Poofs on the podcast prowl

The recently-launched Talking Poofy podcast brings together three established queer comedians — Adam Richard, Scott Brennan and Toby Sullivan — for a weekly half-hour discussion on all things gay.

But with a wealth of professional experience between them, why didn’t the trio opt for a slot on JOY 94.9 or a commercial station for their show?

One listen to the first podcast soon explains why. This is ribald stuff, with skits about loose-arsed amyl factory workers and getting a blowie in a toilet block from Tony Abbott.

“We’re not exactly going to get the 6:30pm Saturday spot on Channel 9 talking like this,” Brennan told Sydney Star Observer.

“My big thing is that in the media we have these sanitised versions of gay people — as long as we’re decorating someone’s house or making their skin look nice, it’s OK to be gay.

“With Talking Poofy we want to break through that sanitised representation.”

“We talk about things like getting spit-roasted by the entire Greek soccer team,” quipped Richard.

The three clearly have no qualms about burning bridges — in episode one, Sullivan (conveniently absent for this interview) tears into The 7pm Project’s Carrie Bickmore, describing her as ‘Australia’s luckiest barrel girl.’ There goes any chance of an invite onto the show for the Talking Poofy gang…

“I have been on The 7pm Project before, and I know they don’t really want me on there unless they need an expert on being a big homosexual,” said Richard.

“They don’t do too many segments on bum sex anyway. And besides, it’s all Toby; blame that vile man!” insisted Brennan.

Each episode features regular segments like Gaydar Profile of the Week and Top or Bottom, in which special guest comedian Melinda Buttle uses her powers as a ‘bottom whisperer’ to determine who plays what sexual role in celebrity couplings. This is the same Melinda Buttle who based her Comedy Festival debut show this year around the fact that she’s a 27-year-old virgin?

“That’s right. We’ve got somebody completely impartial — judges aren’t supposed to be biased,” laughed Richard.

Guests in coming weeks include DNA writer Nick Cook (“He’ll be talking about the fact that they have words in DNA, which we were all shocked to discover,” said Richard), and Colin Batrouney from the Victorian AIDS Council, who’ll be on hand “to explain what the letters in GLBTIQ mean”.

And with all the talk of amyl, lube, saunas and the like, are these homo expenses now legitimate tax deductions for the boys?

“They always have been, so we wouldn’t stop now. I used to write that on my form at Centrelink — professional gay. No-one ever argued. They asked for a hand-job, but they never argued,” said Richard.

“Instead of checking your income, they check if you can actually do it,” laughed Brennan.

“Oh, that’s quite good — what do you call that? Tea-bagging?”

info: Download the free Talking Poofy podcasts by typing ‘poofy’ into iTunes or visiting  www.talkingpoofy.com.au