Host: The Exhausted Queers Radio Hour (Every other Tuesday 2 p.m.-4 p.m. PST)
On Freeform Portland Since: 2026
Instagram: @the_blanche_deverheaux
Tell me about the role that music plays in your life and why you decided to join Freeform Portland.
I am never not listening to music. If music isn’t playing in the background with at least one of my cats caterwauling to the songs along with me everything feels off and I don’t know what to do.
I recently moved to the PNW from the Bible Belt and I immediately went in search of the region’s local community radio stations. I was involved in KDHX, St Louis’ local station before it closed down and was eager to join the scene out here.
Tell me about your show.
My show, The Exhausted Queers Radio Hour, is a project I started with my best friend Mary during the pandemic. I said something so blasé like “Oh it’s just another day of hanging out with these exhausted queers” and thought, OH SNAP. I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WITH THIS. I lost Mary tragically two years ago to suicide, but I’m keeping our ideas alive by showcasing stories and music by queer people, hopefully contributing to and creating queer culture, and reaching isolated and marginalized queer people.
Finish this sentence: “Freeform Portland is…”
Freeform Portland is… an an organization that uplifts people and perspectives legacy media ignores.
Three songs you’re digging right now:
I am listening to “This is Not A Test” by Carole Pope, “Doing It” by Virgin X, and “Smalltown Boy” by Orville Peck.
Can you share a favorite musical memory?
In 2016, my cat Madeline had a litter of kittens and suddenly I found myself in a predicament. I had to change my whole life and commit to being a crazy cat lady while balancing work and DJing, and I very publicly made a statement that I was going to allow the kittens to listen to Peaches at home, where I could teach them about the lyrics and the importance of the Teaches of Peaches, and the community was largely very supportive. People started coming to my shows and asking what the kittens were listening to and it became a whole thing. Someone would come and say “You know I think Prudence and I have the same taste in music…” These people aligning themselves to my cat’s taste in music informed my shows. Like if a lot of Prudence fans showed up I knew to play a lot of The Cure and the like. DJing to mentally ill queer people in small towns is wild, but those are my people.
Tell me about musical artists that inspire you.
I’m super inspired by Carole Pope. I just discovered her music randomly one day while watching old SCTV episodes and I just happened upon the iconic episode where her band Rough Trade guest starred. I thought “Who the hell are these people? That’s an amazing name for a band! Oh my god that woman is hot! How do I not know these people?!” And I fell down the rabbit hole… The next thing I saw of them was the MIND BLOWING performance she did live on Canadian talk show Gzowski in 1971 in a silver lame space suit singing about being butch while doing pelvic thrusts and I have never recovered.
I had such a maternal instinct come over me and I thought “Oh my god I must protect this child!”, and then I had to come to my senses, and realize this lady is 79 years old, this performance was well before I was born, she’s kind of done a good job taking care of herself long before I got here. I mean I had to get it together. And so anyway, I reached out to her and I help her occasionally with her social media now, lol.
Why is Freeform Portland and community radio important?
Freeform Radio provides hyper-local news, about local events and scenes. It amplifies underrepresented voices, and fosters social cohesion and local connection that commercial media ignores. The station empowers communities by enabling and empowering the marginalized to produce content. So personally, Freeform Radio is giving me the opportunity to keep the ideas of me and my best friend alive while trying to serve the LGBTQIA2+ community.
What is a genre/artist/record that some might be surprised to find in your collection?
I have a bunch of old musicals and operas on vinyl. I never play that stuff, it’s my private stash.
Given everything happening in the world today, what’s one song you turn to for comfort or inspiration?
I find tapping into angrier music is rather therapeutic right now, but not just random metal or screamo. Virgin X is really spitting some truth right now, connecting ecocide, transphobia, racism, patriarchy, and fascism, along with Delilah Bon’s Dead Men Don’t Rape.
Tips for aspiring DJs?
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You have to just jump in with both feet and screw up before you can get good at anything, so just do it. No time to waste.
