Haven't posted a Friday Fabü in ages. Forgive me for dropping the ball, dahling. Busy times, needless to say. Here ya' go!
In honor of Pride and Fabü’s pop culture obsession, I’d like to pay tribute to some of my fave LGBT pop culture icons. Naturally, I must first give props to LGBT rights pioneers such as Frank Kameny, Barbara Gittings, Harvey Milk, Quentin Crisp, Margarethe Cammermeyer, Craig Rodwell and so many others who paved the way to make this list possible. Without them, there would be no gay pop culture. No drag bingo, no Queer Eye, no Harper and Gideon Burtka-Harris, no Pet Shop Boys, no Planet Unicorn … no fun.
Without further ado, I give you the Fabü Pride 2012 LGBT Pop Culture Icon Hall of Fame, in random order … except for number one, because that’s how hard Joan Jett kicks ass.
2. Karl Lagerfeld
After emigrating to Paris at age 14, he went on to create designs for Balmain, Chloe, Valentino, Fendi and more. This master of reinvention is best known as the creative force behind the modern revival of the house of Chanel. In 1997, Vogue crowned him “unparalleled interpreter of the mood of the moment.” Fab fact: Lagerfeld speaks fluent German, English, French and Italian.3. Divine Born Harris Glen Milstead in 1945, this gender-bending cult figure became the international icon of bad taste cinema as the always-shocking drag performer, Divine. After meeting director John Waters at a Baltimore high school, he went on to star in 10 of Waters’ films, usually in the lead role. Fab fact: In Disney’s The Little Mermaid, the character of Ursula (voiced by Pat Carroll) was based on Divine.
4. Meshell Ndegeocello Credited for having sparked the neo-soul movement and being the best female bass player ever, this singer-songwriter, rapper and multi-instrumentalist has had 10 Grammy nominations. She’s collaborated with artists such as Zap Mama, The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Chaka Khan and more. An avid activist, Ndegeocello has helped AIDS charities, the empowerment of Congo women and the It Gets Better project. Fab fact: She decided she wanted to be a musician after listening to Prince.
5. David Sedaris Possibly the funniest American writer alive, Sedaris has developed an astute knack for making people laugh ‘til they nearly wet their pants, all simply by telling his own life stories, including tales of jobs, relationships and dysfunctional families. Fab quote: “After a few months in my parents’ basement, I took an apartment near the state university, where I discovered both crystal methamphetamine and conceptual art. Either one of these things are dangerous, but in combination they have the potential to destroy entire civilizations.”
6. Gaahl I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t shocked when I learned that Gaahl (né Kristian Espedal), front-man for Norwegian black metal band Gorgoroth, was in a close relationship with modeling agent/fur connoisseur Dan DeVero. Go, Gaahl! Kudos for being honest and happily living your truth, sir. Now, Gaahl still rocks among the hardest, yet is also launching a women’s clothing line with DeVero. How perfect is that? Fab facts: 1) Besides Gorgoroth, Gaahl has been involved in the bands Gaahlskagg, Trelldom and Sigfader. 2) Gaahl hates sweatpants.