My Miami With Elaine Lancaster

I often open with a pithy little introduction hoping to connect my random life with the remarkable people I have the pleasure of speaking with.   Today I am not feeling overwhelmingly pithy but rather more like a guy with an opportunity to introduce the blog o sphere to one of my favorite places I call “home”…Miami

But of course I would be nothing if I did not do it with the help of a Tour Guide extraordinaire  – The enigmatic Elaine Lancaster – according to “legend”, fate and a bit of irony brought her to us in a way as is usually spun from a good tale, novel and/or novella…  As “on the very day fashion icon Gianni Versace was murdered in front of his Ocean Drive mansion—July 15, 1997—James Davis awoke to his first morning on South Beach after relocating here from Dallas. There was a cruel irony in their shared twists of fate, because Davis—much better known today as drag diva Elaine Lancaster—had moved to South Beach because of Versace. I had been a fashion model in Milan for a while and I got to know the whole Versace family,” says the six-foot, two-inch, blond-haired, blue-eyed Davis.” “So, I moved to Miami to be close to the Versaces and all of that energy….”

Photo by: http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.howardaustinfeld.com

But this is not about a life half lived by any means, as it is James Davis-as-Elaine Lancaster that manifests the same transformational and creative genius that Gianni Versace gave to us and left as his gift to South Beach. Moreover, it is witness to Davis’s tenacious will that he did not simply turn his back on his newly found home when his idol was viciously murdered on the steps of his beachfront mansion.

In a recent interview I had the pleasure and priveledge of being privy to some remarkable insights from what I consider to be an “old soul” with legs for days!!!

So when I asked… “Would you mind playing cosmic tour guide and goddess of the Universe for me…?  The answer was a resounding  – “YES”

Why Miami? What makes Miami tick? You have lived and worked everywhere why make Miami your home?

“I have been fortunate in so many ways in my life, and after living in various cities in the United States, as well as Europe, I found myself wanting to live in Florida. I visited Key West for 3 months and thought that might be a great little cove to call home but it was way too small and after a few months I knew I could never live there full time.

I moved to Miami Beach July 15, 1997 to be close to Gianni Versace as I became friends with him and his brother in law, Paul Beck in Milan where I was living prior. Ironically, that was the same day he was gunned downed and killed on the front steps of his home. So in almost an instant my aspirations had taken a new direction. I have always loved the spotlight and making people enjoy themselves, so I brought Elaine Lancaster to life and what a life it has been for me so far. No matter where in the world I go or who is in the room from Presidents to A List Celebrities, when Elaine walks in the room it becomes hers at least for a while. I feel it and it is a very powerful thing. I never created Elaine to be mean or nasty, but rather to uplift, inspire and hopefully educate people about people. It is so much easier to affect change through humor than from standing on a soap box preaching.”

You want to be respected in life? Then learn to respect others.

Where are we in the world REALLY? You have a rare opportunity to see the “state of the union” as a performer as (excuse if this is not how you see yourself) a gay man, as a comedian, social satirist and in some ways from a female perspective as you have studied the female to perfect your art.

“Elaine Lancaster is a character that I create as a profession. I do not live the life nor would I ever want to. The life of Elaine is too demanding and she is wanted to be everything to everybody. I love the duplicity of being able to wash it all off and be me. I am extremely lucky to be a gay man who is completely at ease with my sexual orientation.  I know what makes a man a man. It has nothing to do with ones physicality. I also know what it is like to walk a mile in a woman’s shoes…. LITERALLY.  I know that this is a man’s world and always will be, but I also know what strong, amazing creatures women are. They are the givers of life and I am happy to see men in America becoming aware of their emotional side and allowing themselves to feel and respond to those feelings. Not just Gay men, but all men.   It gives me such hope for our culture.”

Tell us a secret – Something we don’t know about you but now we will.

“I do live an intriguing life that has been completely by my own design. It is not something one can buy, study to become, or even pray to have. One must be born with the energy and zest for loving life or else one would tire quickly or would never be successful. My JOB is flashy, superficial in appearance, self- So I can live a life that seems like complete and utter surface, but the man behind the woman is anything but.  absorbed, simplistic, oversimplified, flimsy, empty, trivial, surface, skin-deep, two-dimensional, frivolous, foolish, silly, BUT my life is not….

I pride myself on being college educated.  I have traveled to most of the worlds capitals and have a true love and desire to learn about people from around the world. I have raised 20 million dollars for various charities within the past 10 years and received Proclamations from Miami Beach and Dallas, Texas declaring Elaine Lancaster Days.

Elaine is an Actor, singer, style icon, DJ, Entertainer, Costume Designer, Booker, Agent, writer, Columnist for the Glossy, Miami Monthly Magazine and guest writer for the Miami Herald.

On a personal note, I am most happy with the family I have, and the few, but true friendships I have maintained over the years, since they are the ones who love me regardless of who I may be to the world. I am also a friend to the friendless and try to be there for those who have no one to lend them a hand. Although I have learned through the years one must take care of themselves first and foremost.”

Nope not feeling very pithy today, but feeling rather awed and inspired… Thank you Elaine.  I simply don’t know what else to say…

Follow me on twitter  @celebbuzzz

and Elaine at

http://www.misselainelancaster.com

http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.misselainelancaster.com

www.facebook.com/elaine.lancaster

Fan Page on Facebook is: Friends of Elaine Lancaster

http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.miamimonthlymagazine.com