The expressions on the faces of columnist Pollo Del Mar, newly-crowned Grand Duchess Landa Lakes and Grand Duke Carlos Medal and their attendant say a thousand words about the Court representative from Las Vegas pictured second from left.

Notorious Glamazon
About Town

It’s safe to say my neighbors – even in my rather quiet, out-of-the-way neighborhood — have grown accustomed to drag queen sightings. Most Wednesday nights they see me head to  BRAIN FARTS, the weekly trivia night I cohost at Lookout. Weekends are dotted with performances, fundraisers and appearances at all times of day and night. Still, though it was probably only in my mind, I could feel eyes on me as I hit the streets in full drag this warm, sunny Monday morning past en route for Marlena’s basement.

When David Lassman – nee, Empress XXXVI Chablis — scheduled a noon shoot for his upcoming independent film for that day, the implications never really occurred to me. However, after my weekend — Saturdayay’s Ducal Ball & Coronation and Victory Brunch not to mention Folsom Street Fair (which I was exhausted just trying to avoid) on Sunday – waking up early to again put on my finery was the last thing I wanted to do.

A few months ago, when David told me about The Rise and Fall of Jeremy Starr and said he’d written a part for me, I was intrigued. Despite having starred with Heklina, Cookie Dough and Matthew Martin in God-only-knows how many performances of the stage version of The Golden Girls – which once again returns to Mama Calizo’s Voice Factory this coming December — I have never been in a feature-length film. Despite the fact my talent as an  “actress” is relatively untested, David was certain I could pull off the part of – shocking! – a drag queen who provides a moral conscience and motherly perspective for the film’s protagonist played by Miss Trannyshack 2002 Suppositori Spelling.

So wearing a gown by Cockatielia and dripping jewels given to me by none other than Marlena herself, the same ones I wore to the Swedish American Hall to watch Carlos Medal and my drag mother Landa Lakes crowned San Francisco’s newest Grand Duke and Grand Duchess and later ever-classy Rentecca and CoCo Canal judge a Folsom weekend “Best Cock” contest at Starf*cker at Deco, I arrived. Certainly if I looked glamorous enough to be crowned Baroness of Rubies & Diamonds Saturday night by The 35K Diamond Duchess, Grand Duchess XXXV Big D, I thought, then surely I could pull off four minutes on film as the fictional “Auntie Mane”!

After several hours huddled in the secret dressing room of Empress XLI Galilea, who must be shorter than I think to be able to stand upright in that space, we were done! It was interesting to learn how many takes, shots and reshoots – not to mention the amount of time — a single scene in a movie requires. It will be even  more interesting to see how Amir Jaffer, who released the documentary Drag:  Not Just Men in Heels last summer, manages to piece it all into a cohesive story!

The experience should be excellent practice for the weekend upcoming, when I begin shooting yet another feature film. Devious, Inc. – in which I get to play a twisted dominatrix, a character much closer to my heart — costars two more former  Trannyshack titlists, Miss Trannyshack 2001 Precious Moments and Miss Trannyshack 2003 Fauxnique. While I don’t know how familiar Fauxnique is with this  medium, Precious is a seasoned vet. (Maybe you caught her in the campy Frameline XXXII favorite The Gay Bed & Breakfast of Terror?!) Also involved are a host of local talent including Kegel Kater, Huggz Bunny, and L. Ron Hubby. The creative energy flowing into the project is so much fun, I can hardly wait!

Of course, the flip side is the scheduling nightmare this very active, incredibly exciting weekend presents. With long days of on-location filming both Friday and Saturday – which just happens to coincide with co-star BeBe Sweetbriar’s step-down as Miss Gay San Francisco at the annual pageant, held this Oct. 4 at the Holiday Inn on Van Ness – my calendar is already cluttered. Add to that a cohostessing gig the next day at the Castro Street Fair, and I’m going to be one very busy gal!

In situations like this, planning is key. In the midst of writing this column, in fact, I raced off to discuss Sunday’s costuming needs with fabulous seamster Chris DenBlyker. This marks our first time working together since he created the absolutely stunning (if I do say so myself) mermaid costume I wore in the “Bathing Suit” portion of last year’s Miss Trannyshack Pageant.

Knowing I’ll be sporting one of his stunning designs when I leave my house at some ungodly early hour Sunday morning en route to the Castro mainstage gives me peace of mind. Let the neighbors look, honey. I’m ready for my close-up!

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