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 Queens

Raven-O, Joey Arias, Sherry Vine

at the fabulous Indochine

GRANDE DAME

There are drag queens and the queens from drag race...and then there are the rare legendary queens that are pure magic...and that is NYC  legend Joey Arias. 

I have long adored Joey's style, the Avant Garde fashion and performances...and her along with Amanda Lepore, Bunny, Mona Foot  Candis Cayne and L'Homma Van Sant WERE the club scene.   After high school he sang with a rock band which had a 1973 single on Capitol Records, and a stint with improvisational comedy group the Groundlings. In 1976 he and his best friend Kim,  drove across country in a pickup truck and moved to New York City, where he's called home ever since.  Arias eventually got a job at the Fiorucci designer clothing store. He and other store staff famously performed  in the shop windows. While working at the store he became friends with alternative musician Klaus Nomi, singing backup and designing sets and costumes. Nomi and Arias appeared on Saturday Night Live accompanying David Bowie for a live performance of three songs:. While in New York, he also performed with Ann Magnuson in a band called Strange Party which recorded and performed in various night clubs. Upon Nomi's death, Arias became executor to the Klaus Nomi estate. A tribute to his friend is held in Berlin every year, and the documentary film The Nomi Song was released in 2004. A film on the life Arias shared with Nomi was in development in 2010 with Alan Cumming slated play Nomi.Arias, gradually became involved in the burgeoning 1980s New York performance art scene, appearing regularly at Club 57 and other downtown venues. During these years he also began crafting a successful career in cabaret, channeling the vocal style and mannerisms of Billie Holiday. Those shows are downright amazing. Arias has moved with the time too. In addition to his successful cabaret he has also starred for some time in Cirque du Soleil's Zumanity. Even now he has  two weekly shows at Joe's Pub and Feinstein's\ 54 Below. I have been asked we certain queens won't go on drag race. I think Arias would sooner have his nails pulled out then go on the 

show!!!

Joey Arias sings!!! 

Now THIS is real talent children...arise!

COME OUT, COME OUT.......

This, being the first Monday and all of the month, I thought what a better time to wish all Happy Pride Tidings. If you go to a Pride in your area for whatever reason, just make sure your there with Pride and be proud, and if your reading this...don't be shy, come out when your ready, but what better time to come out and be amongst kin during Pride month.....

so come out, come out, wherever you are....

And worry not. Dorothy will never leave you!!!

More Fabulous Joey Arias

Earlier today the Mistress featured the ultra talented Joey Arias as my pick for the Grande Dame of the Week. One of my commenter's had mentioned all her clips on you tube. It never occurred to me to put a clip on, I'm such a bad Mistress! Anyway one of the talents he has is impersonating Billie Holiday. Is this not uncanny I ask? As well as talent.

Grande Dame of the Week

Drag virtuoso and legend Joey Arias!



Joey Arias is a talented New York City based performance artist, cabaret singer, and drag artist. As a teenager he got a job at the Fiorucci designer clothing store. He and other store staff were known to first ever perform live (dance & model clothes) in the shop window's. While working at the store he became friends with alternative icon Klaus Nomi .Arias, gradually became involved in the burgeoning 1980s New York performance art scene, appearing regularly at Club 57 and other downtown venues. During these years he also began crafting a successful career in cabaret, based on his talent for channeling the vocal style and mannerisms of the legendary Billie Holiday. He has since recorded several albums and pursued an international nightclub career. His most recent work was performing in Arias with a Twist, a collaboration with puppeteer Basil Twist, at HERE Arts Center in New York and before that as the Mistress of Seduction in the Las Vegas show Zumanity, an "adult-themed" Cirque du Soleil.