Frankie Grande is Demanding More Respect for Power Bottoms: “We Serve a Purpose in the Community!”

Queen of Queer Media and former Advocate and Out editor and writer Tracy E. Gilchrist has found a new platform for holding space — a podcast where she interviews queer icons.

via: Queerty

Some of you will remember that Gilchrist went viral last year with her interview with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. During it, she told a surprised Erivo that many in the queer community were “holding space” for the inspiring anthem “Defying Gravity.” Hence the name of Gilchrist’s new podcast: “Holding Space.”

Frankie Grande, 42, is, of course, the older brother of Wicked star Ariana Grande. In his conversation with Gilchrist, Frankie discussed his intial, mixed feelings about the original musical production of Wicked, his sister’s support of his 12-step recovery, and the album of “space pop rock” bangers he released this year, Hotel Rock Bottom.

Part of the discussion revolved around Grande’s song, “Boys.” He released a video for the track in the summer, in which he’s wearing makeup and flirting with guys in a locker room. He said he wanted to make unapologetically queer content that’s not afraid to embrace his femme side.

Frankie said he found it “weird and interesting” to see other femme gay men butch it up in locker rooms or at the gym.

“Really, gay men like me go into that locker room and the clothes come off, and then all of a sudden we have to butch it up to attract other men. Which I think is very weird and interesting, right?

“I think that’s so interesting to watch these really queer, very effeminate men like get into their towels and be like, ‘Yo, bro, what’s good?’ And it’s like, whoa, what is that thing where we’re not allowed to be like overtly queer or overtly fem in those settings?

“Even if you’re in there to have sex with another man,” he continued. “You still have to be masculine presented. You cannot be feminine in those settings. And so, I wanted to reclaim that space for the queer fem. To like re-own Power Bottom. It’s like, we do most of the work, b*tch. Do you know what I’m saying?”

He continued, “It is a Power Bottom anthem. Like, why are we shaming power bottoms? You tops need them. We serve a purpose in the community!”

Feelings toward Wicked

Talking about Wicked, Grande says he read the novel at college and loved it. He excitedly booked tickets to see the Broadway production when it was still in previews.

“I went there, and I saw it, and of course loved Kristen [Chenoweth], loved Idina [Menzel], loved Joel Grey, but I was so disappointed because it was so light-hearted and the book is so dark, very dark. And so I, as a fan of the book, was like, ‘Well, they Disney-fied that. What a missed opportunity to make something dark.’ But I’m like a horror fan, so it makes sense that that was my reaction.”

However, he says he loved the music and story. He went home and told his mom and sister Ariana that they had to see it. He also grew to appreciate the musical as a separate work of art from the novel on which it was based.

“Since then, I’ve become obsessed with the show and become obsessed with the music, and appreciate that the book and the musical are such separate entities. Now I can look at them separately, and especially now that there’s the film, which is now a third separate entity, which is not like the Broadway show at all, and it brings back some of the darker elements from the book. But again, it’s a separate thing.”

Recovery

As for his sister’s support of his recovery, he said Ariana had wholeheartedly thrown herself into attending 12-step meetings alongside him, sometimes to the bemusement of others in the group.

“My family has come to meetings with me. My sister, once at a meeting, was so overwhelmed. It was one of my birthdays that she said, ‘I am bringing food next week for everybody.’ They asked for a volunteer to set up chairs, and she said, ‘Me.’ Then they asked who could bring orange juice, and she raised her hand again. Chairs and juice. Ariana Grande.”

You can watch the whole podcast episode below.

Frankie Grande also dropped a new music video last week. He told Gilchrist the video for “I Don’t Remember” was inspired by wondering how different his high school prom might have been if he’d been allowed to take a gay date. As it was, his real High School prom was so unmemorable that he couldn’t even remember the event.