HOT MESS

///Photos By: Wilson Models

THE HOT MESS DRAG REVUE HAS CELEBRATED ITS SECOND ANNIVERSARY AT 42WEST, THE NEWLY LAUNCHED VENUE FORMERLY HOUSING XL NIGHTCLUB. THE OVER-THE-TOP COMEDY SHOW FEATURES THE IRREPRESSIBLE, IRREVERENT AND IRRESISTIBLE TRIO BIANCA DEL RIO, LADY BUNNY AND MILAN JOINED BY FELLOW DIVAS SUGGA PIE KOKO, SKYLA VERSAI AND JADA VALENCIAGA.

Combining old-school glamourand salacious scandal galore,Hot Mess lives up to its name and offers an outrageously good time for all. Duringthe adults-only interactiveperformance, the queenslead the audience throughseveral song and expertlychoreographed dance numbers. Intermittent commentary isgiven by hostess Bianca DelRio, who is competing on thisseason of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” that keeps audiences in fits of laughter and coming back formore. The divas will continue to pullout all the stops, mixing up their unique brand of calamity and comedy during each and every performance. And they havean even glitzier, glam, show-stopping stage to perform onat 42West, which features adazzling high-tech laser lighting system, a state-of-the-art sound system, a chic VIP area and premium seating that easily puts guests in the Hot Messhot seat.

WE TALKED TO THE INCOMPARABLE LADY BUNNY ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE CAN EXPECT AT HOT MESS.

What makes Hot Mess unique?
It’s the only full-scale drag revuethat I know of in New York City.It’s an hour and a half long with production numbers, costumes galore, a hilarious emcee anddynamite solo acts in a state-of-the-art club. Bianca, Milanand I grew up watching shows like this in the South, and we wanted to recreate it. There’splenty of great drag in New YorkCity, but much of it happens very late at night and is shortor with a small cast.

It’s tough to get people to leave their computer screens nowadays, so if you actually get them out off-line, you’ve got to deliver. Hot Mess does, and the two years of capacity crowds proves it. There’s an emphasis on twisted and demented humor and also some incredible dancing! Milanis a top-notch choreographer, and he electrifies the audience with his own show stopping solo numbers. So it has the feel of a nightclub show, but it’s at9:30 p.m. instead of 2 a.m.Has Bianca’s “RuPaul’s DragRace” fame gone to her headyet?
No, but since she wasn’t on the first episode of RuPaul’s Dog Race, she hasn’t actually been on the air yet! Just wait!Actually, if Drag Race exists to showcase talented queens, then they’ve struck gold with Miss Del Rio. She sews costumes professionally forBroadway, styles immaculate wigs and does expert (if kooky)makeup. And the bitch can readthe house down. Everyone who catches her emceeing falls inlove with her, including all of the groups who she mercilessly rags on. She’s that funny and quick. I have no idea who this season will crown America’s Next Superstar, but Bianca is already a superstar in my book. I’m not sure that Logo can air all of her un-PC madness, sofor the full, uncensored Bianca experience you’ve gotta visit Hot Mess on Fridays whenever you’re in New York City. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen atable full of real women howling after Bianca threatens to kick them in the pussy. But thenshe decides not to becauseshe’d “probably lose ashoe.” Yes, she’s thatill! Those other Drag Race contestants better watch outfor her mouth.Bianca has a wayof getting the upperhand.

What’s the most outrageous thingthat’s ever happened at Hot Mess, and what are you surprised hasn’t happened yet?
We have one group number in which the crazy Sugga Pie Koko “shoots” everyone in the cast. We lay on the floor “dead,” and I can’t help myself from giggling while I’m supposedto be playing a corpse. This number features Tina Turner,Prince, Rihanna, The Weather Girls, Gene Kelly and Michael Jackson. It’s more outrageous every time. It was also very outrageous when a guest star, Princess Janae Banks, took thestage to talk about the cancer—which since then has taken herlife—and soliciting donations for cancer research. I was very nervous that she might lose the crowd when she said, “I have cancer, but cancer doesn’t have me. If cancer had me I wouldn’t be on this stage right now.” But she didn’t lose them. They roared with approval. I almost found Jesus through her that night. We’ve had quite a few amazing guests like Sharon Needles, Latrice Royale, Tyra Sanchez, Manila Luzon, Jiggly Caliente, Princess Diandra and Octomom. And Kris Jenner, RuPaul, Lance Bass, Raven Symone and many other celebs in our audience. Sometimes I’m surprised the cast hasn’t killed each other.There are egos involved, and just the way that rock groups split up, the cast at Hot Messhas gotten into it. Drag queens usually have opinions, and we don’t always agree. So I’m surprised we’re all still together.

What would you tell someone planning to bring their shy, sheltered mom with them to see Hot Mess?
This might be a better show for those fun aunts or sisters, to be honest. Leave mom at home, and you’ll be more likely to remain in the will. Or if you must bring mom, loosen her up with several pre-show cocktails. It can be quite raunchy and wild. The crowd joins in the fun in a segment called Wig in a Box, which is basically an excuse to put the audience in wigs, give them shots and watch them make fools of themselves as Bianca berates them. Always a show highlight. Especially when Bianca tells the black girls they already know how to put on wigs and thanks the Asians for manufacturing the wigs. The crowd is completely mixed in terms of race, sex and sexual preference.

Who’s the biggest hot mess you’ve ever encountered and/or who is the biggest celebrity hot mess?
Definitely Tan Mom. We hired her early on at the suggestionof a publicist, and she put the special back in special guest! Footage from it flew all over the Internet, and we got international press coveragefor the night. For once, Bianca barely needed to say a thing. Tan Mom looked a fright, seemed wasted, flashed her panties, fell several times and lashed out at audience members. So she basically stole my act! I had tried to feed her a line and say that her daughter, who people were concerned about after Tan Mom allegedly put her in a tanning booth, was doing very well at school and had even become a brownie. She flew into a rage at the mere suggestion of it. You can see her antics on the red carpet [onYouTube]. I was away the week we had Octomom as aspecial, but she nursed a plastic baby doll with a bottle of vodka with her boob hanging out. Because we keep it classy!

What elsedo youhave going on, Bunny?
I spin a new tea dance at The Monster on Sundays from 6-10 p.m. on the first and third Sunday of each month. The twinks may rule Hell’s Kitchen, but we’re still shaking our groove thang in theWest Village. I perform at the Red Room in Puerta Vallarta on March 19-23 and join Bianca, Coco Peru, Willam, Shangelaand several San Francisco queens in Queens of Comedy at San Francisco’s Castro Theatre on March 29. I open my new solo show, Clowns Syndrome, at La Escuelita on April 22 [and] every Tuesday for an open-ended run with all-new material. (I rarely say that.)Keep an eye out for Bunion on the big screen in “My DeadBoyfriend,” in which I have ascene with Heather Grahamwhere we recreated Wigstockin Tompkins Square Park with30 drag queens. And I’ve just written an eyebrow-raising blog for Hufington Post Gay Voices, “In Defense Of Alec Baldwin.”But of course, Fridays belong to Hot Mess

INFO
Hot Mess takes place Fridays at 42West, starting at 9 p.m. 42WEST 514 WEST 42ND ST. NYC