Palm Springs drag show marks six years of fun, community service

 

Oscar's is a fun gig for both full-house audiences and performers, who rake in tips and work hard for them. The "Bitchiest Brunch" features emcee Anita Rose, right, and below ready for her close-up in another costume with  writer Christene "Cookie" Meyers. On Sunday,        March 10,
  the "Bitchiest Brunch" features Oscar's owner Dan Gore in drag on a zip line to celebrate six years of crowd pleasing brunches, at both the
10 a.m. and 1 p.m. shows.
 

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OSCAR'S OPUS: DRAG, COMMUNITY SPIRIT AND A HIT WITH THE CROWDS

 

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

OSCAR'S in downtown Palm Springs is more than a nightclub, a restaurant, or a fun place to see a show.  It's part of the soul of this interesting and diverse city, a mecca for the rich and famous, a place for sun, golf and R&R, and a well known gay and trans-friendly town.

Oscar's Owner Dan Gore, aka Cheyenne Demuir,
left and right. He'll headline this weekend's
"Bitchiest Brunch" Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
 

This weekend marks the sixth  anniversary of

Miss Bee Hiven takes a few
green kudos from happy fans.

Dan Gore has a long career
in the entertainment business,
from promoter to filmmaker.
He produces the shows and
owns Oscar's Cabaret. 

 Oscar's weekend Saturday and Sunday drag show's, "Bitchiest Brunch," and owner Dan Gore is celebrating in style. The show is sure to sell out on Sunday, March 10, with producer and entrepreneur Gore dressing for the occasion and whizzing onto the stage on a zip line for two "Bitchiest Brunch" performances, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Emcee Anita Rose has been with him since the brunch's beginning in Palm Springs, a town with a long, proud history as a gay friendly village.  In the 1970s and 1980s during the AIDS crisis, it was a place for gay men to seek treatment and refuge. Hundreds of people were treated at its medical centers where living costs and medical care were more accessible and cheaper than in New York  or San Francisco.

When the dancers' bosoms are
full, the tip overflow goes into
a money box carried by a rover.

THUS, THRU THE YEARS, the city developed a strong reputation as an LGBT-friendly destination.

The greenbacks roll in during a performance,
as dancers and agile gymnasts shake, rattle,
 roll, do splits, kicks, spins and turns for tips.
Here Luna Lafierce collects gratuities
while dancing and miming all the time. 

Today, the Palm Springs area has a flourishing LGBTQ base, and Oscar's celebrates that. We love to visit the venue.  It's lively, friendly and fun.  People smile and laugh. It's an oasis of kindness, acceptance and folks just out to have a good time. Many gay couples choose this desert city for their elderly years. Part of the weekend's proceeds go to the area's LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert, which provides a welcoming environment for all members of the community. Oscar's paves the way for understanding.

John Eltinge was born
William Dalton and was a
  famous 1920s drag queen
playing in New York and
London. He performed
 for King Edward II.

Dancing with audience members is
part of the fun at Oscar's with
quick costume and wig changes.
Here's Luna Lafierce again
with a new hairdo. 

Wigs are big, boobies are
sometimes pointed, and a
good time is had by all,
here with Diamond Evvon.

.

 SAYS GORE,"There's a real need for a platform for this caliber of entertainment." Does Oscar's have its detractors?  "Oh, sure," says Gore. "But of the skeptics who come in for a show, 70 per cent leave changed and accepting; 30 per cent just don't get it or buy it." 

Part of the fun at Oscar's is tipping the dancers.
Here a bride-to-be offers tips from her dress.

Oscar's -- named for a favorite dog -- is known for its programming diversity which welcomes both straight and gay audiences for its drag cabaret. Besides funding to the LGBTQ Center, Oscar's is also a generous donor to other Palm Springs activities and organizations.  On Christmas Day, Gore and his staff offer a free holiday meal with all the trimmings.  "Anyone can come and it's always packed," he says.  Other ways Oscar's gives back is through contributions to the local food bank, to Boys and Girls Clubs

Oscars brunches give way to
evening entertainment.

and other civic enterprises. Plaques of gratitude are framed inside with a wall of Hollywood performers who have visited. "We try to be generous to the community," says Gore, in the spirit of "giving back."

Tickets and info:

oscarspalmsprings.com

We photographed these charming Gentoo penguins at
Bluff Cover in the Falkland Islands, known as Islas Malvinas
to the Argentine people.  

UP NEXT:   We're on the penguin trail. From a popular Palm Springs drag show to penguins, we're at the tip of South America photographing those enchanting penguins. Depending on your source, there are either 17 or 18 species of penguins on the planet, 5 of which live in Antarctica. Another 4 species live on sub-Antarctic islands. We saw four species, and observed three up close and personal on a recent trip to the Antarctic. Penguins are charming, resilient and adorable. They were the main reason we traveled thousands of miles, cruising from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to see them and other wildlife. We hope you'll enjoy our upcoming story, remembering to explore, learn and live, and catch us weekly for a unique spin on travel, nature, performance, family, the arts and more. www.whereiscookie.com