Shannon Jenkins, Associate Writer, Lifestyle & Culture

Like a fresh wound spilling precious blood, Sharon Needles oozes charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent. So it’s no wonder the Pittsburgh queen cast a spell on me, along with the rest of the world.

Sharon intrigued me even before season four of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” aired, but it was during the first episode I became a true fan. As part of the first main challenge, the contestants fought off a swarm of drag queen zombies as they scavenged for items to construct an apocalyptic runway look. Once Sharon uttered to one of the zombies, “Honey, I’m on your side,” I was hooked.

Needless to say, I squealed like a sacrificial pig when the macabre maven won the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar. And much to my delight, I spoke with the deliciously devilish Sharon the day after her win.

Shannon: So what are you going to do with the $100,000 prize?
Sharon: I’m going to get so much plastic surgery Chad Michaels is going to look natural.

Shannon: What traits helped you win the crown?
Sharon: It’s simple. Drag was always meant to be the celebrity of every city’s gay culture. Drag queens are the clowns in a world full of hate and oppression. I think I just reminded people that drag is fun. Drag makes you make a fool of yourself on stage to entertain your friends and community. It’s not something that was designed to polarize or even to be perfected. Drag is just a circus designed to entertain people in the middle of the night in a smoky bar after a couple of cocktails. I think I not only reminded RuPaul but America as well that drag is for fun.

Shannon: How are you dealing with the fame?
Sharon: It goes back and forth. It’s something I’ve always wanted. Fame is something I’ve always been obsessed with my entire life. Now I have it, and it’s hard to remember why I wanted it. It definitely carries more of responsibility than I thought it was going to. It’s a taxing concept but it’s something I’m more than willing to accept. When you don’t have fame, you want it because you think it is ultimate Xanax to life. You think it will financially settle you. It will emotionally calm you. It will provide you with a sense of status and comfort that can’t be matched by anything else on this Earth. But fame is a magnifying glass. It doesn’t deliver what you thought it once promised. It forces you to see the flaws and beauty within yourself.

Shannon: Who was your favorite regular judge?
Sharon: Oh, Michelle Visage. Most definitely. Being such a fan of the show, I’d watch RuPaul’s Drag Race, and every time I saw Michelle Visage I thought she came straight out of a Transylvanian castle from a vintage Disney movie. She was sheer evil—just a wicked bitch of the West Coast. She made me nervous. But within the first day of working with her I saw so much of myself in her—this kind of giddy, laughy, campy, Gothic woman. It was very much me, and I love Michelle Visage to death.

Shannon: Who was your favorite guest judge?
Sharon: Oh, Elvira, of course!
Shannon: That’s what I thought.
Sharon: To be accepted on the show was mind boggling enough but to walk in the first day and be chased down by zombies and vomiting up [fake] blood in front of idols like RuPaul and Elvira was out of this world. I can sincerely say that one of the most bizarre and best days of my life.

Shannon: What was your favorite challenge?
Sharon: It’s really hard to decide. I loved the first challenge because I got to show the side of me that is very devoted to horror and gore. I also loved the Snatch Game where I portrayed Michelle Visage. But I think the episode where I proved to America that I was more than a one-trick pony was the Frock the Vote challenge. I play stupid on TV but I’m very obsessed with culture and media and the news. I used that strongly to my advantage. And I was sickening!

Shannon: What was your least favorite challenge?
Sharon: My least favorite was the Hope Floats challenge where we had to take boats and decorate them with one color of the gay pride flag. If gray, black, beige or mauve were in the rainbow flag I would have really enjoyed that challenge. Unfortunately we had to work with the really bright colors, and I hate color. I don’t like wearing it. Of course I get green, which was the one color Michelle Visage just can’t stand on a drag queen. Luckily I was safe but it was a close call. And you know what? RuPaul is running out of ideas when you’re strutting down the runway in a f***ing boat. [Laughs]

Shannon: After watching the show, did anything surprise you?
Sharon: We never witnessed other contestants’ confessionals. I know a lot of the girls this season were shocked by some of the things Phi Phi said. I wasn’t shocked by anything.

Shannon: What fascinates you about plastic surgery?
Sharon: I think anything unnatural looks really beautiful. I just love that we live in an age where you can be your own piece of clay. I’m also very interested in what goes into the mentality of people who take such drastic steps to look completely different. I think everyone has insecurities about the way they look. It takes a very special person to have themselves sliced open in the name of vanity.

Shannon: What was going through your mind in the final moments of the finale?
Sharon: I was just so proud of myself for getting as far into the competition as I did. Campy queens and comedy queens tend not to get the recognition they deserve on this program. I was just so pleased with how far RuPaul allowed me to go. It was almost numbing. When I found out I won I was with my boyfriend, my best friend and my mother and it was a great full-circle moment for someone who has dealt with a rough-and-tumble life. It was great for one night to feel like the most important person on the planet.

