By Fausto Fernós on July 30, 2007 | Share & Save | Link | Print |
Audio blogging? What’s that?
In the early days of podcasting, before such a word even existed, there were many people out there posting audio files to their blog entries to illustrate the ideas they were trying to present.
One of my favorite discoveries was trans blogger Joshua Bastian Cole, who had extensively documented his body and voice through the years as he made the process to go from woman to man. The changes are astounding. Listen to the recordings here.
When we went to cover the Harry Potter book release, I had no idea who I was talking to, but later found out it was “that guy” from the net!
Today we’re joined by Josh Cole to talk about why he did it. Why did he put the change out there for the world to see? Most trans folks rather pass, he wants people to know what journey he’s gone through.
Check out this jerk- Charles Merrill who inherited an ancient Koran worth over $60,000 just to say that the Koran, just like the Bible, is homophobic and used to justify violence.
I agree with his message, but his approach is dead wrong. For some wealthy artistocrat like him money might not mean much, but $60,000 can go a long way to building schools, fighting diseases and making the world a better and more non-violent place.
He doesn’t get that by burning the valuable antique he’s aligns himself with with book burners of all kinds and also the very type of mentality he’s hoping to eradicate.
Do you know how many Feast of Fools t-shirts $60,000 can buy? No need to pull out your calculator, the answer: 1,500 shirts.
Join Marc and me, Fausto as we talk about why most Republican Presidential candidates are unavailable from the scheduled YouTube/CNN Republcian debates (answer, they don’t want to be forced to answer difficult questions from YOU, the public.) Also: dentists with a sense of humor, and questions from you, our lovely listeners.
It’s delicious because it’s digital- Feast of Fools.
Featured Music:
Matthew Duffy- Here I Come: iTunes | MySpace | Site
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coleftm says:
July 30, 2007 at 14:24Oy, so now that we’ve figured out I’m not a youth, I’ve left you with more confusion.
I use my whole name: Joshua Bastian Cole, and i go by Cole or on the rare occasion, Bastian, but almost never Josh. I know it’s confusing because my webmaster put Josh Cole on my site. Need to fix that.
But for tags or anything, I’m really more findable as Joshua Bastian Cole, J. Bastian Cole, or Bastian Cole. I haven’t gone by Josh since 2002.
Also, I use only male pronouns.
Sorry to confuse, but it’s not a big deal at this point, I guess. Josh Cole is close enough. 
Thanks for the opportunity! It was fun and really exciting! I hope some scared little transboy was listening and is now inspired!
mandarin says:
July 30, 2007 at 14:58I’m not against Charles Merril at all! have a look at his art already and see what *good* he has done with his artistic statements. Money gets thrown left right and center…. and it could all go toward some charity or another, but lets see…we’re discussing this matter so therefore his statement did exactly what it was intended to: encourage debate. A job well done I say.
RcktMan says:
July 30, 2007 at 16:59Thanks for clearing that up, Cole. No harm done… and I think it’s great that you’re trying to get the message out to trans youth that it’s ok to be who you are, even if you’re not 100% sure what that is just yet. Keep up the great work!
Grace says:
July 30, 2007 at 21:06Haha, Cole. I guess i could be that scared little transboy that was listening and is now inspired! : )
It was cool to hear you on the show… hoping that one day I will be as studly a man as you are! hehe.
-Grace
Fausto Fernós says:
July 30, 2007 at 22:54Mandarin- Regarding burning the Koran- All it did was to encourage a decadent self-aggrandizing statement. If he really wants to promote the idea that the Koran is a homophobic text, the act of burning it just makes him look like a fundamentalist whacko (book burner) and not a rational person making a sensible argument.
Burning books is for conservative fundamentalists jerks, not for me. The medium is the message, and in this case, his medium is burning books, which is a message of intolerance and hatred, as well as wasting $60,000 which is an arrogant message of decadence.
mandarin says:
July 31, 2007 at 02:15I guess you have a thing about books =) because I don’t jump to that association Fausto! if I burn a book that preaches exactly what the fundamentalists use/twist/abuse to perpetuate their own agenda, does that make me a fundamentalist? because my views are quite liberal and progressive. They even encompass the freedom to burn ones own book 
If you remove the word “decadent” and the “$60 000″ does it change your opinion? I think the value is irrelevant.
Seems that you’re a little quick to throw labels such as fundamentalist whacko, and assert that burning books is only for conservative fundamentalists… I might just have to go burn a T-Shirt in protest at this closed mindedness! (only joking of course)
mandarin says:
July 31, 2007 at 08:10I heard the response from Pat Robertson was that ‘they’ will probably issue a fatwa on him.
