The owner of Julia's on Broadway and longtime producer of "Le Faux," the self-proclaimed "largest cabaret-style celebrity impersonation show in America," believes there are two sides to every story and that it's time to share his side.

The SGN's July 30 edition carried a story about a labor dispute at the celebrated drag destination, highlighting the situation from the perspectives of the six cast members most recently no longer employed there.

In response, Eladio Preciado wanted the community to hear his take.

"I'm a producer, director, and owner. In order to be that, you can't always be the nice guy. You have to be the boss," Preciado said. "You have to be the one to make decisions at the end of the day."

Preciado's most consequential decision as of late has been his response to the six drag employees' requests, which were as follows: (1) that each performer be paid $300 per show, including weekly rehearsals and performances; (2) that the prohibition from performing at other venues be suspended; and (3) that, contingent on performers providing replacement coverage, the primary performers were eligible for personal time off.

These now-former "Le Faux" cast members allege that Preciado was unwilling to discuss these terms with them, instead opting to close the show and dismiss them all.

Preciado's response
According to Preciado, "the truth [is that what] they are feeding the public is complete lies."

In response to the above requests, Preciado said the following: (1) "No one can ask for a three-times pay increase and expect to receive it just like that"; (2) "I allowed performers to perform at other venues, and I've even supported them"; and (3) he allowed his employees time off when it could be covered, noting that one employee who left in protest was enjoying a two-week vacation when the requests were sent to him.

Preciado emphasized that he didn't fire anyone, explaining that "if you don't show up for work, that means you quit."

He said the labor requests were "completely out of left field" and that he had "zero" awareness of his employees' discontentment beforehand, having regarded them positively and claiming to have had a "friendly, open relationship" with each.

Preciado admitted he felt blindsided by the requests, adding that he had treated the queens to dinner just two weeks before, catching up with them.

A history of pay-related issues
But some wonder, with the level of tension that has been allegedly building for years, if the recent walkout really could be so unforeseen.

Krisopher Zello, whose stage name is Kristy Champaign and whose time at Julia's spanned nine years, left the business in early March 2020, due to similar grievances. "There never was a time when there wasn't that kind of 'my way or the highway' mentality," Zello said. "Working with my sisters and chosen family was the main reason I stayed so long."

Jaxen Brown, an original cast member of "Le Faux," worked at Julia's for 14 years. He left the show and industry two years ago, and claims that the waters were always murky as to what was and wasn't allowed, noting that Preciado did give permission to certain employees to perform at other venues.

While Brown remembers having a contract or two at various points, he describes [permission for time off] as being granted through informal sets of approval instead of being clearly outlined.

Brown claims to have received a raise at one point or another, peaking at $125 per show around six or seven years ago. The recently dismissed queens claimed to be each making $100 per show.

Issues regarding pay have not only involved regular employees but also guest hosts, such as Benjamin Putnam, aka BenDeLaCreme. Prior to Putnam's own appearances on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race and the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars, they co-hosted weekly viewings of Jinkx Monsoon's fifth-season winning stint on Drag Race in 2013. Putnam had negotiated a fee in advance, specifically linked to drink sales, which offered "the potential to make more from getting butts in the seats." Unfortunately, Putnam erred in not getting the agreement with Preciado in writing.

The viewings were ultimately a huge success, Putnam said. "Jinkx and I were the only performers on stage most nights, packed out, line around the block, and two weeks in, I got my first paycheck, and it was only my minimum."

Putnam recalls Preciado had agreed to the financial terms well in advance but claimed his business partner "didn't agree to it, and he's the money man, not me. So we aren't paying that amount."

Because Putnam was committed and didn't want to bail on Jinkx, they continued to co-host the weekly events for the "very small fee." But then came frustrating news: "We were told they couldn't pay us more, because it was a free event. Two months later, Jinkx and I find out he was charging a cover the entire time. Eladio is a snake."

"Everyone's replaceable"
The SGN also spoke with six former "Le Faux" queens who are uninvolved in the recent labor dispute. Each shared examples of alleged mistreatment in the workplace, from Eladio's repeated refrain of "everyone's replaceable" to body shaming.

