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Tag: MIchelle Visage

  • World of Wonder to Host Special Screening of ‘The Little Pageant That Could’ to Benefit APLA Health

    World of Wonder to Host Special Screening of ‘The Little Pageant That Could’ to Benefit APLA Health

    Get ready for wigs, rhinestones, and a whole lot of heart. Emmy-winning media company World of Wonder is rolling out the pink carpet for a special benefit screening of its new documentary The Little Pageant That Could—and it’s all for a good cause.

    The event, held Wednesday, May 21, at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, will support APLA Health’s Alliance for Housing and Healing, which provides critical services for people living with HIV/AIDS. The screening comes ahead of the documentary’s global premiere on WOW Presents Plus on May 29.

    Photo: World of Wonder
    Photo: World of Wonder

    A Night of Glitz and Giving

    The exclusive, invite-only screening is hosted in partnership with APLA Health and features an all-star host committee that reads like a who’s who of Hollywood and drag royalty. Among those lending their names to the cause: Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato (World of Wonder co-founders), Sasha Colby, Margaret Cho, Judy Greer, Cheyenne Jackson, Michelle Visage, Ross Mathews, Carson Kressley, and Vanessa Williams—just to name a few.

    MC duties will be handled by the ever-fabulous Salina Estitties, with live performances, raffle prizes, donation opportunities, and the chance to throw cash tips on stage in true drag pageant tradition.

    Photo: World of Wonder
    Photo: World of Wonder

    All proceeds benefit the Alliance for Housing and Healing, which has received more than $6 million from the Best in Drag Show over the decades. Funds help support emergency housing, rental assistance, and long-term housing for people living with HIV/AIDS.

    From Apartment Spoof to Cultural Staple

    The Little Pageant That Could tells the larger-than-life origin story of the Best in Drag Show, which began in 1990 as a tongue-in-cheek parody of Miss America staged in a cramped West Hollywood apartment. What started as a joke among friends has grown into L.A.’s longest-running drag benefit, attracting celebrity judges, sold-out crowds, and serious fundraising power.

    Photo: World of Wonder
    Photo: World of Wonder

    Directed by John Carlos Frey—who also served as the original stage show’s director—the film features never-before-seen footage and laugh-out-loud moments spanning the show’s 33-year history. Expect appearances from a star-studded cast of past guests, including Jennifer Coolidge, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Anna Faris, Martin Sheen, and fashion icon Bob Mackie.

    Coming to WOW Presents Plus May 29

    Following the benefit event, The Little Pageant That Could will premiere globally on WOW Presents Plus, joining a lineup of critically acclaimed documentaries like The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Party Monster, and Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures.

    The platform has been expanding its library of original and acquired content in 2024, with notable additions like the Elvira Collection, the comedy duo specials Happily Ever Laughter and No Refunds from creators Darcy and Jer, and the upcoming scripted series I Hate People, People Hate Me.

    Executive produced by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, and produced by David Neuendorff, James Cude, and Frey himself, the documentary is the latest testament to World of Wonder’s legacy of blending entertainment with activism, storytelling with sparkle.

  • ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10’ Drops Star-Studded Trailer Featuring Ariana Grande, Chappell Roan, and a Brand New Format

    ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10’ Drops Star-Studded Trailer Featuring Ariana Grande, Chappell Roan, and a Brand New Format

    Start your engines—and make room in the werkroom. RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars is returning for its 10th season on May 9, and this time it’s bigger, queerer, and witchier than ever.

    With a star-studded guest judge lineup and the largest cast in All Stars herstory, All Stars 10 promises high-stakes glamour, jaw-dropping performances, and a brand-new “Tournament of All Stars” format that could shake up the franchise forever.

    Grande, Erivo, and Roan… Oh My!

    In a teaser trailer that sent fans into a glittery meltdown, Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande storm the werkroom with the line: “The witches will see you now!” Queens lose it (as they should), and honestly, so did we.

    Meanwhile, queer pop icon Chappell Roan makes her entrance in a wig cap and robe, dryly asking the queens, “Do any of you queers have something sexy I can slip into?” Consider the bar for guest judge entrances raised.

    Buffy Is Back—and She Brought Ice Spice

    The judging panel this season reads like a who’s who of queer icons, Oscar nominees, viral hitmakers, and cult TV legends.

    Joining RuPaul and resident judges Michelle Visage, Ross Matthews, Carson Kressley, Ts Madison, Jamal Sims, and Law Roach are a diverse slate of guest judges, including:

    Meet the Queens

    Season 10 features a jaw-dropping 18 returning queens—making it the most packed All Stars season yet. Competing queens include:

    This diverse cast spans fan favorites, controversial queens, early outs, and redemption-seekers—all bringing a mix of charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent back to the main stage.

    New Format: The Tournament of All Stars

    Drag Race All Stars 10 will debut a brand-new structure known as the Tournament of All Stars. According to a press release from Paramount+:

    “The queens will be divided into three groups of six, each competing in their own bracket across three episodes. At the end of each bracket, the top three queens with the highest point totals will then advance to the semi-finals.”

    From there, it’s a high-stakes dash to the crown. The finalists will face off in an epic Lip Sync Smackdown for the Crown, with one queen ultimately earning a coveted spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame.

    And yes, Untucked will be back too—because if you’re not watching Untucked, you’re only getting half the tea.

