Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 412 April 3, 2019

BY EILEEN SHAPIRO
CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT
EMPRESS XXXII GAYE BANTER EMPEROR XVII &
REGENT EMPEROR XXVII ROB HUNTER DE WOOFS:
“Night of A Thousand Gowns”
The celebration and spectacular
extravaganza of 2019, the 33rd
Annual Night of a Thousand
Gowns, will be presented on
Saturday, April 6, 2019, at Marriott
Marquis in New York. Hosted
by the Imperial Court of New
York, the event will be bursting
with color, sparkle and majestic
royalty, and will include dazzling
entertainment, gourmet food and
flowing drinks.
The Imperial Court of New York
has provided service to the
LGBTQ community for 32 years
and will benefit Trinity Place
Shelter this year. The coronation
will include the red carpet, cocktail
reception and silent auction. The
entertainment includes Debby
Holiday and Skyla Versai.
Get Out! shared questions and
answers with monarchs Empress
XXXII Gayle Banter and Emperor
and Regent Emperor XXVII Rob
Hunter de Woofs.

When will Night of a
Thousand Gowns take
place, and what charity
will it be considering
this year?
Empress: Night of a
Thousand Gowns will
be happening at the
marvelous Marriott
Marquis Hotel in the
heart of Times Square on
Saturday, April 6, 2019.
The festivities kick off at
6 p.m. This year, we’re
supporting Trinity Place
Shelter, a wonderful
organization that we have
a long relationship with.
Their mission is to help
homeless lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender and
queer youth and young
adults to safely transition
out of the shelter
system and grow into
independent, positive
and productive adults.
They’re amazing!
What guests will be
featured?
Empress: Well, we’re still
finalizing our guest list,
so there will certainly be
some surprises. But I’m
very excited to share that
we have as a headline
entertainer Billboard
Top Ten international
recording artist Debby
Holiday! We’ll also have
veteran drag performer
Skyla Versai, as well
as special command
performances by some
of the superstars of the
Imperial Court System.
Tell me a little about
yourself.
Empress: I started with
the Imperial Court of New
York about eight years
ago, but attended my
first Night of a Thousand
Gowns long before I
joined the court. I’ve
served on the Court’s
Board for a number of
terms, three years of them
as treasurer. In my secret
identity, I work for an
arts philanthropy service
organization, and I’m very
active with HRC, both in
New York and nationally.
What else would you like
to know?
Emperor: I am Emperor
XVII and Regent Emperor
XXVII Rob Hunter de
Woofs.
I joined The Imperial
Court of New York in 2003
and was Emperor XVII
during the years of 2008-
09 with Empress Charlene
Chivoe and now Regent
Emperor with Empress
Gaye Banter.
I have been a resident
of Asbury Park, New
Jersey, since 1996 and
consider this city my
home. I was introduced
to The Imperial Court
of New York while I was
the general manager
at Club Paradise, also
in Asbury Park, by
one of our customers
and court members,
former Empress Twinkle
Montgomery.
For many years involved
in the New Jersey bar
business, I have also
volunteered my time
and efforts to many local
New Jersey charities, and
since being introduced
to The Imperial Court of
New York, I have found
many good friends that
are like-minded and
hard-working people for
different charities in the
NYC and surrounding
areas that need special
funding that The Imperial
Court of New York can
help provide.
When I reigned as
emperor the first time 10
years ago, I had a blast
representing the court
and said I would not do
it again, simply because
I didn’t think I could do
better. However, last
year we did not have
an emperor candidate
running for that position,
so I was appointed by
our College of Monarchs
and Board of Directors
to fill the vacancy, thus
giving me the regent
emperor title. Being
this is my second time
around and 10 years
later, I’ve come into the
regent emperor role with
a lot more confidence
and experience of what
my job is as emperor
and maximizing our
fundraising efforts for
our chosen charities
to support with new,
larger events as well
as maintaining our
traditional events.
I’ve served on the
Imperial Court of New
York’s Board of Directors
for many years, traveled
extensively supporting
other courts and helped
in the effort to raise tens
of thousands of dollars for
a lot of charities over the
years, because I believe in
the work and fundraising
our organization can
uniquely provide. The
Imperial Court of New
York, although sovereign
in our fundraising for the
New York area, is one
Imperial Court among 70
that are spread across the
U.S, Canada and Mexico.
United, all courts are
under the International
Court System’s umbrella.

