Showbiz Spitfire Paige Turner has been treading the boards of NYC for the past several years – known as the love child of Elle Woods and Pee Wee Herman, she is known as the ultimate Barbie and all-around entertainer and hostess. I sat down with Paige to get the dish and find out who she is and what makes her tick!
You’ve become known as the “queen of the twinks” and seem to have twinks around you all the time. Was this something you asked for? How did this happen?
What’s funny is my form of drag is very old school but with a modern sensibility. I think part of the reason they gravitate towards me is because I make sure to include them. I want my drag to invite people in, not push them away. It’s important for me for people to feel included, especially in the gay community! Gays can be so mean!
What is your biggest pet peeve? Surely you can’t be happy all the time!
Oh, you mean when people talk an inch away from my face? This is why I always carry Altoids for people.
Explain what your catchphrase SLURP! means.
I started saying it off the cuff, under my breath to cute boys at the show or that I brought onstage. Pretty soon the audience was shouting it back at me. It basically sums everything you want to say to a boy without saying, “Hey, I want to f*ck your brains out!” You just say SLURP!
You are the host of So You Think You Can Drag, entering its third season at New World Stages. What can we expect this year, and when does it begin?
It starts back up mid-September. I’m so excited. It’s a great opportunity for someone to really launch their drag career, and we’ve had the most amazing judges and talent the past two years. Adam Lambert was a judge last year. It’s gonna be hard to top that! You can expect fierce competition, bigger production numbers and very special guest stars.
What’s new and exciting on Miss Turner’s schedule?
Well, I’m proud to announce that I just shot my first music video. It’s a parody of “Call Me Maybe” called “F*ck Me Thursday.” I didn’t think I’d go down the parody route, but the original song is just so delicious and awful that it seemed a perfect fit for my audience. I also launched my line of SLURP! t-shirts, which are available on my website!
So as we celebrate 4th of July this year, what makes you proud to be an American, assuming that you are American?
Macy’s return policy.
Paige Turner performs SLURP! every Sunday at Vlada Lounge, 10:30 p.m., Thursdays Paige Turner’s Playhouse at Stonewall Inn and 20 Something, also on Thursdays, at XL.
Sit on her facebook.com/paigeturnernyc and visit her at www.paigeturnernyc.com
By Alexander D’or
