Interview with a Superstar
Morgan Stevens
VR Who is Morgan Stevens?
MS Morgan Stevens is a professional female impersonator who pretty much lives full time as a woman. I enjoy performing and creating the illusion of Ann-Margret on stage. And when I perform, I try to use my ability in that domain , to raise money for the gay/transgendered community that can be put to good use(s). When I am not running around in “high ass drag” so to speak, I guess I am like most people, I try to find the humor in life and get through each day with a little silliness mixed in with the seriousness.
VR Where are you living right now?
MS I live in northern New Jersey, about 20 miles due west of New York City. In the summer months I have a home on Long Beach Island, NJ that I am always at and I am either tinkering around the house on various projects, or sailing which is my escape from work, drag shows and life’s little annoyances.
VR Can you tell us that you knew you were different from the person you saw
in the mirror growing up?
MS It’s somewhat hard to recall when I first knew, but I guess by age 7 or 8 I knew I was different. At the time I couldn’t’ really put a definition on what I was experiencing, other than the fact that I just knew I wanted to be a girl. However growing up in Northern, New Jersey in a very conservative town, going to a very conservative school and during a very conservative time ( the 50’s) I knew that I really couldn’t turn to anybody to talk about my different feelings with. Back then, things were no where’s like what they are today, in terms of sexual or emotional freedoms. As I got older my girl feelings became stronger, but once again high school in the late 60’s was no place to “out” oneself. Finally at college in New Orleans things changed radically. More freedoms and an entire culture that welcomed and applauded female impersonators. At long last I had my chance to come to terms with my feelings and knew that I would be accepted for who I am.
VR Who inspired you?
MS That’s a tough question, because so many people have inspired me in so many different ways. As to honesty, courage and ethics in life and standing up for what I believe in, first and foremost my parents. As to believing in ones principles I ‘d have to say that William F. Halsey Jr. is a tremendous inspiration. He was a former Admiral in the US Navy during the Second World War. Now I know that may sound a little odd (re: as in a drag queen admiring a military person ?) but he has inspired me from the standpoint, that he never backed down, he held true to his convictions (right or wrong) and wasn’t afraid to defend his position.
As to famous figures in the entertainment biz, well right off the bat “numero uno” is the real Ann-Margret. She’s got style. class and good looks too and she’s very sincere and nice to get to know. A true friend and a real sweetie.
As to fellow drag queens, or members of the transgender/transsexual community the list is way too long. But certainly at the top, would be the true “pioneers” April Ashley, Aleshia Brevard, Coccinelle, Mimi Marx ( a great drag entertainer) and Michael Andrews (who has sadly passed away), I like Danielle Hunter too, I think she’s got style and class as a performer. In that same arena, Nattaya Klomklao from Thailand comes to mind as well, good looks and class also….. and a host of others for which I could go on and on, but time and space limit me.
VR Who do you admire?
MS Certainly all of the people I just mentioned above because I think if a person inspires you certainly you admire them for what they have done for you, whether they realize it or not. Apart from those girls, I admire all of my close friends, because if they can put up with the likes of me they must be special , not to mention patient as well <grin>.
VR What do you think you have to offer the transgender community, anything at all?
MS I would hope that at least one thing I can offer the TG community, is that through my abilities as a performer, I can continue to do shows and raise money for causes that are important and germane to the community. In addition to that, I would hope that maybe along the way, I have inspired a budding queen/FI to go out, buy a costume, put on the paint and get up in front of an audience and have some fun. Sometimes, I think we all take drag and performing a little to seriously, if ya’ know what I mean ? What we do is meant to be fun and to bring enjoyment to people, so I hope that maybe I have been an inspiration to the members of the TG community to get up and try their hands a drag and performing. Let’s face it.. why sit around watching movies with famous Hollywood Starlets, when you can be up on stage impersonating them and having fun while you’re at it?
VR Do you think you have made a difference in the Transgender Community?
MS Well, I hope I have. I have tried through the shows that I do, or the appearances I have made at fund raisers, for various causes in the community, have helped fellow members of the community either financially or purely from an entertainment standpoint. If I have been able to make someone’s life a little better, more comfortable or for that matter just made somebody have a nice night while taking in a drag show and forgetting their problems for a while I think makes a difference and I am glad to be able to have done that.
