Category Archives: Comedy
Lady Bunny and Bianca Del Rio Team up for Hateful Hags
Hateful, sassy and sometimes lewd and crude! Lady Bunny and Bianca Del Rio team up for a Vimeo event called HATEFUL HATES NETWORK.
(From INSTINCT Magazine)- For drag performers, performing during these challenging times has proven to cause performers to be beyond inventive. From shows direct from their living rooms to Brandon Voss’ Drive ‘N Drag nationwide series, queens have managed to keep their art alive and thriving during this time. Sherry Vine & Jackie Beat for example, have continued their famed Battle of the Bitches shows live online, (the most recent was the Halloween themed Battle of the Witches) and another famed duo is about to hit our small screens with their own patented brand of twisted comedy.
Legendary Wigstock creator/DJ/drag legend Lady Bunny and RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6 winner turned stand up drag sensation Bianca Del Rio are co-anchoring HHN: Hateful Hags Network, a roast/cable news channel hybrid, where they will be delivering everything from filthy jokes to a a musical number, in only the way this duo can. They promise equal opportunity hate for RuPaul’s Drag Race queens from all seasons, tossing in some costume changes and…a surprise guest?
Lady Bunny exclusively tells EW “Enough with COVID and politics. It’s time for something really important… back-stabbing drag queens!” while Bianca Del Rio adds: “Due to COVID, some ‘Drag Race’ queens have opened OnlyFans accounts. Bunny and I would never do that. Not because of any moral objections — because we’re ugly!”
Tune in to ‘HHH: Hateful Hags Network’ on Thursday, November 12th at 8PM EST. Tickets are $9.99 at Vimeo.
Pride 2020 Drag Fest Weekend June 19-21
OVER 100 OF NYC’S GREATEST DRAG PERFORMERS JOIN MARTI GOULD CUMMINGS & THE ONLY PRODUCTIONS FOR “PRIDE 2020 DRAG FEST: A WEEKEND TO SUPPORT OUR QUEENS”
NYC PRIDE and GLAAD to Support Three Day Digital Drag Festival to Celebrate Pride and Raise Funds for Local Drag Performers
RuPaul’s Drag Race Stars Jan, Heidi N. Closet, Nicky Doll, Shuga Cain, Brita Filter, Milk, Honey Davenport, Jiggly Caliente, and Dusty Ray Bottoms among Participants
Political activist and New York City drag staple Marti Gould Cummings and The Only Productions today announced the largest digital drag festival during Pride 2020. More than 100 performers are scheduled to appear during “Pride 2020 Drag Fest,” an official event of NYC Pride and supported by national LGBTQ advocacy organization GLAAD. The virtual performances will run each day from 6:30-8pm EST beginning on Friday, June 19 and through Sunday, June 21, 2020. The video events will stream on NYC Pride and GLAAD’s Facebook pages. Viewers can contribute directly to each performer during their scheduled time through donations to their Venmo profiles and donation platforms highlighted during the broadcast.
For more information: https://www.nycpride.org/events/pride-2020-dragfest
“Since before Stonewall our drag community and our trans community have rallied to stand up and fight for equality and justice,” said Marti Gould Cummings. “As we grapple with the new normal of our daily lives we must continue in the footsteps and carry on the spirit of Pride. We may not be able to meet in person this year but Pride will live on as we gather digitally to celebrate our drag community and honor the legacy of Masha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and the activism that so many LGBTQ icons ushered in.”
Performers slated to appear during “Pride 2020 Drag Fest” include RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Jan, Heidi N. Closet, Nicky Doll, Shuga Cain, Brita Filter, Milk, Honey Davenport, Jiggly Caliente, Dusty Ray Bottoms, plus NYC drag stars including Jasmine Rice LaBeija, Sherry Vine, Shequida, Pixie Aventura, Horrorchata, Merrie Cherry, and over 100 others. For a full list of talent visit: https://www.nycpride.org/events/pride-2020-dragfest
According to Vice.com: “While nearly all businesses in the U.S. have been threatened by the outbreak, bars and nightclubs that cater to the LGBTQ community are particularly vulnerable because they already operate under extremely small margins.” Many drag performers have started hosting virtual performances, while several LGBTQ bars and nightclubs have launched crowdfunding pages to support employees.
“You cannot have Pride without a little (or a lot) of Drag. This performance of gender expression has been a staple of the LGBTQIA+ community throughout its history, bringing with it a sense of vibrancy and power that can be felt at every NYC Pride event,” Shawn Kobetz, Partnerships Manager, NYC Pride. “We at NYC Pride are proud to stand with our drag friends and family from around the world during these trying times. We hope this event provides much needed support and entertainment for our community.” Last week, NYC Pride began announcing virtual events to celebrate Pride 2020 and bring NYC’s LGBTQ community together including a special broadcast event with WABC-TV Channel 7.
Marti Gould Cummings is a NYC-based drag artist, television personality, and political activist. Throughout their nearly decade long drag career Marti has been a regular fixture in the nightlife world who uses their platform to spread a message of equality, acceptance, and kindness. Marti has appeared across media outlets including The New York Times, New York Daily News, People and Good Morning America online to speak about LGBTQ issues and, most recently, about COVID-19’s impact on LGBTQ New Yorkers.
