Drag queens run the world
It’s been a good few weeks for drag queens. Not that every day is not fabulous for these divas, but apart from regular clips from summer Pride parades and fundraisers we have seen on television and online, I have noticed lately that the media has celebrated several celebrity encounters with our sisters in sequins.
For instance, singer Adele just proved herself a believer that imitation is the highest form of flattery. That’s because she noticed Kristopher Zello, aka Kristie Champagne, in the audience at a recent concert in Seattle and pulled her up on stage. Kristie looked so much like Adele that the superstar complimented Kristie’s dress and called her, “the best Adele I’ve ever seen.” After the pair embraced, Adele showed Kristie off to the rest of the audience and launched her 15 minutes of international fame.
I went to see the recently released “Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie” and noticed I shared the theater with a majority of gay male patrons. Since I didn’t get to my seat until just before lights-out, I missed scanning the audience for those dressed like the stars of the movie. I am sure plenty were there, as were Edina and Patsy impersonators around the world as Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley traveled the globe to big-city premieres.
The biggest buzz came from Sydney, Australia, as both actors were happy to pose for pictures with their drag characters. Saunders even took an opportunity to get up close and personal with Maxi Shield and her infamous large fake breasts. The British comedian grabbed the celebrity drag queen’s massive bosom with her hands, but even with her fingers outstretched she was unable to cop a full feel.
Hillary Clinton might become our next president. But will her pantsuits become an addition to a drag queen’s repertoire? We came close recently when Bob the Drag Queen, reigning champion of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” posted a fan-made video on In- stagram of Clinton walking onstage to the Democratic National Convention “pursefirst,” a trademark of Bob’s. Not exactly drag, but an immediate drag reference after the DNC was certainly welcomed.
Speaking of Hillary, a video from earlier this year that made the rounds again following the convention comes from Mashable and their acknowledgment of Clinton’s low likability ratings. So they brought three of New York’s famous drag queens - Scarlet Envy, Delighted Tobehere and Hattie Hathaway - to give their best version of Hillary. The result? The judges chose a man - out of drag, whose name also happened to be Hillary - as their choice. Sorry, Hillary. Better luck after November.
Kudos to my straight colleagues out there for realizing the art of drag is for all to partake in, and that one of the highest compliments that can be paid to a woman in the spotlight is to have a man wear your look.
Melissa Carter is one of the Morning Show hosts on B98.5. In addition, she is a writer for the Huffington Post. She is recognized as one of the first out radio personalities in Atlanta and one of the few in the country. Follow her on Twitter@MelissaCarter