Finding the perfectly nuanced drag name is a time-honored task that every young queen wrestles with. A good name tells the audience who you are and what you are about. A BAD drag name leaves queens saying “huh?” In the latest two episodes of “Homewerq,” hosts Mike Diamond and Miss Matinga go through their fishbowl of drag name possibilities. How does Miss Vina Schnitzel grab you? What about Miss John Wayne Gacey Layne Matthews? Chola Escargot? Drooly Andrews? Patty Starbuckle? Miss Imbesylvia? They’re all there for the taking.

Watch and learn below. CLASS IN IN SESSION, CHILDREN!

And watch more episodes of Homewerq here.

I wandered into the Pyramid one Sunday afternoon where a rehearsal for a cracked version of Family Feud was going on. After watching for just a few minutes, I found myself as contestant on the Feud and as they say, the rest is HerStory. I made SO many friends there over the years, some of them VERY fast. At the time I was working at Vogue and there would often be accessories and expensive makeup giveaways, which I bagged and took to the Pyramid. I became FAST friends with lots of drag performers, many in this video, giving away $25 lipsticks & $40 YSL gold makeup compacts like candy.

For a couple of years, ’83-84, I hosted Straight To Hell, a live version of The Manhattan Review of Unnatural Acts (true gay stories) started by Boyd McDonald and then edited by my friend, Victor Weaver. I hosted a cavalcade of star performers and legends every Sunday night in rapid succession, and if I didn’t have the posters I designed to prove it, I would believe the line-up; John Waters, Fran Lebowitz, Kenneth Anger, Quentin Crisp, Warhol Superstars Jackie Curtis & Taylor Mead, John Sex, Cookie Mueller and on and on.

Between 1983 and 1988, Marjan Moghaddam was the resident video artist at the legendary Pyramid Club, where she made and showed video art in addition to shooting bands, performance art, drag shows, etc.

Marjan says,

“I’ve held on to the original videos for decades now, and in 2011 I put together this short video for a Pyramid event at Howl! Festival, where it was originally screened. It was shown again at Howl! Gallery during the Pyramid show in 2015.

At some point in 1985, Brian Butterick the manager of the Pyramid and I decided to interview patrons for an anniversary of the club. The interviewers also included performance artists John Kelly and Marlene Mennard. Working with the interview footage from the 80s, I edited other videos I had of the Pyramid ranging from Lady Bunny’s disco band, to seminal punk and hard core bands like Butthole Surfers, Gwar and False Profits, and experimental musicians such as Elliott Sharp.

The line “Drag Queens and Skinheads” was from Raybies of NYC hardcore band Warzone, who alongside Jimmy Gestapo of Murphy’s Law, attempted to describe what made the Pyramid special. The interviewees included the likes of jazz singer Stephanie Crawford and Sound Man Craig Overbay (who went on to produce Nirvana and other Grunge bands), to East Village icons like Wendy Wild.

The Pyramid’s unique inclusivity across all cultural lines, mixing gay and straight, disco and punk, high art and pop culture foreshadowed the social justice, LBGT and trasgendered civil rights movement in America by decades. As many people point out throughout these interviews from 1985, it was rare for all the tribes of the underground in NYC of the 80s to mingle so seamlessly together. But mostly it was exactly as Wendy Wild said,

“there has never been anything like the Pyramid.”

I agree. I still live in NYC and unlike more than half the people in this video, I’m still alive, and can attest that Wendy was right. After the credits I have created a tribute to all the people who appear in this video who passed away from AIDS, drug overdoses, accidents and cancer/disease, sadly, its many.

These are all my dead friends and I have to keep these for them. This is for all of them.”

Watch.

