PeaceBang has been a life-long adorer of drag queens and everything they’re about: over-the-top flair, unabashed excess in hair, make-up and the other accoutrements of outrageous femininity, sacrificing comfort for beauty, and using a combination of humor and sexuality to flaunt their stuff. They are about illusion, extravagance, in-your-face gorgeousness, bells and smells, baubles, bangles & beads. They are an ironic pageant of Womanhood, a reverent mockery and manifestation of Goddess Herself with man bits firmly tucked away beneath spandex and ace bandages. I am enchanted by and jealous of drag queens — they possess a wild, strut-your-stuff flamboyance that more women would have if that kind of Attitude hadn’t been beaten, and burned out of us over centuries of patriarchal abuse and control.
Viva la drag queens! There are many who are dear to my heart, but I have learned today that actor Patrick Swayze, the creator of one of my dearest and most inspiring drag queens in cinematic history, MISS VIDA BOHEME (from “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar”) has pancreatic cancer. I just want to say here that I sincerely wish Mr. Swayze healing blessings, and want him to know that for me, he is immortalized in his creation of Vida.
If you want to read more, I wrote about this over at PeaceBang blog, too.
Too Wong Foo! I absolutely love that movie! You are the third person I’ve met that likes that movie. 🙂
*goes back to studying Hebrew*
PB, have you seen the drag show at Jacques in Boston’s South End? I went over the summer–lots of fun. It was full of bridal parties that night and some of the queens went quite overboard with raunchiness around the brides, but overall it was a blast. My favorite performer was a young beautiful drag queen who sang mostly in Russian (a Russian version of “All That Jazz” was her opener). Her dancing was incredible–she must have had training in gymnastics somewhere or other. Full 360 degree flips in high heels!
So sorry to hear about Swayze. I hope he’s surrounded by loving support. Pancreatic cancer is nearly always fatal (I lost a family member to it), though I know a colleague of ours who miraculously survived it and is still around and cancer free 10(?) years later to tell the tale.
Oh no! I was 17 when *Dirty Dancing* came out and I thought he was better-looking than God! He certainly is pretty as Miss Vida.
Lord have mercy.