Is there anything new to
expect this year at the
event?
Empress: There always
is! But I’ll tell you what
will stay the same… it will
be the same glamorous,
glittering evening, with
more sparkles and
rhinestones than you can
shake a stick at! We’ve
added more dancing this
year, so that everyone
can join the party. And
we’re working on a special
something that I’m not at
liberty to talk about, but
that will generate a lot of
heat, I can tell you that
much!
Emperor: The Imperial
Court of New York is
always evolving to make
Night of a Thousand
Gowns bigger and better
each year to try and
maximize our fundraising
efforts for our chosen
charities—this year’s
beneficiary, Trinity Place
Shelter for homeless
gay youth, as well as
making our event highly
entertaining for our
guests. We encourage
our guests to go way
over the top with their
formal outfits like our
membership does. Our
entertainment is always
top notch, an extensive
silent auction, the threecourse
dinner is always
delicious and we offer a
five-hour open bar in the
gorgeous Marriott Marquis
Grand Ballroom. A feast
for the eyes and a place to
be seen!
For those who aren’t
aware, can you explain
why Night of a Thousand
Gowns takes place every
year?
Empress: The Imperial
Court of New York is
governed by a Board
of Directors, but is also
led by monarchs, an
emperor and an empress,
who are elected by the
membership and serve for
a year as the figureheads
and spokespersons of
the organization. New
monarchs are crowned at
the annual coronation ball,
which we call Night of a
Thousand Gowns. It’s also
a great opportunity for us
to showcase the important
outreach and fundraising
work that the court does
throughout the year, and
to highlight a particular
cause or charity near and
dear to our hearts, as
we’re doing this year with
Trinity Place Shelter.
Emperor: Night of a
Thousand Gowns is The
Imperial Court of New
York’s largest fundraising
event of the year. Each
year the court membership
elects an emperor and
empress to be the
court’s ambassadors for
the year. So, this ball
is a celebration of the
reigning monarchs and
membership’s year of
fundraising, and at the
climax of the night, there
are the coronation walks
and swearing in of the
next year’s emperor and
empress, and the year
begins anew!
How can people
purchase tickets?
Empress: Tickets are
available through our
website, www.icny.tix.com.
Is there anything that
I didn’t mention that
you would like to make
people aware of?
Empress: I’m not sure
there is, but I’m probably
forgetting something!
Emperor: Although Night
of a Thousand Gowns is
our biggest event of the
year, we are fundraising for
different charities almost
every week of the year.
Some of the charities over
the past year, besides
Trinity Place Shelter, were
for Hudson Pride Center,
Tyler Clementi Foundation,
Thursday’s Child, The
Asbury Park Police Local
6 PBA, Save-a-Pet USA
in Port Jefferson with the
outreach program Gays for
Strays, MCCNY Homeless
Youth Services, CitiLeaf,
Coco LaChine Scholarship
Fund, God’s Love We
Deliver and so many more.
We hold many of our
events at Stonewall Inn,
Industry Bar and Pieces.
The Imperial Court of
New York also provides
outreach programs like
Hearts and Voices that
visit and perform at HIV/
AIDS shelters throughout
the boroughs and potluck
dinners at homeless
youth centers like Trinity
Place Shelter. Refer to
our website for upcoming
events at www.icny.org.
The ICNY is a very
diverse and welcoming
organization inclusive of
our GLBTQ and straight
allies. We are always
looking for new members
to join the Imperial Court
of New York! We invite
everyone to come join in
the fun, network and find
a place where you can
make friends, perform or
help in the background
and be part of an amazing
organization!

