Feast of Fun

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This article is about the gay and lesbian themed podcast. For the medieval festival, see Feast of Fools.
Feast of Fools
Hosts Fausto Fernós (left) and Marc Felion (right), as photographed by Jason Smith, artwork by Fausto Fernós.
Presentation
Hosted byFausto Fernós and Marc Felion
GenreComedy
UpdatesDaily (Monday-Friday)
Publication
Original releaseFebruary 2005

The Feast of Fools podcast is the name of a downloadable media program (a/k/a podcast), based out of Chicago, Illinois. The program is hosted by Fausto Fernós and Marc Felion and features a rotation of celebrity guests, artists, musicians, actors and members of the LGBT community. The topics of conversation center on unusual news items, social trends and occasional cocktail recipes. The program is produced five days a week (Monday through Friday) and has been in production since February 8, 2005.

The Feast of Fools podcast continually ranks as the top-rated gay and lesbian podcast on iTunes and is frequently listed in the Top 100 list of Comedy podcasts.[1] On average, the podcast is downloaded 30,000 times per week,[2] making it the most downloaded LGBT podcast in the United States.[1][3]

Podcast

The first Feast of Fools Podcast was posted on Tuesday, February 8, 2005.[4] It featured Fernós, Felion and former live show band leader (and recurring podcast contributor) Link Pinks. The name "Gay Fun Show" was added to the title of the podcast to help prospective listeners easily discern what the show is about when searching podcast databases.[5] Since it began, the Feast of Fools podcast has become known as a pioneer in the podcasting media form. The show is responsible for a number of podcasting firsts, such as:

  • First podcast to feature an HIV-Positive person discussing living with full-blown AIDS.
  • First podcast to reach one million downloads.
  • First podcast to obtain a major media sponsor.
  • First podcast to use album art.
  • First podcast to use show titles.[1]

Show format

A typical show is structured as a round table discussion featuring one or two topics, unusual news stories, and general banter between hosts and guests. Other shows feature celebrity interviews (live or by phone), cocktail recipes, and “how to” sessions, such as 'How drag queens lip sync and put on makeup.' Celebrities and other notable guests are asked a series of "Breakdown" questions at the end of the show, such as "Describe yourself as a fancy shade of paint" and "What would you like to see Oprah doing in 5 years?" Since 2005, the Feast of Fools podcast has interviewed many celebrities, including Margaret Cho, Kathy Griffin, Teri Garr, George Takei,[5] John Waters and Bruce Vilanch.[4] Occasionally, a show will open with an original cocktail recipe, usually given a name that pays tribute to that episode's special guest. Cocktail recipes feature unique ingredients or put a new spin on classics. Examples include the "Organic Cosmopolitan" (a tarter version of the popular drink made with unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate and all natural ingredients) and the "Dancing Queen,"(an unusual and flavorful combination of pear sake and energy drink).[2]

When not interviewing a special guest, Fernós and Felion are joined by a rotating cast of regular guests, including "Miss Ronnie," Amanda "Steinstein" and "Sal-E."[6]

Music

Music is an integral part of the Feast of Fools podcast experience, and the show regularly interviews and features the music of up-and-coming talent, mostly unsigned or signed to independent record labels. Born out of necessity due to copyright and RIAA restrictions on the use of music on podcasts, this feature of the podcast has grown into an important avenue for emerging musicians to reach a previously untapped audience. Musicians whose music is featured on the Feast of Fools podcast realize increased sales on iTunes and Amazon.com.[7] Musicians featured on the Feast of Fools podcast include: Jim Verraros | Levi Kreis | Eric Himan | Rachael Sage | The Wet Spots | Chris Garneau | Dangerous Muse | Gaye Adegbalola | Ferron | Hey Willpower | Leslie Hall | Mystechs | Reuben Butchart | Scott Free | Solitaire Miles | Violet Nine

Show Personalities

  • Fausto Fernós — Creator, Host and Producer
  • Marc Felion — Co-Creator, Host and Business Manager
  • Amanda Steinstein — Regular Guest
  • "Miss Ronnie" Vanna — Regular Guest
  • Sal-E — Regular Guest
  • Steven Peterson — Website Designer and Frequent Guest
  • John Q. Sanchez — Blog Contributor and Frequent Guest
  • Marsian De Lellis — Frequent Guest
  • Victoria LaMarr — Former Regular Guest

Awards

File:Podcast Awards (GLBT 2006 and 2007).jpg
People's Choice Podcast Awards for 2006-2007

In 2006, Fausto Fernós was recognized as one of nine Chicago GLBTQ community leaders for his work on the Feast of Fools podcast by the Chicago Reader (September 22, 2006).[citation needed]

On September 29, 2006, the show was awarded the 2006 "Best GLBT Podcast" by Podcast Awards/Podcast Connect, Inc. [8] In November 2006, The Feast of Fools Podcast was named "Best Podcast" for 2006 by Gay Bloggies, operated by Queerclick.com.[9] Fausto Fernós and Marc Felion were named "Queers of the Year" by Time Out Chicago in the December 28, 2006-January 3, 2007 issue for their work on the Feast of Fools podcast.[4]

