Grizzly Kiki

"Svetlana Stoli is a demure delicate flower who has infused New York nightlife with all of the grace and opulence of the Russian Czars" said no one ever. Yes, she appears demure and is from Russia, but that's where such a statement would cease to be true. Instead, Svetlana uses her appearance to create a false sense of security. Her performances are well thought out interpretations of music and popular culture, seen through the skewed lens of her empty shot glass. It is a skill she has honed after years of studying the dramatic arts in her home country of Russia and as a Fulbright Scholar at Tulane University. She is a queen with Russian roots with a dash of Steel Magnolias, for that added Kick! After Svetlana moved to the states from Russia, she found herself studying musical theatre at Tulane and moved to New York shortly after graduation. Finding herself mesmerized by nightlife icons such as Peppermint and Sherry Vine, Svetlana soon picked up drag - an art she had dabbled in while at school in Russia - and began performing wherever she could. After her epic, and second ever, performance as Paula Deen at Our Lady of Saliva, she set the tone for what would be her drag persona. The woman she has created wears vintage pieces, veils, and little hats with feathers, but perverts the music she draws inspiration from to a level that far exceeds what bar patrons expect from a happy hour drag show. If you don't believe us, check out her self-written parody and video of Taylor Swift's "Welcome to New York," where Svetlana sings about what she is most familiar with in "Welcome to My Hole"

Jiggly Caliente is a drag queen and reality tv star. Since appearing on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4, Jiggly has traveled the world, developed a strong fan base, and even released original music. She is no longer a local New York performer, but a talented diva who has brought her art to the world. The hardest part of being a public figure has been the constant demand for personal information, especially regarding her gender identity. For years, Jiggly has been bullied on every social media platform to go on record about her gender, as if she is a commodity that fans and critics can own. With the dawn of a new year and her career growing by leaps and bounds, Jiggly has decided to tell her story on her own terms. Jiggly is a drag queen and reality tv star, but most importantly, she is a proud transwoman. In this interview, she shares her journey with us and the road she has traveled to become the woman she truly is, Bianca.

Tammy Spénks is best known as the Queen of the Flying Cooter Slam. As if being a live singer, dancer, licensed massage therapist, and full-time drag queen weren't enough, Tammy has also mastered the art of the flying split. If you are lucky to witness such an event, she appears as if by magic, flying through the sky in a grand arch before gently alighting on the ground, legs splayed. Actually, it's more like a bullet whizzing past your head and landing with a resounding thud on the floor of a bar. It truly is a sight to behold! However, Tammy is more than just her flying splits. She is an Ohio native who followed her passion for musical theater to the high seas, where she performed the role of Edna Turnblad aboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships for many years before settling in New York. After hitting dry land, Tammy teamed up with her college buddy - and former Grizzly KiKi guest - Dusty Ray Bottoms, reluctantly emerging as Ms. Spénks to host at a local bar in Queens. More than two years later, Tammy has staked her claim and can be found performing, bartending, and flying at least five times a week.

Jasmine Rice is the latest incarnation of New York's preeminent Korean Drag Queen. She was formerly known as Kimchichi Shamulan Carr, Maiden China, Chinky Crash Carr. Most recently, she changed her name to Jasmine from Leontyne after recording this interview. In a world where identity is becoming increasingly fluid, Jasmine fits right in! Jasmine is a Juilliard trained opera singer and multifaceted performer whose art is a melting pot of urban, Korean, and theatrical influences. Her repertoire includes Hip Hop, Pop, KPop and an array of arias she sings live. Most recently, she won the title of Miss New Jersey Continental Plus 2015, aided by her drag mother, Kizha Carr. Of all Kizha's drag children, Jasmine competes in pageants the most and, more often than not, wins the crown. Our interview with Jasmine delves into the depths of her life in Korea and move to the United States, her views on sexuality and gender, and how to navigate and survive in the drag world. As a queen with more lives than Catwoman, Jasmine has stories to tell and gallons of tea to spill.

On today's episode, we kiki with the feisty latina from Miami who's setting the concrete jungle on fire, Pixie Aventura!!! Pixie Aventura is a constant presence in New York City nightlife. For her, drag is both an art form and a business, which has enabled her to turn it into a full-time career. Pixie approaches drag with a level passion, polish, and professionalism which can be seen as a "how-to" manual for Drag Queens. A Miami native, Pixie experienced drag for the first time through the performances of legendary queens TP Lords and Daisy Deadpetals. After leaving Miami to attend college in Ohio, she found herself in the company of the West Family, headed by Nina and Virginia West. Needless to say, Pixie was getting an ivy league education in drag. All of these experiences eventually led to the birth of Miss Aventura at Otterbein College, where she performed at an annual charity event. After graduation, she moved to New York to pursue a career on Broadway. Finding herself typecast and limited by the roles offered to Hispanics and Latinos, she broke free from the system by unleashing Pixie full force and hasn't looked back since!

