The assistant that we hired five years ago to collect all of our press clippings finally had one busy day. Mary Messhausen, produzentin and El Bear Ho are on the cover of Toronto’s fab magazine.
Download your copy here with more pics inside.
And then we did a cute interview with Now Magazine for Hotnuts on a WilderMess Safari.
Dufferin Mall drag queens by Kevin Ritchie
The Garrison is getting a drag makeover. After five years at the Beaver, popular gay dance party HotNuts will upgrade to the Dundas West club and take place every third month.
While pop rules the west-end gay scene, HotNuts is a haven of deep house and DIY couture that’s welcomed performers like the House of Monroe and local drag institution Michelle DuBarry. On Saturday (March 31), dancehall queen Miss Jamaica takes the stage.
Ahead of the event’s comeback, NOW had a three-way phoner with resident DJ Produzentin and host Mary Messhausen to find out what goes into their neo-drag look.
What do you do to prepare for HotNuts?
MARY: Two weeks before the party, Proddy and I go to Dufferin Mall to see the newest collection at Voluptuous, our favourite designer. Second-favourite is Comme des Garçons.
PRODDY: We’re hoping now that this media blitz is starting, the CEO of Voluptuous will call Mary and ask her to do her own line.
MARY: We’re talking major Dufferin Mall collaboration. There will be a lineup of tens of people outside.
Memorable HotNuts moments?
MARY: I have to mention Mama Messhausen, my sly old mother, who did a couple of performances. That’s always a treat. She sang traditional Filipino love songs and did Proud Mary. Right before she sang it she said, “I’m singing this song because I’m so proud of my Mary.”
PRODDY: It was a real tearjerker.
MARY: And Proddy, what are your fave moments?
PRODDY: When Miss Margot came as Britney Spears and threw chicken wings and Cheetos at the audience and slipped on the floor, which she’d greased with Red Bull. There was a nice sweet smell of Red Bull all over the Beaver that night.
What’s your beauty regime on the day of the party?
MARY: We start with a three-quarter chicken dinner from Swiss Chalet.
PRODDY: The last time we had the half-chicken, it wasn’t enough, but we don’t want to order a full chicken because we feel too ashamed.
MARY: Never do drag makeup on an empty stomach. After we eat, it’s a good hour and a half to get the dolls ready to hit the stage.
That’s not so bad.
PRODDY: If we douche, it takes a little longer.