VR Do you think you still have more work to do for the Transgender Community?
MS Oh by all means yes. I mean just when you think that something is finished, you find yourself becoming a victim to that old philosophy of…… “there’s always something more to be done”. Whether it’s another AIDS fundraiser, a charity benefit or just simply helping people understand that the members of our community are not strange, odd or to be treated with disdain. Rather that we are people too, with the same wants, needs and desires that everybody else has and through those efforts, we can gain both individually and as a community the dignity that every human being is entitled to regardless of the way they present themselves to the public.
VR What do you think makes you stand out above others?
MS Well, for one thing probably because I am tall <grin>. No but seriously, I think it’s the fact that I impersonate a show biz legend (Ann-Margret) that not to many other people impersonate and that I try to be nice to fellow drag performers and shy away from the sometimes catty and vicious atmosphere that often goes with drag.
VR Do you get nervous when asked to speak to a group or perform on stage?
MS Yes and no. When I am waiting to go on, be it to speak to a group or do a show, I get nervous thinking as to whether I have done everything to make sure that the performance goes off without a hitch. But once I get out in front of an audience and get into the swing of things, I relax and get on with the so called order of business, get caught up in the moment and forget about being nervous.
VR Would you ever get SRS or did you have it done?
MS A few years ago the thought did enter my mind, but at this stage of the proceedings that’s on the back burner . However, I guess you could say I’ve kind of had the 90% SRS. The nose job, the breast implants, the hip and thigh implants, the cheek bone and lip implants. Either I am a walking “poster girl” for the plastic surgery business or 90% of the way to SRS.
VR What’s been your biggest accomplishment ?
MS Gee…. that’s a tough one. But to date, it would have to this years recipient of the Miss Gay New Jersey Pageant’s “Kitty Fouche Life Time Achievement Award” for my efforts with the New Jersey GLBIT community. I consider it to be a mark of distinction all in the name of a good group and a good cause .
VR What makes you happy?
MS There are a lot of things that I enjoy and derive happiness from and certainly one of them is when someone comes up to me after a show and just says something the likes of…… “you know I really enjoyed your performance tonight”… or “you did a nice job tonight on stage and I’d enjoy seeing you perform again”. Just simple little comments make all the difference in the world to me and always bring a smile to my face. I guess I can sum it up by saying when people are nice to me and go out of their way to be so.
VR What makes me upset?
MS Just like happiness there are a lot of things but for the most part, when people take on this aura about themselves when they think the entire world revolves around their every act, word and thought. You know the type, the typical self centered yuppie, standing on line at the grocery store yapping away on his or her cell phone discussing the “finer points of nothing” with someone else on the other end of the line, solely for the purpose of calling attention to themselves.
VR Have you ever had a true love in life?
MS Actually two of them. One when I was in high school and another when I was in college. In high school, when I was still trying to figure out whether I was gay or straight, I had a secret crush on a very beautiful girl named Gwen. Presently I think she’s a flight attendant for United Airlines. As time went on, and I realized that I was gay, I fell in love (from afar) with a handsome young man, a basketball player named Mike. Ah yes those old high school and college days when one was free to be foolish and in love. Need I say more?
VR Are you in love now ?
MS Yes but not in the traditional sense. I have a very special love for a near and dear friend named Lauri. She’s my best gal pal, loving friend and trusted confidant.
VR As a transgendered person do you think that you have received the proper respect you deserve in life?
MS To a certain extent yes. As a performer, in the performer mode, I have received nothing but respect which I think in large part is due to my abilities to recreate a famous Hollywood Starlet. However, in another sense I think respect is lacking somewhat. For example I can walk into a straight night club or restaurant in high ass drag and feel every eye upon me with a sense of contempt as if to say.. “well what is that one doing here” ? It’s an interesting dichotomy. When I am on stage I am respected for my craft, but off stage the respect seems to vanish. I guess the straight world is just not ready for mainstream integrated drag if you will.<grin>
VR Do you feel that we transgendered people are getting what we deserve as human beings from our government?
