New York City’s fierce Queen of Fabulous Amanda Lepore talks her new music video, Lady Gaga, plumped lips, London and getting together with Jodie Harsh.

It’s just gone 1pm in New York City, and I catch performance artist, model, nightclub hostess and international gay icon Amanda Lepore in the middle of making breakfast.

TM: Amanda, you’ve just released your new video Doin’ It My Way. How did filming go?

AL: It was awesome! It was in a club that I work at every year called Café Olé on Ibiza. Boy George was DJing, Jake Shears was a guest DJ and it was an especially fun night because it was full of people I knew.

TM: You’ve done a lot of work with Marco Ovando, who directed the video. What is it about him that keeps you going back for more?

AL: Well, he’s so talented and we’ve been friends for a really long time. I used to work at his club Hero, and we started working together after that. I love his creativity and I think he really understands how I want to look.

TM: Who else do you want to work with?

AL: I would love to act in movies with Pedro Almodovar; I think I would be great for that. Steven Klein would be great to work with; he does a lot of videos like the one he did with Gaga.

TM: Lady Gaga was on the New York scene for quite a while right?

AL: Yeah, well, I didn’t see her on the New York scene. I did know Lady Starlight whose band Gaga was in, but I wasn’t really part of that scene – she was more on the rock circuit. Lady Starlight used to invite me whenever she was performing with the band, but I was always working or away. I did meet Gaga though whilst she was in town with David Lachapelle shooting for Rolling Stone; she invited us to dinner at her boyfriend’s house… she was cool and very down to earth.

TM: We asked Cazwell this very question last year; what do you think about London’s nightlife vs New York’s?

AL: I love London; it has the fashion, the music and the DJs are great. Of all the places that I go to, I find it the most similar to New York; there’s so much street fashion and there’s a resurgence of the club kid scene so always somewhere to go. I always see more plumped lips in London too – they’re so popular! The women in Russia love them as well… I think it’s because they’re so into Donatella Versace, but it’s not so cool in New York.

TM: So the last time you were in London you hosted Jodie Harsh’s Circus party at Cafe de Paris. How did the two of you meet?

AL: Well [Jodie] was freelancing for V Magazine five or six years ago in New York, and I didn’t know that that [he] did drag… we were hanging out and everything and then before he left at the end of the summer he told me that he did. When he came back he had the big wig and tonnes of makeup! I thought it was cool but I had no idea. He did plump his lips out though!

TM: Are we going to see you back in London sometime soon?

AL: Yeah! I’m back in London on February 15th to perform at a Charlie Le Mindu show… I’ve got burlesque dancers and the works… so it’s gonna be like my Highline Ballroom concert!

TM: Your last album was fabulous! Are you working on any new music?

AL: Yeah, I’m working on two singles! I’m gonna do a cover of ‘Doll Parts’ by Courtney Love and then I’m doing a remix of ‘I Wanna be Loved by You’ by Marilyn Monroe – my favourite song right now!

TM: I’m guessing you’ve seen the new Marilyn movie, My Week with Marilyn?

AL: I saw the movie yeah, and I really like it! It made me think God!, when I think about all the guys I knew for a week, there could be a lot of movies about me!

TM: Well of course!.. what have you got planned for Christmas and New Year?

AL: I don’t have any plans for New Year’s Eve! I guess I’m going to be in New York, but for Christmas I have a Santa Claus outfit so I’m going to wear that at Vandam on Sunday!

Amanda Lepore MySpace