Hello and welcome to Outward, Slate's podcast about queer culture, queer politics, and the gay movie that's going to make ayahuasca the hottest party favor of 2025.

I'm Christina Cotarucci, a senior writer at Slate, and this week, I am holding space for this sign that I saw on the side of the highway over Thanksgiving weekend when I was

visiting my parents in New Jersey. It was one of those PSAs, like a light up sign that the

Department of Transportation does. And this one said, click it loud, click it good, click that seatbelt

just like you should, which I like almost veered off the road to look at it again because

I couldn't believe that that's what I was seeing. You know, as much as it kind of sucked all of the

eroticism out of that song, I feel like it worked because now every time I get in the car and

click my seatbelt, I'm going to be singing that song, humming that song.

Clicking it good.

Clicking it good.

I'm Brian Lauder.

I'm a editor at Slate.

And is there something kind of arousing about that sign? Like, it is. It's a little sexy. But I guess that's effective. I'm Jeffrey Blumer. I'm Slate's editorial director, and I'm in for Jules this week.

I have no stories about seatbelt

signs. Jeff is joining us this week to talk about one of the busiest films of the season.

It's a movie about queer longing, about heroin addiction, and about one 30-second hand job

that I'm really excited to discuss.

No, I'm not talking about Wicked, you guys.

Brian, tell us about what we're going to be doing.

As our listeners will surely understand, you know, when a movie titled Queer comes out,

we are required by gay law to talk about it on this show.

And so here we are today

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