloaded the re-up.

 

Louis Virtel Scary.

 

Ira Madison III Oh. Do you know what a re-up is like?

 

Louis Virtel The next edition.

 

Ira Madison III Oh. That’s fair. Yeah. It’s also it’s also juggling.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, okay. Well, that’s your territory. Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III Oh. Oh. All right. I’m a spring breaker over here.

 

Louis Virtel Trainspotting over there. Yeah.

 

Ira Madison III I’m in season six of The Wire.

 

Louis Virtel Tough.

 

Ira Madison III Yeah. The podcast season of The Wire would win Emmys. I just want to put that out there.

 

Louis Virtel We’ll see you next week.

 

Ira Madison III Keep It is a Crooked Media production. Our senior producer is Kendra James. Our producer is Chris Lord and our associate producer is Malcolm Whitfield. Our executive producers are Ira Madison the Third, and Louis Virtel.

 

Louis Virtel This episode was recorded and mixed by Evan Sutton. Thank you to our digital team, Megan Patsel and Rachel Gaewski, and to Matt DeGroot and David Toles for production support every week.

 

Ira Madison III And as always, Keep It is recorded in front of a live studio audience.

 

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