Shannon: A few months ago Raja visited and asked a packed crowd at Burkhart’s who should win Drag Race. Everyone shouted “Sharon Needles,” so Atlanta loves you. You’ll have to visit.
Sharon: I’m such a fan of Atlanta drag, which really pushes the barriers of excess. Your city has spawned such greats as Lady Bunny and RuPaul herself. So I know I’d be in good company in your city.

Dino Thompson-Sarmiento, Fenuxe Contributor

Latin singing sensation Andres Cuervo has eagerly embraced the HIV/AIDS cause and developed a campaign in the U.S. called “Pay It For-Red”―named after the iconic red ribbon―to fight the disease by motivating folks to get tested. His foundation, “Saber Amar” (Know How to Love), is in full force promoting awareness and raising funds for organizations already in place across America.

Andres debuts his national campaign in Atlanta on May 31 at 6 p.m. at the Wimbish House. Funds raised will benefit Positive Impact, whose mission is to eliminate the risk of HIV transmission and to empower those affected through culturally competent and inclusive prevention, education, mental health and substance abuse treatment services.

Andres graciously sat down with us to discuss his visit to Atlanta and his passions, both professional and personal.

Dino: Andres, thank you for sharing your inspiring story with us. Where are you from and where do you live?
Andres: Hello, Dino and Fenuxe readers. I am from Barranquilla, Colombia, and now live in Miami.

Dino: Tell us a little bit about your career.
Andres: When I first came to the States to chase my dreams of becoming a singer, I made ends meet through modeling. Eventually, after hard work and persistence, my first album was produced in 2007 with the help of the famous music producer Rudy Perez. My first album was a success and included two number one hits. My new album, “Este Soy Yo” (This Is Me), is a reflection of who I am.

Dino: Tell me about the Saber Amar Foundation. What has driven you to take on such a huge project?
Andres: It was crucial to my existence to establish this not-for-profit. I realized that anyone can make a difference. One doesn’t have to be a multi-millionaire to make an impact. I began this foundation to give back to the universe, to give back to the world I love. Right now my number one mission within Saber Amar is to get folks tested for HIV/AIDS. There is a lot of work to be done, especially within the Latino community. Together we can break down the barriers and begin to help those in need. Saber Amar embraces many causes and is culturally diverse. I have also written the “Saber Amar” single to help bring light to these important causes. The song is not what you expect for a charity; it is a dance song meant to make you feel good, make you feel beautiful and connected to the world around you. We are in the midst of creating the music video, and I will be performing it live in Atlanta.

Dino: Extraordinary ambitions, Andres. I applaud your determination. I also understand that the celebrity world has begun to support Saber Amar and join forces with you.
Andres: Yes, this is true … from Latina super star Lucia Mendez to singers and actresses Edith Marquez and Laura Leon to Univision star Pablo Azar. The support has been overwhelming, and it continues to grow. Each talent is helping to bring light to these causes to their fan bases, so our ability to make change increases dramatically.

Dino: Where can Fenuxe readers learn more about you and Saber Amar and listen to your music?
Andres: They can visit my website at www.andrescuervo.com. There they can find links to both Saber Amar and iTunes for my music. There are several remixes to choose from by DJ Manny Lehman, Ocelot, Klubjumpers, Dark Horse and Billionaire.

Dino: I heard that there is a clothing line associated with you, too.
Andres: There is. Together with impresario Richard Coles we have developed an Urban Elegant clothing line. It is a unique look that has tremendous appeal by combining a touch of class to everyday wear. There is also a masculine perfume being introduced. The beauty of these projects is that they are the seeds helping to grow my foundation so that I can continue to help our world through Saber Amar.

Dino: Thank you, Andres. I urge our readers not miss this fantastic event on Thursday, May 31, at the Wimbish House on Peachtree Street. Libations sponsored by Cuervo Tequila and BV Wines, bites by Food Network reality star Chef Alexis Hernandez and Andres Cuervo singing live. All for $10, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to Positive Impact Atlanta.

Shannon Jenkins, Associate Writer, Lifestyle & Culture

Kelly David Carr stumbled into acting. His best friend, Julie Taliaferro, dragged him to a children’s theatre audition and convinced him he’d be a natural. He didn’t get the gig, but he did land a role in another play the theater was producing. Kelly accepted the role of El Gallo in “The Fantasticks,” but the theater closed before the production opened. Last year the Smyrna actor finally received the opportunity to play El Gallo again with CenterStage North in Marietta.

