Thursday, September 08, 2016

Breaking News: Lady Chablis Dead

I just saw this on Facebook...
Lady Chablis, Trans Icon and Savannah's Grand Empress, Dead at 59
The Advocate
BY NEAL BROVERMAN
SEPTEMBER 08 2016 1:11 PM EDT

Lady Chablis — a fixture in the gay clubs of Georgia and South Carolina before finding stardom in the book and film adaptation of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil — passed away at age 59.

Chablis helped bring a touch of glamour to Columbia, S.C., and Savannah, Ga., performing her cabaret at gay nightclubs there. Chablis opened Savannnah's Club One in 1988 and would help define the image of Savannah as a sexy, modern city of the South.

Always looking every inch the star she was, Chablis would figure prominently in John Berendt's best-selling non-fiction book Midnight in the Garden of Evil. The book focused on the murder of a male prostitute, allegedly committed by Jim Williams, a Savannah socialite and antiques dealer. Berendt effectively captured the charms of Savannah, and included Chablis as a major character. When Clint Eastwood adapted the film, Chablis insisted on playing herself — and got her wish.
[...]
After the film, Chablis continued her club performances, wrote an autobiography, and appeared on The Real Housewives of Atlanta and Bizarre Foods America: Savannah. Chablis also used her fame for good, raising money for diabetes and LGBT causes. She remained beloved in Savannah, even though she lived in South Carolina.
I saw her in the movie and she was great, a real credit to the community.


No comments:

Post a Comment