LexArts with Anthony Smallwood feat. Helena Handbasket!

A drag persona can be a joke, a shield, a spotlight, or all three at once. We talk with Anthony Smallwood, director of development at LexArts, about what it means to build community through art and what happens when a character like Helena Handbasket grows into “someone” you have to manage, protect, and keep evolving.

We start in the heart of Lexington, Kentucky with LexArts: an arts nonprofit working to make creativity and culture accessible to everyone. Anthony breaks down how fundraising really works, why donations matter, and how grant funding and community review can turn small dollars into real projects, opportunities, and beautification across the city. If you care about Lexington arts, arts education, or how local nonprofits stay alive, you’ll get a grounded look at the mechanics and the mission.

Then we go behind the heels. Anthony shares the origin of his iconic persona, Helena Handbasket--from an LGBTQ advice column to a Fourth of July parade debut, plus what it takes to get ready, why he sometimes sings live, and how drag culture in Lexington has shifted over time. We also dig into drag audience etiquette, the cost and labor behind a three-minute number, and a bigger question: how do we show up as our authentic selves while still making real connections in a complicated world?

Transcript

Persona Vs Person

SPEAKER_00 0:06

But that has to be such a major thing with Helena Handbasket, too, is that like it's a persona, like what do you consider, like an alter ego, she's a different person. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 0:16

She's yeah. She very much I refer to her in third person because she is um, she has taken on a life of her own. And I did like to distinguish that Anthony is not Helena and Helena is not Anthony. And I know that sounds a little crazy, but um, you know. No, it doesn't sound crazy. There are things Helena would do that I would never dream of doing, um, and vice versa.

SPEAKER_00 0:46

I love that.

SPEAKER_02 0:47

Oh, some of the vile and disgusting things I've done to people at drag shows. I think I go home and think, did I just really do that? Oh my gosh. I mean, I some pretty off-color, interesting.

SPEAKER_00 1:03

Um, we're ready. Hit me, give me a story.

SPEAKER_02 1:05

You know, there may or may not have been body parts in my hand at one point or another. That's exactly what we're gonna go with.

SPEAKER_00 1:14

Yes, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:16

Am I holding this at the right distance?

LexArts And A Beloved Old Building

SPEAKER_00 1:18

We're good, great. Okay, Anthony Smallin. Thank you so much for being on the Inside the Block podcast. I've been dying to interview you since forever.

SPEAKER_02 1:27

Since forever.

SPEAKER_00 1:28

Since forever. Since I first laid ice. Well, I'm excited to be here. Thank you, Hon. Absolutely, and thank you for letting us film in Lex Arts.

SPEAKER_02 1:37

This is kind of home away from home for me. Um, I love this old building built in 1904. Um, all of the creaky floors and everything about it, it really desperately needs some major, she needs a facelift and she needs um her inner workings worked on. Um, bathrooms need to be replaced, and there's so much that needs to happen. But gosh, it really we need to find a way to make it happen because this old building is um it was the original YMCA. Oh, cool. I did not know that. And um, and then in 1921, it became the YWCA. Um, and we've had it now for decades. The city ended up with it, and we got it from the city, and now it houses not just LexArts, but other arts organizations, and we have event space, and um, so yeah, I mean I love this whole place.

SPEAKER_00 2:25

Now that you mention it, was this like the gym? This is if we were yeah, it looks like a gym. So funny.

SPEAKER_02 2:32

Um, yeah, look how low that bar is. I wonder how many people fell over.

SPEAKER_00 2:35

Yeah, watching other people play.

SPEAKER_02 2:38

Yeah, anyway.

SPEAKER_00 2:38

Yeah, very cool. So tell us about LexArt. What do you do?

SPEAKER_02 2:42

So I'm the director of development here. Um, so basically, I am the the fundraiser guy, the guy that's out there um that hopefully people don't run from, um, asking for donations and um making people aware of why those donations matter. Um, and I'm passionate about what I do. So it's, you know, I say I'm not really that person that's a salesperson, but I share the opportunity to corporations and individuals to um and give them the opportunity to be connected to something really cool. Um, and if they see the value and the connection and and want to coordinate with us, then that's beautiful. And if not, then maybe Lex Arts isn't their thing. There's enough to go around for everybody. I believe that. And um, and so I'll move on to the next person. I never want anyone to feel pressured into a donation, but we're a pretty cool organization. And knowing that we give back, that we take that money that I that we raise and um we give that back to the right here in our community to for the beautification, you know, to other artists and and leaders of projects so that um our city can be the best, you know, that it can be. That makes me proud. And so, yeah, that's what I do. In a nutshell, that's what I do.

Making Art Accessible To Everyone

SPEAKER_00 4:01

Yeah, and what is the mission of Lex Arts for those that might not know?

