Arts & Entertainment
Ready for an all-female ‘Queer Eye?’ You can help!
Fans of Netflix’s “Queer Eye” may soon have a sister version of the hit makeover show to look forward to.
According to Tre’vell Anderson of Out, there’s a new series in the works that would take the concept of the “Fab Five” and give it a gender flip. The show, called “Butch Pal for the Straight Gal,” has dropped a trailer to launch a fundraising campaign, in hopes of showing the world that “lesbians can do makeovers, too.”
The show’s creator, Ally Johnson, says, “If you want more queer television, you have to fight for it. After a year of doing just that, it’s becoming clear that we are not alone. People all over the world want this show to exist, and by the power of Gay Jesus we’re going to make it happen!”
The new series would follow the same formula as “Queer Eye,” with five queer women – dubbed “The Fierce Five” – offering a straight woman not just a makeover but their guidance, with the goal of empowerment, building self-esteem, and helping them to achieve self-confidence and control over their lives.
“Butch Pal” is not an official offshoot from the Netflix series (itself a rebooted version of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” which ran on Bravo), but it has reportedly been given the “stamp of approval” from Jai Rodriguez, culture expert from the original show.
The development team (production company Driven Equation, director Assaad Yacoub [“Cherry Pop”], and the diverse cast which features Emmy-winner Dot-Marie Jones) have been working on the project for a year. They have already completed filming on a pilot, which was funded through a viral crowdfunding campaign last summer.
Now, in an effort to fund the final steps of production, the “Butch Pal” creators are renewing fundraising efforts. With 20% left to go before hitting their $15,000 goal, the team are donating a portion of every donation it receives on Thanksgiving Day to The Trevor Project.
According to Johnson, “Though the project itself seeks to create more queer representation in the industry, we also want to do our part to give back to the community in other ways. My wife was a volunteer counselor for them for a few years and we’ve always greatly valued their work.”
You can donate here.
The fourth annual Equality Prince William Pride was held at the Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 17.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The Washington Blade held its 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on Friday, May 16. Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer spoke along with State Sen. Russ Huxtable, CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Kim Leisey, Blade Editor Kevin Naff, and Clear Space Theatre Managing Director Joe Gfaller. The event raises funds for the Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which was awarded to AU student Abigail Hatting.
(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)
In some fowl fiction foreshadowing, a gay-owned chicken joint has come home to roost on U Street, taking a page from the chicken window subplot on the HBO show “Looking.”
Last Friday, Lucky Pollo – much more than just a takeout window – stretched its wings atop the busy nightlife corner of 14th and U Streets NW.
Behind the poultry production place is Zach Renovátes, a D.C.-based nightlife operator and managing partner of LGBTQ venues Bunker and District Eagle, as well as the LGBTQ event production company KINETIC Presents.
Renovátes opened Bunker in February 2023 and District Eagle in January of this year. Lucky Pollo is the third in his growing gay empire, though this time there are noshes.
“Lucky Pollo was meant to be fun and a little provocative,” Renovátes said.
Based around its Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, Lucky Pollo is a quick-service restaurant boasting a small menu of poultry and sides. Renovátes says that the dishes are deeply rooted in Peruvian culinary tradition, “a playful experience alongside seriously good food.”
Lucky Pollo’s signature chicken is steeped in a dozen-plus-spice marinade for 24 hours. The meat is then slow-roasted, rotisserie-style, over oak-wood charcoal. Chicken options include quarter, half, and whole.
Helming the kitchen at Lucky Pollo is Chef Luis Herrera, who brings Peruvian recipes passed down through three generations, including his grandmother Laura’s original creations.
Beyond the full bird, the menu features Peruvian-inspired sides like yuca fries (“I personally love these,” says Renovátes) and fried plantains, as well as comfort classics such as mac and cheese and mashed potatoes, and bowls, wraps, and salads. Herrera oversees development of the multiple sauces (including staff favorite, the “secret green sauce”), crafted in-house using traditional Peruvian ingredients.
Lucky Pollo, in its streetside perch, is an independent concept from District Eagle, open to the public and staying open late (3 a.m. on weekends) to serve both nightlife guests and the wider U Street crowd hungry for late-night bites. However, just beyond the kitchen, tucked in the back lies a vintage 1950s candy machine—labeled “Out of Order,” which serves as the door leading to subterranean District Eagle.
Renovátes notes that when District Eagle is open, security staff will maintain a strict two-line policy, ensuring that those seeking meat to eat will not get entwined with those looking to gain access to District Eagle.
Lucky Pollo unites the need for sustenance with the idea of a bit of fortune, given its motto, “Get Lucky” and the whimsical brand mascot: a leather-booted chicken perched on a horseshoe. Renovátes and his District Eagle business partner had always been interested in opening a restaurant, and the Lucky Pollo space was indeed lucky: It already came with a functional kitchen. Plus, he says, the nearby fast-casual places around 14th and U streets “don’t offer a lot of quality options,” so opening the chicken spot “was a no-brainer.”
The space, designed by NYC creative Jasin Cadic, blends theatrical street-art-style vibes with Keith Haring-inspired wall prints, neon signs, and ceiling-hung chicken figurines —”some edgy, some sweet,” says Renovátes —creating an immersive, playful atmosphere. Lucky Pollo and District Eagle maintain separate amenities for their respective customers.
Lucky Pollo opened last week with a competition to devour a whole rotisserie chicken in the fastest time, with the winner earning $1,000 and a framed spot on the restaurant’s “Wall of Fame.” The opening also featured other games and prizes, and a full crowd spilling out the door.
“We want it to be a great place to eat, but also serve as a playful front for something completely unexpected.” Renovátes says.
On weekends especially, he jokes, the motto will be, ‘Come for the chicken, stay for the cock.’”
Let love and compassion guide our response to Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis
D.C. Black Pride 2025: Events, parties, and empowerment
Cuban lawmakers to consider simplifying process for trans people to change IDs
Frank Kameny’s legacy lives on