    How to Watch

    RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10 premieres May 9 exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and WOW Presents Plus internationally.

    Watch the full trailer now and get ready for the ultimate drag battle royale—glamour, chaos, and glitter bombs included.

  • The Mallen Streak: Where Did It Come From?

    The Mallen Streak: Where Did It Come From?

    The mallen streak was once viewed as a hairstyle feature that needed to be covered up or dyed. However, today people see it as a bold fashion choice. Even many celebrities now proudly show their streak off and embrace it.

    Let’s take a look at where the term “mallen streak” came from and the people bringing it back into fashion.

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    Mallen Streak
    Shutterstock

    What Is A Mallen Streak?

    Mallen streak hair is a naturally occurring condition that describes the decrease of melanin in a streak or patch of hair. The actual scientific term for this condition is called “poliosis”. While it’s typically associated with head hair, it can also occur in other areas of your body such as eyebrows, beards, or even eyelashes.

    Origins Of The Term “Mallen Streak”

    The term “mallen streak” is a more recent term, originating in the late 70s. It’s from a combination of the Latin word “malignus”, which means “bad kind”, and “streak”, referring to a streak of hair. The term was popularized by Catherine Cookson’s Mallen trilogy. Her novels follow the story of a 19th-century English squire whose illegitimate children all inherited his poliosis, each of whom met a disastrous end.

    Mallen Streak As A Symbol

    The negative associations tied to the mallen streak did not originate in Cookson’s novel. However, it did reveal how the medical condition was perceived in the past. Namely, characters or people with the mallen streak were associated with despair or even villainy.

    Poliosis started being perceived as a sign of evil in the medieval ages. Back then, it was considered a witch’s mark, a bodily feature that European witch-hunters believed denoted a person’s (mostly women’s) association with the devil.

    Today, however, the mallen streak has started to lose its notoriety and has become a style associated with alternative fashion.

    Mallen Streak Villain
    Shutterstock

    The Mallen Streak In Pop Culture

    Characters in movies, television, or books that have the mallen streak are more often than not portrayed as evil or straight-up villains. Most of these characters do not have a natural mallen streak but rather one that appeared as a result of some kind of trauma in their past.

    Sweeney Todd

    In the movie Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Johnny Depp plays the barber taking revenge for the murder of his wife. His character has a prominent mallen streak, which reflects his dark demeanor and villainous character. According to actor Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd’s streak was caused by the traumatic experience of the death of his wife.

    Cruella de Vil

    The iconic character Cruella de Vil from the Disney cartoon 101 Dalmatians is a clear villain who has a mallen streak. Her hair is half-white, half-black. The cartoon never mentions why, but it’s a perfect example of how characters who have a mallen streak are portrayed as especially evil.

    Percy Jackson And Annabeth Chase

    In the book series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase are examples of characters who develop a mallen streak due to trauma. Their streaks appear after they’re put under the extreme stress of holding up the sky in The Titian’s Curse.

    Rogue

    In Marvel’s X-Men comics, a few characters have a mallen streak. Rogue has a streak of white hair either from her temples or from the top of her head. In the more recent X-Men movies, Rogue has dark hair and develops a streak as she uses her powers.

    Other Marvel comic characters with white streaks in their hair are Mr. Fantastic from The Fantastic Four and Nick Fury.

    Celebrities With The Mallen Streak

    Characters in pop culture with the mallen streak often appear as villains. This reflects societal perceptions that work to shun anything out of the norm. However, many people are now reclaiming the mallen streak, transforming the negative connotations about it into something cool and stylish.

    Stacy London

    Stacy London is one such individual. An American fashion consultant, stylist, magazine editor, and author, London co-hosted What Not To Wear, a reality makeover television show. When working a shoot with Pantene, London forbade anyone to touch her mallen streak, saying that it was a part of her and she was proud of it.

     

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    Richard Madden

    Richard Madden is another celebrity with a mallen streak. He’s famous for roles in the TV shows Bodyguard and Game of Thrones. He often dyes his hair because of the characters he plays. However, outside of acting, he leaves his natural streak and says that he’s not ashamed of it. In one of his more recent roles in The Eternals, you can hardly see Madden’s streak.

    Richard Madden Mallen Streak
    Shutterstock

    Michelle Visage

    Michelle Visage is an American media personality, singer, TV host, actress, producer, and former showgirl. She’s now a permanent judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race after making her first appearance on the show in 2011. Visage embraces her silver mallen streak after some encouragement to ditch the hair dye and let her natural color grow.

    Michelle Visage Mallen Streak
    Shutterstock

    Claire Saffitz

    Claire Saffitz is an American food writer, chef, and YouTube personality. She rose to notoriety as a contributing editor for Bon Appétit magazine, starring in several series on their YouTube channel. She now hosts her own YouTube channel and develops recipes for New York Times Cooking. In an interview with Into The Gloss, Saffitz said she started getting streaks when she was in college. She originally started dyeing it, but eventually grew tired of the work it required. “It was part of this thing around the 2016 election where I felt like I had better things to do than trying to hide my hair color,” said Saffitz. She now embraces her hair as part of her very recognizable look.

     

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    Final Thoughts

    Though the mallen streak has had negative connotations for a long time, it’s now becoming more celebrated in pop culture and the fashion industry. Society’s views aren’t so black-and-white anymore, so people are more open to embracing looks that deviate from the norm.

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