Lady Bunny is a true renaissance woman. Over the years New York's reigning drag queen has wowed us with her exploits as a lip-synch artiste, disco DJ, cabaret chanteuse, political pundit, and world-class cocksucker. And now she's conquering the theater as Chariy Devine,  a big-haired (what else?) free-spending small-town preacher's wife in the off-Broadway play When Joey Married Bobby. We caught up with the Lady over a cup of chamomile tea the other day, and, as usual, she had us in stitches with her colorful observations on theater, her plans for fans of Pat Robertson and Britney Spears, and, of course, sex.

Tell us about the play.

The play is really fascinating because it has a gay marriage theme, but what it really does is poke fun at religious hypocrites -- something we should all be doing on stage and in every minute of our everyday lives! As people like Pat Robertson say that the Haiti earthquake was justified, and we have serious presidential contenders like Sarah Palin who are hoping, as George Bush did, for the end of days so that they can ascend to heaven. I mean, whoo! The heartsickness of politics right now. .But I should stop -- the director said, 'Sell the play. This is not about your political views'

Let your political views rip, girl.

Well, after Pat Robertson's Haiti pronouncement, not to mention when he said Katrina hit New Orleans because Ellen DeGenereswas chosen for that awards show....this is not a fringe figure in theChristian religion. This is someone who has a lot of followers who givehim money to spout shit like that. I think the only way that thiscountry could ever move forward is if we mass murder anyone who's evercontributed to Pat Robertson or any other religious institution. Oranyone who has ever sung along to a Britney Spears or Ke$ha or Beyonce song. We need a fresh start.

Speaking of fresh starts, you're primarily known as a solo performer. What's it like being part of an ensemble for a change?

I'vereally enjoyed being with the cast, stepping outside my own circle andmeeting people who don't know who or what I am or what I've done. We'rereally just taking each other at face value. It has really been fun tosee [co-star and former Detroit Tigers pitcher] Matthew Pender,who's totally straight, and could not be sweeter, doing hisstraight-guy shadow boxing thing backstage. I didn't realize he was apitcher for the Detroit Tigers, and it just so happens by some flukethat I am a "catcher." Which I did inform him while on my kneestwiddling my nipples.

Did you do anything special to prepare for the role?

I haven't done a play since Ethyl Eichelbergerwas around, and she died in the ;80s. So it's been a challenge. I'mused to lip-synching a lot in my act, and with this you actually haveto memorize lines. And I had to put on 50 pounds for the role, whichjust to be on the safe side, I did two years ago.

Has this experience inspired you to take on more 'straight' acting roles?

I'm just glad the script found me because I like to act, but my look does limits things. Like Carol Channing is not really ever going to vary her performances very much. Or Charo, or Dolly Parton. I need my war paint. I was recently called by the casting person from Ugly Betty,and I just told her right off the bat: 'Let's not waste each other'stime. Tell me what you are looking for, and I will tell you honestly ifI am that. Because if you're looking for girls that are young andpretty, I am not one of them. If you're looking for someone that canlook like Marilyn Monroe, I can't'

Have you been burned by Hollywood in the past?

The thing is, casting agents want to see everyonebecause Hollywood's take on drag is so off that often they'll play youraudition video for Johnny Depp, who, then, swoops in and takesthe role, as they had intended him to do from the very start! I'mkidding, but that is rumored in the drag population -- you don't wantto be too good at the audition because they plan to cast John Travoltaanyway, and they just want to show him this video to give him somepointers. So that he can take it an destroy a role like Edna in Hairspray bysaying 'I want to be more girlish' because he's a fucking fag. How sickis it if you're a fag who wants to get buttfucked, and the only way youhave of expressing it, that we know of, is to put on drag and a fatsuit!

Would you consider taking on a role out of drag?

The one thing that keeps me from doing roles out of dragis I'm just so deadly afraid of...autograph hounds. No, I would do itif I thought the role was really amazing and I thought I could do it.But I'm a man who has been called Bunny for 25 years. I've got genderissues. Unlike other queens like Charles Busch, or John Epperson as Lypsinka, or even RuPaul, using my birth name is just not an option. I'm not trying to say that I'm an actor portraying Lady Bunny. I am Lady Bunny.

When Joey Married Bobby is at the Theatre 80 through Feb. 26th. 80 St. Marks Pl., (212) 388-0388. $26-$30.