By Michael Barbieri****Not many things can get me out of bed at 6 am, but RuPaul’s DragCon NYC is one of them! On Saturday September 7th, DragCon began bright and early, with VIPs admitted at 9 am. Press, however, were allowed in at 8 am, which allowed us to jockey for position for the day’s first major event, the Ribbon Cutting! One of the Press Liaisons kindly marked a position for us on the Pink Carpet, so we’d have a great spot to shoot video and still footage. As soon as we got in place, the queens began arriving.
More than 20 of Drag Race’s best known queens gathered behind the pink ribbon that stretched the width of the Pink Carpet. Among them, I spotted Miz Cracker, Manila Luzon, Blair St Clair, Vivacious, Ra’Jah O’Hara, Mr and Mrs Kasha Davis, Yvie Oddley, Jaidynn Dior Fierce, Brooke Lynn Heights, Cynthia Lee Fontaine, Naomi Smalls, Aquaria, Shuga Cain, Kameron Michaels, Nina West, Kahana Montrese, Kennedy Davenport, Ongina, and Darienne Lake. We also saw Genie, Mocha Diva and Angele Anang from Drag Race Thailand and Australian chameleon Art Simone. Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, the founders of World of Wonder Productions then joined the girls for a group photo. The cherry on the cake was when they were joined by Michelle Visage and RuPaul himself!
Before cutting the ribbon, RuPaul had a surprise announcement. There’s going to be a new residency on the Vegas Strip: RuPaul’s Drag Race Live! at the Flamingo Hotel. This spectacle will feature fan favorites Yvie Oddley, Kameron Michaels, Asia O’Hara, Coco Montrese, Derrick Barry, Eureka O’Hara, Shannel, Kim Chi and many more. Mama Ru promised that the show, directed by Jamal Sims “will be the most sickening eleganza extravaganza in Las Vegas history!” I guess I know where I’LL be headed in January of 2020!
Then RuPaul proclaimed, “We are gonna cut this ribbon and we are gonna have some FUN!” Just before cutting, he said “Welcome to Drag Race 65th annual….” and realizing it was only the third NY DragCon, exclaimed “Wait! I don’t have my glasses on! …Oh, I DO have ‘em on…” . All of this got big laughs from the crowd. He then said “Welcome to the…75th annual New York…(more laughs!) Drag Con!” and cut the ribbon to tremendous applause. He was right. This was fun!
Next came the Queens Walk! As a mega-mix of RuPaul’s songs played, nearly 50 queens were introduced, made their entrances on the Main Stage and strutted their way down the Pink Carpet. Each queen was fabulous, of course, but there were some real standouts. The regal, gorgeous Bebe Zahara Benet was the first one out, as she was the winner of the first season of Drag Race.
Yvie Oddley got a huge cheer, being the winner of the most recent season. Trixie Mattel is a perennial favorite, and made her entrance only to climb aboard an oversized lipstick and be wheeled down the carpet. Mimi Imfurst was Frank N Furter, accompanied by all the other Rocky Horror characters. Serena Chacha looked every inch the Vegas showgirl in an enormous yellow-feathered costume! Alexis Michelle was in Judy Garland/Dorothy Gale geish, in a blue gingham dress and red pigtails…with a live Cairn Terrier as Toto! Yuhua Hamasaki served fish, literally, dressed as a mermaid and carried out by two hot, shirtless men, while Shuga Cain made her entrance as the Blessed Virgin, along with a coterie of brown-robed monks! It was a true spectacle!
My assistant Danny and I decided to hit the Press Room, but on our way, took a brief religious retreat to visit the Blessed Virgin Shuga Cain for some photos. We worshipped at her altar and I told her I was sorry I had missed her recent show at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. She promised to bring it back soon.
I stated on Social Media that the Press Room was a zoo that day, and indeed, it was a buzzing hive of activity! I ran into my pal Flotilla DeBarge, looking retro-70s stunning. Another old friend, Peppermint, breezed through and we chatted briefly, recalling her days at Lips Restaurant. I met with sassy Cynthia Lee Fontaine, gorgeous Blair St Clair and the beauteous Miz Cracker all of whom did great little shout-outs to Drag-tastic. A’keria C. Davenport was friendly and funny, showing off her look that resembled the offspring of Marge Simpson and the Bride of Frankenstein wrapped in a rainbow raincoat. She did a shout-out for me as well and was just so sweet! I hit it off beautifully with the ultra-glamorous Kahana Montrese, decked out in a shimmering silver gown and elegant blonde wig. And though I spotted multi-talented Todrick Hall and style guru Carson Kressley, things were too busy and crazy for them to talk to me.
Saturday brought two of my favorite moments. I had wanted to meet and pose with the incredible Nina West. Nina appeared on Season 11 of Drag Race and won viewers hearts with her beauty, humor, activism and kindness. She was extraordinarily busy in her booth, but her publicist Paul generously arranged a time for us to meet her. She was just as lovely as you might imagine, telling me I had beautiful eyes, posing for photos, giving us a mini-interview and a Drag-tastic shout-out.
And then came the jaw-dropping event for me! As Danny and I sat in the Press Room, in walked an icon: Diane Von Fürstenberg! She entered quite demurely – no big attitude. Interestingly, she gravitated directly toward me and Danny. She walked up and said, softly, “Hello, my name is Diane.” In my head, I was screaming, “Umm…YEAH! You’re…YOU!!” Still, I greeted her calmly and told her how much I admire her and her work. She posed for pictures with us and as she turned to go, I said, “I just want to tell you, you are so beautiful!” She responded “Maybe many years ago, but now I’m an old woman.” I stopped her and said, “No, you are very beautiful, no matter your age.” She smiled and drifted away. I was gobsmacked! I had met a legend!
We left the Javits Center feeling like we had aced the day! And there was still one more day to go.
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