Dealing with Heckler in Public

[Suzy Harrison]

From time to time we read posts in this forum concerning dealing with hecklers in public - I'm sure it could be a very embarrassing ordeal, but read on to see one occasion when the tables were turned around.

A few years ago I saw just this happen in a documentary about the Drag Queens in Sydney.

A film crew were following a particular drag queen with her friends as she arrived in a stretched limo outside a Drag Charity Ball. As she was talking to the cameras there was a crowd of onlookers in the background. But in that crowd you could hear a single heckler calling things out – and then finally shouts out clearly “Why don’t you f*** off, you poofs”.

So what would you do?
(1) Ignore him
(2) Shout abuse back

She did neither – she went for the third option – Destroy Him!

She stopped in mid sentence, smiled – and said to the camera crew in a clear and decisive voice, “Follow me darlings”. She then strutted up to the man, stood beside him, and waited a few seconds for the camera crew to catch up and film them standing side by side. She looked stunning with a perfect figure, make-up, hair, high heels and sexy gown. He looked scruffy, unshaven and overweight.

He must have known he was in trouble and the worst was yet to come

She then touched his arm, put on a dazzling smile and said cheerfully to the cameras:
“….and this, is my husband Fred ”

She frowned a little, turned to him and looked him up and down for a few seconds… and then back to the cameras, again with that dazzling gorgeous smile, and continued:

“Yeah, he’s not much to look at, I know……. But he’s fan–tastic in bed…….. Apparently !”

The crowd and the camera crew roared with laughter. The heckler now blushes and disappears into the crowd as fast as he can.

It shows what confidence and attitude can do in such a situation. These girls have such a quit wit and can “tongue lash” someone in seconds.

[ElaineB]

I love it! It's something I would do!

[Francesp56]

Suzy,
I just loved the Story
Francesp56

[trannie T]

Rule Number One in dealing with hecklers- -never let them see that they're getting to you. If you can get to them you win bonus points.

[battybattybats]

Can you give any more info on the documentary?

Mind you it does help to have a camera crew handy to discourage things coming to blows...

That's why there is safety in numbers.
Hmm... also a small digital camcorder would be a good purse accessory for added safety.

[Joy Carter]

My line would be "What are you going to tell your friends, when a "Fing Poof" beats you up ?" :D

[kay_jessica]

Suzy, your story is great and it made me chuckle, but it is far from a realistic method of dealing with hecklers. She is a pro, some one who stands up in front of 100s of people on a daily basis. With or without the camera crew, she would have the professional demeanor to pull of such public humiliation of the heckler. It would be a very rare opportunity if a regular T girl would have the presence of mind and receptive audience to take such action. If you remotely pass and some one heckles you then your best course of action is to ignore them and walk on and above all avoid eye contact. Don't give them the satisfaction of knowing they were right in clocking you. If you react in the slightest then you have acknowledged that they were referring to you. The result with them is 'no satisfaction', ok so they may giggle and laugh, but at the end of the day their play failed because you did not react.

I have seen/heard a couple of lads heckle a possible (ok probable) T girl in Oxford. I was in ultra bob mode (3 day stubble and scruffy hair) two or three years ago. She was so cool, she did not flinch, change her pace, direction, or body language. She just totally ignored them unphased by the derogatory comment. Most people reacted the same way, some, (chavs) looked around, but not at the girl but at the lads. By the time the chavs cottoned on (they generally are a bit dim), the girl had disappeared into the ground. I heard one of the lads say "are you sure she was a bloke", the reply was "duno". I stuck my two pennies worth in as I passed and said "well she looked a darn sight prettier than most of the women round here mate" (which she did). They looked at me, I glanced over to a crowd of women and one said "yeah (sup)spose" Meanwhile the chavs (poor sods) were still trying to figure out who they were referring to.

So from my experiences, just ignore them and they are unlikely to pursue.

Teenage girls are a different kettle of fish.........


Hugs


Kay

[Jillm]

Good story, LOL.

[maryjanecapri]

a dear friend of mine who performed magic in drag once said this to a heckler:

"I'm more man than you'll ever be and more woman than you'll ever have!"

[Sally24]

The best way to meet a frown is with a wide smile!:D

[angelfire]

Awesome story, definitely put him in his place.