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5 0 0 W 4 8 T H S T .
N Y , N Y 1 0 0 3 6
Cover: The Night of a Thousand Gowns
Photo by Steven Menendez
ISSUE 412 - APRIL 4 2019
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stories / GET OUT! MAGAZINE >> GETOUTMAG.COM
BY IAN-MICHAEL BERGERON
@ianmichaelinwonderland
For my birthday
in February, my
photographer Steve
Brennan gave me a gift
card to Coach.
Anyone who knows me
knows that I love Coach,
and that I’ve always
loved Coach. My first
designer bag was Coach
(a black C-monogrammed
messenger bag that my
Mom bought me when
I was accepted into
college), and one of my
first boyfriends bought
me a brown and beige
C-monogrammed tote
bag that I used all through
college (and still have,
somewhere in the back of
my closet).
I took my gift card
to 5th and 54th, my
favorite Coach store. It’s
my favorite for several
reasons: 1, the revolving
display window; 2, the
leather monkeys on the
staircase; and 3, most
importantly, the giant
t-rex made entirely out of
leather Coach bags.
I didn’t know why I loved
the t-rex so much, but ever
since Coach introduced
their 3D t-rex bag charms,
I’ve been obsessed with
them.
My boyfriend in tow, we
looked around the store.
“Do you like this?” James
asked, holding up a quilted
crossbody.
“Eh, a little feminine,” I
said, scanning the room
for a bag I’d had my eye
on: a little blue crossbody
covered with leather
flowers. When I finally
found it, I flagged down an
associate to bag it up.
“That’s not too feminine,
but the other bag is?”
James asked, perplexed.
I shrugged: I’ve always
had an odd idea of what
I thought looked good
on me and what didn’t,
and what I consider
“too feminine” and “too
masculine” alike.
Waiting to be rung up,
looking at a gold necklace
charm of a t-rex, a memory
of me at five years old
flashed before my eyes:
My dad left me alone to
play, and when he came
downstairs from working,
I’d taken all of Barbie’s
clothes (cocktail dresses in
obnoxious shades of ‘90s
primary colors) and
put them onto my
plastic dinosaurs.
It appeared they
were having the
time of their lives
at a cocktail party.
My dad grabbed
his camera:
Somewhere, we
have dozens of
photos of my
dinosaurs at their
first dance.
I’d been mixing
feminine and
masculine roles
since I was a kid,
and I hadn’t even
realized it. In my
mind, it was always
clear that I was gay
because of all the
Barbies. But there
were the dinosaurs,
the Batman action
figures and the Hot
Wheels (and, again,
my favorite Hot
Wheels were hot
pink and sparkly
purple).
I smiled at the
memory, not just of
Cocktail
PARTY
myself playing with
dinosaurs in Barbie
cocktail dresses, but of my
dad. He loved that I put
the dinosaurs in dresses so
much that he made sure to
photograph it, made sure
to have a memory of it
forever. Both of my parents
made sure to let me be
whoever I wanted to be,
even then.
“I’m so sorry,” I told the
employee as she brought
me the receipt, “could I
get this necklace too?”
PHOTO: STEVE BRENNAN WEARING: COACH BAG

The average length of
a marriage nationally
is 8.2 years, but for
New York City alone,
it’s 12.2 years. I
wonder how much of
that extra four years
has to do with not
wanting to give up the
great apartment.
THOMAS
TALKS
I’m getting married
this summer, and
my sister just told
me that she isn’t
bringing her kids,
because her and her
husband don’t think
it’s “appropriate” for
them. Part of me had
been anticipating
this from them,
because they’re so
religious, but I didn’t
think they’d actually
keep my niece and
nephews away.
They’ve all met my
fiancé, and the kids
love her. They also
know we’re together,
so I don’t see what
the problem is. I’m
considering just
telling my sister to
ABOUT: MARRIAGE
not come at all. I’m
really hurt and very
angry. - Female, Gay,
27
One of the pros of
being queer is that
you can pick who
your family is; they
don’t have to be the
ones you were born
into. You don’t have
to just accept her
bigoted views. If you
tell your sister that you
don’t want her there
without the kids, it
could potentially put
a wedge between
the two of you that
can’t be undone. I
don’t know if this is a
single incident, or if
there are other times
where she’s told you
she objects to your
life, but tell her to
knock it off or she’s
not going to be a part
of your life at all. Tell
her how you feel, that
it hurts your feelings
and you want the
kids there. Ultimately,
they’re her kids, and
you can’t force her to
bring them. However,
you can also be the
best aunt ever and
make sure they love
you no matter what
their mom says about
you, which is great
revenge!
I don’t live in NY,
but I had to write
you, because I can’t
tell anyone around
here or risk them
seeing it. I love my
boyfriend very much,
but I don’t want to
marry him. A month
ago he made a huge,
grand gesture—all
of our friends and
families were there,
and he asked me.
I couldn’t say no. I
panicked. I said yes.
Now we’re making
plans, getting
invitations ready, and
I don’t know what to
do. I’m freaking out,
and there’s literally
no one I can talk to.
I’m afraid this is a
huge mistake. - Male,
Gay, age-?
Do not go through
with this wedding. I
know you’re afraid of
hurting him or letting
everyone down, but
if you keep this inside
it’s eventually going
to come out and do
much worse damage.
This is not something
you can just sit by and
let play out. If you’re
not ready to get
married, that’s fine,
tell him. If you never
want to get married,
tell him that too. You
might lose him, but he
deserves to be with
someone who wants
the same things as
him. Good luck.
Sex/Love/Relationship advice? Send your questions to: ThomasTalksAbout@gmail.com
@ThomasWhitfield84

