FOURTH OF JULY

A Happy Fourth of July to you All!!!

We will be returning sooner or later. I hope my houseboys haven't been a issue?

Speaking of boys, now go enjoy a good foot long and a libation.

🎆🧨🎇🇺🇸🧨🎆🎈🇺🇸🎇

GAY PRIDE-AMANDA LEPORE

We always hear of our brave trans brothers and sisters of yore, and how trailblazing they were and what they did to get where they were. But what of the current trailblazers? Amanda Lepore for me is definitely a trailblazer, and one it seems I have seen many times over the years and into the carnation she is now. No way could you go out in NYC clubbing in the late 80's and 90's and beyond and not seen or met Amanda Lepore. You would not forget her eye-popping looks and style. To me she was brave. She made and set her mind to be who she wanted and no denying she forged her own signature style. Growing up in suburban NJ during the 70's while often being bullied at school for being different, Amanda left home, and at 17 she used a legal loophole to marry a male bookstore owner who helped her get and pay for her early gender-affirming surgeries. However, the relationship, was unhappy and turned abusive, as her husband wanted to keep her locked away. Over time she would stash grocery money to escape and eventually did and move to NYC. By the early 90's she was swiftly embraced by the city's most out there nightlife and fashion scenes. She freaked out America on the talk show circuit when many trans would not even still come out in the light so to speak. Proving she is not just a Warholian embodiment of famous for being famous, hard-grafting Amanda started getting paid to just show up at clubs and parties, and appeared in the music videos of other artist, while breaking into a spokes model position with MAC and the Heatherettes, not to mention became a huge muse for David Lachapple. It was soon after her appearance with surgical enhancements would eventually morph into a more extreme vision of an old Hollywood, high glamour prototype. And a body akin to a work of art. But it works.

Spending the past 28 years gracing or performing her own music and cabaret routines at just about every notable niterie in NYC and beyond, she also found time to write a bestselling autobiography in 2017, entitled Doll Parts, and launched her own line of infamous lipsticks. I have the upmost respect for her and admiration for being that brave, leaving home with almost nothing, and NOT HIDING she was trans. Normally I'm also not into plastic surgery on people, but for some reason her Marilyn Monroe meets Jessica Rabbit works, I mean, only Amanda can pull this off. Such dedication to style and image...I mean her wigs are absolutely stunning and she always does her own make up btw. I had the pleasure to meeting her in NYC and New Hope on several occasion and she is about the most approachable, gentle and good-humored natured person you'll meet. Our clan's own Preston was even in the same yoga classes as her and said you wouldn't believe it...Amanda was there in sweats and her own hair and still looked glam! Not bad for a scared, picked on trans sister with a few bucks starting out huh? Think of the roads and inspiration she gave to future scared trans people and youth.

That is all to say, Amanda is such a fabulous one -off.

BLACK FRIDAY

Amanda Lepore

 Yesterday was a good day! The dinner went off without a hitch, and our guest here had a good time, and at one point even got teary eyed by the invite and caring of people to invite them, which then got me started. I hope they will all be safe, and I told them I read that KKKaroline Levett's own sister-in-law was arrested and now detained by ICE! What goes around, comes around I say. It was the right thing to do yesterday, and everyone sent home with leftovers, with plenty still left. I was exhausted, and happy I can sleep in today, with no work. So I'm heading back to bed. And trust me I won't be going out nor contributing to the consumerism of Black Friday. I have Black Friday here....my style.

Andrina Black

Legends of NYC L-R Tony Sheldon, Sherry Vine, Bianco Del Rio, Will Swenson, Nick Adams, Lady Bunny and BeBe Zahra Benet, cira 2008

Mary Mac

Flotilla DeBarge and Joey Arias

Marsha Law

Shades of Black Excellence...L-R K'hen Trailz,Leilani J Ross, Dynasty Banks, THE Tommie Ross, Hu'nee  B, Chole Crawford and Blackberri.

Utica

Bob the Drag Queen

CATEGORY IS.....

