The Lady Chablis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lady Chablis
|
|
|---|---|
The Lady Chablis, 1996
|
|
| Born | March 11, 1957 Quincy, Florida, U.S.
|
| Died | September 8, 2016 (aged 59) Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
|
| Other names | The Lady Jonel |
| Occupation | Actress Author Club performer |
The Lady Chablis (born March 11, 1957 – died September 8, 2016) was an American actress, author, and entertainer. She was also known as The Grand Empress and The Doll. She became widely known after appearing in the popular book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and its 1997 movie version.
Contents
The Early Life of Chablis
Chablis was born on March 11, 1957, in Quincy, Florida. Her parents divorced when she was five years old. Her aunt, Katie Bell, and grandmother, Anna Mae Ponder, helped raise her. Her mother moved to Chicago to work as a nurse. Chablis did not meet her mother until she was nine. She met her father when she was 12. In 1969, she went to live with her father in the Harlem area of New York City.
She chose the name "The Lady Chablis" when she was 16. At that time, she was living in Atlanta. She explained that her mother had planned to name a baby "La Quinta Chablis" but lost the baby. Her mother then told her to take the name.
Chablis' mother later moved back to Tallahassee. She worked as a nurse there. Chablis lived with her mother and her new husband. He owned a dry-cleaning business. Chablis became good friends with her neighbor, Connie. Connie gave her much support and a safe place when she faced difficulties at home.
Chablis's Entertainment Career
Chablis started her career as an entertainer at age 15. She performed at the Fox Trot gay bar in Tallahassee. There, she met Cliff Taylor, who performed as Miss Tina Devore. He was the first male in Quincy she met who dressed up. Taylor invited Chablis to stay with him if she ever moved to Atlanta. She moved there in 1974 when she was 17. Before that, she had lived with her aunt in Tallahassee for about 18 months.
She began working at the Prince George Inn, a restaurant owned by gay people. She started a relationship with a co-worker there. She left in 1975 after the relationship ended. She then found work at Eckerd's Drugstore. She had to leave that job after being sick for three weeks. A new friend, Linda, saw Chablis's health decline. Linda moved her into her apartment. Chablis then found another job at a Burlington Coat Factory store.
Chablis and Linda later moved to the Regency Woods apartment complex. Chablis felt inspired by her friend's life. She decided to return to performing on stage. She eventually found herself working at The Locker Room, a bathhouse.
In the late 1980s, Chablis received a job offer from The Friends Lounge. This was a cabaret bar in Savannah, Georgia. She then moved south from Atlanta.
She performed at Club One on its opening night in 1988. She was a regular performer there until August 6, 2016. This was just before she was hospitalized.
In the early 1990s, she moved with her partner, Jesse, to Columbia, South Carolina. There, she started working at a new place called The Menage. The Menage closed after three years because of new competition. Chablis did not find much work for a couple of years after that.
Chablis returned to Savannah. She began working at a new club called The Edge. She lived near Crawford Square.
She was a main character in John Berendt's popular 1994 book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. This was during her time working at The Pickup on Congress Street. She left that job because of a disagreement over pay.
Chablis often performed at her "home" nightclub, Club One. There, she was known as the "Grand Empress." Chablis traveled across the U.S. performing her show, The Doll Revue. She performed at different places and special events, such as gay pride gatherings. She also appeared on radio shows.
Chablis's autobiography, Hiding My Candy: The Autobiography of the Grand Empress of Savannah, was published in 1996. A year later, she played herself in the movie version of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. This movie was directed by Clint Eastwood and starred Kevin Spacey and John Cusack.
The Lady Chablis was featured in the last part of the Savannah episode of Bizarre Foods America. This show was on The Travel Channel. She joined the host, Andrew Zimmern, at several Savannah restaurants. These included Elizabeth on 37th. In 2012, she was interviewed in Savannah on the local TV and internet talk show MAMA Knows Best. On April 19, 2013, Chablis performed for the grand opening of Mama's Cabaret in Lewiston, Maine.
Awards and Titles
In her early career as an entertainer, Chablis won many titles. She performed under the name Brenda Dale Knox. Some of her titles include:
- Miss Dixieland, 1976
- Miss Gay World, 1976
- The Grand Empress of Savannah, 1977
- Miss Sweetheart International, 1989
- Empress of Atlanta, 1996
- Miss Cosmo USA, 1997
- Miss Garden City, 1997
- Miss Atlanta Universe, 1998
- Miss Georgia National, 1998
- Miss Southern States USA, 1998
Film and TV Appearances
- Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997) as Chablis Deveau
- Midnight in Savannah (1997, TV documentary) as Herself
- Partners (1999, TV movie) as Beverly
- Bizarre Foods America: Savannah (2012) as Herself
- Real Housewives of Atlanta (2013) as Herself
Personal Life and Identity
Chablis stated that she did not want any label other than her name, "The Lady Chablis." She found it hurtful when people called her a "drag queen." In his book, John Berendt wrote that he met Chablis as she was returning home from having a hormone injection. In her book Hiding My Candy, Chablis mentioned she had not undergone sex reassignment surgery.
The Passing of The Lady Chablis
The Lady Chablis passed away on September 8, 2016. She was 59 years old. She died from a type of pneumonia called Pneumocystis pneumonia. This happened at Candler Hospital in Savannah.
On November 5, a special showing of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil took place. It was shown at Savannah's Lucas Theatre for the Arts. Before the movie, there was a tribute to Chablis. Some of Chablis's gowns were on display in the theater's lobby. Jerry Spence, a former hairdresser who was in both the book and movie, attended. A reception was held at Club One after the memorial service. After the movie, Club One Cabaret held two tribute shows for Lady Chablis.
Tributes to Chablis
After news of her death, several of Chablis's former co-stars shared tributes. Paul Hipp, who appeared with her in the movie, said he was sad to hear of her passing. He called her talented, kind, and very funny. He also said she was a true pioneer, especially for her time and place. Chablis was also impersonated on an episode of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars by drag queen Jaida Essence Hall.
Images for kids
-
In Spanish: The Lady Chablis for children
