Alan Cumming has some famous friends, and he’s likely to bring them by for a drink or song at his East Village bar Club Cumming. The celebrity he ushered in last night left me so dumbstruck and in awe, I nearly spit out my club soda with lemon when I saw her: Monica Lewinsky.
When I went out last night to sing some Amy Winehouse songs on the seventh anniversary of her death, I didn’t realize I would be seeing perhaps one of the most famous faces from my childhood. Growing up in the ’90s, Monica Lewinsky’s story was a big part of my adolescence. My own coming to terms with sex and sexuality was happening at the same time her own sex life and sexuality were being exploited by the world. Now in the #MeToo era, we finally reflect on the way we treated her as a society.
When I first saw her in the back, I clocked Lewinsky right away but realized no one else had really noticed. Then Lance Horne, the night’s host who packs in the small bar with his weekly open mic night, announced her from the stage. He asked the crowd to sing her, “Happy Birthday.” OK. Now I’m singing Monica Lewinsky, “Happy Birthday.” Is this real life? Or is this fantasy?
birthday singing @clubclumming! lucky girl! pic.twitter.com/5Rm1cn2TqW
— Monica Lewinsky (@MonicaLewinsky) July 24, 2018
This isn’t the first celebrity sighting at Club Cumming that has felt magical. Last summer, I met Emma Stone, Billie Jean King, and Paul McCartney when they stopped by the East Village haunt for some songs at the piano and a few dances on the floor. Then, just last month, Vanessa Williams popped in to perform as well. She belted her version of “Colors of the Wind,” and ended with her “Save the Best for Last” single. Only in New York City can you show up at a bar to sing some Disney only to be serenaded by Vanessa Williams singing that same Disney song.
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Cheesy Disney songs have become a staple of the space. After the crowd sang Lewinsky “Happy Birthday,” Cumming sang his rendition of “Part of Your World,” a tune he is now known to croon to the crowd time and time again. He then begged and pleaded for Lewinsky to get on stage and perform as well. Here’s where her shyness came out, but despite her own insecurities she took to the stage and delivered a sweet and subtle version of “Over the Rainbow.”
The room was packed with gay men, who like me, probably grew up hearing stories of oral sex, scandal, blue dresses, denial, and impeachment. Those headlines or that fodder didn’t matter. What mattered is that a girl came out to celebrate her birthday in a bar, and she gave the gays what they wanted: a Judy Garland ballad wrapped up in lots of metaphor.
These are the nights that make New York so magical.
Doug
Very sweet.
Dymension
my sentiments exactly
Goforit
She obviously wasn’t any better a giving a blow job than singing. Anyone experienced in the fine art of fellatio knows that you always swallow. If she had done so, there would not have been a cum stained blue dress for her to blackmail anyone.
GayEGO
Tee hee! I hope she washed her dress to remove the spot of…..ahem….from Bill Clinton!
alanb32244
RUDE
DHT
That was a blue dress not a red one. I think if I was Monica I would always wear a blue dress, if only to keep people wondering…
DHT
I wish I had been there to support her…she was the victim of the most egregious case of slut shaming ever and for something that a lot of people would have done (depending, of course, upon who the sitting president was).
Lacuevaman
Another vapid asinine queerty commenter…. learn some manners fool.
GayEGO
>Goforit: I have teased a woman at work regarding Monica Lewinsky – Alyssa, is that a spot on your dress? :>)
alanb32244
Gregg2010
What kind of sick rude puppy are you? The lady was trying to do something nice. Since when is it OK to slam a gift? My grandmother would have cuffed me behind the ears had I ever ben even close to being as rude as you.
alanb32244
Where di you leave your manners?
alanb32244
Thank you for not crossing the street. You would only embarrass yourself more with your rudeness. You come across as a West Virginia holla redneck, and I doubt you want to appear that way. Plus, you are really dating yourself.
Roy Moss
Exactly. She is a fat trashy whore now playing the victim.
Terrycloth
I wanted to see it out of curiosity. But unfortunately the video dosen’t do anything..wont play
Goforit
Geee. 13 comments and only 5 remain after Queerty’s censorship of any comment that did not agree that Miss Lewinski was a victim.
Darson
So that is where mine went. Thanks
frankcar1965
Nasty piece of work, the bitch KEPT the dress, who does that? Lewinsky does I guess, so she could use it against him, how premeditated. Why won’t she just set herself on fire and go away?