SF: 11th Annual San Francisco Drag King Contest

For Artist and Performer Interviews:
Lu Read, DragStrip Productions
Tel: 415-608-7966
Email: lureadthis [at] sbcglobal.net

The 11th Annual San Francisco Drag King Comes to the Legendary DNA Lounge August 17, 2006
The testosterone-fueled bash will benefit P.A.W.S. (Pets Are Wonderful Support)

August 1, 2006 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA—DragStrip Productions is proud to announce the 11th annual San Francisco Drag King Contest (http://www.sfdragkingcontest.com), the largest Drag King event in the United States and, according to the SF Weekly, “A Parade of Gender-Bending Eye Candy,” on Thursday, August 17, 2006, 8pm to 3am at San Francisco’s legendary DNA Lounge. The internationally acclaimed outlandish celebration of Sex, Drag and Rock and Roll will bring out the animal in every attendee and participant since part of the proceeds will benefit for PAWS (Pets Are Wonderful Support). With biceps, chests and trousers bulging, performers and contestants will cajole, captivate, charm, enthrall, enchant and entrance the audience with their outrageous theatrical performances where lip-synch, live rock, fetish, burlesque, hip-hop, rap, interpretive dance and shtick meet and compete. Note: Rely on your pheromones at this event, as it will be the only way you will be able to tell the girls from the boys!

The Dragtastic Duo of Fudgie Frottage, “The Man with The Biggest Balls in Show Business,” and Rusty Hips, holder of every San Francisco Drag King title, will preside over the festivities as Masters of Ceremonies. The star-studded event showcases Jay Walker, winner of the 2005 Solo King Category for his flawless Prince impersonation, The Momma’s Boyz, the 2005 live rap and outrageous hip hop dance troupe winner, interpretive dancing nerd Howie Weenis, and gender illusionist Arty Fishal. In addition, the rock band Pepperspray, “a combination of The Spice Girls and The Sex Pistols,” according to the San Francisco Examiner, will perform. And, as always, the contestants will be the center of everyone’s attention as the featured spectacles.

“The San Francisco Drag King Contest is a mash-up of the Miss America Pageant, American Idol, Halloween and a Monster Truck Show,” states impresario Fudgie Frottage. “There will be wrestlers, contortionists, Elvis, Prince and Billy Idol Impersonators, Rappers, Dandies, Pimps, Leather Daddies, Hillbillies, Homo-erotic Jocks, Clowns, and their female counterparts. It’s a mind-boggling, dress-to-impress occasion, where part of the fun is just trying tell the performers and audience members apart.”

Contestants are judged on talent, creativity, studliness, sex appeal, originality, humor, make-up/facial hair and fashion by the illustrious panel of nationally known celebrity judges, including Shelly Mars, aka Martin, "The Grand Daddy of Drag Kings" and Lynnee Breedlove, of Tribe 8 fame.

The 2006 San Francisco Drag King Contest we will feature a contest within a contest as Acting Coach and Makeover Artist Supreme, Arty Fishal, selects an exceptionally girly member of the audience and turns her into a he-man before the start of the show! “I can’t wait to work a magic transformation on an untainted subject,” states Arty.

The 11th Annual SF Drag King Contest
• WHEN: Thursday, August 17, 2006, doors 8pm, show at 9pm, party until the wee hours.
• WHERE: DNA Lounge, 375 11th Street @ Harrison, SF, http://www.dnalounge.com
• BENEFITS: Pets Are Wonderful Support, http://www.pawssf.org
• TICKETS: $15. - $35.
Early Bird Special: $15 before Aug.1st, otherwise $20 advance, and $25 at the door. Very limited show seating available for $35 online only. Advance tickets available at Retro Fit Vintage, 910 Valencia, Madame S, 385 8th Street and http://www.dnalounge.com
• Dress Code: DRAG: King, Queen, Faux, Fetish, Formal, High Femme, Festive.
• INFO: 415.282.5378
• http://www.sfdragkingcontest.com

Sponsors: Vixen Creations, Buck Angel, Glama-Rama, Black & Blue Tattoo, Blavod/Extreme Spirits, Good Vibrations, Costumes on Haight, Mr. S. Leather, Pretzel's Yoga and more!

To arrange interviews with any of the performers, please contact Lu Read at tel: 415.608.7966 or email address: lureadthis [at] sbcglobal.net

Anyone interested in competing should consult the San Francisco Drag King Contest website http://www.sfdragkingcontest.com or phone: 415.282.5378.

APPENDIX TO RELEASE: HISTORY OF THE CONTEST

Mr. Nancy Kravitz and Katherine Murty hold the 1st Official San Francisco Drag King Contest at The Eagle in 1994. In 1997 (yes, we were on drag time and skipped 2 years), the 2nd Official SF Drag King Contest takes place at The King Street Garage as part of a Benefit for Leslie Feinberg, author of “Stone Butch Blues” and the new “Drag King Dreams.” The community rallies to support Les and the event, organized by artist Jordy Jones, and incorporates Lu Read to produce the contest.

Celebrity guests and performers have included Gina Schock of the Go-Gos, John Cameron Mitchell of “Hedwig” fame, actor Harry Dodge, writers Michelle Tea and Diana Cage, and an impressive list of local drag personalities: Elvis Herselvis, Fudgie Frottage, Rusty Hips, Jay Walker, Barry “Fresh” White, Dick Van Dyke-Barr, and more. Over the last 10 years, the contest continues to redefine the ever-changing standards of gender within the Gay Community.

Producer Lu Read states, “This contest really has few rules, if any -- I believe in freedom of expression in all ways, shapes, forms, and genders. Every year the event is flooded with amazing, gorgeous and talented Kings and their admirers”

Though the San Francisco Drag King Contest is a Gay event, it attracts men and women of all ages, lesbians, gays, heterosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals, intersexuals and metrosexuals. It embraces and welcomes students, teachers, lawyers, stockbrokers, secretaries, doctors, nurses, sex workers, and government employees. People come from all over the Bay Area, and a percentage of the crowd comes from outside of the San Francisco Bay Area. It doesn't matter who you are or where you're from, at the San Francisco Drag King Contest everyone is treated like Royalty!

DragStrip and The San Francisco Drag King Contest have also fostered strong ties to the community. Over the years, DragStrip's events have distributed thousands of dollars to charities supporting causes such as AIDS, Health Care, Sex Education, Youth and chose PAWS (Pets Are Wonderful Support) as its main recipient.

Rusty Hips, co-emcee states, “In this time of persecution by our current administration, the bullshit injustices against a woman’s right to choose, don’t ask don’t tell, and the refusal to acknowledge the LGBT community as equals by refusing to grant us the right to marry, the San Francisco Drag King Contest provides an opportunity to shake up the status quo. As a drag activist I intend to do just that in a huge, kingly way!”