If he had simply sold it like you suggested and used the profits for charity: great, I agree…but it wouldn’t have been news worthy I bet.
It can be seen as the ultimate censorship (I agree that’s just as bad as what repressors do) or it can be seen as a successful (sensational) political stunt.
Mike J says:
July 31, 2007 at 18:17Cisco? Seriously Fausto? I thought Janeway was the best Captain.. But if I had to work under one of them, I’d pick Archer. He seemed like everybody’s friend. Picard seemed too rigid and unapproachable, while Kirk was dangerous and erratic.
Superboy says:
August 1, 2007 at 02:15Josh Cole has the same initials as Jesus Christ. Think about it.
Bastian Cole says:
August 1, 2007 at 08:13Superboy and Mandarin - I’m actually Jewish. But my initials are the same as JC Chasez and no, that is not a coincidence.
Lukas says:
August 14, 2007 at 03:50I was on a plane listening to this episode…and when you read that letter and added “and please Sir…could I have some more?” I almost died.
Very funny. Good work.
Zoomer says:
August 16, 2007 at 19:52To Cole:
Heard your interviews on Feast of Fools and was really
impressed with your outlook and attitude. You seem
like a really smart and brave guy…and you’re damn
cute too
Best wishes and happiness to you as you continue this
incredible journey.
Paula
Friendly lesbian admirer
Marc Felion says:
August 7, 2008 at 17:34I turned off the comments on the show episode due to spam. If you would like to make a comment, please email me and I’ll open it up again.
Sorry for any inconvenience.
Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Fausto Fernós created the Feast of Fools in 1998 as wacky artists variety show in Chicago, Illinois.
Along with his partner Marc Felion, he hosts the world's most downloaded talk show for gay people on the internet, Feast of Fools.
Fausto loves pomegranates, waterfalls and 70s retro funk music.
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Marc Felion | August 20, 2008
Joost, are you Dutch? If so, then yes, twitter suicide would not be interesting to you since assisted suicide is so common in the Netherlands.
joost | August 20, 2008
I’m not sure I understand …. was this (nick) some sort of phenomenon? If so, I totally missed it. Seems like much ado about nothing.
Marc Felion | August 20, 2008
That’s so funny. I’ve actually been thinking of asking her to come on and the show sometime. If we can talk to Shirley Phelps, we can talk to Anne Coulter....
Jaycub | August 20, 2008
Just thought I’d let you guys know, V-Mar shows up on the 4th page of google images whe nyou search “anne coulter”. ha! when i saw that i lol’d for...
RcktMan | August 19, 2008
Crocs are so evil!!! I think they’re the ugliest shoe-type things ever invented. I’m with ya. Great show… I’m so behind, I am trying to...
8 comments on FOF #819 - Mini Cows and Killer Crocs - 08.14.08
Gay Fun ShowPosting tweet...
Marc Felion | August 20, 2008
Joost, are you Dutch? If so, then yes, twitter suicide would not be interesting to you since assisted suicide is so common in the Netherlands.
joost | August 20, 2008
I’m not sure I understand …. was this (nick) some sort of phenomenon? If so, I totally missed it. Seems like much ado about nothing.
Marc Felion | August 20, 2008
That’s so funny. I’ve actually been thinking of asking her to come on and the show sometime. If we can talk to Shirley Phelps, we can talk to Anne Coulter....
Jaycub | August 20, 2008
Just thought I’d let you guys know, V-Mar shows up on the 4th page of google images whe nyou search “anne coulter”. ha! when i saw that i lol’d for...
RcktMan | August 19, 2008
Crocs are so evil!!! I think they’re the ugliest shoe-type things ever invented. I’m with ya. Great show… I’m so behind, I am trying to...
8 comments on FOF #819 - Mini Cows and Killer Crocs - 08.14.08
LATEST
RcktMan says:
July 30, 2007 at 03:11Fausto! You told me you weren’t going to tell anyone! What happens at the movies stays at the movies!!
Seriously though I had just a great time that night — broken projector and all.
I really enjoyed the interview with Cole.. or is it Josh? Or is it Cole? I’m a little confused which name is right… which is it? In any case, I did enjoy hearing from him. It’s amazing to hear how much his voice has changed in such a (relatively) short amount of time!
As for Charles Merrill– he deserves every F**K YOU that you gave him and more. What a jerk. That $60k could have benefited SO many organizations. What a true fool.