Rufus Wainwright on Judy Garland at 100 and why she’s the ultimate gay icon
“Rufus Does Judy at Capitol Studios,” that dropped on Friday — exactly 100 years after his iconic idol was born on June 10, 1922.It’s the second Garland tribute LP by the 48-year-old art-pop artist, after 2007’s “Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall.” And also on Friday, he’ll fête the Hollywood legend — who died on June 22, 1969 — with the last night of this week’s “Rufus Does Judy at City Winery” residency in Chelsea.Here, Wainwright shares how he discovered Garland, what she means to him as a gay man, and why Pride Month is the perfect time to honor her.Obviously Judy Garland has meant so much to you throughout your life.
How did you first get exposed to Judy?Well, “The Wizard of Oz” was a kind of yearly TV event that would occur around Easter usually.
So the whole family would watch it. It started then, and then I sort of followed her entertainment yellow brick road. When I got to Hollywood and I saw her history — and also sort of the lore of the gay world — those things just kind of haunted me for many, many years.Why do you think she has been the ultimate gay icon, that she has been so special to the gay community?I think that she experienced a lot of the same traumas that a lot of gay men experience, whether it’s through battles with addiction or feeling really taken advantage of by society — or not respected, shall we say.
Sometimes gay men, especially from that generation, were not allowed to express themselves, so there’s that kind of trapped feeling … And I think that a lot of gay men feel like there’s this inner Judy who wants to be known for who they are.There’s also this connection between Judy and Stonewall, because she died right before the Stonewall Riots in 1969.I was honored to be able to sing “Over the.
