We aren’t big enough yet to be quiet or humble and we need to promote the communities projects not just ones we were a direct part of.
One of my art residency colleagues (that reads fancy doesn’t it?) has two nights of a terrific live show coming up at the end of November. I dropped the ball on a Q&A so in true ‘let them eat cake’ princess style, she interviewed herself and agreed to let me republish. Her crumbs are my content.
Princess Jafar is a distant cousin of the Helena Bonham-Carter version of Princess Margaret – everything you hoped for while absolutely more than you anticipated. Read on … ~ Sue
Princess Jafar Hour 2 GUESTS. 2 SHOWS. 2 NIGHTS. 1 WEEKEND.
11/30 ft. @giagunn at Club Cafe PGH Tickets
12/1 ft. @jakeyoncetv at Boom Concepts PGH Tickets
I’m proud to be 15 minutes early for my 3:15 with Princess Jafar but as I round the corner I see her already standing in the front window of the recently colonized sushiccino bar. She’s intently jotting something on her tablet, probably her next great scheme or some absurdist tweet with the same casual prowess of a cat with wounded prey. Her focus darts from the iPad up to me through the midday reflections on the pane of glass between us and I physically shiver but her smile breaks when she recognizes me and icy relief rolls down my shoulders.
Princess Jafar is one person who might be even more intimidating in real life than she seems online. Her presence on fb twitter and instagram is definitely hard to ignore; she seemingly never sleeps and is rumored to have several social media managers which allow her to snap back with wit and crit at anytime of the day or night. I introduce myself, she does not. I put my bag down and go to grab a drink but before I can a barista places two long espressos and edamame on the table between us. We cheers and the interview begins with her asking me about growing up on my uncle’s lamb farm. What follows is a transcript of that conversation:
Me: The silence was deafening.
Princess Jafar: You heard that the Mandela Effect -effected- that movie too?
Me: Yeah it’s bizarre.
Princess Jafar: I did a Star Wars number and had to edit the “Luke, I am your father” quote so it would match the way (audiences) remember it.
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Me: Do you do a lot of themed numbers?
Princess Jafar: Not really, I am bad at matching the theme of the night. I just end up doing what I want and isn’t that what drags all about?
Me: Yeah! Where do you usually perform?
Princess Jafar: Most of my gigs are in galleries and museums theaters and clubs. I did a few festivals this summer which I always love because you get to see a lot of art and meet a lot of new people.
Me: Were the festivals part of your Eurotrip?
Princess Jafar (PJ): Yes I got to perform at Bushwig in Berlin and in Brooklyn this summer. It was kind of the bookends to my trip.
Me: Did they find you? How did you get involved in that?
PJ: I applied!
Me: Simple as that?
PJ: Well, I’ve shown work at the NYC Porn Film Festival which is a sister-festival to Bushwig and I may have mentioned that.
Me: What did you show? Is there a Princess Jafar porn?
PJ: Haha not yet? But I worked with a super star called the moon baby and we made a music film for her album which we shot in a bathhouse and had some live sex acts in. She is actually remastering and re-releasing that album soon so look out for that.
Me: You can’t help plugging stuff, can you? Even if its not your own?
PJ: No, I really can’t! Hah, I see the opportunity to push or advert something and it becomes compulsory- I have to. And like, yeah, that’s moon’s album but if I help by mentioning it it just helps everyone. We aren’t big enough yet to be quiet or humble and we need to promote the communities projects not just ones we were a direct part of.
Me: I get that from your online persona. You’re always in my inbox telling me about your next album or video or on my feed sharing someone’s new track.
PJ: I’m a fan, what can I say? A fan of myself and my friends and collaborators.
Me: One of the collaborations that you mentioned recently is with DS Kinsel of Boom Concepts.
PJ: Yes. Darrell and I really got to know each other through Filmmaker’s Flight School Artist Residency. And since then he’s been integral in the work I’m most proud of like the sitcom pilot The Princess Jafar Show, the late-night Princess Jafar Tonite, my art gallery installs at Boom called Princess Jafar’s Bazaar and Hoard House and most recently with the Princess Jafar Hour which is gonna be like the View with youtube’s favorite drama vlogger JakeyonceTV.
Me: I love Jake!
PJ: He’s the only person i get notifications for on instagram. I just always want that hot T!
Me: Ok so no joke I get notifications for him too!
PJ: He’s the best.
Me: Speaking of the best your show is 2 nights and you got Gia Gunn for your first night? What was it like when she said yes?
PJ: Stressful! Ha. I already booked Jake and it turns out they would rather not share a stage, hence the 2 shows 2 nights.
Me: Oh wow so it was supposed to be just one night?
PJ: Yes but hey- everything happens for a reason and DS was clutch again and is letting us use Boom for the second night with Jake.
Me: And the first night with Gia is with Opus One at Club Cafe? How did you end up working with them?
PJ: I have been working with Margot Smith for a few years. She asked if I’d be interested in working on an event series at Club Cafe.
Me: Oo, a series?
PJ: If this goes well I could have a quarterly. Wish me luck.
Me: You don’t seem to need it but good luck! … So, earlier you mentioned not being humble. That’s something I’ve seen you tweet about a few times.
PJ: Being loud and proud is for cis white men. When a queer Arab does it, its unbecoming. But if I don’t promote myself who will? If I don’t interview myself who is going to?
We finished our espresso and PJ literally vanished in a puff of smoke. A true genie.
Get your tickets for the Princess Jafar Hour at Club Cafe ft Gia Gunn 11/30 and JakeyonceTV 12/1 at Boom Concepts now before they are sold out and be sure to follow on social media at @princessjafar.
About the writer:
I’m Mario Josie Ashkar when I’m not watching a 35-year-old Christmas Special I’m plotting world domination.
Email me at theprincessjafar@gmail.com
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