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NZ Herald
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Comedian Chris Parker On His Boyish & Satirical Sense Of Style
Comedian Chris Parker shares his perspective on fashion, from cultivating a distinct personal style to the scope of menswear in Aotearoa. For comedian Chris Parker, playing the clown isn't an excuse to dress down. 'People have paid to come see me. The least I can do is iron my shirt.' His ensembles are front of mind, as he prepares to head out on tour across Aotearoa for Stop Being So Dramatic. The show explores the titular accusation levelled toward Chris for his whole life through what's promised to be a 'dizzyingly expressive' comedy and drama. For this round of performances, he toyed with screenprinting a 'Surrender Dorothy' T-shirt (yes, from The Wizard Of Oz) or donning a dance-appropriate leotard. Though, he says it's more likely he'll opt for his reliable onstage uniform dressing – there's a rotating cast of cool button-ups, some white singlets and minimalist Thom Morison trousers. He's excited to see more playfulness in the stylings of other comics too – he points to the increasingly digitised mediums of comedy (see: Instagram) and the changing face of broad comedy. 'There was a time where comedy was held by a specific type of male and the industry was blocked off to other people, whereas I think queer comics have always historically used wardrobes to endear themselves to crowd.' Offstage, Chris cultivates slick, boyish and preppy ensembles, revelling in the promise of quality clothing and local designers (even when he's wearing sweats on tour). He's found a need to distinguish between his workwear and his off-duty wardrobe, hence his brainy interest in fashion. 'That's not @chrisparker11 on Instagram, that's mine.' It's playful and youthful. I never really got over that big Scandie pull from like 2015, when everyone was reading Kinfolk magazine. In recent years, I feel myself departing... I think it was the pull I found when I was on The Edge. It was a youth station but I was wanting to dress more maturely. When I go out, I like to be in a really nice shirt and pants and a jacket or a nice knit. Weirdly, an artist who I've always loved and I feel like I've subconsciously pulled from is David Hockney. His style is so colourful and playful, and I really love the palette. I just have an affinity towards it. I like crisp, clean lines [and colours]. I'm really kind of like trying to figure out silhouette more and as a tall guy that's quite hard. I was really scared when all the men were wearing like baby tees because I was like, 'I can't do that'. That's why [I like] this Kowtow [one]... it's playful but it's wearable and it's comfy but it's not just a boring T-shirt. It really feels like it's reflecting who I am. I'm on a real quest for a good T-shirt. I'm trying to kind of grow up in my sense of style while also holding on to a sense of play. Who do you dress for and why? I dress for how I'm feeling – so for me in a way. If I'm feeling kind of drab, then I'll sort of elevate my look to pull myself out of that a little bit. It almost feels like my styling is medicinal in a way. It's a reaction to how I'm feeling. In terms of the public eye... I guess that's why I dress boyish because when I dress masculine jokes start coming my way. People are like, 'oh, you look like a lad'. I think, because of how I position myself in terms of my own gender identity – you know, he/him pronouns, but like not 'one of the boys' – I do feel a bit uncomfortable dressing hypermasculine. This [Kowtow] rugby top, it feels almost satirical in a way, like provocative to wear that sort of stuff. I do love a pair of stubbies, though. I think that it's quite a quintessential New Zealand style. What first drew you into fashion? I think it's that kind of transformative element of it, it's the idea of it all being a costume and wanting to look and feel or present a certain way, which I really like. How do you think clothes and fashion have helped shape your identity? They haven't necessarily helped shape it, but I feel like clothes have been a companion on my identity journey. So, it's like at any inroad, they've been reflecting what I felt at the time. It's always just been like a companion to it all. It reflects where you were at, at any time. I actually just let go of a whole bunch of clothes that I've outgrown at a maturity level. For a young twink somewhere. I wish him well. Is there anything that you find particularly challenging or frustrating about clothing? The scope of menswear. It's actually really, really hard. There's Checks, there's Beach Brains – but again, they're like badass, whereas I'm playing little Christian boy. There was Thom Morison, and there's Porter James. That's my biggest gripe and, obviously ethical practices and sizing. Sizing is just crazy, isn't it? I'm a big unit and I would say the world of fashion is accessible to me, but it is still hard. Whereas I