Grizzly Kiki began in April 2014 as a pop culture and drag-centric podcast hosted by Robert Lechuga & Daniel Silva. We launched with recaps of RuPaul’s Drag Race and other reality programming. Shortly after releasing the first few episodes, we narrowed our focus to create a podcast that was unique in concept and would serve a community near and dear to us: DRAG QUEENS!!!!!!!!!!!!! The podcast is equal parts oral history and good old-fashioned kiki. We found that there were few platforms where Drag and Nightlife Artists could talk about their art and themselves in an open and honest way. Most of what is known about these artists comes from videos posted on the Internet or what they experience in bars and clubs. It was clear that there were stories to be told and shared with the world. Our mission is to create a comfortable and safe environment, where these artists can share their histories and experiences. Ours is a podcast that is meant to serve the drag and nightlife community by capturing the artists’ voices and making them available to the public. Grizzly Kiki is a program for drag enthusiasts, Drag Artists, and everyone in between. Listen and Join the Party!!
https://www.grizzlykiki.com/
Heklina
Heklina is the queen of San Francisco nightlife. From her roots in the alternative drag scene running Trannyshack to becoming owner of SF Oasis, she has seen it all and continues to forge ahead. Along with her gal pal, Peaches Christ, The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and many more, Heklina is a drag icon. True to her explosive namesake - Hekla, an Icelandic volcano - Heklina has never let anything stand in her way. For many years, she ran the successful Trannyshack party. With shifts in social consciousness making the "T" word taboo - and with the party having run its course - it was retired and re-christened "Mother" shortly after the opening of Oasis on New Year's Eve 2014. This new incarnation was a complete departure from the former. At "Mother," Drag mothers bring their children to the stage to perform for their peers and admirers, thereby creating a space within which to hone their craft. It is important to note that running Oasis is only the most recent chapter in Heklina's life. During our interview with her, we went back to the beginning of her drag career; the roots of activism in San Francisco drag; and how she reconnected with her boy self after nearly two decades under the wig.