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Illustration by Colleen O’Hara
“I moved around the South a lot as a kid. Then, in seventh grade in 1998, my family moved to the suburbs of Atlanta. I loved that a bunch of country folks were living in and around a city. I was never much of a foodie, so whenever my mom took me into town we just went to the Three Dollar Cafe. Now I visit about three times a year because my partner, my brother, and a lot of my friends live there. I love the drag scene! It’s growing so much. I think that’s because the film industry is booming in Atlanta, so there are a lot of transplants from Los Angeles and New York City. But this is not Southern pageant drag: These drag queens are doing live music and stand-up comedy. And there are a bunch of fun gay bars in Midtown—shout-out to Blake’s on the Park and Lips, which is a drag restaurant in Brookhaven. Atlanta Eagle has some really great shows. Here’s a little tip: If you go to Bulldogs, go to the back door. You can pay a little extra and wait in a shorter line. The city has an amazing Pride month, too. It used to be held in June, but now it’s in October when the weather isn’t as hot. All these shows and vendors are spread out in Piedmont Park, and there’s a big parade. I haven’t been in a long time, but when I was younger, I thought the celebration was the most magical thing. I also love going to shows at the Fox Theatre. The first musical I ever saw there was Cats. I remember going with my high school drama club and dressing up like a cat with the ears and whiskers. I was the club president, so it’s like I always knew I was going to be a performer. I recently saw my friend Matteo Lane do comedy there, and another friend played Amos in a production of Chicago. My dream has always been to come to Atlanta and sell out the Fox Theatre. One day I’m going to do it.”
Bob the Drag Queen is an actor, host, comedian, musician, activist, and reality TV personality. His first book, Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert: A Novel, in which the pioneering American heroine comes back to life to write and record a hip-hop album, is out now.
This article appears in the Summer 2025 issue of Southbound.
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