KEEP ON WALKIN’
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APRIL 11
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SHOW AT 9:30PM
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NEW YORK, NY 1003
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Tell everyone that CeCe says: “I
can’t wait for everyone to come out to
Joe’s Pub to see me, and remember to
always give back. The organization that
is putting on this event is always giving
back to the community. Make sure you
come out—it’s important!”
Celebrated R&B/dance powerhouse
CeCe Peniston opens the prestigious
17th Annual Downtown Urban Arts
Festival with a one-night-only, orgasmic
performance at Joe’s Pub on Thursday,
April 11, at 9:30 p.m.. The festival,
directed by Reg E. Gaines and Creative
Ammo Inc., showcases music, poetry, live
theater and film and runs from April 11 to
May 18.
Billboard sensation CeCe Peniston,
recognized for one of the most anthemic
hits on the planet, “Finally”, has enjoyed
a titanic career, at times turning the music
industry inside out. Dazzling fans with
her animated live showcases, CeCe has
performed in front of the pope, President
Clinton and at the late and legendary
Aretha Franklin’s birthday party.
After being commissioned to sing
backup vocals for a rapper set to release
an album on A&M Records, she was
discovered by record executive Manny
Lehman, and her earth-shattering single
“Finally” was conceived. She quickly
became a vibrant, international superstar
and was considered to be one of the
most successful dance club artists in the
history of the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance
Music/Club Play Charts.
The Downtown Urban Arts Festival
was originally conceived as a theater
series in 2001. It was curated by artistic
director Reg E. Gaines, a Tony-nominated
playwright and Grammy Awardnominated
lyricist. Later on, the addition
of poetry and music and international film
was added.
I had the supreme joy of speaking to
CeCe Peniston, and from the second the
conversation began I found her vivacious,
high-spirited and effervescent, and that’s
an understatement. Aside from her
artistry, she shines as a person, and was a
regular blast.

INTERVIEW
BY EILEEN SHAPIRO
CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT
I understand you just got back to the
States.
Actually, I just got back from the
Bahamas, and I’m getting ready to go
out again to Atlanta. I have Europe
coming up, including Baltic Sea Pride.
I have Ibiza coming up. So I’ve got a
couple of different things.
You are really busy. That’s exciting.
Thank you. I thank God for that, too.
He didn’t have to give me all those
blessings. I’ve been doing it for 29 years
now, so I keep moving and doing what I
love.
You are being featured at the
Downtown Urban Arts Festival.
Yes, I can’t wait. It’s April 11 in New York
City. I like that it’s a charity-based event. I
always like that, because I have a charity
of my own. Just the fact that I’m able to
give back to the community with what I
can do, and I give out scholarships for
the kids—being a part of it is great. Then
I get to perform and do what I love, and
then, hey, who doesn’t love New York
City, right?
For sure. It’s going to take place at
Joe’s Pub, and you’re actually opening
up the entire festival.
Yes. You know what, I’m thankful to be
doing that. I did that at Woodstock a
while ago. Just being able to open up
everything—the opening ceremony
means to me that I trust you, you’ll be
good for the crowd. I’m going to have
two background vocalists, a DJ and
make it fun for everybody. I’m going to
try and have a live vibe without it actually
being live. I like that feel.
You said you’ve been doing this for
29 years. Have you had your ultimate
stage fantasy?
Oh man, I’ve had several. After
CeCe Peniston Opens
the Downtown
Urban Arts Festival
at Joe’s Pub April 11
Apartheid, I was the first artist, even
before Whitney, to go to South Africa.
So that was great. I performed for the
pope in a private audience, and Andrea
Bocelli was there. We had a private
audience with the pope, and he gave us
rosaries. It was great. Woodstock, I had
the opportunity to be there with Thelma
Houston. President Clinton, I performed
for him several times, and Hillary
Clinton at the inauguration. I’ve had a
lot of blessed events. Aretha Franklin’s
birthday party… I said, “Aretha wants me
to perform, hello, yeah!”
Wow, that is such an honor. I was
going to ask you what your favorite
experience performing was, but I bet
you can’t even answer that.
I really can’t. When you get to this period
of time, the thing that makes you epic
is the crowd and the people that you
get to perform with. As a child there are
people that you admire, who you’d love
to share the stage with. I don’t know how
much more epic you can get performing
for Aretha Franklin. She wanted CeCe
Peniston to perform at a birthday party!
I love her too. I admired her work and
loved her!
That’s the best when you’ve
connected with one of your iconic
heroes in that way. So do you think
music can change the world?
I do. I do feel that music can be healing.
I feel like music can be comfort. Last year
around October I was going through
dealing with the death of my mom. I
would say definitely not my own music
but other people’s music really helped
me get through that time, and still does.
I remember that I didn’t have the
strength to deal, I remember thinking, “I
can’t do this,” but “you can help me do
it.”