“COVID-19 has closed LGBTQ safe spaces including community centers, bars, and nightclubs which served as lifelines for so many LGBTQ people, and it has also delivered an unexpected and urgent financial loss to talented performers and employees who worked in these spaces,” said GLAAD Chief Communications Officer Rich Ferraro. “Both during Pride month and beyond, our community needs to join together to support drag performers and other talent who have always supported us.”
More information about “Pride 2020 Drag Fest: A Weekend to Support Our Queens” visit: https://www.nycpride.org/events/pride-2020-dragfest
Paige Turner, Sutton Lee Seymor and Jackie Cox June 27-28
WORLD PRIDE WEEKEND! Get your tickets now – THIS WILL SELL OUT!
See what happens when three fierce drag divas all vie for the spotlight in this hilarious evening of sisterhood and friendship told through the music of Stephen Sondheim, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The First Wives Club , La La Land and More!
Performances are WORLD PRIDE WEEKEND Friday June 28th and Saturday June 29th at 7pm Tickets are $22 ($35 VIP with meet & greet, preferred seating and photo), and may be purchased online at
http://spincyclenyc.com/index.php/pride/479-own-me-pride
The Laurie Beechman Theatre is located inside the West Bank Cafe at 407 West 42nd Street. There is also a $20 food/beverage minimum at all performances.
Showbiz Spitfire” PAIGE TURNER, Known as the Carol Burnett of Drag, is one the original creators, producers and host of NYC’s live drag reality show “So You Think You Can Drag?” She is a 2 time Glam Award winner and is known for her over the top parodies and comedy. Paige is a regular at the Beechman and has previously been seen in ”Drag me To the Top,” “Confessions of An Un-Natural Blonde,” Make America Gay Again,” “This Show is Gay!” and her annual Christmas and Easter Shows. You Don’t Own Me marks her 10th original show at the Beechman. She tours internationally with Atlantis Cruises and coined the phrase Slurp! She is currently part of the cast of Shade: Queens of NYC, on the Fusion Network.
Known as the “Robin Williams of Drag,” SUTTON LEE SEYMOUR is New York City’s campiest live singing queen of stage and screen, now touring her best selling shows from coast to coast in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Europe, and also the seven seas with Atlantis Events! She is a Glam Award winner as well as Season 4’s winner of So You Think You Can Drag? She has been previously seen at the Beechman in her solo shows Fameish and Camp Queen and as well as Make America Gay Again and She Came Upon a Midnight Clear with Paige and Jackie.
JACKIE COX burst onto the NYC drag scene in 2010 in So You Think You Can Drag and went on to the win coveted role of All Star in 2017. She has headlined her own shows “I Dream of Jackie Part 1 and 2 at the Beechman and is part of the Hells Kitchenette trio. She has also appeared in shows at the Laurie Beechman Theater “Make America Gay Again” and “She Came Upon a Midnight Clear” with Sutton and Paige. and The Crown & Anchor of Provincetown (“Gypsies”). Recently, Jackie appeared on TV in Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live”, winning the title of “Real Queen of Beverly Hills” for her impersonation of TV personality and Depends undergarment spokeswoman, Lisa Rinna and has appeared on ABC’s What Would You Do? As a drag queen coming out to her family.
Queer Ladies Night NYC
QUEER LADIES’ NIGHT
AT THE ROCKWOOD ON OCTOBER 18, 2018
LGBTQ MUSICAL ACTIVIST, JESSIE STANDAFER AND LESBIAN SINGER/SONGWRITER, CASSIDY ANDREWS CELEBRATE QUEER WOMEN IN MUSIC.
Queer women deserve to be seen. They deserve to hear Queer voices, sing Queer songs, and share space together. It is time Queer Women get what they deserve. Share an intimate evening of community, music, and healing. Lesbian singer/songwriters’ Jessie Standafer & Cassidy Andrews have curated a night of music presented exclusively by Lesbian, Bisexual, and Queer women + femmes, and they want YOU in the room!
For full schedule and tickets, please visit http://www.ticketfly.com/
Come and be part of the queerest thing to ever hit Rockwood Music Hall on NYC’s Lower East Side.
Jessie Standafer
Cassidy Andrews
Alexa Wilkinson
Katie Madison
Jamie Hood
Lenaé A. Harris
Janelle Maire
Emily Wolfe
The women featured in this evening have toured and shared the stage with Ingrid Michaelson, Josh Kelley, Natasha Beddingfield, Mieka Pauly, Bess Rogers, Lelia Broussard, Vanessa Carlton, Dar Williams, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, Rosi Golan, Kate Voegele and many more.
Thursday, October 18, 2018, General Admission
Doors: 6:30 PM / Show: 7:00 PM
Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 3 185 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002
WIGSTOCK Returns to New York City 201
WIGSTOCK, the legendary annual event that dominated drag culture from 1985 until 2003, is being relaunched Saturday, September 1, during Labor Day weekend by feisty festival founder Lady Bunny and Tony Award winner Neil Patrick Harris.
The day-long event will take place at the gorgeous new Pier 17 Rooftop in New York City’s Seaport District starting at 2PM and going until 10PM. This event will occur rain or shine.
Official Wigstock Design By ©Tabboo! 2018, courtesy Gordon Robichaux, NY
TICKETS– (Click image above for tickets!)
