Peppermint

(Peppermint at Splash)

One might not expect to see Metallica on the set list of a drag queens performance—between all the Cher, Lady Gaga and Rihanna that is—but that exactly what tick Peppermint pulled out of her sleeve last night at Cherry Jubilee’s annual nightlife awards show, The Glammys, at Splash. The drag diva kicked off the show—complete with a full band and backup dancers to belt out the heavy metal classic "Enter Sandman" and Wilsonmodels, our Glammy Award-winning photographer for the second year in a row, got the whole thing on video. Check out the rockin’ number for yourself after the jump.>>>

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(Gio and Mark Nelson @ Folsom Street East. Image courtesy of Daddyhunt.com)

Fifteen years in, Folsom Street East looked to be going stronger than ever on Sunday afternoon, when two bustling lines fed into the kinky street fair, which covered 28th Street with booths, entertainment, beer, and of course men (bears, leather daddies, twinks, and everything in between). 

A stilt-walker in assless chaps towered over the throng while onlookers gathered to watch floggings, paddlings, Lucas Entertainment porn stars being frisky, and a rope demonstration involving a man named Ty. (How apropos!)  It was truly an anything-goes atmosphere—or should we say anyone goes, as we spied a man in a leather apron freely peed on the sidewalk, leading a nearby attendee to quip, “Good thing I wore my boots!”  (Hey, some people are into that.)  When we leaned down to retrieve something, another passerby teased, “Be careful when you bend over here.”

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(Mimi Imfurst in Eric Halliwell's "That Was Me" PSA)

Since Dan Savage launched the It Gets Better campaign several weeks ago, we've seen it evolve from touching to tedious to downright tacky, with wannabees and celebs using the clips as self-promotional tools. (Do we really need Ke$ha telling us to stick it out?)

But something about nightlife chronicler Eric Halliwell's video—featuring New York party gods like Amanda Lepore, Peppermint, Sherry Vine, Cazwell and Michael T—really touched the cold, dead place where our heart ought to be (kidding!). I mean, if Mimi Imfurst could soldier through the teasing and harrassment, there's hope for us all. Part of us wants to send Mimi out to Osh Kosh or De Moines or  wherever and scare these despondant gaylings straight—er, gay. As Michael Formika Jones says in the clip, "Being gay isn't easy—but being dead isn't easy either!"

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(Devyn Stone @ Lips - Photo: Jeff Eason) 
After 15 years on Bank Street, Lips, the self-proclaimed "ultimate in drag dining,” has moved on up to the East Side to a deluxe...new location on 56th Street between Second and Third Avenues. To celebrate the move, the gals held a VIP party last Thursday, hosted by Jesse Volt. A smorgasbord of Lips girls both past and present—and a healthy smack of New York nightlifers—helped christian the new space, including Sherry Vine, Peppermint, Epiphany, Acid Betty, Mistress Formika, Sultana, Flotila DeBarge, Cherry Jubilee and Perffida, Malian, RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants Rebecca Glasscock and Sahara Davenport, Patricia Fields, Michael Musto, Kenny Kenny and Paul Alexander.
 
On stage breaking in the glamorous new space were Tootie from Lips’ San Diego location along with Diva from Fort Lauderdale. Representing New York were
Frankie Cocktail, Gusty Winds, Ginger Snap and Ariel Sinclair. One of the newest queens on the block, Devyn Stone, turned it out in full Victorian garb to perform Madonna’s “Vogue.” As owner Yvonne Lame put it, “the event was like going to drag queen heaven!” The gala show also included the premieres of new videos by former Lips gals Vine and Peppermint. With that amount of star wattage, we’re sure the drag institution is sure to leave lipstick stains all over the East Side. —Christopher Dilley
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(Peppermint, Raven O, Lauren Ordair & Linda Simpson @ Hurley's)

Broadway's La Cage Aux Folles has been high-kicking it at the Longacre for just over a month now, entrancing audiences so much that a touring production has already been set for 2011. But if the musical's gender-bending and hysterical humor leaves you wanting more, more more, you have but to step 10 feet next door and two flights up to the top floor of Hurley’s Bar (32 West 48th St.), which TheatreMAMA has transformed into the Riviera-like Club La Cage, a post-performance cabaret show happening every Saturday and Sunday night. Hosted by One Night With You star Raven O, the anything-goes revue is a great tie-in for those who love the riveting and raucous musical. And cast members like Kelsey Grammer, Douglas Hodge and the Nicks (Cunningham and Adams) have been known to swing by.

(Tyra Allure & Cachè @ Therapy)

Hot on the heels of AIDS Walk New York, the annual Vaccine-o-Licious was held last night at therapy. The event, benefitting Project Achieve 's efforts to further an AIDS vaccine, saw the beautiful Peppermint (in a gorg magenta silk number) take the  Queen of Vaccine crown from the venerable Queen Mum Stella D’Oro .

