Whimsically Volatile

THE ADDAMS FAMILY gets the Movie Club treatment as Joe Black joins me to discuss on-set disasters, the long and rocky road of the film’s development, Barry Sonnenfeld’s technical wizardry and very specific personality, Anjelica Houston’s iconic performance and painful makeup process, MC Hammer, Raul Julia and his horrific eye calamity, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci, Dan Hedaya and the profound impact this picture had - and has - on Joe Black’s kind of goth. More Joe Black Craig & Friends Patreon

Erik Clapp of the mighty Cinema Force, EC Films & The Bobbie Wygant Archive joins me to discuss SECONDS. Starring Rock Hudson, John Frankenheimer's dark and deeply disturbing classic was released in 1966 to tremendous controversy and terrible box-office. Over the years, SECONDS has come to be rightly recognized as a paranoid, somewhat-misanthropic masterpiece.

Pia Zadora welcomed me to her gorgeous Las Vegas home to discuss her legendary life and career. We talk The Lonely Lady, owning a plane with your name on it, the Golden Globes scandal, her marriage to Meshulam Riklis, working with John Waters on Hairspray, dealing with depression, psychoanalysis, Celebrity Wife Swap, Voyage Of The Rock Aliens, Pia’s Place & Piatinis, perseverance, touring with Frank Sinatra, NAKED GUN 33 1/3, handling haters, Jermaine Jackson, working with Talullah Bankhead and more. ⁠MORE PIA⁠ Support this show and receive exclusive content by joining the ⁠Craig & Friends Patreon⁠

Legendary filmmaker Alex Cox (Repo Man, Straight To Hell, Walker, Tombstone Rashomon etc) has a new film in the works, a film you can help make a reality by participating via Kickstarter. Click the link, snatch up the fabulous rewards available and thank Alex for decades of wonderful films.Alex & I discuss his collaborations with Joe Strummer, REPO MAN, studio politics, STRAIGHT TO HELL, Sam Peckinpah, Chateau Marmont, William Friedkin’s SORCERER, miserable encounters with Hunter S. Thompson and much much more. Alex’s KICKSTARTER Subscribe to the Craig & Friends YooToob channel Get your Craig & Friends T-Shirts Join The Craig & Friends Patreon Clip from BREAKFAST WITH HUNTER courtesy of Wayne Ewing

Director, bon-vivant and raconteur Marc MacNamara joins me to talk directing gay corn, working with Falcon Nakedsword, co-hosting Discretion Advised (with our friend John Hill), getting kicked out of Micky’s, Fame Games On Fire Island, Thom Moulton, Cherry Grove, pop culture, Real Housewives, the legend of Willy Nilly and a whole lot more. Get Your Craig & Friends Movie Club shirts! Listen to Discretion Advised Discretion Advised On YooToob Marc on Instagram Craig & Friends Join The Craig & Friends Patreon  Instagram Twitter

We continue our marathon discussion of Michael Mann’s MANHUNTER. We talk the danger of the distorted lens, the self and shadow self, how Mann’s obsession with the smallest details enriches the bigger picture, Willam Friedkin’s near casting as Hannibal, Mann's impeccable song & score selections, digital vs. film, Mann's Chicago origins & extensive work in television & The Keep. We also address (nearly all) of your Listener Comments & Questions. Our apologies to those we didn’t get to, send us further comments and corrections for a supplemental addendum which will feature the missing contributions. Organizational difficulties thwarted our best intentions. Subscribe to Craig & Friends on YouTube Follow ⁠Gala Avary⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠Rich Johnson ⁠on the socials Listen to The Gala Show This show brought to you by ⁠Craig & Friends on Patreon⁠ Sign up, support the show and get set for special exclusives

The one and only Salina EsTitties joins me for a lively chat about growing up in the Castro, gay uncles, bringing Mexican-American culture to the stage, chems*x and the way out, RuPaul’s Drag Race, representation, keepin’ on the hustle, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Kenny Ortega, Survivor and much much more. Check EstTitties hott new track PAPI  Instagram & Twitter & TikTok YouTube Craig & Friends Instagram & Twitter & TikTok Craig & Friends YouTube - subscribe now This show us brought to you by the Craig & Friends Patreon Sign up now

