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The new adventures of Lynda Carter

Singer/actress returns to Kennedy Center for latest show

Published

14 years ago

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Lynda Carter
‘Body & Soul Tour’
March 30
7:30 p.m.
90 mins.
Kennedy Center
Terrace Theater
$30-65

Actress/singer Lynda Carter returns to the Kennedy Center next weekend. (Photo by Karl Simone; courtesy JS2 Communications)

 

Lynda Carter has been singing her whole life, but her audiences haven’t always been so receptive.

Carter, who returns to the Kennedy Center next week with her “Body & Soul” show (her most recent album “Crazy Little Things” dropped last spring), says she “of course,” sang to her two children when they were babies. It didn’t last long, though.

“My daughter, as soon as she was old enough to sing herself, she’d put her hand over my mouth,” she says. “She didn’t want to hear me.”

Carter is most famous, of course, for “Wonder Woman,” the ‘70s TV show that despite a relatively short run (three seasons), linked her indelibly with the character — “as lovely as Aphrodite, as wise as Athena!” Last time we talked to Carter when she did the AIDS Walk Washington event for Whitman-Walker Health, we hammered her with “Wonder Woman” questions (it’s here if you missed it), so this time we focused solely on the music. “Crazy Little Things,” a mostly covers album, is her third release. “Portrait” came out in 1978; she returned from a long hiatus with “At Last,” another standards-heavy release that made the Billboard jazz chart in 2009.

“It sounds kind of silly but I remember our little record players and the one new single was all you could afford,” Carter, 60, says between coughs (she’s battling a cold the day we talk). “Now we’ve kinda gone back to that in some ways with all the digital downloads. But we listened to whatever was on the radio. My mom had a lot of blues, old juke joint things. We listened to music all the time.”

Carter was a little too young for the Motown heyday but remembers loving the Beatles and the Stones like everyone else in the later ‘60s.

“When I started singing professionally, I wanted to sound like Linda Ronstadt, Grace Slick, people like that,” she says. “Then on the other side of Linda Ronstadt, you had the Stone Poneys. So you had, well, it kind of shifted away from that ‘50s sound, with Paul Anka and that kind of thing. So even though we listened to that, I kinda missed it a little bit. It wasn’t as much in my mind anyway. It wasn’t as full an experience for me as, you know, the Doors and the Animals. That was my teenybopper era. … And then I was still a young adult when the ‘80s came around, so you end up falling in love with all that too. It’s all that.”

Actress/singer Lynda Carter at the 2010 AIDS Walk Washington, a Whitman-Walker benefit. The Potomac, Md., resident returns to D.C. next weekend for a Kennedy Center performance. (Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Carter, who cut her last album in Nashville for her own imprint Potomac Productions, says she enjoys recording and performing live. It’s still work — she likens making an album to climbing a hill or facing a blank sheet of paper — but says the payoff is rich. She especially enjoys playing the Kennedy Center and says, “it’s really the nation’s stage.”

The longtime Potomac, Md., resident says she and her family “have been going there for years.”

“I sometimes am envious of the people who live in town. It’s such an easy cab ride over to there and they have all kinds of stuff going on all the time … it’s a really special place and there are only a couple rooms like that, like the Jazz at Lincoln Center, that have that kind of prestige in the whole country.”

Carter will perform with six musicians and three singers. She has a horn section, a percussionist and some players who shift instrumentation depending on the song at hand. Most of them also played on the album and are veteran Nashville session players. The album was recorded over the course of about a year off and on. Carter, who co-produced, credits Kyle Lehning with helping her find fresh interpretations on classics like Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” Queen’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” Martha and the Vandella’s “Heat Wave,” the Carole King/Gerry Goffin classic “Locomotion” and others.

Carter says she works hard to make her stage presence connect with audience members. For years, she’s acknowledged and embraced her strong LGBT fan base.

“We seem to be pulling standing ovations every time we play, knock on wood,” she says, pausing for another cough. “I really try to work for the audience. I think a lot of performers kind of put a veil between themselves and it’s like they’re just jamming along with the band and it makes you feel almost like a voyeur and other shows you see it’s like the veil is lifted and the people are really with you. I like to see when people perform and really reach out and it’s really cool. The champion of that, of course, is Mick Jagger. He’s got the all-time stage presence.”

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Out & About

Live music drag cabaret set for Shaw’s Tavern

Anja Dick hosts ‘Song Birds’ on Saturday

Published

10 hours ago

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August 14, 2026

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Anja Dick (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Anja Dick will host “Song Birds – Live Music Drag Cabaret” on Saturday, Aug. 15 at 9 p.m. at Shaw’s Tavern. 

This is an all live singing drag hit sensation. The event will debut performances from Breast Midler and Harri Balls.

Tickets start at $17.85 and are available on Eventbrite.

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Calendar

Calendar: August 14-20

LGBTQ events in the days to come

Published

10 hours ago

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August 14, 2026

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Friday, August 14

Go Gay DC will host “First Friday LGBTQ+ Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant.This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite. 

Women in their Twenties and Thirties will meet at 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the Washington, D.C. area. For more details, visit Facebook.  

Saturday, August 15

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation.  Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

LGBTQ People of Color will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ people of color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgement free. There will be all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more details, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.

Sunday, August 16

“Nellie’s DC Drag Brunch” will be at 12 p.m. at Nellie’s Sports Bar. Come get served like a queen by a queen. Join Sapphire Blue, Deja Diamond and their team of amazing drag performers for the most fun you’ll have all weekend. Tickets are $58.51 and are available on Eventbrite. 

