When I was a youngster, one of my favorite comic book characters was Katy Keene. She was a long-legged fashion queen with jet black hair and I was fascinated by her glamorous image. And I loved cutting out the Katy Keene paper dolls and outfits that appeared in the pages of her comic books.
No one ever discouraged my interest in Katy Keene. In fact, Mom abetted it by helping me cut out the more difficult outfits. (Sometimes I think Mom wanted me to be a girl or maybe she knew I was a girl at heart. Anyway, she always encouraged me in all of my interests including those on the feminine side of the street.)
I don't recall any crossdressing in the pages of Katy Keene, but the new Katy Keene television series has a crossdressing character, Katy’s roommate, named Jorge/Ginger. Jonny Beauchamp plays the character and it is not his first acting stint in a dress – he played transwoman Angelique in the 2014-15 television series Penny Dreadful (you can view a clip from that series here.)
Lucy Hale, the actress playing Katy Keene, is not a long-legged fashion queen. She is only 5 foot 2, but I will give the new series a chance and tune in tonight.
 |
| Wearing Madeleine |
 |
| Jonny Beauchamp (far right) femulates in television’s Katy Keene. View a clip from the show here. |
If you're not in the core cast of Penny Dreadful, oh dear.... ;-)
ReplyDeleteMind you, Johnny looks amazing as Ginger.
https://cdn.what2vue.com/i/s2/common/11379/100_katy-keene_cphoto03.jpg
I remember Angelique very well. I was sorry she didn't become a permanent character on "Penny Dreadful". Here's a link to an interview http://www.newnownext.com/jonny-beauchamp-on-katy-keene-drag-character-and-how-stonewall-nearly-ended-his-career/02/2020/
ReplyDeleteand this has another link showing Drag Race Queen Shangela will make an appearance in a later Katy Keene episode.
The program was pretty good, excellent Drag. I was reminded of the Courtney Act story about how "Shane" tried for Australian Idol and was cut. Then his other side, "Courtney" gave it a try and moved ahead -- then was spotted as Shane, but still continued in the competition (unlike Ginger). I've set my DVR for all new episodes.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone see the Katy Keen show. Anyone doing a review?
ReplyDeleteNot doing a review of the show, but am bothered that the trans character is really just a gay man who does drag. Sure, shows like Drag Race and movies like Wong Foo and many others have raised trans issues, but pop culture in the media tends to skewer toward the drag theme more than the daily struggles of those of us who want to be accepted for who we are. The drag persona is shown too often, I feel, as over-the-top and cartoonish and while helping to raise awareness also tends to hold back acceptance when trans people are portrayed so outlandishly. I wish this character was shown as living full-time as Ginger and not being that individual only on stage. I'd be interested in hearing how others feel about this issue, whether you've seen this new show or not.
ReplyDeleteI could not agree with you more, Jasmine. Drag is so yesterday. Nothing new to see there. But a television series about a crossdressing character living full-time as a woman played for real and not for laughs, would educate the civilian population.
Delete