SPEAKER_02 4:04

We try to make arts accessible to everyone, and um what that means is not just people that create art, um, you should not be hindered from being able to create because you don't have the money to do so. Um, you know, there are some brilliant, amazing um songwriters and and painters and sculptors out there, but they don't know it yet because they've never picked up an instrument or they they've not ever had access a brush. So making sure that everyone has the opportunity, opportunity to participate in creating art, but on the other side of it, you um appreciating the arts should not be limited to just those people with enough money to buy a ticket to the opera house. You know, theater and music and and gallery spaces like this um need to be accessible to everyone. And so it is a real drive of ours to never ever let anyone sacrifice their love of the arts because they don't have the funds or because they don't have the means to um to appreciate it. And um it's a it's a very um non-judgmental space. Um we are open to everyone, we love everyone, we celebrate everyone. Um, what makes us more colorful and makes us a more fun organization are all of the different, all of the diversity that that is involved with Lex Arts. I mean, we've got all the colors, all the ages, all the genders, all the stuff. Um, and we love it. We love it. We don't just accept it, we thrive on it. That's what makes us who we are.

SPEAKER_00 5:47

I love that. So are there like classes too? And like how how does one get like really involved? Like if I were interested in a certain art form that, you know, speaks to me, but I've never really had access to like the materials or the tools to do that, I just hop on the website or um there are all kinds of resources on our website um that could connect you to other artists and other projects.

Grants And How LexArts Funds Projects

SPEAKER_02 6:09

But there are also like for people that are creating art, they can go on and apply right there from our website um for grant money. Um, and then we, you know, it's a cycle. So then we have a committee, not just people in-house, but people from the community too, a committee that sits and and reads all the applications and decides what would make the biggest bang in our community for the money that they're asking for. And sometimes we can give a full grant, sometimes we can't. Sometimes it's like this sounds worthwhile. We would love to be a sponsor, but we can't be the full sponsor for that project because it would take away from these others, you know, that we see also as necessary to the community. But um, but yeah, so yeah, the website is where you would go to get that information. We've got all kinds of good stuff there.

SPEAKER_00 6:57

Speaking of websites and looking on the deep, deep, dark web, the interwebs. I did a little Google Google of you before I came. Oh, I'm pretty well versed in everything, Anthony Smallwood and Helena Handbasket. And what I will say is that your past employment history has been inspirational. There's no other way to put it. Like you have done so many things inspiring. Well, I did a major career change myself a couple of years ago. And it's, I mean, you were at one point the Lexington Herald Leader obituary manager from 2006 to 2012. Uh-huh. So I like obituaries, arts, how the old bitch and obituary.

SPEAKER_02 7:40

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 7:41

I love it. I love it.

SPEAKER_02 7:43

Fun and funeral heart.

SPEAKER_00 7:44

Yes, yes, the puns. So, what was it like being the obituary manager of the Herald Leader?

SPEAKER_02 7:50

Um, it was good. You know, I was there six and a half years or so. Um, and you know, it was it was a good job. It was when the newspaper business was still, you know, a daily paper and all the stuff and the the crazy daily paper. Before it got online. And yeah. Um, but yeah, I mean, you know, it was an important job. I took it very seriously because that is one of your worst times of your life. Sure. And the last thing you want to see is grandma's name misspelled. Of course. You know, so I mean, we took a lot of pride in making sure it was right and and honoring those who had passed. What led you to oh, sorry. Um, I didn't, you know, people used to say, Oh, didn't that just tear you up to go in and do that every day? Not to be cold hearted or anything, but unless it was someone I knew, it was kind of just data entry. I mean, I was just writing about hypotheticals. I didn't have that personal connection to them. So while it was important to handle that with reverence, I also um didn't get emotional about it. And sometimes somebody would come across the desk and I'd say, Oh, gosh, I knew them, or oh, I went to school with them, or oh, we dated once. One of those. It's like, how'd you live this long? Um, you know, so it there were yes, there could be emotions some days, but yeah, that was fun.

SPEAKER_00 9:11

How could you live without me?

SPEAKER_02 9:12

That's right. My friend Michael was HR um manager, and um, and he is the one that called me and said, Hey, I've got something you ought to do. And I had just moved back to town because we lived um in Minnesota for four and a half years.

SPEAKER_00 9:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 9:28

Um, but we had just moved back to town, and so he said, You need to take your bathrobe off and put on some real clothes and come and apply for this job.

SPEAKER_01 9:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:36

And then when he told me what it was, I laughed at him. I thought he was just messing with me. And he said, No, I'm I'm actually serious, it's open. And I said, Whatever. And I went and applied just to shut him up and got the job. And I was like, Oh, huh. I guess I'm writing obituous now. There you go. Wasn't on my plan, you know, the life plan. What do you want to grow up and do one day? I want to write about dead. I want to write about dead people. Yeah, that was not my thing.