can only imagine people who feel like they're outside of those accessible ranges, it must be impossible. There's still so much work to be done there. Is there any specific piece of style advice that has been very impactful for you? Well, it's like Devil Wears Prada, Meryl Streep doing her cerulean monologue that everything is a reference of something. So, even if you feel like you're not involved in the conversation of fashion, you are a byproduct of it. You are a part of that wider ecosystem of fashion. It's more fun the more you know your references and the more you learn about why you dress the way you dress. It's not trivial, fashion is such an interesting part of the economy, style, politics, gender, race, all of it. I think the more you know about it, then the less you're sort of a victim to the toxic conversations of it. That becomes so much more healthy than 'I don't like the way my shoulders look'. You're making an intellectual choice rather than like a self-defensive [one] because the world's made you feel bad. I love people that have personal style, because they look like them. Chris Parker is on tour across the motu with Stop Being So Dramatic from June 28. He performs at Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland on July 26. More local fashion From emerging talents to statements through style. More on local fashion From NZ designers to local manufacturing. From Warkworth To London, Fashion Designer Kat Tua Is Challenging Māori Stereotypes. Menswear designer Kat Tua talks to Dan Ahwa about a deeply personal bespoke creation designed to underpin the values of her brand Manaaki for an international audience. NZ Jeweller Jessica McCormack Designed Zendaya's Engagement Ring & Opened Her First US Store. The designer has a knack for injecting cool-girl energy into top-dollar pieces. Is 'Made In New Zealand' Clothing Dying? The Reality Of Manufacturing Locally Now. Jessica Beresford looks at the challenges facing the local garment industry, which has been likened to an endangered species, and the designers staunchly protecting it.
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
'Glinda the Good Witch is Full of Sh*t': Queer memoir-stand-up hybrid comes for your inner Dorothy
In his show Tell Me Where Home Is (I'm Starting To Forget), Michael DeBartolo turns The Wizard Of Oz mythos inside out and uses Dorothy Gale as a lens for something much messier: the lifelong battle for queer acceptance, felt by every queer person. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... There's stand-up, spiritual memoir and even jokes about licking Jessica Rabbit's boobs on a TV screen. However, there's also heart - and lots of it. A heart that's been broken, mended, filled with joy, filled with sadness and worn on DeBartolo's sleeve throughout his life. The show is directed by Paul Dederick, who calls it 'an astonishing expression of coming back to our own authentic self: home.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This is a show that isn't afraid to ask one very important question: what happens when the person we are running from is ourselves? Not your average queer coming-of-age, and certainly not your average Dorothy Tell Me Where Home Is (I'm Starting To Forget) Aug 1-9 10.35pm theSpace @ Surgeons' Hall Aug 11-14 10.45pm theSpace @ Symposium Hall Aug 15-16 10.15pm theSpace @ Symposium Hall Aug 18-23 1.05pmtheSpace @ Surgeons' Hall Duration:(50 mins) Age: 18+
Black America Web
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
MFT: Lee Vasi (Even With Hives!) Nailed Her First Audition
Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE Michael Ostuni Auditioning for anything requires you to be as close to perfect as possible — a well-rested body, all the lines memorized and making sure personal appearance is top notch, of course, are all check points on the list. Unfortunately, a hive breakout has no boundaries and usually happens at the absolute worst times. Christian R&B sensation Lee Vasi knows that all too well. In this week's 'My First Time,' the budding star took us back to her first audition as a toddler which proved to be successful even if the hives she was experiencing didn't want her to. RELATED: My First Time – Ivory Scott Looks Back On His First Publishing Deal Thankfully even at seven years old she possessed a level of talent that would lead to her nabbing the role — it was for a Munchkin in a production of The Wizard Of Oz ! — but the ultimate lesson was always about seeing her true beauty beyond fixating on a temporary skin rash. Lee Vasi specifically being a musician that dedicates her lyrical content solely to praising God, it was an early lesson in understanding that love for Him begins with love for self. You'll hear more of that on her upcoming debut album, Love Me To Life , highlighted by the recent single, 'He Is.' The song has only been out for a few weeks, and fans are already gearing up for the rise of a superstar…with or without a hive breakout! Take a look at Christian R&B singer Lee Vasi on 'My First Time' below, and keep an eye out for her debut album, Love Me To Life , when it arrives on May 30: SEE ALSO
