A multi-faceted and highly fashionable entertainer who gained stardom on social media and can currently be found hosting or attending the city’s hottest kikis when not slaying cabaret stages, Jarvis Derrell is the main character of the book we all want to read.
Thotyssey: Hi Jarvis! You recently hosted Frankie Sharp’s “Lollipop” at Red Eye, which featured the debut of Peppermint’s new music group TransSister Radio! How did the night go?
Jarvis Derrell: Hi Jim! “Lollipop” was a delicious success. I mean, any night where I get to work with the likes of Amanda Lepore, while Charlene Incarnate works the dance floor into a frenzy from the DJ booth, is a good good night. Everywhere I turned that night was a sexy feast of hot, queer love. TransSister Radio is It! They opened with their single “Stiletto,” which I downloaded immediately and has constantly been on repeat ever since. Seriously, so much fun!
Speaking of Mr. Sharp, I recall seeing you perform at the last party at his venue Frankie’s Pub not too long ago… that was very bittersweet. Have you known Frankie a long time?
I first met Frankie Sharp back in 2012 at his WEST GAY party! I had heard so much about him, and really wanted to meet him–and come to find out, he had heard about me too! That very first night I met him, he told me he wanted to do something with me, but he didn’t know what just yet. Fast forward to him creating “Ghostlight Mondays” at Frankie’s Pub for me. Every Monday night–you never knew which Broadway star was going to pop in and sing the house down. Ugh… I miss it.
In general, as far as nightlife goes: what do you prefer doing, hosting a party or performing onstage?
Whew, that’s a complex answer, and I simply can’t choose which one I love more. Depends on the night I suppose. During the week–give me a microphone, a stage and a room to command, and I can create magic. But on the weekend, there’s nothing better than being able to hold court with friends old and new, while letting loose on the dance floor of a party I’m hosting.
Can you tell us a bit about where you’re from? For one thing, I understand you came from a very religious and conservative background.
I’m from Pensacola, a beautiful little beach town on the Emerald Coast of Florida which is considered a jewel of the conservative Bible Belt. I was raised in the UPC (United Pentecostal Church) religious sect, which is notoriously more strict and conservative.
How did you discover music and performance?
My love of music was my greatest escape… and through that love, it naturally turned into a flare for performance. I got my first lead role in seventh grade, which then got me into All-County Chorus ( where I soloed) which then took me to All- State (where I also soloed), garnering the attention of the directors of the Pensacola Children’s Chorus (a local extracurricular audition only performing group). We practiced after school every week, at the time boasting over 400 third to twelfth grade performers, who toured and performed all over the world. I joined the group on scholarship at the end of seventh grade and stayed until twelfth grade, which helped me get into college and beyond. Crazy journey, I know.
Who are some of your major musical influences, and some favorite Broadway shows?
What can I say, my taste in music is all over the place… and so are my influences. Growing up, while everyone’s else was listening to Britney, Christina, N’SYNC and Backstreet Boys, I was listening to Charlotte Church, Nina Simone, Lena Horne, Leontyne Price, and Kathleen Battle to name a few. Crazy that these were cheap $1 CDs found at thrift shops and Goodwill… but they absolutely changed my life. It’s also how I bought my first cast recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar, immediately plunging me into a musical theatre obsession that has never left me to this day! My all time favorite Broadway shows are Godspell, Caroline or Change, Urinetown, Aida, and Songs for a New World.
Have you done much stage or screen acting yourself?
Yes, yes, yes, I’ve done it all. I could list all my professional credits and such, but at this place in my life it just doesn’t define me anymore… and I like it that way!
You are very fashion forward as well! Where does that inspo come from?
Oh my goodness, thank you. I get it from some of everywhere, I suppose. Growing up, I used to love going to the library and flipping through old issues of Vogue Magazine and just staring at all the beautiful people in the crazy looks and glamorous dresses. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could one day become one of those people… but here we are, and that’s where we’re going!
You made waves for years as an internet celeb with your @shehashadit Instagram and hashtag, where you largely posted pics of curious NYC subway fashion choices and wrote up some creative and playful commentary for them. It was widely popular! How did that all begin, what’s it like to be well-known for something on social media… and what is the state of @shehashadit today?
“Shehashadit” was [originally] a statement me and my best friend Joshua used to say to each other back in college when we would wake up hungover from a party the night before and such. [The social media version] started on our very first day of living in the city in 2009. Here we were, suitcases and all on the J train heading to our very first apartment in Bushwick when a lady got on the train at Canal Street, sat directly across from us, cursed us out and everyone else who got on and off of the train… yet was knocked out, slobbering and snoring by the time we crossed the Williamsburg Bridge.