SPEAKER_00 10:08

Um, but it happened. Yeah, yeah, and here we are. Yeah. So did you go in and report to the old Harold Leader building over on like, what is that, Midland, Maine? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:19

Um my office was on the fourth floor. Amazing.

SPEAKER_00 10:21

I love that.

SPEAKER_02 10:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:22

That building has gone through quite uh yeah. Yeah. And that's where I got one of my COVID shots. Was it? Yeah, because it was like defunct, and then all of a sudden it was they were using it as this like pop-up get your COVID vaccine spot. Yeah, you didn't even know that. I know.

Obituaries And Learning Reverence

SPEAKER_02 10:37

There you go.

SPEAKER_00 10:38

Okay, then you were at Avol, community engagement manager. Tell us about your times at Avol.

SPEAKER_02 10:43

Um, you know, that was a really wonderful experience as well. Um, you know, being a man of a certain age, when I was approached about bringing my skills and my knowledge and my um my connections in the community to an organization like Avol, I it didn't take me long to think about it. I knew that it was worthwhile. I knew that it was a good cause. Um, and I felt like I would be a good fit. And for six and a half years, I was a good fit, and it was a good job, and I didn't leave with any kind of animosities or um um, you know, bad feelings. I completely still support their mission of keeping people safe and housed and um healthy. Um, but you know, it was a heavy subject matter every day. And after a while, I just thought, you know what? I need to, I need to, that was that was good. I'm glad I did it. But it's if something else presents itself, yeah, then um I would definitely look at it seriously. And when the Lex Arts thing presented itself, yeah, it was everything I wanted. Because I've always been art in the arts world. Yes. Yes, yes. So I was like, okay, this is it. This is my big, this is the right fit.

Moving Constantly And Finding Confidence

SPEAKER_00 11:57

I'm so glad. Where where were you born and raised? On a different planet.

SPEAKER_02 12:03

Well um born in Richmond, Indiana.

SPEAKER_00 12:07

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 12:07

Um, and raised uh between Richmond, Indiana and Baytyville, Kentucky, and North Vernon, Indiana, and Stanton, Kentucky, and Lexington, and um yeah, all right. Were you a pirate?

SPEAKER_01 12:20

You're just moving around.

SPEAKER_02 12:21

We moved around a lot. I was um, you know, one of those families that we we um we that was fun. Now let's move on. Oh, we're moving to a new city, and so I became that kid that would go into a classroom full of, you know, in the middle of a school year, and everybody already had their friends and everything. And I was the new kid that would walk in, you know, and that happened so many times. By the time I graduated high school, I think I had moved like 28 times um in my life. So it was it was crazy. It was a crazy time, but it taught me life skills that still work with me because I walk into a room, and even when I'm nervous or even if I'm apprehensive or not really in the mood, you just kind of suck it up and realize, okay, yeah, here we go again. Let's turn it on. Let's go make some people lack us. Yeah. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:13

Do you have you ever thought about if you already kind of had that sort of gregarious and outgoing personality and that served you well all of those years you had to do that? Or those experiences affected you to be more like that?

SPEAKER_02 13:26

My answer to that is yes. Um, you know, I I think it was always there inside of me someplace, but I wasn't in situations where I could utilize that. Being from a more conservative, um uh very rural, and nothing wrong with being rural. It was some of my beautiful some of my favorite people are still live out there in the country. Um, but being that kid that was different than most other kids, um you I I did a lot of suppressing whatever that creative side was inside of me as much as I could because you didn't want to draw attention to yourself because you were different, right? And God forbid, as a teenager, you show your differences. You're supposed to be just like everybody else and conform to what's popular and what's cool. And um, so you know, there was a little bit of that, but then I was over here feeling this way and thinking these thoughts and listening to this music while, you know, none of my friends were listening to Barbara Streisand so much when I was in high school. They were listening to Queen, and not that I didn't listen to Queen, I have a bunch of their albums still, but um, but you know, I tell people Barbara Streisand taught me how to sing because I would close my bedroom door and put on my stars-born uh soundtrack and see if I could hold the notes as long as she could and and um sing along with her. So I jokingly say, Barbara Streisand taught me to sing.

SPEAKER_00 14:57

Yes, it had to have been therapeutic. She doesn't know she taught me to sing. She needs to know.

SPEAKER_02 15:02

She should know, and now she will because I'm sure she's watching this.

SPEAKER_00 15:06

We'll send this to her. We'll send this to her. Hey, babs.

SPEAKER_02 15:09

She hates dabs. I think she hates to be called that. I'm sorry, Barbara. Please forgive me.

SPEAKER_00 15:14

We'll call you whatever you want.

Helena Handbasket And The Name Joke

SPEAKER_02 15:15

Okay. Or anything.

SPEAKER_00 15:16

I have a million Helena Handbasket questions.

SPEAKER_02 15:18

Uh Helena Who?

