I awoke Sunday to a beautiful New York City day, sunny and in the 60’s, with memories of the night before still at the forefront of my mind after having met Stockard Channing.
After breakfast my partner and I went our separate ways since my weekend was about to get even too gay for him, I was off to Drag Con at the Javits Center (655 W 34th St). Drag Con is a convention celebrating the drag queens of the TV show Rupual’s Drag Race and all things drag. There are tons of booths to meet the queens from the past 10 seasons or to buy merch to look like them. The Javits Center is the perfect setting with it’s pristine glass and steel divinity. The four attendees that made my stalking senses tingle were Rupaul, hot actor Nico Tortorella from TV’s Younger, my favorite drag queen Pandora Boxx, and Michelle Visage the best judge on TV…besides the illustrious Judge Judy, of course. The convention had an inclusive vibe. People were walking around in as much make-up or as little clothing as they saw fit while paying each other random compliments. Sex, gender, race, or age; none of it mattered.
A Drag Con stalking tip, do your recon, know what celebs you want to meet and where they will be. Online there’s a listing of who will have booths and their location on the map. Know your map! I didn’t and spent a lot of time wandering and being distracted by glittery objects. Go to your fav first. If they’re not there, ask when they will be. I could have been first in line for Michelle Visage, instead I used the gender neutral bathroom first and when I returned a few minutes later there was a line. After some confusion by the line police, I got bumped even further back and didn’t get to the front for an another hour and a half.
In my gay opinion, every minute spent at Drag Con waiting in line was worth getting to meet Michelle Visage and Pandora Boxx. Both gave hugs, autographs, took pictures, and were super gracious. The cost to meet them was more reasonable than any other convention I’ve been to, it really seemed to be about the fans. Rupaul and Nico Tortorella were only doing panels and meeting them was less clear. I was told that if I went to their panels, I might get to meet them but there were no guarantees. Since their panels weren’t until after 4:00 I decided to skip them. Next time I’d plan my time at Drag Con accordingly.
After having met two more divas, I felt my Gayest Weekend Ever was on a roll and I still had one more stop on the diva stalking train, Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction here I come.
