Speaker 1: It's in the news today, but it was actually on
Speaker 1: TV Reload the podcast last week. They're life.
Speaker 2: Welcome back to TV Reload. My name is Benjamin Norris,
Speaker 2: and on this podcast I will go behind the scenes
Speaker 2: with the biggest players in television. Each episode you will
Speaker 2: get a front row seat with content makers like executive producers, writers, editors,
Speaker 2: and casting agents, plus the talent that we see on
Speaker 2: our screen. TV Reload reloads the shows that you are
Speaker 2: currently watching and gives you a better insight into our
Speaker 2: television industry and our streaming services. This week on the podcast,
Speaker 2: I have the top three queens from RuPaul's Drag Race
Speaker 2: down Under season two, and on today's episode, I will
Speaker 2: hopefully give the fans a better insight into Spanky Jackson's
Speaker 2: resume and help you answer that question. Is Spanky our
Speaker 2: winner of the second series of down Under? This Saturday
Speaker 2: is already the finale, and while the series has been
Speaker 2: a wild ride, I think the finale is going to
Speaker 2: be an excellent celebration of three very popular queens who
Speaker 2: truly deserve to be there. Spanky Jackson wears that thirty
Speaker 2: seven years of age with pride already winning TV and
Speaker 2: Z plus's reality series House of Drag and declaring coming
Speaker 2: of age in Palmerston North has toughened her up for
Speaker 2: the cutthroat competition of Rupeaul's which may be true. With
Speaker 2: the wisdom, empathy and honesty that we've seen from this
Speaker 2: popular queen, Spanky took us on a journey that no
Speaker 2: one could really have predicted at the start of the season.
Speaker 2: But as we approach the finale, I think it was
Speaker 2: that growth throughout the series that has won over fans
Speaker 2: around the world. We will talk reality TV stratt and
Speaker 2: if she entered the show with a plan, how she
Speaker 2: joined the drama without being the drama, who should be
Speaker 2: Miss Congeniality, and we will tackle the shady or Lady game,
Speaker 2: which includes Spanky's pick for this year's winner. However, let's
Speaker 2: get started with today's guest. I'd like to welcome Spanky
Speaker 2: Jackson from Pauls Drag Raced down Under Season two to
Speaker 2: TV Reload.
Speaker 1: I'm really stoked to be standing here with you know,
Speaker 1: two incredible entertainers. Spanky Jackson with a ZI Have you
Speaker 1: ever been that girl before? It's a shame that she
Speaker 1: didn't get to make it there because she is so hilarious.
Speaker 2: Let's move on down to miss Jackson.
Speaker 1: Spanky. If you're nasty, have you met polished from the beginning?
Speaker 1: Then this I We're for you to go, Spanky Jackson,
Speaker 1: chante yu stay. Melbourne has some of the best drake
Speaker 1: talon in Australia. It really does.
Speaker 2: Which queen will be crowned down under next drag superstarke?
Speaker 1: You know those girls helped me as well. You know
Speaker 1: we all helped each other.
Speaker 2: Hi there, Spanky Jackson, how the hell are you?
Speaker 1: Oh? Good? How are you?
Speaker 2: Mabe? I'm really excited to be able to have this chat.
Speaker 2: We were just talking about this offline. I have actually
Speaker 2: met you in person, and so it turns out I've
Speaker 2: been a fan of you for a lot longer than
Speaker 2: I realized.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean that was a long time ago to
Speaker 1: babes and yeah when I used to host and St
Speaker 1: Kilda like in Melbourne back in the.
Speaker 2: Day, many moons ago, so long ago.
Speaker 1: I was really thin then as well, so now I'm
Speaker 1: a bit of a tank now.
Speaker 2: Well, I think you look fabulous and you should not change.
Speaker 1: So they very much. I appreciate that.
Speaker 2: Congrangulations on making it to the top three. You really
Speaker 2: are the surprise of this series, and I mean that
Speaker 2: in the nicest way possible.
Speaker 1: Oh, thank you so much. I mean I even surprised
Speaker 1: myself to be fair. So yeah, it's everything I could
Speaker 1: have asked for and more so, I'm really stoked to
Speaker 1: be standing here with you, two incredible entertainers and friends
Speaker 1: and sisters. So we're happy to be standing here together.
Speaker 1: And no matter what happens, I'm happy for whoever takes
Speaker 1: it out and just proud to have made it to
Speaker 1: the end.
Speaker 2: So you're glad that you put together your little audition
Speaker 2: video and send it off to the people, because this
Speaker 2: is where you are now.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Like, it was a lot of work too. I
Speaker 1: mean I just thought, why not chuck my hat in
Speaker 1: the ring, and it just kind of all worked out.
Speaker 2: Really, I would love to see the audition videos, like,
Speaker 2: I feel like that would be amazing for so many people.
