Drag artists - am I the only one who doesn't find them funny?

I’m not keen either and have never been able to say why but now that you mention it, there are undertones as you say in your opening sentence.

I feel the same. They creep me out. The only one who ever made me laugh was Dame Edna, and for some reason I never minded her dressing up! I loved that she could get away with saying things that no-one else could, and somehow it never came across as offensive.

I don't like them either seamstress but many must do as there seem to be more of them on tv these days.
I wonder who likes them more men or women?

Not my idea of entertainment but each to his own.

I agree with the consensus. Dame Edna (and to some extent Lily Savage) were funny because they were using the persona to satirise the dynamic between the sexes - men as well as women, but I don't find the likes of Ru Paul funny at all.

I don't find them funny either, but I once saw Foo Foo Lamarr give a very good performance in The Rocky Horror Show.

Dame Edna made me laugh. Never saw much of Lily Savage.
Chestnut creeps me out is how I feel too. In terms of men/women liking it, neither my DH nor DD1 and husband like it. So that’s 2 men 2 women.
My GD (who’s old enough to watch) thinks “they’re grotesque and their makeup is ridiculous”.
Undoubtedly we'll be seeing more of them.?

There is an Australian drag queen called Courtney Act, and she is actually very beautiful both as a man or a woman. I would not go out of my way to watch her but she is not hideous like most of them.

Danny La Rue had a certain charm, I think. Dame Edna is funny because we aren’t expected for a moment to see her (him?) as female.

Interesting that there are are no high-profile male impersonators these days, such as Vesta Tilley in the late 19th/early 29th century. I wonder why that is.

None of them would be my choice of entertainment.

I'm not a fan, but understand it to be an expressive art form. I think the comfort angle can be eased if it's thought of as people expressing their being through traditionally female means, ie make up, colour, clothes and performance - rather than seeing what they do as a parody of women. In short, it's not about shaming women, it's about celebrating the expressive part of themselves.

I think they are like any other performers. Some of them are really gorgeous- Ru Paul for example, some of them are hideous, some of them are funny, some aren't. I don't see how you can lump them all together.
Women can drag up as well.

I agree with most posters - Nell I think your analysis is too generous and sidelines the impact they have on women and thus women themselves But then, that’s what we’re used to as women

I see them in the same category as clowns, and I don't like them either. I'm not keen on anything where a person's face is covered or disguised. So many young women now look exactly the same because of make-up, botox and surgery, you think they have come off a Barbie production line.

Not funny.
I’ve never got Mrs Brown either.

They’re def not for me! Really don’t like them at all.

SW Maybe, but I don't tend to feel threatened by other people's artistic self expression so can't toot the horn for that particular bandwagon I'm afraid. I think women have bigger fish to fry than worrying about people in garish frocks and too much makeup. I use the word people because women do it too.

Agree 100% seamstress.
I just do not get them.
Never found them funny or entertaining,the total opposite actually.

NellG

SW Maybe, but I don't tend to feel threatened by other people's artistic self expression so can't toot the horn for that particular bandwagon I'm afraid. I think women have bigger fish to fry than worrying about people in garish frocks and too much makeup. I use the word people because women do it too.

I don’t feel threatened either but I think they do women a disservice and are part of the overall problem.

suziewoozie

NellG

SW Maybe, but I don't tend to feel threatened by other people's artistic self expression so can't toot the horn for that particular bandwagon I'm afraid. I think women have bigger fish to fry than worrying about people in garish frocks and too much makeup. I use the word people because women do it too.

I don’t feel threatened either but I think they do women a disservice and are part of the overall problem.

In what ways?

I don't think anyone is worrying about them - the question was why they are popular, and people have explained which ones they have found funny and which they haven't.

I think that their being like clowns is an interesting one - taking characteristics to extremes for comic intent. On the whole I don't find that sort of humour appealing, but I'm not a fan of clowns either.

I agree with Chestnut that Courtney Act is gorgeous. I don't know of anyone saw her in Celebrity BB a while ago - it was clear from that that she is also intelligent and emotionally aware. I don't think that Courtney is a 'drag queen' in the same sense as some, though - she doesn't parody women at all - in fact many would love to look as good as she does .

Not for me at all.
Seamstress, it is a bit reminiscent of ‘blacking up’, which became unacceptable. This time though they’re parodying women and that’s evidently OK.

They are not my cup of tea but drag artists are winning an growing audience.

My parents had pubs/restaurants throughout my childhood, in one there was entertainment on a Sunday lunchtime, which ended up usually being a drag act .

These were some of the kindest, gentlest and funniest men, I was fascinated by watching them transform, they also taught me a lot about make-up and the importance of always removing every single bit of it.

Drag is an art form and like all art forms it divides opinion.

I think they are worrying if there is a feeling of 'black face' and offence about what they do Doodledog. In 2021 anything that invites that type of comparison has to be hitting a nerve. So not sure it's me who needs the flavour of the OP explained to them.