Michael Mann's 1986 classic MANHUNTER gets the full Movie Club treatment. So full, it had to be split into 2 parts. Gala Avary & Rich Johnson join me for a an in-depth investigation of the first film adaptation of a Hannibal Lector fable (Lecktor in this film), Michael Mann's masterful color-coding, Alex Cox's dismissive and rather confused summary of the film, Miami Vice, William Petersen, Dennis Farina, Tom Noonan's terrifying Francis Dolarhyde, the birth of forensics in crime stories and so much more. Plus: movies, cinema AND film. Stay tuned for Part Two This show brought to you by Craig & Friends on Patreon Sign up, support the show and get set for special exclusives

Adult performer & producer, pegging enthusiast & pioneer Michael Vegas joins me to talk Altoid roulette, filmmaking, color-coding, overcoming internalized shame, Taser golf, meeting the love of his love (creative & life partner Siouxsie Q) in a uniquely specific, Robert Greene & The 48 Laws Of Power, Ada & I making a cameo in Michael & Siouxsie’s upcoming passion project The Bottom Floor, realistic & rigorous approaches to maintaining happiness, overcoming a near-fatal motorcycle accident so much more. More Michael Vegas Instagram Siouxsie Q  Instagram Follow Craig & Friends Instagram Twitter TikTok Subscribe on YouTube This series is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/CraigAndFriends⁠⁠⁠ Head on over and see which tier suits you, support the show and get exclusive content

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

Musical pioneer Chaz Jankel welcomed me to his home to discuss his legendary musical career - from his days with Ian Dury & The Blockheads (co-writing Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, Sex & Drugs & Rock’N’Roll and more) through his wildly influential solo career, his later foray into film scoring and that time  Quincy Jones covered one of his songs. We also get deep into society’s conventions, life’s rhythms, Elkhart Tolle, the illusion of control, energy balances, exotic cheeses and the importance of never squandering the light. This series is brought to you by ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/CraigAndFriends⁠⁠ Head on over and see which tier suits you, support the show and get exclusive content Listen to Chaz's music

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

Originally posted in the salad days of the pandemic (August 2020), this Encore Presentation is in honor of our beloved Sapphira Cristál gooping and gagging the world on Season 16 of RuPaul's Drag Race. Craig & special guest co-host Katya welcome Sapphira Cristal via satellite to talk perfect pitch, homeless schooldays, sorority sister saves, carbonara complications, putin’ it out your mouth, dagger dick, proper preparation, P-town drama, rotten rumors, Perestroika, growing up in Houston, Videodrome Discothèque, opera lust, fair wages, and MORE! This series is brought to you by ⁠https://www.patreon.com/CraigAndFriends⁠ 

Our girl for all seasons Eureka O'Hara joins me to talk the mirth, magic and mayhem of the undercover feminist cult classic GREASE 2! We get into what a T-Bird could mean these days, the majesty of Michelle Pfeiffer, shooting dance numbers before the songs are ready, the chaotic grandiosity of producer & impresario Allan Carr, the impact of RSO & Robert Stigwood on our culture, fan theories about Grease's Sandy (and our own theories about Frenchie), John Travolta, Maxwell Caulfield's brief moment of Hollywood Heat, Cool Rider and much much more. Support this show & get hott bonus content at the Craig & Friends Patreon For more EUREKA Craig & Friends Instagram & Twitter

Nashville’s pre-eminent film critic, connoisseur & Prince devotee Jason Shawhan returns to Movie Club as we talk Prince’s 2nd film UNDER THE CHERRY MOON. We get into Prince’s ever-practical wardrobe choices, Jerome Benton’s woefully short film career, the rather progressive queerness of the film, “Martin Scorsese’s Pee Wee’s Big Adventure”, Wendy & Lisa, The Linn LM-1 drum machine, Prince’s proteges, Michael Ballhaus, smuggling pimento cheese across state lines, why this is Prince’s finest film, Morris Day & The Time, the sheer awfulness of Graffiti Bridge, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Siskel & Ebert missing the point and our own mistakes of believing the received wisdom on this film - thus avoiding it - in younger days. Join the ⁠Craig & Friends Patreon⁠ For more Jason Shawhan: ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/jshawhan?s=21&t=2TXy7cSLOHZN-Ef4khov0A⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠http://rebirthoftheflesh.blogspot.com/⁠⁠⁠ Jason & Sam Inglis host ⁠FEARLESS PRETENDER⁠- The Only Podcast That Provides Extensive Analysis of Every-Sin