In order of Appearance:

Brian Butterick, Alan Mace (Sister Dimension), Michael Ullman (aka Kittie), stephanie crawford, Shazork, Lady Bunny, Dimitri, Gordon Spaeth, Butthole Surfers, Craig OVerbay, Dean Johnson, Rat At Rat R, David Rat, Sonda, Ethyl Eicheberger, Happi Phace, Stephen Tashjian (Taboo), Bunny Manhattan (aka Richard Lieberman), Pyramid Float Gay Pride 1986, John Kelly, Marlene Mennard, Bush Tetras, Marjan Moghaddam, Iris Rose, Joshua Fried, Julie Hair, Grace, Natalie Gestapo, Gwar, Raybies, Jimmy Gestapo, Bernard Zette, Tobine Cradle, Bobby Bradley, Keith Streng, Wendy Wild, They Might Be Giants, Margaret Ann Outhred aka Hali Fields, Jesse Hultberg, 3 Teens Kill Four, Doug Bressler, Lefferts Brown, Masters of Reality, John Sex, Animal X and the Amazons, Chris Clements, Jim Fouratt, Joey Arias, Nick Cave, Liquid Liquid, Phillip Overbay, David Crocker, Sapho, Tanya Ransom, Edgar Carson Oliver, Helen Carson Oliver, Anne Craig, Disturbed Form, Bill Milhizer, False Profits, The Archies, Richard Baran and Barabra Buryak, Bernell Crawford, Brian Damage, Stephen Ielpi, Andrea Poole, Lucille Reader, Winston C Robinson Jr, Rolf Rombschick, Larry Shox, Greg Smith, and Louis Williams.

Special Thanks to the following for their help:
Jonny Sender, Diane D Streiker, Geordie Gillespie, Sonda Andersson Pappan, Daniel Durning, Nick Zedd

Technical Note: *All footage is as is, with no stabilization, image or color correction, in attempt to preserve the video’s media and historic authenticity.

Season 10 fan-fave Kameron Michaels has a super-fab new dance single in which she implores listeners to feel their freedom and embrace who they are.

via NewNowNext:

“One thing I have learned from my travels is that so many people from every corner of the globe are struggling with identity,” Kameron says about the song. “Even those outside of the LGBTQIA community. My hope is that it is a coming out message for everyone and serves as a reminder that we should never allow others to define who we are.”

Th video features our girl Kam hosting a rainbow river rave in the LA river basin (NOT AT ALL DANGEROUS!) alongside Eureka O’Hara, Farrah Moan, Rhea Litre, Dahlia Sin, Kornbread Jete, Dex Rated, Gael Cappelluzzo, Ash Lavacca, Francisco Hernandez, and Miguel Magaña.

Watch below.

O Canada! As Pride Month winds down, and Canada Day approaches, Canadians have another reason to celebrate this weekend as Crave and OUTtv announced today an unprecedented partnership that extends the reach of international television phenomenon, RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE in Canada. This partnership includes the new Crave Original Series, DRAG RACE CANADA, the first-ever Canadian adaptation of the show.

Says Ru:

“I am proud to announce that the Drag Race family is expanding as Crave is about to begin production on DRAG RACE CANADA. The panel and judges will be from the Great White North, representing Canada’s very best. This new franchise has my whole-hearted blessing. Good luck…and don’t puck it up!”

via the press release:

Produced by World of Wonder, RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE has become a world-wide movement since its premiere in 2009. After 11 Seasons and more than 100 competitors, the series has garnered nine-Emmy Awards; critical praise; a legion of fans including mega-celebrities from Katy Perry to Anne Hathaway to Henry Rollins; and a world-renowned drag and pop culture convention, RuPaul’s DragCon, in Los Angeles and New York City .

Now, DRAG RACE is sashaying to the North and producers are on the look-out for the country’s most sick’ning artists to slay the competition, and be crowned Canada’s first Drag Superstar. Produced by Blue Ant Studios, DRAG RACE CANADA combines elements of the classic fan-favourite, with a healthy serving of Canadian maple shade, and likely, some Canadian bacon. Casting begins this summer on the 10-episode, one-hour original series, with production to begin this fall in Ontario. The DRAG RACE CANADAhost and judges will be announced at a later date.

