Montreal’s famous LGBT Cultural festival, Divers/Cité, is just around the corner.

There is a stellar line up of musicians, DJs, dancers and Drag performers.

And of these Divers/Cité Drag performers, the famous Lady Bunny is arguably the most epic.

I caught up with Lady Bunny just before she jumped a plane to Poland for Euro Pride.

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DANIEL: I hear that you’re off to Poland this afternoon. What’s that all about?

LADY BUNNY: Well it’s Polish gay pride and Euro Pride all together. I hear that the prostitutes there pay you to have sex with them! Oh, and I’ll be doing a DJ show.

I gots to get me to Poland! And shortly after EuroPride, you’ll be bopping up to Montreal. What can we expect from the Montreal show?

I have two different shows that I’ll be doing with Joey Arias, who I fondly refer to as “Jewy Hairyass.” The first night is a Go-go themed night with Scott Ewalt spinning. It’s going to be very ‘60s, very psychedelic! Joey and I will be doing a duet!

Let me guess… “I Got You Babe”?

I’ll never tell!

Oh, I can keep a secret… And the second night?

It’s going to be a longer show at Jello Bar with some of our regular material. Joey Arias singin’ the blues. Me doin’ my thing.

Have you performed in Montreal before?

Yes! I love Montreal. I loved performing at Jello Bar bar back in 2005. It’s a great crowd – not tiny, but definitely intimate. I also did a larger event outdoors.

What’s Montreal’s reputation down there in New York City?

Sexy guys! A bit of the French influence gives a note of mystery. And head cheese… kidding! There’s a reputation of being funky, as in hip (not smelly). Liberal. Just a fun, open, accepting place. A bit like Amsterdam… sexually liberated.

It’s funny because in America, for years, we’ve joked that Canadians are a bit behind the times. But after 8 year of Bush, we’re now the laughing stock of the whole world.

What projects are you working on at the moment?

Well I don’t think you’ll get it in Canada, not right away anyway, but there is this syphilis epidemic…

Joking! I’ve entered the world of reality TV. RuPaul has started a show called Drag U. The concept is that the queens of Drag Race will make over real women into Drag Queens! There will be eight episodes. I’m also shooting a stand-up thing for LOGO with some other queens in August.

If you weren’t such a fab performance artist, what do you think you’d be doing?

As a drunk it’s important that my work be connected to places that serve alcohol. I could’ve been a janitor, I suppose. I was a performer as a child. You’d pay $5 and my mom would take you back into a dark room with a donkey. That donkey is Joey Arias.

But seriously, I was always a ham. Whether it was acting, dancing or singing. I was destined to be on a stage…

[pauses]

Sweeping it.

Well on that note, we’ll see you on the Montreal stage! Safe travels!

Bye hunny!

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THE DETAILS

Lady Bunny & Joey Arias
Divers/Cité
July 27: Mardi à GOGO @ Velvet Club ($15)
July 28: Cabaret New York @ Jello Martini Lounge ($20)

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If you love Joey Arias as much as I do, check out the hilarious backstage interview I did with her last time she was in town!