.... Legendary, Icon, Glam Fashionista

Amanda Lepore

THE MUSE

In my opinion, Amanda Lepore is much under appreciated. I'm sure at some point you've heard of her, or at least of seen her photo on the interwebs or a magazine. I have long adored her, even as a young gayling, I remember seeing her, and I assumed she was just a drag queen. She is also one of the reasons I wanted to do drag. She made me realize just how much I loved woman's fashion and all the glamour. Anyone involved in fashion, the club scene, or music has probably seen or met Amanda. When I found out she was actually a transsexual, if blew my mind. I didn't even know it was possible. What I respect the most, is that she never once hid the fact she was a transsexual, but flaunted it in a time when there was not much known about the process or even talk of trans people. That's ballsy you ask me. Yet I feel she is over looked for being a trailblazer and a hero. And she had it tough. She grew up in New Jersey to a chemical engineer father, and a mother who was a housewife but suffered from severe schizophrenia, and who spent most of her time in mental institutions. Ever since she could remember she felt like a girl, and thought her parents were crazy dressing her like a boy.  I her early teens she beginning making costumes for a transgender friend in exchange for female hormones.  She parents ended up withdrawing her from school and getting her a private tutor, and then to a psychologist, who helped her obtain a prescription to begin female hormone therapy.  When things soured with her parents, she eventually met and married a male bookshop owner, who again wasn't the best influence, but her father in law saw to it that she got a reassignment surgery at 19, and then left her husband to head to New York. 

 It's wasn't easy for her there at first either.  She tried to establish herself as a nighttime figure, including being a member of New York City's Club kids, she supported herself by working in a nail salon, and a part time dominatrix, and later a cosmetics girl at the infamous, but now defuncted Patricia Fields.  After meeting some time later photographer David LaChapelle, at the Bowery Bar one night, everything changed and she became a muse for him on several projects. You could say her career took off. Clubs noticed, and soon she was getting paid and still does, to just show up.

I think she is amazing. While her appearance may be very extreme and exaggerated to some, and her glamour over the top, and no one can work a pair of pasties on their ta's ta's like her, one must have respect for her. Not only did she brave and buck back against society with being trans, she supported herself and made a name for herself. I think she is actually a good business woman you ask me. Oh sure, she gets paid to show up just like Kim Kardashian to things, but the difference is Amanda has talent. Her modeling work is incredible,  she can work a room and a runway like no one's business, and she has a entertaining cabaret act where she sings and does simple burlesque. She's been a muse not only for LaChapelle, but several times for Cazwell,  and lately for Suki Waterhouse.  I also have to respect her for keeping her roots. She started in the club scene with Ru and Gaga when they were all club kids. But unlike the prior two, Amanda, just like James St James, Richie Rich, Lady Bunny Kyle Farmery and Linda Simpson, she kept,  and  still in deep to the club scene, which I think is cool. She has had songs, cosmetics endorsements,  and a photo book deal called Doll Parts. Hell, I wish I got paid just to show up at clubs!!!! 

And on top of all that, she is a real sweet heart. I have met her three times, twice at Susanne  Bartsche events and once right here in New Hope for her cabaret show. She is not stand off at all and will talk with anyone, and I must say she also has some of the most eye-popping day looks I've seen. 

Amanda Lepore should not be discounted....she is a brave soul and to me, she is just pure magic.  Here is her latest gig getting steamy with Suki Waterhouse, and also one of my favorite Amanda camp videos.

 

And is she not lucky to be all over the hot and hunky Steven Delher???

IN THREE WORDS

Tell us what comes to mind in only three words with our weekly guest. This week someone truly fabulous.

In three words....

Amanda Lepore

DRAG NOSTALGIA IIII

Lady Bunny, Mistress Formica, Sweetie, Anna Conda, Tabooo

In the spring of 1969, the modern gay rights movement was emerging in the United States after all the Stonewall Riots were done. With any drag revues shuttering and the after math of the riots drag was getting near extinct with exemption to major gay clubs...and even then was falling out of vogue. A few queens in the 70's early eighties got things started up again, with exemption to the few well known female impersonators, like Jim Bailey and Charles Pierce.

  Divine was one of the first on the scene and was one of the first queens to break into huge mainstream culture, notably in the films of director John Water. Her fearless and uncompromising manner influenced others to be a badass bitch like herself. Tragically, she died of heart failure in 1988 at the age of 42. Meanwhile on the West Coast we had the like of Pristine Condition

and May Doll,

Jean Hardlows

bringing drag slowly back into the light.

