We all know that things are stressful and tight, due to Covid-19 outbreak. Many people are out of jobs, reduced hours, or just working from home. Money is tight all around. This affects our LGBTQ community, as well. There are many who are out of work and not sure how they can pay their bills and such. Our drag performers are just as affected as everyone else; these are the very one that depend on us showing up to a bar on any given night to support their talent. During this outbreak, it should be no different. These are people who utilize that income and are not able to draw unemployment to help compensate for the loss of income. So, what can we do since we are stuck at home and not able to support our favorite ENTERTAINTERS??
With this outbreak, we have seen major changes in how we do day to day things. Those that are still working and doing it from home have come to learn how to utilize video conferencing much more than before. It is quickly becoming the means by which we now operate our business or healthcare. This has even rolled into the Drag communities. We are seeing more and more entertainers utilizing Facebook Live, Instagram Live, and various other resources for broadcasting their shows in smaller venues. With they there is also the addition of ways to offer cashless tips and many of them are using Venmo or Cash App, to support your favorite entertainers.
This is no less true than in the CLE. Veranda L’Ni is running story time shows on Facebook live and has links for tipping, should you be so inclined. Other performers like Anhedonia Delight, Peach Fuzz, and Aurora Thunder have been using Instagram Live for shows. Make sure you follow all your favorites so you can see where they are performing and how to support them in a time where their skills and talents can’t be seen on the big stage. Granted this isn’t the same as grabbing your favorite beverage and reacting along with them in our favorite bars but we can still have a drinks and watch them in the safety of our own homes. The upside to all of this is that there is a less charge for drinks and no worries about how to get home after drinking. Now all you have to do is worry about how you will stumble down the hall to your bedroom. And another huge plus to this is that you won’t have to worry about making a bad decision and taking someone home with you, that you normally wouldn’t, after a night of drinking and drag shows. This is reaching far beyond our own neighborhoods. Even RuPaul is sponsoring online drag shows where you can buy tickets for your favorite Drag Superstars to watch and tip.
Anhedonia Will be streaming on Instagram April 21st at 10pm and will be hosted by Nitrix Oxide (@nitrixoxidequeen). She will also be featured on a pod case hosted by the Bearded Queer Friday April 17th. You can cashless tip Anhedonia on her Venmo and PayPal @AnhedoniaDelight@gmail.com. Twitter @TheAnhedonia , Instagram AnhedoniaDelight
Nitrix is based out of San Francisco and describes their drag as somewhere between a drag queen and kings, more of an alien that has crashed to Earth and plays dress up in Earth clothes. Find her on Facebook, Instagram @nitrixoxidequeen, and Nitrix’s webpage at nitrixoxidequeen.weebly.com. The Bearded Queer is locaked in Denton, Texas and is the founder/producer of Alternative Haus Productions. Find the bearded Queer on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @thebeardedqueer.
Verandi L’Ni currently does two Virtual Drag Story Time shows on Saturdays. The first show at 2pm is for children and includes a positive children’s story with a possible craft. The second at 9pm is the Adult Story Time and is a combination of a naughty and fun story. So, grab your favorite beverage, get comfy on your couch and share story time with Veranda. There is a drinking game during the show and a Q&A after. Her Cash App is $VerandaLNi and Venmo is @Veranda-LNi. Twitter @VerandaLni, Instagram veranda_lni
Aurora Thunder is currently creating content such as makeup looks/videos and posting on Instagram. Find her there @aurora.thunder. Be sure to follow her on Facebook to stay in the know of any future shows she may be doing and to keep up on all her content to various social media platforms. Twitter @auroratheqween.
Also be sure to check out Pineapple and her Ms Virus shows on Instagram @pineapple_drag. She has been working her butt off on putting out shows there. Be sure to check her out. You can follow her on Facebook Camilla Keener (Pineapple), Instagram camillathekilla for all of her updates and show times. She has an amazing look and a killa show, pardon the pun.
These are just three of the amazing performers we have in Cleveland. Their adapting to the changing climate gives us the ability to relieve some of the stress we have over being stuck at home. It shows how they work hard to keep us entertained and elevate our mood from all that is currently happening. Make sure to check them out and tip their shows, it also allows us to help our brothers and sisters in the LGBTQ community where we can. We must be the ones that help take care of our community to ensure that we remain strong and independent. Remember to like and follow your own Drag superstars on their social media and support them where you can. They love it and you for it.
Gay in the CLE 