SPEAKER_00 15:21

Helena Who. Helena Handbasket. For any of our listeners or viewers that don't know who Helena Handbasket is. Um, how would I even? I didn't even write this down. Like, how would I bring how would I sum her up on the fly? An icon, a legend, a Lexington legend, but not baseball.

SPEAKER_02 15:37

Um Although she did throw out this first pitch one time.

SPEAKER_00 15:40

Did she?

SPEAKER_02 15:41

Yes, she did. Okay. In a in a a League of Their Own style um sequin dress. Oh, we're from the from the pitcher's mount. She didn't take a few steps forward either. She's bad. She would never baggle. She would never she's she's also sang um um when you said legends, see my mind just boom, squirrel. Um, she has sung the Star Spangled Banner.

SPEAKER_00 16:04

Oh, where?

SPEAKER_02 16:05

At the Legends Parkends Ball Park before a game.

SPEAKER_00 16:08

Fantastic.

SPEAKER_02 16:09

You know, all the fans love that. She's not really sportsy, but she she likes for the boys to have the opportunity to play with the balls, you know, the all the the basketballs and the softballs. That's what I meant. Of course. Of course. And sports ball is fun.

SPEAKER_00 16:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:22

Um, and so yeah, yeah, she supports all the athletes.

SPEAKER_00 16:28

All the athletes, all the athleticism, all the athleticism city of Lexicon.

SPEAKER_02 16:32

Yes, yes, all the bats, all the balls, all the stuff.

SPEAKER_00 16:36

I am embarrassed to say all the bats, especially. I'm embarrassed to say that it I have seen Helena perform multiple times, and I think it was at least two or three years in that I had realized that the name itself is a pun. Is that not the most embarrassing? Like hell in a hand basket, which is a very famous phrase, but I'd always seen it written as Helena hand basket. And I was like, oh, that's funny, you know, and then it like dawned on me. I think I was at a movable feast. One of those. Yeah, I know, just dumb, you know. Well, don't tell her that.

SPEAKER_02 17:13

But you know what? You would be surprised. So many people don't get it. Don't get it. They really don't get it. Or, and and you know they don't get it, especially when Helena's getting ready to do a show and she gets introduced and they say, Here she is from Lexington, Kentucky, Helena uh Handbasket. Or Helena Handbasket. They're trying to make her, you know, this elegant Helena. Yeah. She's worldly traveling. No, she's just Helena, just plain old Helena. And then I tell them, go to Helen uh Handbasket. And they're like, Why are you saying it so slow? You're still not getting it, are you?

Advice Column To Fourth Of July Debut

SPEAKER_00 17:51

But you're pretty. So what is the origin of the name? Um why why did you why did she decide?

SPEAKER_02 17:58

There may or may not have been adult beverages involved, and um and oh gosh, this really is a story. Do you really want this story? Yeah, 1000%. The GLSO then now it's the Pride Center, but the GLSO did a uh monthly newsletter and they wanted content. And just on a fluke, I thought, well, I'll start writing a little article, but I'm gonna do it anonymously, and no one will know who it's who's actually writing the article. So I made it a um an advice column. And like Dear Abbey, kind of like a Dear Abbey thing, but you know, tongue-in-cheek, comedy, um, based aimed more toward um LGBTQ issues and and folks, of course. And um, and so the name of the article became Need Advice dot dot dot question mark go to hell in a handbasket. So that was the play on words, you know, like, oh, you can just go to hell in a handbasket if you think I'm gonna tell you any advice, you know. Well, then so so then we spelled it because we thought that would be the the joke, right? Yeah, um and so people would email in questions and I would answer those questions. And uh about a year into it, um someone sent to the email uh where people would send questions, sent in and asked if Helena would walk in the Fourth of July parade with them that year. And I was like, Oh gosh, uh what does Helena Handbasket even look like? So you hadn't even thought about it before. It's just behind a computer, is all Helena was, and um, and so that's how she was born. And then the first time she was ever out in public was July 4th of 20 uh of 2008. Um, July 4th parade, and um walked the entire parade, wore out a pair of shoes, and the blisters on my heels paid uh told me about it. Um yeah, that was a memory, but but that was the first time in a dress that had been stapled and duct taped together because I had no idea how to use a sewing machine. And um, and people loved her and and um people wanted to hug her, and people um and I thought, well, there's something to this old silliness, yeah, you know. And someone saw me that day who was involved with the Imperial Court of Kentucky, um, another nonprofit in town that raises money for good causes, and they invited me to um come and do one of their shows um to raise money for for their charities, and I kind of got hooked a little bit. I had always done theater since I was in school, um, and so it was kind of just a new way of my theater, but instead of a script, it was a character I developed, and um, so she became part of Anthony's world.

Evolving The Character And The Routine

SPEAKER_00 21:03

How has she developed over the years? Like, has she seen different iterations? Is she changed in certain ways? Good question.

