After stumbling across her cosplay of Taylor Swift's Evermore cosplay outfit from The Eras Tour, I knew I'd like Eri. I checked out her work and knew I had to have her on the podcast.

Eri aka CosplayAncestorEri joins me to talk all about fandom and the history from the 90s (which is when I also started getting into fandom!)

We kick things off first with a mini conversation about Taylor Swift, before jumping into our first topic - Bond, James Bond. Eri gives me the behind the scenes look on how she got into the world of 007. She talks about her favorite movies, the different Bond actors, and some of her favorite Bond girls. We also talk about the future of the franchise.

Then, we change gears from Bond into Anime. Specifically, we talk about our experiences with anime in the 90s. Eri talks about how she first found anime through Speed Racer. From there, we recount the struggles to find anime through rental stores, conventions, and tape trading before it anime became more of a thing. Eri talks about some of the shows she grew up on.

Lastly, we devote a section to the evolution of fandom, conventions, and cosplay from those early 90s times to now. Eri talks about her experiences in the convention scene and how it has changed since then. We talk about how the shows have evolved, fandom, and events at conventions (like masquerades, and skits). We also talk about cosplay, the preservation of old fandom/convention websites and information, and Eri's book that is releasing soon, The Fangirl Diaries.

You can find Eri at:

https://www.instagram.com/cosplayancestoreri/

https://linktr.ee/cosplayancestoreri?

https://scarlet-rhapsody.com/

https://www.twitch.tv/wisteriawitchvt

https://www.youtube.com/@scarletrhapsodyconventiontea

https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-fangirl-diaries/

https://amzn.to/4hoBkgo

Amy aka Queen Amy Dala Cosplay joins me from Vancouver, Canada, to talk about two of her favorite things - Final Fantasy and Cosplay!

I stumbled across Amy's cosplay on Instagram in March and I really enjoyed what she had, particularly, her love of representing Final Fantasy characters, including characters from Final Fantasy 4 and 6. So luckily for us, she said yes to being a guest.

We kicked off with Final Fantasy. Amy talks about how she first got into Final Fantasy through watching her older brother play and then sneaking into his room to play for herself. From there, she fell into the realm of Final Fantasy. Amy talks about which games she's played and which she hasn't. We talk about some of our favorite games and characters, her favorite relationships, and so much more. If you're someone who enjoys this franchise, you'll definitely enjoy this talk.

On the back half of the episode, Amy talks about getting into cosplay and being a cosplayer. She talks about how she got into the world of cosplay later in life and her thoughts on being an "older" cosplayer. She talks about the benefits of cosplay for her, what others could get out of doing cosplay, and she talks about her favorite cosplays, comfiest ones, and plans for the future!

You can find Amy at:

https://www.instagram.com/queenamydalacosplay/

https://www.queencosplay.com/

It's time! Time for the Bridgerton episode. I finally decided to sit down and watch the entire series. After binge watching all 3 seasons, plus the Queen Charlotte series, I knew I needed to talk to someone about it while we wait for Season 4. Who better to come back than Brittany aka BajanPrincessBrittany.

This is a spoiler episode, so if you haven't watched any of the seasons yet, this episode is not for you.

Brittany and I talk about the series overall, including some of the themes and stories that happen throughout. We talk about our favorite seasons, favorite Bridgerton family member, favorite member of the 'Ton, including some dark horse choices.

We do speculate about Season 4 and the length of time between seasons. This episode was recorded prior to the casting announcement of Yerin Ha as Sophie.

If you like Bridgerton, make sure to comment on Instagram or Facebook and let us know who you think is the best Bridgerton or 'Ton member!

You can find Brittany at:

https://www.instagram.com/bajanprincessbrittany/

https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-338-bajanprincessbrittany-talks-bridgerton-the-marvel-cinematic-universe-disney-and-bounding

https://linktr.ee/bajanprincessbrittany

HylianDescent returns again for his 5th episode! HylianDescent aka Joshua, founder of the Hyrule Gaming Group comes back for another entry into his time capsule of his Twitch streaming experience as we look back on the previous year.

We check in on how he's doing and how his past year was. Then I talk to Joshua about a number of games he has played over the year, including games like:

Fields of Mistria, Graveyard Keeper, Moonstone Island, Supermarket Simulator, Fallout, Tears of the Kingdom, and Animal Crossing.

We talk about games that work for Twitch and his community, and other games that work for him and that he ultimately keeps to himself for his enjoyment.

Joshua talks about the continued opportunities he is able to take for sponsored streams and promos, his 12 and 24 hour streams showcasing Indie games, and more.

Plus, we talk about his continued balance of streaming versus real life, taking care of himself, his relationship and getting out and "touching grass".

All this, and more!

