Original subtitles

\h\h\h\h\h( piano intro, cacophony of hooting )

OH, YEAH, WE’VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE.

JUST LET ME THROUGH, PLEASE.

RIGHT ON.

EVERYONE WAS HOT FOR TICKETS,

EVERYONE IN TOWN WAS GOING TO SHOW UP AT THE ANDERSON THEATRE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h( woman ) AND THERE WAS THIS GREAT ANTICIPATION,

THIS GREAT FEELING \h\h\h\h OF, "OH, WOW !

WE’RE GONNA SEE SOMETHING REALLY SENSATIONAL."

THE FOLLOW-UP IN THE VILLAGE VOICE WAS,

"THE COCKETTES HAVE ARRIVED,"

AND THEY SEEM TO BE INVITED TO THIS PARTY,

THEY’RE HOSTING THAT PARTY.

TEN COCKETTES SHOWED UP DOWNTOWN,

20 OF THEM SHOWED UP UPTOWN...

THEY WERE JUST ENJOYING BEING THE HOTTEST GUYS IN TOWN.

EVERYBODY WAS THERE !

I MEAN, ALL OF THE \h\h\h\hBEAUTIFUL PEOPLE.

\h\h\h\h WHEN I SAY EVERYBODY WAS THERE,

EVERYBODY WHO WAS IN NEW YORK AT THAT TIME WAS THERE.

EVERYONE FROM QUEENS OF THE ’60s,

AND YOUR POP STARS OF THE ’70s,

AND YOUR FASHION ICONS

AND YOUR SOCIETY GALS AND DEBUTANTES.

ANDY WARHOL WAS THERE, CANDY DARLING WAS THERE,

HOLLY WOODLAWN WAS THERE.

ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE THAT JUST WERE

COMING OUT TO SEE THIS HAPPENING.

( glass smashes )

FAR OUT.

( man ) I TRAVELED FOR A LONG TIME WITH A CARNIVAL...

AND THE BEARDED LADY--

EVERYBODY GOES TO THE CIRCUS OR THE SIDESHOW AT THE CARNIVAL

AND THEY THINK THAT THE BEARD IS FAKE.

AND IT NEVER OCCURS TO THEM THAT THE BEARD MIGHT BE REAL

BUT THE WOMAN ISN’T REAL !

\h\h\h\h( woman ) IT WAS THE WINTER OF ’67-68.

I CAME OUT WITH UH, BABY BOBBY AND DAVID THE MAD BOMBER.

HE WAS WANTED IN DETROIT FOR BOMBING INDUCTION CENTERS.

\h\h\h\hWE CAME OUT HERE AND UH, OF COURSE WE DROPPED ACID.

AND HE LEFT ME ON HAIGHT STREET.

\h\h\h\h ( laughs ) YOU KNOW, IT WAS--

FROM THERE IT WAS JUST, START ROLLING, YOU KNOW,

EVERYTHING ROLLED FROM THERE.

FRANKLY, WHAT BROUGHT ME HERE WAS THE KNOWLEDGE THAT

THERE WERE SO MANY...

THERE WERE SO MANY QUEERS IN SAN FRANCISCO

AND I KNEW I HAD TO SOMEHOW MEET MY, MY PEERS.

WE WANT THE MAYOR TO TAKE NOTICE OF THE POLICE BRUTALITY

AGAINST HOMOSEXUALS \h\h\h\h AND TO END IT,

THAT’S WHY WE’RE HERE.

\h\h\h\hI SAW A FILM IN DOWNTOWN HOLLYWOOD CALLED "SHE FREAKS"--

A REMAKE OF "FREAKS"--

AND I WAS VERY HIGH \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON L.S.D.

AND I WAS WITHOUT A JOB \h\h\h\h AND PENNILESS.

SO AFTER SEEING THE FILM

I GOT ON A GREYHOUND \h\h\h\h\h\hAND CAME UP HERE.

I EMBRACED THE HIPPIE CULTURE, I SMOKED POT,

I WAS AN ANTI-WAR PROTESTER.

I WAS A COMPLEX PERSON.

I WASN’T BLACK, I WASN’T GAY,

I WASN’T THIS, THAT OR THE OTHER.

I WAS JUST THIS FREAK-- I WAS INTO MUSIC,

I WAS INTO DANCING,

AND I WAS INTO DRESSING UP AS MUCH AS I COULD.

I HITCHHIKED TO SAN FRANCISCO.

AND EVERYONE HAD LONG HAIR, EVERYONE WAS MELLOW.

SO I WENT DOWN TO L.A. AND I GOT DUSTY.

\h\h\h\h EVERYBODY USED TO SAY IT’S A FREAKY TOWN, YOU KNOW,

IT’S ALL THE HIPPIES \h\h\h\h AND EVERYTHING.

AND L.A. WAS MORE FLOWER CHILDREN AND NOT HIPPIES.

\h\h\h\hAND SO-- ( laughs )

SO I WAS SORT OF AFRAID \h\h\h\h TO GO THERE,

BUT I WENT WITH REGGIE.

SHE PACKED THIS BIG OLD SUITCASE

THAT WAS BIG ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF US

AND WE HITCHHIKED BACK UP TO SAN FRANCISCO.

EVERYBODY HITCHHIKED \h\h\h\h AT THAT TIME.

I WAS A BAD GIRL IN MY HEART ALWAYS AND UM...

BUT I GREW UP, I WAS A CATHOLIC SCHOOL GIRL

IN A SMALL TOWN IN NEW JERSEY

AND ASPIRED TO BE AN ADVENTURESS.

I MEAN, THAT WAS MY GOAL IN LIFE.

AND THAT INSPIRED ME TO GO WEST.

( man ) THE MUSIC, THE, THE LOOK, THE UH...

THE FREEDOM, THE WILDNESS, Y’KNOW,

WERE ALL VERY ATTRACTIVE TO ME.

I HAD NOWHERE TO LIVE, NO MONEY,

AND I WAS WANDERING AROUND LIKE AN ASCETIC AND I WAS HAPPY.

VERY SIMPLE.

MY RENT WAS $35 A MONTH.

WE ALL CHIPPED IN AND RENTED THIS HUGE VICTORIAN FLAT.

YOU KNOW, YOU GET UP, \h\h\h\h YOU DRESS UP,

YOU GO DOWN TO HAIGHT STREET.

THE GRATEFUL DEAD WOULD PLAY ONE SUNDAY,

\h\h\h\h OR SOMEBODY WOULD PLAY IN THE STREET,

AND IT WAS, IT WAS FABULOUS.

\h\h\h\hIT WAS JUST UH-- JUST WHAT I CAME FOR.

SO WHEN I STARTED LIVING IN SAN FRANCISCO

I JUST DISCARDED EVERYTHING THAT WAS...

EVEN A REMOTE REMNANT OF MY SUBURBAN PAST

AND COMPLETELY GOT INTO VELVET AND LACE.

AND WE COMPLETELY COMMUNICATED THOUGH DRAG,

THAT’S HOW YOU MET OTHER PEOPLE.

\h\h\h\h WE DRESSED UP VERY EFFEMINATELY,

LIKE, WE TIED RAGS IN OUR HAIR AND BOOTS AND TIGHTS.

SATIN AND VELVET AND STUDS AND, YOU KNOW, RHINESTONES.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h( Dawn ) A LOT OF LACE DRESSES AND A LOT OF SILK GOWNS.

AND I’D HIKE ’EM UP WITH A BOW, YOU KNOW,

\h\h\h\h AND PUT RIBBONS AND FLOWERS IN MY HAIR.

( Fayette ) PEOPLE WERE ALLOWED TO

LIVE AT THE END OF THEIR IMAGINATION.

WHATEVER YOU CAME OUT WITH, EVERYONE SAID,

"YES, LET’S HAVE MORE."

AND THAT’S WHAT EVERYONE DID WITH EACH OTHER.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h( Pam ) WE WERE VERY NAIVE. THE WORLD WAS GONNA PROVIDE FOR US.

WE DIDN’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WORK,

WE DIDN’T WORRY ABOUT WHERE OUR MEALS CAME FROM

AND WHAT WE WERE GONNA WEAR, IT ALWAYS CAME.

WE REALLY DID BELIEVE THERE’D BE A REVOLUTION ANY MINUTE,

AND YOU WANTED TO COME DOWN ON THE RIGHT SIDE.

\h\h\h\h ( chanting ) ... END THE WAR IN VIETNAM, BRING THE BOYS HOME !

THIS WAS THE DREAM, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS TRULY THE DREAM.

WE WERE ON A SPIRITUAL QUEST, WE WERE UH, YOU KNOW,

THIS WAS WHAT WE WERE \h\h\h\h BORN TO DO,

\h\h\h\h WE WERE BORN TO CHANGE EVERYTHING.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h( woman ) IT’S TO HIS BROTHER WALTER,

AND IT WAS WRITTEN \h\h\h\h IN ’68 OR ’69.

"DEAR WALTER, A BIZARRE MORNING HERE IN SAN FRANCISCO.

"THE WIND HOWLS AS I HOWL.

"I REMEMBER LAST NIGHT RUNNING THROUGH CHINATOWN

"WITH FLOWERS AND GLITTERING RED CHINESE BANNERS.

"I LAY ON THE SCAFFOLD LIKE CHRIST ON THE CROSS,

"SUNSHINE, THE STARS, \h\h\h\h THE MOON...

"SO STRANGE TO BE LIVING \h\h\h\hUP IN THE CLOUDS.

\h\h\h\h I LIVE WITH THE ANGELS OF LIGHT."

IT WAS THIS COMBINATION OF ROBES AND GREAT HEADDRESS,

AND ALL THESE COLORS MOVING IN PROFUSION,

COMING UP THE STREET.

AND WE JUST STARED AND LOOKED, AND THAT WAS HIBISCUS.

HE LOOKED LIKE JESUS CHRIST WITH LIPSTICK.

HE WAS A VISION !

HE WAS JUST ALL BLOND HAIR AND UH, BEARD AND GLITTER.

WE WERE ON ACID ALL THE TIME, SO HE LOOKED GREAT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( man ) OH, HE WAS OUTRAGEOUS.

I MEAN, AT THE TIME...

HIS APPEARANCE WAS JUST SO OUTLANDISH

WITH THE SKIRTS AND THE ROBES,

AND STUFF WOVEN IN HIS HAIR AND STUFF WOVEN IN HIS BEARD.

I WENT OVER TO PETER PAN’S HOUSE, A FRIEND OF ALL OF OURS,

AND HE WASN’T THERE,

SO I WENT OVER TO THE PARK AND I HEARD THIS MUSIC.

HE WAS DANCING ALL IN WHITE,

HAD A BIG BOUQUET OF FLOWERS WRAPPED AROUND HIS ARMS.

AND I SAID, "OOH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MAN."

I WAS WALKING THROUGH "PREHISTORIC POND"--

THERE’S THIS AREA IN GOLDEN GATE PARK,

AND HE WAS SITTING AT A TREE WITH THESE OTHER PEOPLE

AND THEY’RE SINGING SHOW TUNES, IT WAS LIKE, SO WILD !

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( man ) ♪ ... FISH GOTTA SWIM \h\h\h\hBIRDS GOTTA FLY ♪

\h\h\h\h ♪ I GOTTA LOVE ONE MAN ’TIL I DIE ♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( all ) ♪ CAN’T HELP LOVIN’ \h\h\h\hDAT MAN OF MINE ♪

I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT ! AND HERE I WAS IN \h\h\h\hMY MEDITATIVE--

I DON’T KNOW IF I WAS ON ACID OR WHAT, BUT, YOU KNOW,

\h\h\h\h RIGHT AWAY: "WELL, COME JOIN US."

AND HIBISCUS HAD THAT \h\h\h\h "COME JOIN US,"

MESSIANIC QUALITY ABOUT HIM.

HE COULD DRAW TOGETHER, YOU KNOW,

THE DUMBEST OF US AND THE SMARTEST OF US.

LIKE IF HE FOUND A DULL PERSON HE’D JUST,

HE WOULD LIKE, GIVE THEM A MAKEOVER.

♪ ... TELL ME HE’S LAZY TELL ME HE’S SLOW ♪

♪ TELL ME I’M CRAZY \h\h\h\h MAYBE I KNOW ♪

♪ CAN’T HELP LOVIN’ DAT MAN OF MINE ♪

LET’S JUST ALL DO IT !

I WENT TO SAN FRANCISCO FOR THE FIRST TIME, UM...

AND I DIDN’T KNOW ONE PERSON.

\h\h\h\h I GOT A ROOMMATE THAT I DIDN’T KNOW NAMED DAN WYLES,

AND HE TOLD ME ABOUT THE PALACE THEATER

THAT SHOWED GREAT MIDNIGHT MOVIES ON THE WEEKENDS.

( Scrumbly ) THE "NOCTURNAL DREAM SHOWS" WAS A MIDNIGHT SHOW

OF EXPERIMENTAL AND VINTAGE FILMS

THAT BEGAN AT MIDNIGHT AT THE PALACE THEATER.

IT ATTRACTED A GREAT GROUP OF, OF FREAKS.

AT 2:00 YOU COULD GO IN

AND JUST BE WATCHING MOVIES AND DRINKING AND SMOKING DOPE.

( Dawn ) THEY PLAYED A LOT OF THOSE OLD MUSICALS,

AND WE’D TAP DANCE UP AND DOWN THE AISLES.

IT WAS SO FUN.

( Rumi ) THEY’D SHOW AN EARLY AGNES VARDA FILM,

THEN THEY’D SHOW A SEX EXPLOITATION FILM

LIKE "APPLE, KNOCKERS AND COKE"--

\hTHAT’S SUPPOSED TO BE MARILYN MONROE WITH A COKE BOTTLE.

\h\h\h\h AND I SAW MOVIES LIKE "THE WORLD’S GREATEST SINNER,"

\h\h\h\hA MOVIE THAT I SAW THERE THAT TO THIS DAY I REMEMBER

THAT I’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE OR SINCE THAT SEBASTIAN \h\h\h\hFOUND SOMEWHERE.

THAT’S WHAT I WANTED TO DO, WAS TO SHOW MOVIES

THAT WERE NOT SEEN \h\h\h\h ORDINARILY.

AND ALSO TO MAKE THE EXPERIENCE OF GOING THERE

UNUSUAL AND INTERESTING.

AND WE GOT THE IDEA TO HAVE LITTLE STAGE THINGS

DURING THE INTERMISSION.

\h\h\h\h ( Ann Harris ) "IRVING KEEPS ON ASKING

"WHEN YOU WILL BE COMING BACK TO SAN FRANCISCO.

"SO MANY NEW FACES EVERY DAY HERE AT THE COMMUNE.

"RAIN POURING DOWN AT ALL THE WINDOWS.

"I FIND MYSELF A KITCHEN SLUT

"CRYING AT THE FIRE BY A BURNING ROSE.

"I COLLECT ORANGE PEELS AND FADED BLOSSOMS.

\h\h\h\h "I LOVE TO WATCH PEOPLE THAT I SEE ON THE STREETS,

\h\h\h\h"TO BECOME THEM, TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES,

ALL THE CHILDREN OF PARADISE."

( Fayette ) SO HE SAID, IT’S NOT ENOUGH

THAT WE’RE JUST, WE’RE ON THE STREET LIKE THIS,

WE NEED TO BE ON THE STAGE.

AND I’LL NEVER FORGET THAT MOMENT WHEN HE SAID THAT,

I THOUGHT-- "WHAT AN IDEA !

WHAT A GREAT IDEA !"

ACTUALLY, IT WAS ME AND HIBISCUS AT FIRST,

AND WE WENT TO THE PALACE THEATER.