I remember feeling the comfort by
hearing certain songs, and there
are still certain songs that I will
hear that throws me a curve and I
have to turn it off. But at the same
time there is something beautiful
about hearing them, because it
brings you back to a time and
place that you otherwise may
forget. We should never forget
loved ones or home memories,
because there are very few that
you can cherish.
So tell me, are you doing any
new projects musically?
Oh, absolutely. I just put out a new
song called “Are You Ready.” It’s
out now on Amazon, TuneCore,
all of the digital platforms and
being played on satellite. I also
did a song called “Hot” that I did
with Antonio Dixon. We are doing
some movie licensing. There’s a lot
of new things that I’m doing as an
artist.
I’m also doing some stuff with
fitness as well. I’m back on my
fitness journey for women who are
over 40 and looking to be 50 and
fab. People have to know it’s never
too late to get on that journey and
be healthy and to change your
lifestyle. How about that? Even
with my mom, I had gained weight,
because of grief and just different
stuff. You think, “I don’t care
what I eat right now.” I think the
redemption is working back into
that place when you go, “Ahhh… I
want to be healthy.” I think people
like that redemption, especially
after being heavy: “That big coat
was just keeping me warm.”
I need to come down and see
you, because you are just a blast!
Oh, thank you. I’m like this on
stage too. I’m like real out of the
box—my God, here we go again.
You know how I am now, come on.
I was at this show with this guy who
wouldn’t sing with me.
The whole crowd was yelling, “Sing,
sing!”
Well, did he finally sing?
Yes, he did.
You are a huge gay icon.
I love the LGBT community.
Visit DUAFNYC.COM to
purchase tickets. The show
takes place Thursday, April
11, at 9:30 p.m.

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Michael
Musto
BY EILEEN SHAPIRO
CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT
THE ORIGINAL GAY STEPS INTO THE SHOES
OF PAUL LYNDE IN ‘TIMES SQUARES’ AT THE
LAURIE BEECHMAN THEATER
Famous celebrity journalist, TV and nightlife personality Michael Musto will
be starring in a hysterical spoof on the game show “Hollywood Squares,”
which will be called “Times Squares.” Seems as though he will become the
new Paul Lynde as he will be enjoying the center square. The show will
be presented at the Laurie Beechman Theater beginning Friday, April 12,
at 10 p.m., and will continue to run every other Friday after that for six
shows. Each week he will be joined by different guests, including Everett
Quinton, Flotilla Debarge, Julian Fleisher and Ben Rimalower. The guests
will perform in between the actual game, making it a night of comedy and
cabaret.
Aside from that, Musto will also be helping in the promotion of Saks Fifth
Avenue’s and Stonewall’s collaboration on sales for the LGBT charity. He as
well as other queer personalities will be photographed for the publicity.
I spoke with Musto regarding both events, and as usual, it was a blast.

