Rev. Richard Baker (Gregory A. Shemitz)
SUNDAY SHOWTIME: Epiphany Get Paid (above) plans a drag show today at Lillie’s restaurant next to St. Malachy’s church, vexing Rev. Richard Baker (inset) and his flock. (
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It’s cross-dressers vs. the cross in Times Square.
Parishioners at St. Malachy’s Catholic Church aren’t feeling fabulous about a brunchtime drag show being performed at Lillie’s restaurant next door in the middle of Lent.
“It’s heresy,” said parishioner Dora Milan, 70, after praying for two hours at the 49th Street church, also known as the actors’ chapel. “It’s sad.”
At the center of the holy war for Times Square’s soul is a drag performer known as Epiphany Get Paid — who stands 6-feet-7 in her spiked heels — and St. Malachy’s pastor, the Rev. Richard Baker.
The battle began last week when parishioners noticed a poster hanging next to the church for the opening of “Breakfast at Epiphany’s,” with the drag queen dressed as Holly Golightly from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
The show, billed as a “dragilicious brunch event,” has Epiphany singing show tunes like “Popular” from “Wicked” and “When You’re Good to Momma” from “Chicago.”
But Epiphany is also a sacred Catholic feast day that celebrates the revelation of God in the form of Jesus. And the first scheduled performance, a week ago today, would have coincided with the first Sunday of Lent.
Outraged parishioners complained to Father Baker, who stomped over to the Victorian-themed restaurant to harangue management.
“He was upset,” recalled Shannon Noecker, Lillie’s general manager. “He felt it was inappropriate.”
But Epiphany insisted the revue would be “lighthearted and family-friendly.”
The cross-dressing crooner, whose real name is Calen Tomaszewski, even called it “vanilla.”
“I could see how [Baker] might think a drag show would mean hookers and [oral sex],” said Epiphany, 31. “People are always afraid of what they don’t understand. These old ladies probably cried when Liberace died and they found out he was gay.”
To keep the peace, Lillie agreed to cancel the show and move it to a sister restaurant nine blocks away. But Epiphany had an epiphany — and began plotting the protest.
“It’s New York City. It’s Times Square,” he said. “If you can’t have a drag show here, where can you have one?”
The drag queen and the priest last week finally spoke to each other — and agreed to disagree.
“I think as a man of the cloth, he’s used to saying a few choice words and getting his way,” said Epiphany. “I’m not worried. I’m victorious.”
The show will open at Lillie’s today, along with a march at noon in support of the event, Epiphany said.
Yesterday, Baker said, “I’m not pleased that we’re having a drag show next door.”
But he softened his stance somewhat when he learned the show would not be as risqué as he feared. “We all see eye to eye,” he told The Post.
But some in his flock are less forgiving.
“It’s terrible,” lamented parishioner Della Connolly, who said she is “almost” 100 years old. “Why are they acting like this? What did the church do to them?”