Varla Jean Merman is a character originated and portrayed by Jeffery Roberson, an American actor, singer and drag performer. Varla's fictitious pedigree boasts that Ernest Borgnine is her father and Ethel Merman is her mother.^[1] Merman is perhaps best known for her role in the 2003 independent film Girls Will Be Girls.^[2] She also had a co-starring role in the 1997 film Franchesca Page. Merman was also one of the performers featured in the HBO original documentary Dragtime. She has appeared in a number of short films and live cabaret acts since she and her male alter-ego attended the School of Music at Louisiana State University. Merman's shows are a staple of summer entertainment in Provincetown, Massachusetts.^[3] She also performs fairly often in New Orleans, New York City, San Francisco, and London and has also enjoyed billing at the Sydney Opera House in Australia and Carnegie Hall.^[4] The gay-themed television network Logo commissioned Merman to write and star in an animated educational short film about the Stonewall riots of 1969.^[5] Merman appeared on the August 20, 2008 Project Runway episode "Good Queen Fun".^[3] The outfit created for her was the winning design.