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Miss Thing Grand Prize winner Sally Ingus Wilder

Host Heklina presents the cash prize to winner Sally Ingus Wilder. Photo by Marty Davis

This Friday saw bunches of queers lined up in front of the Fez Ballroom to see the final drag smackdown at Miss Thing wondering if it was already sold out. Actually it wasn’t, and the hype and attitude was a little intense for an event that ended up having plenty of elbow room. But then again, it was called Miss Thing so I guess I can’t be too surprised.

I also wasn’t surprised by the level of weirdness and amazingness that all the Misses brought to the show. Although the 1st place winner was newbie Sally Ingus Wilder I wasn’t disappointed by any of the competing acts. Second and third places belonged to ChiChi and Chonga and Kaj-Anne Pepper respectively, but I’ve heard more than one grumble that either of these two fierce competitors should have taken the title. Personally, I think Bulimianne Rhapsody had one of the most original pieces.

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Final Miss Thing Pageant will determine ultimate winner

Chi Chi and Chonga at September's Disco Miss Thing. Photos courtesy Just Out

Emerging from an occasionally painful adolescence Portland is finally enjoying the freedom of young adulthood (and college parties, whew!) and there’s no better example of this than our catty but loving drag scene. This year saw one the introduction of a truly well crafted drag competition called Miss Thing and this Friday brings its outrageous finale.

“I think drag has gotten somewhat of a bad name in Portland because there is so much sameness and traditional drag going on,” Co-creator Heklina Heklina has said. “Audiences and performers want to be challenged by ideas—another great thing about Miss Thing. There are no rules—no rules as to gender, what you need to look like or how you dress. All that matters is what you do onstage.”

Not that we’ve ever cared about a bad reputation, but we’re happy that now it’s a thematic, originally bad rep. And it’s all coming to a climax when the year’s best of the best take the stage to win 500 dollars and a trip to San Fran to perform with Trannyshack. And competition is fierce.

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Wear your ‘Sunday Best’ and get ‘Bent’ this weekend

Bulimianne Rhapsody and Melody Awesomeazing host Mrs. this Saturday

If you’re not too busy fighting the crowds at the newly opened international budget fashion boutique H&M there’s still plenty of good nightlife to catch out this wintery weekend.

Friday

BentNopo favorite Bent is back for to squeeze your ass into that tiny dancefloor and do it queer underground style. With guest DJ Il Camino, Jodi Bon Jodi and Roy-G-Biv on the decks turning the Foggy Notion (3416 N Lombard) into the Faggy Nation I swear it will only hurt a little bit. Besides what else will you talk about of Craigslist the nest morning?

Babe Cave For those more inclined to stay in the southeast DJs Lifepartner and Chelsea Starr are bringing the hotties to Holocene (1001 SE Morrison) and when Ms. Star says “crawl back into my cave” you don’t say no. For a hint of the music you can expect check out LP’s mix below.

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Weekend picks, Halloween edition

Fannie Mae Darling in 'Trannysnatchers'

This is the weekend that all the gay ghouls come out of the woodwork for All Hallow’s Eve mayhem. So whether your pleasure is tricks or treats there’s bound to be a party, or 2, for you.

Thursday

Cafeteria, HomoDeluxe and Drop ShopThursday isn’t particularly spooky, although I have no doubts there will be some excellent costumes at “lunch trays and ghoulish gays” themed Cafeteria. Dead lunch ladies? Zombie assistant principals? Vampire cheerleaders?

Friday

Crave‘s Halloween Bash – Sexy undead go go dancers and the chance to show your own go go off with costume prizes in several categories like originality, scariest, sexiest, nerdiest and cutest couple. The featured drink of the night is ‘Monster Punch,’ sweet/sour and strong, and it’s only 2 bucks before 10. Plus VIP passes and incentives for friends makes this the it party for girls.

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Hamburger Mary’s Haunted opening

Many a youthful afternoon was spent smoking cigarettes (yes kiddies you could even smoke in restaurants in those prehistoric days) and eating french fries at the quintessentially queer restaurant Hamburger Mary’s. It was gone for many years but now the gay eating institution is back. And to celebrate it’s grand opening the ladies are hosting a haunted opening. That’s right, this Friday at the new Hamburger Mary’s (19 NW 5th Ave), dress up or else.

But the best part is this video commercial advertising the opening featuring new queens on the scene ChiChi and Chonga.

