Jonny McGovern lets it all hang out on his top gay podcast, Gay Pimpin’.

By Mike Diamond

Warning: Gay Pimpin’ with Jonny McGovern, iTunes’ number one gay podcast, is not for the easily offended. “If you've ever seen my music videos,” says Jonny McGovern, who is also a cast member of The Big Gay Sketch Show, “being a Gay Pimp is all about lookin' cute, feelin' cute and being confident in your own gay ass while having the most ... fun possible. By extension, Gay Pimpin' is taking all of that, putting it in a big gay blender and serving it up over the Internet.”

A sort of morning zoo crew, circa 2007, Pimpin’ features ringleader McGovern and his saucy co-hosts—longtime collaborator Straighty Martín and Linda James of the tranny rap super-group, La'Mady—dishing on current events, NYC nightlife and the ever popular celebrity meltdowns (in the recurring spot “Celebrity Donkey Punch”). “We'll read an article in the tabs and that will turn into a sketch where I play Britney Spears, Linda plays her mom, and Martín plays both Sean Preston and Jayden” explains McGovern. “Her latest OK! Magazine shoot meltdown, her multiple [crotch flashes], her terrible child rearing and bad taste has kept us fully inspired.” Boasts Jonny of his co-hosts, “They're both hilarious in different ways and we all love working together.”

The three have a chemistry that is evident throughout each of the podcast’s episodes. “Anything that amuses us gets turned into a sketch, a story or a song that day while we're recording,” explains McGovern. “It's all very spontaneous and it's like we're throwing a big party that just happens to be in a room with microphones everywhere.”

Pimpin’ appeals to a huge, and apparently growing, audience with its potent mix of irreverent humor, sophomoric smut talk and wacky characters—like Chocolate Puddin’, who McGovern describes as an “ex-blaxploitation movie star who's perennially attempting a come back, whether it's by auditioning for the part of Harry Potter, or whether its developing a premium skin care line—Puddin’ for the Face—for QVC or any other number of ill-advised career moves.”

A parade of notorious nightlife celebutants add their own special magic to the Pimpin’ podcast, including transsexual style icon Sophia Lamar and her popular segment, “What Sophia Lamar Hates.” “For all of her hate, the fans tell us that it's one of the most beloved segments of the show,” says McGovern.

McGovern and his crew are proud of their work on Pimpin’ and its impact on a substantial segment of its audience. “Since the show started in early 2006, we've gotten hundreds of e-mails from gay teens who listen to the show not only to laugh, but to help them feel connected to the larger gay culture … It's helped some of them come out of the closet and in a non-preachy, funny way; it's made them feel great about being gay.”

To check out Gay Pimpin’ with Jonny McGovern, download the podcast for free on iTunes.