Kelly David Carr, left, and John Stanier in "The Story of My Life." Images by Cloud 8 Photography.

Shannon: Tell me about your role as Alvin Kelby.
Kelly: I play a gentleman who has passed away and is being called to memory by his best friend as he tries to write my eulogy. As he struggles to tell the story you find out that the last words we spoke were in anger. My body is found in a frozen river on Christmas Eve. As kids we made a pack that whoever dies first would write the other’s eulogy. And he’s struggling to do so because he’s wondering if somehow he was responsible for my death. In the process of this one-act two-man musical we explore friendship and how people both grow together and apart. It explores the friendship between two men who took two very different paths in life. Bring a tissue, if not a crying towel. It’s very touching.

Shannon: What do you like most about this part?
Kelly: I love the fact it doesn’t matter who is watching this you’re going to connect on some level. Everybody is going to have someone they know who is in some way a part of this story. If nothing else, every person who leaves this theater will call someone they haven’t heard from in a long time and make sure they’re still alive.

Shannon: What attracted you to this play?
Kelly: It was introduced to me by my best friend, Julie Taliaferro. She is directing. I connect with Alvin in the sense that he is such a naïve person and very innocent. I grew up very sheltered like he did. He never left his bookstore that his father owned. So the only thing he knew about the world is what he read in his father’s bookstore.

Shannon: What’s the biggest challenge with this show?
Kelly: To not cry on stage because it’s so emotional. There’s a lot of intensity with this role. No matter who you are it makes you really sad or really overjoyed. Either way you’re gonna cry. It’s very difficult not to let those emotions completely run with you. Holding that back is really hard. Being able to sing while crying is harder.

“THE STORY OF MY LIFE”
Where: CenterStage North, 3330 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta
When: Thursday-Saturday, 8PM; Saturday matinee, 2PM
Details: centerstagenorth.org

The reliably gay Actor’s Express just announced its new season, and it’s quite an intriguing lineup.

Running August 22 – October 7, “Kiss of the Spider Woman” opens the theater’s 25th season. The classic musical explores the uneasy friendship between a Marxist revolutionary and a gay window dresser.

“Wolves,” a new play by Atlanta native Steve Yockey, follows with performances from November 7 – December 2. This modern-day fairy tale for adults centers around a young city-dweller who unleashes a dangerous chain of events after he tries to rescue his roommate from a one-night stand with a big bad wolf.

Next in line is “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” playing January 9 – February 17. Imagine the nation’s seventh president as a “rock god badass maverick” who knows how to work it in a pair of skinny jeans in this sexy comedy.

Then there’s the March 20 – April 21 production of “Equus,” the Tony Award-winning play about a young man who blinded six horses and the psychiatrist who treats him.

The season will conclude May 15-June 16 with a Broadway hit comedy, which Actor’s Express will announce once it has worked out the rights.

And, Libby Whittemore returns for a fifth season of cabaret entertainment.

Make a quick getaway to the island of Cui Cui! An exotic blend of Myers’s Platinum Rum, OJ, fresh lime, vanilla syrup and a pinch of nutmeg—so enchanting you might never come back!

Ingredients:
- 1.5 fl oz Myers’s Platinum Rum
- 0.5 fl oz Orange Juice
- 0.5 fl oz Lime
- 0.5 fl oz Vanilla Syrup
- 1 pinch Nutmeg Ground
- 1 dash(s) bitters

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Garnish with citrus wedges and/or slices.

Fenuxe: You’re an Oklahoma native. What brought you to Dallas?
Levi: A boy. I was in love. I was 18 years old, just out of high school. We were together for about three years. It was the worst relationship ever. But it got me to Dallas, so that was the good part about it.

Fenuxe: I’d say so. You landed on TV because of your Dallas ties. How did you get on the show?
Levi: They did an open casting call in Dallas. I was actually in south Florida at the time. I don’t think they had found the character they were looking for as the gay guy in Dallas into rodeos and ranches. My name came up. They asked if I’d be interested and the answer was “yes.”

Fenuxe: What was it like being on “A-List Dallas”?
Levi: I definitely learned a lot about myself. I was always more interested in the production aspect of it. To see how all the bits and pieces come together. I would do it again just on that basis. It’s interesting to see yourself on camera. It’s like, “Oh my god, you really get that drunk sometimes.”

Fenuxe: How did it affect your life?
Levi: It definitely changed my social scene. After the show I couldn’t just go out and have a drink. You end up having to talk about the show and being in the spotlight instead of being able to sneak out and have a drink and have a regular conversation with friends. That was probably the worst part about it. After the show started airing it was hard to leave the house and have a relaxing time. I found myself staying home a little more.

