Boo! It’s Halloween! Throughout October, HollywoodLife is running The Sound Of Halloween. In this month-long feature, some of your favorite stars and scars of the music, movies, television, and pop culture worlds pick songs that should be on your Halloween 2022 playlist. With horror more mainstream than ever, there’s a wide range of songs that can make your Halloween a scream. Helping to kick off the series (which is a sister to this year’s The Sound of Pride) is drag icon Jackie Beat.
The spooky season is full of Jackie Beat. She helmed the Huluween Dragstravaganza Variety Special, co-starring and co-writing the event that features Monét X Change, Ginger Minj, Lady Bunny, Selene Luna, Landon Cider, Jujube, Manila Luzon, Mo Heart, and Mario Diaz. The second episode of Jackie Beat’s Dr. Jackie: Unlicensed Psychotherapist featured appearances from Alaska Thunderf-ck, Roz Hernandez, Drew Droege, Sam Pancake, and a special cameo from the queen of Halloween herself, Cassandra “Elvira” Peterson. The 6-part series premiered on OUTtv on Sept. 19 and will conclude on Halloween. In the meantime, check out what Jackie has planned for the season and her selections for The Sound Of Halloween.
Jackie Beat’s Halloween Playlist Picks
Ennio Morricone, “Magic & Ecstasy” (From the film Exorcist 2: The Heretic)
Editor’s Note: due to Morricone’s “Magic & Ecstasy” not being on streaming, Snakefinger’s version will act as a stand-in. Proof why you should still buy physical media.
Bloodrock, “D.O.A”
Flock of Seagulls, “Nightmares”
HollywoodLife: What is your most prominent Halloween memory? When someone says “Halloween,” what’s the first thing that jumps into your mind from your past?
Jackie Beat: I remember dressing like Shelley Winters in The Poseidon Adventure for the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival. It’s one of my favorite movies, and it was actually a perfect choice for beginner drag because she’s a mess! I had a life preserver around my neck, a HAPPY NEW YEAR hat on my head, and walked around in only one shoe!
What do you think will be the most popular Halloween costume this year? What SHOULD be, in your mind?
Maybe there will be a lot of Queen Elizabeths? If so, I hope they at least make her a zombie! But in my opinion, everyone should go as Jennifer Coolidge‘s character on White Lotus!
Do you have any particular October/Halloween traditions?
I hate to say it, but most drag queens consider Halloween ‘amateur night’ because we dress up all year. But I do love Halloween and, if I’m not working, I like to stay home and watch one of my favorite horror films like the original Carrie from 1976 or Psycho or Night of the Living Dead while scarfing down the Halloween candy I bought for the trick or treaters that thankfully never show up.
What horror movie would you star in if given a budget and free range to do whatever? You can remake any film of the past, or you can create your own.
I honestly don’t believe in remaking movies, especially if they are classics and/or were done right the first time. So I would probably spend the money on an original idea. Something really terrifying like Lady Bunny Out of Drag in HD and 3-D!
What’s on tap for October for you — and the rest of the year?
The Huluween Dragstravaganza variety special I co-star in, and co-wrote, starts streaming on Hulu on Oct 1 and is available all month. And my new comedy series “Dr. Jackie: Unlicensed Psychotherapist” is now airing on OUTtv. Trust me, Jackie Beat giving people advice is about as scary as it gets!