There is no shortage of scary clowns in the world, if that’s what you’re into this season. But sometimes you just need a damn sexy clown, right? Well, you’re in luck… this red hot rising star of the city’s burlesque circuit is returning to a monthly Brooklyn residency at The Bedford this Thursday, and he will be driving you in a tiny car to paradise…. Le Petit DumDum!
Thotyssey: DumDum, hello! Wait… should I just be calling you “DumDum?” That sounds mean!
Le Petit DumDum: The truth is often seemingly cruel. DumDum is perfect!
Glad to hear! So last week, you got to be the Door Queen for the Club Cumming debut of Ragamuffin’s queer performance workshop, “Failure!“ How did it go?
Unlike its namesake, it was a huge success. We had a fuckin’ blast! I’m super stoked to be a part of the Failure family. It’s one of my favorite shows, and I think it and Club Cumming are a great fit.
Lots of veteran Brooklyn performers and shows are crossing over into Manhattan these days! Is that a good thing, a bad thing, or just a Thing in your opinion?
It’s just a thing, which ultimately is good. I don’t think anyone is leaving BK for Manhattan; BK is still evolving it’s performance spaces / venues..
That’s true! ANd you’re pretty new to the scene.
I am. It’s only a year and a bit that I’ve been performing as DumDum.
And it’s been quite a year so far; you’ve really taken off! So, where are you from, and how did the world of DumDum come to be?
I’m from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, I grew up on Grand Street, up in the Hillman co-ops near the foot of the Williamsburg Bridge. How DumDum cam to be is kind of an odd, drawn out, not-so-sure-how-interesting story … do you have time / patience? or do you just want a sexy abbreviation?
Well I definitely have time and patience, but if the abbreviation is sexy I’m all aboard the shortbus!
The short-ish of it (it cant be too short, and it’s def. thick … sexy is subjective, really) is, I started a drag journey with my babe of eleven years, Crystal Hart, about two years ago and I quickly took a sharp left into Clown Town. I developed Le Petit DumDum for about 6 months or so via Instagram to bang out what I was doing before I brought it to the stage. It was part thot trolling and part thot prep.
And in this same mix, I was becoming very close with my neighbor, Deity Delgado, who is a NYC burlesque elemental spirit and all around freak! So she guided, and still guides / mentors me in the nightlife realm. That’s the short / thick stick!
Clowns in general are scary, but you are bringing us sexy clown realness. Did you always see a potential sex appeal in clowns, or did you seek to create it?
It kind of created itself. I wanted to “clown” sexiness, and I still do; but it turns out that kinda gets us hot.
Indeed! I saw you in a performance several months ago, during the Bedford show, where you pulled this guy out of the audience and tied him up; it was kinky fun! Was using audience participation like that always your intention, or did it just happen?
It totally just happened, but it’s almost Category: Religion for me now.
Hallelujah! As for the burlesque scene in general, they are a pretty welcoming and supportive group for new people in the fold, right?
Yeah, it’s a pretty open crowd.
These past back-to-back seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Crystal and yourself began hosting a viewing party at a BK straight bar called The Bedford (along with Verduch). There were also guest performing burlesquers and queens each week. That all evolved into The Thursday Night Show, now twice a month at The Bedford. It’s a popular show there… what’s the key to its success?
Our humble, but truly fierce and loyal regulars drive that buggy. All the work and love that Crystal, Verduch, DJ CJCJ and I put in and out is fueled by the support of our fan-fam. Crystal and Verduch have done an amazing job at creating a space that is loving / open and familiar / familial, but balances right on stupid fuckin’ entertaining.
You were in the Mx Nobody Pageant, and won a wildcard spot in the finale… how did you enjoy that experience?
The Mx. Nobody Pageant was beautiful and insane, and a highly recommended experience. I’ve never competed in anything before, and I’m not really a natural competitor, but I was admittedly competitor curious. The pageant was a great way for me to scratch that itch. ‘Cause really, it’s just a cool party where we play a surrealist game of Pin the Tail on 500 Bucks while strangers, friends, and future hookups cheer you on. And why wouldn’t you want to do that, at least once? [Pageant creators] The Nobodies are a brilliant handful of beautiful people that will totally stroke that urge for you.
Matt Knife also does incredible work! You’ll be joining him for his monthly Homo Erectus burlesque revue at Stonewall on Saturday for the Halloween edition!
Matt is phenomenal. He runs an Impeccable show; and is a dear. This week is gonna be super fun! I’m not fully decided on what I’m doing yet, but it will definitely be le petit noir.
Werk! Anything else to report as far as gigs and projects go?
I’ll be at FEMME this Friday with Matty Glitterati at Club Cumming…
…and back again at Homo Erectus next month. There’s always The Thursday Night Show (2nd and 4th Thursday of every month), and I’m at Failure again next month (first Thursday).
Have good gigs! Final question: what’s one thing the world may not yet know about DumDum, but should?
Yes; I’ve had sex in clown-face.
Lol we all saw that Tumblr! Thanks, DumDum!
Le Petit DumDum performs for “The Thursday Night Show” at The Bedford (second and fourth Thursdays, 8pm) and attends the door for “Failure” at Club Cumming (first Thursdays, 8pm). Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Lhis full schedule of upcoming appearances, and follow him on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
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