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Flashback to last Saturday, May 16th and enter into the Rose Room located upstairs in the popular club Station Four. First of all, everyone needs to be on the same page when reading this article. So nobody becomes confused or feels offended by incorrectly saying he or she when talking about a particular performer, we will just refer to Drag Queens as women or performers, because they are human beings just like the rest of us and obviously comfortable dressing and conducting themselves as ladies.
There was a group of people invited to the Rose Room for a friend’s bachelorette party for some harmless entertainment and something unique to remember. If you have never been to a drag show, picture beautiful people providing comedic dialogue engaging with a large, often obnoxious audience and dancing their heels off to famous artists like Janet and Britney. The group of people had the perfect seats right along the front of the stage. Apparently, it was bachelorette night because there were at least 5 other women with their friends as well. The drag queen (ultimately the MC) finished her opening number to Ciara or something reminiscent of the artist and immediately began poking fun at people, which is understandable, usually accurate and very funny at times. She noticed the bachelorette's scattered among the seats in front of her and pulled all of them onto the stage. She went down the line, one by one and gave the women an interview/judgmental reading of how she perceived them. Some of the comments were valid and hysterical, but others often ridiculous and not even close to being on target. She proceeds to exclaim to the audience that straight people need to find other bars to go to and that the bride-to-be clans need to contaminate other men. She confessed that she was teased by people like “them” and made her life horrible in High School. Wait, so they should all have to leave because of this? Come on, everyone was harassed at some point in school, including the individual hanging out with the group by the stage for being gay, so get over it! Since when does a society so close to being officially accepted for being gay start criticizing other people? Why do you think “they” often ridicule you and make a mockery of different people? You’re giving gay people all over a bad name and a misrepresentation of being the respectful and equal humans that we all want to be.
While she may have been joking, the group started to loosen up and start dancing to songs the women were performing. The MC felt the nerve to get back on the stage and blab about how disrespectful it was to dance while the women were “at their place of work.” She said the tips people give to them were not as effective because they were in the way of getting paid. Are you kidding? That should only escalate the amount of money you receive! The group shouted back, “When music comes on, we all love to dance and have a good time not trying to be rude or get in the way of the performers.” “Do you expect everyone to be in their seats as if they were watching a dance recital?” The MC became fumed and yelled at the bachelorette that was sitting with the group by the stage. The bachelorette was sticking up for what her guy friend had previously said. The MC went up to the girl and pushed her down on the ground and was screaming all sorts of nasty things to the group! The audience became shocked and clearly rushed up to the bachelorette asking the group questions and glaring at the drag queen. The bartender approached the group and told them not ever has he witnessed something so distasteful, tacky, and out of line behavior from a performer at Station Four since he has worked there.
That group won’t be returning for awhile. When they do return for what’s supposed to be a fun night of dancing, watching entertaining shows and paying (literally) respect to the amazing women of the Rose Room, one person in particular will walk right up to this drag queen, (if she is still there) hand her a $50 bill and say, “This is for having a good time at your show and for you pushing down an innocent bachelorette celebrating a night with the gays.”
Comments
Some of the stuff that goes on at S4 can fulfill many of the stereotypes that plague the gay community... especially when it comes to being dramatic. Sounds like some drag queen at the Rose Room needed her drama "fix"...
So what was your point in this article? Are you saying that it's okay to be rude because people were rude in the past and rudeness should always be rewarded - especially if the people being harassed are "straight" and invading a "gay" venue?
i'm not sure of your point in the article either. I do want to go to S4 now though...sounds entertaining!
SO, is it the least bit distasteful that straight people are there to take in "harmless entertainment" and celebrate their marriage, a right that gay people are DENIED, in a GAY BAR? It seems like one more way drag queens and gay people are perfectly fine as an entertainment, but be damned if they are fit for equal rights. S4 should suspend bachelorette parties until ALL people have the right to have them.. it might make these girls seem a little less offensive.
Thanks, Daniel. The point of the article is demonstrating how ridiculous the drag queen was behaving and the way she treated an innocent girl having fun on a night she won't forget. I'm saying that just because she was treated horribly in school doesn't give her the right to blame it on people she doesn't know!
Amazing article...Is this about you and your friends?
I can picture this in my head - Who does that DQ think she is?
That is a very sad story everyone should just be cool and have fun. Plus haven't we all realzied highschool was forever ago.
I agree with Daniel! Why should these bachelorettes have the right to come and celebrate a beautiful thing such as marriage in a club filled with people who don't have the right to get married??
I don't think Roxy understood what Daniel was saying...It's 2009 and these girls probably wanted to do something different and fun. People at the gay club should almost be honored and respectful that various types of people want to come and be entertained. I have never been kicked out of a "straight" bar. People are people and the overlying issue is that it's quite sad that this situation arouse.
This story is biased and one sided... Very unprofessional.
I was with the group of people that night and there is nothing fabricated or implied about this story.
ACTUALLY.. after speaking with A Manager about the incident, just out of curiosity, I learned the following: 1)The Drag Queen in Question is the beautiful Kelexis Davenport. 2) The bachelorette in question was quite drunk and refused to get off the stage when asked to by Kelexis (she wanted to dance) 3) When Kelexis insisted, the girl called her the "N" word.
Now I am not sure any of you realize that these "girls" take their craft very seriously, and endure quite a bit of nonsense already. I also know that many of them do not like having to cater to bachelorette parties and pretend to be happy dancing around for people who are flaunting the rights they have that WE DO NOT. It is just like the days of segregation, where many black musicians were great for entertainment, but couldn't use the same drinking fountain. If what I have heard is true, this girl is lucky.. I would have done more than push her down.
A note to all straight people who like to party in gay bars.. YOU ARE WELCOM
Many of the girls that attend the S4 Rose Room shows for bachelorette parties are also supportive of gay rights...including the right to marriage. I have always gone to S4 in support of my gay friends and to have a great time. This situation is very sad. But if establishments start banning things such as bachelorette parties then what is next? Are other establishments going to start banning gay performers. Talk like that is taking many steps back when we should ALL be fighting for a better, equal tomorrow....together.
Thanks Daniel, that was the other side that should have been included in this story. A real journalist always gets both sides.
He's an examiner, not a journalist. It was a first rate account (examination) of what actually happened. What Daniel said is an opinion and assumption of how people feel working at S4. To say that 2 diff sides needed to be mentioned on something that happened exactly the way michael wrote it makes you an idiot.
The most important thing that the author left out of the story is that the "victim" called the performer that infamous racial slur starting with "N"!!! Regardless of sexual orientation or location or reason for celebration - that girl is lucky she didnt get her ass beat, not only by the performer, but the people in the audience.
And as a side note, poeple are to remain seated in the aisle during the performance not only because it is a fire hazard, but because it is a performance - you are there to view the performance not participate- the dance club is downstairs.
And high school teasing was mentioned as a funny anecdote - not to be misconstrued as an excuse for pushing someone. The racial slur was enough for that.
I never said "ban" bachelorette parties.. I said suspend.. until we can ALL have them. I love that straight folks are coming to gay bars, but if they are really our friends, they will understand that it can be offensive having these type of parties in this location. We don't need to exclude anyone, but we do need to be fair.
-Oh and some of these bachelorettes ARE friends of the community, but some are totally not and are there to take in a freak show.. many leave the club and go right back to voting Rebublican and against same sex rights.
Arryn- if it was a first rate examination it would be factual, and not just the convenient facts, all of them. It's an opinionated, biased blog not worthy of publication. It's well written and eloquent, but not well rounded. As for your name calling- I have a degree in journalism.
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