Heavy Cream started performing as a drag king three years ago because he wanted an outlet to express himself as who he really is without fear. 

“The great thing about drag is it’s an opportunity for people to just shine and get to really be in that moment of loving and celebrating yourself and who you are,” Cream, aka Mel Funke, says. A week ago, Cream posted a video on his Instagram, debuting a brand new outfit created with copies of the What’s Happening Calendar section of Eugene Weekly. 

Cream is participating in season three of Drag Duel, a free-to-watch Youtube drag show hosted by drag queen Bucy and The Drag Detective. For one of the episodes this season, performers were told to create an outfit following the prompt “black, white and blank,” with each contestant getting to choose the third “blank” element of their outfit. Cream, performing as a campy and silly king, thought he’d go for the old adage of “black, white and read all over.” 

To do this, Cream chose Eugene Weekly because “That’s something special and unique to our town, in our city.” 

As he picked up the paper, he realized he wanted to use the What’s Happening section because that’s where local performers, including himself, are often featured. “I love Eugene Weekly, because they have always been very supportive of the show that I host and produce, Men at Work,” Cream says. “So I was like, oh my god, I definitely have to use the event section.” 

Cream’s suit features body panels and a tie made entirely out of EW newsprint. On the tie, Cream said he made sure to use a section of the paper that lists his Men at Work event front and center. “I just wanted that to be the heart of it, and also it’s my way of showing back love and appreciation to the people of Eugene Weekly for helping promote, not just my event, but just like all the events in the community,” Cream says. 

Cream says he appreciates Eugene Weekly because in order for queer people to come together, they have to first know where to go. “We need each other, and they’re a big part of making sure that people can find those places,” Cream says of the weekly print paper. “It’s a group effort.”

Find updates on Heavy Cream through his Instagram @heavy_creammm. Find Drag Duel at YouTube.com/@DragDuel.