Pollo Del Mar

Pollo Del Mar
Pollo Del Mar in 2008
Born
Paul E. Pratt

United States
Other namesThe Manager of Champions, Pollo DelMar, The Notorious P.D.M, The Glamazon

Pollo Del Mar (Paul E. Pratt) [1] is an American drag queen performer, wrestling personality, journalist, activist and recording artist.

As columnist, blogger and celebrity interviewer, Del Mar has hosted multiple podcasts [2] and contributed to a wide array of print and online media outlets, both gay and straight. She became the final Miss Trannyshack, was named "San Francisco's Most Notable Drag Queen" at the 2016 Nitey Awards [3] and reigned as the 53rd Empress of San Francisco within the Imperial Council of San Francisco.[4][5] She is the only performer to be crowned Trannyshack Star Search, Miss Trannyshack, Grand Duchess and Empress of San Francisco.

To date, Del Mar has released five dance music singles "How Embarrassing" (2012), "Made You Look" (2013) with Billboard charting artist Kwanza Jones, "#WhiteLadyProblems" (2014), "Rule the World (A Woman's Got the Power)" (2016) and is featured on the song "Last Night," from the 2017 album Ban2oozle by Billboard Top 5 Dance Chart recording artist and openly gay rapper Jipsta.[6][7] He is heavily featured in the music video "WannaBe," a cover of The Spice Girls by Billboard Dance chart-topping artist Neon Hitch.

Del Mar established himself as a credible journalist via celebrity interviews on the cover of Northern California's GLOSS Magazine (for which he is also a three-time covergirl), The San Francisco Bay Times and alternative weekly San Francisco Bay Guardian. He contributed celebrity-related content and interviews to The Huffington Post for over a half-decade.[8] Presently Del Mar is a columnist and contributor to the world's foremost professional wrestling magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

Del Mar parlayed celebrity interviews into performances with several top stars and acting, appearing onstage with Katy Perry, Iggy Azalea, Lady Gaga, talk-show hosts Wendy Williams and Ross Mathews and opened for Britney Spears during the singer's appearance on Good Morning America. On Nov. 22, 2008, Del Mar and five others opened the inaugural YouTube Live Concert event with Katy Perry, who performed chart-topping single "Hot n Cold" for a global audience of millions. On Dec. 6, 2008, he performed with Grammy-winning singer Cyndi Lauper at the Energy 92.7 Anniversary Party. Del Mar performed stand-up comedy during a June 2018 sold-out series of San Francisco shows with Real Housewives of New York City star Countess Luann de Lesseps.

As an actor, Del Mar has appeared in independent feature films The Rise and Fall of Jeremy Starr and Devious, Inc., various television programs, has cameos in ABC mini-series When We Rise by Oscar-winning writer Dustin Lance Black, HBO series Looking and multiple seasons of National Wrestling Alliance series NWA Powerrr.

Del Mar made his first drag appearance April 27, 2006 at a fundraiser in San Francisco's Castro District. In August 2006, she placed first runner-up in the Miss Gay San Francisco Pageant and gained further attention as "Miss October" in the award-winning 2007 Desperate Divas calendar and a subsequent series of post cards.[9]

Del Mar gained attention for her political efforts in the wake of California passing Prop 8, which would effectively ban gay marriage.[10]

Miss Trannyshack 2007

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On November 17, 2007, Del Mar was crowned "Miss Trannyshack 2007" in front of the largest audience in pageant history. Del Mar is the only performer to ever simultaneously hold the Miss Trannyshack and Miss Trannyshack Star Search titles, both representing the legendary nightclub run by drag impresario Heklina.[11] Celebrity judges for the event included comedian Sandra Bernhard, New York City club kid-turned-author James St. James, drag personality and Midnight Mass producer Peaches Christ and more.[12]

Professional wrestling

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As a journalist, Del Mar has long covered professional wrestling, first for Huffington Post then popular wrestling newsboard WrestleZone. Under his given name, Pratt's work published in the Oct. 2021 issue of industry-leading Pro Wrestling Illustrated Magazine.

