April 13, 2001
Hippodrome
8 p.m.

It was the second time I had seen a drag show and I couldn’t wait to see all the different kings and queens. Is there really any better way to spend an evening than with stilettos, big hair and fishnet stockings?

When I got to the Hippodrome Friday night for the second annual GW Pride Drag Show, I was amazed that it was a full house even a half hour before the start of the show. Not only were there students, but many other people from the D.C. community came.

When I saw one of the queens before the start of the show, she completely surpassed my expectations. She was donning an orange feather headdress, long stretch orange flared pants and black platform stilettos. I am still amazed she could walk in those shoes.

The first act was Miss Baby Michaels, the host of the show, performing to “Stronger” by Britney Spears. Yes, I’ll admit I was singing along, too. I could hear the whispering in the crowd, “Is that a woman dressed as a woman?” Yes, it was a woman performing as a woman, and she was a crowd pleaser.

I definitely thought Sparkle Martinez, the second queen to perform, looked exactly like Cinderella, except Martinez had a really buff back. You could say that all the girls were envious of her body – she definitely looks better in a dress than I do.

I think the next act was one of the most energetic. Despite technical difficulties with the music, Simone Blue blew away the audience with her rendition of Natalie Cole’s, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” All of the sudden the calm, composed diva flipped her hair back, ripped off her wig and ran around the catwalk. People flocked to her with dollar bills.

And if Blue wasn’t racy enough, out came a king, Peter Dicksen. He was dressed in a lab coat with a clipboard in hand, and I don’t think anyone had any idea what was about to happen. With his performance to “The Bad Touch” by the Bloodhound Gang, this king turned the PG-13 show into an almost X-rated show. Let’s just say he pulled some female and one male audience members onto the stage and acted out the lyrics to the song.

And who knew of the hidden talent here at GW? GW had its own student, Abe Froman, the sausage king, perform to Tom Jones’ “It’s Not Unusual.” With the allusion to “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” the audience was clapping and cheering on their classmate.

The show’s performers consisted of eight kings and queens and one amateur. Puss `N Boots Productions, which worked in conjunction with GW Pride to put on the show, supplied all the talent. The Hippodrome was transformed into a mini nightclub, with spotlights, dance music and a catwalk

Last year when I went to the drag show, GW Pride charged admission and donated the proceeds to a charity that advocates for gays and lesbians. No admission was charged this year because of University regulations for events in the Hippodrome, according to Francoise Galleto, GW Pride’s social and educational chair. Because of its success GW Pride members said they plan to continue the annual Drag Show in future years.

With all glamour and glitz that only a drag show can offer, it would be hard for anyone not to have a good time.