Harvey Fierstein, Trump, & The Kennedy Center

Support queer and trans small businesses--go to http://pin-ace.com/queencokefrancis to get 15% off on a fabulous collection of Pride pins! Harvey Fierstein is one of the coolest people on the planet, and one of the biggest contributors of queer art and fighters for gay and trans rights for over 50 years. meanwhile, the United States president declared himself the new leader of our national theater to turn it into yet another culture war battleground by promising to ban drag and drag-related performances. this means Fierstein's works, which are defined by drag and radical queerness, will no longer take place at the Kennedy Center, and Fierstein claims he's been banned entirely. today I'm gonna talk about two very different dudes with very different ideas of what theater should be, and what this means for the future of queer art/entertainment in the US! SOURCES I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir (Harvey Fierstein, 2022) New York Times AP News LGBTQ Nation Washington Blade Deadline Playbill FOOTAGE Castle of Aughhhh - Holy Grail - explodingplant Hairspray | 2003 Tony Awards - Matt Hagmeier Curtis Frank n Furter it’s all over - Blues mama Harvey Fierstein wins 1982 Tony Award for Best Play - awardscrazy THE BIRDCAGE (1996) | Albert’s Backstage Breakdown Scene - Amazon MGM Studios La Cage Aux Folles “I Am What I Am” Walter Charles - MOR Music Clips HARVEY FIERSTEIN “I Am What I Am” LA CAGE B’way 2011 - aurora spiderwoman All Stars 2 Cast Performs ‘I Am What I Am’ for Harvey Fierstein - Logo Harvey Fierstein with Barbara Walters on 20/20 (1983) - Cliporama Harvey Fierstein’s Torch Song on Broadway - Torch Song Harvey Fierstein wins 1984 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical - awardscrazy CNN obtained audio of Trump’s call to the new Kennedy Center board - CNN Karoline Leavitt Previews Trump’s Kennedy Center Visit And What Programming Could Look Like - Forbes Breaking News ‘Hamilton’ creator is ‘intolerant’ to the GOP, Kennedy Center director argues - Fox News Long Lost Footage Shows Rudy Guiliani Dressed In Drag with Donald Trump - Inside Edition Finale & End Credits - Cabaret (1972) - Roberto Ortiz ‘The Rum Tum Tugger’ John Partridge | Cats The Musical - The Shows Must Go On! Burning The Books - Germany 1933 - British Pathe ******************************************************** Since a lot of people asked, my pronouns are they/them (but if you say he or she I ain't mad) I've finally set up a Patreon! Support this channel directly and earn an end credit--or more! / queencokefrancis Follow us on Twitch and support this channel and a new charity every year! / queencokefrancis ***************************************************** Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. In other words, I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THIS ASIDE FROM MY CLOWN MUG EQUIPMENT/SOFTWARE: Canon EOS 90D Comica Shotgun Video Mic Neewer Ring Light Kit 18” Adobe Premiere Pro CREDS/SOCIAL MEDIA: Writing/Talent/Editing: Queen Coke Francis IG & TikTok: @queencokefrancis Twitch: QueenCokeFrancis Writing/Graphic Design: Mitchell Pratt IG: @mitchell_brunch