Author: Kidmin Bellin

  • Comedian Tuesday Thomas to Perform at Hudson Theatres

    Comedian Tuesday Thomas to Perform at Hudson Theatres

    Comedian and trans icon Tuesday Thomas, often referred to as the “Punk Rock Dolly Parton,” is performing at the Hudson Theatres in Los Angeles on July 25. According to Thomas, “People can expect an unhinged wild ride through the lens of a character you will swear is real!”

    Thomas is the subject of the award-winning documentary The Trash Goes Out On Tuesday, currently streaming on Tubi, and her comedy special Tuesday’s Trash is available on Amazon Prime. She recently wrapped a series of shows at the Hollywood Fringe Festival and hosts a monthly live comedy show, Altered Reality.

    Also known as the “Tik Tok Tranma,” Thomas uses her experiences as an out trans woman to inspire others. She has been featured on VH1, MTV, E!, and BBC, and can be seen regularly at legendary venues like The Comedy Store and The Laugh Factory.

    You can see her holdover show, Confessions of a Groupie or How I F’ed Jim Morrison The Night He Died but I Didn’t Kill Him on Sat, Jul 25 at 7:00 PM.

    Tickets are $20, available at onstage411.com

  • Pickle Introduces “Some Like It Hot” at the Academy Museum

    Pickle Introduces “Some Like It Hot” at the Academy Museum

    The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles celebrated the career of Marilyn Monroe with an exhibition in her honor: “Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon,” featuring screenings of her films as well as original photographs, scripts, letters, costumes, and rare personal items on display for the first time ever.

    On Thursday, June 2, the museum screened a 4K restoration of Some Like It Hot, with Drag Laureate of West Hollywood, Pickle, presenting the film.

    Wearing a recreation of one of Monroe’s many iconic costumes from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Pickle inspired the audience with her discussion of the icon and her history with Some Like It Hot, calling the film “quintessentially Marilyn.”

    After she praised Monroe’s performance, Pickle compared the control Monroe exerted over her image and presentation to that of a drag queen, stating:

    “In drag, we conceal aspects of ourselves with big hair and makeup, or padding or costuming, but the irony is that in doing so we reveal a deeper truth about who we are. I like to say that in acting, you’re always in service of a bigger story being told, but in drag, you are the story. Marilyn embodied that, both in her work and her public life, and was very intentional about the story of Marilyn.”

    Billy Wilder’s Some Like It Hot is a classic comedy from 1959 known for its queer undertones. The film stars Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon as two down-on-their-luck jazz musicians who disguise themselves as women after witnessing a mob murder, hiding out in an all-female band.

    Curtis and Lemmon spend the majority of their screentime in drag and often find themselves in overtly queer scenarios like when Lemmon is courted by a wealthy retiree and seems to genuinely express excitement over his marriage proposal.

    A drag performer named Barbette, a popular female impersonater from Paris in the 1920s/30s, was even hired on set to teach Curtis and Lemmon how to impersonate women.

    This queer material was very bold for the 1950s. All Hollywood movies at the time were expected to receive a seal of approval from the Motion Pictures Producers and Distributors of America but Some Like it Hot was considered too inappropriate. However, despite the disapproval of the Hays office, the studio released the film anyways and it ended up performing extremely well, which helped loosen censorship in Hollywood down the line.

    For those who missed this screening and any others in the Monroe series, the exhibition will remain open through February 2026, and the screenings will return in the fall. Specific dates are yet to be announced.

  • VFX Artist Calls Out AI Use in RuPaul’s“Stop! That! Train!”

    VFX Artist Calls Out AI Use in RuPaul’s“Stop! That! Train!”

    In the weeks leading up to its theatrical release, RuPaul’s upcoming comedy Stop! That! Train! has been under immense scrutiny for its alleged use of AI-generated special effects. 

