The Boulet Brothers' Spark Is The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Boulet Brothers' Spark Is The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Author: Adam Unze - Music & Film Interviews October 29, 2025 Duration: 30:34


Join legendary horror drag icons The Boulet Brothers for a campy, queer journey into their Spark: The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Adam and the Boulets share first encounters with the groundbreaking cult film, its impact on their lives, and why it remains a loud, proud anthem for queer joy, radical self-expression, and chosen family.


Swantula takes us back to being a closeted 14-year-old, blown away by Rocky Horror’s uninhibited queerness, campy horror, and radical self-expression that expanded their world overnight. Drac recalls renting the VHS and falling in love with the iconic queer characters that spoke to their gothic, outsider spirit.


We dive into queer representation, midnight screenings, Tim Curry’s unforgettable Frank-N-Furter, and the legendary audience participation that keeps the cult classic alive. The Boulet Brothers break down what makes Rocky Horror a radical anthem of chosen family, joy, and queer celebration — and how it continues to inspire their boundary-pushing drag art and TV series Dragula.


You’ll also hear about The Boulet Brothers’ latest creative projects and why their Rocky Horror Spark lights their queer artistry to this day.

What you’ll learn in this episode:


  • How Rocky Horror hit Swantula and Drac at formative moments
  • The unique mix of horror, camp, musical theater and queer culture
  • The cultural impact and enduring legacy of Rocky Horror midnight shows
  • The meaning behind “Don’t Dream It, Be It” for the Boulet Brothers
  • Why Rocky Horror’s queer spirit fuels Dragula and their work today




The Spark Parade is a podcast that dives deep into the films and albums that have inspired today’s creative icons. Hosted by Adam Unze, each episode features a unique conversation with an artist about their chosen film or album, and how it sparked their artistic journey.


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What single piece of art-an album, a film, a television show-fundamentally altered your creative path? That's the central question of The Spark Parade, a podcast hosted by Adam Unze. This isn't a standard interview format; it's a focused excavation of a singular, transformative work. Each conversation with an actor, musician, or cultural icon revolves entirely around that one catalytic piece of culture that ignited their journey. The discussion delves into the personal history and emotional resonance of the work, whether it's a cult classic or a mainstream hit, tracing how its influence continues to echo through their life and career. Listeners are invited into these intimate reflections, hearing stories from artists like Margaret Cho and Maya about the moments of inspiration that sparked everything. The podcast operates at the intersection of music, film, and personal narrative, offering a unique lens on the creative process. By concentrating on a single artifact, each episode provides a deep, nuanced portrait of both the artist and the art that made them. You'll come away from the podcast not just with a recommendation, but with an understanding of how art shapes identity.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Spark Parade
Podcast Episodes
JJ Perry's Spark Is Jackie Chan's Armor Of God [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:32
The Killer's Game director JJ Perry has idolized Jackie Chan's work throughout his adult life, but it was Chan's career defining film Armor Of God that cemented Perry's devotion to his work. Chan's dedication to his craf…
Ashe's Spark Is Carole King's Tapestry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:34
Singer/songwriter Ashe sits down with Adam to talk about her Spark, Carole King's record breaking, earth shattering, emotionally devastating masterpiece Tapestry. Ashe talks about the direct impact Tapestry had on her so…
FOALS' Yannis Philippakis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:40
FOALS and Yannis & The Yaw front man Yannis Philippakis was hooked on the singular sounds of Pixies legendary debut album Surfer Rosa from the first time he heard it. Since becoming a musician himself, Surfer Rosa has in…
Sam Evian's Spark Is The Beatles: Get Back [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:56
Singer, songwriter, producer and engineer Sam Evian has always loved The Beatles music, but seeing Peter Jackson's epic Beatles documentary had a profound effect on the way he makes music. The live to tape recording styl…
Medium Build's Spark Is Weird Al Yankovic's Running With Scissors [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:41
Nick Carpenter, better known as Medium Build, has been a huge Weird Al Yankovic fan since childhood and he clearly remembers getting Yankovic's tenth album Running With Scissors as soon as it was released. Carpenter love…
Sarah Hester Ross' Spark Is School Of Rock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:55
Musical comedian Sarah Hester Ross loves School Of Rock's... music and comedy, which has (perhaps obviously) had a huge impact on her career path. She really admires Jack Black's warm, funny performance, but also recogni…
Bethenny Frankel's Spark Is The Handmaid's Tale [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:29
Bethenny Frankel doesn't really watch much TV, but she found The Handmaid's Tale during the pandemic and was so drawn to its compelling performances and topical themes that she breezed through the entire series. Bethenny…
Judith Hill's Spark Is Captain EO [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:15
Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Judith Hill has loved Captain EO, the Michael Jackson starring short film that accompanied an attraction at Disney's theme parks, since she was a small child. She loves it's m…