My dear friends Mike Chapman & Maddy Paterson join me to talk writing and producing decades of hits like “Ballroom Blitz”, “Hey Mickey” “Simply The Best” and much more, Michael Des Barres, producing Agnetha from ABBA, Suzi Quatro, pairing Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne, the trouble with Sharon Osbourne, working with mentor Micky Most, Dreamland Records, The Knack, telling the truth, producing Blondie, mentoring others, the psychology of record production, Rodney Bingenheimer, singing on Australian radio as a child, Le Dome, the majesty of Hull, finding love at Fortress, and so much more ❤️ Join the Craig & Friends Patreon to support the show and receive Hott bonus content  Craig & Friends  Instagram Twitter 

The Muppet Movie, Phantom Of The Paradise, Bugsy Malone, A Star Is Born, “You And Me Against The World”, Smokey & The Bandit...what singular magical element do these cultural touchstones have in common? The legendary, inspirational & hilarious singer, songwriter, actor,  author, recovery advocate/counselor AND President of ASCAP known as PAUL WILLIAMS. Yes, one of my all-time heroes joins me for a truly special episode full of love and laughter that is sure to lift your spirits, heart & mind as much as it did (and still does) mine. Join the Craig & Friends Patreon to support the show and receive Hott bonus content  If you or a loved on is in need of help with drugs and/or alcohol: SAMHSA For More Paul: Official Website  Instagram Twitter Craig & Friends  Instagram Twitter 

This candid chat with legendary compser, co-creator of Hedwig & The Angry Inch and all-around terrific person known as Stephen Trask continues, picking up where we left off: the difficulties of coming out during the Reagan era, the extremes of youthful idealism, protest & arrests, Don Hill's and the dream of a better nightlife future coming true with Squeezebox!, meeting John Cameron Mitchell, Cheater, Leonardo the heartthrob, special slices, CBGB blizzards & more. Join the Craig & Friends Patreon to get bonus content while supporting the show. Stephen On Instagram Stephen On Twitter

Nashville's pre-eminent film critic, curator & connoisseur Jason Shawhan returns for EATING RAOUL. We talk Paul Bartel, Mary Woronov, The Roger Corman Expanded Universe, Robert Beltran, swingers, wine-snobs, bad musical theater, the lurking terror of The Beach Boys, SCENES FROM THE CLASS STRUGGLE IN BEVERLY HILLS and much more. Join the Craig & Friends Patreon For more Jason Shawhan: ⁠⁠https://x.com/jshawhan?s=21&t=2TXy7cSLOHZN-Ef4khov0A⁠⁠ ⁠⁠http://rebirthoftheflesh.blogspot.com/⁠⁠ Jason & Sam Inglis host FEARLESS PRETENDER- The Only Podcast That Provides Extensive Analysis of Every-Single Film & Television Show Featuring Jennifer Jason-Leigh. Hear my guest spot on the episode devoted to the bizarro Rodney Dangerfield classic EASY MONEY

Stephen joins me to talk scoring films, replacing Randy Newman, taking Hedwig & The Angry Inch from stage to screen, studio sabotage, leading the house band at the legendary SqueezeBox! party, negative pickups, falling in love with punk & piano lessons, the terror of coming to terms with being queer in the early 80s, hitting big at Sundance and much more. Taped in late 2020 but unreleased ‘til now due to a freshly resolved technical issue. Part 2 out next week.  Stephen On Instagram Craig & Friends Instagram Join the Craig & Friends Patreon page to support this show and get Hott Hott bonus material