By Hollis Taylor

So this past week I did an old classic song by AC/DC, Big Balls. It was on an album called Dirty Deeds and if you listened to records like I did there was a quick fade between Big Balls and the next song, Rocker. They seemed to go together and many seen it that way.

If I ever play a game with you, although I will use all of my tools and all my abilities as best I can at the moment I will never cheat or even break a rule. I might state that I think a rule is wrong but I won’t break the rule intentionally until I lose respect for you. Its who I am. The song Big Balls was 30 seconds shorter than the minimum length aloud for the “Harrisburg Amateur Drag Race”. I chose to put the first part of Rocker on the end to honor the history of AC/DC, because I truly adore music and see it as a sacred art. I totally punked out my costume just to push it over the top, simply because I think drag is about going over the top! Completely dramatic, Completely radical .

I was simply second and when your doing something like this I will say that its always better to go later, rather than first. When I entered this competition it wasn’t about the crown and although I played the game, I never allowed for my focus to be solely the crown. You see for me this was about awakening my inner Drag King, the one I could see performing in these queer bars I visit occasionally. I want to explore Drag. I want to explore the assumed empowerment of men. I want to strive for balance of male & female in myself. I want to learn as much as I can and put together a few performances. I want to practice my crowd manipulation as a man. Where can this take me? The entire competition I was careful to follow each rule, I read the rule book back to back. If other people don’t follow the rules, that’s ok, but I must know that I did. Most times other people are just ignorant of the rules, its not intentional. I also know about the drag community enough to know that some social behavior is expected and what is looked down on. I know that nobility and honesty are respected among many queens. Also all kings and queens are expected to compete fairly, completely, and peacefully. I just don’t have it in me to be a fierce competitor, I will just peacefully bale out for someone, they need to win more than I do. There are somethings I just won’t push too hard if I know a human is on the other side. My empathy stops me.

I hear the other kings and their struggles, so I reach out to help them. So much so that they finally gave me some competition. I pushed them to step up their game and stop riding on the novelty of a drag king and instead grasp drag by its throat and own it like a true fucking feminist. Be that total and complete man! Be a gentleman! Be peaceful! Show them a different type of man! Know your song! Play with the audience and be sure your outfit is at least near the top! Change your facial hair! They did step it up, they did learn from my presence. It was electrifying to see them finally shine and I happily took my very close elimination with grace. Apparently there was like just a few points and frankly with all that was happening in my life that week – my favorite granny Ava Berg was on her death bed – I have focus on my spiritual life – my god children recently blessed us with a short stay through their travels around the country – I am preparing for some major hosting events that are unusually intense – I am researching my choices for education and my future – there is a special shiny bird grasping my attention in the sky – plus I intensely love my wife & dresser, Arial Rainfire. I was distracted this time and didn’t learn all the intense lyrics to the “lips-inc for your life” performance and I failed. I could have given more but I just didn’t. I am okay with it, if they pushed me out… my mission is accomplished.

Here’s the amazing performance that was early in the show and still an amazing rocker performance as Izzy Ahee:

There was never a question in my head if I would be a good Drag King, yes of course I can be. I am a great adult entertainer, I know this about myself. If I was able to empower my fellow Kings to step up and give those queens a taste of what a King can truly carry to a show. I am so fucking happy I reached my goal. That crown is not mine, there is instead another one that is more fitting for my head, I am sure. I will enter more pageants. I will offer coaching of other kings. I will be a part of the drag community if they will have me. Thus far, they have welcomed me back with open arms. I plan to return as a guest performer after a short break. I also am open to performing with others outside the bar scene. I do plan to get a crown, just not sure which one. So if your running a pageant, please send me your information. I want to enter and I want to win a crown. Apparently it just wasn’t that one. I know there is one for me. Where of where will I find my crown?