Over the past few weeks, we’ve taken the time to amplify LGBT podcasts and queer voices by focusing on both black queer perspectives and trans perspectives. As we continue to use our platform to explore the world of LGBTQ podcasts, let’s venture over to the lighter side: comedy podcasts from queer voices. Sometimes, when the world feels crazier and crazier by the day, the only way to get through it all is to simply laugh it off or poke fun at the issue in question. These nine podcasts all bring an LGBTQ perspective to things like current events, pop culture, true crime, and more, with each one being just as essential as the last.
Seeking Derangements
One of the newer additions to the world of queer comedy podcasts, Seeking Derangements is hosted by two notable Twitter personalities: Ben and Palma. Coming onto the scene in spring of 2020, the show’s humor is often edgy and its structure is typically freewheeling. The two split their content between free episodes and premium episodes available only for Patrons, but there’s still plenty of content available for those who don’t subscribe to their Patreon. No topic is off-limits, but each hour-long episode tends to cover current events in both news and pop culture with notable guests like journalist Glenn Greenwald or comedian Brandon Wardell.
Listen to Seeking Derangements here and amplify your favorite parts across social media using the sharing feature on the Backtracks Player.
Throwing Shade (Earwolf)
Earwolf’s Throwing Shade brings co-hosts Erin Gibson and Bryan Safi together to discuss hot topics like pop culture, the women’s rights movement, and LGBTQ rights. The two are frequently goofy, yes, but their intelligence and their cynicism combine to create a weekly podcast that is well worth your time. Their ability to move from topic to topic with ease is impressive, showing that they’re capable of getting the most out of each topical discussion without ruminating too long on any one thing. There’s a lot that goes on each week, and Throwing Shade never wastes an opportunity to try and touch on it all.
Listen to Throwing Shade here and amplify your favorite parts across social media using the sharing feature on the Backtracks Player.
Latinos Who Lunch
At nearly 200 episodes, Latinos Who Lunch is a comedy podcast that’ll keep you entertained for weeks and weeks of lunch breaks to come. Hosted by artist FavyFav and art historian Babelito, Latinos Who Lunch is heavy on discussion of art and food, of course, but it’s also just as thorough in its comedic exploration of LGBTQ issues, pop culture, and race and gender within the Latinx community today. Episodes range anywhere from an hour to two and occasionally feature a guest alongside FavyFav and Babelito, but no matter what the length or the roster looks like from week to week, one thing remains certain: that Latinos Who Lunch will leave you rolling.
Listen to Latinos Who Lunch here and amplify your favorite parts across social media using the sharing feature on the Backtracks Player.
Queery (Earwolf)
Each new episode of stand-up comedian Cameron Esposito’s podcast Queery has one specific goal in mind: to bring on a guest and explore their personal stories of identity and sexuality and contribute to the current global conversation about gender, personality and the LGBT rights movement. From Chasten Buttigieg, husband of former presidential hopeful Mayor Pete, to Tegan & Sara, a duo of critically-acclaimed indie musicians, each episode of Queery is often hilarious but also quite introspective — Esposito and her guests bring a much-needed queer perspective to the table that makes each of its hundreds of episodes feel just as important as the last.
Listen to Queery here and amplify your favorite parts across social media using the sharing feature on the Backtracks Player.
Culture Kings (Earwolf)
Los Angeles-based comedians and co-hosts Jacquis Neal and Edgar Momplaisir use their podcast Culture Kings to talk about people: Black people, gay people, trans people, or any intersection in between. Recently wrapping up a series on Black love, Neal and Momplaisir welcome guests to share their personal stories about being Black and gay, Black and nonbinary, black and trans, and so on. As best friends, their energy is gut-busting and electric — it makes their podcast easy to binge from wherever you are, whether it’s the gym or your morning commute or simply in your room.
Listen to Culture Kings here and amplify your favorite parts across social media using the sharing feature on the Backtracks Player.
Lovett or Leave It (Crooked Media)
Jon Lovett, former speechwriter for President Barack Obama, has entered a very different line of work in the years since his writing was regularly read aloud by the Commander in Chief. Now a podcast host, Lovett’s show Lovett or Leave It sees him accompanied by a round table of special guests — anyone from comedians to filmmakers to politicians to actors to journalists — and a live audience (until the global pandemic happened) as they engage in hilarious yet nuanced discussions about the latest news. As a gay man, Lovett prioritizes the issues facing the LGBTQ community and always makes sure to include queer voices whenever he can. The end result is an incredibly engaging podcast that’s part game show, part comedy hour, and part news briefing.
Listen to Lovett or Leave It here and amplify your favorite parts across social media using the sharing feature on the Backtracks Player.
Tuesdays with Stories!
There’s nothing like a good, funny story. No one knows this better than New York City comedians and co-hosts Joe List and Mark Normand: their podcast Tuesdays with Stories! is all about telling the most entertaining, most absurd, and, most importantly, 100% true stories from their own lives. Their personal stories and the just-as-funny ones from their weekly podcast guests make for some of the most enjoyable first-hand accounts from the lives of people both inside and out of the LGBTQ community.
Listen to Tuesdays with Stories! here and amplify your favorite parts across social media using the sharing feature on the Backtracks Player.
Inside the Closet (Starburns Audio)
Stand-ups and co-hosts Emma Willmann and Matteo Lane set out with two goals when they created their comedy podcast Inside the Closet: give a close look at their own friendship as two gay comedians and a look at what goes on backstage after a comedy show with their fellow funny friends. The show is insightful because of both the kinship they share as co-hosts and the inside access they provide to comedy fans and fellow queer voices alike. The two are both naturals, each one bringing an immense amount of experience from their years on stage and on a whole plethora of television gigs, which makes for a truly great listening experience.
Listen to Inside the Closet here and amplify your favorite parts across social media using the sharing feature on the Backtracks Player.
True Crime Obsessed (Obsessed Network)
Everyone has their obsessions. For Patrick Hinds and Gillian Pensavalle, co-hosts of True Crime Obsessed, it’s exactly what the title suggests: anything and everything having to do with true crime. Whether it’s documentaries or scripted series, Hinds and Pensavalle recap the latest true crime offerings from basic cable networks and premium offerings like HBO and Netflix with equal parts humor and heart. Plus, their show brings a unique LGBT perspective to the sea of true crime podcasts that allows it to stand out as a prominent and necessary title among a slew of similar titles.
Listen to True Crime Obsessed here and amplify your favorite parts across social media using the sharing feature on the Backtracks Player.
Further Listening
Whether you’re interested in listening to more queer podcasts or looking to explore a completely different kind of comedy podcast entirely, Backtracks has got you covered. Whether you’re searching for a pop culture roundtable or personal stories about mental health or anything in between, there’s an endless stream of great podcasts on our site in addition to many great curated podcast collections like this one over our blog. For further listening, check out our series on Amplifying Black Voices in Podcasts, which includes Women, Society & Culture, Comedy, Health & Wellness, and Black Perspectives, or the first couple of entries in our Amplifying Queer Voices in Podcasts series, which focus on Black queer voices and trans voices.
