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Jasmin Savoy Brown's new 'Today in Gay' pod promises daily queer joy just when we need it most
Extra! Extra! Your daily news just got a whole lot gayer!
Daily news is suffering from the same problem that much of the media is facing: It's simply not queer enough. What if there was a version of NPR's Up First or the New York Times's The Daily, but gayer? The Gayly, if you will. Well, here's a change of pace for you — we have great news.
"Today In Gay is your safe daily queer news podcast. It’s the place you can tune in as a queer person or an ally to hear headlines affecting the queer community in 15 minutes or less," Yellowjackets star Jasmin Savoy Brown said in an interview with them.
Savoy Brown had teased their new project on Instagram in late October and early November, only telling fans that the podcast would be very gay, that she would be executive producing, and that Our Flag Means Death heartthrob Vico Ortiz would be one of the hosts. Say no more, we were already hooked.
Here's what else we learned from the interview: Savoy Brown serves as EP of Today in Gay, along with one of the cohosts, Nay Bever, and Today in Gay's editor and composer Lauren Klein. The daily LGBTQ+ news podcast will be cohosted by Bever, Ortiz, and Bex Taylor-Klaus (Voltron: Legendary Defender, Dumplin'').
The first episode will launch exclusively on Substack on December 30, and will then be available wherever you get your podcasts starting January 1.
Savoy Brown said the format would be similar to other daily news podcasts, and while it won't shy away from the more brutal queer goings on, the tone will trend towards the hopeful.
"Our goal is for it to be 15 minutes or less, Monday through Friday, but we’re kind of chatty. But it’s never more than 25 minutes. And we like to open the show and end the show with good news," said Brown, adding, "I think it’s really important for us to remind ourselves and our community that good things truly are still happening. As stressful as it can be to stay informed about all of the bad things going on, I know that for myself, it’s really impactful when I hear the good news because I can be a little cynical, a little negative, and it really pulls me out of that."
Ortiz and Bever will host more traditional news, while Taylor-Klaus hosts their own segment, "Gay Goss." Savoy Brown described Taylor-Klaus's portion of the show. "Gossip is a big part of gay news," she said, continuing, "and gossip historically has been how a lot of people have stayed informed and what a lot of people have needed to stay safe in their community. So it’s just a really good, funny quickie part of the show that Bex is just kind of made for because they’re online and they have a good sense of humor and we’re all kind of sharing those funny online things anyway, but then Bex gets to bring it to us in two minutes or less. And then if there’s something within that that is particularly intriguing, then Bex has the space to do a deeper dive bonus episode on that.
Savoy Brown and Bever met when Savoy Brown was producing an episode of Bever's docuseries, Queer for Fear. Their creative chemistry was electric from the get go. Savoy Brown said, "It was just instant mutual obsession that we both were trying to keep under wraps and I thought, this person is brilliant. She needs a bigger platform. What can I make for her? Around the same time, I had this idea for a queer news podcast."
From there, the two firmed up a pitch for Today in Gay, and while we can all see that this show will be an instant hit, mainstream media has failed to do the same. "Nay and I developed and pitched this show everywhere. Name a podcast network, we pitched it," said Savoy Brown, but unfortunately, "They said no. And finally this summer we were like, fuck it."
Today in Gay is, at this, completely funded by Savoy Brown, who is hoping to continue the podcast through support from listeners and LGBTQ+ companies looking to advertise on the show.
"I am fortunate to have a really nice paycheck recently with Yellowjackets and the Scream movies that I’ve done. Why don’t I take that money and put it back into my community? And so I'm funding this myself until hopefully we get enough Substack subscribers and ads. Maybe the podcast networks didn’t realize how much we were worth, but maybe some sex toys or vitamins will and they’ll give us money to promote them," said Savoy Brown.
Those looking to support the podcast can do so through their Substack. But Today in Gay isn't just looking for monetary support, but support in building a thriving queer community dedicated to celebrating queer news big and small, far and wide.
"We are partnering with Substack because in addition to their support for us, they have the ability for us to create a community, and that is the core of what this show is," said Savoy Brown. She explained more about what the team is looking for, "We want to source local gay news, as Vico and Bex were saying, we want to know what good gay news is happening in your life, in your town, and this is a place for you to share that with us and maybe we can share it on the podcast. But beyond that, and more importantly, we just want to create a safe space for folks."
Listeners can also call in the podcast's Google Voice number with their own queer news and Gay Goss. Savoy Brown said, "If you have good gay news that you’d love to share, leave us a voice memo or voicemail. Just know that if you’re leaving us a voicemail, you’re consenting to us playing it on the podcast. But that number is +1-551-333-5247."
You can follow Today in Gay on Instagram and TikTok, subscribe to their Substack, and watch the full trailer down below.
Rowan Ashley Smith has often been described as "a multi-hyphenate about town." He loves work that connects him to his cultures as a gay, Jewish, multiracial trans man. Before breaking into journalism, the best days of his professional life were spent as a summer camp professional, a librarian, and an HIV prevention specialist. His work has been featured in GO Magazine, pride.com, and The Advocate. In what is left of his free time, Rowan enjoys performing stand up comedy, doing the NYT crossword, and spending time with his two partners, two children, and four cats.
Rowan Ashley Smith has often been described as "a multi-hyphenate about town." He loves work that connects him to his cultures as a gay, Jewish, multiracial trans man. Before breaking into journalism, the best days of his professional life were spent as a summer camp professional, a librarian, and an HIV prevention specialist. His work has been featured in GO Magazine, pride.com, and The Advocate. In what is left of his free time, Rowan enjoys performing stand up comedy, doing the NYT crossword, and spending time with his two partners, two children, and four cats.
