0.11. "I Need You to Lick Bush in '92": Whitney Skauge and The Beauty President
History is Gay
Leigh Pfeffer
4.6 • 536 Ratings
🗓️ 2 July 2021
⏱️ 33 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
We're bringing you a bonus episode as a post-Pride gift! Back in April, Leigh sat down with filmmaker Whitney Skauge (they/them) to talk about their new documentary short, The Beauty President. The Beauty President offers a glimpse into the story of Terence Alan Smith. In 1992, Smith, also known by his drag name, Joan Jett Blakk, made a historic bid for the White House as an openly queer write-in candidate.
In our conversation, we talk about the film, the impact of focusing on historically excluded folks in media, and the importance of visibility and disruption as protest in the midst of the AIDS crisis.
Check out the trailer for The Beauty President by clicking here, and learn more about the film, upcoming screenings near you, and more on Breakwater Studios' website.
You can learn more about Whitney Skauge on their website, and follow them on Instagram at @whitneyskauge.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | As a special post-pride gift to you all, welcome to the intro to this bonus episode. |
| 0:07.6 | Back in April, I sat down with film director Whitney Skaggy about their new short film, |
| 0:12.6 | The Beauty President, about drag queen Joan Jett Black's 1992 historic bid for the White House |
| 0:18.3 | as the first openly queer write-in candidate for president. |
| 0:22.2 | Since our initial conversation, which happened right after the film premiered at South by |
| 0:26.0 | Southwest, the beauty president has gone on to screen at several fantastic film festivals this |
| 0:30.8 | summer, including AFI Docks Festival, Roxbury International Film Festival, Santa Barbara |
| 0:35.8 | International Film Festival, and Frameline San Francisco's Queer International Film Festival. |
| 0:40.6 | I hope you get a kick out of our conversation and learning about this amazing historic figure who urged queer America to lick Bush in 92. |
| 0:48.2 | We have links to a trailer to the film, as well as where you can find more information about future screenings in your area in our |
| 0:54.5 | show notes. Enjoy. We've always been here every single year from ancient gays right up to |
| 1:06.1 | today's see his story is queer. |
| 1:17.2 | Some think it's a new way, but we've got something to say. |
| 1:24.4 | History is very, very, very, very gay. |
| 1:28.1 | Hi, everyone. |
| 1:36.9 | This is Lee, and for this bonus episode, I am chatting with a really awesome person that I wanted to introduce everyone to. |
| 1:38.5 | Their name is Whitney Skaggy, and they are an award-winning filmmaker dedicated to diverse storytelling and representation. |
| 1:46.2 | Their films act as an extension of social and political activism with hopes of helping audiences |
| 1:51.1 | understand themselves and the world around them better. They've worked previously at |
| 1:55.3 | Women in Film, Sundance Institute, Interloper Films, and the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, |
| 2:00.7 | and their career has |
| 2:01.9 | demonstrated a consistent commitment to the art of independent filmmaking. They received their BFA |
... |
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