GENERAL ADMISSION
$95.00 + Ticketmaster Fees
(*YES, $95. Fee’s explained below)
…..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
THE PYRAMID PASS
$250 +Ticketmaster Fees
BENEFITS:
Exclusive surrounded-by-the-action standing ticket in VIP section (Front of Stage & Runway)
VIP post-show backstage afterparty with Drag Queen performers and other cast members
T-Shirt custom designed especially for WIGSTOCK 2.HO by Tabboo!
Commemorative poster
Two (2) Complimentary Drink Tickets
Portion of each Pyramid Pass ticket benefits GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis)
…..……………………………………………………………………………………………
THE WIGSTOCK VERY IMPORTANT QUEEN EXPERIENCE
$1000 + Ticketmaster Fees (Limited Quantities)
BENEFITS:
Exclusive premium VVIP Seating in the VVIP Riser, the only seated section at the event
Premium Open Bar and Food
Exclusive access to the dedicated VVIP lounge and service area
T-Shirt custom designed especially for WIGSTOCK 2.HO by Tabboo!
Autographed commemorative poster (principal cast members including Lady Bunny and Neil Patrick Harris)
VVIP lanyard
Exclusive VVIP reception directly after the show with Lady Bunny and Neil Patrick Harris
VIP post-show backstage afterparty with Drag Queen performers and other cast members
Portion of each VIQ Experience ticket benefits GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis)
*fee’s explained. People have no idea, what costs are involved in throwing a huge event of this magnitude!
Lady Bunny explains. “Hey! I was thrilled by the positive response to Wigstock returning. I wasn’t thrilled by the disappointment from some when they learned that the cheapest tickets were $95—apart from a few blocks of $18.95 tickets. If you think that’s too high, then you know I think it is. When I post about DJing Sundays at The Monster, my favorite thing to type is “Free!” at the end. When I performed Trans-Jester! for two years at Stonewall Inn, I loved making tickets affordable to most at $19.99.
I shun VIP anything, so you know that way higher than $95 VIP tickets was not my idea. Some forget that when we moved the event from Tompkins Square Park to the much larger piers, the production costs grew and we had two choices: to charge admission or not put on the show. We felt so guilty about charging at all that we donated 1/2 of our net profits to GMHC. This year’s tickets sales also contribute a portion to GMHC. So if you think I’m gouging, please know that gouging just isn’t in my nature.
I hope you’ll understand that the last outdoor, full-fledged Wigstock was around 17 years ago. And I’m sure you’ve noticed that the city has changed a lot since then, and is far more upscale. Tompkins Square Park’s bandshell is razed and that rusty pier is shut. I used to pay a permit fee of $50 to the Parks Dpt. for the use of Tompkins Square. The new space costs $35,000 to roll in equipment and use for rehearsals the day before, and $75,000 to use the day of the show and then roll the equipment back out. A whopping $66,000 go to union wages. I was never in charge of Wigstock’s finances, but lordy did I gag at the over $15,000 “filing fee” on this year’s budget. I was too defeated to even ask what that filing fee was for. But we lost our first location and then found this brand new, rooftop concert venue Pier 17 where Diana Ross will perform later in September. If it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for me, I thought. It is gorgeous, and the view of water in the back and a wall of skyscrapers beside the stage is splendid and unique. But not at all cheap.
We’re also paying performers this time around, which only ever happened the two years we did that Wigstock-themed cruise. I’m happy about that, but paying 50+ performers adds up.
Around 13 of them are from out of town and they must be flown in and housed in hotels for two nights because the show starts at 3PM. They can’t arrive the day of the show from LA or SF, and the show needs Lina and Candis and Glamamore and Alaska and Juanita More and Latrice to rule. And if the oldest performing drag queen in the US—Darcelle XV from Portland–needs an assistant along her trip, then I want to provide two tickets for her. Bianca Del Rio will literally wipe off her make-up backstage and hop a flight directly from the festival to Sweden for a gig which pays her more than I ever could. So if her assistant carrying her extra bags of merch needs to accompany her, I want to pay for that. (I never said her plane would actually land, however.)
A bus for the 8 acts coming from Provincetown costs thousands to hire for 24 hours. But these gals have been doing back to back shows all summer and have taken the day off on their last weekend to lose money at Wigstock, departing at 4AM from P’town and back that same night. To me, they are all drag stars who are doing me a huge favor by appearing at all. I can’t repay them with a crappy bus which signals to them that I’m not concerned with their comfort. And have you seen Dina Martina and Ryan Landry? They definitely need to catch up on some beauty rest en route! Desmond Is Amazing needs edits on his track—that comes out of my own pocketbook and I’m happy to pay it. The festival didn’t last for 20+ years because I have a reputation of mistreating talent–or Flotilla. But the costs incurred by talent and the splashy new venue naturally get transferred to ticket buyers.
Most agree that our line-up is a sensational. And while $95 IS pricey, the show is 6 hours long. I totally understand that it may not be affordable for everyone, but that’s what it costs to bring Wigstock back—which is what people all over the world have begged me to do for decades. So we are back on Saturday, September 1st, and I sure hope you can make it!
Invasion of the Pines..Gay New York / Fire Island
Mascara, Mirth & Mayhem is a collection of photographs taken by renowned photographer Susan Kravitz over the past thirty years at the annual LGBTQ event known as the Invasion of the Pines.
