The ineffable Mama Tits has become a Pride mainstay—an enchanting, vivacious queen who’s hosted the parade for five years running. Lacking none of her legendary charm, Mama answered a few of our Pride questions.
This will be your fifth time announcing the Pride Parade, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Beyond your announcing stint and the parade itself, what are some other things you think get better with age?I like to think a fine wine gets better with age, a handsome man, or gorgeous woman. Seriously, though, the best thing that gets better with age is our fight for equality! Since the birth of the queer-rights movement when Sylvia Rivera threw that first brick at Stonewall all the way to today, it amazes me the leaps and bounds we have made as a community and as a human race for equality, not only for queer rights but for people as a whole. We are much more conscious these days. The “Great Awakening,” as I like to call it, is growing exponentially, and it’s a beautiful thing. We still have a long way to go, but we are started down the right track.
The selection of
Star Trek
’s George Takei as this year’s celebrity grand marshal ignited the nerd lust of countless Pridegoers. Is there anything you get particularly nerdy about?I am pretty nerdy for George Takei as well—but my big three are drag, entertainment, and music. The art of drag has been at the core of my entertainer heart since I first heard what drag was and saw my first drag queen. I love how a proper queen can break down barriers and bring people together all the while making people laugh. My character is pure fantasy with an activist heart, so whenever I get to entertain and educate, it truly makes me happy. But if you really want to know what my husband, DJ Klaudt, and I love nerding out on: horror/sci-fi films, architecture/design, and our two sweet dogs, Bruno and Disko.
In the time you’ve been attending and/or hosting the parade, what’s your proudest Pride moment?My most personal moment was the Pride that I met my husband walking across the street after the parade—13 years ago this June. We got married in 2004 and again legally in 2012. As for hosting the parade, I would have to say the first year I was asked to host alongside Sylvia O’Stayformore was a proud year for me, to be there representing our community as one of the voices of Pride—it’s like the Olympics of hosting, and it’s a huge honor.
There is also the year I decided to become the Space Needle, thanks to the costuming genius of Jamie Von Stratton and the wig mastery of Ben DeLaCreme. Little did I know the Space Needle Corp. chose that year to decide not to fly the Pride flag. It turned into a huge thing, and my picture became a kind of beacon that year for queer visibility. It was truly amazing to be the most shared photo of Pride on the West Coast for Pride 2012.
I also love telling the story of why we celebrate Pride. I gave a speech a few years back during the Broadway Pride festival. The enormous crowd and their reaction was intoxicating. I was educating people about our history—it was truly magical. I have been giving a variation of that speech every year since, and it still gives me chills to tell it and watch the impact it has on the people hearing it.
What sagely advice do you have to offer to those attending their first Pride?First off, it’s always good to know why we celebrate Pride, where we have come from. Know your history so that you can help mold a better future. Second, pace yourself. You do not need to do all the things all at once. There is a lot going on. Grab a Pride guide from one of the many media outlets that have them and plan your strategy. Make sure you stay hydrated, and don’t forget to eat. I have seen too many times someone’s Pride is ruined because a friend or they themselves are too drunk on whatever, or completely dehydrated. Once that happens, it’s all over—the fun stops and you have to wait another year to do it again. Seriously, no one really wants to be that person. Make sure you have friends with you, because let’s face it, Pride is much more fun with a gaggle of [LGBTIQ] people to share it with.
ksears@seattleweekly.com
