The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 13, 1998, Page 4, Image 4
Gala Dix-Celebration '98, 8
p.m. Feb. 14, Keenan Theatre.
Celebration of the Eboni Dance
Theatre and Carolina Ballet,
and a tribute to the Columbia
Music Festival Association.
Page 4
Student
drag qu<
staff writer WPKA BHAMBHANI oi
w
Often in college, students try to find m
that niche in their lives that will make fr
them different, that will make them in- I
dividuals, in the hopes of not getting h:
strange reactions from their peers. tl
Senior Clint Spires seems to have it
found that very niche. With people bowing
at his feet after performances, tip- in
ping him one after another and throw- re
ing him flowers during the encore, hi
Spires has made his mark, as a drag
queen. I<
Although Metropolis, a local ni
dance bar, is his home, he regularly to
travels to bigger markets like Atlanta th
and Charlotte. re
"I started going out there [to Me- w
tropolis], and I saw the drag queens, af
and they sparked something in me,"
Spires said. hi
Spires is a theater major and said in
that he already liked to perform and fe
entertain. However, he revealed an un- d;
derlying motive that goes beyond per- cr
forming a Shakespearean play or com- ju
edy improvisation. b<
"I think ifs fun in my mind if I could "1
pull off being a woman." gc
And he does, almost every Thursday
night at Metropolis. Spires has been h i
Derforminp at the bar since Mav h<
1995, and has won several drag k<
shows and pageant titles like Mr. Red d(
Ribbon at Metropolis. sa
"Columbia doesn't really take too
well to drag queens," he said. "They ai
think if s some kind of sick something
Big Ben...
Parliament.
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jght not have any They warned me tl
iends after it, but not have any frier
don't know what but I don't know
appened,because pened, because ths
lat's not the way way jt wor]
worked," he said.
Spires is talk- clJnt s
g about audience usc *
sponse, which for
im is incredible. ' "
"The first time
3aw him, he was really good," said se- H<
or Jamie Sheffield. Tie was really in- bl<
the outfits being the show rather than of
le performer being the show." Sheffield m:
membered when Spires came on stage sa
ith "a really groovy tablecloth and an th
ro".
And Spires' supporters and fans hi;
ive done everything but dwindle. Dur- Rc
g every show, he offers something dif- wt
rent-a different costume, song or sis
ince that continues to make fans go nr
azy and even attracts others who are th
st curious. "It's certainly improving
jcause it's trendy," Sheffield said, de
"here are loads of straight people that fri
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Spires said he didn't know that sc<
is shows would turn out so well, but dr
i thinks that his varied style is the pr
;y to his success. "In the past, I was Sp
)ing things like Whitney Houston," he on
lid. "And_that's really generic." op
Now, Spires doesn't aim to look like a (
ly famous personality in particular. Sp
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"You're not gonna ni
get anywhere with sp
hat I might that," he said. "You
ids after it, can see that when- p<
what hap- ever there are &irls cc
it's not the out there doing that, g,
<C(j it doesn't really have ^
! anything to it. ^
- There's nothing
there as far as something
to catch your ^
%% eye or something to
take them over."
jwever, Spires does think he resem- 1*is
Annie Lennox. "I know I have sort '0l
her nose, her lips, like her top lip, pi
lybe a little fuller upside down," Spii-es ve
id. "But, for the most part, we have in
e same features." in
Spires said he owes most of that and ar
3 success to his "drag mother", Nicole dl
>berts. "She was the main person, as sh
ill as Brittany Brooks, who is my drag as
iter," Spires said. "They really helped sa
e out, got me started and still to ar
is day help me out." ^
A drag mother normally fosters the
velopment of a drag queen in a close ^
end or an acquaintance. There are ^
fferent drag mothering styles in the T,
sne, but an attentive and concerned *
ag mother will motivate her "drag ^
: n ?:i _i_ _ l E
incess unin sne Decoines a queen,
tires said his mother labored to not ^ei
ly get a realistic look, but to devel- he
a suitable persona. "You have to have
gimmick to really get anywhere," sa
lires said. "That's why when I did An- as
isl
rial Programs for Students
f Student and Alumni Services
lent of Student Development
rnes Building, Suit 123
Columbia, SC 29208
777-7461
>y or call the office
RUARY 17th
1
7J
<
)'
anI
H- 1
ic.
cock
ns as [5
g *g A
l club
e Lennox, and I saw how people re- <SS^
>onded to it, I tried to stick to it."
Annie Lennox is Spires' developing
;rsona, which he said enhances and
impliments the show. "It's a mental
ling too," he said. "As far as Annie ^
snnox goes, you have to sit down and Gets
link of what she's like:" Will
Even though Spires has the moti- and '
ition, desire, interest and ideas to do
e shows, he must still work out, stay B E
and have enough make-up in his van- "Goo
y. "Make-up is what will make you vaj]
ak like a woman or not," he said. "Peo- "U1 e i
e tell me all the time that I look
!iy realistic, very feminine when I'm ,
drag." Applying make-up is often an son'
lportant task that the drag mother
id/or sister may be called upon to hane.
Spires said the first time he went Y' *
lopping for his dress, he told the sales
isociate it was for his cousin. Now, he
id it is easier. He tells them the truth,
id so far, they have all been amused
it helpful.
Nonetheless, Spires said that just WBm
scause he does drag does not mean
at he wants to be a woman."Because 11 e
n gay and I do drag does not mean
iat I can't be masculine," he said. seye
Iveiyone has a definite masculine and
minine side. You just have to know
... x. i i il _ ? n ^ AE
>w 10 cnannei mose pans. "
During performances, though, Spires "Goo<
id he would rather think of himself Conf
Ashley, a part-time gender illusion????
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Revisit yoi^favofjte 80s TV
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Friday, February 13, 1998
^ ^ TO THE GAMECOCK Runtin^''* ^ ^ ^
i ne /\posue , reier r onaa, special to the gamecock
B S Gold , Dustin Hoffman, "The Full Monty" captured
f The Dog" and Jack Nichol- three nominations including
:<As Good As It Gets." Best Picture.
| BEST ACTRESS: Helena BonijKL
<Judi Dench, "Mrs. Brown"; Helen
JJf Hunt, As Good As It Gets" and
|gj?|pf ^j| j Kate Winslet, "Titanic."
special to the gamecock ^ DIRECTOR: Peter Cattaneo, The
in Hunt received a Best Full Monty' ,GusVanSant, Good
ess nomination for "As Will Hunting"; Curtis Hanson,
i As it Gets." The film got "L.A. Confidential"; Atom Egoyn
other nominations. an ?The Sweet Hereafter" and
James Cameron, "Titanic."
tIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE: "Amistad," John Williams;
d Will Hunting," Danny Elfinan; "Kundun," Philip Glass; "LA
idential," Jerry Goldsmith and "Titanic," Jerry Homer.
k h? mi
\ Q| SemceIndustryNi^ity
1?
f^rds y L
of beer! / /
$4 1st / \
$2 refills/ P
Sundays only J/ /
r3Src?.?]
I 70'S
rhe Time
E LAW TO PURCHASE ALCOHOLIC KYERflGES. All ABC REGULATIONS ENFORCED.