“As Canada’s only homegrown major streaming service, Crave strives to represent all Canadians and we are thrilled to shine a spotlight on the Canadian drag community and their contribution to LGBTQ2+ culture,” said Justin Stockman, Vice-President, Premium SVOD and OTT, Bell Media. “This is an important franchise that has brought drag from niche to mainstream, and we can’t wait to extend the DRAG RACE runway all the way into Canada. Through our partnership with Brad Danks at OUTtv and World of Wonder, along with a passionate and growing Canadian fan base, the time is right to lip-sync for our lives, and crown Canada’s first drag superstar.”

“RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE has brought charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent to OUTtv for almost 10 years,” said Brad Danks, CEO OUTtv Network.  “We are thrilled to partner with Crave and World of Wonder to give Canadian drag artists the chance to compete for the crown on DRAG RACE CANADA and bring future seasons, including RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE UK, to OUTtv and Crave.”

“Canadian drag is world class and we could not be more excited to bring these artists and their stories to Crave,” said Sam Sniderman, EVP Global Productions, Blue Ant Studios. “We are thrilled to be working with WOW on this legendary and game-changing global format.”

“We are excited to be working with Crave and OUTtv to grow the drag experience for Canadian audiences, and shine the spotlight on Canadian queens,” said Executive Producers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, World of Wonder.

Season 7 legendary legend Violet Chachki sat down with Vogue to discus a myriad of drag related topics, beginning with her own humble beginning.

“I started as an inexperienced drag queen with awful makeup serving daiquiris to obnoxious bachelorette parties,” says Violet Chachki with a laugh. “Now, I work with legends and am starring in one of the most progressive beauty campaigns. Anything is possible.”

That “anything” now includes starring in Pat McGrath Labs’ Sublime Perfection foundation campaign.

“Whenever I get the opportunity to work with anyone who has influenced me and my work as much as someone like Pat, it always feels a bit surreal—like how exactly did I get to this point? I have to pinch myself!” explains Chachki, reflecting on her extraordinary trajectory from aspiring drag queen in her native Atlanta to winner of season 7 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, to Met Gala attendee and Paris Couture Week fixture. “I’m extremely grateful to be included in such a powerful project.

Says the ever-iconic Pat of her new muse:

“Violet is a fabulously disruptive style icon who’s distorting the gender binary,” says McGrath of casting Chachki in the fierce, inclusivity-driven campaign lensed by McGrath’s longtime collaborator Steven Meisel. “Violet embodies the epitome of vixenish vintage glamour with her velvety skin and beguiling burlesque aesthetic.”

Love that!

Other interesting tidbits from Violet’s interview:

On the industry shift towards more inclusivity
“It’s the dawn of a new era. People always want to talk about the models, and yes that’s important visually, but I think who we give positions of power to—editors, contributors, creative directors, designers, etc.—is just as, if not more, important. It’s exciting to see these roles behind the scenes be diversified because these are the people who have something to say.”

On her new solo tour
“This has been a dream of mine for a long time! My solo show, “A Lot More Me,” is part drag show, part burlesque show, part circus show, and part fashion show. It’s going to be high drag, high camp, and high glamour. I want people to come and escape into my fantasy world for an evening!”

Read the whole interview here.

(Top GIF via Vogue; Steven Meisel)

Can you feel the energy literally crackling in the air? Do you hear the high pitched whistling sound of a hundred thousand queens squealing with excitement? Drag Race Thailand Season 2 is coming to WOW Presents Plus in the U.S., premiering August 21st to be precise. Join us for new episodes every Wednesday as Art Arya and Pangina Heals kick off the search for Thailand’s Next Drag Superstar!

Now, hold on to your wigs and get ready to meet the new queens!

Angele Anang

Bandit

Genie

Kana Warrior

Kandy Zyanide

Katy Killer

Maya B’Haro

Miss Gimhuay

Mocha Diva

M. Stranger Fox

Silver Sonic

Srimala

Tormai

Vanda Miss Joaquim

Don’t miss the Season 2 premiere of Drag Race Thailand on August 21st and watch new episodes every Wednesday on WOW Presents Plus in the United States!