WE ASKED, "IF WE DID A LITTLE SHOW FOR YOU

"WOULD WE BE ABLE TO HAVE TICKETS

THAT NIGHT TO SEE THE MOVIE ?"

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) I RAN INTO HIBISCUS AND HE SAID, "COME BE IN THE SHOW."

( Dawn ) HE SAID, "THIS WEEKEND WE’RE GOING TO DANCE AT THE THEATER."

AND I SAID, "OKAY." AND SO I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT KIND OF THEATER HE MEANT.

AND IT WAS THE PALACE, HALLOWEEN NIGHT,

THEY ACTUALLY GAVE US THAT NIGHT.

NEW YEAR’S, ’69, ’70.

IT WAS A HALLOWEEN NIGHT.

HE SAID WE SHOULD HAVE OUR SHOW READY FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE,

SO THAT WE CAN SHOW THE NEW THEATER FOR THE NEW DECADE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h( Ralph ) \h\h\h\h HIBISCUS SAID, "WHAT WILL WE CALL IT ?

I WANT IT TO BE SOMETHING LIKE THE ROCKETTES."

\h\h\h\h SO IMMEDIATELY A GUY SAID "COCKETTES." I MEAN, WHAT ELSE ?

IT WAS ON OUR MIND \h\h\h\h ALL THE TIME.

WE MET AT HIS PLACE ON SUTTER STREET,

HIS COMMUNE ON SUTTER STREET.

AND I SAID TO HIBISCUS,

I SAID, "WELL, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ?"

AND HE SAID, "COME BACK WITH ME TO KALIFLOWER,

YOU HAVEN’T BEEN IN THE ATTIC YET."

I HAD THE KEY TO THE DRAG ROOM AT THE COMMUNE,

SO I LET EVERYONE IN \h\h\h\h TO GET DRESSED

IN ALL THIS ’40’s FINERY.

I PUT ON A WHITE, FLOOR-LENGTH GOWN.

HIBISCUS HAD ON A GOWN OR TWO.

AND HE’D SAY, "I LIKE THAT" OR "I DON’T LIKE THAT SKIRT, OR "THAT TIE IS TOO SILLY."

( Fayette ) EVERY PIECE OF CLOTHING THAT I HAD

WAS WORN EITHER BY ME OR SOMEONE ELSE.

I MUST’VE HAD ABOUT 15 SKIRTS ON AT THE TIME.

SOME PEOPLE WERE MORE ANTICIPATORY

\h\h\h\h ABOUT TAKING THEIR CLOTHES OFF,

\h\h\h\hBECAUSE THIS WAS DEFINITELY A THING

\h\h\h\h WHERE WE WERE ENCOURAGING NUDITY.

WE HEADED DOWN TO THE PALACE, WE PARKED, WE GOT OUT, WE WENT IN.

ALL I WANTED WAS MY FREE TICKET TO SEE THE MOVIE.

( Scrumbly ) WE WENT UP ON STAGE,

THEY PUT THE SONG ON AND WE JUST DANCED.

WE DID KIND OF A SPONTANEOUS KICK, CHORUS LINE.

"HERE WE ARE ANDROGYNOUS FREAKS UP HERE DANCING,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING."

THAT WAS IT...

\h\h\h\h YOU KNOW, FIVE OR TEN MINUTES, BAM.

THE AUDIENCE WENT NUTS !

AND THE THEATER WENT WILD !

THEY WERE BALLISTIC !

WE GOT A HUGE STANDING OVATION TO THE POINT WHERE \h\h\h\hWE DID IT AGAIN.

\h\h\h\h THEY JUST CRANKED UP \h\h\h\hTHE RECORD AND WE DID IT FOR ANOTHER THREE MINUTES.

( Fayette ) AND BY THAT TIME NOBODY HAD ANY CLOTHES ON,

AND EVERYBODY GOT UP AND CAME ON THE STAGE.

AND THAT WAS HOW IT STARTED, THAT WAS IT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( man ) THE ACTUAL COCKETTES \h\h\h\hIN SAN FRANCISCO

STARTED NEW YEAR’S.

\h\h\h\h IT WAS FIRST "THE ANGELS OF LIGHT."

AND I CALLED EVERYONE I KNEW--

SCRUMBLY AND FAYETTE, \h\h\h\h AND GOLDIE.

I MADE A BIG DINNER THAT NIGHT

\h\h\h\hAND EVERYONE CAME AND GOT DRESSED UP.

AND WE ALL GOT IN THIS \h\h\h\hOLD, OLD CADILLAC

AND DROVE TO THE PALACE.

AND THEN WE PUT ON \h\h\h\hA CAN-CAN RECORD,

AND WE ALL JUST DANCED UP ON STAGE TO CAN-CAN--

RUMI WAS THERE TOO--

\h\h\h\h AND CAN-CANNED ALL ALONG THE STAGE.

AND THEN WE PLAYED A MICK JAGGER SONG,

\h\h\h\h "JUMPING JACK FLASH" OR SOMETHING, AND JUST DANCED.

AND THE WHOLE AUDIENCE RAN UP TO THE STAGE

AND PUT THEIR ARMS UP.

AND IT WAS JUST THIS INCREDIBLE SMASH HIT.

\h\h\h\h ( Scrumbly ) THE FIRST SHOW WAS VERY MUCH A SENSATION

SO WE HAD TO COME BACK.

AND I WANTED TO DO IT AGAIN, I WANTED TO DO IT SOME MORE.

( Fayette ) THE FOLLOWING MONTH WE HAD PUT A REAL SHOW TOGETHER--

WELL, WE HAD PUT MORE OF A COMPLETE SHOW TOGETHER.

AND THERE WAS NO PLACE TO DO IT SO WE JUST CONTINUED DOING IT

AT THE PALACE THEATER.

FROM THAT POINT ON THEY STARTED COMING BY

ABOUT ONCE A MONTH WITH A LITTLE STAGE SHOW.

\h\h\h\h AND THEY ALWAYS WENT OVER REAL WELL.

IN THE EARLY SHOWS, HIBISCUS CAME UP WITH EACH THEME.

HE GOT THIS BIG BOOK,

AND HE SAID, "LET’S MAKE A SCRAP BOOK OF ALL OUR IDEAS,

"ALL OUR FANTASIES, WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU LOVE,

"THAT YOU WANNA EXPRESS,

"THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE ON THE STAGE

AND WE’LL DO THE PERFORMANCES OUT OF THIS BOOK."

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h( Rumi ) EVERY MONTH WE WOULD TAKE A DIFFERENT THEME

AND JUST RUN WITH IT.

WE DID "THE FAIRY-TALE \h\h\h\h EXTRAVAGANZA,"

WHERE ALL THE FAIRY-TALE CHARACTERS CAME TOGETHER

FOR THE FIRST TIME, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON ACID.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) IT APPEALED TO ME,

THE "LITTLE RASCAL" QUALITY OF THE COCKETTES,

BECAUSE IT WASN’T JUST A DRAG SHOW,

IT WAS A HIPPIE SIDESHOW.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE TONE DEAF,

A LOT OF PEOPLE COULDN’T DANCE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU’RE ON STAGE

YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE THE GREATEST.

\h\h\h\h "MADAME BUTTERFLY" WAS ACTUALLY OUR FIRST TALKIE,

BUT THE WHOLE THING WAS IN FAKE CANTONESE.

\h\h\h\h ( John Waters ) THEY WERE THE FIRST,

\h\h\h\h KIND OF LIKE, BEARDED DRAG QUEENS.

THEY WERE LIKE HIPPIE, ACID-FREAK DRAG QUEENS,

WHICH WAS REALLY NEW \h\h\h\h AT THE TIME.

IT STILL WOULD BE NEW.

( Scrumbly ) THE SHOWS WENT FROM BEING FIVE MINUTES

TO BEING A HALF AN HOUR, TO BEING... THREE HOURS !

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h( Rumi ) WE’D DO ANOTHER SHOW, UH,

"GONE WITH THE SHOWBOAT \h\h\h\h TO OKLAHOMA,"

AN ALL-SOUTHERN SHOW WITH CHARACTERS AND SONGS FROM ALL OF THOSE.

I REMEMBER SEWING ENDLESS AMOUNTS OF HOOP SKIRTS.

I PLAYED "BELLE DU JOUR,"

LOOSELY BASED ON "BELLE WATLING,"

\h\h\h\hTHE TOWN WHORE IN "GONE WITH THE WIND."

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) WE WEREN’T WORRIED ABOUT \h\h\h\h WOMEN OR BLACKS

OR WHAT ANYBODY THOUGHT,

\h\h\h\h BECAUSE WE WERE SO UNTRADITIONAL,

\h\h\h\h WE WERE SO FAR FROM THE MAINSTREAM,

I MEAN, WE WERE ALMOST ILLEGAL.

( Waters ) YOU COULDN’T TELL IF IT WAS MEN OR WOMEN,

IT WAS STRAIGHT PEOPLE TOO.

IT WAS COMPLETE SEXUAL ANARCHY,

WHICH IS ALWAYS A WONDERFUL THING.

I WAS AMAZED AT ALL THE COMMUNES IN SAN FRANCISCO THAT I WENT TO.

THE VERY FIRST NIGHT I CAME TO SAN FRANCISCO

I WAS BROUGHT TO THIS HOUSE.

AND THERE WAS A MAN, HE HAD FRIZZY HAIR--

SO IT HAD BEEN GROWING FOR YEARS AND YEARS--

AND IT WAS LIKE A BIG SUNBURST AROUND HIS HEAD...

AND THEY SAT AROUND \h\h\h\hA LARGE OAK TABLE

AND THEY WERE PASSING THIS BOWL OF ROSE PETAL TEA AROUND

AND THEY WERE EACH DRINKING FROM THIS BOWL OF ROSE PETAL TEA.

IT WAS LIKE, "OH MY GOD !"

YOU KNOW, "WHERE AM I, \h\h\h\h IS THIS OZ ?"

AND SO THE COMMUNES WERE ALL DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT.

( man ) WE HAD A HOUSEHOLD THAT WAS SORT OF A 1920’s COMMUNE.

THERE WERE AT LEAST FIVE OF US AND WE EACH HAD OLD CARS.

AND WE LOVED TO DRESS UP IN PERIOD CLOTHES AND GO PLACES.

WE ALL COLLECTED RECORDS AND SHEET MUSIC,

AND WE WERE JUST VERY INTERESTED

IN THE CULTURE OF THE EARLY PART OF THE 20th CENTURY.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( man ) WE LIVED IN OUR COMMUNE, \h\h\h\h "HUNGA DUNGA,"

\h\h\h\hAND WE WERE ONE OF ABOUT 300 COMMUNES IN THE BAY AREA.

\h\h\h\hFOR HUNGA DUNGA, THE COMMUNE I LIVED IN,

WE DID THE FOOD CONSPIRACY.

EVERYBODY WOULD POOL THEIR CASH AND THEIR FOOD STAMPS,

AND WE WOULD GO OUT AND BUY FOOD IN BULK

\h\h\h\h AND DELIVER IT TO ALL THE COMMUNES.

AND A MECHANICS’ COMMUNE THAT WOULD FIX EVERYBODY’S CARS.

IT WAS THIS WONDERFUL NETWORK

WHERE WE ALL DID EVERYTHING FOR ABSOLUTELY NO MONEY.

( Fayette ) THERE WOULD BE THE FOOD COMMUNE,

THAT PEOPLE WOULD DELIVER FREE FOOD.

THERE WOULD BE, THERE WAS THE KALIFLOWER COMMUNE.

AND SO WE HAD THE COCKETTE HOUSE AND THAT WAS OUR FAMILY.

AND I WAS PROUD OF MY FAMILY.

I THOUGHT WE WERE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL,

WE WERE THE MOST ARTISTIC, CREATIVE PEOPLE IN THE CITY.

( Scrumbly ) WE WERE THE HOUSE

WITH THE BIGGEST REPUTATION FOR DRESSING UP,

SHOWING LOTS OF PANACHE.

AND IT BECAME A SOMEWHAT \h\h\h\hOF A PARTY HOUSE,

AN ONGOING PARTY HOUSE.

EVERYBODY JUST CAME OVER \h\h\h\h ALL THE TIME.

( Reggie ) THEY WERE ALL THERE.

EVERYONE HAD HAIR DOWN TO HERE.

IT WAS A BUNCH OF GAY HIPPIES.

I SAID "THIS IS IT, THIS IS WHO I WANNA BE."

GROUPIES...

THE GUYS WHO DRESSED \h\h\h\h ANDROGYNOUSLY,

WITH LOTS OF GLITTER.

SOME OF THEM WERE REAL QUEENS,

\h\h\h\h WHICH I’D NEVER REALLY MET BEFORE.

I WOULD MEET SOMEBODY AND BRING THEM HOME,

AND THAT WOULD BE IT.

THEY WOULD IMMEDIATELY BE IN THE COCKETTE FAMILY,

EVERYONE WOULD WANT TO HAVE SEX WITH THEM,

AND WHATEVER THEY FELT LIKE DOING THEY DID.

I WAS IN MY SECOND YEAR \h\h\h\h OF ART COLLEGE

AT CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF ARTS AND CRAFTS IN OAKLAND.

I WAS DOING A SERIES OF DRAWINGS OF DEFORMED CHORUS GIRLS.

MY ROOMMATE INVITED ME \h\h\h\h ALONG WITH HIM

TO GO TO A COCKETTE SHOW.

AND, I MET SCRUMBLY THAT NIGHT AND STAYED WITH HIM.

AND AS IT TURNS OUT NEVER WENT BACK TO BERKELEY AFTER THAT.

( man singing in falsetto ) ♪ THAT’S ONE TWIST WHO DOESN’T CRUISE MUCH ♪

♪ I HAVEN’T HAD MUCH BUT I’VE HAD FUN ♪

♪ I WONDER WHAT’S AT HAND ♪

♪ FOR YOU SEE I’M CRUISING ♪

♪ ...LOSING ♪

♪ ...I COULD BE OOZING ♪

♪ AROUND THE TOWN TO BE CRUISING ♪

♪ ALL NIGHT ♪

♪ LOOKING FOR THE LOVE YOU ♪

( man ) WE LIVED IN A COLLECTIVE THAT WAS BASED ON

JOHN HUMPHREY NOYES’ ONEIDA COMMUNE

IN UPSTATE NEW YORK,

WHICH WAS A CHRISTIAN EXERCISE IN COMMUNISM.

IT WAS ON A BOOK CALLED "BIBLE COMMUNISM."

WHAT IT DID WAS STRUCTURED WAYS TO LIVE, COMMUNALLY.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN’T BRING ANYONE IN FROM OUTSIDE,

THIS IS GROUP MARRIAGE.

AND IRVING, IN THIS POSITION, YOU KNOW,

WITH ALL THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT GOES WITH THE POSITION,

WAS STRICT.

IT WAS SO AMAZING TO ME BECAUSE MY IDEA OF COMMUNE WAS UM,

BASICALLY WE ALL DID WHATEVER WE WANTED TO DO, YOU KNOW,

THAT IT WAS A COMPLETE \h\h\h\h FREE-FOR-ALL.

AND I STAYED THERE TWO WEEKS AND I WAS JUST MIFFED

\h\h\h\h BECAUSE IRVING MADE ME DO LAUNDRY,

HE MADE ME DO EVERYBODY’S LAUNDRY ONE TIME BECAUSE \h\h\h\h I HAD BEEN

\h\h\h\hEATING FOR FREE AND I DIDN’T KNOW THERE WAS A PRICE TO PAY FOR THIS.

( Marshall ) IT WAS THE SERIOUS HIPPIES OVER THERE.

WE WERE JUST INTO OVERTHROWING THE GOVERNMENT

AND BE DONE WITH IT.

WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED IT WAS CALLED "THE FREE PRINT SHOP."

