Chauncey Chat : Cherry Jubilee, the foundation that makes “The Glam Awards” Shine!

***DUE TO HURRICANE SANDY…THE GLAM AWARDS HAVE BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH

Despite her busiest time of the year, we managed to sneak some precious moments with Miss Cherry Jubilee, the mastermind behind The GLAM Awards, to ask her a few questions about the trials and triumphs of being the one-woman show behind NYC Annual Night to celebrate all things in gay nightlife honoring everyone from performers to bloggers to gogo boys and more!   This year’s show takes place at the new XL Nightclub at 512 W. 42nd between 10th and 11th on Sunday, November 18th at 10:00pm.

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The night will feature performances by Cazwell, Kizha Carr, Thorgy Thor, Electrohoney, Dina Delicious, Tina Burner, Dallas Dubois and more hosted by Sherry Vine, Bianca Del Rio and Peppermint honoring the best DJ, Host, Promoter, Bar/Club Party, Breakthrough Artist, Best Dressed, Entertainer of the Year and many more.!

Visit GlamAwards.net for more info!

Now on with our newest Chauncey Chat!

Chauncey : First of all, we’d like to congratulate you for being the mastermind behind the only legitimate
NYC Gay Nightlife Awards Show for so many years! How many people are on your staff? Do
you even have a staff?

Cherry: Thanks ! I’m really proud to have been able to create something that brings our community
together and celebrate our accomplishments for so many years. And I would love to say I have a
huge staff of people that help me do it, but that’s not the case. This isn’t a money making
venture, so there really isn’t a budget to pay a big staff. I’ve also learned that sometimes doing it
yourself is best anyway. It may be harder, but at least you know shit gets done. I’ve tried to
involve other people in the past to take some of the responsibility off my shoulders. But
unfortunately if money isn’t part of the deal, rarely do people ultimately follow through. One
year someone wanted to be a big part and on GLAM night ended up being in a K-hole the entire
time. But there have also been people who you learn you can count on. The hosts, the
performers, volunteers and the enthusiasm of the nightlife community in general provide a great
support system. And this year I have been lucky enough to work with Brandon Voss at XL who
has proven to be really great !

What does it take to put together a show like this? How long is the process?

I give myself about three months to get it together. And it takes a lot of preparation and
organization. There’s the whole nomination process, then the voting process and then actually
putting the show together. Choosing hosts, performers, presenters. Confirming, reconfirming,
tech rehearsals. Then there’s promoting the show and in the end making sure the show runs
smoothly and successfully. It’s a huge undertaking.

The Triumvirate of Hostesses for the Evening!

Sherry Vine, one of the hostesses of the evening

Peppermint

Bianca Del Rio

You’ve been a part of the NYC Nightlife scene for a very long time but we can’t recall ever
seeing you or hearing about you performing. Have you ever performed or are you just a
legendary queer celebrity?

I have never performed onstage. That’s never really been a desire of mine. I consider myself
more of a “personality” in nightlife. I had a fairly popular cable access show on TV for several
years called “Go There TV” and I had a blast with it. I keep saying I’m going to revive that one
day on the internet.

Cherry getting some Muscle Man love…

What or who would it take for you to get up on the stage one day and perform?

I really don’t have any desire. I have thought about it. Maybe one day as a goof. But I’m not so
comfortable on stage. I’m more comfortable in front of the camera than in front of an audience.
I’m amazed when I watch old episodes of the TV show how much easier it is for me to come
alive. But we also drank a lot during the filming.

How long ago did you first step on the scene as Cherry Jubilee and how did it come about?

Many many years ago at Lady Bunny’s annual event Wigstock Cherry Jubilee was born. I
absolutely loved the attention I got that day. So I took my new persona out to the clubs. I loved
the freedom of being able to take on a completely different side of my otherwise shy boy self.
You’ve recently run into some trouble with people over at The Grammy’s because the name of
your show sounded ‘too similar’ to their show…can you tell us more about that debacle?
In 2010 I filed for a trademark for GLAMMY AWARDS to protect the name that I had
worked so hard over 14 years for recognition. The name had become famous in our
community, garnered respect and elicited excitement for the annual celebration. The
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences opposed the trademark application
claiming the similarities of our LGBT eventʼs name to their “GRAMMYS” mark would
“damage” their mark. There is a huge and obvious difference and to think anyone would
confuse one for the other is absurd. It’s just hateful bullying from a giant corporation
against our small LGBT community awards ceremony. They have attacked us legally
and since I do not have the money to hire legal help we were forced to change the
name to “GLAM AWARDS”.

Click here to sign the petition on Change.org!

Nominees for Gogo Boy of the Year!

Putting together such a massive show for so many years can get quite tiresome and
overwhelming, what keeps you going?

There was one year I came so close to giving up. It was a year we were doing the event at Club
El Flamingo and the biggest blizzard in years hit us that day and shut down the city. I had also
injured my back and was in excruciating pain. I remember standing in the middle of 14th street
with slush up to my knees holding a heavy box of Glammy Awards and tears in my eyes. Many
people who promised to help flaked or bailed because of the storm. I was convinced no one
would show and this would be the last Glammys for me. But once I finally got there, the place
was packed and the amazing energy in the room brought my spirits back up. And my confidence
as well. All the hard work pays off for me on GLAM AWARDS night when I look out at the
gorgeous crowd. All of best of the best in NYC nightlife come together for what really has
become a magical night for our community. That’s really why I keep it going.

Cherry on the cover of a Vintage HX Magazine (the former NYC Gay Nightlife Bible folded years ago leaving Next Magazine as the sole surviving ‘fagrag’)

This will be the 14th Annual GLAM Awards…in so many years, things have bound to gone
unlike what you expected at some point…has anything ever happened that could have been
disastrous but turned out to be a legendary hiccup?

Well, the Grammy Awards attack was a major obstacle that could have discouraged me. But it
actually has just made me more determined to not let anyone take away what I work so hard for.
And the outpouring of support from our community has been overwelming. In the end the
Grammy Awards actions have only made themselves look like the terrible bullies they are. And
the GLAM AWADS actually got a bunch of great press out of the whole ridiculous attack. People
can continue to support our event by signing the petition.

For many years, the show was held at Splash Bar in Chelsea but this year it will be held at the new XL, what prompted that move?

Brandon Voss asked me. And I am thrilled that he did. Splash has been great to us in the past. But XL definitely has a better set up for the show. It gives us a bigger stage, allows for more seating and has better technical abilities. Having it at this new venue creates a new excitement. It’s fresh and it’s all abouty the GLAM AWARDS evolving. I’m very excited and happy about the move !

Nominees for Entertainer of the Year

This year’s show takes place on the eve of one of the most important elections in history…do you
think the show will be politically charged?

I don’t think so. We do GLAM AWARDS to celebrate, not debate.

Thank you so much for being a part of this Chauncey Chat! Any final words you’d like to include
about what we can expect this Sunday night?

We have three of the fiercest and funniest talents in NYC nightlife hostessing ….Peppermint,
Sherry Vine and Bianca Del Rio ! And eleven of the most amazing performances you will
experience, all in one room on the most glamor-packed evening. Don’t miss out. It only happens
once a year !! Thanks Chauncey ! See you there !!!

click to discover more about The Glam Awards!