It’s October and there is only one thing on all of our minds, “What to be for Halloween?” Well, Manila Luzon and Gia Gunn are ready to help you out with that, sis. The two queens are having a drag sale tomorrow, Saturday, October 5th at World of Wonder.

If you have been thinking about doing drag for Halloween, now is the time. You can go as Manila Luzon or Gia Gunn or a combo of the two. So don’t sleep on this opportunity henny! Get yourself over to the Halloween Drag Sale tomorrow from 12pm – 4pm!

It’s the first of two – TWO! – episodes with the brilliant 16-year-old drag queen Shigo that you absolutely MUST WATCH. In today’s episode, she wraps me in cellophane (an ingenious way to keep my mouth shut) then paints a freaky drag face on top of it. It’s completely fascinating.

An array of portraits of drag queens and trans women by Andy Warhol are part of a new exhibition at London’s Tate Modern next year.

The curators revealed 25 paintings from Warhol’s Ladies and Gentlemen series will be featured in one gallery, many of which have never been exhibited before.

Originally commissioned in 1974 by art dealer, Luciano Anselmino, it followed the death of trans actress, Candy Darling, who was a Warhol Factory Superstar.

In 1974 Warhol and Interview magazine editor Bob Colacello hit up the drag/ trans hangout, The Gilded Grape (on the corner of 8th Ave & 45th) in NYC’s Times Square to find sitters for the commission.

Colacello got girls to model for Warhol by paying them $50, which at the time was a decent amount of money. The Andy Warhol Foundation has since identified all but one of the 14 sitters, one of whom was Marsha P Johnson, a trailblazer in the 1969 Stonewall uprising.

Gregor Muir, a Tate co-curator and director, said of the series,

“I had heard there might be these paintings in existence and I met the people who own them now and I went to visit them and it was quite the most remarkable thing.

They were mostly in storage and it was just very beautiful and exciting to pull out these paintings and handle them and start to look through each and every work.”

It is remarkably contemporary and a series that not that many people will be familiar with.Through today’s lens it is particularly relevant with the recent anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. I think this was a project that was close to Warhol’s heart.”

Frances Morris, Tate Modern director, said Warhol was an

“artist who feels more relevant and influential today than ever.

In today’s climate, it feels important to take a more human and more personal look at somebody who was a very familiar artist.”

Maybe this series is little-known in the UK, but in art circles, especially in NYC, it’s quite well-known. Just Google “Andy Warhol Ladies and Gentlemen” (Wowlebrity & friend, eBay‘s Bradford Shellhammer has several from the series in the NYC loft he shares with his husband, Georgi Balinov.)

Andy Warhol opens on March 12 through September 6, 2020 at The Tate Modern in London. Find out more here.

(Images, The Andy Warhol Foundation; via Pink News)

Very exciting news, International squirrel friends!

The biggest drag show in the world, RuPaul’s Drag Race: Werq The World, returns with an all-new production, hitting European Arenas from Aberdeen to Vienna in May and June next year.

Join Asia O’hara Detox, Kameron Michaels, Kim Chi, Monet X Change, Plastique Tiara, Shea Coulee, Vanessa ‘Vanjie’ Mateo, Yvie Oddly and the soon to be announced Season 1 Winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, as they journey through iconic periods of history in the hope they will find their way back to present day.

The 2020 tour steps it up once again, debuting at Europe’s largest arenas with production value rivaling any major pop concert – a first for any drag production. With the inaugural show set to shock Aberdeen on May 6th and leave Antwerp reeling on June 14th, don’t miss out on the world’s largest drag production as it sashays* across the continent. Details of venues and dates below:

Tickets start at £35 and there is a special customized VIP “Time Turner” option where guests enjoy a private meet and greet with the queens before the show! RuPaul’s Drag Race World Tour is presented by Voss Events in collaboration with World of Wonder and VH1.