AND THEY DID JUST THAT, THEY PRINTED FLYERS AND THINGS

FOR CERTAIN CAUSES AND CONCERNS THAT THEY FELT WORTHY.

THAT WAS FASCINATING TO ME TOO,

THAT THIS RADICAL THING WAS GOING ON.

( Goldie Glitters ) HIBISCUS LIVED AT KALIFLOWER.

HE WOULD OFTEN TAKE ME OVER TO HAVE RICE.

WHICH WAS BASICALLY THE-- WHAT THEY HAD WAS RICE.

HIBISCUS, AFTER HAVING STARTED TO DESIGN THE COCKETTES,

STARTED BRINGING IN ALL OF HIS FRIENDS.

AND THEY WERE UH, A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS DRAG

THAN WE WERE USED TO.

IRVING DIDN’T LIKE ANY OF THEM.

AND I DON’T THINK HE APPROVED OF GEORGE’S ANTICS,

OF HIS THEATRICAL ANTICS, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT IS.

IRVING TOLD ME TO TAKE HIM UNDER MY WING.

THAT’S WHAT THE OLD MAN SAID.

I SAW HIM JUST BLOSSOM MORE AND MORE INTO--

YOU KNOW, LIKE HE WANTED TO BE ISADORA, YOU KNOW ?

AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, "I AM ISADORA,

"AND YOU ARE THE ISADORABLES. U KNOW ?

"ALL YOU AROUND ME WILL LEARN HOW TO DANCE IN PUBLIC

AND, YOU KNOW, AND BE, BE FREE."

I MEAN, THAT’S HOW HE TALKED.

HIBISCUS WOULD CONSTANTLY BE FIGHTING WITH IRVING,

AND I REMEMBER HIM-- HIS BIG PLOY WAS TO

BANG HIS HEAD AGAINST THE WALL-- HIBISCUS.

OVER AND OVER AND OVER.

UNTIL HIBISCUS MOVED, MOVED OUT INTO THE COCKETTE HOUSE.

( Fayette ) HE PRESENTED IT AS

COMING OUT OF SOME KIND OF PRISON OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW.

HE SAID "I’M LIKE A CAGED ANIMAL THERE

AND THEY WON’T LET ME DO ANYTHING."

HE JUST SAID, "I WANT TO BE WITH THE ARTISTS.

AND SO, CAN I LIVE WITH YOU ?"

AND OF COURSE, ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS ASK IN THOSE DAYS, YOU KNOW,

AND SO OF COURSE HE MOVED IN.

I WAS VERY SAD.

I WAS REALLY, REALLY DEVASTATED.

ALL THE PLAID SHIRTS IN THE WORLD WERE THERE

AND ALL THE SEQUINS WENT THAT WAY.

( piano music )

\h\h\h\h ( Scrumbly ) I WAS THE FIRST ONE TO \h\h\h\h PLAY THE PIANO.

I FORGET HOW I WOULD DO IT, ’CAUSE I REMEMBER SINGING

"JUNE IS BUSTING OUT ALL OVER" IN "GONE WITH THE SHOWBOAT TO OKLAHOMA,"

BUT WHO WAS PLAYING THE PIANO AT THAT POINT, I’M NOT SURE.

I DON’T REMEMBER WHO THE FIRST PIANIST WAS,

BUT I THINK THEY DROVE HIM STARK RAVING MAD.

AND THEN THEY DIDN’T HAVE A PIANIST FOR A WHILE.

AND SO WHEN I CAME ALONG, BOY WERE THEY GLAD.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) PETER WAS PERFECT FOR THE PART, YOU KNOW,

\h\h\h\hBECAUSE HE NEVER TRIED TO UPSTAGE THE QUEENS, YOU KNOW ?

HE ALWAYS STAYED IN THE BACK AND FOLLOWED.

AND I MEAN, HE HAD A HARD ROW TO HOE,

BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE COULDN’T CARRY A TUNE,

A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD FORGET THE BRIDGE,

\h\h\h\h THEY COULDN’T REMEMBER, THEY’D SING THE CHORUS AGAIN.

\h\h\h\h AND PETER WOULD FOLLOW BEHIND.

YEAH, THEY LIKED ME ’CAUSE I HAD IDEAS

AND I WOULD JUST GO ALONG WITH ANYTHING AND UH...

I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME OF THIS.

EVERYBODY SEEMED TO WANT TO LIVE IN THIS KIND OF FANTASY

OF THE OLD MOVIE MUSICAL.

THIS IS WHAT WE DID \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAT HOME--

WE DRESSED UP AND WE SANG AND WE PLAY ACTED.

\h\h\h\hTHIS IS OUR LIFE, IT JUST SPILLED OFF ONTO THE STAGE.

( Fayette ) PEOPLE REALLY EXPRESSED THEMSELVES THROUGH THEIR LOOK,

BECAUSE A LOT OF THE TIMES UM, PEOPLE WOULD BE SO STONED

THEY WOULD BECOME NON-VERBAL. ( laughs )

MYSELF INCLUDED.

I HAVE TO TOUCH UP MY LIPSTICK !

I’M SURE THE MEN ARE AS VAIN AS THE WOMEN IN THIS REGARD.

( drumming )

IT WAS SHOCKING, IN THE MIRROR THE FIRST TIME.

WE DIDN’T HAVE EYEBROWS.

THAT GAVE AWAY A LOT OF US

\h\h\h\h ’CAUSE WE WOULD SHAVE OUR EYEBROWS OFF.

( Jilala ) BUT WHEN YOU SHAVE YOUR EYEBROWS

NO ONE WILL TOUCH YOU ANYWAY,

BECAUSE YOU’RE OBVIOUSLY FROM VENUS, YOU KNOW ?

( Scrumbly ) WE WERE FREAKS.

I MEAN, MOST OF US WERE GAY, BUT, YOU KNOW,

NO ONE THOUGHT THAT MUCH \h\h\h\h OF GENDER.

GENDER CONFUSION !

\h\h\h\hTHAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT.

I’M TAKING A JOB AS AN ELEVATOR GIRL

STARTING MONDAY.

OOH, GOOD.

I WAS JUST A BOURGEOIS EXPLOITER

WHILE YOU GIRLS SWEATED LIKE STUCK PIGS.

YOU DON’T SAY.

OH, MAXINE, PLEASE FORGIVE ME !

WE FORGIVE YOU...

MMM...

( panting )

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( man ) WE’RE TALKING TO YOU

\h\h\h\hFROM IN FRONT OF THE PALACE THEATER

IN SAN FRANCISCO’S FABULOUS NORTH BEACH DISTRICT

WHERE A STUNNED AUDIENCE HAS JUST SEEN A SURPRISE SHOWING

\h\h\h\h OF JOHN WATERS’ "MULTIPLE MANIACS."

I’M A MANIAC !

\h\h\h\h I’M A MANIAC THAT CANNOT BE CURED.

OH, DIVINE...

OH, I AM DIVINE !

IT WAS THE FIRST PLACE MY MOVIES EVER CAUGHT ON

OUTSIDE OF BALTIMORE, AND PROVINCETOWN.

AND IT WAS GREAT BECAUSE IT WAS THIS INCREDIBLE AUDIENCE.

FIRST OF ALL, IT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME.

SEBASTIAN PAID ME AND IT WAS GREAT,

I HAD A WAY TO MAKE SOME MONEY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE GOT $100 OR SOMETHING.

A DOLLAR A MINUTE, I THINK WAS THEIR GOING RATE AT THE TIME.

WHEN "MULTIPLE MANIACS" \h\h\h\h CAME ALONG

I JUST WAS KNOCKED OUT.

I REALLY WANTED TO SHOW THAT.

AND THAT WAS THE ONE WHERE DIVINE CAME TO TOWN.

DIVINE AT THE TIME--

I GUESS IN DIVINE’S MIND-- WAS STILL GLENN MILSTEAD.

HE HADN’T SWITCHED OVER TO BEING, IN HIS MIND,

DIVINE ALL THE TIME. COMES TO SAN FRANCISCO--

ALL HE HAD WAS THE AIR TICKET, NOT ONE NICKEL IN HIS PURSE--

GOT IN FULL DRAG, GOT ON THE AIRPLANE ALONE

AND FLEW TO SAN FRANCISCO,

AND THE COCKETTES MET HIM IN A BIG MEDIA EVENT.

HE FLIPPED OVER, HE WAS DIVINE FOREVER THEN,

HE NEVER WENT BACK TO BEING GLENN MILSTEAD AFTER THAT NIGHT.

\h\h\h\h ( Divine ) IMAGINE MY AMAZEMENT

WHEN I STEPPED OFF MY JET TO BE MOBBED BY CRAZED COCKETTES,

EMBRACING ME, COMFORTING ME AFTER MY ORDEAL.

NOW, I’M READY TO TELL MY STORY.

\h\h\h\h I HAVE CHOSEN THE PALACE THEATER

AS THE PLACE WHERE I CAN FIND FRIENDS

\h\h\h\hWHO’LL UNDERSTAND WHAT I’VE BEEN THROUGH.

\h\h\h\h ( Marshall ) THE PEOPLE ALL CAME OUT OF THE AIRPLANE.

\h\h\h\hAND THERE WERE ALL THESE DRAG QUEENS AND CONGA DRUMS.

\h\h\h\h AND-- WHSSH ! DANCING AROUND HERE.

EVERYBODY WHO CAME OFF \h\h\h\h THE PLANE SAID,

\h\h\h\h "WE KNOW WHO YOU’RE WAITING FOR."

WE HAD A CULT AND THEY HAD A CULT,

AND IT WAS NICE FOR THESE WEIRD SHOW BIZ CULTS TO MEET.

THEY LOVED DIVINE, AND THEY REALLY WELCOMED HIM IN WITH OPEN ARMS.

SO IT WAS A REALLY BIG POINT IN BOTH DIVINE’S AND MY LIFE AT THE TIME.

AND SEBASTIAN AND THE PALACE THEATER

WERE REALLY THE FIRST TIME IT CAUGHT ON.

( Sebastian ) THE FIRST REALLY BIG SHOW WAS--

KINDA SOUNDED LIKE ED SULLIVAN, DIDN’T I ?

THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF THE GROUP I BROUGHT IN,

AND THAT WAS MICHAEL KALMEN FOR THE TWO SHOWS IN A ROW--

\h\h\h\h "HOLLYWOOD BABYLON" AND "HELL’S HARLOTS," THE ’50s SHOW.

I DON’T THINK THERE WAS ANYBODY DIRECTING AT THAT TIME.

AND I THINK THAT’S WHY THEY NEEDED A LITTLE BIT OF DISCIPLINE INJECTED.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) SOME PEOPLE RESENTED \h\h\h\h BEING DIRECTED.

THIS WAS A BONE OF CONTENTION.

SOMEBODY WOULD JUST SAY,

"OH, WELL, THIS IS GETTING TO BE TOO MUCH LIKE WORK NOW."

WE HAD A VERY ELABORATE STAGE PLAN

THAT THE PROPS PEOPLE AND PEOPLE IN THE BOOTH HAD TO FOLLOW.

AND SO THEY DIDN’T KNOW IF SOMEBODY WENT BACKSTAGE

AND SAID, "I’M NOT GOING ON AFTER HIM, I’VE GOTTA GO HERE."

AND I WOULD COME AND I WOULDN’T EVEN RECOGNIZE

WHATEVER ORDER THERE HAD BEEN TO THE SHOW.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Sebastian ) HOLLYWOOD BABYLON WAS MAYBE THE FIRST REAL TOTAL SELLOUT

WHERE THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO GET IN

THAT WEREN’T ALLOWED IN.

I ALSO REMEMBER THAT HIBISCUS OPENED THE DOORS

AND ABOUT 100 PEOPLE CAME INTO THE THEATER.

SO HE HAD "LIBERATED" THE THEATER, SO TO SPEAK.

IT WAS BECOMING APPARENT THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE PAID.

AND I WAS PERFECTLY WILLING,

BUT THERE WAS NEVER ANY FIRM STRUCTURE ABOUT IT.

I SORT OF LEFT IT UP TO SCRUMBLY,

\h\h\h\hBECAUSE HE WAS THE PERSON THAT I FELT MOST COMFORTABLE

\h\h\h\hIN DEALING WITH-- CERTAINLY NOT HIBISCUS.

( Scrumbly ) THERE WAS HIBISCUS WHO WAS--

HIS CONSCIENCE REPRESENTED BY THE KALIFLOWER COMMUNE,

BECAUSE THERE WAS THAT IDEA LIKE,

"LET’S KEEP EVERYTHING FREE."

TWO OR THREE PEOPLE WANTED TO DO IT FOR FREE,

\h\h\h\h THE REST OF US SAID, IF YOU’RE GONNA DO SOMETHING YOU GOTTA CHARGE MONEY FOR IT,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBECAUSE YOU GOTTA MAKE MONEY TO PUT ON A SHOW.

MY FELLOW WORKERS...

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYAAY ! YAAAY !

THE GREAT KARL MARX SAYS...

( unenthusiastic ) YAAY.

"FROM EACH... ACCORDING \h\h\h\hTO HIS ABILITIES,

TO EACH... ACCORDING \h\h\h\h TO HIS NEEDS."

WHAT’S THAT STAND FOR ?

THAT MEANS YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT

AND YOU GET WHAT YOU NEED.

OHH...

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYAAY ! YAAAY !

"LOOK WHAT I GOT AT THE MGM SALE."

IT’S LIKE AN OLD ELEVATOR \h\h\h\h GIRL’S COSTUME

THAT JOAN BLONDELL WORE \h\h\h\h IN A MOVIE.

HI...

I’M MAXINE.

ANYTHING I CAN HELP YOU WITH ?

WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO UP \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOR DOWN ?

ELEVATOR GIRLS WAS THE FIRST FILM

I DECIDED TO DO, WITH MICHAEL KALMEN DIRECTING.

AND I HAD THE LEAD BECAUSE I HAD BEEN WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH MICHAEL.

FORTUNATELY, WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE NEWS

\h\h\h\h PROVIDED ME WITH ALL THE MATERIAL THAT I NEEDED.

THERE WAS A RAID ON THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY

WHERE THE BLACK PANTHERS \h\h\h\h WERE STRIPPED

AND GUNS STUCK UP THEIR ASS.

SO I JUST SAID, "FINE, WE’LL HAVE THAT HAPPEN TO THE ELEVATOR GIRLS."

DROP THAT !

\h\h\h\h WE KNOW ALL ABOUT YOUR FILTHY ACTIVITIES, YOU ROTTEN--

\h\h\h\hOVER TO THE WALL AND KEEP YOUR HANDS UP

AND NO SUSPICIOUS MOVEMENTS !

NOW, DROP THOSE TROUSERS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h MY ZIPPER... YOU LIKE ?

CAN YOU FEEL THAT ? THAT’S MY GUN !

WE DIDN’T EVEN HAVE A SCRIPT.

WE HAD MY MEMORY OF WHAT \h\h\h\hI THOUGHT I WROTE

AND THEN A LOT OF PEOPLE \h\h\h\hHAD TO LIP-SYNC.

BUT THE SITUATION’S GOTTEN OUT OF HAND.

OKAY, I’LL REFUSE TO GO UP, I’LL ONLY GO DOWN.

NO, GIRLS, LET’S STRIKE.

HIBISCUS SAID THAT HE WAS GONNA SHOW UP.

I DIDN’T KNOW THAT HE WAS GONNA BRING ALL THOSE PEOPLE

TO DO A STAGE SHOW.

THEY STARTED DANCING AND CAVORTING ON STAGE

AND THEY JUST KEPT IT UP \h\h\h\h THE WHOLE TIME.

STOP THE SHOW ! STOP THE SHOW !

