If you’ve a fan of Seattle’s amazing queer comedy scene, then you owe it to yourself to check out Hot Takes With Hot Dykes, self-described as Seattle’s premiere lesbian talk radio show. The gay baby of Seattle comedy couple Clara Pluton and Val Nigro airs on Hollow Earth Radio every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, as well as in podcast form (for those who aren’t radio wave inclined) on Soundcloud and iTunes.
“We started this venture,” said Pluton, “because there simply is not enough unfiltered, untethered, unabashed dyke media by dykes for the queers! We both have experience expressing ourselves and performing live, as we’re both stand-up comedians but to have to hash out the discourse in a radio booth with only ourselves as sounding boards seemed like such a rad challenge.
“And we’re also fucking funny,” she added. “And now we can put Radio Personality on our Instagram bios.”
On one recent episode, “Out of the Closets & Into Your Hearts,” Val and Clara deep dove into Ellen’s iconic 1997 coming out episode and the subsequent media onslaught that followed, including her interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show. They reflected back on their own coming out stories, discussed their burning love of Anne Heche, and ended with a heartwarming reflection on the radicalism of beloved lesbian author and activist Rita Mae Brown.
Another episode had the two hosts comparing and contrasting two gay movie faves, Desert Hearts (1986) and Carol (2015).
“We want our listeners to be the audience that we don’t have live in the studio while we’re recording,” explained Pluton, “interactive, reciprocal, and building towards a community of transparent and honest queer communication.”
Dream guests include Tig Notaro, for hot comedy tips and droll lesbian banter, and, according to Pluton, Anna Nicole Smith’s ghost.
“I know she would bring good snacks,” Pluton explained.
Listeners can expect keen insights as the pair hash out their thoughts in a space of critical sapphic bemusement and bewilderment. Listeners can expect to laugh, too, of course.
“We ARE comics,” offered Pluton, “and we love to talk!”