Interview with Melony VonKruz

Monika: Today I have invited Melony VonKruz, a young American video blogger, showgirl, and beauty pageant queen from Florida. Melony documents her transition on YouTube where she shares the most interesting aspects of her life as a transgender woman. Hello Melony!

Melony: Hello Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Melony: Well I'm 24 Years old, I live in the city of Brotherly Love (Philly) and currently I'm a video blogger on YouTube who deals with Trans related Issues.

Monika: Why did you decide to share your transition details on YouTube?

Melony: I really just wanted to put my stories and experiences out there to share with other people under the Trans* Umbrella but most specifically other Trans Women. I found that there were some things missing in other bloggers' videos that I wanted to cover or cover in a different way than they had.

Interview with Suzie St James

Monika: Today we are going to Australia to meet Suzie St James, an Australian business consultant and web designer, transgender icon, and showgirl. Suzie has been a drag cabaret entertainer for over 30 years, impersonating Marilyn Monroe and Jessica Rabbit. She toured all over Australia, and she is known for such shows as “The Midday Show” with Kerri Anne and “Simone and Moniques” Playgirl Review. Hello Suzie!

Suzie: Hi Monika!

Monika: What are you doing these days?

Suzie: Working in hospitality and care.

Monika: How did you start your career as a showgirl?

Suzie: At a young age I saw a showgirl and was captivated and knew it was what I wanted to be.

Monika: What was your career like in the 80s? What was the Australian drag show business at that time in general?

Suzie: I was very young in the ’80s and new to the scene, I was slowly establishing my sexuality and identity. The eighties were a buzz of activity for showgirls in Sydney, Australia. Every venue had so many showgirls and shows you could work seven nights a week and most of us did.

Interview with Allison Lenore Annalora

Monika: Today I have invited a special guest. Allison Lenore Annalora is an American cabaret singer and hairstylist. She was born in Alderwood Manor, Washington, as Larry Duane Miller, and then given up for adoption at birth in May of 1955. Alison is working on a biography to be published in 2016. She lives in Arizona. Hello Allison! It is a pleasure to interview such a remarkable woman as yourself.

Allison: Thank you!

Monika: What do you do for a living these days?

Allison: I work full time as a hairstylist in a Spa at a large resort/casino in Rancho Mirage’, California, and sing in a Cabaret Show once a month at a local restaurant.

Monika: Where did you grow up?

Allison: Seattle, Washington.

Interview with Penny Clifford

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Penny Clifford, an Australian icon, showgirl, journalist, actress, and dancer. Hello Penny!

Penny: Good’ay Monika!

Monika: What are you doing these days?

Penny: I am still performing and I am also into Entertainment and PR Management. 

Monika: The perception of Australian transsexual and transgender ladies is often shaped by the movie “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”. How far was the movie from reality?

Penny: The Movie was fun and was written by people that actually hung around the Sydney drag scene in the early '80s, where they took ideas from drags and transsexuals and created their script. Many of the jokes and characters were based on real life. I was in a show that did travel to the exact casino that the Priscilla Bus & Girls traveled to and the show I was in performed at that casino for a 6-week period. So some of that was definitely based on us, although we flew to get there and there were definitely no pink buses!