It’s hard to believe that it has been a whole five years since Lips Cabaret opened its doors in Oakland Park (1421 E Oakland Park Blvd). Yvonne Lamé, the creator and founder of Lips, enjoys spilling the “skinny” on how it all began.
“We started in New York City 16 years ago, and our concept was a place for people to come, have a drink or two, enjoy a meal, and have fun with the girls in the show,” says Lamé. “My partner had a club, and once a week we had open mic night. We opened it to the female impersonators, and it was a huge hit. That’s how Lips was born.”
After that, “We moved on to San Diego—that was 13 years ago—and then finally we opened in” Oakland Park, she explains. “Now we are going to Atlanta, and it will be the grandest Lips of all. We once again have Brenda Star as the decorator, and we have very high ceilings,” says Lamé, painting a mental picture of the décor. “There will be grand chandeliers with lots of fabric everywhere. We are located about five minutes from Buckhead”—Atlanta’s uptown district—“with lots of our own parking. We have already got several of the girls lined up for the shows, to mirror exactly the lineup in Fort Lauderdale,” Lamé reveals, noting that the opening is slated for early 2013.
Lips’ Sunday hostess Nicolette explained how someone new can break into drag entertainment. “I was living about 30 minutes away from Monroe, Louisiana, and I heard there was a drag show. I thought, ‘Wow! I want to go.’ The first time I tried was September 1995. I admit I wasn’t very good, but I kept going back and guess what? I won.”
The experienced performer was ripe for sunny South Florida. “Right after that I decided to move to Fort Lauderdale. I was hired at the original Deck Hotel and Restaurant,” she remembers. “It was great. I was taken under the wing of the late Moldavia Ishtar, and from there I took over the show on Friday and Saturday, and we opened up the stage to those who wanted to come up and work on their craft.
“After that, Madame’s opened in Miami and I was brought on as one of the originals. Electra moved her show to Lips, and I was brought on and have been hosting ‘Sunday Gospel Brunch’ since,” Nicolette notes, adding that, even after five years, “Lips is a wonderful place to work.”
There have been sacrifices. “The one thing I don’t like is pulling myself out of bed on Sunday morning,” she admits, “but having a religious background, it’s been a good fit. My ‘sister’ Franny and I work so well together that it’s been a great fit. Mix in the other girls and we have a great time.”
On Wednesday, November 14, Lips will host a benefit for the Live Free Be Strong Foundation. The “Salute to the Women of Country”—brought to you in part by the Florida Agenda and our sister publication, Guy Magazine—will be hosted by Nicolette and fellow performer Misty Eyez. Lips will donate a portion of sales from the entire week to the foundation. For more information about Lips Cabaret, visit floridalips.com, and for reservations call (954) 567-0987.
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