Speaker 2: I mean, I've got no desire to go on Rupol's
Speaker 2: drag race, but I know lots of people who would
Speaker 2: love to do it, and I think that they would
Speaker 2: all get a real kick out of it to see,
Speaker 2: you know what the producer saw.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, it was a lot of work and
Speaker 1: they you know, it's a bit of everything as well.
Speaker 1: You know, it's not just hey my name is you know,
Speaker 1: blah blah blah. It really is about showing you know
Speaker 1: what you have in the bucket and you know what
Speaker 1: you can do and can you actually achieve those challenges.
Speaker 1: So it's a lot of work. But yeah, it was
Speaker 1: a lot of fun to make, and yeah I had
Speaker 1: a blast, And yeah, I think it would be great
Speaker 1: if we could like share those at some point because
Speaker 1: I think people would get a bloody good laugh out
Speaker 1: of them too. I would love to see the other
Speaker 1: girls as well, Like I think they would be really
Speaker 1: like interesting for me too. I'd love to.
Speaker 2: See them like one of those reunion episodes you know
Speaker 2: sometimes they do those on rupouls they get everyone together
Speaker 2: and if Roopol's not available to do it, you can
Speaker 2: host it.
Speaker 1: Oh great, I'm there, bass, and I do have to
Speaker 1: wear pants.
Speaker 2: Don't wear pants? It's on brand.
Speaker 1: No good good.
Speaker 2: You were able to see both sides in many situations
Speaker 2: and offer everyone one thousand percent friendship is what I
Speaker 2: was calling. And was that a part of your game
Speaker 2: plan or is that just who you are?
Speaker 1: No, absolutely not. It's just how I am and I've
Speaker 1: worked in childcare for the last I know that sounds
Speaker 1: terrible to say, like, oh, these are like children, but
Speaker 1: I've worked in childcare for like the last eight years,
Speaker 1: and you know, running a facility. I think that there
Speaker 1: is that maternal instinct has just kind of really taken
Speaker 1: over in my thirties, I suppose. And the thing is,
Speaker 1: it's like there's enough pricks in the world without me
Speaker 1: having to be one. And it's like, you know, everybody
Speaker 1: needs advice at times, and I just happen to be
Speaker 1: that person. It's just a way I am. I can't
Speaker 1: help it. Like, you know, if somebody's feeling down, even
Speaker 1: if you don't like them or you've had a bad
Speaker 1: day with them, it's like I'm still going to you
Speaker 1: don't want to see somebody up see it, or you know,
Speaker 1: a little bit of advice goes a long way. And
Speaker 1: it's like, you know, people have done that for me
Speaker 1: over my life, and I wouldn't have achieved the things
Speaker 1: I have if it wasn't for those people. So why
Speaker 1: not you know, pass some of the good that I've
Speaker 1: received on you.
Speaker 2: Know, alrighty, so you just have to tell me who
Speaker 2: are easier to manage children or drag queens.
Speaker 1: Yeah, definitely. Children let me think they won't. They will.
Speaker 1: They'll talk back to you, but eventually you'll get it done,
Speaker 1: whereas drag queens will just throw something at you. So
Speaker 1: it's a bit different.
Speaker 2: Yeah, the language can be a little bit more.
Speaker 1: Oh and that you know only because the kids.
Speaker 2: Don't know all those words yet, you know, I mean
Speaker 2: to be fair.
Speaker 1: Look, I mean kids will give you a run for
Speaker 1: it as well, so yeah, they can hurt your feelings.
Speaker 2: It's interesting because I I've been asking everyone of you're
Speaker 2: happy with your edit? Now I already know the answer
Speaker 2: from you that you would be so happy with this?
Speaker 2: Will you say? I think I don't know? How did
Speaker 2: you feel watching the show back and watching how you
Speaker 2: were coming across.
Speaker 1: It's one hundred percent me, like it really is. I
Speaker 1: think it was very kind to be fair by watching
Speaker 1: A back. I'm just really proud to a I think
Speaker 1: in life you go through all of the ups and downs.
Speaker 1: You know what I mean, and you you learn along the way.
Speaker 1: And yeah, like most people, I've fucked up a lot
Speaker 1: in my life. So it's I think for me watching
Speaker 1: it back, it's a reflection on how far I've come
Speaker 1: and how proud I am of where I've you know,
Speaker 1: managed to get myself as a person, not you know,
Speaker 1: not as a drag queen or on a show or
Speaker 1: anything like that. It's you know, as an adult. And
Speaker 1: I've come a bloody long way, and I'm pretty proud
Speaker 1: of the person that I've become. And but that's also
Speaker 1: a reflection of the people that I have that's surround
Speaker 1: you know, like my mom and dad the most amazing
Speaker 1: and credible. Like my dad is like the comedian, you
Speaker 1: know what I mean, He's a absolute star in his
Speaker 1: own right. He's a singer and you know, all of
Speaker 1: that kind of stuff. And and my mom is definitely
Speaker 1: you know where my heart and soul comes from. And
Speaker 1: the love and the maternal you know, that's her. You know,
Speaker 1: everybody knows who it's rocky, and that's very much my
Speaker 1: genetic makeup has come from them, even if I am adopted,
Speaker 1: you know, so to watch it back and see it,
Speaker 1: it really is a reflection of them and my friends
Speaker 1: and the people that have you know, supported me along
Speaker 1: the way and helped me grow.
