Like, SoCal vol. 1 / no. 1
Covering the best in SoCal drag and queer nightlife: "Mother's Creme Diaries," Syber Pvnk, Mrs. Jenni Tolls, and Glitteress
LA-based writer, drag artist, and creative Samara (formerly writing under the alias Joni 66) is back covering local drag, this time in her hometown of Los Angeles, California. Like, SoCal is a monthly newsletter centering the rich, queer nightlife that stretches from West Hollywood to Long Beach to Palm Springs and back up 66. We’ve heard from the Boston Uncommon. Now, it’s time for everything, like, sooo Cal!
This week’s edition of Like, SoCal I:
Cover a BIG STORY: Derek Viveiros brings back a new softcore with “Möther’s Creme Diaries”
Give CON-DRAG-ULATIONS: Syber Pvnk celebrates 100 days in drag
Shine a SHOW SPOTLIGHT: TONIGHT - Mrs. Jenni Tolls’ Lipsync Assassins
Investigate WHO IS, LIKE, SOOO CAL?: Glitteress on building an expansive
queer communityAnd let you SCROLL THE ROLL: Happy Holidays from Samara 66
BIG STORY: Derek Viveiros brings back a new softcore with “Möther’s Creme Diaries”
Halloween night. Downtown Los Angeles. A scary, sexy chill fills the air. We see Monica– your not-so-average, ditzy ex-housewife, desperate to sell her haunted estate. But, alas, nothing (and no one) comes so easily in the Diaries. Suddenly, our Monica is being filmed. And as the camcorder pans to our leading lady, she’s getting the LA handshake– a fist right up her ass.
"Behind us was a real, graphic, hardcore video of a woman being fisted…Derek was very persistent about using the footage and had to fight to show it on stage. And I’m so glad he did because that scene was the magic of the show,” LA-based drag artist Icon Lewis (a.k.a Monica) said.
Committed to executing his aesthetic vision with laser focus and total ridiculousness, only “Möther’s Creme Diaries” Creator and Director Derek Viveiros can brilliantly pair bizarre, psycho-sexual fantasy with relatable, tender story-telling, all while demanding it be set to fisting porn. And that’s only the softcore.
Originally from Massachusetts, now based in LA, Viveiros was first introduced to the softcore genre as one of his only means of exploring sexuality.
“Before the start of the internet as a place to learn about the world, I had to surf through the premium channels with the kind of naughty programs,” Viveiros explained. “You couldn't find pornography and when you did, it was scrambled or blurry. Even if you could hear something…it was all just softcore…We had to use our imaginations.”
As a young filmmaker, sketch star, actor, drag artist, etc, Viveiros was inspired by HBO, Showtime, SpiceTV, Playboy Channel, “Real Sex,” “Taxicab Confessions” and the erotica of the ‘90s. Blending the worlds of sexuality and comedy, Viveiros began moving away from the more graphic, explicit style of his early work toward the gentler, still ridiculous world of softcore.
“Because I grew up hardcore Catholic, [softcore] is where I learned about sexuality,” Viveiros said. “Even seeing blurry visuals was this eye-opening adventure into a world of sin!”
Deciding to create a softcore-style TV show featuring drag queens, Viveiros crowdfunded $13,100 in just over a month and began pilot production in early September 2021. However, serving as both director and drag performer, Viveiros struggled to balance his eagerness to launch the project with his responsibilities as a writer, actor, director, and producer. As the pilot developed, Viveiros was unsatisfied.
“There were just so many fucking plot holes,” Viveiros joked.
Read the full story here!
CON-DRAG-ULATIONS: Syber Pvnk celebrates 100 days in drag
Anybody who can step out of the house with a pair of heels and some lipstick on their lips is my hero. But someone who documents their progress every step of the way for fifty-two and a half thousand people to see, comment on, scrutinize (and adore)? That’s LA-based drag artist Syber Pvnk.
Posting Day 1 of 100 on April 12, Syber (DYSCO at the time) began her drag journey with a simple mood board. 100 days later, Syber has thousands watching along, from her first steps in heels to her first live performance.
Though she has always loved drag, Syber was ultimately motivated to start by the increasing number of drag bans and anti-LGBTQ+ laws across the US.
“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to be a drag queen. When I heard that the bans were happening, it felt like a sign,” Syber said.
Inspired by performers like Rae Oblivion, Anyaliza, Imara Del Chique, Hen Thai, and Kitti the Doll, Syber describes her aesthetic as futuristic and reality-bending — a look she hopes to achieve with some more sewing classes. And, as she says in her Day 100 Instagram post, there is much more to come from Syber.
“I was so scared to start drag growing up in a conservative town, pulling my drag out from under my bed when my parents went to sleep, worrying about what everyone thought about me. But I knew it was my future and had to pursue it,” Syber said.
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DAY 1 - In your early videos, we see you learning how to walk in heels, rehearsing your first number, and practicing drag eyebrows. What was the most challenging step when you started?