[Mitch23]

love the story and the reactions to it. I've had that once because i stupidly put myself in a position where a group of drunken teenage girls had the opportunity to closely observe me. I just smiled and walked on

mitch

[Veronica 1]

a dear friend of mine who performed magic in drag once said this to a heckler:

"I'm more man than you'll ever be and more woman than you'll ever have!"


That is a great line, do you mind if I steal it for my signature?

[Claire3]

I went to a fancy dress party.A number of us went to the pub early on.I was dressed en femme(what a suprise,even had a couple of the girls put my make up on for me.)One sad bloke was offensive,wouldnt even buy me the campari and soda i asked him for.:tongueout

[Angie G]

Great story Suzy that s__thead got his :hugs:
Angie

[janet1234]

that story was so good!!, that gal had class.

[MJ]

good story , and it's true put on a big smile it works for me

[Julogden]

a dear friend of mine who performed magic in drag once said this to a heckler:

"I'm more man than you'll ever be and more woman than you'll ever have!"
That's an old Jayne/Wayne County line, if I remember correctly. A classic.

I wouldn't be surprised to find that the origins of the line go way back among professional female impersonators. I've heard it used on stage by many girls.

Carol

[Sandy1967]

Yesterday there was a couple of young boys playing by the dumpsters in the complex. I wanted to take the garbage out go I did dressed in shorts, red top and pink flip flops, nothing obvious. The one boy said "are you a girl?" and I thought and responded "do you want me to pull my shorts down and show you?" He chocked up and said "no". I thought it was a good response but after worried that his parents might call the police telling them I am a pervert to kids. Next time I will not respond to be on the safe side.

Allison

[Wenda]

... I thought it was a good response but after worried that his parents might call the police telling them I am a pervert to kids. Next time I will not respond to be on the safe side.

Allison

Good point!
One of the best lines I ever heard was from a friend of my ex who showed up at a university night class out-of-breath and obviously a bit shaken. My ex asked what was up.
Her friend had been hurrying to get to the class on time when a guy stepped out in front of her, opened his coat revealing he was naked, and asked, "Hey baby! Know what this is!?"
Without stopping or thinking she said, "I'm not sure. Looks like a penis, only smaller!":D:D

[Suzy Harrison]

Glad you all liked the tale

I know we don't have a camera crew following us around too often (not on weekends anyway!), but it shows what can be done. In any case it wouldn't make any difference to a girl like that, she would enjoy tackling anyone who even dared to say something !

But I would agree with Kay that this isn't necessarily a practical solution. - Having said that if hecklers knew they would be in for that sort of treatment then they would keep quiet. I would have thought the guy in the story would think twice the next time he thought of opening his big mouth.

The funny think is - When they were standing side by side, because she looked so confident and truly stunning - and he looked like a scruffy git - he was humiliated before even she delivered the punch line !

I'm sorry battybattybats - I can't remember what the name of the doco was. All I can remember was it was on Foxtel and it was about the Annual Drag/designer awards in Sydney.

[Billijo49504]

I just let them know that to me, they are #1. As in the middle finger...BJ

[Tasha T]

I think the witty drag queens have it right. If you can figure out a way to put people in their place without stuffing your true feelings and without yelling or losing your temper you'll come out ahead. I find that when I ignore hecklers I am still angry inside and later on, somehow someway, that anger comes back out. And if I get angry and yell or say something nasty, that only brings me down to their level and I feel like a jerk. However, the times when I think up a witty comment and put people in their place without being a jerk, well that's quite satisfying. I don't go home angry and I don't feel like an awful human being.

[Cheryl J]

The one boy said "are you a girl?" and I thought and responded "do you want me to pull my shorts down and show you?" He chocked up and said "no". I thought it was a good response but after worried that his parents might call the police telling them I am a pervert to kids. Next time I will not respond to be on the safe side.

Allison


Always be careful around children.
There are so many issues here so just be careful.
Some people just don't/won't understand

Hugs

Yvonne

[Zelda Noe]

I would have been so embarassed. But your story gives me an ideal on what i can do if it happen to me. Not that i get out much and i am not glamorus. lol just an old broad who loves to get dressed up and feel pretty.

Zelda

[Kate Simmons]

Loved it Suzy. I'm always up for a challenge myself.;):happy:

[JoAnnDallas]

Hecklers are like bullies, you turn the tables on them, they fade away.

[nikki_t]

Great story Suzy - thanks for sharing!!