Like, SoCal Vol. 1 / no. 2: My Good Judy
From Arkansas angel to lip sync assassin
Category is: High School History Day, Individual Performance. Appearing in the illusion of British Abolitionist William Wilberforce, she takes the stage (I like to imagine) in a sculpted honey-blonde bob. Her first time performing — this is her chance, and this is her moment. 15 years old, she chews every word and spits out the competition. Thrilling. Not the last time she would do so. She’s come a long way since History Day. That’s our friend, Judy.
“WHETHER SHE’S GIVING ME CAMP OR SHE’S GIVING ME STUPID, HER MOUTH IS ALWAYS ON POINT…SHE KNOWS HER REFERENCES, ALWAYS REFRESHING FROM A YOUNG QUEEN,” SILVER LAKE ICON TONY SOTO SAID.
Originally from Arkansas, Judy attended college close to home where she studied biology and chemistry. Though closeted at the time, Judy was in search of a good old fashion gay gallivant when she first ventured into queer nightlife.
“I didn’t really have anyone openly queer in my life, let alone an entire community,” Judy said. “We went out to be around other queers and see what nightlife was like when you could be your authentic self.”
Because she didn’t know of any drag in her Christian, college town, Judy and friends often traveled to Little Rock where she could attend parties thrown by the House of Avalon. Led by Grant Vanderbilt, Hunter Crenshaw, Symone, Caleb Feeney, and Marko Monroe, the House of Avalon and their self-proclaimed “gay street gang” slowly introduced Judy to the high art form of queer self-expression.
”WHEN I FIRST WENT TO [A HOUSE OF AVALON] PARTY, I SAW I COULD HAVE THIS BIG QUEER COMMUNITY — I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED THAT BEFORE. THEY INVITED PEOPLE BACK TO THE HOUSE AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER TRIED ON HEELS…JUST FULL DEBAUCHERY,” JUDY REMINISCED.
Judy moved from Arkansas to Los Angeles in 2018 and, like many, it was the pandemic that brought her to drag. With newfound downtime, Judy was able to tend to her creative side and hone her drag skills. While hair and makeup took practice, Judy’s hidden talent served as the foundation of her drag.
“I always had this random trick where I would do the Kim Kardashian crying divorce lip sync…It’s just so raw and funny and relatable, I watched it so many times and started learning every single word.” Judy explained. “This was around the time of TikTok getting bigger with a lot more emphasis on recording yourself and being in front of a camera.”
Embodying a range of artists from Liza Minnelli and Elaine Stritch to Slayyyter and Kim Petras, Judy used Instagram to display the skill, intricacy, precision, and uniqueness she brings to lip sync. As they say, kannst du glauben!
“I love the part in practicing a lip sync when the muscle memory of your mouth takes over and you can focus on selling the story of the song,” Judy said. “I made a name for myself being able to lip sync pretty tight. That allowed me to kind of put out my calling card and get booked in different areas.”
Developing new digital performances to post weekly, Judy launched “Hypomanic Mondays,” an ode to mental illness, empty calendars, and raw lip sync talent.
“I love performing because it incorporates all of the things I was made fun of and told were wrong when I was growing up: hair styling, makeup, fashion, sewing, live performance, and being feminine in general,” Judy said.
Judy took the stage live for the first time (since her legendary debut as William Wilberforce) in June 2021 for “Shell Shocked” at Bullet Bar in North Hollywood. She reflects in terror:
“Looking back at the recording, it's so frightening…My makeup looked insane because I was doing what I thought the showrunner would like and not my own style,” Judy said. “I had no stage presence so I immediately went straight for someone's dollar bill. None of the confidence just to stand there for a second.”
Wearing a homemade, pink tweed tube top and mini skirt set that, in her words, barely hung onto the body, Judy performed Nicki Minaj’s “Come on a Cone.” And though her blocked brows looked “crazy,” she, of course, knew every word.
“I looked a mess…But you have to start somewhere. Plus, there were still high numbers of COVID so I collected tips with a butterfly net…Everyone was a little further back and I wore a plastic shield so hopefully they didn’t see the makeup,” Judy said.
She notes how uncomfortable she felt her first few times in drag.
“My self-confidence was so much lower. I was really in my head, almost paranoid about what other people were saying and thinking.” Judy said “It was not fun at first. I was pushing myself out of my comfort zone every time, just trying to make it feel normal”
Through partying and performing alongside drag royalty, Judy picked up quick drag tricks. For example, avoid wearing long, straight hair when out among normal bar patrons, it will get fucked up. I’m taking notes.
