On February 6, 2019, iconic drag performer and artist Lady Bunny chatted with directors Sally Rosenthal and Julia Marchesi about actress Mae West’s onstage persona and how she cultivated a legion of queer fans. Interview conducted for Mae West: Dirty Blonde (2020).
Chapters:
00:00 Through Mae West reruns Bunny finds a guide for “the tricks of the trade”
02:09 On the persistent rumors around West’s gender and her natural affinity towards drag tastes
03:41 West as a trailblazer in the technology of beauty enhancement
05:26 Mae’s strut and schtick inspires a generation of drag queens
09:18 West’s encounters with the drag scene of the early 20th century
11:16 The enduring legacy of drag balls
The American Masters Digital Archive includes over 1,000 hours of never-before-seen, raw interviews: a treasure trove of the movers and shakers of American culture, including Maya Angelou, Patti Smith, Mel Brooks, Carol Burnett, Matthew Broderick, Carl Reiner, Joan Rivers, Dionne Warwick, Lee Grant, Sidney Lumet, Betty White and many others.