A young queen on the scene who’s already tasted MTV stardom (and no, not THAT MTV show), Brooklyn’s Lyn Brooks’ star power is shining brighter… both as an individual and as one half of a nightlife supercouple!
Thotyssey: Hi Lyn, thanks for chatting! How are you enjoying this new spring weather?
Lyn Brooks: Hello! I am loving it. I’m not a big fan of cold weather, so I’m thriving!
By day you are a busy social worker, right?
Yes! I work with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Bronx. I have clients who were once at Willowbrook Institution, so I am very, very busy with work.
I can only imagine. We thank you for your service!
Thank you, I love what I do!
Are you an NYC native?
Yes, I am from Brooklyn.
What was your first exposure to New York nightlife?
I was out kiki’ing for a long time: Escuelita, Splash, BPM, haha… it wasn’t till I meet Robert that I learned the ins and outs of night nightlife, though.
Robert Garcia is a singer and host in the nightlife scene, and currently running GirlBoyBeauty Cosmetics. You two have very different schedules, but you’ve been together for the gay equivalent of centuries now!
Lol, that’s so funny! Yeah, we have been together for a while. I think our secret is that we always make time for each other, no matter how busy we get. We also understand that we have goals in life that we want to meet, so we push each other and keep each other accountable. And of course, the most important: we are in love with each other.
What made you want to try drag, and what was that conversation like when you told Robert you wanted to explore that?
So I played around in drag years ago; her name was Pink Moscato, lol. Unfortunately I grew up in a very religious home, so it wasn’t something that was allowed in my world.
As far as the conversation with Robert, that was easy. I told him I wanted to do drag, and he asked when. I said “well, you have a show coming up… let’s do it then.” And the rest is history, I love everything about drag; Lyn Brooks gets to say things that I normally wouldn’t. And I look good! And our closet is extra fabulous!
I stupidly only realized recently that your name was a reversed version of Brooklyn… for a minute I thought it was maybe based on Lynbrook, Long Island!
OMG yes, you hit the nail on the head, it is Brooklyn reversed. I thought it would sounds expensive.
What kind of drag you like to do today?
I would describe my drag as classic. I love the old-time girls: Donna Summer, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey. So no, you will not be seeing me do any splits and flips… but I’ll give you a fierce lip sync and sensual moves while looking stunning.
Several months ago, you and Robert starred in an epic episode of MTV’s Help! I Am In a Secret Relationship! The “Storyline” involved Robert’s concerns surrounding the visibility of your union. Your couple dynamics and the backdrop of NYC queer nightlife were portrayed beautifully; it was a fun and emotional watch. I don’t want to spoil the whole thing since folks can still watch it on the platforms, but it does go deep into your past, and your relationship with your family. Was it very cathartic and intense to put all that out there for the world to see?
Yes it was! I was actually very nervous because it’s not something many people know. I went in filming feeling unsure; then when I was done filming I was still feeling unsure. I had to relive and talk about things that made me feel uncomfortable. At the end of the project, I told myself that this is going to help someone pull through. I remember feeling alone, and I went through an identity crisis; I just want the world to know it’s going to be okay… just make it through. You’re not alone–and what ever you’re going through, it’s going to make you stronger. So I was very happy with the end result.
Lovely! What was the experience like filming the episode, overall? Were the crew and hosts supportive and professional? Did you ever feel railroaded by the production?
They were amazing; we had the best on-set crew. Shoutout to [host] Tenesha; she was above and beyond! I never felt like I was in the dark; if something would change, we were the first to know! I remember when I told my story I looked up and the whole room was in tears… and after, they all came and gave me hugs!
Did you and Robert get a lot of feedback from fans and viewers after the episode aired?
We got a lot of feedback. A lot of it was good–people saying nice, sweet things. And we also got a lot of bad–some of it I had to laugh at, because it was unreal that people would take time out there day to talk bad about someone. It seems like just a waste of time! There were also times I had to disconnect from social media because I did want to clap back.
If it were me, I’d be non-stop clapping back… and wasting so much time and emotional energy, lol.
Listen, I wanted to clap back so bad!
Now that MTV is arguably getting queerer thanks in part to the big success of their acquisition of RuPauls Drag Race… maybe we can see you and Robert return to the network in some capacity in the future?
I can’t speak on it. But I will say… stay tuned!
It was also fun seeing folks you two roll with appear on the episode, such as Jayse Vegas, R0zegld aka Jen Urban and Christopher Ambrose. I always enjoyed attending the “Torch” live music and drag shows that were monthly at Macri Park, where many of you performed regularly. Do you all still get to hang out a lot?
Yes, we hang out all the time! I consider these people my family.
This Saturday of course is 4/20! You’ll be back at Macri for a special show with Robert and Jayse: “High Note!”
It’s a special show Robert Garcia put together for 4/20. I actually don’t even smoke weed –don’t tell anyone, lol! But Robert is so engaging with the crowd, and course he’s gonna bless us with his vocal abilities. And he’ll have his makeup line GirlBoy Beauty pop-up shop!
Jayse with Robert is amazing. Those two are a power team! We’re gonna have raffles, we’re gonna have drag shows by a few different queens–my gay son Jay Brooks from the House of Brooks will be doing king drag–and Jayse Vegas will also be hitting the stage. We also have really talented local artists with original music, so I need everyone to come check it out… because it’s definitely a vibe.
Then looking ahead to May 23, you’ll be at 3 Dollar Bill for the “Britney Party“–a tribute of course to Ms. Spears–with Robert, DJ Jen, Danielle Cardona, Jayse, Christopher and your son Jay.
That’s going to be spectacular! You’re going to get all the hits; we’re going to take every one back to their childhood. And you’re going to get a special number by me, of course!
What else is coming up for you?
Good question! expect to see me more often at your local bars.And stay turned for more TV!
Superstar! Lastly: what’s your personal favorite GirlBoy Beauty product?
The new “Sorry Not Sorry” eye shadow palette.
Gorge! Thanks, Lyn!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Lyn Brooks’ upcoming appearances, and follow her on Instagram.
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