LISTEN TO ME ! LISTEN TO ME !

I THINK THAT I BEGAN TO FEEL THAT I WAS PERFORMING

GAY LIBERATION THROUGH MY ART AT THAT POINT.

LISTEN TO ME ! LISTEN TO ME !

GET THAT CRAZY BROAD \h\h\h\h OUT OF HERE !

THERE WERE STRAIGHT PEOPLE AND GAY PEOPLE,

AND WE WERE ALL DOING \h\h\h\h THE SAME THING

\h\h\h\h AND WE WERE ALL HAVING A GOOD TIME

AND WE WEREN’T WORRYING ABOUT WHO WAS SLEEPING WITH WHOM.

OH, LIGHT MY FIRE.

OOH !

PEOPLE USED ME LIKE UH, AS AN EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW,

OF THE BREADTH OF THE COCKETTES.

"WE’VE EVEN GOT MARSHALL WITH A WIFE AND KID."

AND THEY’D BRING GROUPS OF TOURISTS BACK TO MY ROOM

TO LOOK AT US-- REALLY.

MARSHAL IS... ALL MAN.

AND COVERED HEAD TO FOOT WITH TATTOOS.

I REMEMBER HE HAD THIS REALLY SEXY LITTLE ELEPHANT

ON HIS ANKLE THAT I REALLY LIKED.

\h\h\h\hIF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER AGAIN

I MIGHT BE GAY, YOU KNOW...

I HAVE HAD TROUBLES \h\h\h\h WITH WOMEN.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) FAYE WAS MORE ABOUT LOOK.

AND HER DRAG WAS AS FLAMBOYANT AS HIBISCUS’S.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYOU KNOW, I MEAN, SHE WAS A FEMALE HIBISCUS.

THE FIRST TIME I EVER MET HER I THOUGHT, "WOW,

HOW CAN SHE WEAR THOSE UP TO HERE ?"

HER WHOLE ARM WAS JUST TOTALLY BRACELETS.

( Ralph ) FAYE HAD DEVISED A ROLE AS PART OF THE COCKETTE SHOW--

I CAN’T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE SHOW-- BUT SHE WAS THE "SINGING CUNT" !

SHE HAD MADE THIS ELABORATE FUR THING

THAT SHE STOOD IN THE MIDDLE OF IT AND SANG.

I SAID, "NOW THERE’S A SOUL SISTER !"

( Goldie Glitters ) HAVING WOMEN IN THE COCKETTES

DIDN’T MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL.

I DIDN’T MIND FAYETTE BEING IN THE SHOWS, NOR SWEET PAM.

NO, I NEVER FELT LIKE A SECOND-CLASS CITIZEN,

ALTHOUGH THERE WERE A LOT MORE GOOD-LOOKING GUYS

WHO WERE ATTRACTED \h\h\h\hTO THEM THAN US.

BUT WE DID HAVE OUR SHARE. WE’D GET LOVE NOTES BACKSTAGE

\h\h\h\hAND I HAD PEOPLE CHASING ME AROUND,

BUT MOSTLY IT WENT THE OTHER WAY AND THAT WAS UM--

IT WAS A LITTLE HARD TO TAKE SOMETIMES.

I LOVED THE WOMEN BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT INTO

TRYING TO BE PERFECT WOMEN LIKE A LOT OF THE MEN

THAT WERE REALLY EXPLORING THEIR FEMININE SIDE.

THE REAL WOMEN DIDN’T GIVE A WHATEVER ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW,

THEY WANTED TO GO WAY PAST THAT AND BECOME SOMETHING ELSE.

THE COCKETTES SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALL GUYS,

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h12 GUYS.

SOMETIMES THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, NASTY.

THERE WAS A FEW-- WAH-- YOU KNOW.

BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT WAS OKAY,

I MEAN, IT WAS THEATER.

AND THEN THERE WAS DUSTY DAWN,

WHO WAS LIKE THE EARTH MOTHER OF THE GROUP, YOU KNOW ?

SHE WAS A MOM, SHE HAD OCEAN MICHAEL MOON,

WHO WAS, YOU KNOW, THE COCKETTE CHILD.

\h\h\h\h( Kreemah Ritz ) SHE WAS ALWAYS WORRIED THAT SHE WAS GONNA GIVE BIRTH

IN THE MIDDLE OF A COCKETTE SHOW ON STAGE.

( Goldie Glitters ) AND THEN WHEN DUSTY HAD HER BABY

WE HAD TO STOP EVERY 15 OR 20 MINUTES

BECAUSE DUSTY HAD TO DO A FEEDING.

OH, THEY LOVED HIM, YOU KNOW,

HE WAS LIKE THE LITTLE BABY, THE SUPERSTAR BABY.

AND I DRESSED HIM UP IN LITTLE COSTUMES, YOU KNOW.

I HAD A LITTLE BACKPACK, A VELVET ONE,

AND HE’D BE IN THERE UNTIL HE’D WAKE UP

AND THEN I’D BRING HIM UP IN FRONT TO NURSE HIM

WHILE I WAS SINGING.

WELL, WELL... WELL... WELL.

THIS IS SO EXCITING, SO GLAMOROUS, SO DIGNIFIED.

DUSTY COULD SING THROUGH HER THROAT LIKE SHE WAS UNDERWATER.

( gargle singing )

( laughter, applause )

( gargle singing ) ♪ I’M FLYING UP THERE WITH ALL THOSE BUBBLES ♪

♪ TODAY ♪

I USED TO COMPLAIN, MYSELF,

AND I USED TO SAY, "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ?"

’CAUSE I COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE WAS TRYING TO SAY.

"I’M SAYING BLUP," WHATEVER.

AND I SAID, "FINE, OKAY, WE’LL DO IT YOUR WAY."

( Waters ) THE COCKETTES, THEIR WHOLE LIFE WAS SPENT

GETTING TOGETHER THESE OUTFITS AND BUILDING THESE SETS

AND GOING TO THRIFT SHOPS.

I MEAN, GOING TO THRIFT SHOPS WAS A RITUAL.

PEOPLE PRACTICALLY CHANTED WHEN THEY DID IT.

WE WENT SHOPPING EVERY DAY, THAT’S WHAT WE DID EVERY DAY.

EVERY DAY WE WENT SHOPPING.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL’S, \h\h\h\h GOODWILLS.

WE WOULD GO TO SACRAMENTO, WE WOULD GO TO STOCKTON, LODI.

GARAGE SALES, LAWN SALES.

WE CAN HAVE ALL THIS STUFF ?

IF WE NEEDED BRAND-NEW THINGS, THEY WERE NEW TO US !

( Fayette ) THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT FINDING CLOTHES FROM ANOTHER ERA

AND WEARING THEM AS YOUR REGULAR CLOTHES.

( Kreemah Ritz ) I DIDN’T WEAR ANYTHING THAT WAS MADE AFTER WORLD WAR II.

WE’D MAKE AN ENTRANCE AND SOMEONE WOULD SAY,

"GIRL, WHERE’D YOU GET THAT DRESS ?!"

"OH, THIS CAME FROM THE THIRD-HAND STORE,

MARSHALL FOUND IT FOR ME."

\h\h\h\h ( Marshall ) I HAD A THIRD-HAND STORE.

AND THE COCKETTES ALL CAME THERE TO FIND DRAG,

AND SO I COLLECTED STUFF.

I ALWAYS HAD THE NERVE \h\h\h\h TO DO ANYTHING.

DID I HAVE THE NERVE TO GO ON STAGE IN A DRESS ?

YES !

IT DIDN’T TAKE AS MUCH NERVE AS RIDING A MOTORCYCLE ON THE WALL,

YOU KNOW, LIKE--

IT JUST, IN A DIFFERENT WAY IT SEEMED VERY DANGEROUS,

BUT, IN SAN FRANCISCO YOU CAN DO ANYTHING.

( men singing in falsetto ) ♪ OHH, SWEET MISERY... ♪

( laughter, applause )

ONE OTHER FEATURE OF THE SHOWS THAT SORT OF BECAME A TRADITION

WAS KREEMAH RITZ SINGING DUETS WITH SCRUMBLY.

( indistinct warbling )

( applause, cheers )

THE AUDIENCE ATE IT UP, THEY LOVED EVERY NOTE OF IT,

THEY RAVED, THEY CHEERED, THEY STOOD ON THEIR SEATS.

WE HAD A BIG FOLLOWING THAT WOULD COME TO EVERY SHOW.

I LOVED THAT.

THE COMMUNE ALWAYS WENT.

\h\h\h\hIT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE NEVER MISSED.

WE NEVER MISSED A COCKETTE SHOW.

MATRONS AND SOCIALITES WOULD COME

AND OGLE WHAT WAS GOING ON.

THEY WERE IT.

I MEAN, YOU JUST HAD TO SEE IT AND, YOU KNOW,

\h\h\h\h HAD TO SEE IT A COUPLE OF TIMES.

AND EVERYBODY REALLY WAS TALKING ABOUT THEM.

STRAIGHT MEN WOULD COME TO OUR SHOW IN DRESSES.

"I GOTTA PUT A NICE OUTFIT ON."

THEN RIGHT AWAY I SAID, "I GOTTA PUT SOME OF THAT GLITTER ON MY MOUSTACHE,

I GOTTA FIX MYSELF UP, I JUST CAN’T GO LIKE THIS."

THERE WAS LOTS OF GLITTER.

IT CHANGED MY WHOLE WAY OF DRESSING.

THERE’S SOME CLOTHES THAT YOU JUST--

IT HAS TO BE WOMEN’S CLOTHES.

WE WOULD DRESS UP IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, YOU KNOW,

SOME OF US WOULD PUT ON MAKEUP OR GLITTER OR WHATEVER.

( Cara ) THERE WAS NO SUCH WORD AS "GENDER-BENDER."

YOU NEVER HEARD "TRANSSEXUAL," "TRANSGENDER," YOU KNOW,

NOW THEY HAVE THE GAY PARADE WITH EVERYTHING INCLUDED.

THIS HAD EVERYTHING INCLUDED WITH NO NAMES, NO TAGS.

THESE WERE LIKE REAL PEOPLE, RIGHT, JUST THEIR TRIP.

NOTHING TO GRAB ONTO.

♪ BECAUSE HE BAKED THOSE PIES SO WELL ♪

♪ LA LA LA ♪

♪ THAT IS WHY THEY \h\h\h\hTASTE SO SWELL ♪

♪ LA LA LA ♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h( Pam ) "LES GHOULS" WAS FUN, THE DANCING TOMBSTONES--

OH, LES GHOULS WAS A LOT OF FUN.

IN LES GHOULS THERE WAS THREE BRIDES OF FRANKENSTEIN.

THERE WAS MYSELF, MISS BOBBY AND JOHN ROTHERMEL.

ABOUT MAYBE, I WOULD SAY HALF AN HOUR TO AN HOUR

BEFORE GOING ONSTAGE, I TOOK A M.D.A. TABLET.

IT WAS THIS BIG-- AND I KID YOU NOT, IT WAS THAT BIG--

I TOOK THE PILL, AND ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER

THE DRUG HAD HIT SOMETHING AND I WAS HAVING A SCREAMING FIT.

\h\h\h\hTHE UPSHOT WAS GOLDIE HAD A SEIZURE, EPILEPTIC SEIZURE,

AND WAS CARRIED OUT \h\h\h\h ON A STRETCHER

\h\h\h\hTHROUGH THE CROWD OF THE PALACE LOBBY.

\h\h\h\hPEOPLE LIKE JANIS JOPLIN, I MEAN, YOU HAD EVERYBODY THERE,

THE WHOLE ELITE FROM THE WHOLE HIP CROWD.

AND GOLDIE WITH HIS HAIRDO, THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN--

"DARLING, THEY’RE TAKING ME AWAY,

"THEY’RE TAKING ME TO THE HOSPITAL," YOU KNOW,

"SAY GOODBYE FOR ME !"

THEN WE ONLY HAD TWO BRIDES OF FRANKENSTEIN

AND THEY ENDED UP DOING A LESBIAN ACT TOGETHER IN ACT TWO.

AND I ENDED UP GOING OFF WITH THE FRANKENSTEIN DOCTOR.

\h\h\h\h ( Reggie ) \h\h\h\hTHE STAGE, TO ME, IS WHERE MAGIC IS.

THAT’S WHERE YOU CAN SIT IN THE AUDIENCE

AND LOOK UP AND GO AWAY.

AND WE WERE CONJURING UP THOSE IMAGES TO TAKE YOU AWAY.

( Fayette ) IT WAS ABOUT A MAGIC POTION.

IT WAS ABOUT COMBINING ELEMENTS THAT YOU BELIEVED IN,

THAT YOU REALLY LOVED,

AND PUTTING IT ALL IN ONE BIG POT,

THROWING IT ON THE STAGE AND SEEING WHAT CAME OUT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Jilala ) WHEN YOU’RE USING DRUGS, UH,

YOU KNOW, FOR CEREMONIAL \h\h\h\h MAGIC PURPOSES,

YOU’RE JUST WALKING ON PHILOSOPHICAL THIN ICE,

I THOUGHT.

\h\h\h\h AND THAT’S WHY THE LES GHOULS SHOW

WAS SUCH A DRAMATIC \h\h\h\h EVENT FOR ME.

IT WAS MY FRIENDS, MY BELOVED ONES WERE DABBLING, YOU KNOW,

IN THE DARK ARTS.

( screeching singing )

\h\h\h\h ( Waters ) SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN NEVER IMAGINE TODAY,

GOING SOMEWHERE WHERE EVERY PERSON ON THE STAGE

AND IN THE AUDIENCE \h\h\h\h WAS ON DRUGS.

I PERSONALLY NEVER PERFORMED... OFF DRUGS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) WE ALMOST BRUSHED OUR \h\h\h\h TEETH WITH IT.

I MEAN, L.S.D. WAS--- IT WAS A MAINSTAY.

THE EARLY SHOWS, I WAS ALWAYS ON L.S.D.

\h\h\h\h WELL, L.S.D. WAS WHAT FREED ME UP TO DO WHATEVER...

TO DO WHAT I DID.

UH... IT TOTALLY CHANGED EVERYBODY’S PERCEPTION.

WE HAD BUILT OUR OWN REALITY.

\h\h\h\hTHERE WAS A PRODUCT ONCE CALLED "BLACK VOODOO" ACID.

\h\h\h\h IT WAS SCARY, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.

I KNOW THAT L.S.D. MADE ME REALLY EXAMINE EVERYTHING.

I GOT NOTHING FROM CHURCH OR SCHOOL OR FAMILY.

BUT FROM ACID, I COULD GO SIT AT THE BEACH

AND COME AWAY TOTALLY ENHANCED BY SITTING THERE.

FULL, JUST KNOWING \h\h\h\h WHO I WAS,

KNOWING I WAS A PART \h\h\h\hOF THE UNIVERSE,

KNOWING THAT THE UNIVERSE WAS THIS BIG, BIG BEAUTIFUL THING

AND I WAS THERE.

( Glitters ) SYLVESTER WAS A FRIEND OF MINE BEFORE THE COCKETTES HAPPENED.

I KNEW SYLVESTER WHEN HE LIVED IN LOS ANGELES.

HE HAD TALENT, HE COULD SING, HE COULD DANCE.

I SAID, "HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME TO SAN FRANCISCO ?

I’M WITH THIS TROUPE."

\h\h\h\h( Ritz ) SYLVESTER CAME UP TO VISIT AND WE SAID,

"HEY, WE’RE DOING A GOSPEL SHOW, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE IN IT ?"

AND HE SAID, "SURE."

SO HE SAT DOWN AT THE PIANO AND DID ALL THIS BUSINESS

\h\h\h\h WITH OF COURSE, BRACELETS UP TO HERE

AND RINGS ON EVERY FINGER.

