stoic-words

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Dragking Lee Machetti & Jinkx Monsoon in Amsterdam

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Drag king Lee Machetti @ Amsterdam

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Drag Photoshoot by JAX photography really happy with the pix.

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Make up ready? - Drag House Amsterdam; House of Rising.

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Drag King Performance @ Drag House - House of Rising: Reguliersdwarsstraat

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Day 2: I'm in the Dutch newspaper: Volkskrant, with a nice article about dragkings!

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A couple of weeks ago I had a Drag King photoshoot with Linette Raven. - See here the results. I love it!

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Preparing my rockabilly look

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A spooky drag race with Laura Dolls

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I'm interviewed by Anastasia I. Bartzoulianou  for the Greek Fagazine magazine:

http://art-em-is-free.blogspot.com/2012/05/lee-machetti-interview.html

-- For English translation please read below:--

Lee Machetti

“I am a drag king”

Today we interview Lee Machetti, transgender, Favorite Drag King of Amsterdam 2011. Lead programmer for a famous Dutch internet company by day, and Drag King by night, Lee has his hands full. Or his pants full, more accurately! Is the name “Max Sweeney” already blinking above your head like a light-bulb?

Lee, let us know “What is a drag king?”according to you, for the people who hear the term for the first time.

Do you know drag queens? That’s what it is, but then, the other way around. I’ve been born as a girl but on stage or in the nightlife I am dressed up as a guy.

What drew you ...to drag?

I’ve always felt that I am different. When I was a kid I stood in front of a mirror, I drew a beard on my face and popped a sock in my pants. What I am doing now is not that much different. Except that now I’m much more professional. I use a lot of makeup, bind off my breast and instead of a sock I use a silicone spare part. My beard is glued from my own hair which I took away from the hairdresser.

I noticed! Your facial hair looks so natural. When did you start doing drag?

In 2009. In the Netherlands it’s not popular at all. Well drag queens yes; we have a lot of them, but kings? During the Amsterdam Gay pride 2009 there was a drag king workshop, for the first time. At that time I wanted to play around with my gender to learn from it. I joined the workshop. After the workshop we had to do a drag king performance for a real audience. I performed as a rock star. I immediately felt in love with doing it, with the performances. I received a lot of positive reactions so I knew, I should go on with it. I became friends with the other kings from the workshop. We even started our own little drag group: “The New Kings”. We did a few little shows at squad parties. It was more about having fun than doing hard work.

Is your nickname, “Lee Machetti”, inspired by the word “machete”?

Yes. Actually my real name is Lee as well. I thought, with a name like that I shouldn’t change it on stage. Lee Machetti sounds Italian and just good with my looks. I wanted to have a very masculine last name. Like a Machete, sharp as knife.

Who has inspired you the most? Who is your mentor?

After I did the workshop at the Amsterdam Gay Pride, later that year I met a famous drag king from Australia: Sexy Galexy. For the Gay Pride in 2010 she wanted to give a very hot and professional drag show in the Boom Chicago, (Famous Amsterdam comedy club) together with some other drag kings who later became my closest friends. It was hard work. After my day job as a programmer I went to a dance studio for rehearsing all night. But it was so much fun. After this show, we did more (group) performances together. We performed in famous Dutch clubs and even had tv appearances together. Sexy Galexy inspired me and she taught me a lot of things. Although she moved back to Australia, she’s still a good friend of mine. 

What has been your most successful performance so far?

In 2011 I won the title Favorite Drag King of Amsterdam. I performed in a bar as a prisoner. That was my most successful solo show. The audience went wild when I came on stage. I think I have the same amount of (gay) boys falling in love for me as girls. I hope it’s because of my sexiness and my cool chest tattoo but I think it’s because of my eyes and enthusiasm.

What other kinds of drag personas have you tried on so far, or paid homage to?

Elvis, a cowboy, a gangster, a playboy or a rockabilly rock star.

You have been performing with groups of Drag Kings (the New Kings on the Block, Sucker Sisters). Do you enjoy doing ensemble performances more than one-man shows?

I like solo performances. But group performances are just more fun. The hard work and the fun we have in the backstage.

What is the reason, why drag kings are not as popular as drag queens, in your opinion?

At the moment I am performing with some famous Amsterdam drag queens. And we will do much more shows together this year. I love drag queens. They are so outgoing and make me laugh. Maybe that’s the reason why queens are more popular than kings. Somebody once told me that drag kings are just lesbians with a mustache. I do hate that remark. But the true thing is; as a drag king you have to overreact more. When a male wears a dress she is a drag queen. But when a female wears male clothes she is not being noticed...

Do you think it's possible that we will see a “Ru Paul's Drag Race” with Drag Kings, instead of Drag Queens, in the future?

A show with only drag kings? It can be hilarious too of course. But you know what, we don’t have that much drama and we are not that bitchy (wink). I hope Ru Paul will notice me at some day. I think a drag king can easily win the Ru Paul’s Drag Race show someday. I am ready for that, but is America so?

What makes a performance of masculinity, successful, in your opinion? In other words, what does it take... to have balls?

When I am on a stage or in front of a camera I shine, and that’s my trick. I can show masculinity even when I am naked. Like I said you can be whoever you want to be as long as you believe and are comfortable with it. You’re beautiful by being you.

You live in Amsterdam, a city that is famous in Europe for tolerance towards LGBTQ people and also for an open mind regarding sexuality in all forms, shapes and sizes. To what extent has the Dutch mentality influenced you, in dedicating your energy to drag shows?

I think it’s very naive to think that gender is that thing what hangs between your legs (or not). I think gender is more than that. It’s who you see yourself to be. It’s variable, in my opinion it can change every time. I’m happy and I’m proud that I live in an environment/country where I can be whoever I want to be. That’s what I try to share with my audience. This is who I am.

The show you did in Amsterdam Pride 2010, where you dressed like an ancient Roman or Greek... It would have been perfect, if you had worn a “Leonidas” beard (like Gerard Butler in “300”). Maybe you should try that sometime  (laughing out loud)

(wink) thanks for the tip.

INFO:

www.leemachetti.com

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Joined the Lady Galore's Drag Race Night with the drag queens of drag House of Galore. What an amazing evening @ Cafe the Engel next door - Amsterdam Zeedijk.

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Lee Machetti @ BNN TV Show: Spuiten en Slikken-test 25/03/2012 (video by TheMissBaksel)

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Lee Machetti - nominated Drag award: "the rising star". Gouden Kabouter Awards, Award Gala @ Amsterdam Paradiso. (Dutch Nightlife Awards)

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Lee Machetti - Falling in love with you. - Valentine Special @ Saarein Amsterdam

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Lee Machetti - Stray Cat Strut @ Saarein 14--1-2012 (by SympathyBucket)