    Much of the controversy started when Gloria Cook, a VFX artist and experimental filmmaker, attended the film’s premiere in New York on May 28 and posted a review on Letterboxd shortly after, writing, “It’s one of the most conspicuous uses of AI I’ve seen in a film, with a lot of VFX looking like gen AI… Confirmed in the end credits that Acme AI was the top-billed VFX company on the film.”

    After similar allegations rapidly spread across the internet, Shankman addressed the controversy on June 3, posting an official statement on Instagram, stressing that the movie was “made by human hands.” However, he notably did not address the undeniable collaboration with AI VFX companies.

    Cook, now clapping back at Shankman’s vehement denial, released a video pointing out several discrepancies in the movie, visible even in the film’s trailer.

    The train, for example, appears with a different number of windows in various shots, a suspicious detail since human VFX artists would have reused the same CG model for different shots. There would be no purpose in recreating and intentionally changing the amount and placement of windows.

    Additionally, there is a shot of the train crossing a bridge with one of its support legs completely missing, another highly suspicious detail.

    The IMDb credits list 26 compositing artists but not a single 3D or CG artist. No one is credited with creating the train assets, only with combining assets. While there is a chance that the IMDb credits are incomplete, Cook notes that “it feels like an odd omission, especially when these VFX shots could only be done with CGI… or AI. And AI requires no animators, only compositors to clean up shots and combine elements together.”

    Cook adds that proving these effects were not AI-generated would be fairly easy. “All [Shankman] has to do is post wireframes of these scenes to show off the 3D models.”

    But instead, he released a very carefully worded statement, dancing around the issue:

    Claiming that the movie doesn’t contain any “fully generative AI shots” (emphasis on “fully”) and that not a single shot was “conceived by AI” does not dispute the accusation that AI was used to generate special effects that would have otherwise been created by a human.

    Generative AI is extremely harmful to the environment, with data centers increasing carbon dioxide emissions and pressure on the electric grid, straining municipal water supplies, and disrupting local ecosystems. On top of that, it takes jobs away from actual people. But of course, it is faster and cheaper for a company to use generative AI than to pay a human being. So the only thing we can do to stop it is to make our anger known. Filmmakers must be held accountable for using generative AI; otherwise, its use in the film industry will only grow and become normalized. 

  • Blair Davie’s “So What?” is a Passionate Declaration of Love

    Blair Davie’s “So What?” is a Passionate Declaration of Love

    Openly queer and non-binary singer Blair Davie released the single So What on May 13th, featuring not only the title song but an additional track, “When You Fall In Love,” which was initially released as its own single on March 11th.

    Known for songs like “Lovely,” “Butterflies,” and “Wouldn’t Be Right,” Davie frequently showcases passionate, raw vocals and heartfelt lyrics. Romance is a recurring motif in their music, and this latest release is no exception.

    “So What?” is a passionate declaration of love, with Davie singing, “I think we’re set for life,” transitioning into the chorus, which expresses finding happiness through love, after years of “hell,” and essentially asking their partner if they feel the same, ending the song with:

    "And I got my eyes on you
    And I bet my life on you
    Spent all of my time on you
    So what are you gonna do?    "

    The lyrics are sugary sweet with an upbeat, perky melody to match. It’s a lovely feel-good expression of love and finding someone you want to spend the rest of your life with.

    “When You Fall In Love,” on the other hand, has a much more somber, soulful sound, but an equally romantic message. With beautiful acoustic instrumentation accompanied by Davie’s soft hums, the lyrics read almost like a letter to Davie’s past self, feeling isolated and broken, urging them to hang in there because good things are on the horizon.

    "Good things just need the right time
    And you don’t know yet
    But it’s coming
    Someone’s out there, yeah
    Makes it worth it"

    Through love, Davie has found stability and a sense of belonging, soulfully declaring quite frankly, “When you fall in love/ It’ll save you.”

    The song is melancholic yet hopeful, with Davie sending love to their past self, who was hurting and alone, now feeling healed and in a healthy, loving relationship.

    These two songs showcase Davie’s versatility and mark an exciting start to 2026. The singer is currently on tour through July 21, and their next EP, “You Like Ugly, Don’t You Babe?” is coming out on September 9th, 2026.