AND WE WENT, "OH MY GOD !"

WE’D NEVER HEARD ANYBODY SING LIKE THAT BEFORE.

"OH MY GOSH, HE WANTS TO BE WITH OUR GROUP ?

YES !"

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Sylvester ) \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHOUGH YOU THINK I’M YOUR ANGEL FROM ABOVE,

\h\h\h\h I’M JUST A JADED LADY AND YOU’RE A FOOL IN LOVE.

( laughter, applause )

♪ JADED LADY ♪

♪ THAT’S WHAT MY FRIENDS \h\h\h\h ALL CALL ME ♪

♪ I’M A JADED LADY ♪

♪ I’LL COME TEAR YOU APART ♪

♪ BUT I’M A JADED LADY ♪

♪ OHH... ♪

( applause & cheering )

( Mintun ) WELL, I GUESS AFTER SYLVESTER LEFT REHEARSAL

I SAID TO JOHN OR SOMEBODY,

I SAID, "WOW, SHE’S REALLY FANTASTIC."

HE SAID, "SHE ? THAT’S SYLVESTER."

I SAID, "OH-- OH, IT’S A GUY, OKAY."

( Waters ) EVERYBODY KNEW THAT SYLVESTER

HAD THE MOST TALENT OF ALL THE COCKETTES, OR THAT WAS THE LEGEND.

AND HE WAS PROUD OF BEING \h\h\h\hIN THE COCKETTES,

BUT I THINK IT BECAME \h\h\h\h "THE COCKETTES

AND SPECIAL GUEST STAR \h\h\h\h SYLVESTER."

HIBISCUS LEFT A CANDLE BURNING ONE TIME.

AND WE CAME BACK FROM A SHOW AND THERE WAS A FIRE.

( chuckles )

SO WE FOUND HAIGHT STREET, WHICH WAS JUST A GREAT PLACE.

IT WAS A HUMONGOUS 10-ROOM PLACE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h( John Flowers ) WHERE, WITH MY STUDENT LOAN,

I HOUSED, IN A 7-ROOM FLAT ON HAIGHT AND DIVISADERO,

\h\h\h\hI THINK IT WAS 23 PEOPLE WERE LIVING THERE AT ONCE.

IT WAS FOUR OF US PER ROOM,

AND THERE WAS ABOUT FIVE ROOMS IN THE HOUSE.

SO THERE WAS LIKE, A LOT OF US LIVING THERE.

( Fayette ) AFTER HIBISCUS LIVED THERE A LITTLE WHILE,

THEN JILALA MOVED IN, WHO WAS FROM KALIFLOWER COMMUNE.

AND HE CAME IN AND HE PULLED ME OVER TO THE SIDE AND HE SAID,

"YOU KNOW, IRVING WANTS ME TO MOVE IN

SO THAT I CAN KEEP AN EYE ON HIBISCUS."

AND I SAID, "KEEP AN EYE ON HIBISCUS, ARE YOU KIDDING ?"

AND HE SAID, "WELL, THAT’S WHAT I TOLD IRVING,

BUT REALLY IT’S BECAUSE I WANT TO LIVE WITH YOU ALL."

THERE WAS ONE ROOM ESPECIALLY LIKE, FOR LESSER STARS,

AND THAT’S THE ROOM THAT I WAS PUT INTO.

JILALA LIVED AT HAIGHT STREET HOUSE,

SO HE INFLUENCED THE PEOPLE THAT HE COOKED FOR THERE.

HE WAS BASICALLY THEIR CHEF AND THEIR MAID.

BUT HE DID INFLUENCE A LOT OF PEOPLE.

HE WAS MYSTIC AND HE HAD EASTERN PHILOSOPHIES.

AND HE WOULD TRY AND ADAPT NUMBERS FROM SHOWS,

AND SAY, "IF YOU DID THIS, IF YOU DID THAT,

IT WOULD BE MORE SPIRITUAL," OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT A LOT OF US DIDN’T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT SPIRITUALITY,

WE WERE JUST UP THERE TO HAVE A GOOD TIME.

ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS AROUND THE STRANGEST GROUP OF PEOPLE

THAT I HAD EVER MET.

BUT HIBISCUS LET ME IN, YOU SEE, BECAUSE HE WAS MY UH, MY FRIEND...

EVEN THOUGH OF COURSE IT WAS LIKE LETTING IN,

SHALL WE SAY, WELL...

IF IT WERE A ZOO, IT WAS THE WRONG CREATURE TO HAVE LET IN.

\h\h\h\h ( chorus ) \h\h\h\h♪ ... IN SHANGHAI ALWAYS SORRY, ALL BLUE ♪

♪ ON THE DOCKS OF SHANGHAI ♪

♪ WE’LL BE WAITING \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR YOU ♪

\h\h\h\h( Rumi ) EACH SHOW BECAME MORE SCRIPTED

UNTIL BY THE TIME WE WERE DOING "PEARLS OVER SHANGHAI"

WE ACTUALLY HAD A SCRIPT \h\h\h\h IN FRONT OF US.

♪ ... SOON, SHANGHAI, \h\h\h\hYOU’LL BE MINE ♪

( Scrumbly ) "PEARLS OVER SHANGHAI"

STARTS WITH THE THREE GIRLS, SORT OF ANDREWS SISTERS TRIO,

ARRIVE ON THE DOCKS AT SHANGHAI.

WE WERE "DELIGHTFUL," "DELUXE" AND "DELICIOUS."

AND I WAS DELICIOUS.

AND THEN THEY MEET THE POPULACE,

AND THE POPULACE SINGS THIS BIG "SHANGHAI THE GLORIOUS CITY."

\h\h\h\h ♪ SHANGHAI, WHERE THEY DINE ON YOUR MORAL ATTITUDE ♪

♪ SHANGHAI, THE HOTTEST TOWN OF ANY LATITUDE ♪

♪ SHANGHAI, YOU’LL BE BEGGING AND BORROWING ♪

THE GIRLS GET KIDNAPPED,

TAKEN TO MADAM GINSLING’S WHOREHOUSE.

MADAM GINSLING SAYS, "HA, HA, HA, WHITE SLAVERY."

IT TURNS OUT TO BE A HAPPY ENDING IN THE END,

BUT THE PLOT DOESN’T MATTER, RIGHT ?

♪ ... GOOD OLD SHANGHAI... ♪

( applause )

\h\h\h\h ( Reggie ) I THINK PEOPLE WERE WORKING TOWARD STRUCTURE

FROM THE BEGINNING.

HIBISCUS DIDN’T NEED THAT.

\h\h\h\h ALL HE NEEDED WAS A BIG HEADDRESS

AND JUST TO BE ONSTAGE, THAT WAS THE SHOW.

\h\h\h\h ♪ SWEET TEMPLE BELLS PINING FOR THE SOUND WE LOVE ♪

♪ SWEET TEMPLE BELLS OFFERING TO LIKENESS OF ♪

\h\h\h\h ♪ SWEET MELODY HOW IT BRINGS THE MOONLIGHT OUT ♪

♪ HOW I PLAY A BELL IN TIME ♪

♪ SWEET BELLS ♪

( applause )

HIBISCUS AND I HAD THE BEST COSTUME--

FOR OUR CHINESE COSTUMES.

AND AT ONE POINT THERE WERE COSTUMES STOLEN FROM THE CHINESE OPERA,

THE PEKING OPERA THAT CAME.

OOH, GOD, YOU WANT ME TO GET INTO THAT ?

THE CHINESE OPERA DID PERFORM AT THE THEATER

WHEN WE WEREN’T THERE.

THEY LEFT A TRUNK AND THE COCKETTES GOT INTO THEIR TRUNK.

I KNOW THAT THEY DID "PEARLS OVER SHANGHAI"

\h\h\h\h NOT TOO LONG AFTER THE MISSING COSTUME AROSE.

\h\h\h\h SO, ONE CAN PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER.

EVENTUALLY, I HAD TO \h\h\h\h PAY FOR THEM.

EVERYBODY STOLE.

IT WAS REALLY POLITICALLY CORRECT TO SHOPLIFT

AND TO STEAL THINGS FOR A SHOW.

I STOLE FILM FOR MY SHOWS, THEY STOLE SETS, COSTUMES...

EVERYBODY DID, IT WAS A VERY-- TIME OF COMPLETE ANARCHY

IN SAN FRANCISCO.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE THOUGHT SEXY, WE THOUGHT LENIN, YOU KNOW.

NOT VERY GOOD THOUGHTS \h\h\h\h ON PROPERTY

AND WHO SHOULD HAVE IT.

I DON’T KNOW HOW ANYONE LIVED-- NO ONE I KNEW WORKED, EVER.

WE WORKED ON OUR OWN PROJECTS, WE WERE BUSY--

BUT WORK WAS NOT EXACTLY--

WHO COULD GET A JOB LOOKING LIKE THAT ?

JOBS ?

WAS THAT A 3-LETTER WORD OR A 4-LETTER WORD ?

WELL, I DIDN’T WORK, I WAS DISABLED.

MY EPILEPSY DOES SORT OF, YOU KNOW--

"YOU’RE DISABLED, YOU HAVE EPILEPSY, OH MY DEAR."

I DEFINITELY DIDN’T WANNA TAKE JOB AT THAT POINT,

I WANTED TO STAY FREE.

EVERY PLACE I FOUND MYSELF KEPT SAYING KEEP GOING LIKE THIS.

( Rumi ) FROM MY RECOLLECTION, UM,

NO ONE HAD A STRAIGHT JOB EXCEPT BIG DARRYL.

HE WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH A STRAIGHT JOB.

THAT’S WHY WE MADE HIM OUR TREASURER, RIGHT.

I WAS THE ONLY WORKING COCKETTE.

DURING THE COCKETTES I WAS ON WELFARE.

( Dawn ) I’D SAY A GOOD 90% OF US

WERE WELFARE BABIES.

BUT IT WAS FREE MONEY, IT WAS GIVEN OUT TO EVERYBODY.

MANY PEOPLE GOT A.T.D.-- AID TO THE TOTALLY DISABLED.

I WAS TURNED DOWN, THEY TOLD ME I WAS INSANE

BUT NOT PERMANENTLY.

\h\h\h\h ( Kalmen ) AND ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS PROVE YOU WERE CRAZY,

OR THAT YOU COULDN’T WORK OR THAT SOMETHING WAS, YOU KNOW,

WRONG UP HERE,

AND YOU GOT FOOD STAMPS AND BUS TOKENS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

( Pam ) JOHN FLOWERS AND A BUNCH OF THEM,

AND LINK, NO, THEY WOULDN’T GIVE IT TO LINK.

HE WENT INTO IT IN A NEHRU BLACK AND WHITE STRIPED,

EGYPTIAN HAT AND ROBE AND HE THREW UP ON THE DESK

AND THEY WOULDN’T GIVE IT TO HIM.

IT WAS A GRANT, ACTUALLY, FROM THE GOVERNMENT,

TO CONTINUE YOUR INSANE LIFESTYLE IN THE ARTS IN SAN FRANCISCO.

SO A.T.D. WAS A GOOD THING,

IT JUST MAYBE WASN’T WHAT THE GOVERNMENT

ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR IT.

( Kalmen ) WHEN REAGAN GOT ELECTED

HE JUST WIPED OUT ALL THAT STUFF.

ONE MESSAGE CAN BE GIVEN IN TWO WORDS: GROW UP.

BUT AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED IT WAS REAL.

AND IT WAS REAL TO ME TO GET THE FUNDING

TO BE ABLE TO LIVE BECAUSE I DIDN’T THINK I COULD WORK.

WELL, I’M ON SOCIAL SECURITY NOW,

I’M A MANIC DEPRESSIVE SO I STILL AM DISABLED.

PEOPLE WEREN’T JUST GOING AND SPENDING IT ALL ON

\h\h\h\h SHOOTING UP OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

THEY WERE ACTUALLY PRODUCING SOMETHING

\h\h\h\hFOR THE COMMUNITY AROUND THAT EVERYBODY COULD ENJOY.

WOULDN’T IT BE FUN IF WE DID OUR VERSION OF TRICIA’S WEDDING

AND SHOWED IT AT THE PALACE ON THE NIGHT OF THE WEDDING ?

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) WE ARRIVE NOT KNOWING--

OF COURSE, THIS IS TYPICAL COCKETTE--

NOBODY KNEW ANY DIALOGUE,

\h\h\h\h WE NEVER HAD A RUN-THROUGH, NOTHING.

THIS WAS THE DAY OF FILMING.

\h\h\h\h IT WAS JUST COMPLETELY TYPICAL.

AND AS WE’RE PUTTING ON \h\h\h\h OUR MAKEUP

WE’RE GIVEN LINES OF DIALOGUE TO MEMORIZE.

AND YOU KNOW, I WAS GOLDA MEIR.

OH, YOU KNOW.

AS A JEWISH MOTHER I KNOW EXACTLY HOW SHE FEELS.

( man ) AND THE NOW MRS. JACQUELINE ONASSIS.

GOOD EVENING.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE BACK IN THE WHITE HOUSE ?

I JUST CAN’T BELIEVE IT-- IT’S SO TACKY !

( Sebastian ) JOHN ROTHERMEL RAN AWAY WITH IT AS MAMIE.

( man ) THE MOTHER OF OUR COUNTRY, MAMIE EISENHOWER.

( raspy laugh )

I WAS NOTORIOUS FOR MY LAUGH,

WHICH WAS REALLY ECCENTRIC.

SO THEY INSTANTLY PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER

AND MADE ME PHYLLIS DILLER-- I WAS REAL SURPRISED.

( raspy laugh )

( man ) WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US ROSE KENNEDY,

THE MATRIARCH OF THE KENNEDY FAMILY.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING ?

STRONG.

IS IT A FUNERAL ?

NO, NO, THIS IS A WEDDING, DEAR.

IN THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT.

IS IT A FUNERAL ?

I WAS, UH, EDDIE COX, THE GROOM.

I THINK I DID PRETTY WELL.

I LOOKED LIKE SOMEBODY WHO WAS MARRYING TRICIA COX.

♪ BECAUSE ♪

♪ YOU COME TO ME ♪

( Glitters ) "WE’RE DOING A MOVIE, GOLDIE,

"WE NEED YOU, YOU ARE THE STAR OF THE MOVIE.

"WE NEED YOU TO BE IN SAN FRANCISCO

AT SUCH AND SUCH A TIME."

AND I SAID, "BUT WHAT WILL I WEAR ?"

"DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT, IT’S BEEN ALL TAKEN CARE OF."

♪ ... ME ♪

AND THAT MOMENT WHEN GOLDIE IS UNVEILED,

AND THE SHRIEK THAT CAME UP FROM THE AUDIENCE

WILL STAY WITH ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

I REMEMBER AT THE PREMIERE OF THE MOVIE...

THEY SAID, "LOOK, THAT GOLDIE GLITTERS

HAS A FACE TO HAVE SUNK A THOUSAND SHIPS."

AND I WAS QUITE HAPPY.

AFTER ALL, I WAS THE STAR OF THE MOVIE, SO I THOUGHT,

WELL, YOU KNOW, THEY STILL REMEMBER THE NAME.

AND NOW--

LADYBIRD JOHNSON, WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE ?!

HOWDY, FOLKS !

\h\h\h\h( crowd ) HOWDY, LADYBIRD !

♪ HI HO THE DERRY-O MAMIE CUTS THE CAKE ♪

( laughs, applause )

AND I ALSO POURED THE L.S.D. IN THE PUNCH.

\h\h\h\hTHAT WAS A GOOD, THAT WAS A GOOD SCENE.

IS IT A FUNERAL ?

