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Thursday, February 9, 2012

TV / Celeb / Film / LGBTQITSLFA The Glorious Legacy of Venus Xtravaganza

Posted by David Schmader on Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 10:45 AM

One of the most rewarding parts of the latest season of RuPaul's Drag Race—along with Jiggly Caliente, Sharon Needles, and the lightly bearded pit crew member—is witnessing the extended influence of Venus Xtravaganza, one of the many fascinating subjects of Paris Is Burning, Jennie Livingston's 1990 documentary about the New York drag ball scene and the people who make it fabulous. The film is packed with amazing people, but Venus is one of the ones that sticks with you, not just for her stunning vulnerability and beauty, but for the tragic containment of her story within the film. (Spoiler alert: Near the end of Paris Is Burning, Venus' house mother Angie Xtravaganza tells of the heartbreaking murder of Venus Xtravaganza.)

So what a joy it is to see sparks of Venus flying out of the mouths of so many of RuPaul's 21st-century drag racers. Here's Venus delivering the 20-second riff that will supply drag queens with catchphrases for eternity.

(Also, have you seen Paris Is Burning lately? If you haven't seen it in over ten years, watch it immediately and be clobbered by its amazements. It may as well be the best documentary ever made (after Hoop Dreams), and it's available now on Netflix Streaming.)

Comments (8) RSS

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Always good to have a reminder of the brilliance of Paris Is Burning. I have been known to randomly say "Pen-DAAAA-vis" when walking down the street. Nice to see Venus's legacy on Drag Race.

Posted by Bub on February 9, 2012 at 11:17 AM

I just watched it again last weekend. It never stops being AMAZING

Posted by Kelly O on February 9, 2012 at 11:22 AM

O-P-U-L-E-N-C-E. Opulence.

Posted by ERIN! on February 9, 2012 at 11:35 AM

I was just celebrating this fantastic doc at wfmu.org last night. So wonderful! So poignant. Such vital viewing

Posted by Adam Bernstein on February 9, 2012 at 3:49 PM

"You.OWN.EV-reething. EV-reething is YOR-WAS!

Posted by BigDogYVR on February 9, 2012 at 3:58 PM

"You.OWN.EV-reething. EV-reething is YOR-WUZ!"

Posted by BigDogYVR on February 9, 2012 at 4:00 PM

touch this skin honey, touch this skin darling, touch all of this skin. You just can't take it. You're just an overgrown orangutan!

Posted by XenoIncognito on February 11, 2012 at 8:54 PM

I'm really curious to know the results of her homicide investigation. Did they ever find the murderer(s)? What happened to the case?

I've tried in vain to find detailed information about this case. Even the NY death records didn't list her by her drag or real name, Thomas Pellagatti.

Posted by Toonces on March 29, 2012 at 8:30 PM