The Invasion of the Pines occurs every July 4th and involves participants from the Fire Island communities of Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines. It began in 1976, when a member of the Cherry Grove community had been refused service in a Pines’ restaurant because he had been dressed in drag. In protest, a small group of Cherry Grove residents cross-dressed and took a water taxi to the Pines on Independence Day of that year, to stand up against this “height of insult” by “invading” their neighboring community. Four decades later, the Invasion has evolved into a uniquely raucous event that joyfully celebrates human rights and freedom of expression by thousands of people, straight and gay.
Kravitz’s photographs capture the rebelliousness, the high camp, and the joy of the Invasion. They are provocative, introspective, sad and funny, and tinged with sexual innuendo. Yet they also reflect another journey, one that gives insight into the LGBTQ movement itself.
From the fearful, AIDS-ridden years of the 1980s and 1990s, to the joyous years of this decade when LGBTQ people are out and proud (and, if they choose, legally married), these Invasion photographs celebrate a day to be free, to be whoever you want to be, and to be gay.
“My photographs are as much about the times I which they were taken as they are about the people who populate them. Ultimately, they are about human rights and freedom of expression seen through the lens of the Invasion.” said Kravitz of her eighty-eight color and black and white photographs.
Susan Kravitz is a social documentarian of daily life. Over the past thirty years she has exhibited her photographs in galleries and museums in the United States and abroad, including China, South Korea, Russia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and the Czech Republic. Her Cherry Grove photographs were recently featured on the New York Times Lens blog (A Gay Haven on Fire Island) and in the International New York Times, Paris edition.
The book comes out next week! 148 pages, available in softcover or hardcover.
Book is available now on http://www.
Lady Bunny Back at Stonewall
After a 6-month run last year, Trans-Jester! returns to Stonewall each Tuesday in May at 7PM. $24.99 + 2 drink minimum.
5 shows only and this intimate venue does sell out quickly.
So grab your tix HERE now!
A little about the show:
Lady Bunny is back to take on PC culture and asks “What we are still allowed to laugh at?” Expect new versions of Bunny’s riotous song parodies of hits by Bruno Mars, Adele and Rent. Zinger-filled Laugh-In joke routines keep the energy high, and there are also original songs in which Bunny pokes fun at everything from Caitlyn Jenner to her own sex life. Because we all need a break from politics, Trans-Jester! focuses mainly on gender politics. Do we even know what LGBTIQA stands for any more? There are also swipes at our obsession with cultural appropriation and a tale or two of Bunny reminiscing about spending her 20s and 30s with RuPaul in Atlanta and NYC.
While Bunny shies away from politics in this performance–because one train wreck on stage per night is enough and we all need a break from the toxicity–she doesn’t shy away from gender politics and the new pronoun we’re forced to learn every time Will Smith’s son puts on a dress. After Caitlyn Jenner reached out to Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz to become his “trans ambassador”, Bunny feels that it’s time for the gloves to come off while addressing that car crash. You don’t want to miss Bunny doing Cait’s twisted version of My Favorite Things.
Bunny may also shock you with revelations about her own gender identity. “She” asks pertinent questions about cultural appropriation prior to declaring her undying love for black cock in a vulgar version of Uptown Funk which has left recent audiences in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London reeling with mirth.
Theater queens rejoice! In her loooooong career in nightclubs, Bunny has never delved much into show tunes, but in Trans-Jester, Bunny brings it on home with a show-stopping finale featuring two classics from Gypsy and Follies. The eclectic evening also resurrects songs by country star Lynn Anderson, Millie Jackson and even an original tune which pokes fun at the dating life of whatever sex it is you want to call this “Lady”.
Trans-Jester’s NYC run brought out a wild mix of celebs like Susan Sarandon, Rupert Everett, Andy Cohen, Patricia Field, Anohni, Bianca Del Rio, Michael Musto and John Cameron Mitchell.
Here’s what the press had to say:
Michael Musto for Out.com: “Long running drag star Lady Bunny is currently doing the most screamingly, gratifyingly, crap-your-pants funny show in town. Upstairs at the Stonewall–which was always a riot–Bunny is appearing in Trans-Jester, poking merciless fun at pc normatives. She spins and shimmers in amazing voice. The show is all like that–raunchy and eye opening, fetidly appealing yet thought provoking.”
John Cameron Mitchell: “A scream for sanity from the nastiest, most big-hearted comic performer around.”
Huffington Post Gay Voices: “A gag-worthy show you can’t miss.”
Tickets are as cheap as her humor: $19.99 online and $24.99 cash only at the door.
Please note: This show is raunchy. Not politically correct by definition–that’s the whole point. So if that’s not your cup of tea, you should honestly skip it. Or prepare to grab a drink and laugh, cheer and possibly even be challenged by a salty old kook who isn’t afraid to express herself from a viewpoint which is often unique.
Trans-Jester is written by Lady Bunny and Facebook sensation Beryl Mendelbaum.
5 shows only, so please reserve for guaranteed seats in this intimate venue.
Bunny Gives TRUMP Advice
This is a snippet from her hot new show Trans-Jester! at Stonewall Inn in NYC.
“The show mocks PC culture and is really meant to be a much-needed break from politics before we go crazy, but I did add a little post election humor. Enjoy! And if you are in the NYC area any Wednesday at 7PM and would like to see what the New Yorker called my “latest masterpiece”–here is the link for more info/tickets.
