Intro
#500-451 | #450-401 | #400-351
#350-301 | #300-251 | #250-201
#200-151 | #150-101 | #100-51
#50-1 | Previous tHOTlists
350. &Drew
A resident DJ at The Dickens in Hell’s Kitchen and occasionally spinning at other venues like Rise Bar, &Drew also creatively launched a monthly DJ competition at Icon Astoria and an open decks weekly at Playhouse.
349. Antonio Amor
The extravagantly costumed performer was crowned last year’s Empire State EOY, and competed in the Miss Hell’s Kitchen and Miss Hammonton pageants in 2024. When not seeking crowns, Antonio’s hosting a weekly brunch show at Someday Bar in Brooklyn.
348. Piper
A drag performer known for fierce dance performances who turned out a beautifully bloody number on the Bushwig stage, Piper is just as likely to be found in the DJ booth these days where they support drag shows at Pieces and Good Judy along with dance parties.
347. Alexis Michelle
A musical comedy actor who found New York drag stardom and was ultimately a memorable standout on Drag Race Season 9 (2017) and All-Stars 8 (2023), Alexis occupied a wide variety of stages this year including a Massachusetts production of La Cage Aux Folles, touring with fellow RuGirls Tina Burner and Scarlet Envy for the Witch Perfect Halloween show, and intimate performances at Joe’s Pub and 54 Below. In November, she was even profiled on PBS!
346. It’s Him
Hell’s Kitchen’s newest queer offering (right? It’s hard to keep track sometimes) opened in May at the site of the sadly short-lived Frankie’s Pub (which itself had replaced the short-lived Thirst) in May of this year. There is something so damn extra about the venue, from it’s heavily enforced dress code during its opening weeks to owner Chris Kelly’s explanation that the bar’s reason for existence is “a personal ode to a true love story” that’s illustrated in a romantic animated video embedded in the bar’s website. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing–NYC gays are extra, especially in HK, and they deserve a space to be extra. And in reality It’s Him is actually a surprisingly spacious and classy cocktail bar with a very attractive bar staff; a bit of that brand of extra can go a long way.
345. Victoria Williams
From Santa Fe’s prestigious House of Williams comes this hostess of “Musical Mondays” at Boxers HK; Victoria is now an established New York drag queen who can serve cunt dance moves and live vocals (she’s also a GLAM-nominated recording artist with original tracks and videos). In October, Victoria was one of many talented ladies to compete for the Miss Hell’s Kitchen crown.
344. Princess Bitch
Our favorite stoned sorceress is the first person you see when you’re showing up to a kiki at Club Cumming or Macri Park, where she’s a favorite resident door queen. The Princess also holds court over her own weekly party with pop-up shows, Saturday’s “Super Prance Party” at Macri.
343. CarlosKilledIt
The native New Yorker is the creator of Queer Art Fest which returns seasonally to 3 Dollar Bill and features the works of a variety of local queer artists. Carlos is also an in-demand DJ most commonly found at C’mon Everybody and Good Judy.
342. Dexter the Angel
Dropping a self-titled 9 song EP in October that’s a little punk and a little pop and maybe a little goth surf rock (our favorite track is “All The Boys Wanna Be My Girl”), androgynous queer popstar Dexter is a favorite entertainer and host at Parkside Lounge in the East Village. Also, check out the monthly “Body Language” party at Nowhere Bar, which the Angel DJs.
341. Corma Kelley
One of our favorite local comedy queens, the best place to find this life of the party is Wednesdays at Phoenix Bar where she hosts weekly karaoke.
340. Yasmeen Kennedy
The creator of VERS’ popular “Get Schooled” competition, model and drag performer / producer Yasmeen had scaled back on her stage presence in 2024, but still took part in several shows at Club Cumming and Mad Tropical before officially leaving drag behind in December.
339. Giardia the Parasite
This literal drag scientist is out there serving cures for our bodies AND our souls, the latter of which she accomplished this year through several citywide drag appearances. Most frequently Giardia is a Phoenix Girl, hosting parties in that East Village mainstay every Saturday and Sunday with changing themes. She also presided over a Drag Race viewing party at Branded Saloon in Brooklyn, and a monthly-ish brunch at El Santo (also in Brooklyn).