SPEAKER_02 21:12

Um at the beginning of Helena's world, um the advice I always tried to give her was give them what they don't expect. Don't be predictable. Um, don't just do the same old thing, you know, mix it up a little bit, you know, throw on a different color hair or you know, um, wear an outfit that they're like, oh, really? Oh my gosh, I didn't think I'd ever see you in that. I can show some leg. Um so yeah, she she has. She's gone from um, she's taken a lot of chances, and and you know, everything in life changes, right? So she is a lot different than she was when she started in 2008. A lot different. Um, and she's not as progressive. As she will be in 2028.

SPEAKER_00 22:04

Ever evolving.

SPEAKER_02 22:05

We evolve. We love a self-reflective queen. And so I um, you know, I'm sure Helena will have to make lots of changes when she starts, you know, when they bring late night tele television back out now that they've let Stephen Colbert go. Um, because they're gonna probably be calling Helena to host that.

SPEAKER_00 22:24

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 22:25

Um, and and I guess I'll do it. Yeah. That was kind of when I was growing up. They used to say, What do you want to be when you grow up? And I used to say, Johnny Carson. Yeah, a talk show host. Yeah, yeah. So um, yeah. It looks like the funnest job ever. I'm I'm manifesting that as we speak Saints. It's gonna happen. It's like maybe this year, maybe next.

SPEAKER_00 22:44

Yeah, either one is okay. Either one is okay. Um and she'll be ready. I know she will.

SPEAKER_02 22:48

It'll come to me when it's supposed to, if it's supposed to, I believe that.

SPEAKER_00 22:51

How long does it take Helena to get ready for an event and what's involved?

SPEAKER_02 22:57

From the time that these the stubble gets removed from my face to um the time so I sit down in the chair, and from the time I sit down in the chair after shaving until I'm dressed and ready to hit the door, I like to give myself two two full hours. Okay. Um, I've done it in like an hour and 10 minutes. Um, my makeup probably reflected that. Um, but yeah, I like to take a good solid two hours to get ready to make sure that you know they're getting the full, the full Helena.

SPEAKER_00 23:32

Yeah. Give the people what they want.

SPEAKER_02 23:34

Give the people what they want. Right. You know, you know.

How Drag Culture Shifted Over Time

SPEAKER_00 23:38

Yeah. How this is a question I'm really interested in your answer. Um, how has the Lexington drag culture changed over the time that you've seen it? And really, you know, your experience, this is a really big question, but the LGBTQ plus community in Lexington too, you know, then now the future drags, you know, relationship with that. Are we and are we a good this is 16 questions, by the way, at once, but just like a like a bullet-pointed lip. Can I can I get a clip? A little clip note. Um, how do we compare? Like we start with the how do we compare in Lexington to other cities too? I mean, in regards to are we doing a good job and having resources for the queer community? Are we doing a good job with making sure that drag is an opportunity that's out there? Obviously, we're in a really interesting state that likes to create lots of interesting rule, not interesting, horrible, terrible rules, legislation, et cetera. Sorry, you can pick any of those questions.

SPEAKER_02 24:37

Yeah, well, when I was born, as no, um, that's a big question. And yes, um as as we already covered, everything changes. Um gosh, that is such a big question. That how do I address that? Because I've got all kinds of answer answers. Um just from the time I started in 2008 to the drag scene now, yes, it is very different. Um because so much happens online and because so many opinions are out there online, um it's not as I don't feel like there's as strong a connection with all of the performers as there as there once was. I'm sure there are other performers that would argue with me on that, but for me, I don't feel like I'm as much a part of the sisterhood as I used to be. And part of that I blame myself is because I step back and I kind of redefine what works in my life and works for Helena. And um, that's not always the popular thing um in in the local drag culture. But um taking it in the great big picture, being a man of a certain age, I remember going to the bars before the internet, before I ever had a cell phone, before anyone knew what a cell phone was. Um, I remember going to the bars. Yes, I am that old. Um, and I know that surprises you're right. All these all these highlights, shocks gray, silver highlights that um no, I don't make any bones about it. I'm 61. I just turned 61. Um and happy birthday. Thanks. I well, it was a month or two ago. But uh, but you know, I I claim every year because um, you know, I've gotten here, I've whatever it took. But back to your question. Um, I remember when going to the bars, you would meet people, you would talk to people, there was no other way of connecting. So that's kind of where you went. And when you went to see a drag show, it was an event. You went for the show. Now I think it's a lot of we go because it's kind of trendy and it's popular, and then we're gonna get this table of eight that, oh, they were so excited that they're supporting the the LGBTQ, you know, world, and they're oh, they're they're a fan of drag, and then they want to sit there and giggle and talk and and and scream through the whole show. And I'm kind of like, honey, honey, shut your hole, honey, honey, you know, and Helena will speak out as she should in the middle of a show and tell people to show some respect. Absolutely performers. Um, so in that way it's changed, not necessarily for the better. Um, I miss those old days when you walked into a club and you felt that energy and that excitement of just being there. Um, and like I said, when you went into the show, it was a big deal. It wasn't, you know, you you had people that were truly giving giving a performance. You would almost feel like you were watching an episode of the Carol Burnett show because there were skits and there were comedy numbers and there was a dance number, and then there would be a someone in a full gown that gives this torch song, and it was just this well-rounded performance. Um, and you know, there's still a lot of that out there, but it just seems like it's gotten a little more, you know, I don't know. Um, I don't know the word I'm trying to look for, but no, I know what you mean. People assimilate a little bit more than they used to.

