This time I was determined to just appreciate her act and let her pick on other people. Yeah, right. Literally within minutes I was 'heckling' her act (but in a good way) and she set her sights on me again - to which I loudly replied to Partner, "Oh, Jesus." Luckily I was able to deflect her away from asking too many questions, but periodically throughout the show I would respond to one of her jokes and she would obviously hear (and answer or laugh). I think it helped that, when I wasn't 'adding' to her act, I would be laughing my ass off. I think she appreciated such a great response from an audience during her first show on a Wednesday night. Later, she was in the lobby selling her book, so I bought a copy and got it autographed. In it she wrote, "Hope we work together again real soon." I hope she wasn't being ironic...
The next night, on Partner's suggestion, we saw Jimmy James. Currently he is famous for a popular dance song called "Fashionista." Since I am not up on dance music, I hadn't heard it before hearing it blasting out of the speakers on the street outside of the Post Office Cafe. When he started his act, that was the first song he sang to the backing track. Since I had never seen him before, I didn't know to be surprised at his short height and rather heavy frame. I figured that a female impersonator was usually thinner, but I guess he could get away with it since he was such a talented singer. He did wear makeup, but only a feminine scarf and jacket for drag. After "Fashionista" he proceeded to sing in the styles of Eartha Kitt, Diana Ross, Billie Holliday, Cher, Barbra, Liza and Judy, and many others. Amazing. What was most surprising was when he showed a film clip of when he impersonated Marilyn Monroe. From the video and still photographs, we could see that he was flawless. (It was then that I realized: boy had he let himself go!) Later he did Bette Davis, but he had left the stage while a video and the song "Feliz Navidad" was playing. That song I had heard before, and what was being played sounded exactly like the recording, so I was confused as to what was happening. Had he originally recorded that Bette Davis parody? Were they just playing that song, or was he backstage singing it to the backing track? Why wasn't he on the stage? The video was fun, but that was a disappointing part of the show.
The next night we got tickets for Varla Jean and the Mushroom Heads. As the name implies, the entire act was built around a kids' show theme but with double entendres and sexual innuendo. As with Paula, I LOVE Varla Jean, so anything she does is incredible to me. (And also like the Paula show, we sat against the wall down in front.) The skits/dialogue with her two assistants was a bit hokey at times, but the songs were amazing, and the execution of kids' show/sexual innuendo was spot-on. I had seen her a couple of times in the past, and this show was probably my favorite so far. As we were leaving after the show, I bought a t-shirt and wanted to chat with her, but she was busy taking a picture with Leslie Jordan...
...who we saw the following night. Unfortunately we could only get SRO tickets, so we had to stand at the back. Impressions: he is a tiny man; he is funnier than I expected - and also raunchier; he did a great job balancing humor and pathos (who knew he had been to jail?); and he likes butch men, which surprised me because he is so flaming. Since I only knew him from Will & Grace and Sordid Lives, I didn't know he had worked with and knew so many celebrities. He likes to dish, so watching his act is like watching Kathy Griffin on speed...if she were slightly more feminine.
Since I had never seen so many acts at one time, I thoroughly enjoyed our week in Ptown. What's amazing is that there were still a lot more good shows to see. Ptown may be expensive during the summer, but you don't lack for something to do.
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