Joan Jett Blakk is the drag persona of performer Terence Smith. Smith is an African-American actor, writer and political candidate. Blakk first garnered a measure of national attention when he ran for President of the United States in 1992.

Calling himself a blend of Divine, David Bowie and Grace Jones, Smith began performing in 1974.

In 1991, Smith, as Blakk, ran against Richard M. Daley for the office of mayor of Chicago, Illinois.The campaign was chronicled in the 1991 video Drag in for Votes. Smith's next campaign was for the presidency in 1992, under the slogan "Lick Bush in '92!" and documented in the 1993 video of the same name. Smith also ran for president in 1996 with the slogan "Lick Slick Willie in '96!" In each of these campaigns Smith ran on the Queer Nation Party ticket.

Following the 1992 campaign, Smith relocated to San Francisco, California and joined the African-American stage comedy troupe Pomo Afro Homos. He launched his talk show, Late Nite with Joan Jett Blakk.
In 1999, Smith, again as Blakk, announced his intention to run for mayor of San Francisco against incumbent Willie Brown.

Entertainer Terence Smith unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Chicago in 1990. He didn’t make it easy for himself, running as his drag queen persona , "Joan Jett Blakk," which he described as a combination of Divine, early David Bowie and Grace Jones. He then ran for president in 1992, using the slogan "Lick Bush in '92!".  He ran again in 1996, this time with the slogans "Lick Slick Willie in '96!" and "Still Here, Still Queer!" in rainbow lettering.

Running on the Queer Nation Party ticket for each campaign, Blakk brought attention to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues as he campaigned for votes wearing sequined dresses, giant wigs and colorful makeup. He made two movies based on his campaigns, both titled "Drag In For Votes." Smith vowed that, if elected, he would change the name of the Supreme Court to "the Supremes Court" and the police to "the fashion police."

"We're taught from the time we're children that anyone can be president," Smith told journalist Owen Keehnen during a 1992 interview. "We had a bad actor, why not a good drag queen?"