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There's a great big Will & Grace video headed your way in a few weeks, all about that show's monumental impact not just on TV but on American politics -- including a very unexpected moment where my work intersected with Joe Biden. In this week's bonus video, I'm bringing you some fun behind-the-scenes interviews with the creators & cast of W&G -- thrill to the time a network executive said the show was good, but what if they made Will straight? And also the reason NBC executive Warren Littlefield saw potential in the show (because he tried to make something similar waaaay before TV was ready). We'll hear from Sean Hayes about how he got cast (and we'll talk about why he was closeted for so long). Also: A little wonky scholar-talk about "parasocial contact hypothesis," don't worry I promise it'll make sense. And a hint at a story I want to tell you next week about Steven Sondheim and ghosts!

Backup link if the embed doesn't work: https://youtu.be/uAaFkoAwXHM 

Files

Bonus video! Will & Grace's weirdest kiss

There's a great big Will & Grace video headed your way in a few weeks, all about that show's monumental impact not just on TV but on American politics -- including a very unexpected moment where my work intersected with Joe Biden. In this week's bonus video, I'm bringing you some fun behind-the-scenes interviews with the creators & cast of W&G -- thrill to the time a network executive said the show was good, but what if they made Will straight? And also the reason NBC executive Warren Littlefield saw potential in the show (because he tried to make something similar waaaay before TV was ready). We'll hear from Sean Hayes about how he got cast (and we'll talk about why he was closeted for so long). Also: A little wonky scholar-talk about "parasocial contact hypothesis," don't worry I promise it'll make sense. And a hint at a story I want to tell you next week about Steven Sondheim and ghosts!

Comments

Erica Gamet

I enjoy our parasocial relationship... thanks, Matt!

Lauren Upshaw

The “I and Thou” was also given voice by Kierkegaard in the Sickness Unto Death. Although he framed it as “I, not I.” A very dry read, but I do recommend the first couple of pages as a logic word problem to any inquisitive mind. 😉❤️

Thomas Lux

The longer the video the better, let's me kill more time during the work week. So you don't have to apologize for running long!

Robert A. Geise

My stepson was estranged from my husband for many years largely due to his homophobic mother. Eventually he came around, and he told us that is was really watching the relationship of David and Keith on Six Feet Under that changed his mind about gay people.

Garrett S.

The Sean Hayes story reminds me of Judith Light in Who's the Boss. She knew Tony Danza would be checking her out in the audition so she turned around and "caught" him. That ad lib got her the part.

TyberDe

That parasocial relationship thing is real. I feel like I know the podcast hosts I listen to regularly. Also when I saw you in passing occasionally out and about in Seattle (pre-pandemic) I had to remind myself "oh I haven't actually met him" and refrain from making eye contact and saying "yoo-hoo!"

mattbaume

Haha I don't mind people saying hello if they see me out in public!