Lady Bunny @ Stonewall EXTENDED
“Watching Lady Bunny perform at Stonewall Inn feels like sitting down at a dance club and listening to someone artfully complain; that’s exactly what the show is.” –Refinery29“Bunny throws down the gauntlet by making a distinction between her post-Holly Woodlawn badass drag self and the gay-world trans stereotype that some people relegate her to.” -The New Yorker
Trans-Jester is written by Lady Bunny and Facebook sensation Beryl Mendelbaum.
53 Christopher Street
Lady Bunny Does Stonewall Bar
TRANS-JESTER starring Lady Bunny
The hardest working drag queen in the world is DOING STONEWALL!
“Long running drag star Lady Bunny is currently doing the most screamingly, gratifyingly, crap-your-pants funny show in town. Upstairs at the Stonewall which was always a riot , Bunny is appearing in Trans-Jester, poking merciless fun at pc normatives. She spins and shimmers in amazing voice. The show is all like that–raunchy and eye opening, fetidly appealing yet thought provoking.” – Michael Musto, OUT
“A scream for sanity from the nastiest, most big-hearted comic performer around.” -John Cameron Mitchell
“A gag-worthy show you can’t miss.” – Huffington Post, Gay Voices
In addition to new parodies of selections from Adele, Rent and Bruno Mars to hilarious, effect punctuated by zany Laugh-In style zingers, Bunny has widened her repertoire to include insightful social commentary. (Well, she thinks it’s insightful, anyway.) Targetting the current overemphasis on political correctness, Bunny breaks down some of the latest buzzwords that we’re all supposed to remember for every for every occasion as we “evolve.” Sometimes, Bunny feels, that we’re actually evolving away from common sense! Take the new name for our community–LGBTIA. Does anyone even know what that means?
While Bunny shies away from politics in this performance–because one train wreck on stage per night is enough and we all need a break from this toxic election–she doesn’t shy away from gender politics and the new pronoun we’re forced to learn every time Will Smith’s son puts on a dress. After Caitlyn Jenner reached out to Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz to become his “trans ambassador”, Bunny feels that it’s time for the gloves to come off while addressing that car crash. You don’t want to miss Bunny doing Cait’s twisted version of My Favorite Things.
Bunny may also shock you with revelations about her own gender identity. “She” asks pertinent questions about cultural appropriation prior to declaring her undying love for black cock in a vulgar version of Uptown Funk which has left recent audiences in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London reeling with mirth.
Theater queens rejoice! In her loooooong career in nightclubs, Bunny has never delved much into show tunes, but in Trans-Jester, Bunny brings it on home with a show-stopping finale featuring two classics from Gypsy and Follies. The eclectic evening also resurrects songs by country star Lynn Anderson, Millie Jackson and even an original tune which pokes fun at the dating life of whatever sex it is you want to call this “Lady”.
Back by popular demand, the show is now back for one month from August 31st-October 1st. Performances are from Wednesday to Saturday at 7PM. Please note: no shows on Thursday September 8th and September 9th. Stonewall is an intimate venue, so please reserve now to guarantee seats! The tickets are a low $19.99–as cheap as her humor–and there may be tickets for cash only at the door after the online sales close nightly at 5:30PM. (There usually are.) There is a two-drink minimum and the drink prices range from $7:50 (beer) to $12 (well drinks). There is no drink maximum, and Bunny’s singing will drive anyone to drink. Doors open at 6PM and seating is first come, first serve.
Please note: This show is raunchy. Not politically correct by definition–that’s the whole point. So if that’s not your cup of tea, you should honestly skip it. Or prepare to grab a drink and laugh, cheer and possibly even be challenged by a salty old kook who isn’t afraid to express herself from a viewpoint which is often unique.
Trans-Jester is written by Lady Bunny and Facebook sensation Beryl Mendelbaum.
53 Christopher Street, New York City, NY 10014
Lady Bunny @ Stonewall Inn – EXTENDED
If you ain’t seen it yet – you MUST!
LADY BUNNY @ Stonewall Inn with her new show, Trans-Jester!
EXTENDED Now thru May 18th!!
Recently Susan Sarandon took a front row seat at Bunnys new show. BOTH are fellow Bernie Sanders supporters.
Says Bun Bun, “It’s Thelma and Sleaze! I was pleasantly surprised that Susan Sarandon popped by my show Trans-Jester at The Stonewall Inn last night. She popped backstage and said the show was “so smart.” Now I might have believed her if she hadn’t been snorting poppers at the time.
Anyhow, it was lovely of her to come and she is both lovely and sweet. And although we are both Bernie Sanders supporters, it was far from a #feelthebern rally. This show is pure comedy and barely mentions the election or politics. I save those toxic posts for Facebook!”
In the last five years, Bunny’s performed two sold out solo shows at La Escuelita. But that venue closed! So Bunny has brought her blend of raucous, irreverent comedy to the even more legendary venue Stonewall.
In addition to new parodies which re-work selections from Adele, Rent and Bruno Mars to hilarious, effect punctuated by zany Laugh-In style zingers, Bunny has widened her—don’t go there!–repertoire to include some actually insightful social commentary. (Well, she thinks it’s insightful, anyway.) Trashing the current overemphasis on political correctness, Bunny breaks down some of the latest buzzwords that we’re all supposed to remember for every for every occasion as we “evolve.” Sometimes, Bunny feels, that we’re actually evolving away from common sense! Take the new name for our community–LGBTIA. Does anyone even know what that means?