Daniella TwoSpiritz Mendez is a reality tv star of MTV's "True Life" & E!'s "Botched." Over the past three years, Daniella has been thrust into the public eye, using these shows as a platform to tell her story. While many are vaguely familiar with trans identity and the processes of transitioning, de-transitioning is both a controversial and rarely discussed topic. Daniella, who hails from New Jersey, began performing as a drag queen in New York City, most notably at Escuelita. Escos introduced her to many trans women who accepted her into their community, and would eventually provide the support and guidance to embark on her gender journey. Prior to her appearance on MTV's "True Life," Daniella began having conflicting feelings about her gender as her transition progressed. MTV's production team stepped in and captured this moment in her life, where Daniella halted her transition and took a step back to reassess her gender identity. She was later featured on the popular E! series, "Botched," where she wanted to correct the deformations caused by the removal of her breast implants. Daniella didn't feel comfortable identifying as solely male or female. Instead, she falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, where she can present as the person she is most comfortable being. Daniella's de-transition has been met with a lot of negative criticism, but her journey is a very personal one that she has chosen to share with the world. After much soul searching, she identifies as the most comfortable of all signifiers: Human.

"Dissecting Divas" explores and breaks down the powerful and influential women that have inspired drag queens and gays alike. Judy Darling is the modern-day embodiment of two of the 20th century's most tragic beauties, Judy Garland & Candy Darling. These women are icons of film and art, respectively, and have left a lasting impact on pop culture. Their lives were replete with extremes, both good and bad. Judy Garland became a child star at the age of twelve and followed a bumpy trajectory of fame, alcohol, and pills. Throughout her life, she clawed at fame, fighting against the studio system that kept her prisoner and helped her attain her dreams, but at a very high price. Candy Darling was one of Andy Warhol's Superstars. A native of Queens, Candy was a trans woman at a time when resources for trans people were far more limited than they are today. However, she dreamt of being a hollywood star and created an artifice that mirrored the beauties of the Silver Screen. It was through her involvement with Andy Warhol that Candy became an icon. Although she passed away at the age of 30, Candy will always be remembered as the Andy Warhol darling with candy floss hair, soft voice, and an irreverence for life that only a star could have. Judy Darling has turned to Judy and Candy as inspirations for her drag and life, although with an albeit much more positive approach. In our interview, we dig deep and discover how these divas have influenced Judy and changed her life.

Scarlet Envy is a Kentucky transplant with a uniquely New York sense of style and attitude. Her drag aesthetic is a mixture of high fashion and bargain finds, which explains her titles of "The Cheapest Woman with the Highest Price Tag." As with many younger queens in New York City, she moved in 2010 for school and never left. Scarlet's first time out in full drag was when she competed in the Miss F.I.T. pageant. Although she didn't take the crown, she'd been bitten by the drag bug, originally stirred while growing up in Louisville and sneaking out in a tutu and Converse to go to midnight showings of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. She started early and knew exactly how to do it. We can't give away anymore or there would be nothing about Scarlet to learn! Listen to our interview and find out why she is the Envy and Rage of everyone who meets her!

Jada Valenciaga is a Midwestern girl who came to New York from Kansas City, Missouri to hone her dancing skills and be on broadway. In just a few short years, Jada has done all of that and more. In the New York drag community, Jada is known for her unique dancer style - she never choreographs any of her numbers, but rather lets the music and her mood inspire her movements. She has also toured with broadway shows and travels back and forth from her hometown to direct dance productions. As Logan Slaughter's sister in the truest sense of the word, Jada provided us with the ultimate KiKi during the time she spent with us. It was more of a gab session than a traditional interview, as she recounted story after story of her nightlife adventures, especially with Logan. She left our bellies and cheeks aching from laughter.

It's been a while since we've KiKi'd with the girls of The Haus of Mimosa, Anita Buffem & Gina Marie Rittale. On this episode, we meet up with them after their Saturday Brunch show at KTCHN Restaurant and dish about all the latest pop culture news and gossip. We talk about American Horror Story: Hotel, Halloween and Heidi Klum's gag-worthy Jessica Rabbit costume, and rumors surrounding the casting of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 8.