“The most challenging part was actually just [doing it]. I was so nervous what people were going to think of me, especially since I was publicizing it. It was hard to wrap my mind around it. But I loved doing it, and filming the videos, so I just pushed through.”
DAY 5 - As you progress, you incorporate the advice you receive on TikTok into your next drag looks. How do you deal with the input you were getting, both positive and potentially negative?
“Even at the beginning, I welcomed all the comments because everyone was very supportive. When I started to get hate, I didn’t really care. Drag is what I love so I have no reason to be ashamed of it.”
DAY 23 - Walk us through the experience of performing for the first time in a club. How did it differ from your Day 99 performance?
“I was so nervous. I remember thinking ‘What am I even doing?’ But it was over pretty fast and I learned from it, which was the goal. I was still nervous for day 99, but less. I am definitely more confident but still need some more dance classes.”
Day 50 - You really hit your stride around the halfway point to 100. Doing makeup challenges, putting your roommate in drag, collaborating with more local artists. How did getting into drag change as you developed your style?
“My drag got a lot more specific as I developed my style. I started to know what I liked when doing makeup, and not just trying something new and seeing if it looked good. Then my persona started falling into place.
DAY 100 - Reflecting on the last 100 days, what would you tell yourself on Day 1?
“I would tell myself to relax. I was really worried about it looking good quickly and started rushing. If I had focused on things one at a time, I would have been fine, even if it would have been slower.”
AND BEYOND - As others watch your progress, what would you tell someone nervous to start their drag Day 1?
“Just do it! It’s scary, it’s nerve-racking, but it’s fun. I feel like I am living when I do drag. It feels awesome. I wish I had started sooner.”
SHOW SPOTLIGHT: TONIGHT – Mrs. Jenni Tolls’ Lipsync Assassins
Celebrating her one-year (and a few months) anniversary in drag, LA-based drag artist Mrs. Jenni Tolls is taking her first step into hosting and producing with a new monthly show at Redline – “Jenni’s Lipsync Assassins.”
“Not every drag artist gets to produce and host their own show so just knowing that I’m being acknowledged in the community fills my heart with joy,” Jenni said.
Having participated in drag competitions across LA, Jenni used her experiences as a competitor to build her show with rules that are fair to competitors with all levels of experience and exposure.
Jenni’s rules are simple: ten queens compete tournament style as both judges and audience members vote to determine who advances. The winner takes home $300, a mystery box by soapsbymartin , a drag brunch booking with thealizestone, and a custom pair of rhinestone accessories by izzy.deadyet/rhinestonecoldbitch.
Slaying nine other performers in the first edition of the show on Nov. 30, Willconique dominated the debut battle, lipsyncing to Beyonce, Doja Cat, Fergie, and Britney Spears.
“Pure glamour, lip sync mastery, and timeless beauty,” as Jenni described Willconique on Instagram.
Jenni’s Lipsync Assassins returns to Redline DTLA on Thursday, Dec. 28 at 9pm with 10 new performers. Tickets are $7 online presale and $10 at the door.
“I am so grateful and honored to know that the drag artists I have met this last year are willing to not only come out and support, but also be a part of the cast,” Jenni said. “Without them, the space provided and the support of all of our friends, it wouldn't be possible.”
WHO IS, LIKE, SOOO CAL?: Glitteress on building an expansive
queer community
What defines SoCal queer nightlife? Beyond our vocal fry and general disinterest, who defines our scene? “Who is, Like, Sooo Cal?!” is a space for local performers and community members to explore regional talent and culture.
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After getting her start six years ago at Bullet Bar in North Hollywood, LA-based artist Gliteress has performed around the country and all over SoCal, from Long Beach to Ventura. Though Glitteress is amazed by the range of talent SoCal has to offer, she hopes to see more diverse line-ups, gender-expansive casts, and a general shift toward kindness within the community. Hosting two shows in West Hollywood, Glitteress now has the means and support to develop her art and push herself toward ultimate creative freedom.
I first saw Glitteress perform at Bullet in a rubber pigeon mask and immediately knew genius like this could not be ignored. Thank you to Glitteress for being no. 1 in the Who is, Like, Sooo Cal? artist profile series. Catch her the first Saturday of every month, 12-3pm at The Artist Tree’s Glitter and Green drag show.
Are you a drag artist who’s like, sooo Cal and wants to be featured? Email thesamara66@gmail.com!
SCROLL THE ROLL: Happy Holidays from Samara 66
As a holiday gift for making it to the end of this week’s Like, SoCal, I’ll let you take a peek at my camera roll. But don’t you dare swipe!
On this edition of “Scroll the Roll,” I’ve landed on a gorgeous, gorgeous photo of a gorgeous, gorgeous queen. She’s funny, smart, and the writer of this newsletter, me, Samara! Here’s a shot from my first live performance at JQ International’s Gelty Pleasures holiday party. I served a lemon-flavored “Let it Snow,” the Alaska Thunderfuck remix.
