Lina LecaroCher, Barbra, Dolly, Madonna, Gaga… What makes certain music divas demand adoration — and one word mention– particularly from gays? Sex appeal, flamboyance, stirring musicality and most importantly, a mouth. The wailing women who garner unyielding worship from boy's boys never, ever censor themselves. And we love 'em for it too.
Tuesday night, another legendary lady who always says what she means and means what she says (when you can understand what she's saying) made a rare club appearance at Mr. Black at Bardot to hype her new song: CHARO!
Interviewing the wacky and wondrous Spanish singer and guitarist was more challenging than we thought, not only because the club was packed to the rafters and it was hard to actually get to her, but because of that famous accent.
Flashbacks of '70's Love Boat episodes floated in our head as we sipped champagne with the fast talking performer before her mini-set in the center of Bardot's patio area.
Here's what we were able to decipher from our conversation. Charo's son Shel Rasten is a musician (his new record titled The Boulevard comes out this month). He wrote a song for Britney Spears called “Sexy, Sexy,” and when Charo heard it, she demanded he give it to her.
“Fuck Brinnee Aspear!” she told us as she was getting ready in her dressing room. “I toll him I your mama, you gimme the song or I show you my ceasar scar [caesarian scar from giving birth]!”
Coochie-coochie mama.; Credit: Lina Lecaro
Charo, who's in her early 60s is one of the few gals who can actually still pull off a song like “Sexy, Sexy.” Her figure is insane! We asked how she stayed so fit. “My asecret es I am a stupid bitch and I dance, dance, dance all the tine.” She then proceeded to shake and sing the entirety of “The Macarena” for us in her dressing room. “I help make this song afamous!” Indeed their is a DVD out there that features Charo teaching the dance called “Blame It On the Macarena.” An Amazon order must.
Other fun facts we got from the performer: She lives in both in Hawaii and Beverly Hills (“and dressing rooms and bathrooms and aeroplanes!”); she's been with her hubby, Kjell Rasten (Shel's dad) for over 30 years; she “fights for freedom for all,” as an avid supporter of gay rights and animal rights (check out her video against Bullfighting -she owns a bull named Manolo- here).
Mr. Black's Luke Nero and showy girlies.; Credit: Lina Lecaro
As for the ever beauteous, ever-ambi-curious Mr. Black crowd, they ate up every coochie and bootie grind the lovely, loony Latina served up. Mr. Black's Andres Rigal was celebrating his birthday and Charo serenaded him with an epic “Happy Birthday,” before busting into a “Sexy, Sexy” remix, during which, she grinded on about a dozen of the club's more daring patrons on stage and in the crowd.
Cassie Carpenter, Phylliss Navidad and friends.; Credit: Lina Lecaro
Some of our fave fierce-bots were seen enjoying the caliente cluster-fun: Miss Barbie Q (who emcee'd), James St. James interviewing for his World Of Wonder's Daily Freakshow, Semi-Precious Weapons (back in town to finish recording and hosting another string of Empire parties at On The Rox Wednesdays), Phyliss Navidad (who told us she's planning the biggest Mother bash yet for Memorial Weekend with guests SF's The Honey Soundsystem), promoter/artist Cody Bayne (check out his latest exhibit at (Sub)Urban Home Friday, May 20), clubtress/comedian Cassie Carpenter (at the Comedy Store this Monday, 5/16). These slasher cliques are what we love about Mr. Black and clubs like it: so many colorful, creative people doing so many colorful, creative things. Now that's something to coochie-coochie about!
– Charo will be making an appearance on The George Lopez Show to introduce and teach her new dance, “The Sexy, Sexy,” airing May 18.
– See more photos from Mr. Black in this week's Nightranger slideshow.
– Follow Lina Lecaro on Twitter @L_in_A.
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