Drew Droege has been making you laugh for years — you just probably know him better as Chloë Sevigny. Droege became a YouTube superstar by portraying America’s favourite indie It Girl as she dispassionately catalogues her latest fascinations, be they beards, to-ast or birthdies (that’s birds, toast and birthdays, in case you don’t speak Sevignese). Now, the American actor/comedian is set to make a return to Toronto to headline Pride fave Bitch Salad for the second time — only this time, he’ll be doing it as himself, not as Chloë.
The decision to perform as Droege-sans-drag raises an important question: will we never be served another slice of to-ast? Surely he hasn’t hung up his high-heeled purse forever? “The to-ast will never be packed away for good!” Droege reassures. “I have more Chloë videos coming out this summer, and I’ve been working on a dance single with Hi Fashion in which Chloë sings. I wanted to do something a little different for Bitch Salad this year. I have many crazy stories attached with playing Chloë, so I’m going to tell a few of those. But definitely expect the whispers of the Sevigny to fill the crevices of Buddies with tantalizing mirth, strange candour and ironic hoop-skirt-ery.”
Fortunately, Droege is just as funny without Chloë’s wig and “imitation pants.” Just watch his latest YouTube series, the spot-on Looking send-up Not Looking. Originally intended as a one-off parody, the trailer video picked up enough steam that a series became a no-brainer. Although, Droege has a confession to make about the controversial HBO snooze-fest. “I actually really like Looking!” he admits. “I definitely want more to happen on the second season: more drama and more camp and more everything. But on the other hand, it can’t be everything. One day, we’ll have several gay shows on the air, so we won’t have to expect one-stop shopping.”
While opinions may vary on Looking’s street cred, Ms Sevigny’s gay-icon status is tough to argue with. After all, this is the woman who danced with Michael Alig at Limelight, blew Vincent Gallo in The Brown Bunny, played a legless nymphomaniac in American Horror Story and a trans assassin in Hit & Miss, and has a sideline designing leggings for men. “She’s done it all,” Droege agrees. “I’ve always been fascinated by her mystique. And I love that the world has embraced her as Hollywood fringe.”
Bitch Salad
Fri, June 27, 8pm
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
12 Alexander St
buddiesinbadtimes.com
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