( Waters ) THAT WAS TERRORISM, YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN.

THAT WAS BASICALLY SOMETHING THAT THE WHITE HOUSE

WAS HUMILIATED BY.

ALL THE PAPERS THE NEXT DAY SAID

THE COCKETTES VERSION OF TRICIA’S WEDDING

BEAT TRICIA NIXON’S WEDDING BY 100 PERCENT.

( Scrumbly ) PAM AND I WERE GREAT FRIENDS.

WE HAD A LOT OF FUN AND SHE DESERVED THE NAME,

SHE’S TOTALLY SWEET.

HE USED TO MAKE HIS OWN CLOTHES AND HE WOULD HAVE LIKE,

YOU KNOW, DOILY TYPE VESTS, AND HIS PANTS WERE MADE OUT OF

OLD FLORAL DRAPERY \h\h\h\h FROM THE ’40s.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, \h\h\h\hJUST WILD STUFF.

OH, I WAS CRAZY ABOUT HIM IMMEDIATELY, YOU KNOW.

AND EVERYBODY LOOKED UP \h\h\h\h TO SCRUMBLY

BECAUSE HE WAS SO ORGANIZED, HE COULD TAKE ACID

BUT HE WAS ALWAYS TOGETHER, HE HAD THE UNDERPINNINGS.

WE LIVED TOGETHER AT THE FLAT.

FOR SOME REASON WE WERE NAKED ALL THE TIME.

NOBODY LIKED TO WEAR CLOTHES IF THEY DIDN’T HAVE TO.

SO WE WERE DANCING, AND SUDDENLY,

PART OF THE DANCE WAS HAVING SEX, ISN’T THAT FUN ?

UH... YES, WE FELL INTO BED WITH EACH OTHER, YOU KNOW ?

HE WAS GAY, IS GAY,

BUT ALL THE SEXUAL \h\h\h\h LINES BLURRED.

\h\h\h\h I THINK IT WAS THE PSYCHEDELICS,

AND WE GOT VERY CLOSE AND UH,

IT JUST WAS NORMAL AND NATURAL AND IT HAPPENED,

\h\h\h\h AND YOU KNOW, THE BABY HAPPENED AND...

WE GOT MARRIED ON MOUNT TAM

FOR ROLLING STONE AND OUR PARENTS.

AND FOR THE BLENDER !

YOU KNOW, THERE’S PICTURES FROM ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE,

ONLY THEY TOOK ME THROUGH \h\h\h\hA FISH-EYE LENS.

I’VE NEVER SEEN A MORE UNATTRACTIVE PHOTOGRAPH \h\h\h\h IN MY LIFE !

I ABOUT DIED.

IF YOU’RE EVER GONNA BE IN ROLLING STONE,

YOU’D LIKE IT TO BE \h\h\h\h HALFWAY DECENT.

\h\h\h\h ( Flowers ) \h\h\h\h "WILL SUCCESS SPOIL MEDIOCRITY ?"

AND THAT WAS SECRETLY \h\h\h\h OUR MOTTO.

I HAD NO IDEA HOW POPULAR WE WERE EVEN BECOMING

UNTIL THE MAGAZINE ARTICLES STARTED COMING OUT.

I SAW JANIS JOPLIN IN THE STREET AND SHE WAVED TO ME.

"YOU’RE GOLDIE GLITTERS OF THE FABULOUS COCKETTES."

I’D SAY, "WELL, YES I AM."

"CAN WE PLEASE HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH ?"

WITH PROFESSIONALISM CAME PEOPLES’ EGOS,

PEOPLE FIGHTING FOR THEIR MOMENT IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

IT WASN’T THE CAMARADERIE \h\h\h\h TO THE EXTENT

THAT HIBISCUS WANTED US-- \h\h\h\hONE HAPPY FAMILY

\h\h\h\h SINGING TO THE REST OF OUR FAMILY.

THE CROWDS GOT SO BIG THAT THAT PLACE COULD HARDLY--

THEY WERE IN THE AISLES.

( Rumi ) SOMEONE WAS MAKING MONEY OFF THE DEAL.

WE WERE OBVIOUSLY PLAYING TO PACKED, PACKED HOUSES

THREE NIGHTS A WEEKEND AND UH,

SOMEONE WAS MAKING SOME GOOD MONEY.

IF YOU COULD SING AND DANCE AND DELIVER LINES,

YOU WERE GETTING MAYBE $25 OR $30 FOR THE ENTIRE PRODUCTION--

NOT A NIGHT, FOR THE ENTIRE PRODUCTION.

BY THE TIME THE MONEY WOULD FILTER DOWN TO THE PERFORMERS

I REMEMBER HAVING ENOUGH

FOR A PAIR OF FALSE EYELASHES FOR THE NEXT SHOW.

( Fayette ) FROM THE BEGINNING HIBISCUS CALLED IT

THE "ANGELS OF LIGHT FREE THEATER."

THE FACT THAT WE WERE GETTING MONEY FOR THE SHOWS,

THAT ALWAYS BUGGED HIBISCUS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Scrumbly ) HIBISCUS AND THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO DO JUST FREE SHOWS

THOUGHT OF SEBASTIAN AS AN OGRE, JUST EVIL PERSON.

( Hibiscus ) LIKE AS LONG AS SEBASTIAN HAS THE NAME,

HE DOESN’T CARE WHO THE FUCK’S UP THERE IN DRAG,

SO I THINK HE’S A WORM.

WE WERE CHARGING $2 TO A SHOW.

HOW COULD THEY POSSIBLY THINK

THAT WE WERE MAKING \h\h\h\hA LOT OF MONEY ?

( Scrumbly ) HE WAS ALWAYS TURNING A BLIND EYE TO EVERYTHING,

LIKE US LETTING TONS OF PEOPLE IN FOR FREE

AND ALWAYS ALSO WAS GENEROUS WITH THE PASSES.

THERE WAS ALWAYS THIS DISTRUST, THOUGH,

BECAUSE HE WAS AN ACCOUNTANT, HE WASN’T AN ARTIST.

\h\h\h\h ( Jilala ) IT WAS ON PAPER AND IT WAS NAILED TO THE WALLS.

AND IT WAS A MANIFESTO \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF SORTS.

AND I SAID UH, YOU KNOW,

THAT MAGICIANS THAT DO \h\h\h\hPAY PERFORMANCES,

IT WAS AS THOUGH THEY WERE PULLING

DEAD RABBITS OUT OF HATS.

( Ralph ) HE WOULD WRITE THINGS ALL OVER THE WALLS

OR BIG POEMS IN LIPSTICK ALL OVER

ABOUT HOW THEY WERE GOING TO RUIN,

AND IT’S ALL THE WRONG APPROACH TO LIFE.

AND THAT’S JUST--

ALL KINDS OF STUFF THAT WAS MORE OF THE IRVING CAMP.

I SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WERE LIKE SPIRITUAL PEOPLE

DOING VAUDEVILLE SHOWS.

ANYWAY, I WAS WELL-HATED.

BUT THERE I AM AN INTERLOPER, I’M A GUEST, I’M HIBISCUS’ UH...

STRANGE RELATIVE, YOU KNOW ?

( Scrumbly ) JOHN FLOWERS SAID, "THAT’S IT, I’M MOVING OUT."

SO I SAID, "OH, DON’T DO THAT !

WELL, IF YOU’RE MOVING OUT MAYBE I’LL MOVE TOO."

\h\h\h\hI WAS PROTECTING HIBISCUS, MY ASSET.

YOU KNOW, I JUST SAW HIM AS A GRAND TEACHER.

HE WOULD DRAW PEOPLE TO HIM, HE WAS MAGNETIC, YOU KNOW,

HE HAD GREATER POWER \h\h\h\h THAN I THOUGHT

SEBASTIAN COULD EVER USE,

IN A MORE WONDROUS \h\h\h\hSORT OF THEATER.

AND ESPECIALLY WITH HIM AT THE CENTER OF IT,

WHICH IS ALL HE REALLY WANTED.

( maniacal laugh )

( Flowers ) THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING MYSELF,

THAT WERE INTO MAKING THE COCKETTES MORE PROFESSIONAL

AND WANTED TO GET AWAY FROM HIBISCUS’ NONCHALANT ATTITUDE

AS FAR AS ORGANIZATION GOES.

( Fayette ) SO THEN WE STARTED HAVING MEETINGS.

I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEVER DID BEFORE.

WE HAD TO GET SERIOUS.

THERE WAS A BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COCKETTES.

I WAS NOT PART OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BECAUSE I, WELL, I GUESS I WAS MOUTHY...

I WAS HONEST, AND I KNEW WHAT PEOPLE WANTED TO SEE.

OF COURSE KREEMAH RITZ WANTED ALWAYS

TO HAVE THE OVERSAY OF EVERYTHING.

NO MORE MAKE-UP !

\h\h\h\h NO MORE BARE MIDRIFF !

NO MORE UNDERARM DEODORANT !

THAT’S THE RULES, IF YOU DON’T FOLLOW THESE RULES FROM NOW ON YOU’RE FIRED !

( Sebastian ) HIBISCUS WAS DEMANDING THAT WE DO FREE SHOWS

AND I WAS ADAMANT THAT WE WEREN’T GOING TO DO FREE SHOWS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Reggie ) HIBISCUS KNEW WHAT HE WANTED.

IT WASN’T WHAT THE COCKETTES WERE DOING.

KREEMAH RITZ KNEW WHAT HE WANTED,

\h\h\h\h IT WASN’T WHAT HIBISCUS WAS DOING.

AND I THINK PEOPLE JUST WENT THEIR SEPARATE WAYS.

( Kreemah Ritz ) "YOU DON’T WANNA BE IN THE COCKETTES ANYMORE ?

FINE, BUT I’M KEEPING THE NAME."

THAT’S WHEN I COPYRIGHTED THE NAME AND SAID,

"WELL, IF WE’RE GONNA GO ON LIKE THIS

WE’RE NOT GONNA START OVER FROM SCRATCH AGAIN."

HE DIDN’T WANT TO USE THE NAME COCKETTES,

HE LIKED THE ANGELS OF LIGHT, HE THOUGHT IT WAS MORE ETHEREAL.

SO, HE DIDN’T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH ME KEEPING THE COCKETTES

AND HE TOOK THE ANGELS AND OFF HE WENT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) BUT IN THE END, I THINK, IT WASN’T THE MONEY,

WHICH THERE WAS VERY LITTLE OF TO BEGIN WITH,

BUT IT WAS THE STRUCTURE AND THE PROFESSIONALISM

THAT HE SAW CREEPING IN THAT TURNED HIM OFF COMPLETELY.

( Ralph ) WHAT THE ANGELS WANTED TO DO WAS THIS WILD, COSMIC THEATER,

WHICH I WAS FAR MORE INTERESTED IN.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Jilala ) NOT JUST A BUSBY BERKELEY REVIEW

\h\h\h\h BUT A MAJESTIC SACRAMENTAL EXPERIENCE.

( man singing low-pitched ) ♪ WHEN THE VOICES ♪

\h\h\h\h ♪ OF CHILDREN ARE HEARD ON THE HILL ♪

♪ LAUGHING IS HEARD \h\h\h\h ON THE GREEN ♪

I LOVED IT, I LOVED THE FREENESS OF IT ALL,

NOT HAVING TO BE PROFESSIONAL ABOUT SINGING.

AND IT WAS STILL THE SAME IDEA OF FABULOUS, FREE AND FOOD.

AND WE DIDN’T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT TICKET SALES OR, YOU KNOW,

OR CRITICISM.

♪ ... AND ALL THE HILLS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hECHOED ♪

♪ AND ALL THE HILLS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hECHOED ♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Jilala ) THE FUN ASPECT WAS PRIMARY.

\h\h\h\h THE FUN ASPECT ACTUALLY WAS SECONDARY.

THE PRIMARY THING WAS LOOKING FOR BOYFRIENDS, YOU SEE,

AND THE SHOWS WERE THE VEHICLE.

♪ ... ECHOED ♪

( applause )

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Reggie ) WHEN HIBISCUS WENT HIS WAY,

THAT’S WHEN WE STARTED LIKE, DOING ALL THE SLICK STUFF.

I THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE FAMOUS

AND WE WERE GONNA MAKE MONEY, SO I STAYED WITH THE COCKETTES.

♪ HOSANNA ♪

♪ HOSANNA ♪

♪ HOSANNA ♪

( Dawn ) "TINSEL TARTS IN A HOT COMA."

♪ DA-DA DA-DA DA DA ♪

OKAY, THAT WAS A ’30s SHOW.

( Scrumbly ) THROW 20 SONGS UP

AND EVERY BUSBY BERKELEY CHORUS LINE CLICHE YOU CAN THINK OF

AND CALL IT "TINSEL TARTS IN A HOT COMA."

WHO KNOWS WHAT THAT WAS, IT WAS FUN.

( Glitters ) REX REED, UM, TRUMAN CAPOTE,

AND ALL THOSE PEOPLE WERE IN THE AUDIENCE.

AND OF COURSE WE DIDN’T REALLY CARE.

WE KNEW WHO HE WAS, WE KNOW WHO THEY WERE, BUT IT WAS LIKE, "SO ?"

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) AND WE WENT ON STAGE--

\h\h\h\h THE SAME MISSED CUES, THE SAME SCENERY FALLING DOWN.

THE SAME BASIC ACT \h\h\h\h YOU EVER SEE.

AND HE’D NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT,

’CAUSE IT WAS SO LOOSE AND INSANE.

AND HE WROTE AN ENTIRE COLUMN ABOUT THE SHOW.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h( Kreemah Ritz ) THIS WAS SYNDICATED IN LIKE,

150 DIFFERENT NEWSPAPERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SOME PEOPLE I’M SURE IT WAS MAYBE THE FIRST EXPERIENCE

THEY’D EVER HAD WITH THE WORD "COCKETTES."

SO HE WROTE THIS ARTICLE ABOUT IT,

AND THAT’S HOW ERROL WETSON GOT INVOLVED AS A PRODUCER.

HE WANTED TO BRING THE SHOW TO NEW YORK.

AND THAT PUT US INTO A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME.

TRUMAN CAPOTE AND JOANNE CARSON SAW THIS SHOW,

AND THEY WERE ALL RAVING HOW SENSATIONAL IT IS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND I SAID, WELL, BASED ON THEIR ENDORSEMENT,

BASED ON, ON YOUR WORD, WELL, COUNT ME IN.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( man ) ♪ OH, GET THE BEAT OF PEOPLE’S FEET ♪

♪ TRUCKING UP AND DOWN \h\h\h\h THE STREET ♪

♪ AND DO THE NEW YORK ♪

♪ OH, GET THE SOUND OF CRASH AND POUND ♪

♪ OF THE SUBWAYS UNDERGROUND ♪

♪ AND DO THE NEW YORK ♪

( Fayette ) AT THIS POINT WE ALL THOUGHT WE WERE IN A ’30s MUSICAL,

AND WE WERE GOING TO NEW YORK.

WHEN NEW YORK WAS AVAILABLE FOR US AND WANTED US

IT WAS JUST LIKE, "I DON’T BELIEVE IT,"

BUT IT WAS REAL.

OH, THAT TOUR TO NEW YORK--

AND THIS IS ALL WHEN EVERYTHING HIT THE FAN.

♪ ... AND DO THE NEW YORK ♪

WE DECIDED TO TAKE THE TWO SHOWS--

"TINSEL TARTS IN A HOT COMA" AND "PEARLS OVER SHANGHAI,"

WHICH WAS MY PERSONAL FAVORITE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hI REFUSED TO GO \h\h\h\h BECAUSE I THOUGHT, "YOU’RE GOING TO NEW YORK,

"WHY NOT MOUNT SOMETHING BRAND NEW FOR NEW YORK

\h\h\h\h "RATHER THAN DO TWO OLD MOLDY SHOWS

THAT HAD BEEN DONE INTO THE GROUND ?"