It may have been a charity event, but there was enough sass to butter a loaf of bread. “If you’re going to come to a show and sit in the front row and two big black drag queens are talking ,” Pep said, reading a less-attentive audience member, “you better be listening!" Outgoing queen D’Oro performed “Cell Block Tango” from Chicago, and RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Sahara Davenport popped up as a surprise guest and raffle caller. The evening really came to culmination when Tyra Allure (the other, other Tyra) hit the stage with her backup dancers, Cachè. (See video below).

Project Achieve's Yusef Junquera  said another part of the group's mission is to  inspire members of the gay community to become subjects for vaccine trials. “Education, perhaps outside of a loud crowded bar, is key,” he told us. Putting it a little more poetically, Ms. Allure said, “It doesn’t matter if you’re infected because we’re all affected.” Amen! –Christopher Dilley

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(Danielle Staub) 

JERSEY GIRL
Barracuda has nabbed everybody’s favorite Housewives bad girl, Danielle Staub, for the second-season premiere of The Real Housewives of New Jersey on Monday May 3 at 9:30pm.  (She'll be making cute with Peppermint and Michael Musto for a post-show interview.) Like us, Lady Danielle is no stranger to controversy—but we've met her and she couldn't be any more gay-friendly if she was a lady-lovin' lez.

76 GO-GOS ON  PARADE
Chris “Go-Go” Harder is taking his boylesque act to the streets this Sunday afternoon to promote his shows Bawdville, which runs every first Sunday at Splash, and Show Pony, his new humpday revue at Posh.  With all of his freaks and performers on hand, Harder will march up and down Seventh and Eighth Avenues to collect patrons for Bawdville later that night. So if you see cuties in combat boots and fishnets, don't knock over your mimosa!

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(Johnny Hazzard, shirtless at center, with Peppermint, Will Clark and the Porno Bingo Crew @ Pieces)
 
 
Last night’s Porno Bingo at Pieces  doubled as a birthday celebration for host Will Clark, with the lovely Peppermint toting prizes ranging from her new CD, Hardcore Glamour, to tickets to Broadway’s Looped. Smoldering (and surprisingly short) porn star Johnny Hazzard was on hand to auction off his underwear and titillate the boys in the crowd by tearing off his shirt. He even went so far as to offer himself up to join whoever won a brunch package in the auction. Such a giver, that Hazzard (and a receiver too, if you've seen his films).
 
After the game and auction, which raised over $1,350, we caught up with Hazzard backstage about his upcoming work.“We have Playing With Fire with Matthew Rush,  Mitchell Rock, Adam Killian and a bunch of beefed-up beautiful boys,” he reveals. As for the forthcoming Black Party, he confided that he plans to just sleep right through it. "I’ve never been, but the novelty of it has sort of worn off for me,”  Hazzard confesses. Given a rare opportunity to chat with this beefy bohunk, we just had to ask what his frequent director, Chi Chi LaRue, is like in person. “She’s harmless! Subdued. She’s crazy insane, but she’s a fucking field mouse.” Wow—for a second we thought he said she was fucking a field mouse! Not that we'd put it past our girl Chi Chi. –Christopher Dilley

(Sarah Jessica Parker & Jeff Bewkes @ the Waldorf Astoria)
 

“I’m thankful that [organizers] Michelle Galindo and Bryan Parson were able to beat the pants off of Al Roker and Sam Champion by making sure not a single flurry of snow fell on the Waldorf Astoria tonight!” exclaimed New York Council Speaker Christine Quinn from the stage at last night’s Human Rights Campaign of Greater New York “Speak The Truth” Gala. Indeed, last night brought many blessings to our community with representation from all facets of the gay-mosphere such as Tim Gunn, Peppermint, Sarah Jessica Parker, honoree Bebe Neuwirth, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer and Real Housewives of New York’s Jill Zarin.
 
Igniting the night, Senator Gillibrand announced that as part of her efforts in the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” she would be introducing legislation to cut off any funding that goes toward the further discharge of gay and lesbian soldiers (video below). “Just like the brave New Yorkers at Stonewall [40 years ago],” stated Gillibrand, “we may be blocked at first attempt, but we will not give ground!” Adding to the political chutzpah of the night, Senator Schumer announced his nomination of Daniel Alter, the first openly gay candidate for federal judgeship.

 
Following her role in auctioning off a lunch date with Michael Urie and a shopping date with Tim Gunn (along with Zarin who added herself to the package), Peppermint was summoned back to the stage by none other than Sarah Jessica Parker (video below). Parker, who was on hand to present the Corporate Equality Award to Time Warner’s Jeff Bewkes, decided to throw down two tickets to the Sex And The City 2 premier in New York which was then “suitened” (as Peppermint quipped) by a representative in the audience from Kimpton Hotels who added two hotel rooms for the evening. Once bids had hit $12,000 Parker offered up two more tickets with suites for someone who would match that price. And just like that, with a little coercion from Peppermint, $25,000 was quickly collected. —Christopher Dilley

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