SPEAKER_00 28:19

And as somebody I go to the bar complex pretty often and and love the performances that I love it there. Love the girls. Me too, me too. I think they do a really great job. But I, you know, girls and boys. Girls and boys, that's right. Girls and boys, boys and girls. They do a really great job of you know, allowing people to get kind of into it without shutting them down too much. But there's times like people need to be shut down, and it's usually like women, it's like giant groups of women that are there for like bachelorette parties or like girls' night out, and they are can't contain the fact that they want to like they think it's a sing along. Right. And they need, you know, there's this, it's it's really interesting that you brought that up.

SPEAKER_02 28:55

But you know what? Even if it is a sing along, if they're singing along and it's it becomes part of the number, that's I don't even hate that as much as as I do if I'm out there doing a a number and they're having their own conversation, their own party over there, and they're being so loud with that that it takes away from the number. Or, and you know, I'm I've I'm pretty thick skinned. I've learned had to learn how to be. But um, but if the table next to them is really there into the performance and they're being distracted, now you've offended, not just shown no respect to the performer on the stage, whether it be me or whoever it is, but now you've also offended those people because they didn't come here, they're not part of your party. You're stealing from their experience of watching the show. So if you need and want to be that loud, there's tables outside the showroom that you can go and have that party and go upstairs to the dance floor and holler and dance your ass off. But show some respect to the performers that have spent Buku's money. Honey, it's nothing to have a six, seven hundred dollar dress for one number, you know, by the time you get the fabric and and the sequins and all the rhinestones, and then you get a seamstress, a designer to put it together for you. And then, you know, I mean, it's you've it's an investment. And then all the jewelry and the hair, you know, I'm not gonna lie. I used to be a hairdresser, so I've got over a hundred wigs at my house. Oh, honey, yeah. Come on over, we'll play. Um, we'll just I'm gonna we can get all that hair up under a wig. We will we'll dress you right off.

SPEAKER_00 30:35

I'll just shave it.

Drag Brunch Etiquette And The Real Costs

SPEAKER_02 30:36

I'll put you in drag, you'll be fabulous. I would love it. Um, but you know, so it's it they've put all this effort into learning the words. They should know the words. A drag queen that doesn't know the words, I have no no patience for that. Um I agree. But know the words, learn the you know, do a choreography if you want to, or whatever it is. You know, you've paid for the dress, you've got the hair and the jewelry and the nails and the shoes. Show them some respect. They've put so much into that just to walk out for that three, four-minute number, definitely show some respect. Yeah, you owe it to them. Yeah, and it well, if that's not your thing, don't be there. Honey, every drag brunch I've done at Eppings so far, um, since January of 2020, two months before COVID shut everything down, um, we were off for just over a year, and then we started them back up in August of 2021. Um, but knock on wood, every single draunch we've done there so far has been sold out.

SPEAKER_00 31:42

Oh, I know. It's actually really saying that.

SPEAKER_02 31:45

Look at me, look at me. I'm bragging. Hey, yeah, Eppings has done an amazing job of promoting it and providing a space and the food. They are truly um, they're not just a safe space for LGBTQ people, they're a safe space for everyone. They really get that diversity makes the world go around and they celebrate that. That's why I love to attach the Hell in a Handbasket brand with Eppings. Oh, I love that. Um, but it's also a testimony to the girls that, you know, when they come and do our little brunch, they bring their A game, their nicest costumes, they put on a show, they absolutely bring the energy and the performance. And people report back to me, you know, I'm not out there, I'm in the dressing room getting ready for my next number. So I don't always see what they've done out there. But people come back to me and they tell report, you know, this one was great, this one shouldn't have done that. This one should, you know. But I get very few ever negative comments because people know it's a special thing and they bring their A game.

SPEAKER_00 32:46

Um, so is a drag brunch. That was I don't know where I love that though. I love that because Eppings is so inclusive, it's such a beautiful space. Isn't that a great space? And there's and there's the whole warehouse block in general. It's just a really good, um, inclusive, and there's like something for everybody, I feel like there.

