Fingering the Democracy

One Year of Queernecks

Trauma Bonding, Bury Your Gays, and WVU’s Burning Couch Lore Send us mail at mailbag@queernecks.com Follow us on Facebook or Instagram at @Queernecks Subscribe to out newsletter for the Queernecks ramble expansion pack: https://substack.com/@queernecks And join our discord by joining our Ko-Fi for $2 a month: https://ko-fi.com/queernecks Hosts Beck and Dash discuss difficulties accessing the film The Foxy Merkins for rental and plan to review it next episode, then talk through queer film history and favorites, including the “bury your gays” trope’s Hays Code origins and later shifts in ’80s/’90s queer cinema. They compare movie lists to watch together (e.g., Alien, Night of the Living Dead, Shaun of the Dead and the Cornetto Trilogy) and chat about Monty Python, Mel Brooks, and adaptations like The World According to Garp. Beck shares experiences with wage disparity, job stress, high school reunions, grief and unwanted public memorialization of a brother killed in action, and an unsettling workplace stalking incident. The episode includes a faux sponsor segment on “trauma bonding” and a “Noun of Appalachian Interest” about WVU’s burning couches, plus lighter updates on food, books, and upcoming MRIs and boxing. 00:00 Intro & Movie Talk 26:18 High School & Breakups 28:32 Military Service & Heroes 36:05 Stalkers & Exes 42:45 Domestic Violence in Queer Relationships 46:43 Trauma Bonding & Memory 52:26 Appalachian Culture & Couch Fires 01:00:37 Literature & Film Analysis

The Poison Ivy League

Hosts Beck and Dash open the Queernecks episode discussing a frightening car incident in Toledo where their dog Ru appeared to have an asthma attack and has a vet appointment Monday. They then talk about modern roast culture after seeing clips from the Kevin Hart roast, including Chelsea Handler’s jab at a MAGA comedian, mention Tony Hinchcliffe’s George Floyd joke, and discuss boundaries, context, and craft in comedy, referencing Penn & Teller’s Bullshit, the Aristocrats joke, Gilbert Gottfried after 9/11, and Seinfeld’s “political correctness” complaints, plus “retro sexism” in advertising and SNL’s post‑9/11 Giuliani moment. They touch on British competition shows, Dash’s faculty job interview and higher-ed pay/culture, a satirical “buy here, pay here” sponsor bit, car histories and maintenance, and Beck’s “noun of Appalachian interest” on Matewan, WV and the 1920 Mine Wars. They close with movie ideas, audiobooks, biking/cleaning plans, and queer music recommendations. Send us mail at mailbag@queernecks.com Follow us on Facebook or Instagram at @Queernecks Subscribe to out newsletter for the Queernecks ramble expansion pack: https://substack.com/@queernecks And join our discord by joining our Ko-Fi for $2 a month: https://ko-fi.com/queernecks 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:26 Ru’s Scary Asthma Attack 01:33 Living With Asthma 02:57 Kevin Hart Roast Fallout 04:31 When Roasts Turn Cruel 08:10 The Aristocrats and 9/11 10:45 Can You Joke About Anything 15:15 Retro Sexism in Ads 19:15 SNL After 9/11 22:26 British Reality Competitions 23:17 Great Pottery Throw Down Love 27:27 Faculty Interview Nerves 32:15 Campus Ego and Low Pay 33:51 Writing Routine and Online Teaching 34:41 New Job Logistics and Summer Break 35:13 Sponsor Buy Here Pay Here 37:34 Car Histories and Salvage Rides 40:35 Oil Changes and Four Wheel Fun 43:39 Noun Matewan Mine Wars 47:03 Appalshop and Film Talk 49:53 Queer Cinema Pairings 53:39 Audiobooks Count as Reading 55:23 Scary Movie Plans and Theater Anxiety 59:52 Foxy Merkins Pick and Discord 01:02:58 Wrap Up Music and Goodbyes

Bonding Over Submechanophobia

In this 50th episode of Queernecks, queer rural Appalachian LGBTQ hosts Beck and Dash chat about pets, junk food, and digestive issues, then reflect on smoking—how early they started, how it was normalized, and how quitting saved Christmas. They discuss teaching, student pass/fail options, rate-my-professor culture, and gaps in student literacy, tech skills, and civic knowledge, plus the poverty-simulator game, Spent. They share fears about cruises and the ocean, mention Netflix’s Trainwreck and the “poop cruise,” and touch on end-of-life planning, wills, and transfer-on-death paperwork. A sponsor segment celebrates nostalgic Wishbook catalogs and their digitized archives. The Appalachian noun of interest is “Fiesta Ware,” and its cultural labor history, before closing with travel and food plans and a one-year anniversary tease. Send us mail at mailbag@queernecks.com Follow us on Facebook or Instagram at @Queernecks Subscribe to out newsletter for the Queernecks ramble expansion pack: https://substack.com/@queernecks And join our discord by joining our Ko-Fi for $2 a month: https://ko-fi.com/queernecks 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:20 Pets And Treats 00:40 Taffy And Tummy Talk 02:06 Quitting Smoking Benefits 03:47 Smoking Habits And Movies 05:13 Starting Young Stories 08:15 Poverty Simulator Spent 11:06 Privilege And Coping 12:30 Ashtrays And Nostalgia 13:46 Small Town Oddities 15:19 No More Political News 15:57 Pass Fail And Ratings 18:06 Teaching New Course Prep 20:05 Travel Plans And Cruises 22:24 Ocean Fears And Rivers 26:26 Lakes And Submechanophobia 29:28 Claustrophobia And Burial 30:31 End Of Life Paperwork 31:28 Dad’s Final Wishes 32:35 Probate Planning Nightmares 34:04 Wishbook Sponsor Break 36:39 Digitized Catalog Rabbit Hole 40:31 Devil Wears Prada 2 43:21 Literacy and Life Skills 47:33 Teaching Boundaries and Absences 50:50 Yesterwear Fiestaware History 54:16 AI Scraping and Analytics 56:04 Road Trips and Treats 58:35 Episode 50 Wrap Up