Theater queens rejoice! In her loooooong career in nightclubs, Bunny has never delved much into show tunes, but in Trans-Jester, Bunny brings it on home with a show-stopping finale featuring two classics from Gypsy and Follies. The evening also resurrects songs by country star Lynn Anderson, Millie Jackson and even an original tune which pokes fun at the dating life of whatever sex it is you want to call this “Lady”. A proud slut, Bunny lampoons her own senile attempts to keep up with technology in order to still get sex, and the folly of a mature showgirl who appears to be teleported from a 1960s TV set dating the youth which the internet of 2016 yields.
Wednesday thru Saturday evenings. The showtime is 7PM sharp. “I know this show is in a bar and it’s by a drag queen–we are often late–but each performance must end by 9PM so that Stonewall can get back to it’s regular nightly programming. So please arrive a little early and we will start very close to 7PM if not at 7PM”
For more info/tix:
http://
Sherry Vine’s Queer TV Network
Drag Darling Sherry Vine Launches Queer Network, gaySVTVworld
The Internet is getting a whole lot gayer! International drag darling Sherry Vine and former Here-TV executive Josh Rosenzweig are combining their style, humor and sensibility into a one-stop, digital destination for all of the world’s LGBTQ entertainment needs. gaySVTVworld premieres February 14 with original shows, specials, music videos, short films and more: all free at YouTube.com/MissSherryVine.
“The world needs gaySVTVworld because they are hungry for original programming from top queer talent,” says Sherry Vine. “We got ‘em all: Haus Of Mimosa, Pickles, David Serrano, Chris Semers … and this is only the beginning.”
“gaySVTVworld is created by and for LGBTQ audiences,” adds Josh Rosenzweig. “Nobody is going to tell our stories like we will. While our visibility has increased enormously over the last decade with the launch of several LGBT television networks, it is essential that the community have an online space to call our own. A destination where we can go to find like-minded artists and feel the power of the collective.”
While gaySVTVworld draws inspiration from a traditional television model, it also presents a modern digital age spin with all shows under-seven minutes long. “We’re offering short content so people can view several episodes in the same amount of time as one traditional TV show,” explains Vine. “Maybe you only have five free minutes on your way to work or during a lunch break. That’s enough time to catch a hilarious episode of Fashion Puhleez on your smart phone!”
The network will kick off its first season with a slate of eight programs, releasing daily, beginning with Sunday’s Sherry and the Greek, an original talk series starring Vine and Chris Semers, discussing a variety of fun topics and performing skits, characters, and musical numbers.
On Monday, queer notables share their pop culture picks on EduGAYtion. Then Tuesday, The Rachel Zoe Show meets Project Runway in Fashion Puhleez, with lead players in the beauty industry discussing fashion, club couture and styling.
House of Mimosa presents The Anita & Gina Marie Show, a comedic show that chronicles the daily antics of two women as they cause mayhem throughout Astoria, Queens (singing out – or rather, airing out – all their dirty laundry) gets viewers over hump day. Then its Throwback Thursdays with Pickles, a look back at a public access show that offers a glimpse into the gay, downtown art and nightlife scene of New York in the nineties.
Celebrate the end of the workweek with The Flames of Hell’s Kitchen, a telanovela about the life of Sherry Vine, her manager Gloria, assistant Busted and sexy Latino boyfriend, Diego. In the first season, Sherry wins big, loses everything, slips back into a life of drugs, and faces an intervention. The show stars David Serrano, Busted, Patty McKeever and Al McKeever.
Finally, on Saturday, it’s movie night as gaySVTVworld presents The SVTV Short Film Fest, an online festival dedicated to spotlighting the very best LGBTQ filmmakers from around the world. Each week is a new short film along with interviews from the filmmakers and special bonus features.
In addition, What’s In Your Purse?, a hilarious two-minute segment featuring Vine cornering nightlife celebrities and forcing them to reveal the contents of their bags, will run throughout the week.
“We knew launching a network was an ambitious endeavor but there are so many things we didn’t think of,” admits Vine. “Josh and I and our amazing team have literally been working every day on gaySVTVworld for almost a year now.”
“So much of that time has been spent on brainstorming ideas, reaching out to people we wanted to work with and deciding on a slate we felt confident about,” continues Rosenzweig. “We have several shows that are in various stages of development. Our intention is to continue to keep rolling out new programs, music videos and comedy sketches.”
Sherry Vine’s hilarious video parodies have made her a YouTube sensation, being viewed over 14,000,000 times! She got her start in downtown NYC but today tours the world with her live singing and comedy shows. Vine has appeared on the off-Broadway stage, in numerous films including Stonewall and Wigstock and she starred in two seasons of Here TV’s variety show, She’s Living For This, produced and directed by Josh Rosenzweig.
Josh Rosenzweig served as SVP of Here TV for ten years where he produced over two hundred hours of television programming including She’s Living For This and Heart of Broadway: An Inside Look at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. He was also the host of the hit TV talk show Just Josh. Rosenzweig has directed many music videos, award-winning films and over forty productions for the theater. He has been nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards.
gaySVTVworld premieres February 14 at YouTube.com/MissSherryVine.
