Drag Bingo!

If you're reading this, you're probably already my friend and probably know that I recently moved to Washington, DC. Well, I recently did something fantastic that I could not have done in my previous homes; I attended drag bingo! Yes, on Tuesday night, I went with some friends to Drag Bingo at Nellie's, our local gay sports bar. It was hosted by these two fabulous ladies:



Shi-Queeta-Lee, and...



Akasha S. Cassadine!

Now at it's core, this event is just bingo being conducted by drag queens, but the following things greatly elevated the event:

- Shi-Queeta-Lee was on something, thus causing her to be even more insane than usual. She made a few references to giving out pot as a prize, but I think it was something stronger, based on her behavior.

- It was some girl's birthday; Shi-Queeta-Lee first called her Ugly Betty and then convinced her to flash her boobs to the bar. In return, the girl was given a bucket of beers.

- Shi-Queeta-Lee also removed the shirt from a straight guy who was silly enough to admit to being straight. He was a great sport about it, though, and I question his proclaimed heterosexuality; when he bumped into my roommate while trying to sit down, he said, "Sorry honey, I have a fat ass."

-And most importantly, my roommate won a waffle iron! Drag queen-supplied waffle brunch is totally on this weekend.

So yeah, it was a great time. If you're in DC on a Tuesday, you should go. Yay city life.

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Life's A Drag

I've been thinking about drag a lot lately.



No, not that kind.



Not that drag either.



Yes, that's the one.


Yes, I've recently spent a lot of time ruminating about drag queens. This has mostly been spurred on by the superb reality show RuPaul's Drag Race, which is sort of the drag queen version of America's Next Top Model, but 100x better. (If you haven't seen it, all the episodes are online at the offical site.) While watching, I've come to realize the extent to which I think drag is an important part of gay culture, although I'm still having a hard time articulating why.

I think what I like about drag is that it's still something very "other" for our community. The gay movement is becoming more and more about gaining equal rights and assimilating into society as a whole, and while I think this is an admirable goal, I still like the idea of having something for ourselves. Drag fits that niche for me; it's something fabulous and strange and wonderful that many straight people just don't get. For example, when the drag episode of Project Runway aired last year, my mom expressed her concern at the preview, saying that the queens were "sort of scary." (She ended up enjoying it, though.) I like that notion of maintaining something important to gay history (Legend has it that a drag queen threw the first stone at Stonewall) as we move forward, even if I'm possibly being deliberately separatist from the larger heterosexual community.

Of course, lest I get too weighed down by lofty rhetoric about the virtues of drag, I also have to point out that it's just really fun. There's nothing quite like a really good drag performance; it's hilarious, entertaining, interesting and makes you want to give the performer your money. Plus, drag queens are some of the wittiest folks around. For example, observe this interaction between a Canadian drag queen named Fahren Heit and a patron in the crowd who was wearing a pink plaid shirt:

Fahren: Are you a top or a bottom?
Guy: Um, I can do either.
Fahren: Honey, you don't wear a gay tablecloth to the bar and pretend like you're a top.

All this thinking has led me to consider the obvious question: would I be a good drag queen? I like to think I can be rather wittily caustic when I need to be and I'm pretty good in heels, but that's about where it ends. I don't think I'd make a very attractive queen, and I'd probably want to lip-sync Kate Bush or Adult. or something else entirely drag-inappropriate. (Although when I dance to "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga, it gets pretty draggy.) Plus, when you're a queen, everyone comes after you. Straight society thinks you're crazy and bitchy patrons think you're not doing a good enough job. (I speak as a bitchy patron, although I've never told a queen she wasn't good.) I wouldn't be able to handle the pressure. (However, the Rupaul's Drag Race Drag Name Generator on Facebook told me that if I were to be a queen, my drag name would be Barbara Seville. I like it.)

In conclusion, I encourage you to show your appreciation for your neighborhood drag queen. Shout "WORK!" at her when she does something great. Tell her she looks fabulous. Give her air kisses, and if she's feeling touchy, a light hug. She'll appreciate the attention.

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Project Runway Rundown: Drag Me Up, Drag Me Down

After five seasons of this show, the drag episode finally arrived, and I have to say, for sheer entertainment value, it didn't disappoint. And because it was such a fun episode this week, I'm going to review EVERY outfit. Hooray!