Fenuxe: So, what’s it like being gay in Dallas?
Levi: You can be gay in Dallas and have a good time or you can have a bad time with it. I see people who have a tough time with it. I know people who have an easy time with it. I wouldn’t say Dallas is any different than any other city. There are issues with being gay in America everywhere you go. You still see people struggling with it. But for the most part I’d say being gay in Dallas is great. There’s a big gay community there. It’s not an underground community. We are out and proud. We’re a part of society.

Fenuxe: How many cowboy hats do you own?
Levi: Twelve.

Fenuxe: Variety is good! Kinda like men. Are you dating anyone?
Levi: Right now, no.

Fenuxe: What are you up to next?
Levi: I’m actually quite a sailing fanatic, so I’ve been spending a lot of time in South Florida. There’s a sailboat race called the Volvo Ocean Race that goes around the world every year, and all the boats are getting into Florida right now. This upcoming weekend I’ll be down in Miami for that. On Sunday they’re going to sail across the Atlantic to France and if I play my cards right I might find a boat to get on and leave the country for a few months.

President Barack Obama totally went there! In a recent interview with ABC, which is being widely circulated through social media, the nation’s leader said he supported same sex marriage. He once proclaimed he favored civil unions but recently said his opinion had “evolved.”

Jamie Ensley, president of the Georgia Log Cabin Republicans, made the following statement in response to the president’s announcement.

“We hope President Obama’s personal announcement to support the freedom to marry will help Republicans recognize the changed political climate on the issue in favor of equality. Marriage equality has captured the nation’s attention, and the response to President Obama’s announcement is evidence of the tide turning in favor of equality for all. The Georgia Log Cabin Republicans have long believed that supporting the freedom to marry is the right thing to do and the President’s joining this effort is in the nation’s best interest. Americans can be certain that the President would not have made this decision at this time if it were not in his best political interests. In addition to energizing his base and distracting attention from a failed economic record, the trap is laid for any Republican who responds with intolerance. Governor Mitt Romney’s statement in opposition to not just marriage but civil unions jeopardizes his ability to win moderates, women and younger voters, especially as a large majority of Americans favor some form of relationship recognition for their LGBT friends and neighbors. Ultimately, the response of the Republican candidates this election cycle will determine the votes of millions of Americans who are simply tired of the culture wars.”

Fenuxe also asked a few Atlantans about their thoughts on the president’s announcement. Here’s what they had to say.

“Obama has had more than three years to voice his opinion and support for gay marriage. He’s playing the gay card for support early on in his campaign.”
Kerry Loftis

“While gay marriage can be a polarizing issue, it is nothing more than a human rights issue. By having President Obama express his opinion as president, it continues a dialog that will ultimately end up in the Supreme Court. Whether it is a wise move or not, it shows he is progressive and evolving and willing to take a stand on what he believes.”
Mary Edith Pitts

“I think it’s a step in the right direction. I think this is additional proof that Obama is really for equal rights. It might not have been on our time table, but with the political climate today, timing is everything. It’s obvious that he felt at the time he could come forward with his views on gay marriage. Go Mister President!”
Terrance Luckett

“When I saw it this afternoon I watched through tears of relief, hope and joy. Finally the words that mean so much to so many people. I think how he expressed himself on the subject was beautiful. I get how people’s beliefs can evolve and am so happy that someone in his position, knowing how it could affect him, is not scared to come out and support something so controversial. When he shared the part about his own staff members and friends that have been in long-term committed relationships and are raising children and that he feels they to should have the same rights as straight people was wonderfully personal. When he mentioned about Sasha and Malia having friends that have same sex parents and that the girls could never understand how those people could not be treated equally, and that’s when he really shifted his view. I’m so proud of President Obama.”
Bubba Carr

“I believe it is a bold step in the right direction and surely will be used as focal point for his re-election campaign. Hopefully he’ll push forward and get this before the Supreme Court.”
Larry Hammack

“Finally a U.S. president who stands up for gay Americans and states his support for equal marriage.”
Chris Hough

“I think it’s a step forward to equality for everyone.”
Nestor Aquino

Close to 60 percent of North Carolinians added their names to the list of people who will be shamed when acceptance of LGBT Americans is considered common sense.

Voters in the Tar Heel state joined the rest of the south Tuesday in amending their state constitution to forbid same-sex marriage, civil unions and any other form of relationship recognition.

Passage of the amendment came despite opposition that included President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton and North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue.

North Carolina becomes the thirtieth state to ban same-sex marriage in its constitution, but the 60-40 margin is significantly less than the 75 percent average that anti-gay marriage amendments have passed in 11 southern states. The national average for constitutional amendments against gay marriage has been with 67 percent of the vote.