SPEAKER_02 33:04

Helena is gonna be at the Willow on Friday, February 13th. Right around doing her one woman show. So that's just live vocals and comedy, no other performers but her. Um and with the piano seven to nine. Um, I think she's gonna actually be using tracks, sadly. She doesn't um she's been trying to hook up with an accompanist, but getting our schedules together and learning, you know, the songs and putting in the time, you know, it's hard to get someone to invest that time into my performance, you know, because they they want to get paid, of course, for the for the performance, but they want to get paid for all of the stuff too. And, you know, let's face it, it's not like Helen is, you know, making the the huge big bucks. So she can't be, oh yes, I'll just drop thousands on that orchestra. I mean, I jazz band and that, you know.

SPEAKER_00 33:58

I heard 100 wigs, I just assumed we were rolling in dough.

SPEAKER_02 34:02

Well, 100 wigs since 2008.

SPEAKER_00 34:04

So it's from the slow burn collection. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But you are so unique in the sense that most, well, for a million reasons, but most drag queens, you know, it's drag is lip sync traditionally. Yeah. And you sing, you actually really sing. Like I heard you sing the national anthem at um the gay polo league of America this past, this past summer, like out on this huge polo field, you know. Why not? Why not? So, where did the the real singing come from? And I've also seen you on the fly sing at TD's lounge on Monday nights and stuff. And I'm like, where's Anthony Helena? Anthony, not Helena, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 34:41

Helena's like not been to TD's yet. That should be fun. I feel like he'd love her. I he's been to Helena's brunch of Eppings, though. Oh, okay, good. TD has. Okay, great. Yeah. Um, where did that come from? Where does that come from? I mean, I think it just comes from the fact that I've always done musical theater um since I was in high school. And so it's kind of a it's I love to sing, and so when it's appropriate to the show I'm doing, I like to throw a song in there, but I still I lip sync also, you know, in my other shows. But like my One Woman show, it's all live vocals. Love it. Um, and stories and jokes, and and um I try to give people lots to laugh at and a little bit to think about and something to take home with them.

SPEAKER_00 35:31

So you're good at that though. You're very witty, you're very quick on your feet. Like you're sometimes even sitting down, like even the like when you're you when you MC for um a movable feast, you know, the diva, the twelve, no, we don't call it, it's not 12 divas of Christmas. Right. Slay sleigh bells.

SPEAKER_02 35:50

Sleigh bells.

SPEAKER_00 35:50

Sleigh bells. I mean, you've got to be quick up there, and you are, and I feel like, you know, I don't know, you're just kind of like a quadruple threat. You got it all.

SPEAKER_02 35:58

Oh, well, I don't know about all that.

SPEAKER_00 36:00

Yeah, I know I do. You don't have something like funny to say back to that, or like something witty, or no. No, not today.

SPEAKER_02 36:13

From now on, this the rest of this interview is I'm just gonna go give you yes and no. Yes and no, yes. That's right. Because I'm tired.

Connecting Without Losing Yourself

SPEAKER_00 36:19

And that's all that we deserve. Um, speaking of the queer community in Lexington, though, uh maybe I I could talk to you for 16 hours, but we'll wrap up just because you have places to go and people to see. I'm busy, busy. Um, there was a quote that you had said at the Kentucky Theater, and it was before Bob Morgan's um Bob's just gonna tell some stories. You were there, uh, or Helena was there.

SPEAKER_02 36:46

And Helena had said And was so proud to be there, by the way.

SPEAKER_00 36:49

Absolutely, yeah. Um, and that that was a really incredible event, I think, for lots of reasons. Yeah, yeah. That meant a lot to the community for sure. Um, you Helena said, I'm a dude in a dress, it's a drag queen. We are here, the freaks, the queers, the social rebels, along with the many of those who love and support us and actually encourage us to be our authentic selves. So, what does the Lexington community mean to you? Mean to like how how and in what ways can Lexington be better about supporting the queer community?