They have been embroiled in a drag video battle with local drag phenomenon and Mary’s co-star Fannie Mae Darling which is also quite entertaining. It looks like this is becoming an impromptu TV show that’s worth turning in to.

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A weekend of ‘Candy’, ‘Culture’ and ‘Gaycation’

Little Tommy Bang Bang host Mrs Sloppy Seconds

Thursday

Culture Machine @ Disjecta – That oh-so-hip warehouse art space by the Dancin’ Bare and the Paul Bunyon actually is as cool as it seems. It certainly doesn’t hurt that one of our head homos, Kaj-Anne Pepper, will be part of the invading troupe. Culture Machine is a dance performance (and research tank) that is performed and created by Tahni Holt along with Kaj-Anne Pepper, Robert Tyree, Sallie Garrido-Spencer, Thomas Thorson, Suzanne Chi, and Dicky Dahl. It’s like a big queer DJ combined with a Reed thesis expressed through dance.

Drop ShopSultry new queer/stripper love hip hop night goes around for its second week. Was there any booty bouncing last week? Cuz I’m in the mood to shake my laffy taffy.

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Burlesquire makes for an early weekend but don’t forget to ‘Drop Shop’ it, bend it, ‘Stain’ it, (Dirt)bag it and get some ChiChi and Chonga

Burlesquire performs monthly at Burlesque in Boyland

Tonight

Burlesque in Boyland with BurlesquireThe weekend just keeps getting earlier! Forget that I’m currently missing out on both Peep Show and Gay Survivor at the moment, tomorrow ushers in the inaugural boylicious burlesque show with Burlesquire. Though there may be male strippers aplenty no one has the sexy shakin’ it skills like these boys. They are loved by lesbians even. Which is why it is so appropriate that they bejoined by Rose City Siren Delilah Sinn and a host of varied sexy-as-hell genders.

Thursday

Welfare AIDS film premiere from ChiChi and ChongaThese amazing drag queens have exploded onto the scene in a mere few weeks. I’m already overwhelmed by their amazing performances and hotness. And they’ve already got a film premiere! Shit! It’s also a benefit for AIDS Walk Portland and oh so many drink specials…

Drop Shop afterparty – Don’t worry if the drink specials have you blazed already, just keep on keeping on at Red Cap for Drop Shop right after the film premiere. A combination of Portland favorites strippers and queer DS is helmed by DJ Mani who drops the booty shakin’, ass bouncin’ beats of Nola and the dirty dirty south. Or as close as you can get in this town. Plus pole dancing lead by DQ extraordinaire Exstacy Inferno. Hot.

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Butch Voices comes to Portland

Ivan Coyote, Anna Camilleri and Lyndell Montgomery perform Swell
Ivan Coyote, Anna Camilleri and Lyndell Montgomery perform Swell

Ivan Coyote, Anna Camilleri and Lyndell Montgomery perform Swell

Bringing together a grand spectrum of masculinities Butch Voices Regional Conference comes to P-Town this weekend as part of its four state tour. The gathering butchies celebrate a vast array of identities.

We are woman-identified Butches. We are trans-masculine Studs. We are faggot-identified Aggressives. We are noun Butches, adjective Studs and pronoun-shunning Aggressives. We are she, he, hy, ze, zie and hir. We are you, and we are me. The point is, we don’t decide who is Butch, Stud or Aggressive. You get to decide for yourself.

This convention is part party, learning experience, performance and part art. It opens tonight with a A Taste of Butch Flavor art exhibition at the Q Center (4115 N Mississippi) with live music featuring a reunion of Portland’s all-womyn percussion troupe, The Rhythm Givers, with special guests. The exhibit will be up throughout the month.

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Homomentum returns for a second and wants your audition

Your gay heroes have returned for Season 2. Photo by Ally Picard/BloodHound Photography

Back from a summer hiatus, Homomentum returns this November to a new night and a new home at the Fez Ballroom!  Homomentum: a queer cabaret showcases queer dance, burlesque & performance-art, with tons of glitter and ridiculousness at every turn! The Homomentum series will begin Friday, November 5th with “Rebels & Outlaws” and continue […]


Photos from the 2nd Annual Homo's Got Talent

Winner Kaj-Anne Pepper struts his stuff

The 2nd Annual Homo’s Got Talent competition took place this year in the courtyard of the Jupiter Hotel, a big improvement over last year’s confined space. And though the program was long, and the exquisite winning performance by Kaj-Anne Pepper and crew at the very beginning, there were some real quality acts, and some even better costumes. You can relive, or […]