  • When a Bond Villain Sponsors the Met Gala

    When a Bond Villain Sponsors the Met Gala

    From the James Bond franchise to the Met Gala, it seems there is nothing Jeff Bezos cannot buy, though not without public backlash. 

    The Met Gala is an annual fundraiser for the Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum, relying on donations from attendees and sponsors to preserve fashion and art history. While billionaires and conservatives have sponsored the Met Gala before (e.g., Stephen Schwarzman in 2018), this year not only featured Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, as the official sponsors, but as honorary chairs of the gala itself.

    While Schwarzman’s contributions were primarily behind the scenes, and thus easier to ignore, it was impossible to miss Bezos’s involvement, with Sánchez Bezos standing right next to Anna Wintour herself at the opening ceremony, fully centered in this space meant to represent creativity and artistic expression, not corporate greed.

    Sánchez Bezos photographed beside Anna Wintour at the 2026 Met Gala

    As a result of their prominent role in this year’s gala, calls for a boycott of the event spread online while several New York protesters took it upon themselves to make their voices heard. One group reportedly smuggled hundreds of bottles of fake urine into the museum before the event, in reference to longstanding allegations that Amazon warehouse workers were denied adequate bathroom breaks and forced to relieve themselves in bottles. A group of activists, known as Everyone Hates Elon, put up posters throughout the city and projected interviews with Amazon workers and various critical statements on the Bezoses’ penthouse building.

    While the gala itself proceeded as usual with strong attendance, a handful of celebrities and public figures were absent.

    Zendaya, who has attended the event seven times and even co-chaired it in 2024, notably declined her invitation to the gala, potentially a quiet statement in itself, though she has made no official statement on the matter.

    In a New York Times interview with Cynthia Nixon, she applauded Zohran Mamdani’s absence from the gala, stating: “My hat is off to the mayor for not attending… The Met Gala is now giving Bezos exactly the kind of reputation laundering and cultural rocket fuel he needs to keep destroying America.”

    Actress and comedian, Lisa Ann Walter, joined the Labor Is Art protest against the Gala, asking: “How did an event that’s supposed to celebrate creativity, artistry, and fabulousness, in all genders, end up revolving around this Temu Lex Luthor? Who profits off of pushing working people to their very brink.”

    According to insiders, all of this backlash reportedly came as a surprise to Anna Wintour. One source claimed that “Anna is genuinely shocked by how hostile this has become… [She] quickly enlisted the help of her top advisers from Vogue and her inner circle for what was described as a ‘crisis-level’ strategy session.”

    But the backlash should not have been surprising. The Met Gala is marketed as a celebration of fashion, artistry, and cultural preservation. By placing one of the world’s most controversial billionaires at the center of that celebration, the event exposed a larger issue: cultural institutions should not have to sacrifice their credibility in exchange for financial support. This year’s negative reception reflects that the public is becoming less willing to accept this compromise of values. Hopefully, the backlash will serve as a necessary wake-up call for the events’ organizers and similar institutions that public trust can vanish just as quickly as their donor list grows.

  • Dorian Gray and Performing Heterosexuality

    Dorian Gray and Performing Heterosexuality

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  • A Drag Queen’s Top 5 Favorite Makeup Products (Drugstore Edition)

    A Drag Queen’s Top 5 Favorite Makeup Products (Drugstore Edition)

    Last year, I wrote a top 5 list for my favorite makeup products. While I still stand by that list and use a handful of those products regularly, they vary greatly in cost from a $10 Colourpop Glitter Gel to a $40 Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit. On top of that, I’ve discovered several new products since then and decided it was time for a new list, this time focusing exclusively on more affordable products that can be found at any drugstore!

