Kelowna gay bar to pay up after reneging deal with drag queen

A Kelowna drag performer took a local bar to court after it stopped paying for events he hosted.

Tyson Cook won over $1,100 for unpaid drag services at Friends of Dorothy Lounge, according to a recent BC Civil Resolution Tribunal decision.

Cook hosted ten karaoke nights for the lounge in 2022 for $150 per night, which was increased by $100 for Canada's Drag Race viewing parties. Cook, who performs under the name Frieda Whales, said the viewing parties were agreed upon by a manager, but was later reneged and the lounge denied ever agreeing to the added $100.

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Fod Cocktail Lounge Kelowna Inc. said he was paid for all nine karaoke night and didn't owe him anything more, but Cook proved otherwise with text exchanges with a bar manager.

When Cook proposed he host the viewing parties in advance of karaoke, with an extra fee, the manager agreed. Cook said he was paid $100 in cash for the first night, but the manager later said bar owners wouldn't approve the budget and backed out of the deal.

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The Tribunal found the manager, who was unnamed in the decision, was supposed to have authority to book and approve events. It ruled Cook was entitled to $800 for hosting eight unpaid viewing parties from July 21, 2022, to Sept. 8, 2022.

The Tribunal also ordered the bar pay $150 for two September karaoke nights Cook wasn't paid for.

In total, Cook is to get $1,263.52 for unpaid drag performances, interest and legal fees within a month of the Aug. 25 decision.

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