This week Jason Reid chats about uncut cocks, political correctness and Sarah Palin to an American drag performer, DJ, actor and recording artist that really needs no introduction, the legendary Lady Bunny, who’s back in town to throw shade at G-A-Y Porn Idol…
Hey Lady Bunny, so nice to talk to you. You’re coming over to London to judge G-A-Y Porn Idol. Have you done it before?
No, I have not, and as a good Christian woman I’m a little concerned.
I think you should be, too…
Well I know you English boys are all uncut, so I’ll come prepared with some crackers.
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew, Lady Bunny! So what will you be looking for in the Porn Idol contestants?
I could go on about how it’s important to have great presentation, a muscular physique or a standout character on stage, but let’s be real, I’m a big girl and I like a big cock.
Don’t we all. Now let’s talk about you. You’re often described (as I have) as a legendary figure of the drag scene in America, which you are in every sense of the word. But how do you feel when you hear that?
Well, legendary is code for OLD [laughs]. But you know what, this old bitch has had the joy of sharing stages over there in London with Lilly Savage, Regina Fong, Leigh Bowery, Mama Yvette, Tasty Tim, Dusty O, Lana Pillay and loads more. So, if legendary means getting to work with all of those people then I’m all for it.
That’s some list. What was it like to work with Lily Savage?
The crowd worshipped Lily, but I couldn’t understand one word she said [laughs]. I thought he was really handsome out of drag, too.
At that time (90’s) there was a big drag explosion on both sides of the Atlantic, and now that seems to be happening again with RuPaul’s Drag Race. What do you make of it?
It’s frustrating because the man I really want to see win that show is Michelle Visage. She never wins. It’s not fair. She’s fairly realistic [both laughs].
Seriously now, let’s pull ourselves together…
[laughs] Ok, in all seriousness, I think Drag Race has rejuvenated an interest and that’s great. One of the reasons that drag was so popular before it went mainstream (60’s, 70’s, 80’s) is that in a world where you were afraid to be gay it was very freeing to see a man who was NOT afraid, and was even flamboyant enough to dress as a woman. What the performers were doing at that time, usually late at night, primarily for an intoxicated gay male audience, was very outrageous. Nowadays, the very fact that someone is in drag doesn’t have that same impact, so the performers really need to be known for a specific talent.
Wise words. Let’s do the promo bit now, you have a new single out: ‘Lately.’ Tell us a bit about it…
Yes, it’s with the Groove Addix and is on Rich B’s Enriched Records. Rich has been a joy to work with and there’s a ton of remixes with more to come. I wrote it myself, so it’s sassy and a little bit dirty. I urge everyone to check it out on iTunes.
Music is a big part of who you are and you’re very well known for your parodies. Do you have a favourite?
‘It Takes Two To Make My Hole Feel Tight’ is normally a crowd pleaser [laughs].
I was chuckling away watching your Sarah Palin parody earlier; she’s totally bonkers and perfect ridicule fodder, isn’t she?
She is totally bonkers and I’m glad that I can be an ambassador from the USA who represents common sense and let’s people know that we’re not all dumb, mean and fat. Well I’m fat [both laughs]. And we certainly don’t all want wars!
It’s a shame that the loudest voices, such as Palin, sadly have the stupidest views…
She is widely recognised as a flash-in-the-pan idiot. And let’s not forget, that person, that anyone with half a brain could see was an idiot from the get-go, was added as the vice presidential running mate to John McCain because he had so little to offer, and they thought she’d be a distraction. REALLY? Very scary.
Let’s finish on a few quickies. How would you define drag in 2014?
Everywhere.
Political correctness. Yes or no?
NO! We need to laugh. It’s a horrible world. Take a leaf out of the late, great Joan Rivers’ book.
• G-A-Y Porn Idol with Lady Bunny is at Heaven (Under the Arches, Villiers Street, Charing Cross, WC2H 6NG) on Thursday 6th November, 10pm-4am.
