R.I.P. PETRINA MARIE
Whenever I get a call from 314 area code, I know it's either ma dirty dawg Nelly on a booty call (I wish) or Petrina Marie, St. Louis's reigning booger drag. I met Petrina when performing at Faces in St. Louis, and it was one of those "instant sister for life" moments which us freakazoids sometimes experience on our quest for something unnamed. Petrina succumbed to throat cancer yesterday after a long battle with it. Her lover was kind enough to phone me and give me the news of her passing. He said I was one of her favorite people. She was definitely one of mine.
A week before her death, she sent me gob-stopping this pic of her. Excelling in lunacy until the very day she died, I'm sure. I marvelled at not only the genius of photoshopping her big horsehead onto a supple young female acrobat's body, but really sending it over the top with the addition of fake rotten teeth--not that her own choppers were much better looking! Or maybe those weren't fake--she was kinda long in the tooth. I had planned to steal the idea from her, but out of deference, I'll wait a week or two. And her homemade costume "collection" might be of interest to the Ringling Brothers clown department.
Petrina's gruff voice greeted me with "Skank" from the first time we met at Faces, where I was hired to join the cast. Petrina occupied a unique position in St. Louis's drag hierarchy and the surrounding circuit: she was a hilarious emcee who provided a comic touch to all the gals who strove to be real, a slick dancer, or celebrity impersonator. Trolling out onto the stage with toilet paper intentionally stuck to her pump, she provided a welcome break from the gals who took themselves seriously. I've howled for years at her gravelly, acidic retort to one unfortunate heckler: "Listen fag! You paid to see me. I would NEVER pay to see you!". She also got me with her confession to the audience that "My dick is shoved so far up my ass that if I ever got a hard-on I'd have to do a back-flip." Country humor which is so ill that I didn't really get it all the time, but laughed at the sheer wrongness of it anyway. I guess you could say she was the Mr. Charlie Brown (Atlanta's finest femcee) of St. Louis. Thanks for all the laughs, you ROTTED SKANK! I loved your sorry ass to death--uh, literally!
A week before her death, she sent me gob-stopping this pic of her. Excelling in lunacy until the very day she died, I'm sure. I marvelled at not only the genius of photoshopping her big horsehead onto a supple young female acrobat's body, but really sending it over the top with the addition of fake rotten teeth--not that her own choppers were much better looking! Or maybe those weren't fake--she was kinda long in the tooth. I had planned to steal the idea from her, but out of deference, I'll wait a week or two. And her homemade costume "collection" might be of interest to the Ringling Brothers clown department.
Petrina's gruff voice greeted me with "Skank" from the first time we met at Faces, where I was hired to join the cast. Petrina occupied a unique position in St. Louis's drag hierarchy and the surrounding circuit: she was a hilarious emcee who provided a comic touch to all the gals who strove to be real, a slick dancer, or celebrity impersonator. Trolling out onto the stage with toilet paper intentionally stuck to her pump, she provided a welcome break from the gals who took themselves seriously. I've howled for years at her gravelly, acidic retort to one unfortunate heckler: "Listen fag! You paid to see me. I would NEVER pay to see you!". She also got me with her confession to the audience that "My dick is shoved so far up my ass that if I ever got a hard-on I'd have to do a back-flip." Country humor which is so ill that I didn't really get it all the time, but laughed at the sheer wrongness of it anyway. I guess you could say she was the Mr. Charlie Brown (Atlanta's finest femcee) of St. Louis. Thanks for all the laughs, you ROTTED SKANK! I loved your sorry ass to death--uh, literally!
posted by Lady Bunny at Tuesday, February 14, 2006
11 Comments:
She sure was a hoot!! I met her at Missie B's in KC a few years ago, and she taught me how to make the perfect cheek. RIP Miss Marie!!!
I met Petrina on several of my earlier trips to St. Louis she certainly had her own style, but one thing you have to say is she lived her life the way she wanted without hurting anyone else (well maybe her audience). I think it is better to live 40 years of life by ones own design then 80 years by someone else's. I never thought Petrina was a Skank, but Bunny certainly is a Skank ass whore. Who tried on more than one trip to my town to have sex with my husband. I know he's real black, doesn't like to bath often & with his right eye wondering from side to side so you never really know where to look when trying to talk to him. But with his 10" tool, removable teeth & his government check.....He makes me happy.. Now back off Bunny, get your own meal ticket. And for you Miss Raven how did Petrina teach you to create the perfect cheek? With 2 bottles of commercial grade silicone or were you always like that?
Petrina did like a pumped cheek. But was it silicone or anti-freeze? She was also good with shading. And PS: I did get some incredible trade every time I visited St. Louis! They buck wild out there! --B
She was the BEST! She was one of the last "true" funny drag queens of America - and really a "DRAG" Queen - a man in a dress if you will. He left me crying many a time leaving his wonderful drag club on the east side of St. Louis! RIP Miss Petrina - we will miss you!
I as well have had the opportunity to be friends with Petrina for years. I am from St.Louis but now live in New York City. I will always remember my 25th Birthday Party(which was many years ago) and Petrina, friends and myself sat for hours doing shots and shots and more and more shots. Thanks Lady Bunny for writing about her. It sure brought back some great memories. Miss you Petrina - Brian - Big Bird
I loved Petrina very much. I knew her for about 10 years and we had a blast. She would sometimes call me and do a whole rountine over the phone and all I could do was laugh my ass off. She will be missed. I love ya Trini!
Joe (Patrina Marie)was my dearest friend for the last 31 yrs. He and I saw each other through many hard times, emotionally, financially, and physically. I was with him and Brian through the end. He will be deeply missed as if he were my own flesh and blood. I only wish everyone could have known him on a personal level, he was such a loving, giving spirit. TI AMO my friend, Cheryl
I was the one who photoshopped his horsehead in the pic. He has been one of the best friends for over 30 years. I had moved away the last few months of Joe's life but we kept in contact daily through instant messaging. I luckily had my preference set to save the chat tanscripts and reference them frequently. As his friends knew, Christmas was his favorite time of year.... a time where I find myself missing even more than usual.
Thanks for article!
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