Bay Area Reporter
by Roberto Friedman
What do Tony, Jerry and Kiki have in common? OT was dying to know so we put on our best black and trotted over to the Halstead Funeral Home at Polk & Sutter for Kiki & Herb: A Memorial.
There were celebs aplenty, and no sooner had Bruce Vilanch began memorializing the boozy pair, when Kiki & Herb magically arose from the dead. Seems it all was just a cheap publicity stunt for their upcoming A.C.T. run – Kiki & Herb – Alive From Broadway.
Those in-the-know know that Kiki & Herb took Broadway by storm last year and nothing could kill them. A frantic Kiki (aka Justin Bond) grabbed the mike from Vilanch and fielded questions from the press, largely concentrating on their recent Tony nomination.
The joyous news of their nom came just as Jerry Falwell was kicking the bucket. Kiki effused, “You know we’re winning the culture wars when we can get nominated the same day Jerry Falwell dies. Still, I’d gladly forgo the Tony to get rid of Jerry.”
Kiki’s date for the awards will be Herb. “They only gave us two tickets,” she pined. “Award shows are expensive.”
She’ll be wearing the same dress she had on for the memorial; “I only own one.” And she won’t be having her hair done. “I stopped having it done in the 80’s after my hairdresser Pierre died of AIDS. I view this as my own AIDS memorial” she quipped, pointing to the rats nest she called a do.
Seriously, even though they are now the toast of Broadway, they got their start in the streets of San Francisco in the late 80s. They are a local success story, and OT wishes them well. Show them some love by attending one of their sure-to-be-stellar performances at A.C.T. July 13-29.
