It's no secret that I am a big fan of Jinkx Monsoon.

From her moments of narcolepsy to her killer performance as Little Edie on RuPaul's Drag Race, this monsoon is leaving the competition drenched.

Jinkx is a force to be reckoned with, on and off the show. But she went beyond the call of duty recently at a performance in New York where she once again donned her kerchief as Edie and, in a brilliant mix of pop-culture references, sang "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Mis as Miss Edie.

Watch the bravura performance below, and listen to the crowd eat it up.

 Sickening. 

Although it's too early to tell who will win this season of RuPaul's Drag Race, it is easy to see who is the most entertaining. 

I've already talked about Ms Jinkx Monsoon, but I recently discovered that someone has created a Twitter feed dedicated entirely to Alyssa Edwards' face.

Genius.

*

Speaking of genius, I recently found out that West Coast drag legend Jackie Beat is having a bit of a hard time with ill health. In fact, Beat is now in need of a double hip replacement. Beat has gone the crowd-sourcing route to help with the cost of the operation, since Beat doesn't have insurance. "I have ever given you a chuckle or made you crack a smile; please slip a little something into the brandy snifter here on mama's piano," Jackie says. You can donate by checking out their Give Forward page. 

To remind you of how awesome Jackie is, check out "Beaver."

After her brava performance during this week's episode of RuPaul's Drag Race, Seattle's self-described "premier narcoleptic drag queen," Jinkx Monsoon, has been popping up a lot more on the internet. Case in point: this wonderful mini-documentary/interview with Jinkx, aka Jerick Hoffer, delves into how Jinkx came to be, her influences and her ideas. It also includes a lovely surprise at the end: her amazing singing voice.

Check it out.

Kudos to Jinkx Monsoon. Boo to the queens who didn't know who Little Edie was.

On the latest episode of RuPaul's Drag Race, the lovely -- and narcoleptic -- Ms Jinkx Monsoon was getting ready with the rest of the queens for this year's edition of the Snatch Game, where each queen dresses up as various celebrities and characters. Well, Ms Monsoon decided to perform her own homage to the kookiest of all high- (and low-) society dames, Little Edie Beale, of the famed Grey Gardens. 

Now in my book, if you're a gay man and don't know who Little Edie is, then that is unfortunate. If you're a drag queen who makes it onto RuPaul's Drag Race and you don't know who she is, then you, my child, are -- if I can appropriate a term -- ovah.

When Jinkx announces her character to the rest of the crew, many of them don't know who she is. Some of the younger (read: inexperienced) queens may be given a little slack for not knowing about Beale, her mother, the Bouvier-Kennedy-Onassis connection, the house, the cats and the raccoons. But for queens like Coco? That's just sad.

Monsoon is genius in the game, throwing shade in ways that goes right over some of those ladies' heads. 

Gawker has video of the episode, or you can watch the whole thing on OUTtv. And really, you should watch the whole thing. 

I'm constantly surprised and pleased by RuPaul's Drag Race alum Willam Belli. 

The queen who was known for getting under people's skin ("Your tone seems very pointed right now") knows how to play the fame game. As soon as she was kicked off Drag Race, a video for "Chow Down at Chick-fil-A" hit the interwebs. And then there's the video for "I Love You Like a Big Schlong," as well as plenty of other little goodies she has worked on.

Well it seems that Willam has hooked up -- musically at least -- with Drake Jensen. Jensen, who hails from Cape Breton, is an openly queer country music singer/songwriter. Their version of Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" is unlike any you've ever heard before. It might even make a contemporary country fan out of me. Although personally, I'd love to see Willam do a zither-playing June Carter Cash.

When Halifax's queer drag icon Lulu LaRude passed away years ago, a scholarship was created in her name.

This weekend, performers are gathering to raise funds for the Lulu LaRude Scholarship Fund. The show takes place at Menz Bar this Saturday, with doors opening at 7:30.

