SBG 153: Chicago with Brooke Eden
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Welcome back to Lez Hang Out, the podcast that would rather go to literal prison than marry a man.
This week, Leigh (@lshfoster) and Ellie (@elliebrigida) enter their showgirl era with the ultimate lesbian cowgirl diva, Brooke Eden (@brookeedenmusic), and talk about why the 2002 Oscar-winning movie-musical, Chicago, Should’ve Been Gay.
Chicago is a millennial casting wet-dream with Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Queen Latifah, Mýa and a tragically underutilized Lucy Liu. If you haven’t seen the movie (or the 1975 stage show it’s based on– hot take but the movie is better), it’s essentially Orange is the New Black: The Musical.
Although Chicago puts our stars Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly into the overtly heteronormative world of the 1920s, there is little to no hetero explanation for 99% of the plot. The story is set in a time period when people could end up in jail just for being gay, so it honestly does not surprise us that Queen Latifah is essentially running a lesbian harem on Murderesses Row. Sure, these specific women are in jail because they killed their husbands (and side-pieces), but is that not the gayest reason to be in jail?
In fact, we reckon Murderesses Row functions like a 1920s HER. If we had a choice between marrying a man or killing said man, going to jail and getting to hook up with Velma freaking Kelly, call us Piper Chapman because we’re skipping GO and doing the Cell Block Tango.
We know one thing for sure, Chicago Should’ve Been Gay (and all that jazz).
Give us your own answers to our Q & Gay on Instagram and follow along on Facebook, TikTok, and BlueSky @lezhangoutpod. Email us @lezhangoutpod@gmail.com.
Connect with us individually: Ellie Brigida (@elliebrigida). Leigh Holmes Foster (@lshfoster).
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