338. Ted Bishop, Kory D & Danny J
Men of Rockbar unite! Afro and House DJ Ted and husband / party host / gogo boy Kory run that West Village bar’s popular monthly fetish fest “Purgatory,” While one of bear nightlife’s most popular gogo boys Danny presides over another self-described monthly, “Rock the Rockbar.” Ted additionally DJ’ed frequently in the Pines this summer (including a Fire Island Bear Weekend edition of “Purgatory”), and will be bringing something new to Rebar early next year. Meanwhile if it’s a high profile bear event you’re headed for, you’re almost definitely gonna catch Danny shaking it somewhere inside.
337. Janae SaisQuoi
File this in the “NYC, you are underutilizing a very remarkable queen” folder. She’s got beauty, grace, style, a warm and funny stage presence, and Bitch Can Move! “After the conclusion of her drag show “The Cookout” at Hush where she was joined weekly by Nani Tsunami and Charlie Wo earlier in the year, Janae also expertly hosted the second season of the Patron-sponsored “Tournament of Champions” competition there. She continues to pop up as a guest star or fill-in in several Manhattan shows, and as of this writing will launch a new brunch show in December.
336. Trev Handsome
The favorite content creator of many an amorous adult, Trev is also a creator of beautiful music both in the recording studio and live on stage while scantily clad behind a piano. Trev’s 2024 highlights included solo shows at C’mon Everybody and Club Cumming, crooning through Svetlana Stoli’s Senses showcase at The laurie Beechman Theatre, and his own weekly show “Leather Songs” at the Ice Palace over the summer.
335. Lady Celestina
With her signature glammed-out top hats and Broadway repertoire, Lady Celestina was The Ritz’s Wednesday night show hostess for some time before that venue’s sudden de-dragification. She’s a also a frequent presence at Paradise in Asbury Park, where she hosted the Ms. PrEP pageant in October and organized another pageant, Fresh Face 2024, in November.
334. Vidana
A Glam Award nominee for Best Hair Design, the multi-talented showgirl’s “T-Girl Tuesdays” gig (co-hosted by Daniella Darling and Jessica Rose) premiered at Boxers HK in March. Vidana also co-produced “Supermodel” branded shows at C’mon Everybody with Atomic Annie throughout the year.
333. Phaedra Phaded
A reliably entertaining and professional queen who generally prefers to travel between venues throughout the Tri-State for unique experiences rather than be tied down to a repetitive weekly show somewhere, Phaedra did pop up fairly regularly as a weekend show hostess at Rebar, was a Flip Phone brunch queen at Stella 34, and was Thorgy Thor’s guest performer at BK Backyard’s Drag Race viewing parties.
332. Lorant
The creator and DJ of Rockbar’s popular monthly “Rockstrap” underwear party, Lorant can also frequently be found dropping dirty sexy beats from The Eagle NYC booth. In 2024 we also got to see / hear him at Animal and Metropolitan in Brooklyn.
331. Elise Navy-Dad
Every day is a holiday with this Eternal Christmas queen, who hosts a weekly game night at Fresco’s in Astoria and monthly bingo at 181 Cabrini uptown.
330. Cherry Jaymes
The “Americo-Liberian It Girl” is both a musical theater maven and a sexy runway fashionista alike, and was booked aplenty in 2024 as part of several shows at 3 Dollar Bill and C’mon Everybody.
329. Atomic Annie
Walking a NYFW runway was just one example of how Annie proved she’s one of the more fashion-forward drag queens in New York today. She’s also one of the busiest, with frequent appearances in C’mon Everybody and 3 Dollar Bill shows in Brooklyn, The Duplex in the West Village and a Drag Race viewing party at Starr Bar. Production is definitely in her wheelhouse as well–look for motr Atomic Annie presentations in 2025.
328. Catalina
This Colombian born body-oddy showgirl has been spicing up drag stages throughout Brooklyn, notably as a newer rotating co-host of the hit Rosemont party “ByLatinQueers.” She also won the coveted “Are You the Ultimate Diva All-Stars” pageant crown in November.
327. Vicky Vee
The ever-increasingly popular comedic queen who’s part of Kiki Ball-Change’s drag showbiz fam regularly performs in Hell’s Kitchen, Brooklyn and Jersey. Vicky and sis Selma Nilla co-hosted the weekly “S’Mothered” at The Spot for much of the year, and as of January 2025 reunited with Selma for a new Balcon show.
