The Return of Michelle Carr & Queen Latifah

Don't Sleep On It: When the new burlesque movement was at its peak, Velvet Hammer creator Michelle Carr reigned supreme. After a two-year stint in Berlin, Carr’s since put her titty tassels away (having just finished working on a Velvet Hammer retrospective book) and reemerged in the City of Angels. She’s about to make a mini-comeback of sorts as the opening act of a newish night called Telekinesis: The Magic Cabaret, a monthly event that runs next Tuesday and Wednesday evening at the Celebrity Theatre.

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She promises her opening piece will be “verrrrry dramatic” for the show, which also features Jer Ber Jones (creator and host), Ann Magnuson, Anna Homler, The Lady Tigra, Diamondback Annie, Prince Poppycock, and Leila Bazzani.

You’re forgiven if you think you’ve wandered onto the set of Alice In Wonderland after reading that line-up. “Robbie (Daniel, the show’s co-creator) just has a fantastic way of pulling together a cast of talented, weird, out there characters,” says Carr. “He just puts together this delicious stew of performing madness.”

As for Carr, she’s long been bored of burlesque (“Ten years of burlesque is pretty much enough,” she says). She’s working as a creative director of The Edison (casting for dancers right now!) and has been causing a ruckus with her guerilla dance troupe, Hot Flash, formed with Ryan Heffington (of Sweaty Sundays fame). “We go to random, mundane places and break out in full choreographed routines on unsuspecting crowds.” She giggles. “We’re doing Madonna’s ‘Burning Up,’ right now.”

You Slept On It: All Hail the Queen! No, not that frosty British one over yonder. We’re talking about Queen Latifah. The rapper-turned-actress celebrated her birthday last weekend at Club Light with the help of a few friends, some of whom you might have heard of. Guests included rapper royalty: Heavy D, Missy Elliott, MC Lyte, and Lil Kim, as well as some peeps from her movie-star world (Harvey Weinstein and Vivica A Fox), and most importantly, her parents. The crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to her, “Stevie Wonder style.” The Queen returned to her roots and performed a 45-minute set of songs solely off her next album (album! remember when she made those!) called Persona, due out on July 7. Strangest attendee? Paris Hilton is her new number-one fan. She spent the entire show rocking out in the front row, taking snaps.

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Photo of Queen Latifah and Paris Hilton: Michael Simon


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