    1. Maybelline Lash Sensational Firework Volume and Length Mascara

    Available at Target, CVS, Walmart, & More – $12.99 (lasts up to 6 months)

    Starting off this list is a product I discovered recently when I searched for an affordable mascara on Target.com and sorted by the highest rated. This Maybelline mascara has an impeccably high rating average, and after using it myself, I can tell why. Upon first application, it left my lashes long and dark. I opted for the waterproof option too, so it dries quickly and doesn’t leave any marks on my upper eyelids when I blink (something I can’t stand in other mascaras.) The waterproof element is insanely effective to the point that I can’t get away with using my typical face wash and need to use additional makeup-removing products! So it is as waterproof as a mascara can possibly be!

    The one critique I have is that it’s definitely more of a lengthening mascara than a volumizing one, despite being advertised as both. I think it works best when paired with volumizing mascara. That said, I have been using this as my everyday mascara ever since I bought it a month ago. It’s quick and easy to apply, dries fast, and makes my lashes strikingly dark and long.

    1. Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder

    Available at Target, CVS, Walmart, & More – $6.29 (1-2 years)

    This is the perfect highlighter for a soft, subtle shine. It’s buildable so you can adjust the shine to your liking. Just like the Maybelline mascara, this has become a part of my everyday routine. While this can be used in drag, I sometimes prefer a more striking, icy color, a shade they don’t offer with this highlighter. But for a more casual look, this has been a perfect product. 

    1. e.l.f. 16HR Camo Concealer

    Available at Target, CVS, Walmart, & More – $8 (lasts up to 6 months)

    I have been using this concealer for years, ever since I first started experimenting with makeup back in 2021. It’s a great, buildable concealer for both everyday and drag makeup. The coverage is unmatched, it’s such a great price, and it comes in such an extensive shade range, so whenever I have done makeup on someone else, this is the product I always come back to.

    1. L’Oreal Paris True Match Lumi Le Liquid Blush for Cheeks

    Available at Target, CVS, Walmart, & More – $10.49 (lasts up to 1 year)

    This is a recent discovery of mine and I am truly obsessed. I had never used a liquid blush before, but like several other products on this list, it became my standard everyday blush (using two dots on my cheeks and blending them out), though I’ve used it for drag now too (using three dots for a more intense look). While I still enjoy and use powder blush, I just love how the color of the liquid blush builds, how it blends out so easily, and how long it lasts.

    1. L’Oreal Paris Haute Precision Waterproof Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner

    Available at Target, CVS, Walmart, & More- $13.99 (lasts up to 6 months)

    This L’Oreal Paris liner is another top-rated Target product, and I would put it right alongside the Stila eyeliner from last year’s list. It’s incredibly dark and precise. It glides so effortlessly on my eyelids, making it incredibly easy to paint on a clean, sharp wing. I use it every single day and will definitely continue to use it in the future as a cheaper alternative to the Stila liner.

    And thus concludes my list of my top 5 drugstore makeup products! As a beauty concierge and drag queen, I am always on the hunt for new makeup finds and hidden gems. These products are effective, affordable, and best of all, versatile. No matter the amount of makeup you are interested in wearing, there is something here for you on this list.

  • Halloween in Weho

    Halloween in Weho

    What I Learned at my First Halloween Carnaval

    Every year since 1987, a mile of Santa Monica Boulevard has been blocked off on October 31st for the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval. Thousands of costumed attendees roam the street and bars, enjoying the various food trucks and live DJ set.

    My boyfriend and I attended the event for the first time last year. I wore a devil inspired drag look and he went as Ghostface from the Scream franchise.

    We arrived around 10 PM, unaware that the event runs from 6 PM to 11 PM. On most nights this wouldn’t be too late, but on Halloween, it was absolutely packed, and every bar had an infinite line. After waiting in one of them for half an hour and hardly moving an inch, we gave up. Instead of bar hopping, we decided to walk around, socialize, take pictures, and admire everyone’s costumes.

