Yesterday we went to the 801 to commemorate the life of RV Beaumont, one of the original drag queens. If you were fortunate enough to see her perform Mary Poppins “Spoonful of Sugar” you might understand why 4-500 people showed up for the potluck and procession to the sea.
We were foolishly concerned that not enough people would bring food, so we made a ham and friends, Tyler, Emma and Alex sent Nick with home made yummy cookies. When we arrived there was barely room for our offerings.
The place was packed, but I managed to make my way upstairs to see what was going on.
Her fabu self – RV in full fettle!
As more and more people arrived, the spillover made it onto the street and the mood was mixed, tears, stories but mostly upbeat, because there was much to celebrate. In the end RV must have felt a measure of peace because he did not compromise with the way he lived. His life was not filled with regret things left undone. Such was RV’s stature that even the Mayor of Key West came to pay his respects. You know I would kill for that picture!
Soon the priest arrived . . .
With his friend
And there was eating, drinking, reminiscing and lots of laughter. RV orchestrated the entire funeral, planning it with as much attention to detail as the best shows at the 801. For his final refrain, he chose “Always look on the Bright Side of Life” which you may remember from Monty Python’s “Life of Brian” It is noteworthy to remember that they sang while crucified – I think that was the point . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlBiLNN1NhQ
The band was live and Sushi handed out a lyric sheet and we all sang along; voices from upstairs and downstairs joined singers on the street. It was fabulous to hear the tortured strains of hundreds of voices singing along. Passersby stopped and glanced nervously at the growing crowd. Some joined in, others got the hell away because the street belonged to RV whose spirit took it over like a force of nature.
When the song ended, the mood turned serious and the first eerie notes from the bagpipes began. Finally, a procession formed up Duval Street led by the Piper.
Timing was impeccable. The crowd moved out as the sun began its descent.
Not a single car, not a single sign diverted traffic. RV would’ve loved that!
This is one of RV’s last performances. Toward the end it is obvious how much the girls love her, because she’s the girl in the center of the circle. I find this very moving.
http://www.youtube.com/user/starshouttv?feature=mhu
The last I heard was that RV wanted her ashes placed inside a firecracker, to explode over a night sky and flutter into the sea. As the firecracker burst in the sky, I heard one of the drag queens say, “Bye RV, call when you find work.”
Timothy Earl Swain ll * AKA RV Beaumont * Sept. 23, 1963 – Oct. 13, 2010