The Audacity of Elvis Impersonation
As America prepares to inaugurate its first African-American president, we have yet another sign that in 2009 anything is possible -- and that would be black, yellow, homosexual and handicapped Elvis tribute artists.
Today marks what would be (and still is, for conspiracy theorists) Presley's 74th birthday, and Super fan Marlow Harris is celebrating by organizing Seattle's 12th Elvis Invitationals, where Elvii of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities will compete.
"The love of Elvis is clearly as diverse as America itself," says Harris, a mother of three, who attends conventions dressed like Priscilla, the king's estranged wife, and has more than 500 pictures with every conceivable type of hip-swiveling, mutton chopped hound dog.
Harris told my friends at FlashNews that, over the years, she's met the Chinese “Chelvis” and a Mexican who goes as “El Vez," and claims to live in "Gracias Land."
She's especially fond of Elvis Schmelvis, "The Jewish Elvis," and a Seattle's "Cab Elvis," who fought for his right to drive in a rhinestone-studded Vegas jumpsuit.
Her favorite impersonators, however, she tells FlashNews, are those dressed as “paunchy, 70s-style latter-day Presleys."
“They have to make an artistic sacrifice to keep their weight up to look properly Elvis-like," she says. "They probably have to be medicated too.”
But Harris owes a great debt to a 6-foot-6 man, Dr. Greg Jack, a former college basketball star, also known as "The World's Tallest Elvis." Like many of the king's clones, he's a justice of the peace, and he helped her and her husband tie the knot in which they have shared their hunk-a, hunk-a burning love.
Wherever you are now, happy birthday, Elvis.
Related: Marlow and Her Elvii
Photo © Marlow Harris
Comments
This is a great story.
I’m thrilled that TCM is running Elvis movies all day.
Dave —
Thanks for the tip . . . I’m tuning in right now, and catching some Blue Hawaii.
What’s your favorite Elvis movie? I say, there’s no topping “Change of Habit,” and Mary Tyler Moore plays unforgettable turn as an Undercover Nun working in the inner city.
I just called Elvis Schmelvis, the Jewish Elvis impersonator.
love it– a Mexican Elvis who lives in Gracias Land- classic!
Elvis Lives. Today, what would have been his 74th Birthday, comes the news that his famous song ‘If I Can Dream’ will be part of President Elect Barrack Obama’s Inaugral Ceremony on January 20th.
I once sang ‘Don’t be Cruel’ with an Elvis impersonator at Bonnaroo and it is still one of my most treasured moments. Ah.
What if someone born in 1957 and given up for adoption found out that Elvis was her birth father, but she didn’t let it out to the public because she didn’t ever want to be on the cover of anything ? Anyway NO ONE would ever believe that the King had sex with anyone until he married Priscilla… Right, and if you believe that I have a beautiful condo right on the beach in Memphis