Buffering the Vampire Slayer

Kristin Russo (born December 17, 1980) is an American speaker, personality, and LGBTQ activist. She is the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Everyone Is Gay[2] and My Kid Is Gay[3], organizations that provide advice, guidance, and education to LGBTQIA youth and their families, and is the co-author of This Is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids[4] (Chronicle, 2014).

Jenny Owen Youngs (born November 22, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter.[5] She has released three albums and several EPs both independently and via Nettwerk Records,[6][7] and has toured worldwide. Youngs is also a songwriting collaborator whose cuts include the 2018 Panic! at the Disco single "High Hopes",[8] as well as songs with Brett Dennen, Ingrid Michaelson, Shungudzo, Pitbull, and others.

Youngs and Russo were married when they began the podcast, though they separated in May 2018.[9] They have been described as contributing to a "golden age of queer women in podcasting".[10]

Each episode of Buffering includes an original song by Youngs and Russo, reflecting the episode they are discussing. Albums of all songs from each completed season of the podcast are available on Spotify and Apple Music, and lyrics are published on the Buffering The Vampire Slayer website.[11]

Youngs and Russo have also created short "jingles" honouring specific characters from Buffy, including Spike, Giles, and even Vampire Willow.[12]

Special interviews and appearances on Buffering the Vampire Slayer have included:

• Kate Leth, who provides sporadic "Buffy Fashion Watch" segments to the show
• Armin Shimerman, who played Principal Snyder in Seasons 1–3 of Buffy[13]
• Kristine Sutherland, who played Buffy's mother, Joyce Summers, in Seasons 1–5 of Buffy[13]
• Harry Groener, who played Mayor Richard Wilkins III in Season 3 of Buffy[13]
• Nerf Herder, the band who wrote the Buffy theme song[13]
• Doug Jones (actor), who played the leader of the Gentleman in the Season 4 episode "Hush".[13]
• James Marsters, who played Spike in Seasons 2–7 of Buffy and Seasons 1, 2, and 5 of Angel.[13]
• Sophia Crawford, who was the stunt double for Sarah Michelle Gellar in Seasons 1–4 of Buffy.[13]
• Jeff Pruitt, who was the stunt coordinator on Seasons 1–4 of Buffy.[13]
• Lindsay Crouse, who played Professor Maggie Walsh in Season 4 of Buffy.[13]
• David Wells, who played the Cheese Man in the Season 4 episode "Restless".[13]
• Seth Green, who played Daniel "Oz" Osbourne in Seasons 2–4 of Buffy and Season 1 of Angel.[13]
• Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on Seasons 1–3 of Buffy and every season of Angel.[13]
• Mercedes McNab, who played Harmony in Seasons 1-5 of Buffy and Seasons 2 and 5 of Angel.

Russo and Young's motivation to create the show is based on interests in fandom, science fiction and queer politics that can be discussed in relation to the show. According to Russo and Young, they have "wanted to make a Buffy podcast forever" to explore this.[14] The podcasts often focus on the politics and social movements within Buffy, including "analyzing the lack of racial diversity in the early seasons of the show, misogynistic and patriarchal themes as they pop up, and the queer subtext".[13]

Buffering the Vampire Slayer recognition:

• Esquire Magazine - 21 Best Podcasts of 2018,[15]
• Time Magazine - The 50 Best Podcasts to Listen to Right Now,[16]
• Buzzfeed - 27 Podcasts You Need to Listening to in 2018,[17] particularly for its "character jingles, a fashion watch, and sexual tension awards."
• Autostraddle - 14 Best Podcasts For Escaping News & Politics (2017),[18] and top 9 queer-run podcasts.[19]

Buffering the Vampire Slayer is financially supported by over 2,000 patrons on Patreon.[20]

Buffering has also hosted a number of community events, including live episode recordings and the "Buffy Proms" of 2018 and 2019.[21][22]

Upon Buffering the Vampire Slayer commencing coverage of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 4, a spin-off podcast Angel on Top was created. Angel on Top is hosted by Brittany Ashley and Laura Zak and derives its name from a line in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode Amends. This particular spin-off podcast to Buffering the Vampire Slayer discusses the TV show Angel,[13] during the episodes as opposed to discussing Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffering the Vampire Slayer and Angel on Top are released on alternating weeks.[13]

• Official website
• Episode transcriptions