Mado Lamotte is not your typical drag queen. Part comedian, part clown, and all surprises, Mado has been a beloved and hilarious staple of Montreal’s nightlife for over 20 years. This year marked the 13th anniversary of Mascara, her dragapalooza event that’s staged annually as a part of Divers/Cité, and has been presented to over 300,000 people to date. It’s also the 8th anniversary of the opening of her own nightclub in Montreal’s Village, aptly named Cabaret Mado, where she acts as hostess, as well as occasionally performing
Those lucky enough to see Mado perform may first notice her unstuffed chest and tattooed arms. This, juxtaposed with her outrageous makeup, blazing wigs, and unparalleled sharp wit, forces you to push any perceived norms or phobias out of the window (but you’re having such a good time that you don’t mind doing it).
She recently returned from her sixth tour in Paris, this time performing a show she wrote called Mado: Bitche La France.
“It was two hours of songs and monologues where I make fun of the French people, their habits, their culture, their country, and their superiority complex,” she laughs. “And as weird as it sounds, they loved it and asked for more!”
It doesn’t sound weird, it sounds exactly like what audiences have loved about Mado for years. Her self-deprecating humour, bilingual double-entendres and ability to not take everything seriously must be why she stands out among the many queens who would love to be in her shoes. Also, she has written and performed much of her own material, something that came about organically for her.
“I did some lip-synch in the past, but I could rarely stick to the song – I always had to add my own vision to it. Now I mostly do my own stuff. I will perform songs that people know but I always change the words to make it more Mado. Why should I perform someone else’s creation when I can show the public how crazy and funny my world is?”
Mado also sets herself apart by singing live.
“Live singing is what I do most. When I perform with others, I sometimes do lip-synch, but it’s not really my cup of tea. I have too many words up there in my big head that I want to share,” Mado explains. “And frankly, who wants to suffer through hours of listening to Celine’s voice, trying to learn one of her songs?”
She puts her singing chops to the test with her recently released album, Full Mado, The Remix Album. Produced by Montreal’s Erek McQueen, the album is a mixture of songs from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s – with rewritten lyrics by Mado herself and remixed beats for your dancing pleasure.
But it’s not just about the music. Comedy plays an integral role in all of her shows. I wondered when this started, and if this had always been an intentional move on Mado’s part.
“I always wanted to be a comedian when I was young and Mado is the perfect character to work with, since she’s a mix between a clown and a stand-up comic. That’s why I don’t really consider myself a drag queen. Yes, I have the funky looks, but I don’t have the beauty or the body to be called a queen!” she laughs.
She cites Michel Tremblay, the famous Canadian novelist and playwright, as one of her inspirations. She even performed in his play Surprise Surprise in 2005.
“I grew up with his books. His characters are inspired by real people, with a touch of parody. That’s what I like about him. You can recognize your mother, your neighbour, your relatives, in every story he tells – but it’s always a bit more eccentric than real life. Mado could easily be a character in one of his stories, like one of your favourite eccentric, crazy aunties with a twisted sense of humour.”
Mado is now an inspirational figure herself and many tout her as an integral part of making the Village become the thriving hub that it is. Many see her as an icon, not only as a unique and eccentric performer, but a tangible symbol of unashamed self-acceptance and pushing social norms. But was this a calculated move to the top, or a lucky accident for a theatre school dropout?
“I didn’t choose the business, honey, the business chose me,” she says. “When I was 3 years old, I was already ringing doorbells in my neighborhood to get cookies and candies and I remember the lady of the house asking me to sing a song or do a little dance for a treat. As a teenager, I was always the first to enroll in a play at school and later I studied as an actor, but before I knew it, I was already getting popular in clubs doing Mado.”
The popularity and presence she wields, especially in Quebec, opens the door for her to share her voice on hot political topics, and she doesn’t shy away from the microphone if she has something to say. It’s evident that she knows her influence goes beyond entertainment.
“I think it’s important to act in life and to be as involved as possible in our society; too many people let the train pass without getting in,” she shares. “My biggest reward is when I get an e-mail from a young fan who tells me that my work has inspired him or helped him get through life.”
“I try not to be too heavy on messages, since people come to see me to distract themselves, but sometimes I share my reaction to the news and of course, I can’t resist a good little shaking of the public with a clear message of my political views, especially when it’s time to bitch about Stephen Harper, our Prime Disaster!”
A packed schedule of live performances, writing for weekly and monthly publications, and running Cabaret Mado, leaves me wondering when she has time for things like a personal life or staying creative to come up with fresh ideas.
“It’s not always easy but I try to lead a good life. I don’t party too much – I don’t drink on stage and only allow myself one night of debauchery a month. I eat well, sleep 8 hours a night, read a lot, and travel 3 times a year. A lot of my inspiration comes from my trips. And I go do research at the sauna!”
Although Mado is well traveled, this November will be her premiere performance in Western Canada, or as she puts it, “My first visit to the land of the cowboys.”
She’s excited to bring a genuine Montreal cabaret experience to Calgary, and will hold nothing back.
“(People can expect) a lot of nasty jokes about Anglos, rodeos, and mad cow disease,” she laughs. “Seriously, you can expect a lot of fun, some good drag queen numbers, good jokes about French Canadians, some bitching about Harper, some live songs if I dare to sing in French, and a good gay ol’ time!”
Mado will be performing at Club Sapien, joined by two of Montreal’s finest drag queens, Dream and Rita Baga, along with Calgary’s own April Showers and Jem. A portion of the cover charge will be donated to AIDS Calgary by the event sponsors, J&J Consultants and Club Sapien.
