PinnedMy Top Stories on MediumA useful roundup + a shameless ploy for more reads. — Dad Songs (Say So Much) Mom, why is Dad singing queer longing songs?joeshetina.medium.com 5 “Red Flags” That Are Actually Signs of a Healthy Relationship Sometimes, it’s all about the spin.medium.com I Thought I Was Dying, and then, Euphoria My journey with cannabis ediblesjoeshetina.medium.com Review: Disney+’s Gritty ‘golden girls’ Reboot is a Neon-Soaked Nightmare The ultra-stylized and violent take on the classic sitcom is confusing, uncomfortable, and unnecessary.joeshetina.medium.com1 min read1 min read
Oct 16, 2022Member-onlyLet’s Scare Michael to Death: A New PodcastA shameless plug for my new project — My brother, Michael, and I have a lot in common. Aside from sharing a last name, genetics, and a childhood, we also share a love of movies. What we don’t share, however, is a love of horror movies. …Podcast2 min readPodcast2 min read
Apr 30, 2022Member-onlyAn American Reviews, Rates, and Ranks the Entries of Eurovision 2022Capsule reviews of all 40 songs. — Previously the niche obsession of those of us who were gay and/or tacky enough to tune into its distinctive wavelength, the Eurovision Song Contest has made a push onto American soil with NBC/Universal’s streaming rights purchase and their sister program, the American Song Contest, which premiered in March. I like…Eurovision12 min readEurovision12 min read
Apr 29, 2022Member-onlyWhy the American Song Contest Will Never Be a SuccessAnd it’s not for the reasons we thought — The last couple of years have been very disorienting for American fans of the Eurovision Song Contest. Previously the niche obsession of those of us who were gay and/or tacky enough to tune into its distinctive wavelength, the Eurovision Song Contest has gained some ground in the U.S. …Eurovision5 min readEurovision5 min read
Mar 9, 2022Member-onlyWho’s Afraid of Ramona Singer?A writer’s foray into the world of the “Real Housewives” — Sometimes as a writer, you have to ask yourself how closely you want to hew to the way real people talk. How far do you want to go? How much value is there in momentarily (hopefully) confusing a reader for the sake of verisimilitude? …Reality TV6 min readReality TV6 min read
Jan 26, 2022Member-onlyThe Meat is Expired (Long Live the Meat)The paradox and performance of Meat Loaf’s brand of rock star masculinity — Meat Loaf (Michael Lee Aday) was actually a vegan, which is a perfect summation of his art and public persona. What you saw wasn’t necessarily what you got. His artistry and his persona were at odds with so many things about him, least of all his looks and his style…Meat Loaf6 min readMeat Loaf6 min read
Jan 6, 2022Member-onlyTitanic (1939)What would Titanic have looked like if it had been made in the Golden Age of Hollywood? — What would Titanic have looked like if it had been made in the Golden Age of Hollywood? Or in the heyday of the 1970s disaster movie? What if James Cagney had starred in The Godfather instead of Al Pacino? How would Jane Fonda fare in an early 70s take on…Movies42 min readMovies42 min read
Dec 13, 2021Member-onlySondheim: The Puzzle-MakerAnother Gay Trips Over Themselves to Eulogize Stephen Sondheim — There are cultural giants who, if they live long enough, seem immortal. We’re so used to seeing brilliance cut down in its prime that when someone as monumental as Stephen Sondheim dies at the ripe old age of 91, it’s almost as if they haven’t left at all. Three weeks…Stephen Sondheim12 min readStephen Sondheim12 min read
Published in The Red Sweater·Dec 6, 2021Member-onlyThe Reminiscences of the Last Known BearA hunter looking for big game is locked into a disturbing conversation with an emaciated grizzly bear. — Sleep did not come easy to the Hunter that first — and last — night. As he cozied up to his rifle, finger grazing the trigger guard for ease of access if he needed to shoot an intruding predator in the night, his thoughts turned casually toward suicide. He had…Short Fiction12 min readShort Fiction12 min read
Published in The Red Sweater·Dec 6, 2021Member-onlyMiss Iola’s Rough TimeA woman faces an age-old enemy. — When I was a girl, depression meant something else. Something just as scary. Names are funny. They always change — Well, names don’t change, but the stuff behind them, inside them, the cream filling. That’s what changes. My name is Tabithah, but my mother wanted to name me Nebraska. Papa…Short Fiction8 min readShort Fiction8 min read
