First off, the Make Drag, Not War benefit for IVAW and DAM was great!   Such good energy, good politics, and interesting people!  Despite a couple of minor technical and choreographed mishaps, Sweetcheeks and I brought the house down.  It’s really rewarding to perform political work and feel like people get it.  (Though I also worry about preaching to the choir… but we’ll save that for later.)

And of course, the other performers!  All the usuals were phenomenal: Raya, Suppositori, Rahni, Garza and Farrokh (whose number really was delightful, especially the twist at the end).  And then there were the vets who really pulled it out.  Oh, and Artist.  Dear, Artist.

Here’s video of our number — I think someone else took video with a more profesh camera, so I’ll post that if/when I see it:

And some backstage photos (I insisted on some cheesy poses):

(the last one is with some CODEPINK friends I met a couple weeks ago.  photo courtesy of Infinity.)

Oh, and I need to share a little Halloween miracle that also proves a point: The Israeli flag you see in the video I found at Thrift Town on Friday afternoon for $3.99.  I was really trying to find a little black and white number to match the one I already had, but was having no luck.  I wanted American and Israeli flags, but I was resigned to making them since I didn’t expect to find an Israeli flag in a day.  Then, on a whim, I looked at the area where there are flags and fabrics.  Lo and behold.  The moral of the story?  At Thrift Town, if you’re really desperate, it will deliver exactly what you need.  I don’t normally endorse brands like this, but I’m serious.  I one time needed a tambourine.  I was in the shoe section and dropped something, and when I bent down to pick it up, there was a tambourine under the shoe rack.  I kid you not.  The other moral?  If there is a God, she’s anti-zionist and wants me to have the props I need.

Anyway…

Later that night, I ditched my imperialist drag for my real costume: Bee Arthur!  (Get it?  Some people got it right away.  Some people never got it.  Two people thought I was Mrs. Doubtfire in a bee costume.)  Ed and Ryan and Julie and Ellie and Jesse had a phenomenal party, though mama drank a little more of her $4 wine than she should’ve.  Oops.  I did, however, walk all the way from the Castro to 18th & Portrero in my new Zara heels (fine, a low heel).

And there are some pictures to prove it, after the jump:

Bobby was some artist whose name I forget, but who did conceptual work involving gold leaf on his face and dead bunnies.

Matt was the Red Death from Poe.  It was creepy in a good way.

Kevin’s costume made me die a little bit inside in the best possible way.  This photo does not in any way capture my joy and ecstasy.

Danyol and Ed were competing Fridas.

Maura is was a nerd.

Apparently Bee Arthur attacked Sweetcheeks, who was dressed as Lil Miss Hot Mess (!) as Little Orphan Annie!

But we still can bee friends.