Prince Poppycock the male version of Lady Gaga

Prince Poppycock is a stage character created by American singer, songwriter, and performer John Andrew Quale.

He wears elaborate costumes and performs as a powdered-wigged dandy straight out of the French Baroque period and specialises in musical theatre and opera.

Prince Poppycock was born in 2006. At the time John Quale was studying Opera, having just learnt the Figaro aria, ‘Largo al Factotum’. When a friend asked John to perform the aria at her nightclub there was only one stipulation: he must wear a wig. John decided to perform as a powdered-wigged baroque dandy, and Prince Poppycock was born!

Since then, Prince Poppycock has graced stages across the country including Las Vegas, San Francisco, New Orleans, New York City, and Jamaica. His style is very reminiscent of Liberace, who also wore outrageous costumes in the 1960s and 1970s.

Prince Poppycock came to national attention in 2010 when he competed on the fifth season of NBC’s reality television talent show series ‘America’s Got Talent’. On September 15, 2010, he was voted fourth place in the final four.

‘America’s Got Talent’ judge, Sharon Osbourne, dubbed Prince Poppycock the “male Lady Gaga” after capturing the audience’s and her imagination with his spectacular showmanship and singing voice.

For the New York City auditions of ‘America’s Got Talent’ on June 8, 2010, he performed an aria from The Barber of Seville (1816) by Gioachino Rossini.

Prince Poppycock, 32 ~ America’s Got Talent 2010 auditions NY Day1

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Competitors from around the country showcase their talents, ranging from singing and dancing to more unusual acts, with the hopes of impressing the judges enough to earn a spot to continue on in the competition for a chance to win the grand prize.

‘America’s Got Talent’ – “Las Vegas Week, Classical Singers” (July 6, 2010)

For the Las Vegas Week, Classical Singers performance on July 6, 2010, Quale’s voice was compromised by illness and sung an abridged version of “La donna è mobile” (”Woman is fickle”) from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Rigoletto (1851).

Classical Singers Compete ~ America’s Got Talent Vegas Week Day-1

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Judges Sharon Osbourne, Piers Morgan and Howie Mandel hope to be impressed by some of the talented acts taking to the stage in an attempt to prove that they have what it takes to earn the grand prize and be America’s favorite act during “Las Vegas Week, Classical Singers” on July 6, 2010.

‘America’s Got Talent’ – “Week 4″ (August 3, 2010)

“Vesti la giubba” (”Put on the costume”), an aria from Pagliacci (1892) by Ruggero Leoncavallo

Prince Poppycock ~ America’s Got Talent, Top 48 week-4

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The fourth group of 12 from the top 48 take to the stage with their performances, hoping to earn high praise from the judges and the votes from the American viewers to insure that they make it to the next round of competition.

‘America’s Got Talent’ – “Round 1″ (August 24, 2010)

Prince Poppycock’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody, by British rock band Queen.

Prince Poppycock ~ America’s Got Talent 1st Semi-finals

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Prince Poppycock ~ America’s Got Talent 1st Semi-finals The semi-finals rounds begin from Hollywood, where the first group of 12 acts perform for a chance to impress the judges and move on to the Top Ten, where they will be one step closer to realizing their dream and winning the grand prize.

‘America’s Got Talent’ – “Top 10″ (September 7, 2010)

For the Top 10 show Quale did a medley of “The Star-Spangled Banner”, “The Yankee Doodle Boy”, and “The Stars And Stripes Forever”.

It was Prince Poppycock’s love letter back to America, whilst making a statement by being himself and performing in full outrageous historical drag. Poppycock sang while images of American civil liberty heroes Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks and Harvey Milk screened behind him. America loved it, and voted to keep him in the competition and into the finals.

Prince Poppycock ~ America’s Got Talent TOP 10

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The top 10 acts perform live from Hollywood, hoping to prove to the judges and the viewing audience that they have what it takes to make it through to the Final Four and win the coveted grand prize and title of America’s Favorite Act.

‘America’s Got Talent’ – “Top 4″ (September 14, 2010)

The outlandish operatic creation of 32-year-old singing store clerk John Quale from Los Angeles was the only act to receive the dreaded buzzer on Tuesday’s edition of the NBC variety competition.

He performed “Nessun dorma” (”None shall sleep”), an aria from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot (1926). On pressing the buzzer, judge Piers Morgan said, “I think you’ve blown it. … You were guilty, I’m afraid, of that terrible crime that many contestants do at this stage, of taking yourself a little bit too seriously. And the whole point of Prince Poppycock is that you’re great fun. You’re a great showman. You make me smile. And you didn’t make me smile tonight!”

Prince Poppycock ~ America’s Got Talent The Finals 2010

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The final four acts compete against one another and for the judges one final time to show that they have what it takes to be the next big act and win the $1 million prize and the chance to headline their own show in Las Vegas.

‘America’s Got Talent’ – Finale (September 15, 2010)

On September 15, 2010, Prince Poppycock sang alongside one of his favourite celebrities, singer and disco superstar Donna Summer.

Donna Summer performs with Prince Poppycock on America’s Got Talent FINALE

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Donna Summer performs with Prince Poppycock on America’s Got Talent FINALE. The final four acts return to the stage for the final time, where they find out how viewers voted following their final performances the previous night, and Nick Cannon announces which act has won the $1 million prize and the chance to headline.

‘America’s Got Talent’ – Finale (September 15, 2010)

Prince Poppycock Voted off America’s Got Talent

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1st result on America’s Got Talent 2010 FINALE. The final four acts return to the stage for the final time, where they find out how viewers voted following their final performances the previous night, and Nick Cannon announces which act has won the $1 million prize and the chance to headline.

‘America’s Got Talent’ – Finale (September 15, 2010)

The Winner is Revealed ~ America’s Got Talent 2010

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The final four acts return to the stage for the final time, where they find out how viewers voted following their final performances the previous night, and Nick Cannon announces which act has won the $1 million prize and the chance to headline. Michael Grimm and Jackie Evancho were the final two. Michael Grimm was the Winner of America’s Got Talent 2010, the blues/rock singer raised by his grandparents who lost everything in Hurricane Katrina won the competition. Prince Poppycock finished 4th.