New York Masturbation Booth Publicity Stunt
A few days ago
a photograph purportedly showing an officially sanctioned New York City public masturbation booth called “GuyFi” started circulating around the internet:
While the above-displayed image is real, this isn’t truly an officially sanctioned “public masturbation booth” that was installed by New York City. The “GuyFi” booth is a marketing gimmick for an adult sex toy company called Hot Octopuss.
The company issued a press release for “GuyFi” on 15 January 2016:
With a staggering 80 per cent of Americans saying they suffer from workplace stress, award-winning sex toy brand Hot Octopuss has launched the world’s first ‘GuyFi’ male stress relief booth in Manhattan.
According to Time Out, a remarkable 39% of New Yorkers ‘self-soothe’ in the workplace to alleviate stress. Hot Octopuss has created the GuyFi booth to take this habit out of the office and into a more suitable environment designed to give the busy Manhattan man the privacy, and the high-speed Internet connection, he deserves.
Adam Lewis, Hot Octopuss co-founder and designer of PULSE, the world’s first Guybrator, said:
“There’s no denying that working a nine to five job can be stressful on both your mind and body, especially in a non-stop city like Manhattan. It’s really important for guys to look after themselves so that they can stay healthy and focus properly on the task in hand. We’re told time and time again how beneficial it is to have a break away from your desk.”
While Hot Octopuss really did convert an old phone booth into what it called a “public masturbation booth,” New York City has not legalized public masturbation. A representative for the company told Mashable that they are not encouraging people to actually masturbate inside the “GuyFi” booth:
“We may be insinuating that these booths could be used in whichever way anyone would like to ‘self soothe,'” a representative tells Mashable, “but the brand is not actively encouraging people to masturbate in public as that is an illegal offense.”
In summation, the GuyFi booth does exist, but it is a marketing gimmick for Hot Octopuss, a sex toy company, and not an officially sanctioned public space for masturbation in New York City. Public masturbation remains illegal.
WIGSTOCK Returns August 16
Wigstock’s Sea Tea Cruise Sets Sail on Sunday August 16th!
Ahoy! It’s been over 10 years since the last Wigstock festival was held. The famed NYC drag Labor Day bash attracted 30,000 revelers at it’s height and became the subject of the film Wigstock: The Movie in 1995. But after 20+ years of sequins, fake lashes and immaculate coiffures, organizers Lady Bunny and Scott Lifshutz needed a break. A long one! But the celebration of wigs hasn’t completely curled up and dyed.
On August 16th, the gang will take hi-jack Michael Fesco’s Sea Tea for a 4 hour cruise to recapture some of the wiggy magic from festivals past. Bunny will host, emcee and perform, along with many of the event’s most celebrated acts, including downtown legends Sister Dimension, Linda Simpson, HRH Princess Diandra, Flotilla Debarge, Sweetie, Sugga Pie Koko, David Ilku and Ffloyd. DJ Johnny Dynell of Jackie 60 fame will recreate the 90s club sound from when Wigstock was at it’s peak, along with DC’s Ed Bailey. So prepare to boogie to the sounds of CeCe Peniston, Ultra Nate, Crystal Waters, Barbara Tucker and all of the tunes that made going out such a non-stop blast during NYC’s golden club years. Think The Love Boat on acid with a killer new soundtrack of classic NYC house music.
To kick it off, Linda Simpson will present her 90s Drag Explosion photo exhibit complete with her hysterical commentary. It’s basically a retelling of every time Linda was sober enough to pull out a camera and snap it during her My Comrade days with pics of every queen from RuPaul to trans model Page.
Why revive a Wigstock-themed event now?
Says, Bunny: “Someone recently sent me an photo spread from the UK’s Guardian featuring Michael James O’Brien’s shots from Wigstock during the 90s, calling it “New York’s hair-raising 90s drag scene.” It made me nostalgic, just as people are nostalgic for clubs which don’t only play top 40 tunes and drag acts which focus more on talent than on contouring ability. Then I got wind of a new Wigstock party in South Africa in addition to other annual events in Tel Aviv, Sweden and Melbourne, Australia and had to ask myself “Why should everyone else have all the fun?” and “How much should I sue for?” Everyone is always telling me “Bring back Wigstock!” so this Sea Tea cruise will test the waters, literally, and relive the party on a smaller scale. This may lead to other full-scale Wigstock festivals in the future. I’ve performed on Michael Fesco’s Sea Tea in the past and this boat ride seems like the perfect way to reunite the crazy crew of very gifted performers. And to show that the Wigstock vibe is unsinkable! This cruise offers a unique opportunity to relive one of the Village’s maddest moments, since many considered Wigstock to be a hipper version of gay pride day for decades.
A lot of people complain about how the Manhattan scene has lost it, so we’re trying to recapture some of that zaniness by doing something about it. Revelers are encouraged to come in costume—and we’ll award $250 for the freakiest wig. I always marveled at wigs’ powers to bring out people’s crazier sides—whether they’re real women, body builders or even dogs. But enough about Linda! Nothing makes a “girl” feel more “fish” than gliding along the sparkling waters of the Hudson. But please, wear wedges or sensible heels! Rock The Boat isn’t just a song and this ride is definitely ill-suited to spikes!” No VIP nothing and no tired bottle service. Just a rollicking, wigged out bash!
