WiggingOut

The Painted Lady

Lucy Paradisco lives the champagne life.

Straight out of the plane from the West Coast, Lucy Paradisco brings the youth, funk, and a whole lot of spunk to Houston’s drag scene. Known for her stunning makeup, killer costumes, and the every-so-often cartwheel, this vixen is mixing things up on the mainstage. Ain’t no Ethel here. This Lucy is primed and ready for the spotlight. See more below about this modern-day muse.

Pronouns?
He, him, they, them, she, her, girl, and of course bitch.

Inner Avatar?
Theia.

Hometown?
Seattle, Washington.

Drag birthday?
October 30, 2013.

What got you interested in drag?
Feminine illusion.

Describe your performing persona.
Sexy, fun, drama, energetic and all-out crazy.

Any titles?
Greater northwest national showgirl.

What’s on your bucket list?
Shopping for textiles in every country, having a profitable business, performing worldwide, and high-fiving Madonna.

Story behind your name?
Lucy is a spin-off of my given name Luke, by changing the K to a C and the E to a Y. Simple and sweet.  Also, watching I Love Lucy every day in the morning before school didn’t help.

How did you learn makeup skills?
Setting aside Wednesdays to dedicate to makeup practice and producing looks via live stream! I did that for the first three years of doing drag till I could paint the house down.

Describe your aesthetic.
I would say its high fashion meets modern styling with a touch of space blonde bimbo stoner whore!

How about your sewing talents?
I’m self-taught and dedicated my hands to a life of creating fashion and costumes. I have a large workspace with industrial sewing equipment for quality garments.

Where might we see some of your designs?
I make 99% of things I wear. Also, RuPaul’s Drag Race girls and queens all over the states, especially the pageant scene.

Most memorable moment as a performer?
In 2015, before I was good at sewing, the whole crotch busted out of my costume in front of a large crowd, and everyone laughed . . . including myself.

Ultimate goal as a performer?
To spread joy and inspiration to our youth and fellow community showing its okay to be who you are.

Thoughts about attempted legislation regarding drag performances?
Anything can be a problem if you decide to make it one, but drag is not a crime. Discriminating against drag should be a crime.

Guilty pleasure?
Late night Door Dash.

Must-have clothing accessory/prop?
Jewelry! Anything that sparkles must be packed in large quantities.

#TeamOliviaRodrigo or #TeamLanaDelRey?
Duh #LanaDelRey all the way! West Coast vibes.

What do you do in your downtime?
Sew commissions and learn new sewing techniques. Boring, right?

What would people be surprised to know about you?
I can take apart almost anything and reassemble it with little to no effort! Also, I’m a “plant gay.”

What was your dream job as a child?
Botanist.

Plans for the holiday season?
My plan is to eat as much food as this body can handle! Houston’s food is slappin’.

Since this is the season of giving, do you have any nonprofits you enjoy supporting?
Montrose Center, PFLAG, and Open Gate.

Marry, Shag, Kill: Tom Holland, Tom Hardy, Tom Cruise?
Marry Tom Holland, shag Tom Hardy as the Green Goblin, and kill fudge packer Tom Cruise.

Any advice for up-and-coming performers?
Have fun—it shows when you are performing—and interact with the audience.

Favorite drag character from media?
Emporio Ivankov from the anime “One Piece.”

Where can fans see you perform?
Barcode on Fridays and Saturdays every week. I’m also booked within the rest of the week at other clubs in Montrose and College Station.

What have you learned from drag that you use in your everyday life?
How to communicate with anyone in any situation.

What’s your life’s mantra?
To be honest and not to sugar coat problems. Be honest, be kind, and help anyone who seeks it within reason.

If you could pick one celebrity (living or dead) to perform with you, who would it be and why?
Marilyn Monroe so we could both be the blonde bombshell duo.

Follow Lucy on Instagram @lucy_paradisco, on Facebook Lucy Paradisco, and on tiktok @lucyparadisco.

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Sam Byrd

Sam Byrd is a freelance contributor to Outsmart who loves to take in all of Houston’s sights, sounds, food and fun. He also loves helping others to discover Houston’s rich culture. Speaking of Houston, he's never heard a Whitney Houston song he didn't like.
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