By Fudgie Frottage

Co-founder of T-Shack, stand-up comic, actor, and legendary Drag Queen Pippi Lovestocking aka Scott Free miraculously recovers from near death.

Image credit © Jose A. Guzman Colon

On May 23, minutes after her hilarious tribute to Heklina at the Castro Theatre, Pippi was taken to Davies ER by friends.

“She was sitting in front of me when she removed her wig and Kaftan complaining of hot flashes, nausea & dizziness.” according to Deena Davenport. Pippi spent 2 days at Davies under observation for heart arrhythmia, then things took a turn for the worse and she was rushed to CPMC’s cardiovascular care specialty facility for surgery.  55-year-old Lovestocking suffered an aortic aneurysm when a cyst burst on the valve where she had surgery back in 1997. The complication of sepsis set in and Lovestocking’s doctors gave her a grim 22% chance of survival. Pippi was on a ventilator, dialysis, in an induced coma, and at least a dozen IV meds.

Her sisters started flying in from NM & NC to be with her and finally gave permission for close friends to visit.  After 16 days in ICU, weaned off the ventilator and fitted with a pacemaker, Pippi was conscious again, and moved to a private room in TCU. (transitional care unit) On June 18th she was cracking jokes & holding court in her room with her sister Leanne Purvis and friends Lu Read, Denise Laws & Migitte Nielson who was allowed to bring Lucius, Pippi’s beloved Orange Tabby in for a special Father’s Day visit.

“This was Scott’s best day so far, the energy and chemistry in that room was amazing. Seeing Scott reunited with Lucius was so beautiful and healing. I am very happy to see what a strong support system Scott has here in San Francisco with his chosen family” Leanne said.

“Pippi has a long road ahead of him, but he has always been strong and full of life. They say laughter is the best medicine and he is proof of that.”  Sadly the lack of circulation during the induced coma left Pippi with necrosis and she had to have both hands and feet amputated.

I interviewed Pippi who has been a close friend for over 30 years, from before she and Heklina started the infamous club Trannyshack together back in 1996.  Originally from NC, via Atlanta Pippi had resided in SF from back in the early 90s and who after many years as a resident Drag Legend, moved to Palm Springs and then to the more remote Barstow, CA, where she could drive to auditions in LA to pursue more acting opportunities in film, mostly doing extra work.

“One of my best gigs was for a Cannabis company that paid me to appear at their holiday parties as “Pip” the Clown. Clowns have simplified drag, the suit being similar to a MuuMuu and shoes still big, but easier to walk in than heels. It paid well and I had fun doing improv.” – Pippi Lovestocking

We spent a lot of time chatting about things that could never be printed in an interview, frequently dishing some of the eccentric people we knew from the scene back in the day before I started asking the serious questions. So before I delve into the dramatic stuff let me just throw in a few quotes from the lighter convo:

Pippi: “Her sense of humor was pretty flawed…the things she thought were funny were tired.  Her charmlessness was her charm and in the Klubstitute sense of upside down universe, she was a star. When she tried to get real Fem it reminded me of Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs — she doesn’t really act Fem but puts it on in a comical actor way, unintentionally comical I’m sure. She looked more like a drug-riddled Led Zepplin roadie than a drag queen, that’s what made her drag more iconic or fun.”

Fudgie: LOL…ok Pips, let’s get real serious now. Do you consider your recovery a miracle, like many of us do?

P: I was in limbo hovering between life and death in ICU — Heklina tried to drag me to hell with her, but I said NO — I want to live!  I was doped up on Propofol, unable to grasp what had happened. My doctor had to explain. If anything, it was a complete shock that my hands and feet were ruined in the process of what happened, so clearly, that’s the hurdle I’m facing right now. We’ll see how it turns out, but I feel like it’s going to be pretty difficult. Most people agree with me on that. It’s going to be hard to have a so-called normal life again, not that I ever did have a normal life.

