Estradiol Illusions

Sundance Spotlight: Anthony Willis, composer of Promising Young Woman

Our Sundance coverage continues with one of my personal favorites from the festival, Promising Young Woman. Delighted to welcome composer Anthony Willis to the show. Anthony explains his approach to scoring Emerald Fennell’s unique masterpiece. Anthony also plays some of the music from the film, an exciting treat you won't want to miss. 
Promising Young Woman will be released on April 17th.
 
For more of Anthony, follow him on Twitter @AnthonyBWillis
 
Also be sure to check out Ian’s FanSided review of the film

Sundance Spotlight: Danny's Girl

Recorded from the Sundance Film Festival! Join host Ian Thomas Malone as she interviews Emily Wilson and Danny Dikel, the director and star of the new short Danny’s Girl, an eclectic provoking commentary on internet. Emily & Danny share some insights from the film and explain the decisions behind the unique narrative that shies away from technology in this iPhone-obsessed era. A spoiler-free interview, this episode works great for fans of the film looking to learn more and those interested in checking it out (which you totally should).
 
To learn more about Danny’s Girl, check out the film’s website dannysgirl.com.
 
For more of Emily & Danny, check out their Instagram pages @emilyannewilson & @dannydikelart

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

Grab your motorcar and the deed to Toad Hall, we’re going a merrily journey to nowhere in particular. Join Ian & Tarabelle for an in-depth discussion of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, the most idiosyncratic and wonderful attraction in Disney Park history. While The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad served as a loose adaptation of The Wind and the Willows, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride largely abandons any connection to its source material.
 
From Toad Hall to Hell, Ian & Tarabelle cover the ride in all in iterations including the original 1955 version and both tracks at Disney World, where it lived in a certain silly old bear took over in 1998. We love Pooh, but it’s okay if you’re still a little angry about the whole situation.
 
For more Disneyland fun, check out our three part series ranking every ride at Disneyland, as well as our episode covering Galaxy’s Edge.
For more Mr. Toad, check out Ian’s Instagram, where she obnoxiously posts pictures with Mr. Toad for every single visit.

The Peaches of Renly Baratheon

Grab your peach and the crown off the head of your least favorite older sibling, it’s time for a trip back to Westeros. Join Ian & special guest Sam of the Rainbow Guard for an episode all about the baby sibling of House Baratheon. Dearest Renly wasn’t in our story for very long, but he sure made an impact. Westeros’ most prominent gay character provided some great representation for the LGBTQ community, an ambitious and impeccably dressed figure who knew how to consolidate power and throw a wild tourney.
 
For more of Sam, follow him on Twitter @therainbowguard
 
Be sure to check out Ian’s article on Renly’s status as a queer icon

Crisis on Infinite Earths

Get your Lazarus Pit ready for a trip to Earth-CW! The Arrowverse pulled off a crossover for the ages and Estradiol Illusions is here to talk about it. Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guest Ed Carroll for an exciting discussion covering Crisis on Infinite Earths. Ian & Ed break down what worked, what didn’t, plus all those exciting cameos. We may not have seen Nicholas Cage finally don the Superman costume, but there were so many thrilling moments that made for one of the most ambitious events in television history.   
For more of Ed, follow him on Twitter @EdRevelator34

Watchmen

Who watches the Watchmen? Who listens to the Estradiol Illusions? Grab your Rorschach mask and your giant blue dildo, because Clint is back for an exciting episode dedicated to everybody’s favorite costumed adventurers.
Join Ian & Clint for an overview of Watchmen’s first and possibly only season. From Sister Knight to Lube Man, this season was full of memorable characters and jaw-dropping moments. Ian & Clint talk about the season’s relationship to its source material, what worked and what didn’t, as well as plenty of pop culture & transgender references. Down with Ser Jorah, long live Angela Manhattan!
For more of Clint, check him out on Twitter @clintw & @WesterosLaw and be sure to check out his website Laws of Ice & Fire
Be sure to check out Ian's article for FanSided on The Leftovers' influence on Watchmen

TTTE & Chill: Thomas Breaks the Rules

Grab your shunter’s pole and your coil of wire rope, we’re back on the Island of Sodor! Join Ian & Tarabelle for the return of Thomas the Tank Engine & Chill, covering the classic Thomas Breaks the Rules. From our favorite “regular law breaker” to Bluebelle’s search for her calf to James’ messy accident, this VHS tape offers so much excitement. Be sure to listen to the end to hear Ian’s rendition of Percy’s victory song.
 
This collection includes the following episodes
Thomas Breaks the Rules
A Cow on the Line
Old Iron
Double Trouble
James in a Mess
Duck Takes Charge
Percy Proves a Point
 
For more Thomas fun, check out our episodes covering the first three Ringo Starr tapes.

Transgender Storytime: Post-Surgery Reflections

Eight surgeries in a four day stretch lead to quite the recovery! Join host Ian Thomas Malone as she reflects on having bottom surgery and facial feminization surgery (FFS) at the same time. Two months later, life is slowly getting back to normal, minus all the dilation of course! People looking to have bottom surgery will certainly want to check this episode out, as well as anyone who's ever wondered what it's like to have a vaginoplasty.
On a personal note, thank you to everyone for the well wishes these past few months. Looking forward to 2020!