The Onion
26-03-2025
- General
- The Onion
Funeral Priest Not Sure How Obliquely To Talk About Hot Air Balloon Accident
TULSA, OK—Expressing concern about the most appropriate way to laud the life of a departed parishioner at her funeral, local priest Father Thomas O'Mannon was reportedly unsure Wednesday how obliquely to speak about the woman's fatal hot air balloon accident. 'I think it's fine to say something like, 'Lisa was an adventurous spirit,' but it's definitely too much to mention the Sky Sailors Hot Air Balloon Company specifically,' said O'Mannon, who crumpled up a draft of the eulogy that had a lengthy paragraph comparing the deceased to a dove flying above the earth. 'The more I think about it, the more I'm realizing that I shouldn't mention anything about 'ascending to heaven' whatsoever. And I think to be on the safe side, I should also lose any references to the sky, floating, expanding, wind, clouds, or The Wizard Of Oz . Okay, back to square one.' At press time, O'Mannon confirmed he had decided to just speak from the heart with an extended diatribe about the importance of wicker maintenance.
The Independent
18-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Drag queen The Vivienne's cause of death revealed by ‘devastated' family
The family of drag queen The Vivienne, who won the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, has revealed their cause of death. The body of James Lee Williams, 32, was found at their Cheshire home on January 5. Their death resulted from a cardiac arrest caused by ketamine use, according to their manager and friend, Simon Jones. A formal inquest is scheduled for June. In a statement, Mr Jones said both he and the drag queen's family felt it was important to reveal their cause of death. He expressed hope that releasing the information would raise awareness about the dangers of ketamine and its effect on the body. 'Ketamine usage is on the rise, particularly amongst young people, and I don't think the full dangers of the drug are being discussed. 'We hope that by working with (charity) Adferiad we can raise vital awareness and give information on how to get help if you are struggling with ketamine usage.' During their appearance on RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Williams had openly discussed a four-year period of drug addiction. 'It was party, drugs, but I couldn't leave the drugs at the party, it was constant for me', they said. Their addiction was a 'habit that caught on a bit too quick and a bit too hard', they said. 'I had to be kicked out of my house and told that I would be dead by the time I was 30. 'It was the loneliest part of my life, I was killing myself … and my family don't even know. I was pissing my life up the wall and I could've been dead now if I didn't do anything about it.' Donna Chaves, from Adferiad, said the charity was grateful to the TV personality's family for their work on the campaign. 'Their courage in sharing James's story will help raise vital awareness of the devastating impact substance use can have. We are seeing a worrying rise in the number of people using ketamine, often unaware of the serious risks it poses to their physical and mental health. ' Addiction can affect anyone, and too many people suffer in silence due to stigma and lack of understanding. 'By opening conversations and challenging misconceptions, we can help prevent further tragedies and support those in need to find hope and recovery.' An inquest into The Vivienne's death was opened and adjourned at Cheshire Coroner's Court in Warrington in February. A full inquest is listed to take place on June 30. The star, who grew up in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, before moving to Liverpool, came third in the 2023 edition of Dancing On Ice. They performed as the Wicked Witch of the West in a UK and Ireland tour of The Wizard Of Oz musical and reprised the role in the West End at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in 2024. They were due back on stage this month as the Childcatcher in a tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a role they first played last year. Their funeral in Bodelwyddan was attended by RuPaul's Drag Race UK contestants Tia Kofi and Baga Chipz, along with Steps singer Ian 'H' Watkins, TV personality Kim Woodburn and Coronation Street actress Claire Sweeney. The Government is seeking expert advice after illegal use of ketamine surged to record levels. In the year ending March 2023, an estimated 299,000 people aged 16 to 59 had reported use of the substance, which is controlled as class B, according to the Home Office. According to the UK national anti-drug advisory service Frank, ketamine is a general anaesthetic that reduces sensations in the body which can make users feel dream-like and detached, chilled, relaxed and happy, but also confused and nauseated.
