Newly retired drag diva Peggy Pussie, recalling her career as a performer during an interview, told me about one of her most notorious acts from the past, in which she demurely entered the stage dressed as a nun, and proceeded to morph into a dominatrix, while a montage of religious-themed music played in the background. I was upset that I never caught that act. What a thrill is was for me, then, when I got to see Peggy's blasphemous act-- plus MUCH more-- on Wednesday night, October 24th, at the Bunkhouse in Sayville, when a trio of Long Island AIDS charities came together to present "Men In Rouge." And like the infamous French nightclub and the 2001 Nicole Kidman movie that inspired the event's name, "Men In Rouge" was big, beautiful, and bawdy. There were Jagermeister shot boys, the Bunkhouse's ultra- friendly and accommodating staff, music by the award-winning Fabulous Jimi LaLumia, and a motley crue of talent to satisfy everyone from theater queens to fans of today's teen music scene.

Originally scheduled for September 12th, the event was postponed due to the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11th. This could have had a devastating effect, but the organizers of "Men In Rouge" did not let the postponement affect the festivities. Richard "The Rich" Pepenella coordinated the event and acted as Master of Ceremonies. A bartender at Blanche and a Board Member of AIDS Care, Inc., this multitalented MC was charming, funny, and perfectly suited to host the night. Can somebody PLEASE get this man his own talk show?! Richard coordinated "Men In Rouge" with the Bunkhouse and got many of the acts who performed that night, and also had the difficult task of RE-COORDINATING the event after the delay-- which involved a generous helping of begging and pleading! Showing that he's more than just a charismatic MC, Richard also performed himself that night, and was the only one who performed in his own voice (no lip-synching!), when he pulled Mommy Dearest (AKA "Mother") from the audience for a duet. To top it off, to get into the spirit of the event, Richard reappeared to perform another number-- this time, in drag!

Her Royal Highness, Mommy Dearest, or "Mother," was the first drag star to perform. This big and beautiful empress performed two crowd-pleasing show tunes: "As If We Never Said Good-bye" from "Sunset Blvd.," and "Rose's Turn" from Bette Midler's "Gypsy." Delfina Best, one of L.I.'s most recognizable drag stars who's also a talented comedienne, went "Western fabulous" in black cowgirl hat, boots and miniskirt, and a red sequin top, to perform Reba McIntyre's "Take It Back." One of the biggest treats was Cotton Candy Connie, whose performance was as every bit of a guilty pleasure as her name would imply. For her number, Connie picked one of the campiest songs from one of the campiest movies ever: the ultra-trashy 1967 movie "Valley of the Dolls." Connie performed to "I'll Plant My Own Tree," the song sung by Susan Hayward, who portrayed mega-bitch Helen Lawson in the movie. What gay man doesn't love that song?

Peggy Pussie was next. Richard introduced Miss Pussie as "the only c**t I love to kiss!" Peggy loves the boys, but also dabbles with the girls too. She ripped the fishnet stockings off a wide-eyed, dark-haired riot girl in the audience. Peggy then took another girl as her sex slave, leading her on stage by a chain attached to her neck! She proceeded to rip her own fishnets off and then tore off her auburn wig. As you may have guessed, Peggy knows how to interact with her audience, and she ain't shy: at her last performance, she performed the current hit "What's Goin' On" complete with orgasmic sound effects! the award-winning Ginger Moore was next, performing Tamia's "Stranger in My House." With her blonde hair, revealing top, and skintight gold glitter pants, Ginger looked VERY Britney-like. What a body! While the jealous biological women went into the ladies' room to slit their throats, another heavenly body, Ariel SInclair, showed came out to show her talents. While Ginger Moore looked very Britney-like, Ariel was the spittin' image of that other teen pop star, Christina Aguliera. OK, I know that this was a charity event, but the devil in me sort of wanted to see an all-out Britney/Christina cat fight! Ariel, like her friend Peggy Pussie, always incorporates humor into her performances: she did a Britney Spears spoof called "Make My Boobies One More Size" (set to the tune ."..Baby One More Time"), a less-than-subtle tribute to Miss Spears' two, um..."talents." Later in the night, Ariel went patriotic in a red, white, and blue ensemble to perform Leanne Rimes' "The Star Spangled Banner." This drag star/comedienne will be hosting the 2002 Miss Auntie M's Pageant. She will also be co-hostess of this year's Drag Invasion.