Joe



For a guy who has probably not had too much exposure to drag, Joe really knocked this one out of the park. Although it seems like half of the design came from Varla herself (she even had appropriate accessories), Joe still executed it surprisingly well, given some of the fit issues he's had in the past. It flattered Varla's figure, emphasizing and de-emphasizing the correct respective things. I personally favored Terri's outfit, but each of the top 3 was deserving, and it came down to the judges' personal taste.

Korto



This was an absolute delight. I'm surprised that she didn't tell the judges her concept of "Women in Heat," because that piece of wit might have carried her to the win. (Of course, maybe she did and we just didn't see it.) Although they're not as visible in this picture, I loved the "rays" of sunlight coming out of the shoulder, and the detachable skirt would make for an excellent effect in a drag show. Again, a strong contender for the win. Korto seemed to be faltering for a bit, but I think she's definitely back and has a great shot of making it to Bryant Park.

Terri



Terri took a lot of risks with this outfit. There is a WHOLE LOT going on, but I think it absolutely works, especially given Acid Betty's persona. I love the blue striped fabric's placement on the kimono, and the red corset is an excellent play on an obi. I think what prevented Terri from getting the win is that this is more "scary drag" than "fun drag." Sweetie and Varla look approachable , while Betty just looks like she'll stab you. Still, this would have been my pick for the win (I feel like I'm always writing that about Terri), and I'm amazed she hasn't taken one yet.

Blayne



This picture really makes this outfit look better than it was. That drooping wing on the runway was pathetic, and the fringe is too long. The dress itself wasn't awful, and I actually really like the color panels, but the wings are too distracting, so it's difficult to really appreciate it. Blayne continues to just scrape by.

Kenley



Barf. This is bad. Kenley really lucked out to not hit bottom 3 this time around. It just looks like a bad Marilyn Monroe costume that you could get at any costume shop. It doesn't look well-made, and it's not the least bit interesting. Kenley = way overrated.

Leanne



On the flipside, Leanne = way underrated. The more I look at this, the more amazing it is. This is some couture shit right here. I feel like I'm starting to get a handle on Leanne's aesthetic - it's very architectural, sort of like the similarly adorable Marie-Genvieve from Project Runway Canada. Hell, I would wear this in the right circumstances. Also, Leanne used the word "barflicious" on national TV, which instantly makes us best friends.

Stella



At first glance, I liked this, but upon further reflection, it looks a bit too Hot Topic/plaid Elvira for me. The train is too long, and I think the look would benefit from the removal of that little flap that's hanging down over her legs. Still, the design is unmistakably Stella's. She's doing a better job of adapting her aesthetic to the individual challenges than she was at first, but I think she's doomed to make it somewhere around 5th-7th place.

Suede



I don't know what happened to Suede, but for these last two episodes, he's seemed to be on the verge of an aneurysm. I kind of love that Hedda almost made him cry, though. The gloves do make her look a little bit like Godzilla, and the look is a bit too literal (although I guess subtlety isn't a prized characteristic among drag queens). All in all, it's perfectly fine, but not anything stunning. Still, something Suede said has provoked my newest Project Runway rule:

Project Runway Season 5 Rule #2: Your dead grandpa didn't help you design your outfit.

Jerell



And we reach the Bottom 3! This was pretty much a mess, and I continue to not get Jerell at all. Although I think the judges overstated the normalcy of this outfit, it wasn't all that exciting. The fringe was indeed too long, and that collar just looks sloppy. It looks gross down, and when it was up, it was uneven and framed her face strangely. Perhaps most tragically, she pretty much just looks like a man in a dress. Rough.

Keith



This look was brought to you by my nonexistent cat. Seriously, what the hell is this? I am baffled by Keith's inability to get auf'd. Obviously, this was my least favorite.

Daniel



Oh Daniel. Unlike many PR fans, I've been rooting for Daniel. I think he's just not meant for this competition. I thought this dress was really pretty and well-made, but he definitely could have gone further with it, especially on the bust. (Based on some of his post-show interviews, it sounds like she actually didn't want him to do such a thing.) Maybe I was blinded by fandom, but I was shocked that Keith stayed in while this was auf'd. I think Daniel will flourish in a more normal fashion environment, and if he and Wesley ever need a third, he should give me a call.

Next week: LAURA! LAURA! LAURA! Hooraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

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