Because the Boss Belongs to Us
iHeartPodcasts
Because The Boss Belongs to Us is a narrative podcast series presented by Jesse Lawson and Holly Casio that uses Bruce Springsteen as a lens through which to explore queer history, identity and politics.
Holly is a zine maker and librarian who made the renowned ‘Me and Bruce’ series which explores growing up gay in a small town in the North of England. Jesse is a transmasculine radio maker and drag king from London, UK. Despite Bruce being a straight cis man from America, both Holly and Jesse found queer validation in his lyrics. They could feel the crushing alienation of otherness and dreams of escaping to The Big City where there are other people like you. Jesse and Holly are not alone. They are part of a growing subculture of queer writers, musicians and artists who all agree — Bruce Springsteen is a queer icon. And, over the course of seven episodes, Jesse and Holly will show you why.
Through original reporting, tender personal narratives, and playful, sound-rich surprises, Jesse and Holly go on a journey to not only understand why The Boss low-key resonates with so many queer folks, but also what it even means to idolize a celebrity in this way. At the end of their journey, they’ll meet with a Panel of Queers to decide the fate of Bruce Springsteen’s entry into the Queer Canon. Join Holly and Jesse on this incredibly serious and high stakes investigation. The queers must decide - is Bruce their icon?
Creator: Jesse Lawson
Executive Producer: Jesse Lawson and Holly Casio
Producer and Sound Design: Jesse Lawson
Original score and theme: Talk Bazaar
Show art: Holly Casio
From Molten Heart
Executive Producer and Story Editor: Jazmine (JT) Green
Mix Engineering: Michelle Macklem
Fact checking: Selena Solin
Production Assistant: Tess Hazel
Legal Services: Rowan Maron and Feil
From iHeartPodcasts
Executive Producer: Lindsay Hoffman