Chris Bolton, also known as, “The Unstoppable Conni Smudge,” has been winning over the hearts and minds of folks in the qathet region and around the world for more than 20 years.
Smudge/Bolton has faced all sorts of hate directed toward the LGBTQ2S+ community, but none of that has stopped them from facing the negative with the fabulous.
“I made the big move,” said Smudge. “I have been coming up here for a long time now, and I know fabulous people all over the place. I thought, ‘where can I make the biggest impact?’”
Smudge took the leap, and in less than a month, arrived at their new destination in qathet.
“I’ve landed on my feet, and now live quite minimally,” said Smudge. “I am flying on the seat of my pantyhose, and everything that has happened in the past month has sort of unfolded in a good way.”
Smudge is co-founder of the North Shore Pride Alliance, has performed in big, beautiful theatres in Europe, and has been the face of several initiatives, events and charities, including: an appearance on Dragons’ Den, the North American Outgames, Qmunity, and the Q Hall of Fame Canada. However, Smudge started out performing in the biker bars of Nanaimo.
“I started doing drag in Nanaimo 30 years ago, and [venues] would put up chain-link fences, because people threw beer bottles at us, but after a while the haters changed their minds,” said Smudge. “I don't want to tell people how they should be, or that they need to follow my lane, but we [queer folks] want to be visible in the community in order to build community.”
Smudge believes people are more alike than different, and that diversity is a community's strength.
“I believe it's hard to hate up close,” said Smudge. “I’ve had people follow me around in North Vancouver, and then online; they have a big presence, but you can’t win everybody’s heart, so we have to pull up our skirts and move on.”
Smudge and the North Shore Pride Alliance recently dealt with a group of folks who were hanging anti-LGBTQ2S+ banners off the overpass on the upper-levels highway in North Vancouver.
“They hung awful signs, but I could not have them be the only voice,” said Smudge. “We build bridges by crossing them.”
Smudge has always dreamed of having a radio show, and recently partnered with award-winning host and TV producer Fiona Forbes on a 12-segment online show called Ask Auntie Conni.
“The show was very popular with over 500,000 hits [online], but I had to do it on-the-fly,” said Smudge. “If I create a radio program here [qathet], it would be a ‘call-out’ show. People can email me their questions or leave a voicemail and then on a Sunday [speculatively], I would connect with them and answer their questions.”
However, Smudge said that this time they would bring in specialists to have more informed answers for folks.
Smudge said they have a good relationship with the Carlson Community Club, and have an idea to start up a gay bingo night there, once a month.
For now, Smudge is getting grounded in their new surroundings and taking a break.
“I feel this community is at a bubbling point, a great crossroads,” said Smudge. “There is more diversity that is coming into the community, and in a way building a mosaic, bit by bit.”
Smudge admits that the unknown is scary, but believes diversity is our strength.
“The qathet region is ready to open its arms to the whole world,” said Smudge. “We are stronger together, and I am super grateful for where I am right now. We [with friends] went down to Gibsons Beach and I put my toes in the water, and for the first time in a while, I took a full breath in my lungs all the way in, and all the way out. I felt like I was planted and it felt so right.”
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