Are you one of those queens troubled with the creeping (creepy?) heteronormativity of our community? Do you lay awake at night debating whether you are bisexual or simply bi-curious? Are you angered at how mainstream drag culture has become (I mean, #pursefirst from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” is trending on social media right now)? Well hold on to your wig, girl, because Lady Bunny has just the thing for you.
“Trans-Jester,” the Lady’s new stand-up show at the Stonewall Inn, promises to have the audience blushing one minute and busting their gut the next.
“Welcome to Stonewall Inn — where they have been doing such a brisk business here that they have not had time to clean since the riots,” Bunny joked, poking fun — literally poking — at her chair’s ripped upholstery on the historic venue’s upstairs stage. The Lady’s words come from a place of love though, and she was quick to follow up with praise for the bar’s historical significance. “This dump is Ground Zero for LGBT rights in this country.”
Bunny’s new Stonewall show is a tour de farce
Bunny’s latest comedy showcase highlights her over-the-top sexual humor, laugh-out-loud song parodies (her cover of Adele’s “Hello,” told from the perspective of a hamster shoved up the Lady’s ass, had me crying), and trademark “Laugh-In” roast of everyone from Caitlyn Jenner (and the whole Kardashian Klan) to Bill Cosby and Donald Trump.
Discussing Jenner and the high hopes for — and subsequent disappointment over — “I Am Cait,” Bunny said, “Honey, that show inspired me… to change the channel.”
Bunny shares stories of her experience with the drag and transgender community, her unapologetic use of the word “tranny,” and her concern about our country’s obsession with political correctness.
And herein lies real point of the show. With “Trans-Jester,” Bunny hopes to convince the audience to concern itself not so much with gender as with positive role models. Ya know, the role models who untuck a dildo from their dress midway through their act.
“I am not going to tell anyone don’t experiment with gender,” Bunny continued, saying she was more worried about the upcoming election and protecting the rights of our community than offending another “fag wearing lipstick” who doesn’t identify with the many letters of the “LGBT-whatever” community.
“If you treat people with respect, labels don’t matter as much,” because “the same asshole who is going to bash a trans woman is going to bash this drag queen is going to bash an effeminate gay male,” Bunny said, reminding her audience, “Honey, I was around when the only letter in LGBT was G!”
No one knows how long Bunny ’s really been performing — believe me, if we don’t know, nobody does — but the Lady is still sharp as a whip, and her words ring true now more than ever.
So if you want to see a true New York legend, make your way down to Stonewall Inn, because — thank God — there is only one Lady Bunny.
LADY BUNNY “Trans-Jester” | Stonewall Inn,53 Christopher St. near Waverly Pl. | Mon.-Wed., 7 p.m. through May 25 & Jun. 6-29 | $22 at trans-jester.bpt.me
