From Gay Cruise to Fire Island: Sister Helen Holy

From Gay Cruise to Fire Island: Sister Helen Holy

This week on Trigger Warning, Adam and I are coming to you straight from our Fire Island ‘storage unit studio/ — because nothing says “thriving media empire” like folding chairs and exposed wiring. Adam and I survived a rain-soaked, chaos-drenched weekend of NYC nightlife, including a completely sold-out Dina Martina show (you’re welcome), an aggressively ugly sculpture I regret purchasing, and a series of questionable life choices that somehow led me to discover the one and only Sister Helen Holy… on a gay cruise. Yes. A gay cruise. Picture it: a packed theater at sea, men in mesh, cocktails sloshing, and suddenly — a Dallas Baptist woman reframing the entire experience as “high seas ministry.” I knew immediately she had to join us here at the Ice Palace and on Trigger Warning. And she did. Sister Helen Holy is a Baptist  from Dallas who believes gay cruises are simply floating opportunities to bring the gospel to “sinners.” According to her, it’s not a party — it’s a mission field. We get into: * Why she considers sin her biggest trigger * How bingo became part of her evangelical outreach strategy * Whether gambling and gospel can coexist * Her first time on Fire Island (pray for her) * And a very serious theological debate about deviled eggs vs. deep-fried eggs You’re welcome. @triggerwaringnyc @redeye_ny @pridehousemedia Write to us at: Questions@TriggerWarningPod.com

Memorial Day at Fire Island’s Ice Palace with Dina Martina

Memorial Day weekend on Fire Island is officially the start of summer — and this week on Trigger Warning, Adam and I are recording live from the legendary Ice Palace in Cherry Grove. We kick things off with some classic Fire Island banter: wigs, chaotic past parties, rainy holiday vibes, and yes — thoughts on the Kylie Minogue Netflix documentary.  But there real meat and potatoes, folks is our extra special guest. This week we welcome one of my all-time favorites to the show: the incomparable Dina Martina. Dina and I talk about her recent run at Café Carlyle in New York, her long-standing Memorial Day tradition of performing at the Ice Palace, and why Fire Island audiences hit differently than Provincetown crowds. She shares an unforgettable story about the late Chita Rivera praising her work — a full-circle moment that says everything about Dina’s singular brilliance. And yes, Dina shares what triggers her too!!! It’s camp, it’s chaos, it’s Fire Island — and it’s the unofficial kickoff to Summer season 2026. If you love LGBTQ comedy, queer nightlife, Cherry Grove history, and behind-the-scenes stories from iconic performers, this episode is for you. @triggerwaringnyc @redeye_ny @pridehousemedia Write to us at: Questions@TriggerWarningPod.com YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION: @triggerwaringnyc @redeye_ny @pridehousemedia Write to us at: Questions@TriggerWarningPod.com

How Queer Nightlife Survived and Evolved | Ana Matronic | Pt. 02

Part two — and we’re going even deeper. In this episode of Trigger Warning, Adam and I bring back Animatronic to dive into the real history of queer nightlife — from the global legend Bricktop to stewarding Fire Island’s iconic Ice Palace. If you don’t know Bricktop, buckle up. She was a Black saloon singer and hostess from West Virginia who became one of the most powerful nightlife figures in Paris, Mexico City, and Rome. She introduced the Charleston to Paris. She hosted royalty, writers, jazz icons. Her life feels like it should be an HBO anthology series — and yes, we pitch that too. Then we shift to home. We talk about the Ice Palace — open continuously since 1970 — one of the most important queer disco venues in history. Before it was the Ice Palace, it was the Boom Boom Room, the Bat Cave, Tiffany Au Go Go. There were fires. There were rebuilds. There were actual laws preventing same‑gender dancing — which led to counting men and women separately on the ramp. That history matters. Today, we see ourselves not as owners — but as stewards. Restoring it. Protecting it. Evolving it. Keeping it alive for the next generation. This episode is about honoring the past while building the future of queer nightlife. Because clubs aren’t just parties. They’re archives. They’re sanctuaries. They’re survival. 🎧 Listen or watch wherever you get your favorite podcasts  🔥 Part 1 is also live — so maybe start there- or don’t. @triggerwaringnyc @redeye_ny @pridehousemedia Write to us at: Questions@TriggerWarningPod.com

Ana Matronic on Scissor Sisters, Fame & NYC Nightlife

Welcome to Trigger Warning — my intentionally chaotic NYC nightlife podcast. Adam and I kick things off in our new Summer “studio” at the Ice Palace where we sit down with the iconic Ana Matronic — DJ, Scissor Sisters legend, and self-proclaimed “pop star with the soul of a librarian.” And yes… we go there. What We Get Into: ✨ Broadway diva lore (Patti, Liza, Carol — obviously)  ✨ Scissor Sisters blowing up in the UK before the U.S. caught on  ✨ Fame and “upward dehumanization”  ✨ “Let’s Have a Kiki” and dance-floor history  ✨ Motown mixtapes & Ana’s DJ origin story  ✨ Queer roots and nightlife legacy  ✨ Regine and the invention of the modern discotheque We also talk about Ana’s podcast Part-Time Sallies, where she dives into nightlife history and icons like Regine and Brick Top. BUT- this was such an iconic conversation we decided we HAD to do it on two parts. So if you love: NYC nightlife, queer culture, DJ history, Fire Island, Scissor Sisters, or Broadway legends — this one’s for you. @triggerwaringnyc @redeye_ny @pridehousemedia Write to us at: Questions@TriggerWarningPod.com

My Instagram Drama, Fire Island Chaos & DJ Lina Unfiltered

We’re officially in our visual era — and no, this is still NOT a safe space. Adam and I bring Trigger Warning to YouTube with NYC nightlife chaos, Fire Island tea, and zero filters. From Mr. New York to what’s coming at the Ice Palace, gurl is it FULL ON. This week we are SO excited to welcome the legendary DJ Lina (co‑host of The Cutting Up: A Kiki with Connie and Lina) who joins us to talk: 🌈 Returning to Fire Island after years away 🎧 Why podcasting hits different 🔥 Why the Pines & Grove are “choose your own adventure” — if you claim it We also discuss my getting kicked off Instagram/Meta, body‑shaming trolls, and why social media stays pressed. Plus: Pride boat party fails, club raid stories, Juneteenth plans… and a very unserious ClonaWilly moment. NYC. Nightlife. Summer. Firel Island. Pride season. Unfiltered energy. Press play. 😈🔥 You can watch The Cutting Up: A Kiki with Connie and Lina every Thrusday wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Follow Lina @TheLinaBradford @triggerwaringnyc @redeye_ny @pridehousemedia Write to us at: Questions@TriggerWarningPod.com