The It Girl Podcast with Britney Shields

Pride Problems and Keke Palmer with Jewels Long Beach

It’s Season 4 babyyyy!!! And we’re starting things off with one of the greatest drag matriarchs of Southern California, Jewels Long Beach. She comes on the pod to kick off pride month and to share the story behind Long Beach Pride getting cancelled due to lack of permits and how she and her long time collaborators (such as Delta Work and Mayhem Miller) came together to throw an event for the community. Jewels shares her story on how she started doing drag in Hamburger Mary’s before it became a drag chain that would syndicate across the country. She shares her optimism in the prevalence and power of drag despite the political and economic pressures the community currently faces. We also discuss meeting at Lake Arrowhead Pride and what gave her the nerve to pioneer it’s first ever pride in 2019. It all stems from her background of growing up in a small town outside of Death Valley, leaving the house at 18, and forging a path on her own to make a drag career that would give her the life she deserves. (Spoilers ahead!!!) Then we get into the It Girls of the Week: ·      The drag drama reaching into even straight people’s feeds: Patagonia vs. Pattie Gonia ·      Ciara Miller and the Summer House scandal Niche Girls: ·      Keke Palmer and Sean Evans steamy chemistry blowing up Britney’s feed ·      The questionable choice of Kathy Hilton serving as the Grand Marshall of West Hollywood Pride ·      Pride tips and tricks for surviving a month long celebration It Girls Who Got Away: ·      Voting! While we still have the chance… or according to Elon Musk’s baby mama Ashley St. Clair, is Elon going to rig it anyway? ·      The Plot!! We have a crumbling economy, men going to therapy with their AI companions, confirmation on alien existence to distract from the release of the 3pste!n files, and more plot holes than a TV show that’s gone on for ten seasons too long Buckle up for pride month it girls, because community is the only thing that’s going to get us through this mess.

Berlynn Atomic, Stop! That! Train! with Mary Kate Lohan and Icon Lewis

This week, Britney Shields is joined by her sisters Mary Kate Lohan and Icon Lewis for a divine, delusional, and deeply nostalgic episode — all three of them in full drag as the Holy Trinity: Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and Britney Spears. Religion has never looked this correct. We talk about the surreal experience of performing as working drag queens while embodying the very icons who defined nightlife in the same city we now call home. There’s something poetic (and a little unhinged) about partying where your muses once partied and then getting paid to do it. Mary Kate and Icon reflect on their early days in drag what they would’ve done differently, what they learned the hard way, and how it feels now that their reputations and careers are actually gaining momentum. It’s growth, perspective, and just enough delusion to keep things interesting. Then we get into the It Girls of the Week: ·      The Hannah Montana 20-year anniversary special ·      Britney Shields attending the iHeartRadio Music Awards ·      The undeserved backlash against Chappell Roan (and whether it feels… coordinated?) ·      The immense, underpaid pressure placed on Transportation Security Administration agents keeping airports running ·      And yes our queen Valerie Cherish returning via The Comeback, exactly when we needed her most In our Niche Girl spiral: ·      The drag drama shaking the streets Berlynn Atomic allegedly destroying a dressing room at Hamburger Mary's Ontario ·      Raye’s new album This Music May Contain Hope as a full cinematic experience ·      The trailer drop for Tony Soto’s Learn the Words, Bitch documentary ·      The viral TikTok of a woman trapped in Zoom purgatory asking “Can you hear me? Can you see me?” on loop ·      The stacked, chaotic trailer for Stop! That! Train! ·      Angelina Keeley calling out gender bias in Survivor 50 editing And finally — our It Girls Who Got Away (spoilers ahead): ·      Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and the loss of what could’ve been) ·      The LG enV2 — a plea to abandon smartphones and return to simpler, sexier tech ·      A heartfelt call for Halsey and the misunderstood legacy of her signature cursive singing It’s sisterhood, satire, nostalgia, and nightlife with three queens embodying icons while becoming icons in their own right.

Valerie Cherish and Squishies with Samara Sin

This week, Britney Shields is joined by the razor-sharp, impeccably painted, and newly crowned Librarian of the Year, Samara Sin, mother of the House of Sin and a true architect of precision, discipline, and drag excellence. We get into Samara’s reputation as a reader par excellence where those skills come from, how she’s honed them, and how that same discernment shows up in her drag parenting. The House of Sin isn’t just a collective,  it’s a standard. Known for her painted-down mugs (with praise from none other than Raven), Samara reflects on what brought her and her children together and the inspiration she draws from them, including her legendary child Mylique E. Fawcett. We talk aesthetics and influence from Leigh Bowery and the club kid lineage that informs her facekini looks, to blending fashion, performance, and spectacle into something unmistakably her own. She also opens up about navigating sobriety within nightlife spaces and what it means to stay grounded in an environment built on excess. Samara shares her involvement in parties like Brat and themed nights (including a Pokémon moment featuring her iconic Umbreon look), and we get into the power of embracing your villain energy not for destruction, but for purpose. Whether it’s calling out figures like Nicki Minaj and the conservative right or pushing back against management that refuses to pay their dancers, Samara believes in wielding that edge with intention. We also hear about her first meeting with Calypso Jeté-Balmain, who was immediately drawn to her — famously loving those that others might resent. Then we get into the culture: ·      The economic realities impacting gogo dancers, and how often their labor is undervalued ·      Secret Lives of Moprmon Wives star Taylor Frankie Paul and the latest Bachelor Nation scandal ·      The return of The Comeback and the enduring brilliance of Valerie Cherish ·      “Squishies” as the new stress-relief obsession replacing slime ·      Revisiting the joyful femininity of Alysa Liu ·      Darlene Mitchell’s “Cater 2 U” lip sync going viral — and what clips of us might circulate if the algorithm hits just right ·      Why ingrown hair removal videos might officially outrank pimple popping We close on something deeper. In a conversation about nightlife, memory, and survival, Samara honors her best friend Latisha King, whose life was tragically taken too soon. It’s a powerful reminder that the call isn’t just to protect the dolls, it’s to save them. It’s discipline, decadence, darkness, and devotion — all from a queen who knows exactly who she is.

