February 2006

My name is Sherri Butler. I am the Vice-President of McPride. I am also straight, married and a grandmother. During the last few years I have become a part of the GLBT community in Oklahoma with the help of GLBT friends and family. I am using this column to introduce you to other people that are part of that GLBT community.

I first saw Ginger Lamar a year ago last February. My husband, Harold, and I went with our friends Wayne and Eric to Ginger's show at Club Rox in Oklahoma City. We were celebrating our anniversary.

I had heard many stories about Ginger and was hoping she would not notice us in the audience. No such luck, our friends made sure we sat right in front of the stage and told Ginger it was our anniversary. She was took pity on the straight couple and was very nice to us. In the last year, I have gotten to know Ginger and J.L. and consider them my very good friends.

I had help this month with my column. Jason and I spent an afternoon talking to Ginger at her home. Due to the many questions we asked and the detailed answers Ginger gave, this article will be in two parts. Let's start with the questions I ask in all of my interviews and then go into more detail.

Your name: Ginger Lamar

Age: Younger than God.

Birthday: November 10th

Gender: Male

Sexual preference: Male

Significant other: J.L.

Any children: No

Hometown: Syracuse, NY

What was your childhood like: Good

Hobbies : Drag


Career : Hair Stylist

Favorite town : New Orleans

Favorite drink : Diet Coke

Favorite food : Gravy

Favorite holiday : Christmas

Favorite song : I hear A Symphony - Supremes

Favorite performer : Bette Midler

 

Favorite drag queen : Not Sure

Tattoos or piercings : No

Are you a member of McPride ? No

How did you find out about McPride? Jason, Matthew & Paul.

What is your philosophy about life : Fuck them before they fuck you.

Biggest regret : Not being more confident in myself when I was younger.

Have you ever had your fortune told ? Yes.

What most people don't know about you : That I really do care.

What would you like to tell the McAlester and the surrounding area ? It's a party, enjoy it.

     

Q: I work at a newspaper and I asked my coworkers what one question they would ask you. The men wanted to know why did you do drag for the first time?
Ginger: It was Halloween and I know a lot of queens tell that story but that was exactly what it was. I worked for a guy who put me in drag, thought it would be fun to try it. And there it went from there on. I didn't work at that time, just went to Halloween, which is comparable to what pageants are today.

Q: What did you wear the first time?
Ginger: A black gown that a girl I ran around with made for me. I don't remember what material we bought. It was what we could afford. It was full length with a fish tail and it had a cape on one shoulder. One sleeve that was kind of angled and it was so tight I couldn't sit in it. I had to lay in the car. They had to pick me up and lay in the back seat of the Lincoln and pull me back out. I had to stand the whole night of the pageant cause I couldn't sit in the dress it was just too tight.

Q: At that time Halloween, you said, was like a pageant?
Ginger: Yes, it was, they were called Halloween Drag Balls. They competitions for every category. Which was best talent, most convincing, they had at that time hair and evening gown. There was about 7-8 categories that you could win and I won talent as a newcomer in Tulsa, it was where I went the first time in 1969.

Q: What was the most important thing about drag at that time?
Ginger: At that time everyone that did it, unless they were a comedian. was glamour drag. I mean everyone. It was really , well you know it was the movie star look that everyone went for. In fact, back then the hair was so elaborate and everyone really did up. But whatever you wore to the ball you kept on all night. It wasn't like today, where they change for each category. You wore whatever you were going to wear and you did everything in that. You didn't change at all.

Q: What is the biggest difference between 1969 and now for doing drag?
Ginger: Well, at that time there were a lot more what I consider impersonators. There weren't all the surgical changes in the face, they didn't use silicone, they weren't crossdressers, they didn't have breasts. Everyone was on the same level. They were men dressed up as women. It was respected then. There was a lot more respect for it then than I feel there is now.

Q: Now for the question most women want to know. What type base make do you use?
Ginger: I use Mirans Star Blend. It's a theatrical water base. I don't use oil. I used to use grease paint but I don't like it any more. It shines too much. You have to constantly keep powdering it. This has a powder base to it, so I don't have to do anything to it. Except put it on, three coats and then when it's dry you can use a puff and get it smoothed out.

Q: JL makes your dresses right?
Ginger: When I can get him to sew.



Q: What has been your favorite gown?
Ginger: My favorite? I've had a couple over the years. Jason, what is your favorite dress?
Jason: My favorite is the leopard. It's to die for.
Ginger: I've had several that I really liked. I had a black and white sequin. That was one sided. White on one side and black on the other. It was done in cracked ice. I loved that gown. I thought it was beautiful. I had a plain old black dress that had silver beads that hung all over it. They weren't bugle beads they were holiday beads really. Butg they were all about 4-5 inches long that hung all over it. And I had a blue sequin dress that one shouldered split up the side that I really liked.
JL: I liked the ball gown that had sequins all over it.
Ginger: I'd forgotten about that one. The ball gown - it was beautiful. It had multi-colored sequins on it. A huge great big ball skirt on it, it was a beautiful gown.

To be continued...
check back often for further additions
to the Ginger Lamar interview!

                   

For more information on Oklahoma's Legendary Ginger Lamar,
visit Ginger's website: www.GingerLamar.com