INTERVIEW
So, are you going to sit in levels as
though it was the real “Hollywood
Squares”?
Well, I think it’s only going to be three
people, instead of nine people. So we
don’t have to worry about different
levels, and worry about it collapsing.
It’s basically me as “center square,”
and then two guest stars, which will be
different every week. It could be Flotilla
Debarge, Ben Rimalower and so on.
Then in between the rounds of playing
the actual game the two guest stars will
get up and do their numbers. So you get
a full variety show-type entertainment.
It’s not just a game show. I always
wanted to be
center square;
I wanted to be
Paul Lynde.
Only I’m out of
the closet.
I think you
are the
reincarnation
of Paul Lynde.
Paul Lynde
was hilarious
and very
groundbreaking
for his time, and
he made a lot of
innuendos. Even
on “Hollywood
Squares” he was
making a lot of innuendos about being
gay. For example, the one about, “Why
do Hell’s Angels wear leather?” His
answer was, “because chiffon wrinkles.”
That’s a pretty gay answer. But he never
came out on the record and said that
he was gay. It was a different time; there
really weren’t out celebrities. Still, he
paved the way, and he was hilarious.
Years later Whoopi Goldberg was a
center square, Joan Rivers was a center
square, and these are all my idols.
MICHAEL MUSTO & HOST TIM CUSACK
So that’s so cool for you.
So I’m stepping into those shoes… on a
smaller scale, I would say. I always lived
for that show. You always lived for seeing
how those kooky celebrities are going
to come up with a one-liner to answer
the question, and then they had to give
a serious answer. Then you would see
if they had any actual knowledge, and
usually they were pretty smart.
They have that TV channel where they
just play those old game shows now.
Yeah, “Buzzers.”
Charles Nelson Reilly on the “Match
Game” was pretty gay.
He was the flip side of Paul Lynde.
He wore polyester and would flap his
arms around—it was hilarious. Those
were my gay
role models
growing up,
even though
they never
said they were
gay. Then you
always have
these fag-hag
types like
Brett Somers
on “Match
Game.” I loved
her.
It’s the only
channel I
watch aside
from weather.
I watch Carol
Burnett. It’s like a new show. I call my
friends to tell them who is on, and they
ask me if I’m aware that it’s a rerun. I
say, “Oh, it is?” I’m still living in the
60s. Well, we will see how witty I am on
the spot. I hope I can pull it off.
So how did the idea originate?
This guy named Tim Cusack is the one
who contacted me. He’s promoting the
show. He’s promoted shows for Bionca
Lee and Linda Simpson. He asked me
if I’d want to be the center square, and
I told him it was one of my dreams on
my bucket list.
PHOTOS BY JAMES EDEN

I actually thought it was gonna be a
whole “Brady Bunch”-type situation with
the nine people. Then it turned out it’s
me and two guest stars.
Who are the contestants going to be?
The contestants are going to be from the
audience. Tim Cusack is also the host.
Just for clarity, it’s going to take place
at the Laurie Beechman Theater—
when?
It’s every other Friday at 10 p.m. starting
April 12. So there will be six of them,
unless it gets held over. I’m going more
for the feeling of the early “Hollywood
Squares” with Peter Marshall. That’s
when it was really fun. It wasn’t as fun
with John Davidson. I’m scared for myself
that I even know
that John Davidson
eventually took over.
I shouldn’t know
things like that. It
will be called “Times
Squares” instead of
“Hollywood Squares.”
I love that you do,
though.
You do too. At least I
know whether these
people were gay or
not.
Well, I know now.
You just got the memo. Brace yourself,
Eileen, Liberace was gay too.
Also, you are doing something
regarding Stonewall that seems quite
exciting.
Yes. It’s World Pride and the 50th
anniversary of Stonewall. Stonewall
of course was the legendary revolt in
1969 when the queer community said,
“We’re not going to take the oppression
anymore,” and we fought back. That
changed everything. It was the beginning
of the modern Queer Movement where
our community organized even more and
fought back and became recognized and
proud. We weren’t afraid to hold hands in
the street anymore. So Saks Fifth Avenue
is doing “Windows for Pride,” and they
were also doing a line where different
designers are contributing, like Marc
Jacobs. They are designing clothing that
they will sell and raise money for the
Stonewall initiative. They have people
like me and other queer personalities
to be photographed, and they will use
that to promote. They will have digital
promotion of this sale and raise money
for queer charities.
That is so cool.
Yeah, it took a while for retail to come on
our side. Half a century.
I always say to artists, anyone
that doesn’t strive to get the gay
community on their side is crazy.
Yeah. There are going
to be two parades this
year, the regular one
and an activist march.
There is going to be
the regular Heritage
and Pride Parade, which
is very corporate, and
then this other thing
called “Reclaim Pride.”
That’s going to be a
march at the same time.
I’ll be running backand-forth
all day like a
lunatic. Twenty-five years
ago it was the same
situation for the 25th
anniversary of Stonewall. There were
two marches, but this year the alternate
march is much more angry in a reaction
to the main parade, because they think
it’s too cooperate. They feel that only
businesses get plugged because of the
way it’s televised and promoted. It will be
interesting. I’ll be covering both. June is
going to be off the hook; I feel it in the
air.
I’m sure you will be asked to get
involved in everything.
I’ve earned the right… I’m the original
“gay.” I’m the original club kid. My birth
certificate is in hieroglyphics, and my
Social Security number is 3.