Lily Wicke, aka Fraya Love and a cast member of "Le Faux" from 2013 until the end of 2015, said Preciado liked to use the cast as his personal Barbie dolls. She remembers being "forced into two corsets, forced to perform a full dance Gaga number, fainting, and Preciado not batting an eyelash."

Brian Peters, well known as Mama Tits and host of "Le Faux" for one year, stresses that the experience taught him a lot about his own limits and boundaries.

"The almost 'sister wives' connection of us backstage was like a bunch of beaten children walking on eggshells, avoiding the next blowup," Peters said. "He was verbally abusive and never flinched about underpaying or simply coming up with a reason to dock pay or not pay at all."

Preciado acknowledges problematic behavior while he was experiencing a divorce about five years ago. "I was difficult to deal with. I was just trying not to fall apart," he said. He believes his management style has improved since then and credits it to leadership counseling, saying, "I've had my moment, but I came back from it."

That feeling isn't shared by the six past performers the SGN spoke with on the record. "I didn't see a large change in him, or at least it wasn't drastic enough," Zello said.

Isaac Scott, a "Le Faux" performer of 13 years minus a few short hiatuses, said that between "the shady money issues, the manipulation, the threats, and the way Preciado always tried to make you feel like garbage so you'll stick around, it's something I never wish to experience again."

Scott added: "I worked for him in the restaurant, not just the show, and he does the same things to all his employees, which is why I left last summer. He was not paying me what he was supposed to, and expected me to tip him out, even though I was running all the breakfast and lunch shifts by myself, as well as dealing with all his vendors, because he didn't know what he was doing."

A different perspective
But for others, the workplace environment wasn't a deal breaker. Brittany Mattox, current "Le Faux" choreographer and a Julia's employee of 10 years, said, "Every time I've had a concern, I've gone to Eladio and worked it out." Although Mattox doesn't want to speak for the rest of the cast and doesn't want to discredit what the former employees feel, she does allow that "there have been plenty of times when this type of action has been warranted." However, she didn't believe the recent labor dispute was necessarily one of those instances.

According to Mattox, Preciado was open and honest about the pay situation post-lockdown and how it would be less than normal due to limited capacity. She said each employee was informed of the state of affairs at a company-wide meeting.

"After we returned from the pandemic, there was a different energy and sense of unity. I think that is why this is more hurtful."

Because she and other non-drag performers weren't made aware of the walkout, they shared Preciado's feelings of being blindsided. Mattox chalks up much of the issue to being "communication based."

Mattox has played a huge role in getting the show running following the six queens' departures. "We've had to rework an entire show, picking up the pieces that are left." One of the hardest parts for her has been seeing the "bullying and social media slander" directed toward new and old staff. According to her and Preciado, one new cast member even ended up in the hospital due to the mental strain of the alleged bullying.

While this time has been difficult for Mattox and the rest of the crew, she said that "experiencing what this new cast is like is a light. I'm really excited for the community to see these performers shine."

Looking ahead
Following the exodus of its drag lineup en masse, "Le Faux" reopened the evening of Saturday, August, 8, with its revamped cast. A picket protest was initially planned but ultimately canceled.

According to Andrew Scott, aka Queen Andrew, "We as a team (former Julia's girls) canceled the picket because it was pulling our energy in more ways than necessary. While we understand the importance of public demonstration, we value our mental and emotional health more."

In light of that, the former employees are now ready to move on from Julia's and to "let the establishment do what it wants." Scott added, "We told our story, and that's all we can do without it becoming overwhelming. At the end of the day, we made the right decision and are thankful we did. Now, it is time to move forward."

Since their departure, the former Julia's queens have been booking various events. They have teamed up with the Deluxe Bar and Grill and the First to Give Back Foundation, debuting a weekly brunch show called "Friends with Benedicts." Not every cast member will perform on a weekly basis; they'll rotate through to offer more opportunity.

According to Queen Andrew, they are even being paid per performance what they asked for at Julia's.