Up next, it's Pittsburgh drag sensation Princess Jafar.
How are you doing with the restrictions due to coronavirus?
I was fortunate to quarantine with a studio mate and their partner. Between the three of us, we pulled our resources to be able to spend $500 over three trips the first week we started self-isolation to Whole Foods and Aldi. We have restricted access to anyone except the three of us, but I have had some socially distant porch chats with friends and a lot of Skype. There was one time I had to do laundry in a friend's basement and I Lysol-ed every surface I came into contact with and had a pair of socks I wore and threw away just for being in their house just in case. I was using City Bikes and now I can't really risk touching the handles. I have compromised lung health. I have severe asthma and use two inhalers when I'm 'healthy.' As a performance artist, I am broken that my game show night was canceled. As an event producer, I am broke. I lost nearly $1,000 estimated from canceled gigs, event documentation and djing.
Last time we talked, in November 2019, you said you were enjoying watching Alf and Dick Cavett and talk shows. What’s bringing you comfort now, TV-wise or any other media?
I've been revisiting the Dean Martin celebrity roasts, Unsolved Mysteries (as long as the mysteries are over 30 years old so I don't have to worry as much), and Celebrity Ghost Stories. Those are all available on a free streaming app and site called Tubi TV. They also have all of the Tiffany "I love New York" Pollard spin-off reality TV shows and Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie's The Simple Life. I recommend giving the free streaming sites like Tubi TV, Pluto TV, Crackle, YouTube, and Dailymotion a chance this quarantine.
What has your routine been like for the past week?
I have become a cat. I make sure to wash dishes and clean the kitchen every morning but besides that, a routine has been hard to find. It's kind of hard to make sense of the days. I have been writing and practicing and trying to make sense of a switch from a live stage show to an online experience.
If the social distancing and quarantining wasn’t going on right now, what would you be doing (aside from working)?
I would be getting ready for my game show tonight called the Princess Jafar Hour which was supposed to be at Club Cafe this Saturday. But I'm working on switching to an online version.
What is your favorite meal at this time?
I love making dough balls and sticking them in the freezer and then hand stretching pizzas. It makes me feel healthier because I'm making it from scratch but I'm just eating pizza.
What is Princess Jafar working on now? What would an ideal quarantine show look like?
I am working on how to produce an online show that highlights and compensates the work of everyone involved. An ideal quarantine show would have a lot of functioning green screen and an online audience that is paying for the show.
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You can get in touch with Princess Jafar at her Twitter or Facebook.