“Eventually, drag was euphoric…It was almost like endurance training. Now that I'm more confident in myself and my skills, it’s about being in the moment…feeling present in the conversation…feeling hot” Judy said, explaining her new mindset.
Developing her on-stage skills, reconnecting with her House of Avalon family, and situating herself within the LA scene, Judy, with newfound confidence (and a full-time lab job), has booked some of the city’s biggest drag shows. Still a rookie, Judy has built an impressive resume — “Sugartank,” “Fat Slut,” “Evita,” “Gloss,” — and expresses gratitude to the nightlife mentors who shined a spotlight on her point of view.
“WHENEVER I WORK WITH [THE HOUSE OF AVALON,] I FEEL VERY SUPPORTED AND INSPIRED CREATIVELY. I CAN ASK FOR ADVICE ON ANY ASPECT OF DRAG AND I KNOW I’LL GET AN HONEST OPINION,” JUDY SAID.
Celebrated for her lip sync precision and spoken-word assassination, Judy especially enjoys the process of creating her own mixes. Pulling references from the absurd amounts of pop culture she’s absorbed over the years, Judy has arranged masterpieces like Nicki Minaj’s boss/bitch monologue mixed into Brooke Candy’s “Boss Bitch” (performed in a pantsuit) and Sweeny Todd's “Little Priest” mixed into Nelly Furtado’s “Maneater.”
“Sometimes there will be a scene or interview that is just so iconic I will try to match it to a song or spoken word…Once I have the number figured out in my brain, making the mix is when the creative juices are just flowing,” Judy said.
The first time I saw Judy perform live, she wore peach. Balancing a golden updo, she begged that her audience not rain on her parade. Lit by the orange-red glow of the dive bar’s patio heat lamps and warmed by the breath of tipsy tippers, she showered herself in the cash of her adoring fans — here she is! She was magnetizing — the same gentle force I, and many others, had come to know from following Judy online through the pandemic.
“SHE CAN DO ANY NUMBER, WHETHER IT BE A SONG OR SPOKEN WORD, AND NOT MISS A SINGLE VOCAL BEAT…SHE IS AN AMAZING ACTRESS…AND HER CONCEPTS ARE ALWAYS SO WELL THOUGHT OUT AND UNIQUE,” FRIEND AND FAN MIA WILSON SAID. “JUDY IS ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED PEOPLE I KNOW AND ONE OF THE MOST HUMBLE.”
Most recently, Judy earned a spot in the finals of Tony Soto’s “Battle Babies” lip sync competition at Stache WeHo. Surrounded by chosen family — chanting her name, pounding on tables, demanding the room feel the love — Judy triumphantly performed her “Not a Christian” number to carry her through round one to the battle portion of the competition.
“Judy has thoughts in her head and that translates to fun performances…She is confident, and she continues to look like she's having fun, which is what drag is all about,” Soto said. “What I have definitely seen grow is the number of people who know who she is and that's progress.”
Judy takes her place to battle; she glitters in orange. Blonde waves brush her lower back. A chunky white open-toe with an ankle strap is just armor for the final fight. And when Gaga’s “Applause” shatters the silence, Judy uses her feet to clap to the beat. That’s entertainment! And that’s a winner.
“Judy is mother! Judy is everything!” Los Angeles drag icon Marta BeatChu, who came to Stache to support Judy, said.
In addition to obvious star power, friends speak of Judy’s goofy, witty, and undeniably comforting spirit, one I certainly felt the first time I met Judy in person. Though I was impressed by her distinct, captivating performance, I was truly amazed by her cutting, clever kindness.
“Judy has that extra spark you can’t exactly put into words. Her presence fills any room she walks into.” Wilson said. “She has this kind, warm energy…and truly the most beautiful soul and the brightest light inside her heart.”
When I first met Judy, she greeted me with a hug, the way a longtime friend would. She fixed my hair and introduced me to friends and family. We shmoozed, shared knowing glances. When it was time to leave, she waved goodbye and made sure I got home safe. That’s my friend, Judy, there to take my hand. Considering how quickly performers come and go, we judge them not by how much they love, but by how much they are loved by others. And Judy is beloved.
“IF I COULD SAY ONE THING TO A DRAG AUDIENCE IT WOULD BE, ‘FIND A CREATIVE OUTLET AND DO THE FUCK OUT OF IT’,” JUDY SAID. “CHEAP OR EXPENSIVE, SIMPLE OR INTRICATE, WE ALL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO CREATE. I THINK IT’D MAKE ALL OF US HAPPIER AND HOPEFULLY KINDER TO EACH OTHER.”
