Theamatically tied to—and indeed, inspired by—November 17-20’s New York Comic Con (NYCC), the new show from singer, adult content creator, perpetually perceptive writer, continuously compelling live presence, and RuPaul’s Drag Race legend Honey Davenport has its world premiere performance at 9:30pm, Saturday, November 19, at West 42nd Street’s legend-in-its-own-right Laurie Beechman Theatre.

Billed as “a dazzling one-woman cabaret spectacular”—a bill we’ve little doubt comes to the Beechman paid in full—Comic Controversy is Davenport’s right-on rebuttal to omnipresent attacks on freedom of sexual speech, in the form of political attacks on drag and adult content creation. Answering the call for a defiant champion who fights with comedic flair and weaponized wit, Davenport promises “jaw-dropping performances and unforgettable musical numbers” as Comic Controversy” mines the marrow of comedy, cabaret, and superhero fantasy to prove “that every drag queen is a real-life action hero, fighting for acceptance, equality, and the right to slay!”

See for yourself for one show only, this Saturday, October 19. And if anybody is still on the fence about coming out and stepping up in support, well, you may not have read our raves of Davenport’s past Beechman triumphs (to do so, click here and click here). What’s more, the below spirited Q&A will surely seal the deal. So forge ahead, dear reader, and act upon the concluding italicized paragraph, delivering the where, when, and how-to-reserve-seats info you need to say you were there for the origin story performance of Comic Controversy.

Scott Stiffler, for Chelsea Community News (CCNews): The Beechman gig is timed to coincide with New York Comic Con (NYCC; Oct. 17-20). What’s your background/interest in comic/superhero culture and what inspired you to build a show (Comic Controversy) around a drag queen with a superhero secret identity?

Honey Davenport (Davenport): I love Comic Con. I was honored to be asked to do a panel with some of my Drag Race sisters there this year. [Saturday, October 19’s Drag Queen Panel, 12pm-1pm in the Pride Lounge.] When I was asked to do the panel I thought to myself, I am not really known for my love of superheroes but that I always looked at my drag persona as a superhero. I had been trying to write a new one-woman show this year but couldn’t really find a cohesive theme. Once I had a superhero-themed show in mind, it just poured right out of me.

CCNews: The press material for Comic Controversy references “recent political attacks on drag and adult content creation.” How has that impacted you?

Davenport: Well as a drag queen and adult content creator, I have seen far fewer opportunities since drag has been used as rage bait to manipulate conservatives.

Pride Month used to be to a drag queen what Christmas is for a toy maker. With the current political climate, corporations have been hesitant to hire drag performers, and there has been a significant decline in opportunities for even the most popular queens. All signs point to adult content having its head on the chopping block next.

CCNews: Are these attacks in large part the sort of backlash that accompanies anything underground that makes it onto the mainstream’s radar—or are there other factors in play?

Davenport: The attacks are a concerted effort to win political points by harming the vulnerable. Drag Race brought something queer and underground out of the shadows and into the limelight, and while that has been an incredible boon to the art form and the gay community at large, it has also made us an easy target. Powerful politicians have been using us as a punching bag to anger their base into voting for them, and never in my life have I experienced anything quite like this manufactured hate.

CCNews: What can motivated individuals do to push back when drag/content creation is attacked?

Davenport: Do what artists have always done in the face of bullies: Keep creating, even harder. Dark times are when people need light the most. And if you’re not a creator, that’s okay! Find those who are, especially raw and young voices, lesser-known voices, who want more than anything to express themselves and be heard.

CCNews: Please talk about anything regarding Comic Controversy not covered in the previous questions.

Davenport: I’m really excited to share my quirky take on the world of superheroes, and what it means to stand up to bullies even when the fight seems hopeless.

CCNews: It’s been a while since you’ve been at the Beechman. What was the pandemic era like for you as an artist and an individual? At what point did you begin to do live performances, and has that been a different experience, since coming out of COVID culture?

Davenport: I had just started living my bicoastal fantasy between New York and LA three weeks before lockdown. I was stuck in my new west coast apartment with my baby boy, Jayse Vegas. We didn’t even have typically household needs at first because I hadn’t spent more there three consecutive days in LA apartment, but we never stopped creating. Post-COVID now living between Palm Springs, California and NYC, I have really focused on not just creating drag but exploring other facets of who I am. I’ve really enjoyed experimenting with adult content, and sharing my not-so-inner freak with the world. Recently I fell back in love with doing bearded drag, and I am super excited for what’s on the horizon with my leather journey, as I am competing for the title of Mr. Palm Springs Leather this year during our Leather Pride celebration.