Therese Plummer, Actor & Audiobook Narrator

Join host Ian Thomas Malone as she welcomes actor and audiobook narrating Therese Plummer to the show for an exciting conversation about her career. Therese has had quite a fascinating career, voicing characters in the Iron Man: Extremis motion comic, Pokemon, and acting in shows such as The Good Wife and Law & Order: SVU. Therese has narrated over 400 audiobooks as well, including the Virgin River series, which has been adapted into a Netflix series premiering on December 6th.
Therese provides many insights into her storied career, including the challenges of narrating an entire series’ cast of characters and the way to deliver a convincing sex scene. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation full of laughter and heartwarming stories.
You can check out Therese’s work on her website thereseplummer.com. Be sure to follow her on Twitter @tplummer76

James Ellars, Democratic Candidate for CA-08

Join host Ian Thomas Malone as she interviews James Ellars, who is currently running for Congress in the 8th district of California, a seat currently held by Republican Paul Cook who is not seeking re-election. James is a member of the Yang Gang who supports Universal Basic Income among a host of other progressive policy positions. Topics covered include healthcare, data property rights, the current state of the impeachment inquiry, and the way Andrew Yang has been treated by the media, particularly on the debate stage.
 
To learn more about James’ campaign, check out his website at jamesellars.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @Ellars.

David Frei, Host of The National Dog Show

We're back! Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guest David Frei, cohost of The National Dog Show, for an exciting conversation all about one of America's favorite Thanksgiving traditions. With over 20 million viewers for six years in a row, the National Dog Show has exploded as a must-watch family event. David shares plenty of insight from his decades-long career judging and hosting dog shows.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, Estradiol Illusions is so happy to be back with such a heart-warming topic. Tune in if you've ever wondered what exactly is a benched competition or how you pick a Best in Show from close to 200 breeds. Fans of The National Dog Show will surely enjoy hearing some stories from David's exciting career.
The National Dog Show will air on NBC Thanksgiving Day (November 28) from 12-2 pm in all time zones.
To learn more about David's charity Angel on a Leash, check out their Facebook page. You can also connect with David on Facebook and Twitter @dfreithedogguy

Transgender Storytime: Thoughts Before Surgery

Vaginal liberation is upon us. With Ian set to undergo facial feminization surgery and bottom surgery, Estradiol Illusions will be going on hiatus. Ian shares some pre-surgery thoughts on her transition journey, being off hormones for two weeks, as well as plenty of laughter over the various absurdities of the process. For whatever reason, Ian also decided to rank the quality of a few, but not all, of the Disneyland bathrooms.
To wish Ian well on her surgery, shoot her a note on Twitter or Facebook, @ianthomasmalone. 
Programming note: EI will be back sometime in November. Thank you so much for joining us on this journey so far.

Downton Abbey

Grab your corset and your lady’s maid, we’re heading back to Downton Abbey! Join host & Downton superfan Ian Thomas Malone for an episode breaking down all the various plotlines of the film. Ian dives deep into the series lore to take a look at which parts of the narrative worked best. From the return of Mr. Molesley to Mr. Barrow’s quest for love to Lady Mary’s efforts to set up all the chairs in time, there’s so much to talk about. Absolutely thrilled to have another couple of hours with these characters.
 
Note: This episode contains major spoilers so be sure to see the film before listening.
Also, be sure to check out Ian’s review of the film and her various articles on the series, both on her main author website and Downton World.
 
Film poster courtesy of Carnival Films

Star Wars - Galaxy's Edge

Grab your droid and your blue milk, we’re going to Batuu! Ian and Tarabelle talk all about Star Wars – Galaxy’s Edge, the first new land added to Disneyland since Mickey’s Toontown in the early 90s. Galaxy’s Edge is a beautiful yet simultaneously underwhelming place, a land too heavily invested in expensive experiences to leave much of a lasting impression either on first-time attendees or Annual Passholders finding themselves without much to do after the second or third visit. Ian & Tarabelle dissect the various aspects of the land, from the food to the merch to Smugglers Run. You can ride the Millennium Falcon, but can you really make the magic come alive?
For more on Galaxy’s Edge, check out Ian’s article on the land.
For more on Disneyland's rides, check out our three-part series ranking every single ride in the park.
 

Transgender Storytime: The Scent of a Woman

An episode inspired by… bodily aroma! Ian talks about the changes that HRT has brought to her body’s sweat glands. This episode also discusses the broader plights of dating, attracting, and relationships that affect the general population, transgender and cisgender. Tune in to hear all the ways love at first sight can be spoiled by one small mishap. You’ll never think of BO the same way again.

The Beauty of Magikarp

Grab your old rod and your golden poké ball! Join Ian Thomas Malone and special guest Thomas Henkins for an episode all about Magikarp. Often thought to be a worthless Pokémon devoid of any redeeming qualities prior to evolution, Magikarp serves as an inspiration for all of us struggling to splash through the gym battle called life. Ian and Thomas share personal stories that endeared them to the unsung hero of the poké world. The journey to unlock our inner Gyrados may be long, but it’s important never to forget one’s sense of worth along the way.
 
You can follow Thomas at @thankin41 (Twitter) & @thankins41 (Instagram)
 
Photo courtesy of The Pokemon Company