Eric

Eric

Clown, Sloppy Drag, Baby Bird

“A women I know told me ‘if you’re not going to give the audience something new, they should kill you, you are not worthy of their attention.’ I was like 20 when she told me this and it had a huge impact on me. So now I always worry I’m going to get murdered.”

“ A lot of what I do works better in New York than other places. I do solo shows and curate variety shows. I bring in puppets, two burlesque performers and somebody on stilts. Then I put that together with a singer who’s physically engaging with people, and then throw in a circus performer. It’s not easy to surprise people, but I’ve spent years and years collecting ingredients to make it possible.”

“My personal aspiration were a lot different when I first moved here. I had a path planned out which was to get into musical theater and be on Broadway. Instead I ended up working in nightclubs with avantgarde strippers and contortionists. Frankly, I am having the time of my life. I don’t miss the old dream at all.”

“People come to this city expecting it to be a big version of whatever they were wherever they came from. They want to be able to get the same things while having the convenience of New York. New York will never adjust to your convenience. You have to let the city chew you up and spit you out a whole new person. I would not be everything I am today if this city had not kicked me in the ribs many, many times.”

“I think letting New York beat you up a little bit is a good thing. I’ve taken plenty of punches. Career paths, love affairs, housing situations, roommates, work, lack of work. I think people who haven’t suffered enough are incredibly boring. In order to know what you like, you have to experience a lot of things that you don’t like. In order to actually be a functioning member of this city, you have to let it change you.”

“When I dress to go out I don’t think I am presenting myself as a gendered image. I am just presenting myself as whatever is going to make me laugh and smile. If I was more specific in what I wore and how I did myself up, I would probably work more and date more.”

“What I do is not classic drag. I’m a sloppy, messy, gender weirdo. I love glitter, but I don’t shave my beard, I love eye makeup, but I don’t put breasts in, I love wearing dresses, but I don’t wear lingerie. I don’t see the point in gender clothing. If I wanna wear a skirt I’m gonna wear a skirt. Frankly, skirts are more comfortable than pants.”

“House of Yes is sort of my home. We were an underground location for many years, but now it’s a legal venue. We still try to keep up the energy that was there before it became legal.”

“Things don’t always going according to plan. We were hosting a party, and I did bobbing for dildoes. Not bobbing for apples, I had a bathtub full of dildoes. I thought that they would float, but they didn’t. So it ended up being more diving for dildoes.”

Q&A

“New Yorkers are used to living close to each other and on top of each other, so they understand a lot more about personal space and the lack of it. Here I have to interact with other human bodies every single time I exit my house. Getting on the train, walking on the sidewalk, picking up my coffee. We are also experts at crossing that personal space. New Yorkers are a lot better at getting up in your face than other people.”

What neighborhood do you live in? Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Best thing about living there? I have the community of friends, work, lovers, and local spots in that I have always dreamed of.

Favorite neighborhood in New York? Bushwick for living. West Village for strolling.

Favorite street to stroll? Jane Street.

Why? It’s just so gosh darn beautiful.

Favorite restaurant? Little Frankie’s in the East Village.

Favorite bar? Boobie Trap in Bushwick.

Hidden gem? Sid Gold’s Request Room (especially Amber Zone Mondays followed by Live Piano Karaoke)

How to be(come) a New Yorker? Don’t be afraid if the city beats you up a little bit, enjoy what it has to offer, meet and appreciate the characters, monstrosities, weirdos, and wonder humans, give your personality and sense of self the flexibility to become one. And sleep later.

Your New York soundtrack? Mini Playlist!! Amber Martin Bright Lights Cast Long Shadows, Ssion Comeback, Grace Jones Libertango, Momus Neo-Weimar, Dane Terry Rough Weather, and Lou Reed’s Perfect Day.

5 THINGS THAT TELL A STORY ABOUT ERIC

NEEDLEPOINT “I have this one clown outfit where the back goes all the way up and reveals my butt. It’s one of my favorite costumes and this is one of the most beautiful things I own. This is a portrait of me that I got from one of my best friends who make erotic queer needlepoint.”

TAMPON JEWELRY “My gorgeous friend Darlinda that is like a sister to me, makes these tampon brooches and earrings. They are actual tampons that she covers in crystals. I love them.”

BABY BIRD “My nickname is baby bird because I whistle like one. A friend of mine found a squashed bird on the street that she mummified in puff paint, decorated and gave to me.”

ALICE IN WONDERLAND “My grandmother gave this to me when I was born. Reading this book when I was younger affected my logic and how I choose to see the world. The two biggest shows I ever did was called ‘Alice’ and the other ‘Blunderland’. The way I like to set up shows is almost always a trip down the rabbit hole. Most of my inspiration comes from that book.”

DECK OF CARDS “Bambi the Mermaid is my ‘art mum’ and does these portraits of herself like the tattooed woman, the alligator girl, chicken lady, baby, blow up doll, bearded lady. They’re all her. She has been a constant source of inspiration and guidance, helped me develop and always been a very important person in my life.”