Hollywood and (Sherry) Vine

Where did the name Sherry Vine come from? Is it the name of your first pet and the street you grew up on?
Not quite. At first my name was just Sherry. I thought it sounded like I might be that trashy girl from the wrong side of the tracks. A little later a friend called me when I was still living in L.A. and said I just had to go over to Vine Street to check out an old crumbling building called the Sherry. It was a crack den! Then it just all made sense, you know, as homage to the famous intersection of Hollywood and Vine. Sherry Vine. Sometimes I wish my name were sillier, though, like Hedda Lettuce or Vaginal Davis. I mean, with a name like Sherry Vine, I could be any woman on the street, right?

One thing in particular a lot of folks might not know about you is that you actually sing at your shows. You don’t lip-synch.
That’s correct. I sing my numbers. I’m aware I may not have the greatest voice in the world, but Sherry sure can sell a song!

Who inspires your look?
Well, I have modeled myself after Barbie, in a way. I mean, I’m hooker Barbie. In terms of my costumes, I have a team of very talented designers that make my clothes. For the video parody of “Telephone,” one of my designers, Matt Camp, made me the incredible V-line jacket you see in the beginning just by sizing me up — no fitting. That’s talent. I owe a lot to the team that helps me make my videos and clothes. Thanks, guys!

Speaking of which, your video parodies of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” and “Telephone” have garnered quite a bit of attention lately. Is Sherry now in the parody business?
Although I’ve been doing funny versions of songs for a while, I’m not in the parody business. I love and respect Lady Gaga. She is a genius and has completely changed what it means to be a pop star. I mean, she’s fucking talented and has changed the whole game.

Have the video parodies brought you any unexpected attention?

Oddly enough, I get a lot of hate mail about the videos. People tell me that Lady Gaga is their idol and I’m somehow making fun of her. It’s not that at all — it’s a parody. After all, imitation is the highest form of flattery, right? Besides the emotional reactions, I’ve been getting invitations to do shows in cities I haven’t appeared in before. For example, I’ve been asked to do a show in Raleigh, N.C. Sherry in Raleigh? Who would’ve thought?