SPEAKER_02 37:23

Phew. The big question. There's gonna be a lot of people um rolling their eyes and and mad at me for this, probably. Um first of all, I think the queer community needs to take a hard cold look at itself, and we need to decide um what it is we're putting out there. Um when we are putting, I mean, you know, society has always needed those rebels and those people that stepped outside the box and, you know, the attention grabbers and you know, the over-the-top to make people think and change and adapt. I mean, that's necessary to a degree. But I don't feel like I think I can do more good being just myself and not having to always put on the show. Um I think I can attract a lot more um people to see the humanity of the LGBTQ community just when I can connect on their level. And that doesn't mean I have to look like them. That doesn't mean I have to think like them, talk like them, act like them, but I do have to connect with them. And if I if what I'm doing is preventing making that connection, then I need to look at myself and say, hmm, why did I offend that person and they walk away just as I was walking up to them? What about my appearance? What about me? And and you know, that could be on them, and maybe sometimes that's gonna happen. I get that. But as long as you're always a little bit aware, self-aware, and cognizant of how is this gonna be received for where I'm going. Um if your desire is to shock and to be in your face and non-apologetic, okay. But if you're if you're trying to connect or get a job or make a friend or get or whatever, you need to consider, don't leave angry because you didn't make that connection if you really didn't do the work to figure out how to connect. And sometimes that's in the way we look, the way we talk, the way we act, not changing who we are. I'm not saying be inauthentic, but I can be just as wild and flamboyant and crazy as I want to be, or I can tone it down, and knowing when is appropriate for each is a to me important. Now, again, this is my opinion. Um I'm sure a lot of the people would just blast me for this because it is the cancellation, you know, the the time and cancel culture culture, yeah. Um and that's my opinion. And I don't make any apologies for who I am or how I think um convince me otherwise. I think I'm open to the all the discussions. See, that's how I grow. When you tell me something I don't know, even something that you observe about me that I might not be self-aware of, you know what? That's how we grow. And I can either choose to agree with you or I can uh choose choose to say, oh, you don't know what you're talking about. But if I look at what you're if I approach it with an open heart and an open mind, and then I self-reflect, it's like, you know what? Huh? Yeah, what about that? She's not wrong, huh? Is that what I want to put out there? And then ask yourself that. And maybe the answer is yes. Maybe the answer is I can do better. So if I said want to say anything to the LGBTQ LGBTQ plus community, um let's do better. We can do better. Present ourselves in a way that is gonna get um the attention we want in the spaces that we want to be in. You know, don't let the way we look at sound prevent us from having the conversations that we have got to have. Um anyway.

Love Story Support And Closing Laughs

SPEAKER_00 41:44

Yeah, no, I think that's beautiful. And you know, and there's also growth in authenticity, like you had said.

SPEAKER_02 41:50

And I I'm not always authentic. I haven't always been authentic. There are moments when I will walk into a room and I am giving them just exactly what I think that they want. Sure. And then I have to dial it back and look at myself and say, What the hell are you doing right now? This is not who you are, this is not who Helena is. Shut up, go sit down. You know, I mean, sometimes I catch myself right mid-sense, and I'm like, Oh my God, these are not my people. I need to go sit down, you know, or oh, I'm I've just offended half the room, you know. But if it's something that I think needs to be said, then I'll just keep on offending. Yeah. But sometimes I might need to dial it back and say, hmm.

SPEAKER_00 42:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:32

It's that code switching in like, but but trying to always be self-aware and try to present an authentic self, which I think is so funny to talk about being authentic when you know, part of my life is here's Anthony and then here's you know Helena. So dressing, creating a character of someone who you are not um is hardly being authentic. But I think she has her own authenticity to present.

SPEAKER_00 42:58

Oh, I would disagree. I think you're authentically, you know, both at the same time, and the way that you handle both is your authenticity shining through. But yeah, I see what you're saying too. I mean it.

SPEAKER_02 43:09

And I couldn't do any of this. I could not um, you know, all of my time and energy and effort that I put into Lex Arts back to that, you know, it is such a passion of mine. And then with Helena creating her own art, um, performance art, you know, um, I couldn't do any of the stuff that I do if it wasn't for I've been in a relationship for 34 years and um and still my best friend, and the love of my life always will be. Um, we will be buried beside each other. We already have a beautiful little piece of property out there at Lexington Cemetery, um, with a with a lake view. Oh, it's a pond. But there's a fountain. There's a fountain. You know. So when when the throngs of people are making their way to bring flowers to you and Jim Varney and Henry Clay.

SPEAKER_00 44:00

All the people. All the people just come and see a salt.

SPEAKER_02 44:02

Just have a little cocktail party. I've ordered a flat headstone so you have a place to set your cocktail.

SPEAKER_00 44:08

Oh, you're so that now that is this that is so kind. Consider it is what you are.

SPEAKER_02 44:13

I'm that I'm thoughtful like that, by golly.

SPEAKER_00 44:16

Thank you so much for talking with us. Well, how would you be able to do that? Oh my gosh, this went so fast. This was fun. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:23

I hope I gave you something you can use.

SPEAKER_00 44:25

Um, so many things.

SPEAKER_02 44:26

So many things.

SPEAKER_00 44:27

So inspirational. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_02 44:29

Yeah, if Helen is nothing, if Anthony's nothing, they are inspirational. And authentic. And authentic and mouthy and fun and loving and hopeful and wishful and spiritual. And oh, she's all the things. He's all the things. We are all the things. Roses are red, violets are blue. I'm schizophrenic. And so am I.

SPEAKER_00 45:00

I love that. So what a way to end it. So inappropriate.

SPEAKER_02 45:04

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 45:04

Okay. Thanks for doing this.

unknown 45:06

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 45:06

Thank you. I love you. Yeah, I love you.

unknown 45:11

Okay.