Bug-Eyed, Asthmatic ASMR

AI Hallucinated This Transcript. Hosts Beck and Dash chat on Queernecks about returning to a boxing gym, favorite salty-sweet snacks, novelty candies, and hometown-made products (BG Campbell’s/Heinz, Portsmouth shoelaces, Cincinnati schnapps). They swap train stories, including meeting recently released prisoners on an Amtrak ride to Chicago and observing re-entry moments and public-transportation dynamics. The conversation shifts to martial arts, nostalgia TV (Cobra Kai), and a critique of right-wing grift and “reverse racism,” then broadens into religion, atheism, church-based community, safe spaces, anti-trans politics, gerrymandering, and voting rights. A comedic sponsor bit covers raggedy flip-flops, followed by personal relationship and work-life balance talk. The “noun of Appalachian interest” spotlights the Appalachian Mountains’ age, culture, directions, and lasting identity, with side notes on Kentucky’s Chain Rock, Serpent Mound, Tecumseh drama, and Krispy Kreme donuts. Send us mail at mailbag@queernecks.com Follow us on Facebook or Instagram at @Queernecks Subscribe to out newsletter for the Queernecks ramble expansion pack: https://substack.com/@queernecks And join our discord by joining our Ko-Fi for $2 a month: https://ko-fi.com/queernecks 00:00 Welcome to Queernecks 00:16 Saturday Catch Up 00:41 Back to Boxing 01:47 Salty Sweet Snacks 02:41 Chocolate Chip Debate 04:19 Pringles Facts Rabbit Hole 06:05 Local Famous Products 07:37 Prison Town Stories 09:12 Train Ride Reentry Moments 14:48 Nineties Nostalgia 16:11 Martial Arts and Cobra Kai 20:51 Erica Kirk and Grift Talk 24:27 Faith Doubt and Community 28:51 Safe Spaces and Politics 30:57 Voting Fairness and Power 31:51 Apartment Hunting Fails 32:52 Bulk Buying and Coupons 33:38 Raggedy Flip Flop Sponsor 36:28 Feet and Toenail Confessions 38:30 Work Stress and Impact 41:03 Appalachian Mountains Spotlight 43:49 Local Legends and Landmarks 47:50 Donut Debates and Sweet Treats 49:39 Hometown Factories and Farewell

Fingering the Democracy

Hosts Beck and Dash chat through tech frustrations and changing internet/IT, early home computing memories (AOL dial-up costs, Commodore 64, Carmen Sandiego, Number Munch, Oregon Trail, typing skills), and odd public moments (a classmate farting in a lab, an ROTC student’s loud burp, quirky neighbor small talk, a neighbor’s unsolicited diet comment). They share affirming messages from former students, including one crediting a queer professor for helping him come out and a trans student entering a funded PhD program. The conversation turns to political conspiracy chatter and media/ideology theory, then to housing costs and mobility barriers, job applications, and fatigue. They note Cincinnati creating Ohio’s first LGBTQ+ commission and mention an Appalachian-origin anti-discrimination code. A comedic “Stone Soup” sponsor bit leads into cooking memories, and the episode’s “noun of Appalachian interest” spotlights West Virginia dancer Jesco White (“The Dancing Outlaw”) and reflections on hillbilly media, names, and family history. Send us mail at mailbag@queernecks.com Follow us on Facebook or Instagram at @Queernecks Subscribe to out newsletter for the Queernecks ramble expansion pack: https://substack.com/@queernecks And join our discord by joining our Ko-Fi for $2 a month: https://ko-fi.com/queernecks 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:17 Tech Degree Throwback 01:15 Computer Lab Fart Story 02:10 OCD Public Bathroom Fear 03:20 Dial Up Rural Internet 06:24 Early PCs And Games 08:34 Typing Skills And Neuropathy 11:11 Campus Burp And Student Email 13:46 Weird Neighbor Small Talk 16:32 Neighbor Diet Comment 17:43 Trump Shooting Conspiracies 21:39 Jordan Klepper And Ideology 25:54 War On Christmas Bits 28:22 Year Round Holiday Lights 30:46 Housing Costs And Moving Trap 32:26 Taxes And Boots Theory 33:27 Leaving Home After Loss 34:30 Cincinnati LGBTQ Commission Tease 35:03 Cincinnati LGBTQ Commission 35:31 Urban Appalachian Discrimination 37:30 Queer Appalachian Migration 39:28 Burnout and Job Market 41:44 Stone Soup Sponsor Bit 44:56 Ramen Abomination Cooking 50:53 Jesco White Spotlight 55:21 Family Names and Politics 01:02:24 Homecoming and Finals 01:04:28 Internet Privacy and Ads 01:07:38 Wrap Up and Tech Issues