    While the event may officially end at 11 PM, the crowd certainly didn’t thin out for the next couple hours. We stayed until midnight, only to discover that getting home wasn’t as simple as calling an Uber or Lyft. With the street blocked off and difficult to access, using a rideshare meant walking several blocks away from Santa Monica Boulevard. We headed toward W Holloway Dr and N Horn Ave, waited on the curb, and tried again. Although cars were now available, the prices were sky-high. We wondered if walking even farther, perhaps into a quieter residential area, might help reduce the fare. So we trekked 1.5 miles to Wilshire Boulevard, only to find that the Uber prices were exactly the same!

    This year, I plan to arrive between 8 and 9 PM—a potential sweet spot with a lively but less overwhelming crowd. And while there’s no avoiding the steep rideshare prices, at least this time I won’t be hiking 1.5 miles in my heels to try and beat them.

  • A Drag Queen’s Top 5 Favorite Makeup Products

    A Drag Queen’s Top 5 Favorite Makeup Products

    As a beauty concierge by day and drag queen by night, I consider myself a dedicated makeup connoisseur. While I’m always exploring new brands and tools, I have my staple products I come back to time and time again. Whether you’re interested in drag or more natural looking makeup, here are my top 5 picks of drugstore and luxury products perfect for both drag and everyday makeup looks!

    https://www.walmart.com/ip/Burts-Bees-100-Natural-Blush
    1. Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Blush with Vitamin E

    Available at Burtsbees.com – $9.99 (lasts 2-3 years)

    This might be a surprising first pick, as Burt’s Bees isn’t known for their makeup products, but I cannot express how much I love their blush. I discovered their makeup line at Target in 2020 and was immediately blown away by the “bare peach” shade. I use this at work, going out, and even in drag. It’s the only blush I’ve consistently received compliments on. While they’re no longer sold at Target, they’re still available at Burtsbees.com and Amazon!

    https://colourpop.com/products/avenue-of-the-stars
    1. Colourpop Body Glitter Gel 

    Available at Ulta or Colourpop – $10 (lasts 3-4 years)

    Glitter might not be an everyday essential, but it’s a fun way to add some shine to your look! ColourPop offers these glitter gels in an impressive range of colors and are extremely easy to apply. With just a couple dabs, I apply it along my cheekbones and next to my eyes, though they work beautifully as body glitter too. The stunning sparkle will make you instantly stand out on a night out!

    https://www.sephora.com/product/contour-kit
    1. Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit

    Available at Sephora – $40 (lasts 2-3 years)

    This is probably the least surprising and most popular entry on this list but for good reason! With six versatile shades for contouring and highlighting, it’s my go-to choice for sculpting my face and nose, both in and out of drag. I often use it to add depth to my eye makeup too. It’s hands down my most-used and most reliable product, with an impressive shelf life of two to three years.

    https://www.amazon.com/stila-Waterproof-Lasting-Smudge-Proof-Transfer-Resistant
    1. Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

    Available at Sephora – $24 (lasts 6 months)

    For years, I experimented with different liners. Some pens would dry up after a couple months, others stayed wet too long and smudged after applying. This Stila liner is a fairly recent discovery of mine but I have used it everyday the past three months and it’s as precise and sharp as the first day I tried it. While there are more affordable liners out there, this product casts a clean, sharp look and dries quickly (without the pen itself drying up.) I can’t recommend it enough!

    https://www.amazon.com/Makeup-Revolution-London
    1. Revolution Soph X Highlighting Palette

    Available at Amazon – $15.47 (lasts 1-2 years)

    This is one of my all time favorite products. I have yet to discover a highlighter product with as many shades and as good quality. They have enough variations to suit multiple skin tones and makeup looks. When I want a more subtle, natural highlight, I use the light tan, but if I want a more intense look, the white shade casts a beautifully bright shine. Its shelf life is also decent, mine having lasted me 2+ years. The one downside is that they don’t sell these in stores anymore and only seem to be available on Amazon but it’s 100% worth it for the exceptional quality. I can’t recommend it enough.

    Every item on this list has earned its place for its versatility, value, longevity, and above all else, performance. Whether you have an existing beauty regimen or are just getting started on your makeup journey, these are great products to explore and add to your routine!

