The State of "The State of Drag"

    Finally got around to reading Next Magazine's annual "State of Drag" issue. People are up in arms about this whole thing. I would like to go on the record saying that I am a non biased outsider in reference to this issue of Next. I was not in any of the articles, nor was I in the photo essay done by Santiago Felipe. The article that really got under everyones skin was "A Tales Two Scenes" by John Russell. Several drag queens have taken to Facebook to slam the magazine for doing a shitty job of capturing the NYC Drag Scene for what it really is. 

    A lot o people are upset because of Russell's attention on the divide between the Brooklyn girls vs the Manhattan girls. Why is everyone acting like this is the first time they have ever heard of this? Even though the whole "Brooklyn vs Manhattan" drag queen rivalry is mostly steeped in playfulness that doesn't mean that it isn't a thing. Maybe it's because an "outsider" brought it up on such a public level. 

    You know people don't mind their dirty laundry being aired out, as long as it doesn't happen in front of company. I don't think the article was spot on, but I don't think I would have had the reaction that everyone else had when they read it. There is, and will be for some time, a tension between drag queens and Next Magazine anyway. They couldn't have gotten it right if they wanted to. Note to the world. DRAG QUEENS ARE HARD TO PLEASE! ! ! ! If you do the splits. . . "Is that all she can do?" If you cut yourself on stage. . . "Ugh Anastasia Orleander already did that" If you change your drag name. . . "Ugh. . .  that doesn't make any sense!" You can't please drag queens, even if your Lady Gaga, Cher, or Madonna.

    I do think the article could have been a better, but to be honest I didn't read anything that I haven't heard at West Way Dinner at 4:00 AM on a Wednesday morning.

    In reference to Santiago Felipe's photo essay, "Glamour and Grit" I'm no expert in photography, but the pictures look good enough to me. Except Coco De'ball's pug on page 16 looks like he is being held hostage. Can someone call animal care. "If you're in danger stare frightened into the camera"

   Well. . . there's always next year. . . . Try and again Next Magazine, but something tells me these girls won't be happy no matter what.

PS. You could stand to have a few more queens on the cover, but I get it. . . sex sells.