Are you gayer than a straight guy? Purdue student creates original game show

By: Madelyn Barnett

August 20, 2026

What do you know about queer history? What about queer culture? And, most importantly, are you gayer than a straight guy?

Those are questions Purdue student Rivers Blue asks contestants in her original game show, “Are You Gayer Than a Straight Guy?” at IndyFringe.

The show, structured as classic trivia, also includes more interactive components such as minigames. During the show queer community members battle a straight man over queer history, culture and iconography.

“My hope is that the audience goes into it with the expectation that it’ll be a fun way of looking at all sorts of different facets of queer culture,” Blue said.

Blue explained that the name for the show came to her one day, but she chose not to pursue it at first. In June 2025, Blue realized the Lafayette Civic Theatre did not have a late-night event for Pride Month.

“I wanted to create something that would remind people that we’ve been through times like these before,” Blue said, “and we’ve thrived in spite of it, and that we’ve always been able to have fun and share joy as a community no matter the conditions.”

Blue recognized that the show was successful at the Civic Theatre, but she did not initially consider doing it again. When Tony Sirk, the costume design manager at Purdue, encouraged Blue to fill out an application for the Indy Fringe, he also offered to produce the show.

“I really owe so much of the show’s momentum to Tony,” Blue said, “He’s been incredibly supportive the whole way, and he’s put so much energy, time and trust into the show.”

Blue said writing the first show was simple, but creating fresh categories and questions for every show was a challenge. 

“Sometimes that means getting an idea months before and waiting eagerly to implement it,” Blue said, “and sometimes it means banging my head against a wall 30 minutes before the show to come up with something, anything!”

Yet Blue believes that important things should also be fun.

“I am in the business of making fun and enjoying the time I get to spend with people,” Blue said, “and along with that, I think it’s really important as a member of the queer community to know our history, our culture and to keep awareness of it as high as possible.”