Windy City Icon, Miss Foozie, Celebrates Ten Fabulous Years
Chicago, IL -
It's impossible to imagine the Windy City without Miss Foozie brightening up the social scene with a glitter-festooned face, big smile, warm hugs, adored clarion call—"Hello Pineapple!"—and a loving heart bigger than her hair. From humble beginnings, dressing in drag as a lighthearted gag spawned a legend that spanned a decade. With ten successful and fabulously Foozie-fun years comes the announcement of greater expectations and expansion plans for Chicago's best female impersonator and entertainer. As Miss Foozie would say, "Hot dog!"
"It started as a joke," Miss Foozie says of her first appearance during her 1997 birthday party at Chicago's Circuit Nightclub. Pulling the then popular nightclub security attendant into the club's back office, friends implored "her" to change into the wig, makeup and dress previously set up for the party. Miss Foozie resisted at first, saying, "I hadn't dressed up since a Halloween party in Junior High School."
"I remember like it was yesterday," says Circuit owner Mike Macharello of Miss Foozie's debut. "I opened the club that year, and [Miss Foozie] wanted to have her birthday party there. The place was packed with birthday guests when this unknown performer took the stage. The crowd loved her, and really took to the character calling herself, ‘Miss Foozie' [The name was given to her by a friend playing on her actual last name]. It was so well received I decided to continue the show on a weekly basis." That show, Miss Foozie and her Floozies, was a highly-attended local favorite for a five-year run. And a star was born.
By 2002, Miss Foozie was a gay household name as the number one Chicago entertainer, nightlife hostess and general purveyor of feeling good featured in every regional establishment and during every special event. Her local popularity parlayed into national appeal, with Miss Foozie making waves in Hawaii, Florida, New York, D.C., California, Las Vegas and Wisconsin. Her one-of-a-kind charm caught the attention of RuPaul, Kelly Osbourne, Bruce Vilanch, Lady Bunny, as well as film and television producers casting Miss Foozie to make independent film appearances in 2005's Bowser Makes a Movie and 2007's Father Knows. She's a regular guest on Chicago Public Radio and CAN TV, and showed the world her home city as only she knows it as a correspondent for Q TV's Q on the Move.
After ten years on the scene, Miss Foozie plans to take her fun-loving and caring character full-time, starting with her new role as Director of Entertainment for Chicago's leading online LGBT resource, ChicagoPride.com.
"Miss Foozie is well-known for her amazing generosity of spirit," says ChicagoPride.com President Ron Matthew Inawat. "She brings a vibrant energy in promoting the site and is the perfect representative for showcasing the colorful panorama of our city."
With a TV pilot in the works, Miss Foozie is taking on her alter ego with full force. "I get so much strength and drive from my loving family and fans," Foozie says, "To be able to experience this as a fulltime profession would be a dream come true—and to do that I have to give Foozie 100 percent."
Celebrate with Miss Foozie:
Sunday, April 1st 5PM-10PM
Roscoes: Foozie's Kick-off Bday Party and Male Call
Tuesday, April 3rd 10PM-1AM
Cocktail: Drink specials and a Foozie Quicky at 12:30AM
Wednesday, April 4th 9PM-2AM
Circuit: A special show featuring friends of Foozie at the club where it all started! Free appetizers from 9PM-10:30PM
Thursday, April 5th 7PM-MIDNIGHT
Cesar's on Broadway: Free appetizers from 7PM-9PM, $2 margarita's and a special Bday celebration
Friday, April 6th 10PM-1AM
Spin: Celebrate Miss Foozie's actual birthday with a special shower contest and Foozie Quicky at 11PM plus Foozie Pineapple UpsideDown Cake Shots for $3!
"It started as a joke," Miss Foozie says of her first appearance during her 1997 birthday party at Chicago's Circuit Nightclub. Pulling the then popular nightclub security attendant into the club's back office, friends implored "her" to change into the wig, makeup and dress previously set up for the party. Miss Foozie resisted at first, saying, "I hadn't dressed up since a Halloween party in Junior High School."
"I remember like it was yesterday," says Circuit owner Mike Macharello of Miss Foozie's debut. "I opened the club that year, and [Miss Foozie] wanted to have her birthday party there. The place was packed with birthday guests when this unknown performer took the stage. The crowd loved her, and really took to the character calling herself, ‘Miss Foozie' [The name was given to her by a friend playing on her actual last name]. It was so well received I decided to continue the show on a weekly basis." That show, Miss Foozie and her Floozies, was a highly-attended local favorite for a five-year run. And a star was born.
By 2002, Miss Foozie was a gay household name as the number one Chicago entertainer, nightlife hostess and general purveyor of feeling good featured in every regional establishment and during every special event. Her local popularity parlayed into national appeal, with Miss Foozie making waves in Hawaii, Florida, New York, D.C., California, Las Vegas and Wisconsin. Her one-of-a-kind charm caught the attention of RuPaul, Kelly Osbourne, Bruce Vilanch, Lady Bunny, as well as film and television producers casting Miss Foozie to make independent film appearances in 2005's Bowser Makes a Movie and 2007's Father Knows. She's a regular guest on Chicago Public Radio and CAN TV, and showed the world her home city as only she knows it as a correspondent for Q TV's Q on the Move.
After ten years on the scene, Miss Foozie plans to take her fun-loving and caring character full-time, starting with her new role as Director of Entertainment for Chicago's leading online LGBT resource, ChicagoPride.com.
"Miss Foozie is well-known for her amazing generosity of spirit," says ChicagoPride.com President Ron Matthew Inawat. "She brings a vibrant energy in promoting the site and is the perfect representative for showcasing the colorful panorama of our city."
With a TV pilot in the works, Miss Foozie is taking on her alter ego with full force. "I get so much strength and drive from my loving family and fans," Foozie says, "To be able to experience this as a fulltime profession would be a dream come true—and to do that I have to give Foozie 100 percent."
Celebrate with Miss Foozie:
Sunday, April 1st 5PM-10PM
Roscoes: Foozie's Kick-off Bday Party and Male Call
Tuesday, April 3rd 10PM-1AM
Cocktail: Drink specials and a Foozie Quicky at 12:30AM
Wednesday, April 4th 9PM-2AM
Circuit: A special show featuring friends of Foozie at the club where it all started! Free appetizers from 9PM-10:30PM
Thursday, April 5th 7PM-MIDNIGHT
Cesar's on Broadway: Free appetizers from 7PM-9PM, $2 margarita's and a special Bday celebration
Friday, April 6th 10PM-1AM
Spin: Celebrate Miss Foozie's actual birthday with a special shower contest and Foozie Quicky at 11PM plus Foozie Pineapple UpsideDown Cake Shots for $3!
