The Lip Sync. Art by Cheyne Gallarde, from the Drag Queen Oracle.
CLOCK IT-SHE KNOWS EVERY SYLLABLE. Of all the varied skills and talents that flow into the world of drag, THE LIP SYNC remains central to the art form. No one's quite sure exactly when it became synonymous with drag-which once was solely the realm of live singers and dancers-but most historians agree that The Lip Sync flourished in the 1960s and 1970s when bars began to install record players and queer people who might not thrive on a live mic had a chance to showcase their stardom, even if just for a few minutes. As The Lip Sync evolved, performers like Lypsinka elevated the art form to a razor-sharp precision, all about timing, emoting, and illusion. When this card is drawn, remember that "faking it" is its own skill. Just because you can't carry a tune doesn't mean you can't be a star.