Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘Survival of the Thickest’ stars Michelle Buteau as Mavis, a fashion stylist who embarks on a new path in her personal and professional life after breaking up with her boyfriend. Being in the same line of work makes it difficult for Mavis to accept opportunities where she might have to spend time with her ex. However, this challenge makes her grow in a different way as she becomes more focused on building her brand and values every work that comes her way.
Mavis receives a lot of help from her friends, one of whom is Peppermint. She helps Mavis get a few gigs that establish her as a reputed stylist, which brings more work her way. This makes Mavis repeatedly return to CC Bloom, where Peppermint spends a lot of her time. If you are wondering whether CC Bloom is a real drag bar in New York, here’s what you should know. SPOILERS AHEAD
CC Bloom is Not a Real Bar in New York
‘Survival of the Thickest’ is a fiction series inspired by the book of the same name by Michelle Buteau. The book features essays by Buteau chronicling her experiences. However, for the show, she chose a fictional approach, keeping Mavis’ story grounded in the struggles and challenges that Buteau faced, which the audience can relate to as well. CC Bloom is also one of the many fictional things in the show. However, it is supposed to represent something very important in Mavis’ life and that of many other people.
When Mavis leaves behind the world she shared with her ex, Jacque, she finds a sense of camaraderie in CC Bloom. She leaves the high-rise apartment she shared with Jacque and moves to a neighborhood in Brooklyn, where she finds the bar. Despite being new there, she finds a sense of camaraderie that encourages and uplifts her. Her friends, Khalil and Marley, are surprised by how easily she fits into the bar and makes friends that really care for her.
One of the people Mavis befriends and who plays a pivotal role in turning her career around is Peppermint. The drag queen meets Mavis at CC Bloom’s and recognizes her potential. She hooks her up with several clients, which gives Mavis the boost she needs in her career. Not just that, but they also become quite close to each other because they share the same ideologies and view the world from a similar lens.
While CC Bloom might not be a real drag bar in New York, it is a representation of real-life drag bars that offer a haven to people who feel like an outsider in their world. In such places, people often find the support and motivation to be true to themselves and express themselves uninhibited. We see this happening for Mavis, who is done with styling skinny people and wants her art to be more inclusive, be it about size or gender identity. With all this in mind, we can say that CC Bloom is fictional but mirror similar real-life places.
Read More: Is Mavis Based on a Real Fashion Stylist?
