AMANDA LOVE IS NO ORDINARY GIRL

Stephanie Berryhill introduces you to Amanda Love

Photos By Roy Hamilton

As her long, curly, raven hair cascade over her shoulders and her slim, tall body saunters across the dance floor... Amanda captivates the attention of every man in the room. On a good night she will make up to $250 in tips. Men love her. Sometimes they follow her home and she has to brush them off nicely. Her phone number she keeps unlisted. She lives in fear of 'fatal attraction' situations. What would these same men think if they knew her true identity? What would they think if they knew that Amanda Love is a man.
Twenty-six year-old David James began performing six-years ago after a female impersonator mistook him for a fellow impersonator and encouraged him to perform. "The hint of that got me interested in what I could do", David said. In that six-year period David has performed in Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri. He, as Amanda Love, holds titles such as Miss Gay Tulsa 1988, Miss Burgundy Club as well as first runner-up to both Miss Empress of Oklahoma and Miss USA of Tulsa pageants. He said that the pageants are equivalent to Miss America and Miss USA. "Our pageants rely on more talent than Miss USA and Miss America." The pageants also consist of interviews, and sportswear. 'They put us through
the arena," he said.
David insists that female impersonation is much like acting or performing in that the entertainment aspect is the main factor. His favorite celebrities to impersonate are Cher and Gloria Estefan. He also impersonates Barbara Streisand, Grace Slick, Juice Newton, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Jessica Rabbit.
Although David did not have a "drag mamma," one who shows a new comer the ropes, he learned very quickly on his own. It takes him an hour and a half to Prepare for his shows. His preparation involves a lot of shaving as well as three pairs of Danskin tights and two pairs of pantyhose.
"It (shaving) depends on how much you show. I feel like I need lots of Danskins and hose. The more you wear the more your tucked and the smoother you look. I'm pretty average, not insulting or anything. I'm pretty representative.
Due to his natural womanly hips, that he once abhorred, David said that he doesn't have to wear hip pads, although he does use a little padding for breasts.
When I was 13 my doctor told me that I had child bearing hips. I was so devastated, I thought I was fat.
Some definite advantages to the job are that David gets to meet and sometimes even perform with the male strippers which Sterlings hires from throughout the country. Last week David performed a dance routine with male strippers from San Antonio, Texas.
I said "oh Lord, this is nice." They Picked me up and spun me around. It made my day... made my year!"
David said that some of the misconceptions about his profession spawn from people who believe that female impersonators, transvestites and transsexuals are all the same.
We (female impersonators) do this at night and we're all too ready to assume our male identities during the day. There are a lot of straight (heterosexual) performers, but most of them are gay. Transvestites enjoy dressing as women. They may not perform at all, it's what makes them feel comfortable. Some of them are married and have kids, which is real surprising. Transsexuals are women that have been trapped in men's bodies since they were born, it's when surgery is required. "People blob it all into one category, but it can all be different."
Although female impersonation is not real popular in Tulsa, David and many other female impersonators perform at Sterlings, a club that is frequented by gay men and women in the area, throughout the week.
Greg, an NSU junior, said that Sterlings is one of the few places in the area that gay NSU students can go to socialize.
"I've known several performers from Tahlequah that come to Tulsa to do shows," David said.
David's mother lives in Tahlequah and is aware of her son's profession.
"My mother knows... she won't deny I do it, but she doesn't want me to talk about it. I know it's a hard thing to understand unless you actually see it. I know a lot of people whose parents come and see their shows and a lot whose parents never talk to them again."
David, who sporadically holds retail sales jobs, expressed the desire to perform on a large scale.
"Sometimes I hold a day job, but it's not until you get
into the major leagues that you get a high salary."
David, as Amanda Love, will be a contestant in the Miss USA of Tulsa pageant which will be held at Sterlings on Sunday, May 6.
Making a final comment about his profession David said," I take this off as soon as I get home, all too ready. Women are fascinating creatures, but this is far too much trouble to go through every day."