For RuPaul Drag Race World Tour tickets and additional information (including venues and dates) visit WerqTheWorld.com 

Representative (and FUTURE PRESIDENT) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) visited Season 9 winner Sasha Velour’s new show Smoke & Mirrors in Washington D.C. last night.

Afterwards, the two had a heartwarming exchange that Sasha posted onto her social media.

Said AOC: “It was amazing. It was incredible. It was fabulous. I’m like that Lady Gaga moment where she’s like, ‘stunning, amazing, impeccable, genius.’”

To which a stunned Sasha responded: “Do you believe? From the revolutionary of our time. I love you so much. Thank you.”

Watch the iconic meeting, below.

(Top photos: Avalon)

UK drag queen Aaron Carty AKA Beyoncé Experience hiked for 7 days and climbed nearly 17,600 feet – facing freezing temperatures, snow storms, and altitude sickness – to perform at the Mount Everest base camp.

Apparently, she is the first drag queen to ever have performed there.

Carty said: “Realising it was such a difficult challenge, I had Googled to see if a drag queen had done it before.

“Not having found anything I couldn’t resist taking Beyoncé Experience with me, so it was just for fun.”

Once there, she had to get into denim hot pants in -15 C temperatures.

“Walking for four hours in the snow, to then have to take your clothes off in front of 100 people to get into drag and dance, isn’t much fun.”

Luckily the final performance was worth it, as Beyoncé Experience high-kicked and shimmied to Beyoncé’s ‘Welcome (Homecoming Live)’.

Would Carty care to repeat the experience?

He said: “Absolutely not. It’s a one time event.

“However, I do have the urge to look at where else I could take Beyonce that is quite unique…”

You may or may not remember this song and video, depending on your age and knowledge of obscure ’80s drag ephemera. I had completely forgotten about it until Matthew Rettemund posted it the other day on Boy Culture, and realized, boy oh boy, does it deserve a thorough re-examination.

Gino – terribly handsome, here, in a very specific, early-’80s sort of way – croons about a cuckoo has-been starlet who wears too much makeup and smokes too many French cigarettes and – SPOILER ALERT! – might just be Gino in drag. Maybe? Possibly? I don’t know. You tell me. Just watch the throwback video, below, and luxuriate in the nuttiness of pre-Drag Race drag.

It’s that time of year again! We’re scouring the land, looking for the most amazing super queens, hennie-hennnies, kitty girls, and glamazons! Do you have what it takes to be America’s Next Drag Superstar? Prove it, Mary. Casting has officially begun for Season 13 – CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? –of RuPaul’s Drag Race and we wanna see your cha cha heels and pussycat wigs all up in our silver screens.

Click here to apply now and get more deets on how to submit your official video application. The submission deadline is Friday, January 24th. 2020, so grab your E-6000 and get on it! If you have any questions, email the casting department at: RDRCASTING@WORLDOFWONDER.NET

I recently sat down with icon, skinny legend, and star Trixie Mattel about her new documentary, Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts! It chronicles a hell of a year for her, and they’re here to spill the behind-the-scenes tea. Watch Moving Parts now on Microsoft Movies, iTunes, YouTube Movies, Amazon, Google Play, and Vimeo! x

The first ever RuPaul’s DragCon UK is almost here! Don’t miss your chance to meet the queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and so many of your other favorite drag queens!

RuPaul’s DragCon UK 2020 will be January 18th and 19th at Olympia London! There are VIP passes and Single Day Sunday tickets still available. VIP Passes get you:

• VIP Exclusive Performance Saturday Morning
• Special Collector’s Edition VIP Badge, signed by RuPaul!
• Special Collector’s Edition VIP Lanyard
• More Extended VIP Hours, 2 extra hours total!
• Priority lines for meeting Queens and other celebrities
• Special collectors VIP Enamel Pin
• WOW Presents Plus DragCon exclusive T-Shirt
• Dedicated VIP Registration Area
• Exclusive VIP Lounge, open Saturday and Sunday
• VIP Exclusive Cash Bar in the VIP Lounge
• VIP Exclusive Food Cart in the VIP Lounge
• VIP Exclusive Photo Op in the VIP Lounge
• 10% off all merch at the World of Wonder booth

Don’t miss your chance to brag about being at the first ever RuPaul’s DragCon UK, get your tickets today!

