Las Vegas is a city unlike any other in the world, at the heart of the mystique are the people who call it home. We know their public personas, but who are they when the lights go dark, the audience has gone home, and the curtains have closed? Armed with a long list of “you can’t ask that” questions, we set out to find the REAL DEAL on a famous fellow Las Vegan!
Our first stop was the Showboy Mansion where we caught up with female impersonator Frank Marino, who with not just 1, but 2 stars gracing our sidewalks, keys to the city, a street named in his honor and titleholder of the longest running headliner in the Strip’s history is the undisputed Queen of Las Vegas and the world’s most successful tribute artist! Now that the COVID restrictions have lifted, he’s back in high gear, and in the few breaths he had to spare between planning his return to the stage in Legends in Concert at the Tropicana Las Vegas for 12 weeks starting May 27, 2021, penning the final details on his much awaited second autobiography, Drags to Riches, his Dragalicious Brunches at DW Bistro, an upcoming Florida tour with his world famous show Divas Las Vegas, spokesperson for Foundation for Positively Kids and being the fashion commentator for Channel 13 News post all major award shows, Frank had a lot to “Tawk” about! While we love the stylish, sassy Diva in the fabulous gowns with the razor-sharp wit he portrays, we quickly found out it’s really his heart that has made the world fall in love with him over and over again!
RVM: What question do you continually get asked that just gets on your nerves?
FM: How did you get started?
RVM: There went question number 2! What has been your weirdest fan experience?
FM: Walking out of a casino with my Mom, someone asked for her autograph thinking she was me! Later I did tease her, “you know they thought you were a man!”
RVM: In a movie about your life, who plays you?
FM: Harry Styles
RVM: How many times have you been to the “Happiest Place on Earth”?
FM: I’ve been to every Walt Disney park in the world, in total at least 150 times… maybe more!
RVM: Biggest pet peeve?
FM: Lazy People
RVM: What’s the best gift you’ve ever been given?
FM: Let me tell you… My favorite gift to get is a letter. Whatever the gift is, I can buy my own, but the one thing I don’t have is time, so if someone gives me their time and writes me a letter – that’s the best gift. It’s not the actual letter, I feel it’s the time they put into it that makes it so valuable to me.
RVM: What would people be shocked to find in your home?
FM: I have a landline, fax machine and a cassette tape player!
RVM: If you weren’t famous, what career would you choose?
FM: I’d love to be a life coach! I’m the best director of everyone else’s life!
RVM: Name one thing you’ve always wanted to try, but haven’t?
FM: Instead of being a guest on someone’s TV show, I’d like to have my own… A real honest one! I go to bed every night thinking NO ONE would believe what really goes on here!
RVM: Who is the one celebrity that makes you go gaga?
FM: Besides Gaga herself, Diana Ross!
RVM: Of all your possessions, what is the one item you treasure the most?
FM: There’s 2! Baby Boy and Angel, my fur babies.
RVM: What’s the one thing you never leave home without?
FM: For 2020 I would say a mask! But otherwise, my attitude!
RVM: What makes you laugh no matter what?
FM: When something goes wrong on stage during a performance and watching everyone scramble to cover it up!
RVM: First thing you notice about someone you want to date?
FM: How big the bulge is…and by bulge, I mean their wallet!
RVM: Ever get stage fright?
FM: No, but I’m nervous about opening at Legends in Concert on May 27th; it’s been 15 months since I’ve spoken into a microphone, I don’t know if I remember how to put on the makeup, I’m praying I fit into the clothes….!
RVM: Favorite sport to play?
FM: Tennis
RVM: You have not aged a day, what is your secret?
FM: I was garage kept! No, seriously… My fountain of youth is in the hands of an angel named Peggy at Simply Radiant Med Spa.
RVM: What’s your guilty pleasure?
FM: Binge watching reality TV
RVM: What nicknames do your friends call you?
FM: (Laughing) I insist they call me Ms. Rivers, Ma’am!
RVM: Favorite fashion icon?
FM: (No hesitation) Cher!
RVM: Favorite movie of all time?
FM: Grease
RVM: How much have you spent on makeup in your career?
FM: I really don’t know, but I will say, I’ve spent enough on lipstick to have owned a sports car by now!
RVM: Best advice you’ve been given?
FM: Almost 40 years ago on opening night of Divas Las Vegas, Comedian Rip Taylor told me, “Save your money because the curtain can come down at any time.”
RVM: Favorite holiday?
FM: Christmas! My tree is still up!
RVM: Best part about your career?
FM: Even if I’ve had the worst day or something, obviously in 37 years bad things have happened… But I get to go on stage every night and for an hour and a half I get to be in another world. As I look around the room, I see the people laughing and I know I’m also making them happy… THAT makes me happy!!
RVM: What song must you blast on high volume?
FM: Every song! But my favorite song of all time is Gloria by Laura Branigan
RVM: Describe yourself in 3 words.
FM: Tough, street-smart, lucky
RVM: Favorite quote?
FM: It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.
RVM: Best compliment?
FM: Anytime someone tells me, “You’re so funny.”
RVM: 1 item you still have from your childhood?
FM: I actually took parts from some of my childhood toys and created an art piece inside of a shadow box! I’m very sentimental with things like that.
RVM: Boxers or Briefs?
FM: Commando!!!!
RVM: What is your Biggest Phobia?
FM: Failure
RVM: What time do you wake up in the morning?
FM: The crack of noon!!
RVM: Do you have a favorite all time performance?
FM: Too many! 1 of my favorite projects was starring with Sandra Bullock in the movie “Miss Congeniality 2”. Armed and Fabulous, that’s when I became America’s favorite male actress!
RVM: If you could pick 1 day out of your life to relive, what day would it be?
FM: This is going to be sad… The day before my Mom died.
For more details on Frank Marino check out his 2 autobiographies, His Majesty the Queen is out now and Drags to Riches will be released in August 2021. Be sure follow his adventures on Facebook @FrankMarino and Instagram @thequeenofvegas for show dates and times near you. Both books available now on frankmarino.com
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