Lonnie Haley, Brandon Metcalf, columnist Pollo Del Mar, DJ Guy Ruben, Sister Roma and Miss Rahni gathered backstage at the Beatfish Productions Presents The Wendy Ho & Co. Show. Photo Marques Daniels.

Notorious Sainted Glamazon About Town

“My name’s Wendy Ho, and it ain’t because I’m Asian, boo! Okayyyy?”

Like most everyone I know, I was introduced to Wendy Ho a few years ago when her first single “Bitch, I Stole Yo’ Purse” made the rounds on the internet. As hilarious as the title would imply, the song became a favorite among drag performers everywhere, pushed Wendy’s video to the top of LOGO’s countdown show and gave her a solid gay following. 

Truly amused by Wendy’s ghetto White girl routine, which I later found out was only partially an act, I contacted her immediately for an interview. Once we were on the phone, we really hit it off! Though we started out chatting about her debut CD The Gospel According to Ho, we wound up talking much longer than expected. Turns out, we have more in common than either of us might have known!

Not only do we share mutual friends and acquaintances here in San Francisco, we are both the products of Ohio trailerparks! Successful, blond, talented with big, voluptuous booties and a penchant for sex in public restrooms?! Though I’m only kidding about that last one – more or less – honey, it was like we were twin sisters separated at birfs..er, I mean, “birth”!

Over the next few years, Wendy and I stayed in touch, doing numerous interviews and spent time together when possible while she was in town. During one of her San Francisco visits, she appeared live in-studio with me on that ill-fated Ruffling Feathers radio show I attempted last spring. 

To be honest, I think my decision to play “Bitch, I Stole Yo’ Purse” – or perhaps Wendy singing a snippet of her new song “Abort It” live – proved the final nail in the coffin of that losing effort. The material was deemed too dirty to even re-broadcast, which I thought was a shame because it was also downright hysterical. 

Ultimately, who cares, really? Our show was one of the highest rated on that fly-by-night internet radio station, yet they consistently told us that we weren’t “what their listeners wanted.” Don’t you hate it when someone tells you, “We love you! You’re exactly what we want! Now change.”? But I digress…

By the time Wendy did a guest-starring spot in one of the runs of our all-drag production of The Golden Girls a year or so ago, we were already friends. As with most of my friends who live outside of the Bay Area, we call occasionally but text and email frequently. 

So it was no particular surprise when Wendy emailed earlier this summer. At the time, I was visiting my Dancer in Los Angeles, where he was performing with the touring production of Broadway musical In the Heights. As you might imagine from her music and stage show, Wendy is hilarious even via email, so I laughed out loud – not one of those text message “LOL” things, but a genuine, audible sound —  when I read her message.

“What so funny?” Dancer asked from the nearby kitchen. 

“Oh, it’s just my friend,” I replied. “Have you ever heard of a singer named Wendy Ho?”

Wendy first made a name for herself performing at clubs and gay bars in New York City, where Dancer lives. While I figured even if he hadn’t seen her YouTube videos, he might be familiar with her work, I certainly didn’t expect his response.

“Of course I know Wendy!” he said to my surprise, “I went to college with her!”

Talk about a small world! 

I called Wendy immediately, and we joked and laughed about the coincidence. The two forced me to do the whole “Tell him I says hi!” and “Tell her hello too!” thing, which I always hate – just call each other, for Pete’s sake – and then I moved to the next room so she and I could talk about him in whispered tones he couldn’t hear. 

“Oh, I’m so happy for choos, boo!” Wendy told me. “You bof so sweets — yous deserves each other!!” 

It was the nicest thing a Ho’s ever said to me!

During that same phone call, Wendy and I discussed bringing her back to the Bay Area to promote her brand new album Yes, I’m a Ho. Though I put her in contact with a variety of local club owners and promoters, months passed with no headway. 

Thankfully, Lonnie Haley – you might know him/her as Mercedez Munro – and Brandon Metcalf of Beatfish Productions stepped in. After the success of their Miss Triple Crown Pageant earlier this year and the Miss Gay Northern California Pageant in August, Beatfish is now dabbling in general event production and The Wendy Ho & Co. Show was one of their first experiments. 

On Sun., October 24, Wendy headlined a show which included performances by Some Thing hostess Vivyenne Forevermore, Miss Gay Northern California Miss Rahni, Drag Queens of Comedy mastermind Sasha Soprano and Kalisto. The incomparable Sister Roma and I (f)emceed the evening.

Though the place wasn’t standing-room-only, it did draw some of the City’s most notable luminaries. Mayor Gavin Newsom’s former liaison to the gay community Jimmer Cassiol, the Lady in Red Donna Sachet, Empress Cockatielia, HAUTE promoter Locoya Hill and many, many more turned out.
Audience members laughed until red-in-the-face as Wendy performed all the tracks from her latest album, favorites from her debut and even a couple from the summer’s “mixtape” Number 2. Yes, like that #2, which explains “Poop Noodle” (her current single making the rounds on the web).

Backstage before the show, Wendy and I caught up. Of course, I insisted we snap a photo together on my phone to send off to Dancer, now back home in New York City. He responded almost immediately. 

“I love it,” he said, “Two of my favorite ladies!” 

That’s sweet, but we ain’t ladies, dammit! We hos – and it ain’t because we’s Asian, okay, boo?! Heyyyy!

Follow “The Glamazon” at Twitter.com/TheGlamazonPDM. Email her directly at Pollo_DelMar@Yahoo.com.