Cooking's a Drag

Cooking's a Drag

Executive Producer: Scott Weiner

Director: Randy Murray 

Writers: Bob Smith & Leigh Ann Philipps

Principal Cast:

Russ King............Betty Dee Lishou

Larry Blum...........Sylvia DeMarco Greenberg

William Shatner....Himself

Background:

Scott Weiner began the project when Troy Gregurich, a co-wroker at Green Couch Productions, told him about a trip he had just taken to Decateur, IL to visit his parents’ house.  There, Gregurich met a drag queen named Betty Dee Lishous who wanted to publish a cookbook.  Weiner and Gregurich bought the rights to Betty’s name and began production for Cooking’s a Drag.  The two gave Betty a shot at hosting, but soon moved on to Russ King, a veteran drag performer who has appeared on the Today show.  The characters that drop in at the Kitchen Cabaret during the show were all aspiring actors who tried out for the lead as Betty.

What were your production experiences?

Scott Weiner was concerned that William Shatner would not agree to sing, but they went forward with the segment anyway.  “Shatner went with it—I think because he was having so much fun at that point; his booking agent wasn’t thrilled,” said Weiner.