Episodes

• 2021

• S3 E5: Live from New York… It’s Bowen Yang!

  Tranna and Thomas welcome none other than Saturday Night Live cast member Bowen Yang for a wide-ranging conversation! Now in his third season as a player on the show, Bowen has already made comedy history by being the first Chinese-American and only current gay man in the cast. Bowen is also the co-host (with BFF Matt Rogers) of the wildly popular podcast Las Culturistas, now produced by Will Ferrell. Thomas was delighted to learn about Bowen’s francophone childhood in Canada—yes! Bowen was a resident of Brossard, Québec for seven years! He also shares his views on representation in comedy, his leap of faith from being a pre-med student to the world of alternative sketch comedy, and queering Saturday Night Live! Obsessed as ever, Tranna and Thomas wrap up the episode geeking out over musician-comedienne Eve Parker Finley and the original lifestyle queen, Martha Stewart!
  April 8, 2021

  41 min

• S3 E4: Hello, Inner Child with Samra Habib

  Tranna shares the discovery of an old VHS tape of her 6th grade ski trip, which allows her to reconnect with her 12 year old self. The theme of reconnecting with our inner child continues in conversation with photographer and writer, Samra Habib, winner of Canada Reads 2020 for the brilliant We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir. Thomas has a lovely fanboy moment when he gets the chance to speak with Omari Douglas, one of the dazzling stars of the smash hit show It’s A Sin. Plus: Thomas and Tranna are obsessed with Jessie Ware and Clubhouse, the new social media app. This one is a bit of a tear jerker, so make sure to have those tissues handy!
  March 25, 2021

  42 min

• S3 E3: We Love the Nightlife with Róisín Murphy

  It’s an extra special episode of Chosen Family, as Thomas and Tranna welcome dance music legend Róisín Murphy, who’s celebrating 25 years in music! This episode is a love letter to nightlife and the dream of being reunited on the dance floor once again. Plus: surprise guest Crystal from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK S1, and T&T share their obsession with Gay Bar by Jeremy Atherton Lin and Madonna’s MDNA Tour.
  March 11, 2021

  38 min

• S3 E2: DIY is Not a Sin with Backxwash

  Thomas and Tranna share and examine the reasons why they feel so creatively blocked as they address “the pandemic wall” everyone seems to be hitting. Polaris prize-winning rapper and producer, Backxwash, joins the two to talk about growing up queer in Zambia, being a DIY artist, vulnerability, and tokenization in the entertainment industry. Plus: Thomas and Tranna find inspiration and solace in two nostalgic TV shows: “PEN15” and “It’s A Sin.”
  February 25, 2021

  38 min

• S3 E1: Star Power with Jessica Lanyadoo

  Thomas and Tranna kick off an all-new season in a world that feels turned upside down. Who better to turn to for advice on navigating these difficult days than superstar astrologer, Jessica Lanyadoo, who takes Chosen Family into the stratosphere with a deep dive on all things astrology. Plus T and T share their current obsessions: Kama La Mackerel’s debut poetry collection, Zom-Fam, and Backxwash’s breakthrough album, God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It.
  February 11, 2021

  46 min

• Can you handle this? Thomas and Tranna are back

  Season three of Chosen Family kicks off on February 11th with superstar astrologer, Jessica Lanyadoo! Make sure to follow Chosen Family on Instagram @chosenfamilyshow!
  February 4, 2021

  3 min
• 2020

• Special Episode: The Pride We Need with Brandon Ash-Mohammed

  In this special bonus episode of Chosen Family, Thomas and Tranna are reminded of Pride’s activist roots while the BLM movement is out in full force (following the murder of George Floyd). Then, the hosts are joined by standup comic Brandon Ash-Mohammed, the first gay Black man in Canada to release a comedy album and founder of The Ethnic Rainbow. Together they talk about the overwhelmingly white comedy industry, what it means to be a trailblazer Capricorn and how the queer community might not be as unified as it would like to think. Plus, Brandon shares his obsession with Tina Turner and listeners call in with their Pride memories.
  June 22, 2020

  45 min

• S2 E20: Vision of Love with Rufus Wainwright and Sarah Schulman

  In the final episode of Season 2, Tranna and Thomas share an update on where they’re at in the middle of the pandemic. Thomas calls up writer-activist Sarah Schulman to talk about the parallels between COVID-19 and the AIDS crisis. Then, the hosts talk to Rufus Wainwright about bathrobes, his new album Unfollow The Rules, and his trajectory from wild child to dedicated father and husband. Plus, Thomas yearns for the day he can sing along to “Dancing On My Own” in public again while Tranna goes back to her ultimate obsession: Alanis Morrisette.
  April 8, 2020

  47 min

• S2 E19: Rock Bottom with Ty Mitchell

  Thomas and Tranna share what life has been like for them during the coronavirus pandemic... with Thomas making a surprising confession. Then gay porn actor and writer Ty Mitchell joins the two to talk about sex work in the gig economy and the nuances of male sexuality on screen. Plus: Thomas and Tranna manage to find an obsession during the time of covid 19: the Netflix series “Feel Good” + author Jenny Odell’s “How To Do Nothing.”
  March 25, 2020