In 2017, she began pursuing a life-long passion for sports entertainment personally. Del Mar joined San Francisco Bay Area-based promotion Wrestling for Charity.,[13] becoming a central personality in live events, acting as Co-General Manager of the company and assuming a behind-the-scenes role as head booker for WFC's San Francisco events.[14]

In 2021, Del Mar's reputation as a pro wrestling personality expanded dramatically. She hosted Effy's "Big Gay Brunch" in Tampa, FL, for Game Changer Wrestling, returning for "Big Gay Brunch 2" in Chicago [15] later that year.[16] Del Mar has acted as host, manager and commentator on every "Big Gay Brunch" since.[17]

National Wrestling Alliance

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Wrestling legend Mickie James selected Del Mar to accompany transgender grappler Jamie Senegal at the Aug. 28 National Wrestling Alliance all-women's pay-per-view EMPOWERRR.[18]

Del Mar became a fixture on NWA programming the following year, making history as the first drag queen to appear on broadcast pro wrestling in the United States.[19] Paired with "Thrillbilly" Silas Mason, they won audience attention while moving toward main event status through 2022-2023. Their onscreen romance imploded at NWA 75.[20]

In March 2023, Pratt (Del Mar)'s contributions behind-the-scenes expanded with the launch of "NWA Official Wrestling," the company's online publication, for which he serves as Editor-in-Chief.[21] Additionally, he as acted as a producer on two episodes of NWA docu-series "Ten Pounds of Gold" and two seasons of flagship broadcast NWA Powerrr.[22]

Awards

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In Nov. 2021, OutSports announced nominees for its first-annual Queer Wrestling Index (QWI) Awards, with Del Mar receiving a total of five for work as a journalist and personality under both given and stage names. Readers of website OutSports and LGBT in the Ring Podcast audiences chose Del Mar "QWI Pro Wrestling Personality of the Year"[23] three consecutive years between 2021-2023. In 2022, Del Mar also received the site's awards for "Best Look," its "Flowers Award" for overall social impact inside and outside pro wrestling and, under given name Paul E. Pratt, was named "Best Pro Wrestling Journalist." To date, Del Mar is a 15-time nominee and winner of six awards.[24]

Del Mar was afforded a one-page profile in the May 2022 issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

References

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  1. ^ Juul, Justin (2008-02-13). "Pollo Del Mar explains it all for you". San Francisco Bay Guardian. Archived from the original on 2008-04-04. Retrieved 2008-07-12.
  2. ^ "Party Foul Radio | Podomatic". Www.PolloDelMar.Podomatic.com. Retrieved 2018-04-05.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "The Nitey Awards - Celebrating creative excellence and patron experience in the nightlife industry". www.niteyawards.com. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  4. ^ Gerharter, Rick (2018-03-01). "Imperial Royalty Crowned". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  5. ^ "Gallery of San Francisco Empresses". Imperial Council of San Francisco Website. 2021-07-24. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  6. ^ "Jipsta". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  7. ^ "Jipsta". Discogs. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  8. ^ "Pollo Del Mar | HuffPost". www.huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  9. ^ Van Iquity, Sister Dana (2006-10-05). "AIDS Housing Alliance Raises $$ with Desperate Divas Calendar". San Francisco Bay Times. Retrieved 2008-07-12.
  10. ^ Blue, Violet (2008-11-13). "Fear of a Gay Planet". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-11-23.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ Van Iquity, Sister Dana (2007-11-22). "Pollo Del Mar Grabs the Trannyshack Crown". San Francisco Bay Times. Retrieved 2008-07-12.
  12. ^ Marrs, Scott (2007-12-16). "PIX: A Patchwork of Bay Area Parties & Personalities". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-11-22.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ Rodriguez, Joe Fitzpatrick (2018-06-20). "Drag Queen Pollo Del Mar Wrestles for Change". San Francisco Examiner. Archived from the original on 2018-06-20. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
  14. ^ Spotswood, Beth (2018-06-06). "Pro Wrestling Gets a Hold in The City — SF Style". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
  15. ^ Pritchard, Bill (2021-04-09). "Watch: Pollo Del Mar Previews Effy's Big Gay Brunch". WrestleZone. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  16. ^ Tessier, Colin (2021-07-21). "Making Chicago Gayer-Effy's Big Gay Brunch Chicago-Review". WrestleZone. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  17. ^ Murley, Jack (2024-01-17). "The One with Pollo Del Mar". BBC Sports. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  18. ^ Dinsdale, John (2021-09-07). "Mickie James Jamie Senegal as Second Entrant in NWA Women's Invitational Tournament". WrestlingInc. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  19. ^ Murley, Jack (2024-01-17). "The One with Pollo Del Mar". BBC Sports. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  20. ^ Tessier, Colin (2023-06-03). "Silas Mason and Pollo Del Mar Discuss Their Genuine Connection, What Makes It Work". Yahoo Entertainment. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  21. ^ Pratt, Paul (2023-05-01). "Welcome to NWA Magazine". National Wrestling Alliance. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  22. ^ Murley, Jack (2024-01-17). "The One with Pollo Del Mar". BBC Sports. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  23. ^ Bell, Brian (2021-12-16). "QWI Award Winners". OutSports. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  24. ^ Murley, Jack (2024-01-17). "The One with Pollo Del Mar". BBC Sports. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
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