Sometimes things that are expensive... are worse.
July 11, 2017 10:53 AM   Subscribe

The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo Brian Jordan Alvarez, one of Variety's 10 comics to watch in 2017, is the creator and costar of The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo, "the best web series of 2016." Read an interview with Brian at Remezcla in which he discusses growing up gay in Tennessee, the show's breakout, non-binary character Freckle, and the possibility of a future with Lionsgate.
posted by landunderwave (10 comments total) 22 users marked this as a favorite
 
FYI: The title quote can be found in the first 2 minutes of episode 4 and made me actually shriek with laughter, frightening my cat.
posted by a hat out of hell at 12:14 PM on July 11, 2017 [3 favorites]


My daughter just showed me the first episode this Sunday. I really loved it. I laughed out loud, which is something I don't do much. Super good!
posted by putzface_dickman at 1:10 PM on July 11, 2017


I admit to harboring an entirely baseless prejudice against web series and a considerably more understandable irritation with gay cis white male* stories ... but this is scratching an itch of some kind today. You've opened up a portal on both counts with this one. Thanks!

* I know the series offers more than that, as the FPP attests, I'm just sayin' from the first 0:30
posted by mykescipark at 3:24 PM on July 11, 2017


Yes! How did you know? Just binged this completely the other day. I too am loving "Sometimes, things that are expensive... are worse."
posted by Zephyrial at 3:40 PM on July 11, 2017


I saw episode 4 screen at Frameline LGBTQ Film Festival in SF in June. I thought it was pretty funny, and considered seeking out more.
posted by larrybob at 4:32 PM on July 11, 2017


IT is so so good. It's worth watching just to see the cast's reactions to each other, not to mention the super casual while warm approach to relations, identity, sexuality and open relationships. I've rewatched the whole thing like eight times and it just doesn't get tired.

Also: Lenjamin McButtons is, I would posit, the best name ever created in fiction.
posted by garlicsmack at 11:00 AM on July 12, 2017 [2 favorites]


We lived in LA for a looooong time, and we're not entertainment industry people. We moved out of southern California a few years ago, but when this series showed up it got us to enjoy the glow of some of the good things about new, young people staking claims in Hollywood. I enjoy LA best from afar, in media like this.

Don't miss Alvarez and the gang's other little shorts from before/during this series, like When your gender fluid friend gets more attention from straight guys than you. Nip slip! And When people start talking shit and you have no idea what they're talking about, which includes Drew Droege.

Their universe crosses over with Michael Henry, too, whose work is also worth checking out.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 4:26 PM on July 12, 2017 [2 favorites]


I.... dunno. I sort of came away feeling like I often do when I encounter this brand of media, which is to think to myself "wellp, this brand of queer culture ain't mine and it doesn't have room for anyone like me in it either." I mean, I laughed at some of it, sure, but it's--well, I think this sketch kind of crystallized my feels about it. (Like. really, dude? the very mention of lesbians causes you to collapse in confused terror?) I probably wouldn't be so aggravated about it, except a) it's a feeling I get very very frequently when I perk up about going hunting for queer media and b) it's goddamn fucking everywhere, and it's not like I get to see the equivalent anywhere with queer women being aghast at the existence of men who aren't into that.

Also, I'm totally coming from the position of being in a triad with another lady and a nonbinary person, and the very idea of someone referring to us as a "thruple" caused both me and the spousal unit to swivel our heads to the screen and boggle. Is that like, a hip West Coaster thing I'm too Southern to appreciate or something? Who are these people?
posted by sciatrix at 10:36 PM on July 12, 2017 [1 favorite]


Like. really, dude? the very mention of lesbians causes you to collapse in confused terror?

Is this giving you the impression that the creator is "aghast" at the existence of lesbians? Or that that's the message intended by the bit?

"Thruple" is a funny word, but it's actively used, appears in print, is googlable, etc. Is it any more boggling than "spousal unit"? Both terms seem pretty sensible and intelligible.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 1:49 PM on July 13, 2017


I just finished watching the series. I enjoyed it. I couldn't tell where the line was between "laughing with" and "laughing at" so I'm going to assume the whole show is "with".

I'm trying to understand complicated relationships and my own identity better, so a lot of this was close to home, and very foreign.
posted by rebent at 7:51 PM on July 14, 2017


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