  46 min

• S2 E18: Purse First with Bob the Drag Queen

  Thomas and Tranna wonder if being raised by single parents has influenced their relationship choices and also ask whether “monogamous privilege” is a thing. Then, Bob the Drag Queen joins the two for a chat about all things Drag Race, their new comedy special and… purses. Plus, obsessions: Jessica Simpson’s memoir and David Byrne’s American Utopia.
  March 11, 2020

  34 min

• S2 E17: Super Soul Sexuality with Rabbi Lisa Grushcow

  In this special episode, Tranna and Thomas welcome progressive rabbi Lisa Grushcow for a candid conversation about faith and its surprising connections to her personal story (lesbian, divorced, mother of three). They also talk about Judaism’s takes on sex and gender (polyamory and being trans), pop culture morality in a time of great chaos (Harry Potter + jedis!) and how spirituality and technology can co-exist harmoniously. Tranna also engages Rabbi Grushcow on her side-hustle: romantic matchmaking. Plus, Thomas and Tranna’s latest Obsessions: Madame X and Love Is Blind.
  February 26, 2020

  52 min

• S2 E16: Boundaries and Bruises with Alicia Elliott

  Thomas and Tranna share their biggest fears, among them: driving, posting a shirtless photo on instagram, and discovering that they are normal. Then, Haudenosaunee writer Alicia Elliott talks about her book A Mind Spread Out on the Ground — a collection of essays that looks at depression, intergenerational trauma, and the lingering effects of colonialism in Canada. Plus, Thomas & Tranna’s latest Obsessions: J-Lo’s second album and the 7-hour Broadway play The Inheritance.
  February 12, 2020

  40 min

• S2 E15: It’s Complicated with Coeur de Pirate

  Tranna tells Thomas about breaking her year of celibacy, after a foray into dating apps (for trans people—it's complicated). Then, singer-songwriter Coeur de Pirate, aka Béatrice Martin, join the two to chat about revenge songs, being a judge on a singing show Quebec's The Voice (La Voix), and coming out publicly as pansexual after the Orlando nightclub shooting. Plus, T&T’s latest Obsessions: Euphoria and a special episode of 90 Day Fiancé.
  January 29, 2020

  40 min

• S2 E14: Trigger Warning with Bret Easton Ellis

  As a new year’s resolution, Thomas & Tranna want to talk to people who might not share their exact world view. Novelist Bret Easton Ellis, no stranger to controversy, joins the two for a feature chat about his provocative work, Millennials, and gay political correctness. Then, T&T share their first Obsessions of 2020: Bombshell and… Cats. You could now find an expanded version of T&T's Obsessions on Xtra! Read it here: https://www.dailyxtra.com/story/obsessions
  January 15, 2020

  42 min
• 2019

• Live from RIDM with Benedetta Barzini & Beniamino Barrese

  Recorded live at the RIDM documentary film festival in Montreal, Tranna & Thomas talk to Italian ex-supermodel Benedetta Barzini and her son, director Beniamino Barrese. Their film "The Disappearance of My Mother" looks at Benedetta’s revolt against the culture of image-making and her strong desire to fade away from view.
  December 30, 2019

  27 min

• S2 E13: Sweet Fantasy with Owen Pallett

  Tranna and Thomas recap the Celine Dion concert they attended together and look at the singer’s renaissance, the generational divide among her fans, and... her hair. Then the two are joined by multi-instrumentalist and composer Owen Pallett (aka Final Fantasy) to talk about utopian futures, the problems with fandom, and mental health struggles during the creative process. Plus: T&T's new Obsessions take us to 80s decadence and some horny places.
  December 11, 2019

  44 min

• S2 E12: The Power of Goodbye with Ira Sachs

  Thomas confesses to Tranna that he can’t be monogamous and contemplates different configurations like polyamory and open relationships. Then, filmmaker Ira Sachs joins the two to talk about his new film Frankie, unconventional families, and why he no longer feels like an outsider. Plus, in the latest Obsessions, Thomas and Tranna explore why they’re drawn to two dynastic shows about the ultra rich: Succession and The Crown.
  November 27, 2019

  33 min

• S2 E11: Love At The End Of The World with Kai Cheng Thom

  Moving into a new apartment brings up intense feelings around identity and safety for Tranna. Then, writer-performer-social worker Kai Cheng Thom talks about cancel culture and chosen families in the wake of her new book “How To Choose Love: A Trans Girl’s Notes from the End of the World”. Plus, Thomas shares his latest Obsession: the pilates reformer.
  November 13, 2019

  38 min

• S2 E10: Funny Girls with Matteo Lane

  Thomas opens up about his grandmother’s passing and how comedy helps him in dark times. Then, standup comic and former opera singer Matteo Lane talks divas, chosen families and... his racy Instagram. Plus, a chat with comedian Robbie Hoffman on Judaism’s acceptance of queerness. This is our 25th episode, aka the Silver episode!
  October 30, 2019

  36 min

• S2 E9: Hanging By A Moment with Xavier Dolan

  In a special episode of Chosen Family — part retrospective, part love letter — Thomas shares personal stories about award-winning Montreal filmmaker Xavier Dolan from throughout the years. Then, the Cannes darling himself opens up in a rare feature interview about love, family and friendship.
  October 16, 2019

  42 min