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
Mitch Rowland's Spark Is Charles Mingus' The Clown [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:49
Of all places, Mitch Rowland discovered Charles Mingus' seminal jazz album The Clown at a pizza restaurant. The singer, songwriter, and Harry Styles collaborator was scrolling through his coworkers iPod when the album ju…
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Duration: 31:03
On this episode of The Spark Parade, Atmosphere’s DJ and producer Ant discusses seeing a live performance of Herbie Hancock's instrumental hip-hop classic "Rockit" at age 13, a performance that ultimately led him to beco…
Justin Tranter's Spark Is Ani DiFranco's Swan Dive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:51
On this episode of The Spark Parade, Grammy and Golden Globe-nominated songwriter, producer, and activist Justin Tranter talks about feeling completely entranced the first time they heard Ani DiFranco’s song "Swan Dive."…
Aryan Simhadri's Spark Is The Devil Wears Prada [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:02
Percy Jackson and The Olympians star Aryan Simhadri was a bit skeptical when he first saw The Devil Wears Prada, but he quickly became enthralled with the incredible acting and sharp storytelling. On this episode of The…
Max Burkholder's Spark Is Airplane! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:04
Ted star Max Burkholder might have been born in the '90s, but the 1980 cult classic Airplane! still resonated with him like few other comedies before or since. On this episode of The Spark Parade, Burkholder gushes about…
Sleater-Kinney's Spark Is Patti Smith's Horses [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:23
When Sleater-Kinney's Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker discovered Patti Smith's legendary debut album Horses, an artistic earthquake occurred in both of their lives. They were blown away by Smith's fearless, challengin…
Peppermint's Spark Is Janet Jackson's janet. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:45
As a lifelong Janet Jackson stan, actress, singer, and drag superstar Peppermint loves Janet's entire back catalog. But her self-titled fifth album has a special place in Peppermint's heart. It represents a major leap fo…
Sam Song Li's Spark Is Whiplash [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:00
Actor and content creator Sam Song Li (The Brothers Son, Never Have I ever, and Better Call Saul) was bowled over when he first saw Damien Chazelle's frenetic music school nightmare Whiplash. Li was even compelled to see…
Holiday Encore: Bob The Drag Queen loves The Color Purple [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:45
Happy Holidays! The Spark Parade is off this week, but, in honor of the release of the movie musical version of The Color Purple, we are doing an encore presentation of this amazing interview with the one and only Bob Th…