rocco d’amore
drag king extraordinaire, rocco d’amore, struts the stage with his smooth-as-silk, italian machismo that leaves the audience in a frenzy. from headlining the sydney gay and lesbian mardi gras alongside george michael, starring in his own burlesque show, to cutting up the stages of clubs across australia and round the world; it’s rocco’s style and handsome looks that keep the crowd begging. just check out his photos to the side, he can’t help but charm his way. interview with i.t.a.
my, my, could someone hand me a fan, i’m getting a little hot under the collar. why would that be you ask? well, that’s because the ultra-smooth, seriously hunky, ultimate drag king, rocco d’amore, is here to speak with powder… i seriously feel all a-flush.
welcome to powder rocco… it’s like such a blast to get to pick your brain a little.
firstly, i’d like to ask what’s occupying you at the moment, how are you expending all that macho energy and what have you got coming up around the corner?
After 10 years of trotting between Sydney and Melbourne, weekend after weekend I am now enjoying a little time out. I’ve been doing a few special guest appearances between the 2 cities. Recently I was asked to be a special guest on a certain reality TV show which will be screening on Foxtel this July…
for readers that haven’t seen you do your stuff at one of your shows, how would you describe a night with the most popular drag king in australia?
Ugh, most popular drag king in Australia? Wow that’s a big call! You know after all these years I really can’t explain what it is that I do, except that I know I do it well (so I’m told). I guess I can say that I put up a good show. You know, I prance around a little on stage, say some funny stuff and try to look good. I like to woo straight women, confused gay boys, challenged macho men and be every lesbian’s fantasy. Simple.
recently you starred in your own, rocco d’amore’s bad barbershop burlesque show; how did that go and what was it all about?
It all came about because by day I am a barber. So from that I became the bad barber that killed my client with a cutthroat blade. The show was a cross between Sweeny Todd, Little Shop of Horrors and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It was bit of a mish-mash variety show. There was a barbershop trio, sexy burlesque girls, muscle circus boys and cabaret performers. It ran for 3 nights at Red Bennies, part of the Midsummer Festival in Melbourne early this year.
when did you get the first inklings that you were heading towards the drag king life? what sent you in that direction?
Ok here is the truth behind Rocco D’Amore… I wanted to be a rock star but I couldn’t sing or play an instrument so I took to lip-syncing. I already had the moves like Mick Jagger so it came together pretty easily.
and gush… you’re so smooth and stylish rocco; how on earth did you come to be this way? just something you had or did you have to work it?
Oh shucks. Well a bit of both. It was always lying dormant in me. I didn’t foresee where I would end up with it today. I’m a really relaxed, whatever kind of person. I just let the rhythm take control.
you’re at the forefront of drag king culture and there’s a lineage behind you. who are the icons and ground breakers that came before you?
My hat goes off to D-Vinyl who really got the drag king ball rolling in Sydney back in 2000. Followed by Sexy Galexy who created a space for drag kings to perform at in 2002. But really the scene has always been there even before I came along.
when you’re on that stage and you’re breaking all those hearts; what are the fashion items and accessories that are a must have?
I try my best and rest on my Italian background for my sense of style and smooth as silk appearance. My signature look is a black suit, shirt and tie along with designer shoes and topped with a slick hair-do.
you headlined the twenty ten sydney gay and lesbian mardi gras alongside george michael and were the pin-up boy for the twenty twelve cool change, mardi gras harbour party. how did it feel to reach such heights and what were the experiences like?
First of all when Mardi Gras asked me to pose for the 2010 cover of the festival guide I was extremely honored. It’s really nice to know that these big guys think of the little guys like me. Drag queens always get the spot light but then they stuck me on the cover as a 1970s gay clone I felt like I was doing it for the girls. Posing for the 2010 guide and 2012 harbour party poster was great. I got to work with some really creative people.
and please you must tell us what george michael was like?
When I was a teenager I would dress up and act out in front of the mirror imagining I was George Michael (true story). Then I got a call from Mardi Gras asking if I would perform alongside George Michael at the party and I was absolutely blown away.
For the first time in my career I was nervous, to co-star along George Michael, my idol and perform in the RHI to a few thousand people. It was an unexplainable experience. I confused and disappointed a lot of party people in that moment but when the real George Michael stepped out the crowd went ballistic. I got to meet him a few hours before the show and that was really uneventful.
after being a regular on the sydney drag king circuit for years, you made the move to melbourne; what prompted it and how has it been for you?
When I moved to Melbourne the drag king scene was really happening. I got involved with King Victoria and was performing pretty much every Friday night for about 5 years. I got to focus a lot on MC’ing. When that night came to an end I started running my own nights where I created an open stage for anyone that wanted to give drag performance a go.
lastly, besides what we’ve covered already, what’s one of the most memorable things that's happened to you during your showbiz career?
Honestly everything I have done has been rather memorable and I’m grateful that I’ve been able to entertain so many people. Hopefully that’s not over yet.
thanks for giving powder this insight into the life of the sharp, stylish star that you are rocco. we hope to catch you in the club again soon next time you’re swinging your thing about.
check out the rocco d'amore website
