Netflix released Glow season three this Friday (August 9), which features a new cast of characters. Bobby Barnes (played by Kevin Cahoon) is a drag queen who the GLOW women meet in season three, episode three, who we see perform as Carol Channing and Barbra Streisand. Kevin Cahoon, who plays the Glow character on Netflix, is not a real working drag queen but has played another iconic character while in drag.
Who is the drag queen in Glow?
Bobby Barnes is a drag queen who works as part of the Icons show that the GLOW women go to see in Glow season three, episode three.
Although Bobby Barnes is not a real drag queen, the character is reported based on Las Vegas legend Kenny Kerr, who died in 2013.
Kerr was known for his ‘Boy-lesque’ show, where he performed acclaimed impressions of gay icons like Cher and Barbra Streisand, the latter of which we see Barnes perform in Glow season three.
Bobby Barnes, like Kerr and Las Vegas-based contestants of RuPaul’s Drag Race like Chad Michaels and Derrick Barry, uses his male name when performing.
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This is because some Vegas venues have rules that require performers to use their real names.
Kevin Cahoon has previous experience in performing roles in drag.
In 1999, Cahoon played Hedwig, the transgender rock star at the heart of musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
Netflix viewers, however, may know him better as Hugo, one of the carnival freaks in seasons two and three of A Series of Unfortunate Events.
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The actor has also appeared in recurring roles in a number of other notable TV shows.
For example, he also starred in two episodes of Modern Family and three episodes of Nurse Jackie.
Speaking of his role in Glow, Cahoon told Broadway World: “It’s 1986.
“He’s a single father, he’s a female impersonator off of the Las Vegas Strip, so that thickens the plot right there.”
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Speaking of the audition process, he said: “I got an audition and they said, ‘Can you come in tomorrow and audition?’
“They wanted you to do the sides – two scenes – which were both lengthy, and then they wanted you to come in with three female impersonations.
“But I thought, ‘Well, I’ll give them five female impersonations.
“I’ll hire a pianist and we’ll underscore the whole thing and we’ll sing some songs.”
Glow season 3 is streaming now on Netflix
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