MS Yes, but with the following explanation. Regardless of how we wish to appear in public, we all guaranteed certain rights as per the US Constitution and those cannot be taken away at any time. In many respects, I think it is foolish when certain members of our community think that every time they have a problem, government is the solution. It isn’t. Self reliance and a determination to overcome barriers on your own, absent government intervention at every turn, should be applied more often.
VR Do you think that you are a nice person or can you be a bitch at times?
MS I always try to be a nice person, but I guess like anybody else if you cross me I can be a real no good so and so. Probably due to the fact that I am Scorpio by birth sign. Scorp’s are known for their tenacity especially when betrayed or slighted
VR Do you have any pet peeves?
MS Oh yeah ! First and foremost on the list are people who feel as though they have to use the latest expressions or lingo just to prove their “with it”. For example…… “oxymoron”, “24/7”, “well the whole thing just morphed”, “toad ally”( instead of pronouncing the word correctly as in totally) “whatever” and those morons who feel as though they have to finish every sentence with a question, even though the sentence doesn’t call for such ? The English language is a beautiful language and should not be reduced to trendy buzz words or the latest expressions that completely lack any grammatical intelligence whatsoever. Enough said ! <vbg>
VR Where do you see yourself in the future?
MS Hopefully a few more years at my regular day job and then retiring to Long Beach Island, NJ still doing drag of course, but taking time out to some serious sailing, relaxing and world traveling. Maybe even writing a book or autobiography on my crazy adventures in drag and the drag biz.
VR Do you have a favorite movie and why?
MS Oh yeah….. I got a few favorite movies that cover comedy, drama and human interest. I guess if were to have to choose one, my all time favorite would be a movie titled The Ref. It stars Dennis O’Leary and it is a story about a completely dysfunctional town and group of people in Connecticut during Christmas Eve. The reason I like it so much is that it points out that no matter how hard we try to put on our best faces to the public at large.. we are all a little dysfunctional, especially in our private lives.
VR Do you have a favorite character in literature or in the movies?
MS Not so much a favorite literary character but literary author’s). One of my favorite authors is Edgar Allen Poe for his abilities to write so well and bring out that dark haunting side that every person has within them, through his poetry or short stories. My other favorite writers would be the ancient Hindus who wrote the Bagava Gita Poetry. There is so much to be learned from those writings.
As to the movies.. well now…. I’ll expose my silly side. One of my all time favorite characters in the movies is a character played by Tony Curtis in the Movie Operation Petticoat He plays a character known as Lieutenant Holden. A completely wacky and free spirit with that devil may care attitude that I think we all need from time to time just to get through life’s daily travails.
VR Can you recommend a book that has changed your perception about the world?
MS By all means. Exposing the fact that I am a conservative and proud to be an American citizen, I can recommend two books. The first is by Colonel Buzz Paterson (ret. U.S. Air Force) titled Dereliction of Duty. It exposes how Bill and Hillary Clinton did just about everything in their power to try and weaken our Country’s Military during their stay in the White House and how exposed to terrorists, they left this Country. Second to that, would be Bias by Bernard Goldberg. It really shows how the leftist media of this Country go out of their way to distort the truth and the news so that only the liberal and leftist viewpoint comes across.
VR What words of wisdom would you give to someone reaching out for help?
MS Someone once said… “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing “. I think the first thing I’d have to do is find out what type of situation the person was in and what specific type of help they needed. But in a general more applied sense, I’d try to get across to them that no matter how difficult a problem may seem, we all have within each of us an undefeatable will to survive no matter what the consequences and if you can tap into that will, most problems can be overcome.
VR Do you have a final statement for our readers?
MS Oh, I could think of many, but the one that comes to mind most is … that life is too short to worry about what others think of you. Do what you want to (within the limits of the law of course) and get out there a be a “doer” as opposed to a “watcher”. And like I always say, when you’re in drag be sure to… strut your stuff.
Note from Vicki Rene: Doing this interview I have found out a few things about this lovely lady that I did not know in the past, we have an awful lot in common! I have said in the past and I will say it again, I would really love to meet this lady, sit down, have a cup of something, pick her brain, and after we are done, go sailing with her.
You can also more information about Morgan on her WEBSITE