Venise Charles, Long Island's #1 Latin Diva, gave an energetic performance, complete with a skintight black outfit, dual black feather boas, and swirling choreography that would rival a classically-trained dancer. Of course, we also had Venise' trademark flips. Venise performed the nightclub favorite "Nobody's Supposed to be Here" by Deborah Cox and another song. Her ultra-fit body was obviously the result of endless workouts! Venise gave a provocative speech about how our leaders should search for treatments for AIDS as aggressively as they're working to control anthrax. Venise is Creative Director of the upcoming 2002 Drag Invasion, which will be held on Saturday, February 23rd. This is a "can't miss" night which will feature performances by drag royalty Peaches, Tabitha Rivers, Mirkala Crystal, and MANY more.

So much for drag queens. But what about drag kings? Do they exist? You bet -- probably the most famous of which is Mo B. Dick (the "B." stands for "bodacious"), who lives in New York City and who founded the now-defunct Club Casanova, which was THE drag king nightspot in Manhattan for a while. Mo had parts in John Waters' flick "Pecker" and in "Sex In the City." Perhaps realizing the gap for such performers on Long Island, Toni G. appeared at "Men In Rouge" to show that gender illusionism is not for the men only! Toni showed the audience that he can move very well-- and get the ladies in the audience excited too!

Patrick Finn, a Founder and Co-Chairman of AIDS Care Inc., said of "Men In Rouge," "It was a fun, enjoyable evening for everyone who attended, and it gave the three AIDS/HIV groups a chance to reach out to the community. The owners and staff of the Bunkhouse made us feel right at home, and the performers gave their all to help us, and put on a great show!" Steven Sebor, one of the busiest men on Long Island (He is Long Island Field Organizer for the Empire State Pride Agenda, and hosts the Long Island Rainbow Connection TV program), came to the stage to remind all of us about the need to continue raising money for AIDS research and the importance of continuing safer sex practices. In a nutshell, Steven reminded us that AIDS is NOT over. Steven facilitates Positive Rainbows, a support group for HIV+ gay and bisexual men.

Indeed, the staff of the Bunkhouse was amazing. Eugene, one of the owners of the Bunkhouse and one of the most recognizable faces of Long Island nightlife, not only knows the art of mixing drinks but knows how to keep the customers coming back. I never met Eugene before "Men In Rouge," but he treated me like I was a Bunkhouse regular-- what a sweetheart! James and Tony also kept the boys and girls happy that night. The Fabulous Jimi LaLumia again showed his ability to get inside the mind of club-goers and give the crowd EXACTLY what we want to hear, warming us up with some can't-miss ass-shakers before the show started. How does he do it? It's no mystery why the Bunkhouse has been a Long Island staple since 1976-- and now, they're online! Check out www.bunkboys.com.

With all the fun, it's easy to forget that the event was for charity. Positive Rainbows is a support group for gay and bisexual men who are HIV positive. The group generally meets on the first, third, and fifth Thursday of the month at Community House of Long Island (CHOLI), and is sponsored by FEGS-Long Island Division. The group is free and confidential, and preregistration is required. For more information, contact Steven Sebor, CSW, at (631) 874-2700 or ssebor@fegs.org. AIDS Care, Inc., is a volunteer-run, 501(c)(3) charity which provides care and support to Long Islanders affected by HIV and AIDS. The money raised through their fund-raising efforts and donations goes DIRECTLY to those affected. To volunteer or to make a donation, call AIDS Care, Inc. at (516) 799-6973 or log on to www.AIDSCareLI.org. Thursday's Child Inc., founded in 1989 and incorporated in 1991 as a 501(c)(3) charity, provides independent, supportive, permanent housing on Long Island for individuals and families with HIV/AIDS living in Suffolk County. Thursday's Child is located in Patchogue. Call (631) 447-5044 for more info.

This was the first "Men In Rouge." Will there be more? I hope so-- and so does everyone who was there that night! Attention Bunkhouse, Richard P., and all the drag performers out there, are you listening?!

Photos: Jed Ryan

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