It's hosted by Eureka Love and Farrah Moan, and performers include Mz Menz and Mollyz Kristi Davidson, Rouge Fatale, Elle Noir and special guest from Pink Velvet Burlesque, recent Canadian Burlesque Hall of Fame enductee Miss C.

You can find out more about it at the Facebook event page.

Talent lovers and seekers, drag queens and kings, poets and performers: many have graced the stage at Halifax's 5 Minutes of Fame. 

Unfortunately, that stage is a little quiet right now. Or rather, it's been lost.

Host Eureka Love recently announced on the show's Facebook page that 5 Minutes will no longer be hosted at Reflections Cabaret. When contacted by Xtra, Love stated that the bar wanted to go in a different direction. Love, who has been hosting the show for six years, took over for the original host, Lulu LaRude, when Lulu fell ill.

"This February would have been nine years; I was trying to take it to 10 for Lulu," says Love.

The show has been a stepping stone for many performers in Halifax, especially amongst this city's drag performers, both kings and queens. "I would have never done drag if not for Lulu. I was happy enough just producing the show for her."

As of now, the weekly variety show has no home, but Love is looking into finding a new venue. "I've got a FEW ideas for where we can move to and I'm open to suggestions," she says. 

On the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race, Tyra Sanchez came out on top.

Now, Sanchez is the subject of a documentary, focusing on their life as a performer and father. The film, entitled Drag Dad, is currently in production and is looking for funds via Kickstarter.

There is also a website to help promote the film, and Ms Ru herself has even tweeted about it to lend her support. The film-in-progress has already raised more than $9,000 of the $16,000 needed. We here at Down East wish them all the luck in the world and can't wait to see the finished product.

It's been more than 20 years since it was released, but people are still talking about Paris Is Burning. Its legacy, the criticisms around it and more.

A few months back, I even wrote about my own love for the 1990 documentary. It seems that earlier this week, NPR posted a blog entry about the music behind the film, including interviews with various musicians on how the film, the people portrayed therein, and the sounds they heard in the film influenced them and their art. Artists who were influenced by the film include sissy bounce queen Big Freedia, Hercules and Love Affair mastermind Andy Butler, emcee Zebra Katz and disco edit maestro Prince Language.

To get you in the groove, here are a couple tracks by these artists that you could easily find on any current ballroom dancefloor, from grand Philly soul sophistication to contemporary walking records.

Prince Language's "Please Don't Go." This edit of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' "Don't Leave Me This Way" is a beautiful rework of the soulful, Philadelphia-style records that were often heard during the balls in the '70s and '80s. Style and sophistication.

Hercules & Love Affair, "You Belong," a song strongly influenced by the early '90s New York sound that was popular in ballrooms.

Zebra Katz's "Ima Read," a record with a bassline made for duck walking.

Big Freedia's "Y'all Get Back Now." This record is made for the new floor, the new queens and the new sissies. Bounce that ass, baby.

An open letter to Sharon Needles:

When your name was announced, my fist went up in the air in victory.

I didn't watch Season 3 of Drag Race. I was bored with the show. Pretty and fishy queens "reading" one another, bad reality-tv paradigms and the interesting (read: untraditional) queens usually getting kicked off halfway through the show. No thanks. Next.

But this year I decided to watch. As soon as you walked onto the set, I knew that I was going to be watching, week after week. Here was a queen I could admire. A little punk, a little goth (okay, a lot goth), a little kooky but always well put together. Your drag was well conceived, well put together. You weren't afraid to open your mouth and speak your mind, but you also knew when and how to do it, unlike some cast-mates (* cough* Phi Phi * cough *).

You were the queen for the rest of us. Those of us who were tired of the classic queens who do Judy and Carol, the new queens who do Britney and Beyoncé. You are the avatar for the Siouxsie fans, the Diamanda Galás freaks and the Björk babies.

I salute you, Ms Needles. Not only for your win, but for your unwavering determination in being who you are.

And that is what makes us respect you, more than anything.