19 years of The San Diego Kings Club

Albert H. Fulcher

It was a big night of entertainment and celebration as The San Diego Kings Club (SDKC) took the stage in honor of its 19th anniversary on Sept. 27 at the Gossip Grill. The only original SDKC entertainer, Rudy Ramrod (Drina Lickert), was joined by long-term troupe members Smokey Gonzalez (Yvette Orgega), Tony Technique, Lisa Raye, Regina Styles (Richard Poole), Ajax (AJ Turner), with guest performer “from the other side of Fifth Avenue” Leggs Benedict, as DJ KinkyLoops kept the tunes rolling on (even though it was her birthday).

They packed the house with a great night of entertainment, with some phenomenal music by Reba McEntire, Queen, Frank Sinatra, and an eclectic set of songs from old country to rock n’ roll. It truly made it an evening of celebration, ending the show with a toast for the present, those who have performed in the past and a bright future ahead.

Rudy Ramrod is the only original member of The San Diego Kings Club, originating in 2000.

Rudy Ramrod said that the troupe was started by Kelly Medina (aka Chest Rockwell) 19 years ago at The Flame. It began as a weekly contest on Wednesday nights called “Drag it Out.” He said Medina founded it to give an opportunity for people to perform as drag kings and that the event went so well, it turned into a monthly performance, beginning with seven members.

Over the years, SDKC had different homes: The Flame, Bacchus House, Six Degrees, Bacchus House back to The Flame, Numbers and its current home, Gossip Grill.

“We perform at many Prides in Southern California,” Ramrod said. “We also have performed at many colleges and done several clinics. We’ve done numerous shows for charities. We’ve had some amazing performers over the years that have moved on to other great things. I continue doing the show because I enjoy doing it. The SDKC offers a great show with a different energy from other drag shows. I am very proud to be a part it.”

Ramrod said the anniversary show was fantastic, Gossip Grill is a great place to call home for the troupe, and that he has loved working with the talented group of performers over the years.

Smokey Gonzalez (Maria Yvette Ortega) said she first went to The Flame in 2002, and witnessed a drag king show for the very first time. At that time, SDKC had around eight members and she remembers all of these “guys” dressed like cowboys dancing to a Madonna song. She thought, “Wait, those guys are girls?”

“After that, I was hooked. I told my friend, Ricky Poole (aka Regina Styles), about this drag king show and that he had to come see it,” Ortega said. “I started going to the shows on a regular basis. I got to know some of the Kings — Rudy Ramrod, Tommy Salami, El Pachuco and James Bondage, to name a few. They were like celebrities to me. They had weekly shows, sometimes two shows a night. They packed the place every time. The crowd would scream for them like they were rock stars.”

(l to r) Ajax and Smokey Gonzalez performing a duet

Ortega said after a year or two, some of the Kings suggested that she perform. Admittingly a shy person, the thought of getting up in front of people terrified her, so she told them no. But in 2006, they convinced her to try out for Quest for the Crown contest at Six Degrees. She was eventually eliminated from that competition.

“In January of 2008, I tried out again,” Ortega said. “After eight weeks of competition, in March of 2008, I was chosen, along with Whiskey Dick, as the newest members of The San Diego Kings Club. Being part of this group has been such a blessing. I have more confidence in myself. I’m able to get up in front of people and perform as my alter ego, Smokey Gonzalez. I’m able to go outside of my comfort zone and when I see people smiling and having a great time, it makes it all worthwhile.”

Lisa Raye said after coming to San Diego in 2012, she met Rudy and Smokey while helping her drag mother Ajax’s show.

“Vogue Decadence was on a Friday and The Kings were the following day, and we would often cross promote,” Raye said. “I am a huge fan of drag and knew there were drag kings. I was excited to watch a different type of drag show. I had also fallen for Rudy, even if he didn’t know it. I worked both shows for many months. When I became an official member in August of 2013, the cast included Rudy Ramrod, Smokey Gonzalez, Regina Styles, and Whiskey Dick.”

Raye said that she was not performing at that time, then one day took a chance and performed solo.

“I’m a faux queen; I work well with kings because of my height, as many drag queens tend to be on the taller side,” Raye said. “I’m only 5-foot-1-inch, so it adds to the illusion for the kings. Rudy and I are known for our chemistry when we perform together. The SDKC show has always been open to new drag kings to try and hone or show off their art. Tony Technique came to us from the Bay Area and has performed for many years. He became an official member in 2015; he is our dancing divo. Shortly after Tony joined us, our chameleon Sammy Evil joined the cast a year later.”

Raye said that Ajax has performed with the kings on and off for the entire SDKC history, and that Ajax and Regina have been the emcees throughout the years.

“The three queens take pride in our kings and showcase them, especially with events like Out at the Fair,” Raye said. “We did several group numbers with the entire cast but made sure our kings were our focus. I know we are proud to be a part of the rich history of the longest-running drag king troupe in North America. I’m proud to say I co-produce this amazing show, with its crazy cast of characters. I’m looking forward to many more years of drag kings in San Diego.”

“The show is going strong as we continue to sell out month after month,” Ramrod said. “We look forward to our 20th year as we continue to be the longest-running drag king troupe in North America. We also won two Nicky awards and we were featured at the ‘Legendary Drag Queens of San Diego’ exhibit at the San Diego History Center. Last year, the SDKC performed at Out at the Fair. We were so popular that now all Out at the Fairs have drag king performances. That is something we’re proud of. I try to continue to have an outlet for drag kings in San Diego. That how this all started. But we also have drag queens in our troupe. I try to have an open format so that the performers can display their art.”

San Diego King Club performs at Gossip Grill every fourth Friday of the month with the show starting at 8 p.m. For more information, visit gossipgrill.com/dragkings.