Keep It!

Keep It! launched on Crooked Media in January 2018 as a weekly show examining pop culture and politics through a queer lens, and it quickly carved out a devoted audience. The show was originally co-hosted by Ira Madison III and Louis Virtel, whose chemistry and razor-sharp cultural commentary made it appointment listening for anyone interested in Hollywood, music, and the intersection of entertainment with social issues. In July 2025, Ira Madison III departed the show after seven years, with his final episode fittingly titled "The End of an Ira." Since then, Louis Virtel has continued as the primary host, bringing in a rotating cast of guest co-hosts who keep the conversation fresh. Louis is an Emmy-nominated TV writer with an encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture history — he can pivot from a detailed breakdown of Oscar campaigns to a passionate defense of a 1990s one-hit wonder without missing a beat. Each episode runs about an hour and tackles the week's biggest entertainment stories with a mix of genuine criticism and comedic commentary. The show doesn't just report on celebrity news; it contextualizes it, pulling in threads about representation, industry politics, and cultural shifts. The Crooked Media production is clean and professional, and the show's willingness to have actual opinions — not just hot takes — gives it more substance than your average entertainment recap. Keep It! remains one of the sharpest pop culture podcasts around, even as it navigates a significant transition in its hosting lineup.