Meet Johnny Gentleman | Drag King, Show Producer, and Host

We had the good fortune of connecting with Johnny Gentleman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Johnny, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Dapper Puss Entertainment was created as a drag production company that produces shows and safe spaces for members of the QTBIPOC community. As a drag king in a drag queen dominated industry, it’s more difficult to receive bookings because most drag producers didn’t see drag kings as serious drag performers. Some producers have had their minds changed do to seeing drag king and non-binary performances and understanding the unique theatrics that make drag king/non-binary performances enjoyable. As a trans-masculine Latinx person, I saw that BIPOC and/or trans drag performers were not only being paid less, but were booked less than cisgender, male, white drag performers. Dapper Puss is more than a drag show, but a production company that produces shows for kings, non-binary, and QTBIPOC performers by BIPOC performers. Our drag brunch currently focuses on casting at least half to majority kings/nonbinary performers and BIPOC and/or trans performers and offers open opportunity to any new drag artists that want to explore the drag world.

I made Dapper Puss to create a safe space to create community outside of the party scene and where BIPOC and allies can be in a friendly, welcoming, judgment free space. It’s a space all people who identify as queer can feel welcomed. This year, the hope is that we can expand that to a broader demographic and get more involved in our community. Our expectation is to soon expand to create workshops that have drag performers mentor LGBTQ youth about the world of drag and create BIPOC and trans focused drag shows within the Los Angeles. With talking to LGBTQ youth, it became a new discovered passion to create a safe, fun place where youth can be with kids just like them and know that they have a community that they can be themselves around.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a Los Angeles drag king, show producer, and host in the LA drag scene. I work mostly in the DTLA drag scene, but have performed in NewYork City, Long Beach, Orange County, and in the Ventura area. Johnny Gentleman is a thick, Latinx heartthrob who is the ” Last Gentleman in LA”, using his Latinx charm and comedic humor to bring a smile or laugh to his audiences. It was hard to break though the LA drag community because being a drag king in a queen world is hard because kings are seen as serious artist. I started in the Inland Empire, but later left after being sexually harassed by queens and verbally abused by the club owner. I found my home at Exposure drag in Highland Park and started my LA career from there. I began to attend shows, talk to drag producers, started to be a tip runner for shows, and even worked as a bar back at Redline so I can get to know more of the community. I competed in competitions where I was maybe 1 of 2 kings of 12 queens, kept getting to the bottom, and I JUST FOUGHT MY WAY UP. I pushed myself more and more so I can be seen as a serious artist and show that being a drag king is valid drag. I have always fought to be seen as a serious performer and the only thing that kept me going was that I wanted to make my king community proud; and I still do.

As the drag king scene changes and the growth of new drag king coming into the scene, I’m proud of the king community I was a part of because they taught me that community and artistic self expression is more important than anything. Social media and money can only go so long, but the connections and brotherhood you get to have with your fellow kings is something that can never be replaced. People have their own opinions about me and some new drag artists I feel look down on me or think I’m not as popular as them, but that’s ok; because I don’t do drag for them, I do it for my passion for drag.

True drag artists do drag for themselves and the love of drag and money or followers can’t buy that.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Sorry Not Sorry – Amazing food, Amazing cocktails, and Amazing wine collection

Redline/Detroit Veseys- Amazing gay bar and restaurant with a passion and love for the LGBTQ community and there is always a event happening.

Precinct – An amazing gar bar with great bar foods and fun events.

Grand Central Market – FULL VARIETY OF DELICIOUS FOOD, some of the. best in LA.

Black Liquor Market in Studio City- Amazing food, great cocktails, great ambiance

Stache WEHO- SOME OF THE BEST BRUNCH I’VE HAD IN THE CITY!

LACMA- Beautiful art exhibits and fun photo opportunities for photography lovers.

Cinespia in the Summer- Classic films played in the cemetery with a full bar and snacks. GREAT FOR A DATE NIGHT!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I wouldn’t be here without my DTLA drag family (kings, queens, in-between performers) who’ve welcomed me with open my arms and taught me the true meaning of drag: ART, COMMUNITY, AND LOVE. When I had no family on my side, they stepped in with love, care, and support through my trans journey and still through my current path to having a family. This community is what made me truly have a passion to take care of our LGBTQ+ AND BIPOC community and make sure that the next generation has that same community I did. I wouldn’t be JOHNNY GENTLEMAN without my DTLA DRAG COMMUNITY and the spaces that are open to us at the gay bars and events in DTLA, such as Exposure Drag, Precinct, Redline, Sorry Not Sorry, and Detroit Veseys.

Thank you to my drag sisters, Alize Stone and Burandy who are always there for me to help and support me in every endeavor I pursue.

Thank you to my chosen family of friends from everywhere who are there to support me and give me a sense of family always.

Thank you to my drag son, Danny Libido, for being my cheerleader and just an amazing son to me. I’m so proud of you!

Thank you to my beautiful spouse, Taylor Orci ,aka drag king, Trey Mobile, who believes in me more than I believe in myself and that’s rare to have in this world.

BUT A HUGE SHOUTOUT has to go to my big sister and my nino, Charlene Valle-Hernandez and Ivan Hernandez, who were one of the rare biological family I had who supported me throughout my queer and drag journey. My beautiful nephews who are my life, Luke and Elias, who make me want to be a better person and inspire me to dream bigger so they can do the same.

Everything I do is for them.

Website: WWW.DAPPERPUSSDK.COM

Instagram: @JOHNNYTHEGENTLA /@DAPPERPUSSDK