When Robert Kaiser sashays onto the River Rock Casino Resort stage in his skin-tight sequined dress and high heels, adjusting his double-D breasts thunderous applause breaks out, soon followed by gaffs.

Kaiser, a.k.a. Joan-E, is the host of the popular drag queen show Fit for a Queen on Thursday, May 14.

When the News reached the longtime MC of the 7th Annual AIDS/HIV fundraising gala he is soaking in the tub after another late night performing his Feather Boa Show -- Vancouver's longest running drag show -- at the Odyssey Nightclub.

"Sorry honey, it was late night," Kaiser says in his deep voice.

Last year, Kaiser had the audience roaring with laughter when he came out dressed in multi-coloured tights and slithering down the stage spoofing pop singer Britney Spears.

"As far as Britney goes, it begged to be done ... she was news item number one last year," he says. "I get a lot of my material for the show from either pop culture or from personal experience."

In years past, he has mimicked everyone from Celine Dion and Carol Channing to Jane Torvill.

With only a little more than a week to show time, Kaiser is hard at work on his repertoire.

"I'm going to touch on my weight loss (70 pounds), Sarah Palin, Etta James and Beyonce's row," he says. "I'll also talk about the provincial election and our politicians.

"Hopefully, we will have moved on from the swine flu because so far I only have half a joke written."

Prior to each show, Kaiser spends two and a half hours transforming into Joan-E -- from hair to shoes, he says.

"It's hard work looking gorgeous, darling," he says. "Lots of queens wear false nails but I refuse."

He pauses for a minute and adds: "We drag queens have immense respect for women. We understand far better than heterosexual men how uncomfortable nylons, bras, girdles and high heels are," he says. "There is no comfort in spending the day wearing bra straps.

"Lucky for us, we only have to wear them during the two-and-a-half hour show."

Kaiser says, don't expect Bob Mackie gowns or expensive headdresses, but expect lots of laughs, great make-up jobs and lots of heart.

"The drag queens all volunteer their time for this show and they are terrific," he says. "In typical drag queen style, there will be lots of glitter, legs and hair."

"It's a theatrical nod to Hollywood of yesteryear, we are really made up like stars such as Joan Collins and Mae West."

Kaiser adds that during these tough economic times, the audience will get to escape all the seriousness and laugh until their sides hurt.

"When people are mired down with worry, Fit for a Queen is a nice little getaway," says Kaiser. "How can you not laugh when you hear a deep male voice looking hot and sexy in a dress?"

The Vegas-style drag show features more than 15 impersonators with names like Iona Whipp, Vivian Von BrokenHymen, Conni Smudge and Mandy Kamp. Many of the female impersonators are professional dancers, actors and singers. The performances are often wacky, hilarious and campy, says Kaiser.

He says many people think the show attracts mainly gay people, but nothing could be further from the truth.

"I'd say 90 per cent of the audience is straight," says Kaiser. "Many housewives and seniors get a kick seeing a seven-foot gay man in a dress."

Kaiser began his career two decades ago while living in Calgary.

"A friend showed up at my house one day in drag and we went to this bar where he got great laughs," says Kaiser, adding he was a lazy teenager then with little ambition. "I initially started by performing a fundraiser and found I was quite good at it.

"I eventually got headhunted by the Odyssey Nightclub here in Vancouver ... that was nearly 15 years ago and I'm still doing it."

He says his natural comedic talent comes from a youth spent as an awkward, shy child.

"I was bullied a lot as a child," he says. "I grew up in a rough neighbourhood and then a few years later my parents became affluent and we moved to a wealthy neighbourhood."

It was there, in high school, that Kaiser realized his gift for making people laugh.

"I remember these three gorgeous girls in one of my Grade 10 classes, who used to ignore me," Kaiser says. "When I finally made them laugh, they adopted me as their mascot."

The outrageous glamour hits the River Rock Casino Resort Theatre Thursday, May 14 at 8 p.m. for one night only. Tickets are $30 and all proceeds benefit The Shooting Stars Foundation - which supports community-based, nonprofit organizations which provide health care, food and shelter to people living with HIV/AIDS.

Last year, Heart of Richmond AIDS Society received $7,500. Call Ticketmaster at 604-280-4444 or visit www.shootingstarsfoundation.org.

mhopkins@richmond-news.com