  • No Longer a Tourist in San Francisco

    No Longer a Tourist in San Francisco

    Since moving to Los Angeles, I’ve clocked in countless hours on the 5 making the drive to San Francisco. But despite the frequency of these visits, it wasn’t until recently that I actually started to enjoy the city. Growing up in San Rafael, San Francisco was a 30-minute drive away. Once or twice a year, my dad would drive the family to Ghirardelli Square or Fisherman’s Wharf. As I got older, the charm wore off, especially when I was the one driving. Los Angeles has its share of terrible traffic and nonexistent parking, but at least you don’t have to endure such steep hills and winding streets!

    After I moved to LA, I made my way back home twice a year to visit my dad, sister, and high school friends. A couple years later–during a two-week visit–I decided to go on a handful of dates. At the time, I had very low confidence in my gender fluidity and often kept it a secret. To my surprise, however, these people were so accepting, I immediately felt safe enough to share my pronouns and identity. While one or two of the dates didn’t lead to anything, the majority resulted in long term friendships! I started to discover a version of San Francisco that I hadn’t been exposed to before: a queer version. 

    The amount of my friends in the city grew and grew, as did the frequency of my trips. I would spend weeks in advance planning who I was going to see and whose couch I was going to stay on, and on June 21, 2023, I headed north once again to celebrate SF Pride. 

    While the Pride Parade wasn’t until Sunday, the celebration started that Friday night. I stayed in the East Bay with a friend who drove us out to SoMA, starting out at the Hole in the Wall Saloon, a bar many of the earlier mentioned dates were at. You would be hard-pressed to find an empty space on the walls and ceilings here. Every inch is covered by stickers, chains, wheels, lights, records… the list goes on. The bartender that night was friendly, excited that I was from LA. He was from Orange County and “left for a reason.” –I didn’t ask. The bar’s tight quarters couldn’t help but make it intimate. A lot of the bars in this strip feel like that and draw out the same crowds. I always run into someone I know.

    On Saturday, I went to a party at a high school friend’s apartment in the Richmond District, spending time with old and new friends alike before venturing into the Castro for the first time. It was freezing outside but thankfully a lot of heat generated from the bodies crowding tightly together in line for the clubs. My friend and I waited outside of 440 Castro, apparently well-known for selling beer for just three dollars. We weren’t dressed very colorfully, so I applied glitter to my face, then to his… and then to the couple standing in front of us.

    Once we finally entered, it was nearly impossible to walk. Packed to the brim, we somehow made our way to the back of the bar where they indeed sold beer for just three dollars! We said goodbye to our new acquaintances and bolted for the exit to breathe, finishing our drinks on the outside patio before walking around the other bars and shops.

    Sunday morning arrived at last and we woke up early to drive to the city. Much to our relief, we spotted parking right away and headed for the Embarcadero where the parade would start. There we met and joined a group of familiar faces from Thursday night. The day was extremely sunny and relentlessly hot, though only for short intervals. The wind would pick up consistently enough that I began regretting the short shorts I was wearing. 

    Huddling close together for warmth, we watched the parade go by: a city taken over by the queer community: drag queens, performers, and activists marching with the most colorful and unique signs, banners and flags. Flags for Gay pride, Lesbian Pride, Pansexual pride, Transgender pride, Two-Spirit pride, and POC pride. Allyship pride, Bear pride, Leather Pride, Furry pride…  Any sub-community you could imagine was here and proud. And the crowd clapped and cheered for all of them.

    We followed the parade to the Civic Center where we were rejected from entering because security said our backpacks were too big. So we headed for the bars again. The wind finally seemed to relent, the heat showering down at last. As I sipped on a rum and coke, laughing with friends in the bar’s courtyard, I had a serene moment of reflection and bliss, taking in the warmth of those around me and how special it felt to be surrounded by such love and openness. So much freedom of expression and diversity. I had been a tourist before. And despite no longer living there, I had never felt more at home with familiar faces in every corner. This was the San Francisco I loved.