Grizzly Kiki | Pop Culture & Interviews With Queer Artists
Summary: Grizzly Kiki began in April 2014 as a pop culture and drag-centric podcast hosted by Robert Lechuga & Daniel Silva. We launched with recaps of RuPaul’s Drag Race and other reality programming. Shortly after releasing the first few episodes, we narrowed our focus to create a podcast that was unique in concept and would serve a community near and dear to us: DRAG QUEENS!!!!!!!!!!!!! The podcast is equal parts oral history and good old-fashioned kiki. We found that there were few platforms where Drag and Nightlife Artists could talk about their art and themselves in an open and honest way. Most of what is known about these artists comes from videos posted on the Internet or what they experience in bars and clubs. It was clear that there were stories to be told and shared with the world. Our mission is to create a comfortable and safe environment, where these artists can share their histories and experiences. Ours is a podcast that is meant to serve the drag and nightlife community by capturing the artists’ voices and making them available to the public. Grizzly Kiki is a program for drag enthusiasts, Drag Artists, and everyone in between. Listen and Join the Party!!
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- Artist: Robert & Daniel
- Copyright: 2014
Podcasts:
On this episode, Mary Kona and Dolores de Mikulo talk about Grizzly KiKi at the monthly improvisational variety show, Ethnic Realness, and get to play their own games with hosts Oscar Montoya and Bowen Yang. Later in the week, Robert and Daniel attend the annual Slammy Awards, hosted by Bob TheDragQueen. As the antithesis to the annual Glam Awards, the Slammys honor all that is terrible and tacky in New York nightlife. The Grizzly KiKi bears interview guests, nominees and winners at this year's ceremony!
On this episode, Robert and Daniel interview the spiciest queen in New York, Lady Quesa'Dilla. This Texas Transplant has been in New York for the last seven years, but hasn't lost a single bit of his Tejano flavor!!! A teaching artist, performance artist, and drag queen, Quesa's main focus is on feeding the children, literally and figuratively. During our dinner Kiki with him at his lovely Brooklyn brownstone, we learned how Quesa and her alter ego, Alejandro, manage to balance being a teacher by day and a fierce queen by night. In both cases, he uses his ethnicity and upbringing as a foundation for his work, channeling Tejana realness with some Maria Felix thrown in for a dash of sophistication and mystery. We first interviewed Quesa during our live taping at the Stonewall Inn. She was so delicious that we had to come for seconds and after our latest kiki, she left us wanting thirds!! Enjoy the buffet!
Jackie Beat has been the world's biggest bitch for the past 25 years. In celebration of her quarter century in drag, we wanted to get her on the horn and find out what makes this brilliant Queen tick. As a gay kid growing up in Scottsdale Arizona, Jackie had a supportive family that fostered her creativity and grew to love her drag, with her father being one of her biggest fans!! Over the course of her 25 year career, Jackie has become famous for her biting wit, comedic timing, and most of all, her hilarious parodies of pop music. With over one thousand songs under her headband, she has a huge catalogue to pick from whenever she stages one of her magnificent one woman shows. With her binder of material in one hand and a tall glass of orange juice in the other, Jackie has ascended to the pantheon of the Drag Gods and has made contributions to the world of drag that will leave their mark forever!! Here's to you Jackie Beat!
On this episode, Robert and Daniel interview New York Party Promoter and Nightlife Personality, Kareem McJagger. He is a gender-bending performer and host who loves to experiment with his looks, hair and makeup, all of which are enhanced by the creative skills of his cousin, Rochelle. After moving to New York almost ten years ago, he spent a long time observing NY nightlife before breaking into the scene himself. With his unique look and infectious personality, Kareem is a well-known fixture all over town, running the popular blog, The Black Out Blog, where he documents his nightly activities. Kareem hosts several parties, including Glow, his Saturday blacklight party at G Lounge, and Karaoke at Pieces Bar. He can also be found any night of the week at different events throughout the city. His outlandish, ceiling-scraping looks have developed into his signature style and they must be seen in person to fully appreciate just how fabulous he really is!! After listening to our interview, dig through your closet for your most fabulous gear and make it out to one of Kareem's parties so you can kiki the night away in style!
On this episode, Robert and Daniel talk about why chubby sex is the way to go, the leak of explicit photos of a principal in Jamaica, and Highsexuals. We also discuss the suicide of trans Ohio teen Leelah Alcorn. 16 year-old Leelah committed suicide on December 28, 2014 after leaping in front of a truck on an interstate four miles from her family home in Kings Mill, Ohio. After years of struggling with her parents refusal to accept her identity, being sent to several Christian therapists, and being barred from communicating with the outside world, Leelah chose to end her life.
