Hi Honey, I'm Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture

Matt Baume

May 2023 · BenBella Books

About this ebook

Lambda Literary Award Winner for LGBTQ+ Nonfiction

2024 Stonewall Book Honor Award Winner—Israel Fishman Non-Fiction Book Award

Featured on NPR's Books We Love 2023

One of Vulture's Best Comedy Books of 2023


"This book is a triumph and everyone should read it."
—Dan Savage, journalist and author, on the "Savage Lovecast"

"Hi Honey, I’m Homo is a heartbreaking historical document, but ultimately one that will leave the reader feeling proud of how something as maligned and disposable as the network sitcom used comedy to bring about such profound and important social progress."
—Vulture

"[A] well-curated compendium of prime time broadcasting . . . Baume is a companionable guide."
—Shelf Awareness


Behind the scenes of the most popular sitcoms of the 20th century, a revolution was brewing.

For decades, amidst the bright lights, studio-audience laughs, and absurdly large apartment sets, the real-life story of American LGBTQ+ liberation unfolded in plain sight in front of millions of viewers, most of whom were laughing too hard to mind.

From flamboyant relatives on Bewitched to closely-guarded secrets on All in the Family, from network-censor fights over Soap to behind-the-scenes activism on the set of The Golden Girls, from Ellen’s culture clash and Will & Grace’s mixed reception to Modern Family’s primetime power-couple, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! is the story not only of how subversive queer comedy transformed the American sitcom, from its inception through today, but how our favorite sitcoms transformed, and continue to transform, America.

Accessible, entertaining, and informative, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! features commentary and interviews from celebrities, behind-the-scenes creators, and more.

Ratings and reviews

Another dream world they wish ppl would except, I want my time and money back. It's the same propaganda, nothing in this book reality-based on the unfortunate choices some make too soon, which can lead to the worst scenario happening. If you want a book that DOES NOT address the mental health crisis among Trans kids and fabricates how wonderful that life can be, this is the book for you.

Really interesting book! Fascinating aspect of film/TV history.

About the author

Matt Baume is a writer, podcaster, and video-maker based in Seattle whose work focuses on queer culture, geeks, and all things strange and wonderful. He is the creator of the queer interview show The Sewers of Paris, the YouTube pop culture series Culture Cruise, and the LGBTQ news shows Weekly Debrief and Marriage News Watch. He’s co creator of the comedy podcast and live show Queens of Adventure, featuring drag queens playing Dungeons & Dragons. His book, Defining Marriage, chronicles the personal stories of people who fought for marriage equality over the last forty years. He was nominated for a GLAAD award for journalism, and his work has been recognized by the New York Times as “thoughtful and thorough … informative and funny,” and he was highlighted by Forbes magazine. After he appeared as a pop culture critic in the Showgirls documentary You Don’t Nomi, Forbes called his observations on the film “potentially intriguing.” You can find his reporting via outlets that include Rolling Stone, Vice Magazine, Slate, The Advocate, The Stranger, and NPR.