You may have heard of Bob the Drag Queen. You may have seen her strutting around at one of her many gigs around town. And you may have seen her on the eighth season of .”
But don’t worry — if you somehow have no idea who Bob the Drag Queen is, I am here to fix your life.
“My name says it all — my name is Bob. I am a drag queen. I live in New York City, and at this point I am probably most known for being a contestant on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race.’”
Bob the Drag Queen has been doing drag since 2009. Inspired by the first season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” she has quickly become a stand-out and fan favorite for the show’s latest run.
Bob the Drag Queen on having fun, making people laugh, and changing lives
A lot has changed for Bob since Season Eight kicked off in March, and she is making the most of her time with RuPaul, whom Bob describes as a “really big praying mantis — like a six-foot four gorgeous praying mantis” who intimidates everyone, including RuPaul herself.
Attendance at Bob’s shows has skyrocketed. Recounting her recent show at Barracuda Bar in Chelsea, her first official appearance there since the show started, Bob said, “I’ve had busy nights at Barracuda before — but never like that. Like usually busy would be like if we had every seat filled and people standing in the back, but this time there were literally people standing at the foot of the stage with their toes pressed up against the stage, and I was like, ‘Oh you are like right there.’”
She has also noticed a more diverse audience — including a lot more women.
This spike in audience has given Bob reason to restructure her shows. She notes that “Drag Race” fans are not used to long form drag (Bob’s shows usually run around an hour and a half).
“I think I am really fucking funny,” said Bob, who considers her stand-up to be on point. She is, however, updating her look, constantly working on new outfits and wigs.
The self-proclaimed “Queen for the People,” Bob is using her newfound popularity to launch Charity 4 the People, a fundraising initiative whose goal is to raise money for nonprofits that focus on queer youth, the elderly, women who have been victims of domestic violence, and those with life-challenging illnesses.
It is a big project with a very lofty goal — $100,000 to be exact.
There are several parts to this initiative. First off, each week Bob will auction off a signature look from the latest episode of “Drag Race,” with proceeds going to Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund. So far, outfits have sold for around $300 a piece.
The largest part of Charity 4 the People will be a companion comedy tour, which kicked off at Industry Bar on March 22. Bob — joined by local queens Sherry Vine, Monet Xchange, Miz Cracker, and Judy Darling — raised a little over $1,000, which was donated to Trinity Place Shelter, which helps LGBT homeless youth.
Bob is hoping to make this a national tour, with bars across the country donating Bob’s normal fee to an agreed-upon local charity.
“I want to use the queens from the town to do the charity,” explained Bob, saying he hopes local talent will also being willing to donate their time to the shows.
Bob will also be selling “I’m a Queen 4 the People” bracelets, along with auctioning off a variety of raffle items — including “RuPaul’s Drag Race” memorabilia — that will contribute to meeting the $100,000 goal.
Bob was quick to assure me that the charity drive will not lose sight of his overriding goal of entertaining audiences.
“This is not like one of those fundraising initiatives that really takes itself super seriously. Our goal is to have fun, make people laugh, and change lives,” joked Bob, who seems well prepared to tackle the mission he has set before himself. “You might even end up being offended if you come to one of these charity events. Because that’s just kind of how I am. If I cannot offend at least one person, goddammit, then I fucked up.”
Duly noted Bob, duly noted.
As Gay City News was going to press, Charity 4 the People had raised over $2,500. For the latest on Bob the Drag Queen or to contribute to Charity 4 the People, check out bobthedragqueen.com.