On this episode, Robert and Daniel interview a member of the legendary house of LaBeija, New York Drag Performer Kimberly Smallz LaBeija. This pint-sized diva brings with every couture look he and his boyfriend create, using plastic trash bags, olive oil-soaked cardboard, and other unconventional materials to create his jaw-dropping looks. A New York native, Kim came of age during his time in New England at Brown University, where he performed in drag for the first time at the school's annual drag ball. Since then, he has been bitten by the drag bug and for the past two years, he has been turning the party at every event where Kim makes an appearance!!! In our interview, we learn about Kim's drag roots, how she joined the house of LaBeija, and how being raised in Harlem impacted her life. POWER.MONEY.RESPECT!
On this episode, we talk about our recent movie-viewing experiences. We discuss Gone Girl, This is Where I Leave You, Tusk, and Into The Woods and give our awards season predictions for each movie.
On this episode, Robert and Daniel interview underground gay rapper, Big Dipper. A Chicago native, Dipper has made a splash in the music scene with his unabashedly sexual and raunchy lyrics and imagery, all performed with a wink!! This combination of sex and camp has made him unique in the world of LGBTQ rappers. He moved to New York two years to continue pursuing his career and the city has welcomed him with open arms. This big bear from Chicago has captivated audiences in venues all over the city and his videos have become legendary for their raw and kitsch aesthetic. His visit to the Grizzly Cave was like sitting down with an old friend and getting to know everything you didn't know about them already. Have a listen and get to know Big Dipper. Then go to his website and download all of his music. It's free, Y'all!
On this episode, Robert and Daniel talk about the big Sony Leak that recently occurred and Jackie Beat's Christmas Show, "Jackie Beat on Ice," at the Laurie Beechman Theatre.
On this episode, Robert and Daniel interview New York Drag Performer, Dusty Ray Bottoms. Hailing from Kentucky, she moved to New York four years ago to pursue an acting career. However, he soon developed the drag bug and over the past year and half, Dustin has created the character of Dusty Ray Bottoms, a resident of the fictional town of Botchville. As far as Queens go, Dusty Ray is a fully realized high concept character, with even higher hair. All you need to find her in a crowd is to look for the beautiful lollipop with cotton candy hair. Dusty most recently competed in Paige Turner's annual New York drag competition, So You Think You Can Drag. Over the course of ten weeks, Dusty competed alongside the fiercest queens in New York, pulling out all the stops week after week. Her stand out and now-iconic performance of Peach Plum Pear, which took place during the SYTYCD finale. She performed with four Dusty clones and relived the entire competition on stage, stealing the show with a number she vows to never perform again. Dusty is one of the nicest, most talented, and tallest queens in New York. Listen to our interview and fall in love with her!! And remember, don't forget to trend #TeamBotttoms!
On this episode, Robert and Daniel talk about the new cast of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 7. They go down the line sharing their thoughts on each new queen based on their Meet The Queens videos.
On this episode, Robert and Daniel Kiki with their squirrel-friend and fierce NYC Drag Queen, Miz Jade. Known as the Queen of Shade to those who love her, Jade hails from Westchester and began doing drag when she 16. She eventually made it to SUNY Purchase, where she unleashed her inner diva in the supportive environment created by the school, which is famous for Fall Ball, It's annual drag competition. Miz Jade won Fall Ball the first time she competed and returned to host and judge the pageant several times since graduating. She is also a professional dancer and teacher who is on a never-ending quest to turn all of her students into little drag queens. Miz Jade was our first Drag Queen interview and helped us kick off what has become a labor of love. We are very happy to be able to bring her back for a complete interview that we we can share with all of our listeners!! Listen and Enjoy!
On this episode: The CDC recommends teenage circumcision, a Pastor wants Santa to bring him dead gays, and parents publicly support their transgender son.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOCHA LITE!!!!! On this episode, Robert and Daniel interview New York Drag Queen Mocha Lite. While her name may been come from the Starbucks menu, Mocha is far from pedestrian and mainstream. And there is only one Mocha Lite. She is enigmatic, gorgeous, and cerebral, using her drag to turn herself inside out and reveal the fantasy inside!! Along with her partner, Misty Meaner, Mocha is one half of New York's premiere drag couple and creative duo known as "Misty and Mocha." Although they are known as a couple and often come as a package deal, Mocha proves that she can stand alone as "Mocha Lite" and that Misty is her supporter, collaborator, and artistic partner, as well as a fierce queen in and of herself. They are an artistic Tour de Force, combining drag, art, photography and makeup artistry to create some of the most memorable looks ever seen on the New York nightlife scene. In Part Two of our couples double feature, we learn all about Mocha upbringing in Long Island, her first in drag walking to school along a highway in booty shorts, her love of music and fashion, and her desire to become famous after she dies rather than in the present. There are also some surprises thrown in, so check it out!
On this episode: Google Maps is offensive, ten gay slang words that deserve a comeback, a nail technician attempts rape, and shower selfies are the new ice bucket challenge. Also, December 1st is World AIDS Day, so take a shower selfie, post it with the hashtag #weareALLclean and nominate three other people to do the same and donate to the cause.
