Chucky Bartolo

{{short description|Maltese stand-up comedian and drag queen|bot=PearBOT 5}}

File:Chucky Bartolo.png

Chucky Bartolo (born Andrew Bartolo; 5 July 1993) is a Maltese stand-up comedian and drag queen.{{Cite web|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/arts/theatre_and_dance/97208/chucky_bartolo_whats_in_the_bag|title=Chucky Bartolo: What's in the bag?|website=MaltaToday.com.mt|access-date=2019-10-27|archive-date=2019-11-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104111221/https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/arts/theatre_and_dance/97208/chucky_bartolo_whats_in_the_bag|url-status=live}} Currently based in Glasgow,{{Cite web |last=MaltaDaily |date=2023-04-04 |title=Chucky Bartolo announced as Love Island Malta narrator |url=https://maltadaily.mt/chucky-bartolo-announced-as-love-island-malta-narrator/ |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=Malta Daily |language=en-GB |archive-date=2023-05-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509192938/https://maltadaily.mt/chucky-bartolo-announced-as-love-island-malta-narrator/ |url-status=live }} his career breakthrough came as a writer and journalist{{Cite web|url=https://lovinmalta.com/news/local/lovin-maltas-chucky-bartolo-among-this-years-jci-global-goals-awards-winners|title=Lovin Malta's Chucky Bartolo One Of This Year's JCI's 'Global Goals Awards' Winners|website=lovinmalta.com|date=27 October 2017|access-date=2019-10-27|archive-date=2018-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713082328/https://lovinmalta.com/news/local/lovin-maltas-chucky-bartolo-among-this-years-jci-global-goals-awards-winners|url-status=live}} for Lovin Malta after years of garnering a small following on YouTube as a vlogger.{{Cite web|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/a-master-of-youtubing.510035|title=Master of YouTube|website=Times of Malta|date=10 March 2014|access-date=2019-10-27|archive-date=2022-01-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111091920/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/a-master-of-youtubing.510035|url-status=dead}} Bartolo is openly gay and uses his platform to speak out against hate speech{{Cite web|url=https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/fashion/new-maltese-fashion-brand-fights-to-reclaim-homophobic-slur/|title=New Maltese Fashion Brand Fights To Reclaim Homophobic Slur|date=2019-07-06|website=Lovin Malta|access-date=2019-10-27|archive-date=2019-07-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707113323/https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/fashion/new-maltese-fashion-brand-fights-to-reclaim-homophobic-slur/|url-status=live}} and fight for reclamation of derogatory slurs.{{Cite web|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/watch-an-assault-rifle-the-cure-for-a-gay-man.702347|title=Watch: An assault rifle bullet... the cure for a gay man|website=Times of Malta|date=19 February 2019|access-date=2019-10-27|archive-date=2020-11-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111190049/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/watch-an-assault-rifle-the-cure-for-a-gay-man.702347|url-status=live}}

Since November 2018, he has written and starred in four stand-up specials,{{Cite web |title=** Gag Order ** |url=http://www.chuckybartolo.com/ |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=www.chuckybartolo.com |archive-date=2023-03-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329085022/http://www.chuckybartolo.com/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|url=http://artsmalta.org/events/one-sweaty-lady-one-man-show|title=One Sweaty Lady – One-Man Show {{!}} Malta Society of Arts|access-date=2019-10-27|archive-date=2018-11-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113171730/http://artsmalta.org/events/one-sweaty-lady-one-man-show|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://gayguidemalta.com/tolqueen-stand-up-comedy-show/|title=Tolqueen Stand-Up Comedy Show {{!}} Gay Guide Blog|date=2019-03-08|website=Gay Guide Malta|access-date=2019-10-27|archive-date=2020-08-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813141225/https://gayguidemalta.com/tolqueen-stand-up-comedy-show/|url-status=live}} and was the closing speaker of TEDx University of Malta's 2019 edition, 'Quirks'.{{Cite web|url=https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/things-to-do/tedxuniversityofmalta-is-back-heres-a-look-at-the-five-amazing-speakers-for-this-years-event|title=TEDxUniversityofMalta Is Back: Here's A Look At The Five Amazing Speakers For This Year's Event|website=lovinmalta.com|date=28 March 2019|access-date=2019-10-27|archive-date=2022-01-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111050801/https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/things-to-do/tedxuniversityofmalta-is-back-heres-a-look-at-the-five-amazing-speakers-for-this-years-event/|url-status=live}} In 2018, Bartolo also starred as the Dame in Malta's National Theatre (Teatru Malta)'s first pantomime{{Cite web|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/teatru-maltas-dame-miss-huta.697385|title=Teatru Malta's Dame Miss Ħuta|website=Times of Malta|date=26 December 2018 |access-date=2019-10-27}} and returned to the role in 2019{{Cite web|url=https://www.kreattivita.org/en/event/l-imbuljuta-panto-in-the-dark/|title=L-Imbuljuta – A Panto in the Dark|access-date=2019-10-27|archive-date=2019-12-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224003700/https://www.kreattivita.org/en/event/l-imbuljuta-panto-in-the-dark/|url-status=live}} and 2020. To comply with COVID-19 safety regulations, the pantomime was moved to air on select national radio stations{{Cite web|title=Teatru Malta's panto over the radio|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/teatru-maltas-panto-over-the-radio.839375|access-date=2020-12-17|website=Times of Malta|date=16 December 2020|language=en-gb|archive-date=2022-01-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111091900/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/teatru-maltas-panto-over-the-radio.839375|url-status=live}} and is the only one taking place on the island in 2020.

In 2020, Bartolo also collaborated with the Government of Malta's Children's Festival, Żigużajg, to put on a digital show encouraging children to write creative stories and bring a modern twist to old fairytales.{{Cite web |title=A fabulous set of stories |url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/a-fabulous-set-of-stories.834730 |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=Times of Malta |date=27 November 2020 |language=en-gb |archive-date=2023-05-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509192936/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/a-fabulous-set-of-stories.834730 |url-status=live }} The digital programme was then brought to Malta as a live theatre production of the same name, "Fab Fantasy Fables with Chucky", in 2022.{{Cite web |title=Fab Fantasy Fables with Chucky |url=https://ziguzajg.org/fab-fantasy-fables-with-chucky/ |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=ŻiguŻajg |language=en-GB |archive-date=2023-05-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509192939/https://ziguzajg.org/fab-fantasy-fables-with-chucky/ |url-status=live }}

Bartolo will be the narrator and voice-over artist of the first-ever season of reality TV drama Love Island Malta{{Cite web |last=Mifsud |first=Terrence |date=2023-04-08 |title=Drag Queen and Comedian Chucky Bartolo to Narrate Inaugural Season of Love Island Malta |url=https://ohmymalta.com.mt/2023/04/08/drag-queen-and-comedian-chucky-bartolo-to-narrate-inaugural-season-of-love-island-malta/ |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=Oh My Malta |language=en-US}} which aired in 2023.

In September 2023, Bartolo hosted and performed at EuroPride 2023's official drag show, The Drag Spectacular, in Valletta.{{Cite web |title=Drag Spectacular by Chucky Bartolo |url=https://www.gaymalta.com/event-details/drag-spectacular-by-chucky-bartolo |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=GayMalta.com |language=en |archive-date=2023-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231001031515/https://www.gaymalta.com/event-details/drag-spectacular-by-chucky-bartolo |url-status=live }}