In 2007, the Feast of Fools podcast was nominated for both 2007 "Best GLBT Podcast" and the "People's Choice" overall award by Podcast Awards/Podcast Connect, Inc. On October 4, 2007, the show was awarded "2007 Best GLBT Podcast."[10]

History

The creator of the show, Fausto Fernós, was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Fernós moved to Austin, Texas at age 16 to enroll in art school at the University of Texas at Austin. At the age of 18 he started the "SoftMen Show" above a alternative clothing store in Austin, Texas in the well-known music area known as Sixth Street. In 1993, Fernós created a successful cable access show entitled "El Chow De Faustina," which featured Fernós in drag interviewing artists and musicians from the local area. The program won "Best Cable Access Show" by the Austin Chronicle in 1995, and featured Fernós on the cover of the publication with Texas Governor Ann Richards.[11] In 1996, his solo performance work was featured in The Cleveland Performance Art Festival, a then-world-renowned festival of experimental art and live theater.

Fernós met his partner, Marc Felion, in Chicago, Illinois in 1999, and together they developed Feast of Fools, a live theatrical variety show performed in various Chicago area venues. It featured music, dance, poetry, comedy and performance art strung together by a play that took place between acts.[7] The name "Feast of Fools" was chosen by Fernós to pay tribute to Harry Hay, a gay activist from the 1970s, who felt gays should "embrace a certain frivolity." Hay envisioned a future where people felt free to express themselves fully and honestly, and therefore “act foolish.”[5][7] In September 2000, Fernós, identifiable around Chicago by his distinctive blue hair,[12] gained notoriety as a 'fire-eating drag princess' and performed as part of the Radical Faeries of Chicago at Chicago's HotHouse.[13] By April 2001, Fernós and Felion expanded their show at the HotHouse to be a "nighttime cabaret about daytime television."[14]

By 2005, Fernós—whose friend, video artist Kerthy Fix described as "a celebrity waiting for the technology to catch up with [him]"[7]—and Felion aspired to take the show a step further by creating a cable access show; but at the same time, podcasting burst onto the scene with the promise of video podcasting in the near future.[7] Taking a chance on the up-and-coming technology, they decided to embrace the new medium.

See also

Further reading

  • Obejas, Achy. (March 31, 2000) Chicago Tribune "Feast of Fools" - A celebration of diversity. Colorful Fausto Fernós - an appropriate host for radical faeries. Section: Friday; Page 28.
  • Walsh, Jim. (July 6, 2005) Chicago Tribune Poddy mouth. Why the feds can't touch them. Page 7.
  • Bergquist, Kathie. (September 22, 2006) Chicago Reader The Gay Press. Volume 35; Issue 52; Page 7.
  • Feast of Fools in the Chicago Reader.
  • Fausto Fernós in the Chicago Reader.

References

  1. ^ a b c Wooten, Amy. (June 20, 2006) Windy City Times 30 Under 30 Special: Where Are They Now?
  2. ^ a b (March 20, 2006) Gaywired.comChicago Podcast Breaks Records Cite error: The named reference "gaywired" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  3. ^ Bergquist, Kathie. (September 22, 2006) Chicago Reader The Gay Press. Volume 35; Issue 52; Page 26.
  4. ^ a b c Heidemann, Jason A. (December 28, 2006-January 3, 2007) Time Out Chicago Personal Best: Cheers to the Queers Who Made Our City Better in 2006 Issue 96; Section: GLBT
  5. ^ a b c Schwister, Jeff. (August 8, 2006) Beepcentral.com ‘Fools’ gold: Local gay podcast getting national attention
  6. ^ Freeman, Jason P. (August 7, 2007) ChicagoPride.com Interview: Feast of Fools
  7. ^ a b c d e Shapiro, Gregg. (August 22, 2006) AfterElton.com Feast of Fools Takes Gay Podcasting to New Heights.
  8. ^ (August 15, 2006)Podcast Connect, Inc.Archive: 2006 People's Choice Winners
  9. ^ Gay Bloggies Queerclick.com Cool as Click Awards 2006
  10. ^ (October 4, 2007) Podcast Awards2007 Podcast Awards
  11. ^ (1995) Austin Chronicle http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/annual/bestof95/critics/boa95.C.media.html#RTFToC9 Best of Austin '95: Best Cable Access Show]
  12. ^ Bergquist, Kathie. (September 22, 2006) Chicago Reader GLBT Life: Community Leaders. Volume 35; Issue 52; Page 26.
  13. ^ Mattalia, Glendy X. (September 8, 2000) Chicago Tribune Fall Theater. Section: Friday Part 2; Page 6.
  14. ^ Bommer, Lawrence. (April 13, 2001) Chicago Tribune Truly "Terrible Girls" show tells dark tales of love and obsession. Section: Friday; Page 15.

External links

Notable Celebrity Interviews

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