Hang on to your wigs! The queens are coming for sports world’s biggest night! RuPaul’s Drag Race legends Miz Cracker and Kim Chi are set to star in a commercial for Sabra hummus, in what is being billed as the first appearance by drag queens in an ad during the Super Bowl EVER!

via Towleroad:

Said Sabra to AdWeek: “We’re bringing a diverse group of personalities to the table and demonstrating just how incredibly versatile, relevant and relatable hummus is today. We think we’ve got something for everyone.”

Marketing strategist Bob Witeck told NBC News: “For queer audiences, it is an art form and an ‘outsiders’ language. Reaching the Super Bowl means taking our language into every home in the nation and millions around the world. The Super Bowl is the ultimate test, when you can take chances like this and realize that the fear of drag is nothing people imagined it to be. It’s us telling our own joke about ourselves, with a sense of humor and authenticity … with luck, everyone laughs with us.”

Watch below! And conDRAGulations, girls!

UPDATE: Oh dear! Oh dear! The internet is WRONG! RUPAUL, of course, was the first drag queen in a Super Bowl ad! How quickly forget 2000’s Web Ex commercial! Watch below. Sorry Miz Crackers and Chi!

A little throwback from Aja! She also just launched a patreon, so if you wanna support one of your favorite queens subscribe today!

Alexis Michelle got into the #BwayHandWashChallenge! It’s focused on raising funds for artists during this pandemic. Donate to The Actors Fund support artists.

Charlie Hides is out here spreading the Rona Gospel — WASH YOUR HANDS!

Missing seeing Farrah Moan‘s face? Miss her voice? Get a cameo video from her!

No one can make you laugh quite like Bob the Drag Queen, so get into her YouTube show ‘Drag My Dad‘ and laugh through your social distancing.

Working on your mug for when we are let outdoors again? Well Kim Chi‘s makeup can help with that. Go ahead and get your hands on it to be beat for the gawds!

It seems Laila McQueen has run out of toilet paper already. Is it because she used it for her makeup? The world may never know, but we will know how great her makeup turned out.

Thorgy Thor is out here ready to breakup with your boyfriend for you. Go get her #corona discounted cameos!

We have a delightful episode of #Transformations with Manchester’s alien queen Juno Birch coming up someday in the near future on WOW Presents Plus, but in the meantime watch this tutorial and be AMAZED.

Showing you all how I become very stunning and fabulous with my makeup routine.

Stunning and fabulous INDEED!

Also: Just for giggles: Casey Trujillo, aka Cassidy LeBlanc, aka CaseFaace, has transformed herself into a a bottle of Purell. Ha! How topical!

Puerto Rican pop star Bad Bunny has dropped a video for his song “Yo Perreo Sola,” from his album YHLQMDLG, featuring himself in drag, werking it in a red vinyl dress and thigh-high boots, among other outfits.

The song’s title translates to “I Twerk Alone.” The song’s lyrics (“She’ll call you if she needs you / But for now she is alone / She twerks alone”) refer to a woman who wants to dance by herself at a club, without being harassed.

The video’s memorable visuals naturally feature plenty of twerking, including a wild moment which appears to feature Bad Bunny, again in drag, grinding on…himself. It concludes with a title card reading, “If she doesn’t want to dance with you, respect her, she twerks alone.”

YHLQMDLG debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, becoming the highest-charting all-Spanish-language album in Billboard‘s history

And he looks pretty fab, huh? Maybe we’re seeing a Drag Race season 13 contender in the making?

(via Entertainment Weekly)