Lady Bunny’s Ultimate Lashes Lesson (interview)
New York drag icon Lady Bunny chatted to Skrufff again this week, this time about the new video accompanying her single Take Me Up High , and also shared some essential fashion tips for putting on false eyelashes.
“Curl your own lashes first or they may droop into your eyes and obscure them, which defeats the purpose,” Bunny began.
“When putting on fake lashes, use a quality adhesive that is milky, not runny. Apply a stripe of adhesive along base of the false eyelashes and this is key: let it dry for 2-3 minutes before applying,” she advised.
“That drying period enables the glue to develop tack and it will stay on better. If you’re going to be wearing them for a long time or dancing a lot or outdoors in the wind, use a little more adhesive,” Bunny recommended.
Skrufff (Jonty Skrufff): So what’s the concept behind the video?
Lady Bunny: “The song is called Take Me Up High, so there is an elevation theme and the cast soars up into outer space wearing intergalactic disco fashions. I suppose the elevation theme might also refer to taking drugs, so closely check the size of our pupils in the vid. We’re just trying to nail that 90s house vibe!”
Skrufff: Do you generally watch yourself on TV/ Youtube (repeatedly?) or not?
Lady Bunny: “No, I’m one of those people who hates to watch myself. I’m delighted that others enjoy doing it, but I see it as my job. I watch closely when creating it to get the edits right and to ensure that the most flattering footage is used. But when it’s done, it’s done.
I did do a parody video for Katy Perry’s Firework which is banned from youtube since it’s raunchy. But we play it every week at Hot Mess (a new night of drag performance at XL) while changing costumes. So I do catch parts of it from backstage.”
Skrufff: how much do you consider yourself vain (how sensitive are you to criticism?)
Lady Bunny: “I’m very sensitive to criticism. With this song’s release, I’m asking audiences to view me in a different light. Previously, they’ve accepted me as an outrageous comedian. But they may not like my serious singing voice or the song I’ve written. Or a video which is campy but which focuses less on punchlines. Without the comedy, I’m vulnerable because I’m trying something new. That said, you can’t please everyone!
As far as being vain, naturally a drag queen spends a lot of time on her appearance. But I see that as part of my job and not a character flaw. I’m very aware of the flaws in my looks and always have been. And at 50, there are plenty more of them. So I have to be extra-vigilant about developing tricks to camouflage flaws. I do have a growing sense of “I was cute when I was young and that’s really enough for me.” No one is as cute when they are older as when they are young. But I still have a signature look that works I think is aging pretty well.”
Jonty Skrufff: https://twitter.com/djjontyskrufff
