What The Quarantine?!!: Recent Episodes
Jarad McLoughlin
One man with a microphone who is unafraid to be his true self to those who’re self-isolating – BE WARNED | What The Quarantine?!! (WTQ?!!) is a virtual, contactless conversational style podcast overseen by one thirtysomething year old autistic gay introvert, with singlehanded dialoguing, discussions and interviews told from a first-person perspective/philosophy on humanity, identity and survival while staying at home self-isolating during the 2020 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak.
On episode 8 or the final episode ever of WTQ?!!, I sit down with Adelaide based autistic and LGBTQIA+ advocate, university lecturer and host of the Autistic Self-Advocast podcast, Katharine Annear. We delve into how the COVID-19 pandemic has uprooted and disrupted the introverted/extroverted lives of autistic and neurodivergent people, including those who felt hesitation when pausing and dealing with medical practitioners and specialists while under lockdown. Also, Katharine criticises the lack of oversight and systemic failings from both federal and state government departments/agencies e.g. the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) that transpired after the horrific, senseless death of Ann-Marie Smith from gross negligence, exploitation and professional misconduct. Episode date: Saturday 26th December 2020
On episode 7 of WTQ?!!, I chat with British born and self-taught LGBTQIA+ media personality, broadcaster, YouTuber, campaigner and advocate, William Brougham. I retrace through William's lifelong love affliction with Australia stemming from soap operas e.g. Neighbours and how it eventually led to him becoming an adopted citizen of the land down under. I also hear how he has coped during the pandemic in Sydney while discussing at length the troubling, uncertain prevalence of mental health for those in Australia's LGBTQIA+ community, specifically young people struggling to comply to current federal and state government lockdown restrictions. Episode date: Sunday 30th August 2020
On episode 6 of WTQ?!!, I chat with the incredibly talented and heartily laid-back actor, scriptwriter, producer and director, Gabriel Carrubba. I find out how Gabriel caught the acting bug and hear his unexpected emotional journey of self-discovery regarding his sexuality while surviving the social and academic toxicities of high school. We also share our coming out stories, while Gabriel elaborates if the Australian media landscape including in film and television programming is depicting accurate, realistic and authentic portrayals and representations of LGBTQI+ characters under the climate of denouncing bias, bigotry and prejudice in popular culture. I also touch on Gabriel's first and only mainstream acting role to date on the ABC/Netflix paranormal drama series Glitch as closeted WWI soldier George (who appeared in the fifth episode of season 1 through flashback sequences). I get to hear some rare behind the scenes tidbits from the man himself, including if his one-off character could’ve been resurrected as another member of the Risen. Episode date: Tuesday 28th July 2020
On episode 5 of WTQ?!!, I chat with Adelaide's award-winning slam poet and performance artist, Alison Bennett, who also goes by her stage name, Alison Paradoxx. Alison reveals how she has managed to keep herself distant from other people in the current COVID-19 pandemic, why ableism is becoming more unsettling and disconcerting during this global health crisis for those with disabilities and with lockdown restrictions easing, why is Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and other chronic immunosuppressed and immunocompromised medical conditions the Achilles heel for those who might be considering or contemplating on risking their own lives to resume social engagement with family and friends. We also discuss at length how disabled voices within all societal institutions, mainly in the media and political sanctums remain indiscriminately unheard. Episode date: Friday 29th May 2020
On episode 4 of WTQ?!!, I sit down with Australia’s most reputably prominent LGBTIQA+ advocate, campaigner, educator and scruffy introvert, Daniel Witthaus. We touch on his ‘thirst-laden’ Instagram stories while self-isolating in his apartment during the pandemic, adapting to communicating and socialising online and how COVID-19 is directly or indirectly affecting many in the LGBTIQA+ community. Daniel and I also recollect on our decade long mutual association within the sociopolitical advocacy and activism sector, including our first ever meeting at a marriage equality campaign workshop back in 2010. Episode date: Wednesday 13th May 2020
On episode 3 of WTQ?!!, LGBTIQA+/disability advocate, domestic violence, drugs and alcohol campaigner and diversity champion extraordinaire from Ballarat, Kirsten Holden speaks with me about homeschooling her young daughter while under lockdown and if staying at home for prolonged periods during the COVID-19 pandemic poses an increased, heightened health risk for people exhibiting and developing symptoms for depression, high anxiety or other mental health conditions. Kirsten also touches on the bribery stoush between Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Premier of the State of Victoria Daniel Andrews over reopening schools. Episode date: Tuesday 5th May 2020
On episode 2 of WTQ?!!, I hear from Geelong born disability/queer advocate, performer, founder and managing director of Centre For Access and stand-up comedian, Thomas Banks and his ‘full on’ friend/speech translator from Sydney, Imogen Yang. We breakdown society's harsh, prejudicial and discriminatory attitudes towards people with disabilities while out in public and why those insensitive, stigmatising behaviours still run rampant in this current anxious driven climate. Episode date: Sunday 26th April 2020
On the first-ever inaugural episode of WTQ?!!, I chat with Western Australia’s own rebellious disability and human rights activist, bolshy diva and cripchick, Samantha Connor. We discuss how people with disabilities need to navigate the impactful and effectual consequences of keeping themselves safe from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and whinge/moan about Australian political actors being heartlessly ableist against those in our community. Episode date: Sunday 19th April 2020