Monday evening saw Spin Cycle launch their new weekly event which features a new entertainer and performer taking the stage cabaret-style at Pink Elephant. The venue (blink and you missed it from the outside) gives off a vibe of elegance and downright insanity as guests walk down a dimly lit staircase into a medium sized room and immediately met with a psychedelic overload visually. Think gay funhouse hall of mirrors. Rightfully fitting as this is the house where Billie Holiday once OD’d, a guest informed me. Fucking fabulous!
To kick start this new gin joint, Chip Duckett took the mic to give us all a little history lesson when it came to Bon Soir (the cabaret within the main venue). We were informed that Joan Rivers had given her first big show on 4th of July weekend back in the day, to the dismay of the club owners, because their original comic canceled. Jesus, this place just tastes of history. Or, is that just my martini?
Moving on, the lovely and ultra-talented Dorothy Bishop hopped up to dazzle the room with a mix of hits and lesser known numbers; a few even tongue-in-cheek. Wearing a gorgeously bright silver sequined cocktail dress along with a purple feather boa large enough to make any drag queen cry, Bishop won the crowd over continuously and received thunderous applause as she showed off her talented high C ability all the while ripping on the winners of American Idol and The Voice for being talentless assholes who can’t sing.
Completing her set halfway, she took a moment to speak about her time working alongside Faye Dunaway on the upcoming film Master Class. When speaking to producers she promised not to get all giddy but wanted to thank Dunaway for her performance in Mommie Dearest. “Don’t talk about Mommie Dearest. Faye HATES Mommie Dearest,” was the response Bishop was given. After several more tries Bishop asked, “So, nice weather we’re having, huh?” Producers’ response? “FAYE HATES THE WEATHER.” Hmmm… I guess Chinatown is off limits for discussion, too?