Jake Shane and Harry Jowsey with Michael Henry

This week, Britney Shields is joined by internet icon and cultural commentator Michael Henry, celebrating a major milestone: hitting 100K on Instagram after nearly 17 years of making online videos that question, critique, and lovingly roast gay culture. We talk about his journey from early YouTube-era sketches to his Queerty-nominated series Wish You Were Queer, created alongside longtime collaborators Tim Murray and Paul McGovern Jr. and why he’s genuinely at peace losing to Lushious Massacr. Growth! Michael opens up about his latest creative pivot into man-on-the-street interviews, what he’s learned from constantly evolving online, and which of his past creative eras he’d actually revisit (and which can stay buried). We also get into something real: how even queer media is starting to self-censor and soften itself in response to a more conservative cultural climate and why Michael believes it’s more important than ever to confront taboo topics head-on and strip shame from conversations about sex and identity. He cites early inspirations like Real Sex and Taxicab Confessions, which pushed boundaries long before the algorithm got involved. Yes, this includes a very unfiltered (and very funny) debate that proves nothing is off-limits. Then we spiral into the culture: ·      The competing pop strategies of Tate McRae vs. Zara Larsson — and who’s playing the It Girl game smarter ·      The rise of Connor Storrie and the chaos of the Oscars, including Britney hosting a viewing party at Beaches Tropicana before attempting to infiltrate Elton John’s after party ·      Gia Gunn’s rib surgery discourse ·      Why Timothée Chalamet and Marty Supreme became the internet’s punching bags of the week ·      And why Kevin O'Leary might benefit from taking his own advice about staying in his lane In the niche corners of the internet: ·      Jake Shane’s surprising rise to red carpet host ·      Harry Jowsey and the ongoing queerbaiting discourse ·      The Poke buzz around Pokopia ·      The unexpected resurgence of sardines as a “recession indicator” food trend ·      Michael breaks down the difference between dentures and veneers (because of course he does) ·      The diminishing returns of HGTV and the disappointing cancellation of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot It’s a conversation about longevity, evolution, censorship, sex, and staying honest in a world that increasingly rewards playing it safe.

Aidan Zamiri and We’ve Heard the Commentary Tho Mama with Maxine On TV

This week, Britney Shields is joined by the hilarious and chronically online Maxine On TV, recipient of the Comedy Queen honor at the inaugural It Girl Awards. Maxine reflects on what the recognition meant to her and the winding road that brought her there — from studying comedy in college to moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting, all while sensing that she would eventually carve out a separate persona and platform of her own. She talks about meeting her roommate and creative partner Destiny, and the dynamic that led them to start their podcast Sauvignon Blah together. We also get into the chosen-family side of drag: how Maxine met her drag mom Karen Beaches, and the weekly Drag Queen Game Show, which recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. From there, the conversation moves through the cultural chaos of the week. We discuss the renewed headlines surrounding Britney Spears and the way public reactions to her DUI mirror the same judgment and moral panic that helped justify one of the most disturbing conservatorships in modern celebrity history. Rather than pile on, the episode centers compassion and accountability while examining how quickly the public forgets what she endured. That discussion naturally connects to the ongoing frustration surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and the survivors who have repeatedly presented evidence to authorities while meaningful justice remains elusive. We also touch on the internet discourse sparked by Timothée Chalamet’s comments about ballet and opera that have sent arts communities into debate mode. In the niche corners of the internet: ·      Kylie Jenner unexpectedly impressing viewers with her acting abilities ·      Maxine’s appreciation for the Twitter presence of Aidan Zamiri, director of The Moment ·      Anne Hathaway flirting with a potential pop music era ·      Viral duo Twink and A Redhead appearing on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen with Amanda Frances We also celebrate the fabulosity of AFAB drag queens, shouting out performers in our community who continue expanding what drag can look like and who gets to participate in it. Finally, the conversation reflects on cultural figures whose influence continues to resonate — touching on icons like Brittany Murphy and Michelle Wolf along the way. It’s comedy, compassion, internet rabbit holes, and drag family — exactly the kind of cultural whiplash you get when Britney sits down with Maxine On TV.