Monday, August 17

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).

Tuesday, August 18

“Self-Defense Class with Avi Rome” will be at 12:30 p.m. Rome is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and a full-time Martial Arts instructor with 25 years of teaching experience. He holds a 5th Degree Black Belt in Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do and is the director of the studio’s Adaptive Tae Kwon Do program for students with special needs. He has also run numerous self-defense workshops for various groups and situations. For more details, visit the center’s website.

Center Bi+ Roundtable will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting.Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.

Wednesday, August 19

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center will host “Movement for Healing” at 3 p.m. This trauma- and yoga therapy–informed class is designed to help guests gently reconnect with their body and their breath. Through mindful movement, somatic awareness, and grounding practices, guests will explore how to release tension, increase mobility, and cultivate a deeper sense of safety and ease within. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website. 

Thursday, August 20

The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the Center. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245. 

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.  

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Jason DePuy on coping with homophobia in ‘Big Brother’ house

First drag queen contestant on CBS show fought to stay positive

Published

3 days ago

on

August 12, 2026

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Jason DePuy on Big Brother (Photo courtesy of CBS Broadcasting,Inc.)

One week after Jason DePuy (known as Salina EsTitties on “RuPaul’s Drag Race”) was bullied and eventually evicted from CBS’s “Big Brother” house, the queer drag performer is still emotionally processing his feelings.

During his 24 days in the reality TV competition, DePuy often had a rough time, with fellow cast member Kamuela “Kamu” Kirk making homophobic comments and feeling isolated.

In a conversation with Head of Household Rick Devens, Kirk left viewers upset when he said, “Bro, miss me with the drag stuff. Miss me. I’m still an MMA guy, and I have an image to uphold.”

Former “Big Brother” contestant Frankie Grande called his words  ‘homophobic’ and ‘gross.’ Another comment, where Kirk said he wanted to end DePuy’s career, also received strong backlash online.

Now that he is out of the house, DePuy has been shocked and deeply touched by the love from “Big Brother” fans and former contestants. We chatted with DePuy for this Blade exclusive.

“To know that my community was rallying for me outside the house was the most wonderful thing. Seeing how much people were just wanting to shower me with love was incredible. Even my friends, I went to say hi and give them a hug, and they’re like, ‘Uh, uh, come here.’ They had to hold me and let me know America was feeling for me in a way that I had no idea.”

He added: “To see that reality was just overwhelming, and I couldn’t ask for more.”

Known as a messy player in the house, DePuy often had to fight to stay positive and stand up for himself. 

“No one was coming to my rescue. In real life, it’s easy to block people, but in the house, I didn’t have that luxury, so I had to find it within myself to learn how to speak up for myself in a way that wasn’t nasty or biting. I didn’t attack anyone personally, which is what I was the most proud of.”

DePuy acknowledged he has had a history of putting his foot in his mouth when it came to certain “Drag Race”moments, being in the public eye, and making a fool of himself. “I’ve learned my lessons; to see how I handled myself in the ‘Big Brother’ house was amazing.” 

While DePuy has been sober for 14 and a half years and has a strong spiritual foundation, in the Big Brother house, he often felt like he couldn’t communicate what he was feeling. 

“As a queer person, a person of color, a drag queen, I have to be very careful about how I move. I don’t have the luxury or privilege to just act a certain way or say a certain thing. I have to be very careful; I’m representing me. But who I am is a Latino, a person of recovery, a drag queen, a queer person in the community. I know that there’s a lot of pressure that comes with that. I felt it was safer for me to sit there and just breathe than try to do anything crazy.”

He continued: “I couldn’t speak to the personal attack that was happening in the house, because in my mind I was like, ‘no, this is a game, and I have to play it, put that aside.’”

Not only can viewers watch the episodes, but they can also watch the live feeds of what’s happening. Seeing the fans’ social media posts from people who had watched the episodes and the live feeds also contributed to DePuy realizing that his feelings of discomfort were valid.

“To know that I wasn’t delusional in those moments, that others could see what was happening, has been a lot to take in. Fans and friends let me know the comments made went beyond the game…I’m like, ‘Oh, so my instincts were correct.”

One of the most poignant moments on the live feeds occurred when DePuy was crying, alone in his room, and said how he missed his gay community.

“I really missed my friends. I missed my queer community. We’re so colorful. We’re so loud. We’re so vibrant. We speak off the cuff, and we’re very truthful and honest with how we speak, and it’s fun. We have fun lingo.”

DePuy had to censor his expressions in the house. “Because I can say one thing, but it can mean something different to straight people than it does with my queer brothers and sisters. So, there was a sense of code-switching that I had to do. I had to even put aside some of my queerness in a way sometimes to fit in.”

DePuy was thrilled to be the very first drag queen to ever be cast on the show. 

“I’m honored to have been chosen. There’s a million drag queens out there, and to know that I was a contender to come in the house and not even be in drag was like a wow for me. I’m over here in Hollywood, running around these streets with a wig and heels just to make a dollar to survive, and I have to rely on drag to do that. And then to be offered this opportunity and be given the privilege to say, ‘hey, you don’t have to put on the wig for you to be valuable here,’ is just insane to me.”

Prior to his shows, DePuy has been hustling for 15 years, flipping burgers and doing drag at night.

“That has been my life these past since I was 17. So it’s been a long journey; the opportunity to do this out of drag is a very big blessing. I’m honored and grateful to be the representation of my community.”

If you missed Jason on “Big Brother: Unlocked,” the episode can be seen on CBS.com. He will be back on the show for the finale.

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