High GEAR Interview

Ken Talks About Tiffany

By Gordon Hathaway

Mr. Tiffany Jones, one of the country's top female impersonators, has provided quality entertainment to crowds from coast to coast. Tiffany was in town to perform, along with Bobbie Callicoatte, on Sunday, October 18.

Tiffany is better known to friends as Ken Whitehead. This interview is a look at Ken -the man.

HIGH GEARHow long have you been doing female impersonations and what made you decide to go into this line of work?

Ken I have been doing impersonations full-time, professionally for about ten years. I first did shows in Houston on weekends. When I began making more money doing impersonations, than on my regular job, it became my line of work.

HIGH GEAR How did you begin performing for the Club Bath chain?

Ken There are several large stockholders in the chain. Jack Campbell is one of these, as well as the founder of the chain. Both Jack and his ex-lover, Jerry, were close friends. I began performing for contests at clubs which Jack owned, about eight years ago. Jack and Jerry were responsible for bringing me to Cleveland when the Bayou Landing (now New Dimensions) opened.

HIGH GEAR-You have recently been performing in Provincetown during the summer. How did you get involved?

Ken Lynn Carter, who owned the Pilgrim House, saw me perform in New York City, and liked the show. I initially went for a two week engagement and have now been performing in Provincetown for four summers. Three summers were spent at the Pilgrim House and this year at the Crown and Anchor.

HIGH GEAR You always say that Cleveland audiences are the best. Why do you think this is so?

Ken Because Cleveland audiences love to be entertained. I realized this when I first began performing in Cleveland as its first professional impersonator. Clevelanders love dramatic numbers. This is the only city where I perform them.

HIGH GEARHow long does it take you to learn a number?

KenI strive to be a perfectionist. While I can "learn" a number in a day, it takes several weeks to perfect the routine.

HIGH GEARWho were some of the most memorable performers you have worked with or met?

Ken Maxine Andrews of the Andrews Sisters was one of them. I had the opportunity to work with her in Provincetown and did her make-up for two weeks. Bobbie Callicoatte and I served as the other two Andrews Sisters when performing with her. I also had the opportunity

to meet Eartha Kitt in Provincetown. I thoroughly enjoyed it when she cooked brunch for myself and ten friends.

Photo: John A. Barrick

HIGH GEARWhat song do you enjoy performing most?

Ken "What Makes A Man A Man" by Charles Aznavour. This song expresses basically what all entertainers feel and also lets the audience see me as a man. HIGH GEAR What is your most memorable performance and why?

Ken There was a bar in New Orleans that burned down around 1969 in which several men lost their lives. At the time I was performing at the Warehouse 8 in Miami. Within a week I gathered together other top entertainers for a benefit show for those who lost their lives. The show raised several thousand dollars. It was a memorable show because it was good seeing all these performers working together for a cause. It is good to be a gay entertainer when you can do something for a worthy cause.

HIGH GEAR What is one of your favorite stories about performing?

Ken While working in Las Vegas, Craig Russell was performing at the Sahara Hotel. Some friends and I went to see him. Since it was between two of my shows there was very little time to change clothes, so I had to go in "drag". As I do not dress this way in public. i was uneasy about being seen this way and started walking very fast through the lobby of the hotel. I walked so fast that when I turned around, I found everyone in my, group was way behind me and I was walking alone.

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HIGH GEAR How much of the year do you travel?

Ken About nine to ten months. As an example, in the past three weeks, I have performed in New York City: White Plains, New York; Memphis, Tennessee; Springfield, Massachusetts; Pittsburgh and Cleveland. I have a brand new condominium in Houston and have only been in it nine days in the past four months.

HIGH GEAR Can this get to be lonely life?

Ken-Yes, it can be lonely on the road. I like being in love with someone but traveling so much can be a "downer" on love life.

HIGH GEAR Where do you get your comedy ideas?

Ken In my travels, I may see an amateur or professional do a number I like. I will try to change that number to best suit my performing style. Many ideas are ones which I think of myself.

HIGH GEAR You mentioned something during the show about being taped for HBO (Home Box Office). Can you elaborate?

Ken A producer recently taped our show in Springfield, Mass. The show will take him about four weeks to edit. He hopes to sell the show to HBO and also to make video cassettes of the show.

HIGH GEAR You work a lot with Bobby Callicoatte. How did you meet him?

Ken I was performing at the "coronation" of the empress and emperor of the gay community in Vancouver. I saw Bobbie perform there and we have performed on a fairly regular basis since then.

HIGH GEARWhat is the basic

From Near And Far

By M.F. Castle "Showtime" on October 25th at Godmother's II brought people in from outside the local area to experience the considerable talents of Melissa Ross, Miz D, and Katie Alexander. An applause contest led by Melissa between a large group from Warren (also known as Paradise) and an equally large contingent from Lorain and Elyria was won by the Warren group, although the Lorain and Elyria group continued to make their presence known throughout the evening.

To the "standing room only" crowd, the three entertainers proIvided the fuel for a wam and funfilled evening. Melissa Ross, as always, gave a tremendous performance. Her many fans in attendance responded to her numbers with wild,

Page 17, High Gear

Photo: John A. Barrick

difference between Tiffany and Ken?

Ken As Tiffany, I can be a funny, trashy person and can say anything I want at the microphone. As Ken, I am a very bashful person.

HIGH GEAR Thank you for allowing time in your busy schedule for this interview. Hopefully, you will be back to perform in Cleveland soon!

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applause, and her banter between stage and audience helped everyone feel like they were a part of the show. But to add to the pleasure of the evening were Katie Alexander and Miz D, two performers with exceptional taient. From Katie's rendition of "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" through Miz D's 50's-style number "Boy From New York City" (complete with poodle skirt), the show moved.

Applause must also go to the sound crew and the lighting crew. The sound was tremendous and the lighting crew managed to follow the performers as they moved from stage, to tables, to bar, and back again.

Perhaps two women from New York who were present summed it up best,Great show and great peoples basoledad 11 depend

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