The 3-minute interview: David Perruzza
By: Kytja Weir
Examiner Staff Writer
October 21, 2009
“Drag” racers in the annual High Heels Race in Dupont Circle will start running at 9 p.m. Saturday. Perruzza, who is organizing the race, gives the low-down on some new twists to the 23-year-old tradition that attracts about 20,000 onlookers.
How did you get started running the high-heeled race?
I started working at JR’s [Bar and Grill], who is the unofficial organizer of the event. I became a manager, and it became my event to take care of.
How did it get started?
It was started by a couple of guys running from JR’s to Annie’s in drag. They did a shot at JR’s. They ran to Annie’s, Paramount Steakhouse, did a shot at Annie’s, then ran back to JR’s. And the next year the group got bigger. ... Every year it’s been getting bigger and bigger until the point where they had a crowd watching.
What’s the course this year?
It’s a little past 17th and R. ... Then it goes to a little past 17th and Church. So we’ve reversed the route. ... This time it’s starting on the other end to help alleviate some of the crowd problems.
How high are the highest heels that have ever worn?
Probably the ones I wore: about six inches. I wore some spike ones. The first year I was ever here, I ran in the race. And after that I’ve never done that again. I almost broke my ankle.
So the heels are a requirement. Is the drag costume also a requirement?
Yeah. But we’re not calling it the High Heel Race this year. We’re calling it Heels for Equality because we figure we get a big enough audience so we’re really going to stress the fact that everybody should have equality. ... We want people to know this is a gay event and we don’t have the same rights as everybody else. – Kytja Weir