326. Roxie Chanel
2023’s Miss Mundo Latina USA Newcomer represents the Haus of Chanel as a vibrant entertainer in the city as part of the Lips Restaurant cast / staff as well as hostess of Icon Bar’s monthly “Caliente Wednesdays.” For much of 2024, Roxie also brought the kids to The Ritz for her “Sabado Gigante” Saturday weekly.
325. Coma White
Recently crowned the new Mx. Rockbar, that venue’s monthly horror trivia hostess has so much ghoulish credibility that she was joined onstage for a Halloween show by none other than The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black’s iconic rock witch Kembra Pfahler.
324. Greg Scarnici
We didn’t see much of Greg’s drag persona Lavonia in 2024, but Greg the DJ was quite busy with tea dances at the Cherry Grove Community House on Fire Island and Monster in the West Village, as well as stints at C’mon Everybody and with “ConTEAnental” in Brooklyn.
323. Moxy Cillin
A newer, yet old school, kinda queen, Amanda Porq’s drag daughter keeps ’em singing at Suite Bar every Tuesday and Thursday. She also frequently hosts shows down at The Duplex as well, and plans to premiere a new HK brunch in 2025.
322. Soraya Sis
An eclectic Brooklyn drag performer who serves glam, ghoul and everything in between, Soraya scratched our itch for fringe fun at her home bar C’mon Everybody via tons of shows that she starred in and occasionally produced. Soraya’s one of Brooklyn’s busiest newer entertainers, and can also be found monthly at Pink Metal with Anne J. Tifah.
321. Peachez
It was arguably a natural move for a comedy queen who’s had more non-Drag Race, food-related TV air time than the average queen (she was featured in an episode of the bizarre-yet-fun Drag Me To Dinner last year and won the 2022-2023 season of Worst Cooks In America) to leave NYC for LA. She left us on a literal high note though, with a June solo performance at the prestigious 54 Below.
320. Hassan
The luxurious drag songstress and Haus of Thee Queen dropped an original track in November, and hosted weekly karaoke at sister bars Albatross and Kween in Astoria. She even DJ’ed for a moment during The Ritz’s Drag Era for Roxie Chanel’s weekly show, and ended 2024 with a new show at a new Long Island City venue called Eros.
319. Shuga Cain
An entertaining and professional queen from Day One, Shuga entered the nightlife in a career change and was quickly and fully embraced into first local, then Drag Race (Season 11, 2019), stardom. After a few years of hosting and producing Flip Phone Events’ weekly drag brunch at Stella 34 in Macy’s, this baking lady packed up her pots and pans and headed south over the summer. We’re already hungry for her return!
318. Jessica Rose
The stylish dancing queen celebrated her third year of co-hosting drag brunch with Frida Cox at Toro Loco in Lower Manhattan this year, and also was Daniella Darling and Vidana’s co-star for “T-Girl Tuesdays” at Boxers HK.
317. David Serrano
The longtime NYC DJ and photography nightlife hotshot continues to put out glorious storytelling images of local performers, and spins drag shows, brunches and dance parties at Rise Bar in Hell’s Kitchen. As of this writing David also recently started a sexy party of his own at Red Eye, “Dungeon.”
316. EJ Garlands
The live vocalist has long been established as a favorite act and show producer at Club Cumming in the East Village, and is currently making his presence known with regular showcases at Red Eye as well. We’re looking forward to a massive album drop and full concert supporting the release set for January 2025.
315. Bianca Star
A drag star who’s gift of divine dance moves often has her on the road or abroad, Bianca returned to us this summer to become Hibiscus and Castrata’s “H2HOE” co-host at Hush while Lagoona Bloo fulfills her off-Broadway duties, and for several guest spots and pop-up numbers throughout Manhattan as well.
314. Clarice Hart
The live singing glamor girl of Lips is both Pattaya Hart’s drag daughter and Tiffany Anne Coke’s Monday night co-host at Monster Bar.
313. Tina Twirler
One of New York nightlife’s most gifted and passionate dancers, Ms. Twirler’s drag excellence has also been gracing the national pageant stage recently; last year she entered the prestigious and massive Miss Continental system for the first time and made Top 10. In NYC you can catch Tina monthly with Bootsie LeFaris at Pieces Bar in the West Village, and is frequently the pop-up performer at nearby Playhouse on Friday nights as well.
312. Ginger Von Snap
The gorgeous Brooklyn performer has largely scaled back (if not retired all together) from nightlife in October, but left us with several notable 2024 moments including a Bushwig number, several turns with Nicky O’s “Night of 1000s” large cast showcases at 3 Dollar Bill, and the recurring monthly Metropolitan emofest “Hawt Topic.”
