On Point With: Tara Bull

Representing an all new, all camp drag house who have already appeared on two popular TV shows, Ms. Tara Bull is about to headline a showcase all her own… on one of NYC’s hottest stages. [Cover photo: Clock & Key]

Thotyssey: Hello Tara! You must be busy getting ready for the big show coming up, I can imagine!

Tara Bull: Yes, last minute kaftans to sew and mixes to finalize! I’m so excited!

You’re a very young queen on the scene to be hosting a showcase at such a major venue as City Winery NYC! How did this come about?

Well I used to work there, and I asked if they had available spots… and they said the sooner the better, so we snagged this date and started getting ready!

Amazing! I’m gonna ask more about the show in a bit, but first let’s get a little background on you! Where are you from originally, and how did you begin as a performer / artist?

I’m from Arizona originally. I’ve always been the clown in the room, so drag has just really let me be as loud as possible… and I enjoy every minute I’m dressed up! I always wore my cousin’s dress when I was little, and I was lucky to grow up in a liberal family. My mom almost came to see the show, but couldn’t take the time off. So I’m grateful to dress up and lip sync to music and have a blast!

I moved out here in 2011, but didn’t really start doing drag until 2018 when a few drag sisters of mine teamed up to do a benefit show for a co-worker who’s son had cancer. All our proceeds and tips went to the family, and I’m glad to say their son fully recovered and beat his cancer!

Oh wow, so the Haus of Jizzelle came out of that one benefit!

Yes! Jizzelle our house mother organized it, and it’s kind of our official start date to all the madness–it was for sure my first official drag gig. Since then the Haus has done shows at The Duplex in the upper theatre, and we’ve done some YouTube videos of “Gays Guessing Sports” where we look at pics of famous athletes out of uniform and guess what sport they play. Gotta keep the straights interested! We’ve also been on Cash Cab and Real Housewives of New York.

Oh! I have an aunt who obsessively watch Cash Cab, and recently told me she saw a group of drag queens on it. That must have been the Haus!

Yes! I wasn’t actually involved because when we agreed to audition for it, the group didn’t want to do it in drag… so I said no! But when they were interviewing, the fact that they did drag came up, and the producers loved it. So the gals: Jizzelle, Sahourny Beaver, Kerrie Swanson, and Diana Cox did the episode.

So to confirm, no one’s really suprised to find themselves in the Cash Cab!

Basically, you know you’re going to be on Cash Cab, but you have to act all surprised when it happens. They didn’t win (because I wasn’t involved)!

But you did get to be on that Real Housewives ep! What was that experience like?

So that was just an open call to come party in drag; it was Sonja Morgan’s Christmas party, and it was fun as hell! We as a Haus swear to be on time for everything, so when we got there slightly early the production team was like, “well let’s start filming you!” So we beat all the other queens to the punch, and got more time in front of the cameras. It was great meeting the Housewives, even though at the time I had no clue who any of them were… so it helped me to just be a drag queen and mingle. We all got schwasted as fuck that night, and went to a few bars with Sonja afterwords.

What a great moment! What about live, queer venue gigs? Have you also been mixing it up with the drag competitions and the weekly bar shows?

Not so much. I need to get my heels out there more, and this [City Winery] show is the perfect way to hook up the car battery to my nipples and jump start it! I did “Open Call” at The Ritz and came in second… I was robbed, lol!

What would you say the Haus of Jizzelle’s “brand” is, as far as looks and numbers go?

We are all about the laughs! We love a good comedy track — something to get you cracking up. Style-wise, we vary from glamour queen to camp queen (me). You’re gonna get raunchy humor from us, and all things dirty. I prefer older, obscure songs, while some girls are way more up to date with what’s hot. There’s a little of something for everyone!

I recall you did one of singer Jack Tracy’s variety showcases not too long ago.

Yes, OMG I forgot! It was at Club Cumming, and we did basically a gay recap of 2021. We did trivia, and Kerrie Swanson and myself lip synced songs that had to do with the trivia subject we were on! I did a Dua Lipa “Physical / Trump” mix, basically with the perspective of the January 6th rioters using that song to invade the capital, lol!

The Tara Bull Show will be Friday, May 27th (7:30pm) at City Winery, featuring all your Haus sisters! What can you tell us about it?

We are going to do a rotation of songs, a little stand up here and there, a banana blowjob contest to see who can deep throat more banana, a few trivia questions for small giveaways (keychains). I myself have a Jedi number planned to “I Need a Hero”
with Star Wars edits throughout. There will be live singing from Jizzelle, and a group number performing our hit song “Too Big.” it’s going to be a wild night!

Very exciting and not to be missed! Anything else on the horizon for you?

At the moment we are just editing more videos together for YouTube, and always looking to fill a bingo shift or any spare spot to perform! And just my normal hooker shift at Port Authority Bus Terminal.

A girl’s gotta eat! Okay, lastly… any response or reaction to this year’s Tony nominations?

Oh God, I don’t know any of that. I’m kind of a musical dumbard. Plus, I don’t even know who Tony is! JK! But seriously, I have no idea about any nominations. Please don’t judge me too harshly!

Never! Thanks, Tara!