Ivory Tower Boiler Room
ITBR is an arts and culture podcast where we discuss all things literature, pop culture, and True Crime! Subscribe now for ad-free episodes: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/ivorytowerboilerroom/subscribe
Episodes
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Hey, true crime friends! This week’s case is a little differentas it begins with a cold case- the murder of a 9-year-old girl, Marise Chiverella. For over 50 years, her murder went unsolved until a college freshman and genetic genealogyhobbyist lent his expertise to the PA police department.
Theme Song: Pisces by Anne Sophie...
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Author Blair Fell joins me to talk all about his new novel Disco Witches of Fire Island. Before he talks about the inspiration behind his novel, Blair discusses his background as a TV writer for the iconic show Queer as Folk. You'll have to listen t...
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You all are in for such an incredible artistic treat since I'm joined with an academic trailblazer, Dr. Jonathan D. Katz. He teaches art history at the University of Pennsylvania and is credited as one of the first founding figures of queer art h...
I was recently invited on the podcast Movies That Made Us Gay which features the dynamic co-hosts Peter and Scott. You can listen to the rest of the conversation on their podcast!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBm_LW3_23w&t=5333s
“It’s the witch from next door!” We take a trip to the theater to discuss the iconic filmed production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods, which was recorded for PBS American Playhouse in 1989. In o...
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Manuel Betancourt is back to talk all about his new book Hello Stranger: Musings on Modern Intimacy which explores chance encounters including online hook-up culture, cruising, and yes even bathhouses! As a culture writer and film critic, Manuel uses ...
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Here's a bonus Tony Awards themed episode which also features our reactions to the Wicked and Kiss of the Spider Woman trailer. Featuring my friends Angela and Christian who are also Broadway fanatics!
Follow ITBR on IG,...
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Hey, true crime friends! This week I’m discussing a serialkiller who inspired an episode of American Horror Story- Richard Speck.
Born in Illinois in 1941 to religious parents, Richard’s lifetook a turn early on leading to alcohol addiction and violence towards women. He would become one of the early mass murderers in Americ...
Watch this episode ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Join us "somewhere over the rainbow" for a very special all things The Wonderful Wizard of Oz universe themed episode. I'm joined with the co-editors of Broadview Press' new edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Professors Dina Schif...
I just came back from my first time ever in Miami with my fiancé, and I thought why not re-air my thrilling conversation with Miami based writer Rochelle Weinstein. This aired about two years ago, and I definitely am going to have Rochelle back on to discuss her new novel We Are Made of Stars!
We have an exciting conversation about what type of literature Rochelle writes which I coin "Romantic Realism." Rochelle provides ...
Watch this episode ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Oh what a celebration we'll have today...thank goodness, because today is the premiere of the Wicked: For Good trailer! In honor of all things Wicked, I'm thrilled to release an epic Wicked film conversation featuring our favorite and least favo...
Watch this episode ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Happy Pride Month to our LGBT+ listeners! What an exciting episode to usher in Pride Month. I'm joined with author Robert Raasch to talk all about his debut novel The Summer Between. As Robert says right away, his novel is about 25% autobiography and 75%...
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Hey, true crime friends! This week I’ll be going over themurder of Mollie Tibbetts- a University of Iowa student majoring in psychology.
On July 18, 2018, Mollie went out for a jog near her homeand never returned. Sadly, her body was found over a month later in a cornfield.
Theme Song: Pisces by Anne Sophie Andersen
Our...
Watch this episode ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
So, the ITBR finally made it to see SMASH the Hit? Broadway Musical, and we do not hold back with our reviews so buckle up for an energetic and lively conversation that asks did the musical match the energy of the TV show?
Spoilers Ahead So Skip and Just Li...
Watch this episode ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom You do not want to miss such an exciting conversation with writer and filmmaker Brian Alessandro who joins me to talk about his review of Luca Guadagnino's Queer and the double-edged sword of being a gay writer. He explains that his interest in psych...
Watch this episode ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
You don't want to miss this exciting conversation which asks the question "When Did the LGBT Movement Begin"? Inspired by the recent Gay and Lesbian Review's magazine issue (March/April), I'm joined with Richard Schneider Jr., the magazine's editor-in-chi...
The following is an excerpt from my friend Christian's podcast called That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema.
This month we are discussing Walt Disney's Masterpiece of a film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, we discuss its historical significance as Disney's first feature-length animated film. We share their personal connections to the film and how it has impacted them over the years.
We also explore how Snow White has influenced and connected...
The following conversation is from the Faculty Matters podcast hosted by Dr. Mary Balkun, Professor of English and Founding Director of the Center for Faculty Development at Seton Hall University. Thanks so much for inviting me on your podcast Mary!
In this episode, Andrew Rimby, adjunct professor of English, podcaster, and social activist, discusses his arts/culture organization, The Ivory Tower Boiler Room, and the ins and outs o...
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Hey, true crime friends! This week we are diving into thetragic and horrific murder of University of Utah student, Mackenzie Leuck. After flying back from a family member's funeral, Mackenzie disappears after agreeing to meet up with a man on a dating app.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/25/australia/prince-andrew-accuser-virginia-giuffre...
Watch this episode ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Drs. Elizabeth Lewis and Robin Werner are both English professors at the University of New Orleans which makes for quite the gothic setting! They discuss how they first became interested in vampire literature, Robin through her fascination with Anne Rice ...
Watch this episode ad free by joining the ITBR Patreon and get a free trial for the ITBR Professor level! patreon.com/ivorytowerboilerroom
Dr. Sheila Liming, a Gilded Age literature (specifically Edith Wharton) scholar, joins me to deep dive HBO's The Gilded Age series. She explains the show's historical accuracies and inaccuracies, and whether or not the show borrows from Wharton's novels li...
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