At least I’ll get to have priority handicap parking now, Maybe I’ll find a nice, healthy, happy person to help me with my day-to-day living and chores and stuff like that, a kind, handsome caregiver. Maybe I’ll end up back down in the desert down the line, but for the immediate future, it’s good to be here in San Francisco.

F: Do you ever have any kind of dreams or psychic communication with Heklina now that she’s on the other side, wherever that may be?

P: Yes, I did — I had one immediately after she died…a dream about her —  it was really just kind of a reassurance that everything’s cool, she told me: ‘I feel fine. I’m really joyous and free right now’. She didn’t seem to be too embarrassed about her cause of death, but this was within my dream but I do agree, I think it is very relieving to be free of life’s burdens.

Lots of people who tell you about white light experiences say that it’s so compelling, that they just want to go, because it’s so comforting, and it just feels amazing –you’re done with paying your bills or any kind of pain that you have in your body, and the other things that have gone wrong, and other people in your life that mess with you, right or wrong. So sure, yeah — it’s just that being alive is painful. In other words, you know, that’s part of the gift of it all; the road of life involves a lot of pain and the challenge is to find and give joy and love.

I did have that kind of white light experience with my heart bout the first time back in ’97, back when I was still a kid, I was 29 — I was like, well, if I don’t come back, then that’s cool…whatever happens will be okay. I just had a resignation that I would be fine.

Life is random and accidents happen; crazy people attacking you happens. What can we do but to try to put our faith in the overall goodness of humanity? If everybody was evil, I mean sometimes it feels like there’s nowhere to turn,  but for me right now…look at what a positive response I’ve gotten on the GoFundMe and all the other ways friends have been supporting me — it’s been amazing to me and I am so deeply grateful.”

What I must emphasize that is of utmost importance for everyone, regardless of their financial status, is to have a will in place. I could have died this time and I had no legal will or anything in writing as to my wishes should I have passed. Although I have no fortune to leave anyone…there are just details that have to be handled; ugly things people would rather not talk about or face, but there are realities that come to all of us no matter how rich or poor. They kept ZsaZsa Gabor alive like a vegetable with zero quality of life, sitting in that hospital bed getting pumped with different fluids and whatnot to keep her going.

F: Yeah, that was sad.

P: So going that route, have a directive in as far as when to resuscitate or not, or how far to persist to keep you going. My sister, Leanne is my healthcare power of attorney person now. Obviously, my goal is to remain alive. So, that’s my directive, but some people realize that they’re getting towards the end with their age, their health and other stuff and as depressed as I become sometimes and wish I wasn’t alive, I still have a strong desire to live, apparently, I mean, I probably would have died this time and surrendered because that call to the other side can feel so tempting and powerful but I felt as if I needed to remain here on earth for a little while longer…

F:  To make us laugh.

P: Or to do whatever. My work is not finished here.

F: So you are going to pursue a career in show business as the I can’t stand up comic or the Six Billion Dollar Queen, correct?

P: Yes, Sham Ibrahim, my Drag Daughter is going to help me do a Vlog while I am rehabilitating in the hospital which should be about 6 months or so. I need to develop strength, balance and stamina. I’m very happy to be alive. I look forward to seeing my cat, Lucius again once the doctors say it’s ok. I am of the mindset that pets are wonderful support and you know, I think they always cheer us up and lower blood pressure. They even have professional visiting cats that go to rest homes and hospitals, certified therapy animals. Most pets that I know instantly put a smile on my face. I’ve hardly ever met an animal I didn’t like or that didn’t love me back except for when Heklina’s cat turned into a serial killer, but that is another story. ”

Pippi will be recuperating at Davies South Tower Short Term Skilled Nursing Facility if you would like to send cards, flowers, or visit and if you would like to contribute money to help her since she won’t be able to work for quite some time the GoFundMe link is:

Help Pippi Scot Free recover after amputations!!!

Gofundme here.

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