311. Nesto
Dance to this veteran DJ’s beats at Monster Bar and Industry, experience him supporting drag shows at Rise and Barracuda, and stream his mixes on your way to each gig.
310. Miz Jade
Brooklyn drag dance royalty, Miz Jade brought back her epic variety showcase “Synthesis” to Triskelion Arts in March. She was a frequent hostess and performer at The Urban Bear’s “Bare Naked” party (Phoenix Bar), “Bootie Slap,” “Yes Homo” (both C’mon Everybody), “Hella” (Metro) and Drag Race viewing parties with her sis Thorgy Thor at BK Backyard. Jade’s work as a dance teacher keeps her quite busy all year as well.
309. Toolbox
A longtime UES neighborhood bar with a loyal following of regulars, Toolbox is a destination promising friendly bartenders, reasonably priced drinks, bingo, trivia, karaoke and drag shows care of (per 2024) Jolli B, Heidi N. Dix, Holly Wood, Mady Lopez, Matzah Belle Soup, Virgo Rising & Vinyl Scratch.
308. Bobby LeMaire
One of Brooklyn’s favorite (Glam nominated) party hostess and pop-up performers, Bobby can frequently be found turning skimpy looks and fierce dance moves at the uber-popular “ZOO,” at The Rosemont.
307. Lady Bunny
Most of us found it quite necessary to unfollow or silence Bunny’s repetitive and rambling social media posts in 2024 (we get it Mee-Maw, you hate the Democrats and you voted for Jill Stein… that all turned out great!). But really, it was all just the perfect reminder that if social media is what you primarily use to judge the value of a queen, then you’re not really a fan of drag. Truly Bunny as a performer predates the internet, and she has always stomped to the beat of her drum. Most drag queens will tell you that they look up to her, but no one is actually anything like her: unfiltered, non-PC, uniquely crude, clownish, colorful, and still really fucking funny when she wants to be. She brought two original stage shows to Green Room 42 this year, and one to 3 Dollar Bill. Bunny has good taste in music at least, DJing a monthly disco tea dance at C’mon Everybody.
306. Angelique Stevens
Last year’s Mx. Cantina winner (Fresco’s Grand Cantina’s annual multi-week pageant), Angelique inherited Inita D’s role as Fresco’s bingo hostess. She also competed in Icon Bar’s own long-form competition “Pantheon,” and frequently performs for the Leg Up on Life dance-centric “Spotlight Monday” shows at Industry.
305. SAWC
Glam nominated three total times in 2023 and 2024, this charming and trendsetting party host is working the scene all over town, but largely in kikis associated with his mom Janelle No. 5 and her drag family. She’s also coming as a fierce drag queen herself these days, care of alter ego Shibi.
304. Issa Big Dragon
Impossibly tall and slender as well as graceful and multi-talented, ex-Dragon Sister Issa hosted a monthly brunch show “Bronche Bonche” at Jersey City’s Six 26 as well as a recurring party at C’mon Everybody called “On the Floor.” Issa also showed up as a guest performer and part of large cast shows in Manhattan and Brooklyn throughout the year.
303. Odessa Da Gawd
Continuing the traditions of their former drag duo act The Dragon Sisters in incorporating live music, dance and technical elements to stage shows, Odessa is a potently powerful solo artist in nightlife. Find her at Six 26 in Jersey for the monthly brunch show “Hot Cakes” and a self-produced recurring showcase at C’mon Everybody “Queer Love,” along with her frequent guest spots and party pop-ups in all the queer hoods.
302. Mercury
After winning the Best Door Goddess Glam Award at the beginning of the year, Mercury proved a great reminder how historically important a door personality is to an event: the first person you see, the first impression that’s made… and the last person you wanna piss off! But Mercury always handled the role with poise and playful glamour; they even hosted a weekly party of their own at their homebase The Rosemont delightfully called “Bump.”
301. Ladyboi
A DJ who exploded on the scene with some recently and is likely snatching up more gigs as you read this, Ladyboi can be found at Hardware, Rockbar and Metropolitan supplying dance floors and drag shows alike with sonic joy. He’s also got some great remixes out there, folks.
Intro
#500-451 | #450-401 | #400-351
#350-301 | #300-251 | #250-201
#200-151 | #150-101 | #100-51
#50-1 | Previous tHOTlists
Thotyssey 