I can't help but notice an excessive grumbling lately about the demise of drag. Many have offered speculations with the front-runner seemingly money. Promoters aren't offering impressive prize packages, show directors aren't offering "respectable" pay, etc.
While nobody directly asked for my input on the matter, the topic is nevertheless one of increasing popularity and I have a theory of which I'm quite confident.
Even as little as ten years ago, drag was EXCITING! It was entertaining! One legitimately felt as though they were in the presence of celebrities at any given drag show because the entertainers worked SO hard to perfect their art!
Ten years later, those entertainers are now either legendary, retired, or still doing the same numbers in the same drag and lining their fans around the bar for it. There is a whole new crop of PERFORMERS who think that their little palette of eye shadow from CVS makes them fishy and their $6.99 dress from DEB is a show stopper! Kings everywhere are penciling in minuscule semblances of facial hair or slapping a little spirit gum and hair on the middle of their chin. Just add screen print T-shirt.
With an increasing number of performers comes an increasing need for an increasing number of shows. Consequently, since this new crop is rather intimidated by the legendary, long-standing pageantry systems, there's an increasing need for an increasing number of pageantry systems. In today's economy, there isn't room for show budgets and prize packages to increase, and when you divide them among 3 shows a week and 3 pageants a month, the numbers are laughable.
Entertainers can't find a show director to pay them a respectable appearance fee because of the surplus of performers who will do less for less.
Let's speculate how many of these performers would last if they were told they had to perform for 2 months without pay or tips.
Is drag a passion for you or a paycheck? Some of the most impressive entertainers I have ever met will HAPPILY dance their TOES to the BONE without making a dollar because they LOVE the art! They constantly invest in new costumes and toil over their sewing machines to bring the most elaborate and relevant drag they can create. They have "day jobs" and look at drag as a hobby, a passion. They don't expect for their fans to fund every penny they spend on their art! Most of them couldn't care less about competing for a crown, but if they do, they use that title to the best of their ability! They shape and mentor their communities, and they leave whatever mark they can to try to make those around them want to be and do better!
I'm just stupid enough to believe that a revolution is around the corner! That this new crop of performers will trickle out and the TRUE ENTERTAINERS will shine through and succeed!
The next time you're contemplating why you didn't get tipped, or why you didn't get crowned, take a look at what you laid out on the stage. Are you proud of it? Were you passionate about it? Did you feel it all the way in your toes? YES? Then YOU, my friend, are on the verge of a break-through!
While nobody directly asked for my input on the matter, the topic is nevertheless one of increasing popularity and I have a theory of which I'm quite confident.
Even as little as ten years ago, drag was EXCITING! It was entertaining! One legitimately felt as though they were in the presence of celebrities at any given drag show because the entertainers worked SO hard to perfect their art!
Ten years later, those entertainers are now either legendary, retired, or still doing the same numbers in the same drag and lining their fans around the bar for it. There is a whole new crop of PERFORMERS who think that their little palette of eye shadow from CVS makes them fishy and their $6.99 dress from DEB is a show stopper! Kings everywhere are penciling in minuscule semblances of facial hair or slapping a little spirit gum and hair on the middle of their chin. Just add screen print T-shirt.
With an increasing number of performers comes an increasing need for an increasing number of shows. Consequently, since this new crop is rather intimidated by the legendary, long-standing pageantry systems, there's an increasing need for an increasing number of pageantry systems. In today's economy, there isn't room for show budgets and prize packages to increase, and when you divide them among 3 shows a week and 3 pageants a month, the numbers are laughable.
Entertainers can't find a show director to pay them a respectable appearance fee because of the surplus of performers who will do less for less.
Let's speculate how many of these performers would last if they were told they had to perform for 2 months without pay or tips.
Is drag a passion for you or a paycheck? Some of the most impressive entertainers I have ever met will HAPPILY dance their TOES to the BONE without making a dollar because they LOVE the art! They constantly invest in new costumes and toil over their sewing machines to bring the most elaborate and relevant drag they can create. They have "day jobs" and look at drag as a hobby, a passion. They don't expect for their fans to fund every penny they spend on their art! Most of them couldn't care less about competing for a crown, but if they do, they use that title to the best of their ability! They shape and mentor their communities, and they leave whatever mark they can to try to make those around them want to be and do better!
I'm just stupid enough to believe that a revolution is around the corner! That this new crop of performers will trickle out and the TRUE ENTERTAINERS will shine through and succeed!
The next time you're contemplating why you didn't get tipped, or why you didn't get crowned, take a look at what you laid out on the stage. Are you proud of it? Were you passionate about it? Did you feel it all the way in your toes? YES? Then YOU, my friend, are on the verge of a break-through!
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