THE MYSTERY OF JULIE MASKING

You never know where the internet might take you - unless of course you use correct search terms and have your favourite sites saved, but anyway -  I first discovered Julie in a series of very short video clips, most lasting under 30 seconds, which she uploaded to youtube in 2007. Instantly, I was fascinated by the visual feast that was presented. WHAT was this beautiful creature purring laconically through the screen at me and WHERE did she come from? Close to a decade later and I'm still not entirely certain.

Julie captivated me with her stunning facial features; an out of this world combination of Amanda Lepore and Jocelyn Wildenstein - her incredible ability to smoke cigarettes on camera coming a close second - but, it couldn't really be a mask, could it? At the time I'd never heard of 'masking', which is "a form of cross-dressing in which men wear wigs, masks and silicone body suits to mimic the appearance of dolls", although there's been quite a few television programmes about it since. Channel 4 covered the topic in a documentary 'Secrets of the Living Dolls' in early 2014, but the participants were more like THAT scene from Silence Of The Lambs instead of resembling the beautiful Julie.

(Julie in mask and body suit)

Julie describing how her masks are created: "my masks are composites of pieces, cast from mold parts I have made or collected that are specific to my face.  Once molded, the composite pieces are trimmed and fitted carefully on my face before being welded together into the two large mask elements (top and bottom) and having finishing touches applied to mask seams" adding that she also uses "stage makeup, which smears, wears off, and must be redone constantly as well as after washing the two parts.  The masks are high-maintenance items."

There appears to be very little about Julie on the internet - but it's possible I just don't know the correct search terms, however her youtube videos are still available (and need far more thumbs up please viewers!) but from what I understand Julie is from New York, and performs cabaret in and out of her masks. She does not sell masks but still modifies and creates her own. Her styles now range from the original video vixen look to something I would describe as First Lady Realness. She is described as: "a master of art and artifice, and regards masking as a new and intriguing facet of that art."

The below are picture's of Julie - UNMASKED!

UPDATE: Julie is now going under the name of Julie Masque, here's her look for 2015:

Comments - especially from those wearing latex masks - are always welcome ;)

BRIC N BRAC N NIK N NAKS N THIIIINGS: THE ROYAL FAMILY 

After DIANA was bumped off the British public were treated to a gorgeous array of Royal Tribute Merch to add to our already straining mantlepieces - so it was rather handy when Flora margarine came up with some new merch that we could store in the fridge. The association between Diana and Flora was always downplayed during her lifetime, but those of us 'in the know' where well aware that the Princess would often have a midnight snack of toast topped with lashings of Flora during those lonely nights at Kensington Palace when 'Her Boys' were off at school and unable to communicate with their mentally ill mother through a locked bathroom door.

Sadly, much of the media elite thought this association of the Princess with Flora to be 'tacky'. Former Prime Minister John Major even released a statement calling for 'sensitivity' to be used when skimming millions of money off the public for the Memorial Fund. But Diana's loyal public disagreed - after all, it seemed only right to honour the nations most famous bulimic by imitating her eating habits - and went out stocking up on Flora margarine in their millions until the supermarket shelves were stripped bare.

The snazzy new packaging was only available for a limited time while Flora were sponsoring that years London Marathon - which Paul Burrell AKA The Rock completed in 5 hours and 20 minutes - but still managed to raise a whopping £250k for the Memorial Fund.

Comments - from bulimia suffers or survivors - are always welcome ;)

TRIBUTE TO BLUE TULIP ROSE READ

Back in 1996 Channel 4 had a 'Fame Factor' themed season which explored the darker side of fame and included the transmission of a documentary by Jaine Green few viewers have ever been able to forget called "I'm Your Number One Fan". The film featured an array of unusual individuals with mild to aggressive stalker-ish tendencies - from a mother and daughter who adore Cliff Richard to a Princess Diana stalker who had the completely mad idea (this being pre-Paris 97) that The Queen was plotting to kill Diana - but the most fascinating of all these characters is the now infamous Blue Tulip Rose Read.

Blue Tulip Rose Read's original name was Carol Ballard. She changed it legally after a chance encounter with DJs Ed Stewart (who's breath STINKS) and Mike Read (who has BEAUTIFUL BREATH). From then on Blue Tulip Rose knew she had met the only man for her. One playful grope of Mikes "tenders" bum later and they were married.

The documentary filmed the ICONIC Blue Tulip in all her bleach blonde crew cut glory as she typed up letters to Mike Read (while naked), had t-shirts printed proclaiming to be his wife and travelling to the Classic FM offices, in her luxurious blue trackie top and shorts combo, to deliver love letters to her husband. The whole film is available on youtube with our feisty fashionista appearing in Parts 1 & 2, however I would recommend watching the whole thing as its absolutely brilliant.

Blue Tulip and her tinted glasses became an instant cult star. So much so that The League Of Gentlemen comedy series used direct quotes from Blue Tulip Rose in newspaper signs for the Royston Vasey Chronicle.  Blue Tulip would one day be featured in her own local press too.

After that, Blue Tulip Rose left the adoring gaze of her public for over a decade before returning to our screens, recharged and remoulded as Blue Tulip Edelweiss Warby, and ready to rock while auditioning for 2008's Britain's Got Talent showcasing her 'doggy singing', which had previously been debuted all those years ago in the Channel 4 documentary. She even managed to make a reference to Simon Cowell's previous incarnation as 'Wonderdog'.  Simon looked nervous - could Blue Tulip be out to impress a new man?

In a WORLD EXCLUSIVE interview with local paper Welwyn Hatfield Times - which at the time was accompanied by videos (sadly now lost forever it is feared) of her renowned doggy singing and, showing she's no one-trick pony, for the first time ever "moggy singing" such classics as Memories - Blue remained upbeat: 

"It was a really good day and I enjoyed singing in front of the audience. I never really got the chance to show how good I was, but I did meet Ant and Dec who were absolutely lovely. It was my dogs Cindy and Benjy who gave me the idea to sing. Cindy said to me one day, 'Mum I think you should sing like a dog' so I did. At first I wasn't very good but I have got a lot better. What I do is so much different to what is already out there and I would love a record company to give me a deal." 

Blue Tulip Rose Read Edelweiss Warby lived in Welwyn Garden City at the time of her X Factor audition and according to a friend of mine she's still living there and can be spotted every now and then still singing doggy style ;)

YOU CAN PACK THAT IN AS SOON AS YOU LIKE!

Comments - and any confirmed sightings of Blue Tulip - are always welcome ;)