The Hornblower boards at 6PM promptly, sails at 7:30PM and is back on the dock at 10PM. It departs from Pier 40 near Christopher Street. Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at Pier 40 the day of. 21 and over. Admission includes a free dinner buffet, two decks with deejays Johnny Dynell and DC’s Ed Bailey spinning actual music and an hour and a half of entertainment in the typically wacky Wigstock style which ranges from singing live, lip-synching the house down, live singing, comedy, and of course one of those filthy Laugh-In skits that Bunny still milks in her own act!
Don’t miss the boat on this one—come and join us!
FOR TICKETS
Ru Pauls SuperStars in New York March 5th
THE BIGGEST DRAG TOUR EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s About TO GET REAL BITCHES!
RuPaul’s Drag Race Battle of The Seasons “Condragulations” Tour in a city near YOU, (NEW YORK CITY MARCH 5th!!)
featuring a night of show-stopping performances by the world’s most talented drag performers, including winners and fan favorites from Logo TV’s hit series “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
Over 40 cities in the US, Canada and Europe. The largest drag tour in history!
Adore Delano, Alaska 5000, Ben Dela Crème, Bianca Del Rio, Courtney Act, Darienne Lake, Detox, Ivy Winters, Jiggly Caliente, Jinkx Monsoon, Manila Luzon, Pandora Boxx, Phi Phi O’Hara, Raja and Sharon Needles. Plus Special Guest Cary NoKey and host Michelle Visage. (Lineup varies by city and is subject to change.)
NEW YORK CITY MARCH 5th ! GET TICKETS before they are gone!!
THE GAYS New York Premiere
Christmas with the Crawfords in New York
HOW FABULOUS IS THIS?!
Christmas with the Crawfords
David Mixner OH HELL NO
Legendary civil rights activist and author David Mixner premiered Oh Hell No!, an evening autobiographical storytelling, in a special one-night-only event last night. Oh Hell No! will benefit Point Foundation. Amy and Jeff Towers will present the evening, which will be produced by Tim Ranney.
If we’re lucky, the show, which was directed by Stephen Brackett and musically directed by Mat Eisenstein and deserves to be seen by a wide audience, will make it to video and/or broadcast.
Among those taking in the sold-out 90-minute show were Chairman and President of the Export-Import Bank Fred Hochberg, DNC treasurer Andy Tobias, Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Sims, NYC Councilman Corey Johnson, Jane and Joe Clementi – the parents of the late Rutgers student Tyler Clementi, presenters Amy and Jeff Towers, MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts, political consultant Bob Shrum and Marylouise Oates, photographer Nigel Barker, actor Alan Cumming, Athlete Ally’s Hudson Taylor, political consultant and pundit Hilary Rosen, producer Bruce Cohen, actor Rory O’Malley, Broadway producer Hal Luftig, ESPN contributor LZ Granderson, author and blogger Kenneth Walsh, and actress Judith Light, a board member of the Point Foundation, who offered a gracious, poignant, and humorous introduction.
My Gay Roommate Party @ Eagle
Tuesday Oct 28th
MY GAY ROOMMATE
will be holding their official Wrap Party starting at 7:30pm at their favorite leather bar, The Eagle NYC.
What a journey it’s been! With MGR recently surpassing 3,000,000 hits, this past year has been a huge one for our team, and we’re so excited to end this season with a bang!!! Presenting: “My Gay Roommate – Partners in Crime”
Nick and Ed aren’t coping well with Jack’s (the Cowboy) departure, and the Monster takes drastic action to set them on the right course. But will he succeed? At a crossroads in their relationship, the boys have to decide what’s to become of their friendship after the crazy year they’ve spent together. Climaxed with an original song by lyrcist-composer team Carner & Gregor, the season ends in a flourish of love, friendship and ecstatic gayness.
Stop by the Eagle on the 28th! They will be screening the final episode, dancing, and making some exciting announcements about the future of the show!
Daddies, music, and drinksies oh my, it’s gonna by gAy+!
Would love to see you there!!
Twitter: @MrNoamAsh @carnerandgregor
Facebook: Facebook.com/MyGayRoommate
New York’s Paige Turner
#WINNING New York’s Paige Turner has developed a huge following over the years and now is a fixture in NY’s Night Life scene.
We first saw her about 3 years ago at the now closed VLADA. Now, she has done so much in the city! Splash, The Ritz, Therapy….Paige is also host of “So You Think You Can Drag” at New World Stages showcasing the hottest new queens on the scene with celebrity judges that have included Adam Lambert, Charles Busch and Julie Halston.
Sunday nights at Therapy in Hell’s Kitchen, Paige continues her popular long “SLURP!” show. She did the 200th show of her popular Sunday night soiree “Slurp!”
She told EDGE, “Slurp! is the baby that I nurse,” she says. “If you are lucky enough to work full time in drag, you have your one big show. It’s the show that I tell people who have never seen me to go to first. It’s not that I don’t put in the same energy at other shows, it’s just the one where right away you’d get me.”
Paige Turner’s show-stopping seasonal drag competition “So You Think You Can Drag“ dominates the Thursday night midtown scene in the lower floors of the New World Stages on 50th Street every Thursday night @ 11 p.m.
