Michael Musto, King Of Queens, Celebrates 25 Years At The Voice

Last night, Michael Musto and 500 of his closest friends got together on the top of 230 Fifth Avenue to celebrate his remarkable 25 years at the Village Voice.  The venue, as described by Musto himself, was "Starship Troopers meets The Love Boat". Add "in drag" to the end of that sentence, and it pretty accurately describes the crowd as well.-

Go HERE for more photos by Natasha Poetre and tag yourself and your friends!

Robert Verdi, Murray Hill, Michael Urie, Mickey Boardman, Peter Davis, and dozens of drag queens, (some of whom I am told have participated in Ru Paul's Drag Race?) populated the guest list. Malik So Chic even made a frenzied appearance at the beginning, when he, I'm not kidding, shoved me out of the way to take a picture with Musto. Requisite picture having been taken, I didn't see him the rest of the night.

As the evening wore on, more and more icons stopped by to pay their respects to one of New York's most important cultural voices. Lyn Yaeger, Robyn Bird, Austin Scarlett (oh come on, he's a LEGEND), Kenny Kenny, and for one brief, exciting moment, someone I thought was Diane Keaton (it wasn't. Of course it wasn't.)

The entertainment portion of the evening was divided into two acts, the first consisting of an exuberant congratulatory speech by Joan Rivers (who looks thirty. Thirty!), and a burlesque performance by Dirty Martini, who earlier this year was shot by Karl Lagerfeld for V Magazine. The second part featured a duet between Musto and Judy Garland in drag (did you know Musto can sing? He can totally sing!), and a performance by Bridget Everett in which she revealed she was wearing an adult diaper (I'm not ready to talk about it.)

The rooftop bar was open upstairs, and though it was chilly, complimentary cult-like robes (snuggies?) were handed out to all the guests wanting to smoke or take in the view. But back downstairs the party raged on, and it probably was one of the best parties I've seen, only because everyone seemed to know each other, everyone seemed convivial, and while fashion weeks come and go twice a year and movies premiere all the time, a quarter of a century career at The Village Voice is truly something to celebrate.