A Neighbor’s Story: Getting to Know David Thompson
If you’ve caught a show at Martuni’s lately, or spotted an unusually fabulous Abraham Lincoln marching through the neighborhood, chances are you’ve already crossed paths with David Thompson — even if you didn’t know it yet. David and his husband aren’t newcomers to San Francisco. Between the two of them, they’ve logged about 40 years in the city, bouncing between the Castro and the Mission, absorbing everything this town has to offer. But Bernal Heights? That was always the dream. “We’d admired it for years,” David admits, “we just couldn’t make it work financially.” Then the pandemic hit, the stars aligned, and suddenly they were Bernal people.
Finding Home on the Hill
Moving during COVID could have felt isolating, but for David, Bernal had the opposite effect. The parks, the neighbors, the unmistakable sense that this is a place where people actually know each other — it all clicked. Coming from the Castro, he was no stranger to LGBTQ+ community life, but he found something a little different here. Less concentrated, more woven in. Places like Wild Side West and El Rio aren’t just bars; they’re neighborhood institutions that reflect who Bernal is — diverse, unpretentious, welcoming of everyone. It was also the kind of place that made him want to slow down. After years in tech, David made a decision that many of us quietly fantasize about: he retired during the pandemic. Not to disappear, but to lean in — to his family, to political activism, and to something he’d set aside for far too long.
Born to Perform
Here’s something you might not guess about your neighbor David: he’s been doing drag since he was five years old. Not professionally, of course — back then, it was his father’s church, and he was cast as the witch in a production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Humble beginnings, but something clearly stuck. Fast forward a few decades, and David has two fully realized drag personas. There’s Dirty Carol, who was born almost accidentally during the COVID lockdown when David started rewriting Christmas carols with, shall we say, adult sensibilities. Friends loved them, word spread, and suddenly Dirty Carol had an audience. Then there’s Gabraham Lincoln — tall hat, full conviction — who showed up during the heated fight to reopen San Francisco schools, turning political frustration into performance art. Most recently, David wrapped up a three-month run at Martuni’s that by all accounts brought down the house on a regular basis. And if that weren’t enough, he was elected Foxy Mary 2026 by fellow San Franciscans at Dolores Park. It’s that kind of city.
A Brush with RuPaul
Spend enough time talking with David, and you’ll learn that his path has intersected with some remarkable moments. Back in the late 1990s, while working in tech, he helped create a Super Bowl commercial for WebEx — and the talent they brought in was none other than RuPaul. The spot produced a tagline that has genuinely stood the test of time: “Meetings used to be a real drag.” Not bad for a day’s work.
What’s Next: Drag the Hill
If David has his way, Bernal Heights is about to get its very own signature drag event. He’s been floating an idea he’s calling “Drag the Hill” — a community celebration featuring live music, performances, and a full drag march around Bernal Hill itself. The vision is pure Bernal: joyful, inclusive, a little bit ridiculous, and completely sincere. He does acknowledge one logistical hurdle. “The heels,” he laughs, eyeing the slope of the hill. “The heels are going to be a challenge.” He’s also got his sights set on bringing his show to the Lucky Horseshoe, and you’ll be able to catch him at the Castro Night Fair in the coming months. David Thompson is exactly the kind of neighbor that makes a neighborhood worth living in — someone with deep roots, genuine warmth, and enough talent and energy to give something back. Keep an eye on the hill. Something fabulous is coming.
https://www.instagram.com/foxymary2026/
https://www.instagram.com/thedirtycarol/
SF LGBTQ+ Event Calendar 2026
Mike Doherty serves as Chief Experience Officer at Greening Projects, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming underutilized urban spaces into vibrant green areas
