By Michael Barbieri****Sunday, September 8th was something of a wrap-up day at DragCon. And although the festivities ended earlier than the first two days, it was no less packed with glam-oor, Hunny!
I arrived early and sat near the Main Stage, watching the vendors getting ready to open up shop. As I lingered there, two of my favorite people walked by: Mrs. Kasha Davis and her husband, Mr. Kasha Davis! They were dressed, as usual, in his-n-hers outfits—she in a stunning gold bouffant wig and 1950s-style dress with a gold and green floral print and he in a matching shirt. They looked every bit the sweet suburban married couple, and radiating happiness as we chatted and posed for pictures together. I’m excited to see Mrs. Kasha Davis and her friend Darienne Lake at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in November!
After the Davises departed, I took a break and that’s when I saw her! A glorious creature in a rainbow tutu with a shiny rainbow-striped top. She took my breath away. It was… Pickles the Pug! Miss Pickles is a 9-year-old pug dog from Toronto who’s friendly and photogenic. Her Mommy, Margaret, posed Pickles in front of the “Greetings from RuPaul’s DragCon” backdrop and I couldn’t resist asking if I could snap some pictures. I mean, what could be better than a fabulous drag doggie? I now follow Pickles on Instagram because… well… because she’s a star!
I then grabbed a spot on the Main Stage for the “Judgey Judies” panel. This talk, moderated by Teen Vogue’s Gabe Bergado, featured Drag Race judges Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, Todrick Hall and Ross Matthews. The talk revolved around what it’s like to be judges on RuPaul’s Emmy Award-winning show. Questions ranged from the criteria they use—Todrick bases his choices on whom he’d most want to see perform live—to which guest judges have been their favorites. For Ross it was Lady Gaga and for Carson it was Olivia Newton John, while Michelle said sweetly that Todrick, Carson and Ross have always been her favorites. In particular, I enjoyed the bits of wisdom they dropped: Carson’s statement that “drag reveals more than it covers up,” Todrick saying that he most admires contestants who are their true, authentic selves and Michelle saying that she’s distanced herself from the culture of hatred that’s risen up on Social Media regarding Drag Race. My favorite statement came from Ross, who said they, as judges, give constructive criticism in an effort to “nudge the queens toward greatness!” I came away with a fresh view of the panelists. Yes, being a judge is hard work, but they enjoy what they do and they also have fun. In general, they came across as kind and generous and the sort of people you’d love to call friends!
Other highlights of the morning included checking out the Kid Zone, which featured a bouncy house, face painting, Drag Queen Story Hours and other kids’ activities. There was also Michelle Visage’s announcement of DragCon U.K. in January 2020 and RuPaul himself playing DJ for a daytime dance party. He was perched above the Main Stage in a makeshift booth atop the giant LED screen, droppin’ sick beats, jumping, dancing and doing shout-outs on the mic! Considering how busy he is, I have no idea where he gets the energy!
Back in the press room, there were special interviews with the U.K. queens. This time I was able to chat with them in quieter surroundings than on the first day. I was able to get acquainted with Crystal, a fascinating queen from London (via Canada). Crystal likes to play with gender and indeed there was a very male vibe to her drag, including not shaving her body hair. I also met Gothy Kendoll, a sleek, beautiful queen with a dominatrix-like vibe, whom I found to be quite poised and charming, despite her dark look. Then there was Baga Chipz an outrageous, over-the-top comic gal from London. I loved her outgoing, wacky personality and I’ll be interested to see how she fares on the show. Cheryl Hole, the self-described “dancing diva of Essex,” seemed sweet and friendly, with a touch of old Hollywood glamour. We were asked not to get into specifics about the show, so I kept my questions simple. I discovered that this was the first trip to the U.S. for many of the girls and that they loved New York and DragCon. I asked if they were having fun taping Drag Race U.K. and they all agreed that they were having a blast, even though the show was a bit grueling at times. They spoke of the sisterhood they had formed and said they felt nothing but love and support from the other girls and the production staff. I found I really liked these queens and I wish them the best of luck on the show and their tour of the U.K.
As I prepared to leave the press room, who should walk in but my dear friend Miss Coco Peru! We recorded a short video together, wherein we chatted about how long we’ve known each other. We were both part of the classic cabaret and piano bar scene and I was there for her first shows, some 29 years ago! We took a few pictures together, but she soon had to leave, as she was in demand elsewhere.
My assistant, Danny Acosta, Jr. and I, headed back down to the show floor. I still had a few stars I wanted to meet. We said hello to Kennedy Davenport, resplendent in a form-fitting red gown, and she graciously obliged us with a few photos. We then stopped by to see two glamour girls I had wanted to meet since the first NY DragCon: Manila Luzon and Michelle Visage. Manila was as gorgeous and spirited as I expected, with a winning smile and a lovely light in her eyes. We spoke about my column and she really perked up when I told her I had recently reviewed her good friend Latrice Royale. Manila seemed understandably tired from three full days of meet and greets and being “on” for her public, so I got a few pictures and said my goodbyes, not wanting to tax her any further. Michelle Visage was warm and welcoming, offering me a big hug as I approached. I wished her the best of luck with her gig on BBC’s dance competition, “Strictly Come Dancing.” I also told her how happy I was that she’s got her health in order after her bout of an autoimmune disease possibly caused by her breast implants, which she’d had removed. We agreed that implant illness is an insidious disability of which many women are unaware. She told me, “That’s why I’m doing a documentary!” I look forward to seeing it. She’s a beautiful lady and I was very glad to meet her at long last.
So, that was our DragCon NYC experience for 2019! If you’ve followed all three parts of this rather epic coverage, you know we did a lot. And yet, there were still queens we didn’t get to meet, panels we weren’t able to attend and activities we missed. There’s no way to truly do everything there is to do at DragCon. But if you’re a fan of the art of drag, this gathering is certainly a prime mecca for it. You should definitely think about making a pilgrimage to DragCon NYC 2020!
My thanks to my assistant Danny Acosta Jr. for all his help on this weekend. To see many of my photos and videos, check out my Instagram page: @drag_tastic.
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