James Whiteside on chaotic Fire Island memories, running in heels & his provocative new film
Romeo and Juliet, Othello, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker.But here’s the thing about the classics: there are no queer stories being told.
To express himself fully, Whiteside might transform into his hip-hop alter-ego, JbDubs, or throw on his wig and makeup to become Ühu Betch, his drag persona. (Whiteside calls Ühu Betch an “irreverent nonsense queen.”Whiteside, 38, is fascinated with the creative process.
On his current podcast, “Front Row,” he speaks with other entertainers about their successes in the arts, and the psychology behind creativity.
So to return to the opening question: who is James Whiteside? He is a dancer, drag queen, pop artist, interviewer, author (his 2021 memoir offers an unfiltered look into his evolution as a gay man and complex relationship with dance); and now, director.