SOME PEOPLE BACKED OUT, THEY DIDN’T WANNA GO.

THEY FELT THAT IT WAS AN INTRUSION

OF THE OTHER WORLD, YOU KNOW, THE STRAIGHT WORLD

WAS SOMEHOW GONNA CONTAMINATE THIS EXPERIENCE.

WELL, WE FLEW TO NEW YORK, ALL 47 COCKETTES--

EVERYBODY WAS A COCKETTE.

EVERYBODY WANTED TO JUMP IN AT THAT TIME, AND THEY DID.

I GUESS YOU WOULD’VE CALLED IT FIRST-CLASS

BECAUSE WE HAD THE FRONT HALF OF THE PLANE

WITH THE LOUNGE UP ABOVE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) \h\h\h\h AND NOBODY KNEW WHAT TO MAKE OF US.

LINK WAS IN A SWIMSUIT WITH A MISS AMERICA BANNER

AND A MINK COAT AND HIGH HEELS.

THERE WAS ONE LITTLE OLD LADY WHO TURNED TO ONE OF THEM

AND SAID, "ARE YOU A MAN OR A WOMAN ?"

THEY’D BE WEARING ALL THESE JUST HIGH HEELS AND GLITTER,

AND PEOPLE WOULD TRY TO BE COOL ABOUT IT AND NOT LOOK,

BUT PEOPLE WERE JUST IN SHOCK.

( Marshall ) THERE WERE A FEW BUSINESSMEN IN FIRST-CLASS.

AND THEY ALL ENDED UP WITH DRAG QUEENS ON THEIR LAP

GETTING PICTURES TAKEN.

THEY HAD FUN.

I WAS TERRORIZED TO FLY.

I WENT UP TO THE BAR AND I SAID,

"IS THERE A MAN IN THE HOUSE THAT’LL BUY A LADY A DRINK ?"

AND THIS GUY, THIS TEXAS GUY SAYS,

"I’LL BUY YOU A DRINK, MA’AM, WHAT WILL YOU HAVE ?"

AND I SAID, "OH, THE LADIES DRINK

CREME DE MENTHE AND KAHLUA."

( Fayette ) I HAD MY MARLENE DIETRICH VEILS ON

AND A BIG HAT TO ARRIVE IN MANHATTAN.

BY THE TIME I GOT THERE

EVERYTHING WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE-- EYELASHES.

BECAUSE WE WERE ALL SO DRUNK BY THE TIME WE GOT THERE.

IT WAS LIKE THE ROSE BOWL PARADE, COMING OUT OF A PLANE.

IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING-- I MEAN--

HONEY, TO SHOCK ME.

THERE, ONE AT A TIME, OFF THE PLANE CAME

30, 40, 50 OF THE GREATEST CHARACTERS UH,

YOU KNOW, NEW YORK HAS SEEN IN-- SINCE THE COPA GIRLS LEFT.

THEY GOT US THE BEST IN NEW YORK AS WELL AS ON THE AIRPLANE.

( Fayette ) AND THEN WE STAYED IN THE ALBERT HOTEL,

WHICH WAS THE BIGGEST FLEABAG IN THE VILLAGE.

I MEAN, IT WAS A DERELICT HOTEL.

WE ALL GOT REALLY NICE ROOMS, IT WAS A NICE HOTEL.

OKAY, HOLD ON.

( Maureen Orth ) BUT THEY WERE PUT INTO THIS HIDEOUS

SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY HOTEL WHICH WAS FILLED WITH COCKROACHES.

\h\h\h\h ( Marshall ) AND THE ALBERT’S FAMOUS,

YOU CAN SCORE FROM \h\h\h\h THE BELLHOPS.

YOU KNOW, "IT’S NEW YORK, \h\h\h\h YOU CAN SCORE."

( Sylvia Miles ) THE ANDERSON WAS A BIG THEATER,

THAT WAS THE YIDDISH ART THEATER.

THAT WAS LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A TEMPLE,

A HOLY TEMPLE FOR ACTORS.

WHEN WE ARRIVED IN NEW YORK

EXPECTING A READY THEATER \h\h\h\h TO GO INTO,

WE FOUND THAT WE HAD THIS BIG SHELL OF A THEATER

FOR LIKE, 5,000 PEOPLE.

THERE WAS NO SOUND SYSTEM, THERE WAS NO LIGHTING SYSTEM.

WELCOME TO THE GLAMOROUS ANDERSON THEATRE

PROVIDED FOR US BY THE ZERLERS.

IF YOU CAN GAZE UP THERE FOR A MINUTE

AT THE LOVELY QUALITIES OF THIS THEATER.

HOW WE HAD TO WORK OVERTIME FOR NOTHING,

HOW WE WERE FOUGHT AT EVERY STEP OVER OUR CARDBOARD,

OVER OUR SETS, OVER OUR WHOLE PRODUCTION STAFF.

OUR LUXURIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS ARE A BIT MORE RAUNCHY THAN THIS

WHERE THE ROACHES HAVE FORMED THEIR OWN ROAD COMPANY OF "HELLO DOLLY."

( Fayette ) THE STAGE WAS ABOUT THREE TIMES THE SIZE OF THE PALACE.

AND SO OUR SETS WERE JUST LIKE

A LITTLE THIMBLE ON A BIG BOARD OR SOMETHING,

SO WE HAD TO COMPLETELY REDO EVERYTHING.

AND THEN WE STARTED REHEARSING, WE REHEARSED FOR TWO WEEKS.

WE NEVER HAD REHEARSALS.

WE REHEARSED AND REHEARSED AND REHEARSED AND REHEARSED

AND I ALMOST DIED REHEARSING.

OF COURSE, THE QUEENS, THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN REHEARSING

AS EVERYONE WANTED TO GIVE US A PARTY.

( Errol Wetson ) THERE WAS A RUMOR GOING AROUND

THAT THE COCKETTES WERE SEEN ALL OVER TOWN,

EVERYWHERE BUT AT REHEARSAL.

\h\h\h\h THEY WERE JUST ENJOYING PARTYING,

BEING THE HOTTEST GUYS IN TOWN.

I DO REMEMBER THAT FIRST NIGHT PARTY.

OSCAR DE LA RENTA AND DIANA VREELAND

CAME TO SEE THE COCKETTES,

AND THEY CAME THROUGH THE DOOR ONE BY ONE.

AND PEOPLE LIKE DE LA RENTA AND DIANA VREELAND

WERE JUST AWESTRUCK.

\h\h\h\h ( Reggie ) AND I WAS WEARING THAT FAMOUS WHITE DRESS

WITH TEARDROP PEARLS AND MY ASS HANGING OUT.

WELL, MAX’S KANSAS CITY WAS WHERE THEY ENDED UP HANGING OUT.

AND I REMEMBER ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG WAS THERE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h( Kreemah Ritz ) AND WE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT WE DIDN’T HAVE MUCH MONEY,

AND HE GAVE US WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A BIG DEAL-- $1,000.

HE COULD HAVE GIVEN US 10,000 AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN

A LOT MORE BENEFICIAL TO US, WE COULD HAVE USED IT.

( Pam ) WE WERE STARVING-- NOBODY GAVE US ANY--

IT WAS AS BAD AS SAN FRANCISCO,

ONLY WE DIDN’T HAVE OUR CHECKS,

WE WERE BASICALLY EATING AT COCKTAIL PARTIES.

AND IT WAS LIKE, ANDY WARHOL’S PARTY.

YOU HAD TO BE THERE, YOU HAD TO BE IN MY SHOES

AND I STILL HAD TO PINCH MYSELF.

"IS THIS REAL ? THIS IS REAL."

AND THAT WAS FUN, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALL PLAYING.

WE DIDN’T REALIZE THAT THEIR PLAYING

WAS DIFFERENT THAN OUR PLAYING.

CERTAINLY, DRAG IN NEW YORK IS NOT NEW, IT WAS NEVER NEW.

IT WAS-- WHEN I WAS A KID, AND I’M OF, YOU KNOW,

SOMEWHAT ADVANCED YEARS, IT WAS, IT WAS OLD HAT ALREADY.

WE’RE RICH...

WE’RE FAMOUS...

WE’RE BEAUTIFUL.

AND MISERABLE.

AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE THIS WAR

BETWEEN SAN FRANCISCO AND THE NEW YORK GIRLS.

\h\h\h\h THE NEW YORK GIRLS-- WE WERE SERIOUS, YOU KNOW,

WE HAD TO LOOK REAL.

I WANTED TO TRY TO GET BACK ON WELFARE,

BE RESPECTABLE, HAVE A NICE PLACE.

SAN FRANCISCO THEY WERE ALL ON DRUGS, YOU KNOW,

AND SMOKING AND DOING L.S.D. AND YOU KNOW.

WE WERE TOO FREAKY FOR ’EM...

JUST LIKE THEY WERE TOO FREAKY FOR US.

IT WAS COUNTERCULTURE, EAST AND WEST, TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

\h\h\h\h ( Holly Woodlawn ) WE WERE ANDY WARHOL SUPERSTARS--

CANDY DARLING, JACKIE CURTIS AND I, SO WE WERE,

YOU KNOW, WE HAD ATTITUDE.

THERE WAS NO HIPPIE NEW YORK.

IT WAS EITHER YOU WERE A BIG SHOT OR NOBODY.

( Orth ) AND SO HERE WERE THESE VERY SORT OF

SUPER HIP, SUPER COOL, DONE IT ALL,

SEEN IT ALL, JADED NEW YORKERS

COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THESE LIKE,

WEST COAST SCREAMERS WHO JUST WERE SO HAPPY !

AND THEN I BECAME FRIENDS WITH GOLDIE GLITTERS

\h\h\h\hWHO WAS-- THE WORST MOUTH !

WHEN WE WERE IN NEW YORK I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH

TO MEET HOLLY WOODLAWN. SHE WORKED FOR ANDY WARHOL.

SO DID THIS OTHER QUEEN AND SHE WAS "I’M SO GAY"--

CANDY DARLING.

WE USED TO GO TO MAX’S KANSAS CITY

AND HOLLY USED TO ALWAYS TRIP HER.

SO SHE’D GO FLYING DOWN ON THE FLOOR, RIGHT ?

I’D BE, BY THEN, UP ON THE TABLE,

SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS,

"IS THE MANAGER THERE ? IS THE MANAGER THERE ?

"THERE’S A QUEEN ON THE FLOOR !

OH, OH, I’M SORRY, IT’S CANDY DARLING."

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Sebastian ) \h\h\h\h THIS WAS OUR FIRST TIME TO BE AT A LEGITIMATE HOUR.

WE WERE NO LONGER UNDERGROUND.

"WOW, THIS IS IT, WE’VE HIT BIG TIME."

( Glitters ) EVERYBODY IN NEW YORK WANTED TO SEE THE COCKETTES

ON STAGE AT THE ANDERSON THEATRE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) WE TRIED TO HAVE A RUN-THROUGH, BUT WE NEVER COULD.

THEY WERE WORKING ON THE STAGE, THERE WERE POWER SAWS GOING.

THERE WAS NEVER LIGHTING CUES CHECKED, NOTHING WAS DONE,

THERE WAS NEVER A SOUND CHECK.

( Fayette ) WE DIDN’T PREVIEW, BUT INSTEAD WE JUST OPENED !

WE JUST FLOPPED IT ON THE STAGE AND OPENED !

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Scrumbly ) \h\h\h\h I WAS UP UNTIL FIVE IN THE MORNING THE NIGHT BEFORE

TRYING TO GET THE LIGHTING, KNOWING NOTHING ABOUT LIGHTS,

BUT BEING THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD CALL HIMSELF ANYTHING NEAR A DIRECTOR.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) \h\h\h\h WE HAD PEOPLE CALLING UP SAYING,

"JOHN LENNON’S PARTY WANTS TO GET TICKETS."

EVERYBODY WAS IN THE AUDIENCE

AND JOHN LENNON, MY IDOL, WAS LOOKING AT ME.

AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE JUST ONE OF OUR SHOWS.

BUT IN NEW YORK, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE A REAL SHOW.

( applause )

♪ HEY, HI-DE-HO WE’RE IN A COMA ♪

\h\h\h\h♪ FEELING THE WAY WE DO ♪

♪ WE TENDER HEARTS \h\h\h\h GO CRAZY ♪

♪ CRUISIN’ AND GROOVIN’ \h\h\h\h WITH YOU ♪

\h\h\h\h♪ AIN’T WE DELUXE DOESN’T OUR HEART STOP ♪

♪ JUST FOR A MOMENT \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOR TWO ♪

♪ DOESN’T OUR SMELLY FARTS SMELL WHEN I’M DANCING WITH YOU ♪

\h\h\h\h♪ DOES IT PUT OFF DOESN’T IT SHOW US ♪

♪ WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ♪

♪ IF WE CONTINUE OUR VICES ♪

\h\h\h\h ♪ MAYBE WE’LL WORK SOMETHING OUT ♪

\h\h\h\h ♪ MAYBE WE’LL WORK THE THING OUT ♪

OH BABY !

IT WAS LIKE A BIG BOMB.

IT WAS LIKE, NOT JUST A BOMB LIKE A THUD,

I MEAN, THIS WAS LIKE... "WHAT IS IT ?"

\h\h\h\h THE CURTAINS OPEN AND I COULD FEEL THE AUDIENCE.

IT WAS LIKE, I KNEW, IT WAS GOING IN THE DUMPER.

THEY COULD NOT GET OUT OF THAT THEATER FAST ENOUGH.

AND UH... IT HURT, IT REALLY DID.

PEOPLE FLED.

THEY GOT UP AND FLED, IT WAS SO TERRIBLE.

IT’S THREE YEARS OLD AND \h\h\h\h IT’S BORING.

IT’S FIVE YEARS OLD \h\h\h\hAND IT’S BORING.

IT WAS TOTALLY INEPT AND UH, REALLY DISAPPOINTING.

I’M BASICALLY NOT MAD,

I’M DISAPPOINTED AND SORRY FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.

\h\h\h\h ( Wetson ) "WHAT DID WE JUST SEE ? WHAT JUST HAPPENED ?

"TELL ME, WAS THIS SORT OF A FLASH ACID TRIP OR SOMETHING ?

TELL ME WHAT JUST HAPPENED."

\h\h\h\h IT’S NO GOOD JUST BEING IN DRAG ANYMORE, YOU KNOW,

ANYBODY COULD DO IT.

YOU GOTTA DELIVER IN NEW YORK.

THEY DIDN’T.

♪ THOUGH I CAN’T FORGET MIDNIGHT IN MANHATTAN ♪

♪ MOONLIGHT IN YOUR EYES... ♪

( applause )

YEAH, THE CRITICS JUST COMPLETELY--

( laughs ) PANNED IT.

BUT, SO WHAT ?

I DON’T REALLY THINK WE CARED MUCH ABOUT THE REVIEWS.

\h\h\h\h I DON’T THINK WE LET IT BOTHER US ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) THEY EXPECTED PROFESSIONAL PERFORMERS WHO HAD AN ACT.

\h\h\h\h AND WE WERE-- THIS WAS OUR LIFESTYLE.

WE WERE ACID FREAKS, \h\h\h\h IF YOU WILL,

FROM ALL SEXUAL PERSUASIONS WHO GOT ONSTAGE,

AND THAT’S WHAT THEY MISSED THE POINT THERE, I THINK.

I GUESS THEY WANTED PERFECTION, YOU KNOW,

EVERYBODY KICKING AT THE SAME TIME,

EVERYBODY A VOICE PERFECT.