On my Canon portable camera (very in back in that day), I snapped a picture of her to share our tale of our first day as New Yorkers. I posted it on my Facebook page, and then later made an photo album called “Shehashadit” which was at first just an album of subway sleepers ( mostly me and Josh). Then it was crazy things I’d see, and then I slowly started to write outrageous stories about these strangers (kinda cringe now, but at the time it was strangely therapeutic).
Fast forward a few years, right when Instagram was blowing up. My friend Rachel Potter who at the time was playing Peron’s Mistress in the 2012 Revival of Evita on Broadway, was living for my “She Has Had It” Facebook album, took it upon herself to create an Instagram account for me! She gave me the password and everything, and then I took it from there.
The rest is history, I suppose. One night, as I was actively being evicted from my Hell’s Kitchen apartment (not my fault), I went to sleep with 40 [social media] followers, woke up to 10k… and then more, and then some more. Rihanna followed, Katy Perry followed, Andy Cohen, Joan Rivers, Naomi Campbell ….then RuPaul. It happened so fast. Then came the DMs and the event invites. Next thing you know, I’m taking meetings at Bravo, NBC and Paramount / Viacom. I’m being profiled and featured in the likes of W Magazine, Paper Magazine, Vanity Fair, even Vogue! Sheesh, what a whirlwind. Looking back, I was overwhelmed and emotionally unprepared for such a star turn.
That eventually lead me to signing a contract with Paramount / Viacom, where I corresponded on red carpets and such for MTV and MTVU. I also shot and filmed over 400 episodes of my own VH1 Web series Jarvis in the Elevator where I interviewed countless celebrities in elevators. Wow, the 2010s were a crazy time to be alive! But the very best to come from all of that was my success as a writer.
As I walked through the many doors that @shehashadit opened for me, I became too busy to keep it all up–not to mention the more I matured, the more I wasn’t so proud of myself benefiting from photos of strangers and creating imaginary narratives about people without their consent. It’s just wasn’t me anymore.
Shehashadit does live on in me still… but now it’s manifested differently, and mostly apart of my onstage persona. I post about once a year now, with the full consent of the featured person.
Did you ever get any personal feedback from the folks you profiled on Shehashadit?
Yes. Most people were all in on the joke, and understood that it wasn’t meant to be a personal attack, and mostly coming from a voice of celebration and tongue in cheek fun. However, one person during the peak of Shehashadit’s success expressed to me that me posting an image of them attracted negative attention and even a few cases of online bullying–which sent me into a spiral of regret and remorse that I couldn’t apologize enough for. I took it down immediately, and thus began my journey towards posting more responsibly.
As far as New York nightlife goes, have you had any favorite or highlighted moment?
“Sunday Services” every Sunday at Therapy back in 2019 with Jan Sport, Jackie Cox and Kizha Carr will always be a show and time that I will never ever forget! It was my life coming full circle, and allowing me to heal church wounds and trauma with queer joy and celebration! It taught me how to hold my own on a stage with three nightlife greats, while also catapulting me headfirst into my gender discovery journey.
Do you worry about “the new generation” not coming out as much, and being introverted? Is that something the media exaggerates, or is it a phase folks might grow out of, or is it a very real problem in your opinion?
I don’t believe in worrying about things that I can’t control. However, I do feel that every generation faces its own problems and obstacles. No one gets anything easy, and perhaps that’s how some of the absolute best art and artists are born. Ambition always finds a way. I find for the most part that this new generation is coming out and coming up despite everything they’re up against. That makes me both proud and envious, because it just wasn’t that easy when I was growing up. We didn’t have the tools. We didn’t have the clarity or appreciation for the spectrum. I believe that the kids will, in fact, be alright! Perhaps better than us all, in spite of it all!
These days, we can find you hosting karaoke Mondays at Playhouse Bar in the West Village! What are those nights like?
Amazing! It’s honestly so much fun! My Monday night karaoke show at Playhouse is kinda two shows in one. The earlier part of the night I host open karaoke where anyone and everyone can get up and sing. Then at midnight, we have a Sing-Off competition where performers can sing whatever they want–even their own music–and at the end of the night, the winner walks away with $100 cash. Every single time, I’m blown away by the ridiculously talented singers who come compete! It’s such a happening that I look forward to every week!
And this just in… you’re bringing karaoke to Seamore’s in DUMBO on Wednesday, April 24th!
What else is on the horizon for you? Maybe something in the recording studio?
There’s a lot of a fun stuff coming up for me: a few new nightlife shows in the works, a summer party… and I’ve recently joined a writing team for a new untitled project with NBC Universal (more on that soon).
I’m very grateful to be where I’m at in life right now, and I can’t see myself taking on anything more at the moment, so no music or recordings. But the future has a way of taking care of itself. In the meantime, in the present, I am happy… and I am fulfilled.
Thanks, Jarvis!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Jarvis Derrell’s upcoming appearances, and follow them on Facebook, Instagram (also see Shehashadit), Twitter and YouTube.
Thotyssey 