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BY JOHN STEIN
GREG SCARNICI
THE QUEEN
OF THE ISLAND OF
MISFIT
BOYS
In his second collection of humorous
essays, Greg Scarnici recounts some
of his most shocking and scandalous
experiences over 25 years of
summering on New York’s Fire Island.
From tea dances in Fire Island Pines
to drag competitions in Cherry
Grove, nothing is sugar-coated in
his new book, “Dungeons and Drag
Queens.”
“If I were to explain Fire Island to
someone who’s never been there, I
would describe it as a bathhouse on
the beach,” Scarnici explains. “Or
Provincetown with more meth.”
He spills all the hot tea from riding
aboard a ferry of drag queens for
the annual Fourth of July Invasion
to getting innocently lured into
a sex dungeon. He discusses his
adventures in the notorious Meat
Rack and dancing until the sun
comes up at the island’s annual
beach celebration, Pines Party.
PHOTOS BY IAN SKLARSKY
We spoke with him from his
Manhattan home.

Does any place on earth compare
with Fire Island?
Hmm. Fire Island really is its own
unique, gay paradise. The closest
towns to compare it are obviously
Provincetown or Key West, but
they’re more of real towns with actual
streets and cars, unlike the secluded
hamlets of Fire Island, which makes it
so special.
Where do you stand on Pines
versus Cherry Grove?
Both towns have their merits and
detractions, and to be honest I feel
like the two towns are starting to
seem a lot more alike. While I love
the housing stock and the finely-built
men in The Pines, there is something
to be said for the carefree, fun-loving
vibe of The Grove, which is why I’ve
made it my home the past 10 years.
As a full season share renter,
what are the rules for being a
houseguest on Fire Island?
Don’t show up with a half-drunk
plastic bottle of Georgi vodka.
Can you recall your best and worst
summers?
I actually loved the summer of 2018,
because we finally got an inflatable
hot tub, which has changed my life!
As for the worst summer, I’d have to
say that summer I didn’t place in Drag
Attack!
drag that just makes people laugh,
which is why Drag Attack!—which
has crowned me the “Worst Drag
Queen” four times—is so important
to me. It’s more about wit and fun and
having a good time.
Of all the colorful characters
we meet in “Dungeons and
Drag Queens,” who is the most
memorable?
I’d have to say China. What’s not to
love about an 80-something drag
queen who can still werk, serve and
turn it?
Why did you feel the need to
dedicate the book to every drag
queen who has ever graced the
boardwalks of Fire Island?
I did that to honor all of the drag
queens who have come before me,
because I don’t want people think,
“Who’s THIS bitch showing up late to
the gig?!”
How would you like the island to
remember you?
As the prettiest, most convincing
female impersonator to ever grace
the boards of Cherry Grove.
“Dungeons and Drag Queens”
is available on Amazon and at
select bookstore retailers. Visit
GREGSCARNICI.COM.
You’ve been named
the island’s WORST
drag queen four
times, yet you
seem to wear the
title like a badge of
honor.
So many drag
queens—especially
pageant queens—
try so hard to be
perfect and browncow
stunning, and
I think there’s a lot
to be said for fun