You can find Joshua at:

https://www.twitch.tv/hyliandescent

https://twitter.com/Hyliandescent

https://twitter.com/HyruleGG

https://www.instagram.com/hyliandescent/

https://www.instagram.com/hyrulegg/

https://t.co/4kqVCNPl1r?amp=1

You can listen to his first four episodes here:

https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-337-joshua-aka-hyliandescent-of-hyrule-gaming-group-returns-as-we-talk-twitch-video-games-and-self-care

https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-268-joshua-aka-hylian-descent-of-hyrule-gaming-group-returns-to-talk-twitch-community-evolution-and-animal-crossing

https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-197-joshua-aka-hylian-descent-of-hyrule-gaming-group-returns-to-talk-twitch-animal-crossing-and-community-building

https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-156-joshua-aka-hylian-descent-of-hyrule-gaming-group

Rounding out the month of September, I am joined by LilipopeCosplay as we get a wonderful episode filled with fandom!

Li has a number of fandoms we get to talk about, and we kick things off with one of her favorites, Star Wars. We talk all about how she first got into the fandom. We're talking about the movies, TV shows, books, and so much more. We're both fond of the Legends run of books (formerly called the Expanded Universe), and we do have to talk about one of her favorites - Mara Jade.

Then we go from one big fandom to another, as we join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Li talks about the movies and TV series that she's drawn to in the MCU, along with some of her favorite characters. We also talk about the future of the MCU and what she's looking forward to.

Then we go to my birthday twin, Taylor Swift! Taylor is like a wizard, she arrives precisely when she's meant to. Li talks about how she first got into the music of Taylor Swift. We talk about favorite Era's, favorite songs, and how her music has been a part of Li's life.

Then we're wrapping up with talking about Cosplay. Li talks about how she first got into cosplay, and the characters that she cosplays as. Li also talks about her experiences with costuming groups like the Rebel Legion and the 501st, and volunteering for charity. She also talks about what she's working on for the future.

You can find Li at:

https://www.instagram.com/lilipopecosplay/

https://linktr.ee/lilipopecosplay

National Dance Day is a yearly day to celebrate dance. It happens on the third Saturday of September. Today's guest is here to help celebrate that day. Judy Gallagher joins me to talk about dance and more!

We start things off with one of my favorite shows, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Judy talks about how she first discovered the show, and of course, we have to talk about Zuko and his arc through the series. We also talk about her favorite characters, what kind of bender she'd want to be, and much more.

From there, we celebrate Dance for National Dance Day! Judy talks about how she first got into dance and her background with dance. She talks about being a professional ballroom dancer and dance instructor. She also talks about how her students slowly introduced her to her next topic...

Cosplay! That's right. Dancing involves costumes and music, some of her students started bringing music from various fandoms and costumes to go along with it, and well, the rest is Judy history! Judy talks about how she went to her first comic convention (MegaCon Orlando!), her shift into doing more cosplay, and some of the characters she's done (or will do!)

You can find Judy at:

https://www.instagram.com/judygal33/

https://www.judygallagher.com/

https://www.tiktok.com/@judygal33

This guest has been a long time coming. Dreams in the Noct (Dreams) joins me to talk about some of her favorite fandoms!

We start things off by talking about K-Pop! Dreams has been into K-Pop for a very long time, as we reminisce about finding international music in music stores way back in the day. She talks about first getting into J-Pop, and then finding her way into the K-Pop scene. We talk about some of her favorite groups over the years, the evolution of the music, and so much more.

From there, we shift to video games. Dreams talks first about how she first got into video games and how her other was a dominating force when she was younger. We talk about two of her favorite franchises, Resident Evil and Final Fantasy. We cover the full gamut of both, from favorite games, to characters, and how both series have evolved over time. 

For those who don't know, you can find Dreams regularly streaming on Twitch. She generally plays a variety of games, but includes Resident Evil and Final Fantasy in her streams. She talks about how she first got into streaming on Twitch, her community, and what you can expect to find.

On the flip side of things, we talk about Cosplay. Dreams talks about how she first got into cosplay, and some of the characters she's done. We talk about some of the unique designs, and some of the cosplay plans she has for the future.

You can find Dreams at: 

https://www.instagram.com/dreams_in_the_noct/

https://www.twitch.tv/dreams_in_the_noct

https://www.tiktok.com/@dreamsinthenoct

A lot of new fandom oriented podcasts have started up this past year, and I for one am here for it. That Nerd Thing, hosted by Morgan, started in January of 2024. After 9 months of hosting, Morgan joins me to be on the other side of the mic, answering questions instead of asking them (and not having to edit the podcast too!)

We start things off by heading to corporate America, as we talk about The Office. Morgan talks about how she first got into The Office, and we dive deep into the characters. From favorites, to favorite Dunder Mifflin managers, and even some outstanding background characters.

Then we go to the Regency era, as we explore Bridgerton. Morgan talks about how she first got into the Netflix TV series. We talk about some of our favorite characters, favorite couples, and even take a detour Back to the Future, before returning to the 'Ton.