NOTE: The remaining questions were posed to drag queens booked at the Beechman when it looked like the venue would close at the end of August. It seems to be safe through the end of the year—and with that in mind, here are the questions asked prior to that good news…

CCNews: Talk about the show/shows you’ve brought to the Laurie Beechman Theatre: What stage was the work in (World premiere? Mid-tour? One-off?)? If being at the Beechman influenced the material or your performance moving forward, how so?

Davenport: I have done a few other shows at the Beechman from my show Raw and Unfiltered which was all original music and told the story of my experiences with everything from love, to racism, to success. I toured that one a bit after.

I also put up a show there called Stocking Stuffer: a Christmas Show with Balls. That was the Christmas before COVID. But where the Beechman really has impacted my life was at Brandon Cutrell’s open mic nights. I started going at 21 years old and he gave me a spot out of drag in his show Cutrell and Cohorts when I was just a budding young queen.

CCNews: Let’s play a game called Sweeping Generalizations: Are there things about the Beechman and/or NYC audiences that set them apart from other venues/towns you’ve played?

Davenport: New York is special kind of audience. This is not a read, but drag elsewhere can seem almost scripted, like it’s got a rule book to follow and checklist to fulfill. But New York drag celebrates authenticity and uniqueness in a way that really cultivates originality, and that makes its drag scene unlike anywhere else in the world.

CCNews: Have you experienced any “anomalies” during Beechman performances, i.e. laughter or audible reactions to a part of the show that never got that reaction before? Conversely, did something flop that usually killed? Do you recall any improvised quips, saves, or audience interactions that became “keepers”?

Davenport: Not really that I can call. Every show is different so I am used to getting different responses. And the funny thing about the delusion it takes to do good drag, is that you never remember mistakes.

CCNews: Any lasting memories, life lessons, miscellaneous thoughts, and/or anecdotes, regarding off-stage aspects of the room such as tech rehearsals, pre-show rituals, post-show goings-on, meet-and-greets, Beechman drinks, menu items, staff, etc.?

Davenport: I will always remember having calamari and a glass of wine while working out audition material at Brandon’s show in my early 20s

CCNews: Not to get morbid, but are there other venues you’ve played that are no longer with us? If so, what did their presence contribute, and what about their absence is felt?

Davenport: Oh, for me the biggest loss to date is when the club No Parking in Washington Heights closed. It was really a safe space for me and my whole community. That place had a big hand in creating the person and performer I am today, and the memories I have from there are often present in my mind.

www.instagram.com/honeydavenportofficial

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HONEY DAVENPORT: “COMIC CONTROVERSY” will be presented Saturday, October 19, 9:30pm at The Laurie Beechman Theater (inside West Bank Cafe at 407 West 42nd St. at Ninth Ave.). Tickets are  $24 for general admission or $36 for VIP tickets which include reserved seating and a meet-and-greet. There is also a $25 food/drink minimum at all performances at this venue. To purchase tickets, visit www.SpinCycleNYC.com.

HONEY DAVENPORT has solidified their status as a drag icon and entertainment powerhouse. Hailing from West Philadelphia and currently residing in Palm Springs, California, Davenport has captivated audiences worldwide with their electrifying performances, chart-topping music, and unwavering commitment to social justice.

As a recording artist, Davenport has collaborated with renowned drag legends like Aja, Alaska, Manila Luzon, Lala Ri, Tammie Brown, and Jackie Cox, creating unforgettable tracks that have topped the charts. Their music resonates with audiences, addressing important social issues and inspiring listeners to embrace their individuality.

Davenport holds 20 pageant crowns, six Glam Awards, a 2020 GIANT Fest award for “Music Artist Of The Year” and zero tolerance for discrimination. Since appearing on Season 11 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, they have appeared as a guest panelist on VH1’s Black Girl Beauty, Meet The Browns, The Sherry Vine Show, Gogo for the Gold, and their own 4 season-running show Dafuq on Out TV. Honey will appear in the upcoming feature-length film God Save the Queens, the highly anticipated short film All Boys Do, and they were featured in an Global ad campaign by Trustpilot in 2019. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Davenport’s digital content was featured in Rolling Stones, Pink News and Billboard, who called them a “practical master class.

Honey Davenport’s Off-Broadway theatre credits include leading roles in The Electric Highway and Trinkets as well as a major role in The Orion Experience. They also performed in the Broadway national tour of Hairspray. New York Magazine has called Davenport one of the top 100 Most Powerful Drag Queens in America, Paper Magazine called them “A New York Icon,” and RuPaul’s Drag Race declared Davenport “Legendary.”

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