Meanwhile in New York, Mother Flawless Sabrina was out and proud. The flawless one challenged LGBT issues  all along  the east coast and led in rallies against New York businesses that refused to serve gay Americans. She was arrested more than 100 times during her fight to normalize cross-dressing.

Sarria A.K.A. The Widow Norton, Absolute Empress I de San Francisco, was the first openly gay candidate to run for public office in the United States, paving the way for other gay politicians to follow. From the west coast, she was an activist for gay rights during the 1960 and 70's. Sarria also founded the International Court System of the United States which helps aid LGBT issues. Sadly Sarria died in 2013 at age 90.

Pepper LaBeija who was known as “the last remaining queen of the Harlem drag balls”, LaBeija had a successful career as a fashion designer. She ruled the drag scene of the ’70s and early ’80s with her wild persona alongside queens Angie Xtravaganza, Dorian Corey and Avis Pendavis. She passed away in 2003 at the age of 53.

But then in the late 80's there was a drag explosion! I myself firmly believe, in part it was the NYC club kids and Leigh Bowery and the arrival of a yet to be known Rupaul, Lady Bunny and Lahomma Van Zant who arrived from Atlanta with their looks and shtick to get things jump started.

Lady Bunny with Leigh Bowery

Lady Bunny and Rupaul

LaHomma Van Zandt

The club kids with Amanda Lepore

It was glamorous, glitter-drenched nights that crept into mornings. From notorious East Village spots like the Pyramid Club to mega venues like the Palladium, Roxy, the Limelight and The Tunnel, it seemed more and more people were taking notice of drag again....and soon a evolution and eventual explosion of drag into a widely-acknowledged subculture. But in my mind, it wasn't until the 90's that drag really went nuts. I remember living in Harrisburg and started going out in the mid 90's right out of college. I became enthralled by drag when I first met Lady Bunny in New York and that was that. But outside of the big cities it was still risky. It was to the true God Mother of drag, Rupaul, who got to big for New York and went mainstream.

After that, drag came out of the closet and never did go back in. All of a sudden , even in Harrisburg and other little cities drag queens went from 2 to like 20 over night it seemed. Rupaul was everywhere, radio, tv, a talk show and it seemed hard to find anyone who disliked him. RuPaul,to me, really altered history more then anyone. I know people who watch Rupaul's Drag Race, who I never thought would.....and they can't get enough. These queens of the 90's really did bring drag out, and into everybody's face, like Lady Bunny who put on the wildly popular Wigstock every year, and drag shows at clubs would be packed...even still to date. I knew drag was here to stay when one New Year's Eve, yours truly in 2000, went to a party. I was decked in a white floor length,  skin tight gown, that was  lace, beaded and pearled, huge hair with white plumes and doves in it and jewelry. I was informed the party was going downtown right before midnight to watch the ball drop in the center of Harrisburg. Well, I had never been in drag outside a gay club, in a huge crowd before. The friends I went with had rented a limo, which we drove down in. Once there, we got out. I was shocked by the reception. People were enamored by me. people talking to me, and commenting my look. There was even a huge fraternity there from Penn State and they had a group picture taken with me. It was quite something. And this was a time when Harrisburg was not as gay friendly as it is currently.  I swear it was because of Rupaul!!! Everybody loved her and was all curious about drag. I firmly believe because her him, drag was more accepted and more mainstream then ever before. Now we have drag queens on web shows, recording their own tracks and completion shows. And we have all our fore Queens to thank for that and Rupaul. We must always remember our roots and history.

HOLIDAY HAPPY HOUR WITH Ms.LEPORE

The last Friday post of the year....and none to soon!

Overall, I have no complaints of the year, a few rough patches, but overall had a pretty good year. The holiday went by wonderful with family and friends and how can one bitch over a two day work week? But none the less, I'm glad it's Friday and am gearing up to ring out this year...that is for sure. And speaking of  a happy hour, who else does the holidays and a happy hour more fashionable and over the top than the fabulous Amanda Lepore? What a life, to be paid to just show up at clubs and parties..... She has certainly brightened my holidays on her Instagram........

A modern day Jayne Mansfield I say. Mirrors on the ceiling, a gal after my own heart. And now let us get this Happy Hour started!!!!!!

🥂CHEERS🍸