Bridgerton begets books. Morgan talks about her love of books, the new arrival of the Romantasy genre, along with book clubs and how they've made a comeback in recent years. Morgan gives some book recommendations as well!

Then we wrap up talking about That Nerd Thing. Morgan talks about how, and more importantly, why she started the podcast. She talks about some of the background of the podcast, her format, and some of her prior and current guests. Definitely give it a listen.

You can find Morgan and That Nerd Thing Podcast at:

https://linktr.ee/Thatnerdthingpod

https://www.instagram.com/thatnerdthingpod

https://www.threads.net/@thatnerdthingpod

Another year, another Drewbearded podcast episode. What can I say? I like to have some friendly voices return every year, and Drew is one of those.

Normally, with a Drewbearded episode, you'd get us talking about Twitch and the latest videogames that Drew had been playing. NOT THIS TIME!

Drew talks about his return to the stage, and specifically community theater. Drew talks about his history in theater, from Orlando to the bright lights of New York City. He talks about his break from the stage, and his time on Twitch. Eventually, the desire to return to the stage was strong enough to pull him back in.

Drew talks about his experiences in his return, from the auditioning to rehearsal, navigating his experience being older and wiser, and what he's looking forward to in the future. He talks about his first show back, Big Fish, and his show he was in rehearsal for during the recording (Into the Woods, since completed its run).

Maybe Drew's story will light that passion for you to try theater, or maybe go back to something you love and had set aside.

Want to watch or find Drew? You can find him at:

https://www.twitch.tv/drewbearded

https://linktr.ee/Drewbearded

You can listen to his first five episodes here:

https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-344-drew-orozco-aka-drewbearded-returns-to-talk-final-fantasy-vii-original-and-remake

https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-316-drew-orozco-aka-drewbearded-returns-to-talk-crisis-core-final-fantasy-vii-reunion

https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-278-drew-orozco-aka-drewbearded-returns-to-talk-mass-effect

https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-205-drew-orozco-aka-drewbearded-returns-to-talk-twitch-gaming-and-streaming-in-2020

https://talesfromthefandom.libsyn.com/episode-161-drew-orozco-aka-drewbearded

Sometimes in life, you find people that you just connect with. Sometimes, when you connect with those people, all plans are thrown out the window and you get to have a wonderfully authentic conversation based on how those people grew up. Such is this episode with Keli aka Kelz1977 on Twitch.

As I told Keli when we started recording, a lot of the time, the people that come on the podcast are younger than I am. It's a rare occasion when I have someone around my age. Being that we're 2ish years apart, Keli and I spend the first half of the episode throwing out our original plans and instead we reminisce about growing up in the 80's and early 90's. From staying out until the street lights came on, to our experiences as kids coming home from school, to certain iconic movies and shows (including Labyrinth, The Last Unicorn, and The Dark Crystal). It was wonderful to take the time and just enjoy going back to that time period and having that same shared experience.

Then, we talk about the most unlikeliest thing to happen for Keli. Her journey into being a streamer on Twitch. Keli talks about how she started in the streaming community, on Facebook! She talks about going from watching to being a mod, and then ultimately taking that leap into streaming on Twitch. We talk about the video games she plays and why she chooses those certain games, her community, and more.

You can find Keli at:

https://www.twitch.tv/kelz1977

https://www.tiktok.com/@kelz197777?lang=en

After someone shared her work to their stories, I fell in love with the energy, style, and mashups that Lili aka Floris_Lilium had on her Instagram. I knew she would be someone I'd enjoy getting to have on the podcast and share her stories. One "Yes" later, and here we are!

We focus solely on two topics for today. The first conversation is one then goes back to her childhood. Dancing. Lilil talks about how she first got into dance, and the styles of dance she did and currently does. We talk about how she got back into dance when she got older, and more importantly, why she does it. She talks about some of her dance experiences, parade dancing, and more.

The other half of the episode, and blending in with dance, is Cosplay. We hit the normal questions - why and how she got into cosplay, some of her works... but here at Tales from the Fandom, we ask the hard hitting questions. Like how hard is it to dance while wearing a Mandalorian helmet? Plus, she talks about the various mashup Mando's she done, the popularity of her Squirtle playing the Saxophone, and much more.

You can find Lili at:

https://www.instagram.com/floris_lilium/

https://www.tiktok.com/@floris_lilium

https://www.facebook.com/people/floris_lilium/61550844826669

https://linktr.ee/floris_lilium

Referenced in the podcast:

Eddie Torres Jr - https://www.instagram.com/eddietorresjr

Crafty Contraptions - https://www.instagram.com/craftycontraptions

The Kantolorians - https://www.instagram.com/the_kantolorians

In the Orlando area? Check out Santo Rico Dance Studio - https://www.instagram.com/santo.rico