Varla Jean Merman! You’ve seen her on Project Runway, All My Children and in the fun movie Girls will be Girls now discover the fabulous person behind the big red wig!
Is Varla Jean as sweet as she appears on stage and screen? Listen to today’s show and find out.
Today we have Jeffrey Roberson, the man behind drag queen talking about how he developed Varla Jean Merman into one of today’s most popular acts.
Jeffrey shares with us his roots in New Orleans, his friendship with the gals from Girls Will Be Girls the popular film and short web series and the secrets of what’s it’s like behind the scenes of Project Runway and All My Children.
Is it just a coincidence that Varla’s favorite colors are orange, pink and fuchsia, the same colors used by Baskin-Robbins and Dunkin’ Donuts or is there something more to it?
Make sure you check out Varla’s YouTube channel for lots of fun videos. If you are in Palm Springs, check out her production of Shut Up Sweet Charlotte which opens today at Palm Springs Art Museum.
There are several kinds of drag queens, which one are you?
• Tasty Fakes (Drag Queens who mimic a celebrity) Example: Cher Impersonators.
• Freaky Chicks (Exaggerating aspects of femininity) Heklina, Lady Bunny
• Sloppy Joes (Those who don’t put much effort into their look) You know who you are.
• Glamour Pusses (Fashionistas, those concerned with passing as a runway model) RuPaul.
• Cirque du So Gay (Fantasy costumes, more glitter than lipstick)
Meow! Illusionists Siegfried and Roy return to the Las Vegas Stage for a final farewell act. Will they be working with the same kind of tigers that attacked Roy several years ago?
Every time you download Feast of Fools, a drag queen gets her wig.
Check out today’s sponsor:
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Featured Music:
Varla Jean Merman – The Very Worst of Varla Jean Merman: iTunes
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5 Comments
Comments
Very funny show loved Varla. It’s bizarre but varlajeanmerman.com, according to whois.com, is owned by Navigation Catalyst Systems in El Segundo CA – why???
You boys consistently give me a pleasant surprise everyday I wake up and download your podcast. But imagine my happiness when I found you had Varla on. My best friend and I watch Girls Will Be Girls just about anytime we feel bored, happy, sad, and everything in between. I can’t wait to see your show in Provincetown this summer; Fausto and Marc, we should all take a trip up together, I already have a condo rented and everything!
Varla is wonderful! What a great show and guest guys! I just wish I had caught her live show.
Thank you guys. Great show. It was nice to hear how Jeffrey became Varla. I think Varla should definitely be on TV more often. Her YouTube videos are hilarious. My favorite is her cover of Lionel Richie’s hit Hello. I also saw Shut Up Sweet Charlotte when it was here in ATlanta and it is a riot.
input your comment here…
Guys,
You’ve had a great year so far with the guests from Drag Race, Coco Peru, and now Varla Jean. Varla is one of my favorite performers. She always puts on a great show and I always see her when she performs here in LA. I really enjoyed being able to hear an extended conversation with Jeffrey/Varla. Thanks!
I wonder if you can order a KFC bowl with tacos in it at a KFC/Taco Bell combo place?
I haven’t listened yet, but I saw Varla Jean this past weekend and she was FABULOUS!!!! I love her in Girls will be Girls and she was even better in person – her songs and timing are impeccable! Now I can’t wait to listen.
Great show blokes. Blokes is the UK work for `guys`. Varla is brilliant I can`t wait to get to the US and try to see all these great drag artists. Thanks to FOF for giving such a great platform for this great. I was always afraid of drag queen as I think deep down there is a drag queen in me waiting to pop out. I think throughout history drag queens have been feared. The idea of female impersonation could mean fooling a straight man and that could mean having a penis suddenly shoved up your ass. The straight fear of homos like us. But its time for drag to really become better appreciated, and very much include myself in this.
Drag queens represent the kind of slippery slope of gayness. First you come out and eventually you end up dressing like a woman. Lots of gays fear drag queens in case it kind of rubs off. The idea of once you accept you are a sissy then all hell breaks loose. Resist it, fight it and pray!! So wobbling on here but these podcasts have really made me think.
Finally could your wonderful guest reenact the Ann Margaret scene from Tommy where she bathes in baked beans? Please?
Let her out Kieran and let her roar!
I’ve heard rumors that Varla Jean is going to end her shows in the future by re-enacting that infamous scene from Tommy. Hee hee…
Varla is great. I remember the first time I saw her in “God Shave the Queen” with Miss Understood. She’s also hosted Balls Out for the San Francisco Fog and cut a lot jock straps off of guys! I wish I could have been there.
I liked being able to hear her take on drag and society. I personally have no problem with doing it here and there. Doesn’t make you less of a man. I mean, hello, you walk around in heels for the night.
It was an other wonderful show.
I haven’t been able to downlaod a show in two months, but I’m back and I LOVE VArla. Great show. now I’ve got soem catching up to do…thanks guys
I LOVED the show guys! Varla is amazing, and I LOVE her parodies. And yeah that question was stupid… but you got my meaning.
Thanks for bringing her on and doing a video… Jeffrey is such a handsome man… (sigh)
FABULOUS show! I have been a miserable sad chica after being dumped last week and listening to this episode made me laugh and forget that asshole for an hour! Thanks!