On Saturday, August 17, Sister Roma (Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence) and Fudgie Frottage, drag king extraordinaire, will co-host "The Biggest Drag Queen Competition in the World." The event will benefit an organization near and dear to the hosts' hearts: PAWS: Pets Are Wonderful Support. For roughly 25 years, PAWS has enabled people with AIDS to keep their pets via volunteers who walk dogs and takes pets of all kinds to the vet when needed, among other services.
We all know what a drag queen is, but what's a drag king? A drag king is a woman who cross dresses as a man and, like his queen counterparts, creates an onstage persona for the purpose of club performance and personal appearances. Fudgie Frottage is a well-known San Francisco drag king.
"Fudgie was discovered quite accidentally by Versace in 1996 while fucking Donatella in a K-Hole after hours in his Miami showroom," Frottage recalled for BARtab. "Heavily influence by the late '60s (free love) and early '70s (free drugs), Fudgie dreams of having his own reality show because he lives in his own reality."
Frottage tells us that drag king acts are quite popular, and that there isn't all that much of a difference in what a King will do onstage, as compared to a Queen. "Just less make-up and slightly different tucking and padding/packing," he said.
"You can visit almost any bar or club in San Francisco and see a drag queen. We're a dime a dozen," offered Sister Roma, who describes herself as the most photographed nun in the world. "That's one of the reasons I love the Drag King contest; it's unique, refreshing and thoroughly entertaining."
The Sister took a break from her devotions to offer a more detailed explanation on the differences between Kings and Queens.
"Obviously Kings are performing songs by men, but it goes beyond that," she explained. "First of all, Queens go to great lengths to conceal their manhood, while Kings stuff and strap on whatever they can to find and create a package. Queens often perform a ballad alone in the spotlight while the Kings usually deliver big-budget production numbers with choreography, costumes and props. I've also noticed that Kings have clever names, many of them steeped in sexual double entendre. And there's a lot of sexual energy on that stage: you're going to see a lot of boobs, which I love. I mean, who doesn't love boobs?"
Frottage promises that this year's contest will be a grand extravaganza. "This year's show features the most past titleholders and guest stars," he said. "Jay Walker will be doing his Prince impersonation, but aside from that I don't want to give away too much about the show. The element of surprise is best when the shock value is unexpected."
Frottage says that, as with drag queens, the kings have crossover audience appeal, attracting both men and women. He urged people not only to have fun, but to support his beneficiary organization.
"PAWS is a wonderful organization that started by helping people with HIV care for their animals," he explained. "PAWS volunteers walk dogs, clean litter boxes. There's a pet food bank and monies available for vet care. They have grown over the years and now encompass clients with other debilitating illnesses."
It sounds like a night of grand fun, all to benefit a good cause. Please join Fudgie Frottage and Sister Roma for the biggest drag king competition in the world. It's an only in San Francisco event that promises lots of swaggering cocktitude.
The Drag King Contest takes place Saturday, August 17, at Space 550, 550 Barneveld Street in San Francisco. Doors open at 9 p.m., show starts at 10 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. A $15 after party will include dancing and guest DJs. 282-2363. www.sfdragkingcontest.com www.pawssf.org