Miss Gay America Founder Jerry Peek on a life in the business of drag
by Hollis Hollywood
Jan 1, 2013 RSS
http://www.outandaboutnewspaper.com/article/5704All across the country people are discovering the art of female impersonation, and drag shows are doing big business in most major US cities and many smaller towns. RuPaul's Drag Race has brought attention to the art form to the masses, and drag is appealing to a wider variety of audiences than it has in years.
While dressing onstage as another gender dates back centuries and is found in nearly every culture from shamanic rituals, to societies banning female actors, to vaudeville and beyond, each generation has somehow made its unique mark on the industry. Pageants are a big part of the art of drag and female impersonation, with performers investing countless hours and serious money to perfect their craft and compete for cash, prizes and acclaim. Holding a respected pageant title can increase an artist's booking fee and demand, and each of the national pageants has its own cache.
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Long-time pageant owner Norman Jones is acknowledged as the force behind the success of MGA, owned since 2005 by Larry Tyger and Terry Eason, but without its creator, Nashville native Jerry Peek, the respected competition would not exist today.
Hollis sat down at a Nashville restaurant with Jerry this week and learned about his role in this major part of drag history and found out how he also made his mark on the world of female impersonation in their mutual hometown.