THE GRAND QUOTE WAS, "HAVING NO TALENT IS NOT ENOUGH."

AND WE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE BEST THING,

WE THOUGHT THAT WAS PERFECT.

I THINK THE SAD PART WAS,

WAS THAT AFTER THE DISASTER OF OPENING NIGHT

THEY ACTUALLY GOT MUCH BETTER.

THERE WAS A STANDING OVATION THE SECOND NIGHT.

TOO BAD THE CRITICS DON’T COME BACK THE SECOND NIGHT.

AFTER THAT, PEOPLE-- WORD OF MOUTH--

PEOPLE WHO REALLY WANTED TO SEE US CAME TO SEE THE SHOW

AND IT WAS WELL RECEIVED.

THERE WAS A FEW OF US THAT WERE INTO HARD DRUGS.

AND THEY JUST SHOWED UP EVERY NIGHT.

AND WE WOULD HAVE A LITTLE DRUG PARTY THERE

IN THE THEATER AFTER THE SHOW.

\h\h\h\h ( Reggie ) THERE WAS TONS OF HEROIN \h\h\h\h IN NEW YORK

BECAUSE IT WAS \h\h\h\h$3 A BAG.

AND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW MEMBERS OF THE COCKETTES

THAT WERE USING, MYSELF INCLUDED.

THEY WOULD SOMETIMES SAY, "WELL, YOU CAN’T--

BE IN THE SHOW IF YOU’RE GONNA DO THOSE DRUGS."

AND WE JUST SAID, "GET OUT OF HERE,

FORGET ABOUT THAT."

WE WERE THE NAUGHTY KIDS, YOU KNOW, WE WERE NAUGHTY.

YOU COULD UNDERSTAND IT, \h\h\h\hLIKE IN NEW YORK,

THE HEROIN THERE IT’S LIKE WHITE,

GOES RIGHT INTO SOLUTION WHEN YOU ADD WATER.

I MEAN, THE STUFF IS GOOD... YOU KNOW ?

IT’S NOT THIS BROWN MISERY THAT WE GET OUT HERE.

MARSHALL AND I UH, I REMEMBER ONE NIGHT

WE WERE IN THE DRESSING ROOM, WE WERE GETTING READY.

I WOULD SIT THERE AND PAINT MY FACE

MORE ELABORATE THAN THE NIGHT BEFORE.

AND ONE NIGHT MARSHALL CAME IN AND HE’S WATCHING ME DO IT,

LOOKING AT ME IN THE MIRROR.

AND I LOOKED UP AT HIM AND HE SAID,

"HMM, THE DOPE IS REALLY GOOD TONIGHT, HUH ?"

WHEN I LIVED WITH SCRUMBLY, THE BAD DRUG WAS HEROIN.

AND HE AND I ASSIDUOUSLY, UH, KEPT IT OUT OF THE HOUSE.

BUT IT WAS EVERYWHERE, IT WAS ALL AROUND US.

IT WAS A DECADENT SCENE...

IT ALWAYS ENDS IN DESOLATION AND IN FLAMES.

THAT’S HOW IT ENDS.

( applause, cheers )

♪ THE HIP HOORAY AND BALLYHOO ♪

♪ THE LULLABY OF BROADWAY ♪

\h\h\h\h ♪ THE RUMBLE OF THE SUBWAY TRAINS ♪

♪ THE RATTLE OF THE TAXIS ♪

♪ THE DAFFODILS WHO ENTERTAIN ♪

♪ AT ANGELO’S AND MAXIE’S ♪

♪ WHEN A BROADWAY BABY \h\h\h\hSAYS GOOD NIGHT ♪

♪ IT’S EARLY IN THE MORNING ♪

♪ MANHATTAN BABIES DON’T SLEEP TIGHT ♪

♪ UNTIL THE DAWN ♪

\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) IT WAS A REAL COMEDOWN THOUGH.

I THINK THE NEWSPAPER SAID SOMETHING LIKE,

"DRAGGING IT ALL BACK HOME."

IT WAS COVERED BY THE NEWS.

\h\h\h\h THEN OF COURSE CAME THE ARTICLES.

THE BERKELEY BARB HAD A COUPLE OF FEATURED ARTICLES.

\h\h\h\h "COCKETTES LAY $50,000 GOTHAM EGG."

( Kreemah Ritz ) WE REALIZED THAT SAN FRANCISCO WAS OUR HOME,

SAN FRANCISCO WAS WHERE OUR MAINSTAY OF FANS IS.

AND, AS DOROTHY SAID, "THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME."

♪ OF OLD... BROADWAY... ♪

WE ARE THE COCKETTES, THANK YOU.

WE LOVE YOU !

NEW YORK, WE’LL BE BACK SOON.

I MEAN, I THOUGHT IT WAS A PARTY THAT WOULD NEVER END.

I MEAN, I WAS SO HAPPY WITH THE LIFE THAT I THOUGHT,

"WELL, THIS IS IT, THIS IS HOW IT’S GONNA BE FROM NOW ON."

AND, IT WAS-- THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.

\h\h\h\h ( Scrumbly ) ♪ THE JEWELS OF PARIS \h\h\h\h STAY AT HOME ♪

♪ UNTIL THE SUN GOES DOWN ♪

♪ THE JEWELS OF PARIS \h\h\h\h STAY AT HOME ♪

♪ BUT THEN THEY GO TO TOWN ♪

SOME MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT WE WOULD FEEL DEFEATED,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h BUT NO, NOT THE COCKETTES.

SINCE WE LIVED IN OUR OWN \h\h\h\h REALITY ANYWAY.

\h\h\h\h ( chorus ) \h\h\h\h♪ SAPPHIRE STARS IN ALL-NIGHT BARS ♪

♪ USING ALL THEIR \h\h\h\h WILES ♪

( Kreemah Ritz ) WE HAD TO DO A BRAND-NEW SHOW, AND IT HAD TO BE FABULOUS,

AND IT HAD TO BE JUST TEN TIMES BETTER

THAN ANYTHING WE’D EVER DONE BEFORE.

\h\h\h\h MY VERY FAVORITE SHOW WAS "LES ETOILES DU MINUIT."

I CAME OUT AS THE TENOR \h\h\h\h IN A TUXEDO

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND SANG "THE JEWELS OF PARIS."

BUT THEN AFTER THAT WE HAD TO DO A BIGGER AND BETTER SHOW.

AFTER WE DID LES ETOILES WE DID "JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF URANUS,"

OUR SCIENCE FICTION SHOW.

AND DIVINE WAS THE FEATURED STARLET IN THAT,

SHE PLAYED "THE CRAB ON URANUS."

I GET THIS VIBRATION OF RED IN MY EYES.

AND THERE’S DIVINE STANDING IN FRONT OF ME

IN THIS ELECTRIC RED DRESS WITH A FISH TAIL

THAT WENT ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE WING.

AND SHE’S KIND OF WIGGLING AND SHIMMERING,

AND THE WHOLE THING IS SHIMMERING AND VIBRATING.

AND SHE WENT ON THE STAGE, OF COURSE, AND SANG IN THIS OUTFIT

"A CRAB ON URANUS MEANS YOU’RE LOVED" AND BROUGHT DOWN THE HOUSE.

AND OF COURSE EVERYONE WAS JEALOUS AND THOUGHT,

"WHY DIDN’T I SING THAT SONG ?!" YOU KNOW.

BUT NO ONE COULD HAVE DONE IT LIKE DIVINE.

\h\h\h\h ( Sebastian ) "HOT GREEKS" WAS A GREAT SHOW THAT MARTIN WROTE,

"JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF URANUS" WAS GREAT.

"LES ETOILES" WAS BEAUTIFUL.

JUST WONDERFUL IDEAS.

THEY WERE REALLY REACHING \h\h\h\hTHEIR BEST PERIOD

BUT THEY WERE COMING APART TOO.

IT WAS NOT SAD FOR ME WHEN IT ENDED.

IT SEEMED LIKE THE RIGHT TIMING.

IT SEEMED LIKE IT JUST PLAYED ITSELF OUT AND IT WAS TIME.

SO WE WENT OUT WITH A KIND OF A BOW

THAT WAS HANDING OVER THE REINS.

DIVINE PLAYED LAST YEAR’S "MISS DE MEANOR,"

AND WE HELD A MISS DE MEANOR BEAUTY CONTEST.

THE COCKETTES, AS AN ENTITY, THAT WAS OUR BOW OUT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) THINGS KIND OF FIZZLED OUT.

SYLVESTER OF COURSE HAD HIS "HOT BAND"

AND JOHN ROTHERMEL WAS DOING ONE-WOMAN SHOWS.

( Fayette ) I THINK IN THE CULTURE IN GENERAL

THINGS WERE CHANGING AS WELL,

AND A LOT OF THE INNOCENCE WAS GONE.

WITHIN A YEAR, ’72, ’73,

I SAW SO MANY OF MY FRIENDS DYING.

THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I CAN REMEMBER BEING AFRAID.

I WAS REALLY AFRAID.

( Glitters ) GARRY DIED OF A DRUG OVERDOSE.

DANIEL WARE DIED OF A DRUG OVERDOSE.

\h\h\h\h ( Reggie ) A LOT OF THE COCKETTES WENT REALLY FAST...

FROM DRUGS, FROM DRUGS.

THE LAST TIME I TALKED \h\h\h\h WITH HIBISCUS

WAS IN ONE OF THE VERY TOP SUITES OF THE HYATT REGENCY...

WITH LINES OF COCAINE AND CHAMPAGNE AND PIZZA

PAID FOR BY HIS UH, \h\h\h\h SUGAR DADDY.

HE JUST PARADED OUT HIS ARMANI SUITS--

"OH YOU LIKE THIS ONE ? YOU LIKE THIS ONE ?

THIS ONE ONLY COST 2,000."

I WORKED WITH HIBISCUS, HIS LAST PLAY,

I PLAYED "MADAM SHVANSKA."

I LOOK LIKE MADAM SHVANSKA, I WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR.

WE OPENED THE SHOW

AND TWO DAYS LATER HE WAS LIKE, FREEZING AND HAD PNEUMONIA.

AND THEN A WEEK LATER HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL.

AND A WEEK AFTER THAT HE WAS DEAD.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) HIBISCUS, FITTINGLY ENOUGH,

WAS THE FIRST ONE I KNEW TO HAVE AIDS AND DIE OF AIDS.

BUT WE DIDN’T KNOW, WE CALLED IT GAY CANCER.

WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

I KNOW WHEN IT CAME INTO MY LIFE.

AND I WAS UH... IT WAS 1984.

SO UH, I’VE HAD THIS DISEASE FOR 16 YEARS.

A LOT OF MY FRIENDS LIKE WALLY, JOHN ROTHERMEL,

MARTIN WORMAN, SYLVESTER-- DIED OF AIDS.

THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY.

\h\h\h\h I WAS VERY, VERY UM, UPSET ABOUT PRISSY’S DEATH.

UM...

I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY, IT’S BEEN DEVASTATING.

IT’S A FUNNY THING.

HE’S ALWAYS BEEN AWAY AND BACK AND AWAY AND BACK.

NOW, HE DIED IN 1982

AND I STILL THINK OF HIM AS AWAY AND HE’S COMING BACK.

HE’S STILL THERE, HE’S STILL FUNNY,

HE’S STILL...

EITHER TRIPPING US UP OR-- EGGING US ON.

THIS IS MY LITTLE SON OCEAN MOON

WHO ONCE WAS THE STAR OF THE SHOW.

BEING ECCENTRIC,

I THINK I PICKED UP THAT FROM MY MOM.

ALSO BEING ABLE TO DRESS DIFFERENTLY

AND NOT REALLY CARE WHAT PEOPLE THINK.

YOU DO, BUT THEN YOU KIND OF LIKE, ARE PROUD OF IT.

BASICALLY, JUST LOOKING AT THE FUN SIDE OF THINGS,

LOOKING AT THE JOY AND THE SILLINESS OF LIFE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Marshall ) I TELL THE STORY SOMETIMES.

I LIVE IN NORTH BEACH,

I LIVE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM UH, WASHINGTON SQUARE,

THE PALACE THEATER’S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THERE.

SO PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE COCKETTES EVERY SO OFTEN.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h "I WAS ONE." "WHAT, WHAT ?!"

YOU KNOW ?

THE WAY I ALWAYS EXPRESS MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COCKETTES

WAS THAT I, I HAD A TIGER BY THE TAIL

AND I COULDN’T HOLD ON AND I COULDN’T LET GO.

AND THAT SUMMED IT UP FOR ME.

BUT I WOULDN’T TRADE THOSE EXPERIENCES

FOR A BILLION DOLLARS,

THAT WAS THE GREATEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME.

( Reggie ) I STILL FEEL THAT I AM THAT PERSON.

I JUST DON’T HAVE THE ENERGY THAT I HAD THEN,

BUT I STILL FEEL LIKE THAT.

AND I FEEL THAT THE WORLD FOR THE MOST PART,

IS SHIT, YOU KNOW,

WITH THE WARS AND THE BANKS AND THE CORRUPTION

\h\h\h\hAND THE LIES AND THE MALLS AND, YOU KNOW,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h JUST GIVE ME A TORN DRESS, A HIT OF ACID

AND LET’S GO TO THE BEACH, YOU KNOW.

AND THAT’S ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, THAT’S A LOT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h ( Pam ) THERE’S SOMETHING IN ME THAT ALWAYS WILL BE A COCKETTE.

I-- YOU KNOW, I COME FROM \h\h\h\h MY STRAIGHT JOB

\h\h\h\hAND I’M IN A SUIT AND I’M DRIVING HOME

AND I’M SINGING AT THE TOP OF MY VOICE,

\h\h\h\h"FISH GOTTA SWIM, BIRDS GOTTA FLY !"

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYOU KNOW, JUST LIKE HIBISCUS.

♪ FISH GOTTA SWIM BIRDS GOTTA FLY ♪

\h\h\h\h ♪ I GOTTA LOVE ONE MAN ’TIL I DIE ♪

\h\h\h\h ♪ CAN’T HELP LOVIN’ DAT MAN OF MINE ♪

\h\h\h\h ( chorus ) ♪ HE CAN COME HOME AS LATE AS CAN BE ♪

♪ HOME WITHOUT HIM AIN’T NO HOME TO ME ♪

♪ CAN’T HELP LOVIN’ DAT MAN ♪

♪ OF MINE ♪

\h\h\h\h ( man ) ♪ JADED LADY ♪

♪ I’LL FILL YOUR NIGHT’S DESIRE ♪

♪ JADED LADY ♪

♪ LOOK DEEP INTO MY FIRE ♪

♪ ’CAUSE I’M THE HOTTEST, BABY ♪

♪ IN THIS TOWN ♪

♪ JADED LADY ♪

♪ NOW THERE’S A NASTY RUMOR ♪

♪ THAT I’M A FADED LADY ♪

♪ WITHOUT A SENSE OF HUMOR ♪

\h\h\h\h♪ BUT... ( laughs ) ♪

♪ A JADED LADY TAKES IT ♪

♪ LYING DOWN ♪

♪ SPEAK RUSSIAN ♪

♪ AND MY LIPS DRIP \h\h\h\h WITH PASSION ♪

\h\h\h\h ♪ IT’S JUST MY FASHION I’M DOING MY BEST TO CASH IN ♪

♪ BEFORE I’M CAST ASIDE ♪

♪ TO DRIFT OUT WITH THE TIDE NOW, HONEY ♪

\h\h\h\h ♪ DON’T GET NERVOUS SHOULD YOU REQUIRE MY SERVICE ♪

♪ JUST TAKE AFFECTION ♪

♪ AND MAKE A GOOD CONNECTION ♪

( gargle voice ) THAT’S ALL, FOLKS.

BYE.