Speaker 2: I also loved that, you know, even if people were
Speaker 2: being a bit of a shit, like there was one
Speaker 2: moment where Beverly Kills had sort of dug her own
Speaker 2: grave and was you know, really should just jumped in
Speaker 2: and bury herself, and ye, you kind of would appear.
Speaker 2: It's very hard to be in reality television and be
Speaker 2: the person that's in the drama but is not the drama.
Speaker 2: But you would always just.
Speaker 1: Appear Yeah, very bad. Yeah, because the thing is, it's like,
Speaker 1: it's not my drama, Like it's not. And the thing
Speaker 1: is is I think that too many people too often
Speaker 1: either get involved in the drama and the thing is,
Speaker 1: it's not my drama, it's got nothing to do with me.
Speaker 1: But at the same time, I can offer you both
Speaker 1: a little advice, And it's really about perspective really, it's
Speaker 1: you know, look at it from a different angle. You know,
Speaker 1: understand that this is what she's saying or the saying,
Speaker 1: you know, and I do. I'm very lucky to be
Speaker 1: able to see both sides of most arguments, Like I
Speaker 1: could argue both sides, So I do have a knack
Speaker 1: for being able to see it from each other's perspective,
Speaker 1: you know, and be able to then relay that and
Speaker 1: so well, actually this is what they were saying. It's
Speaker 1: not the way that it was said. This is what
Speaker 1: is the message, and this is what you should take
Speaker 1: away from it, not how it was said to you,
Speaker 1: because it was said with emotion. But if you striple
Speaker 1: that crap bag and actually look at what was said,
Speaker 1: you know it's actually not as bad as you think.
Speaker 2: I think it's a real superpower, Like it's a real
Speaker 2: it's your marvel superpower, which you know, to be able to.
Speaker 1: My friends would disagree with that. They would say, it's
Speaker 1: my band screen. But you know that's okay.
Speaker 2: What does it mean to you to have made it
Speaker 2: to the finale?
Speaker 1: It's pretty overwhelming and pretty incredible. I'm really proud of myself.
Speaker 1: And you know, I may not have the best looks
Speaker 1: and I may not be as polished as what the
Speaker 1: expectation has become. That's when you look at some of
Speaker 1: the world's most famous dread queens, you know, even RuPaul,
Speaker 1: Like if you go back to when she started Babe,
Speaker 1: she was rough as well. So it's like when you
Speaker 1: look at the day Menner's and the Lily Savages and
Speaker 1: that these are like all rough, like the actual people
Speaker 1: and characters, you know, the personalities. So I may not
Speaker 1: have all of that, but I definitely have enough talent
Speaker 1: in the bag to be able to, you know, entertain people,
Speaker 1: and that's exactly what I aim to do. I'm not
Speaker 1: about the look, you know, so it's good for me.
Speaker 2: All of my favorite drag queens have the worst aesthetic
Speaker 2: to start with, you know, you know, drag bingo, no
Speaker 2: granny bingo in Melbourne.
Speaker 1: Oh, that's so fun.
Speaker 2: They are so funny. Carmena is one of the funniest
Speaker 2: people I've ever met in my entire life. But even
Speaker 2: their drag go back and look at their original photos.
Speaker 2: Man alive. Did they look terrible? Yeah, but it's kind
Speaker 2: of the journey that you need to go on to
Speaker 2: really understand it, and it's.
Speaker 1: All part of their process of like understanding you know,
Speaker 1: who are you as a drag queen. I mean it
Speaker 1: hasn't changed. I mean from when we met, Like, it
Speaker 1: hasn't changed, not at all. It's you know, maybe my
Speaker 1: stomach has, but that's literally the only different.
Speaker 2: So I just jump in there. I was a little
Speaker 2: annoyed that Michelle Visage was like, you know, Spanky, you know,
Speaker 2: I'm going to do the wrong quote and I'm not
Speaker 2: going to impersonate Michelle Visage, but you know, she was
Speaker 2: trying to push you into wearing better makeup and stuff
Speaker 2: like that, and I was like no, I was like,
Speaker 2: I don't. Yeah. It was nice to see and you
Speaker 2: did evolve with that, and it was great to see
Speaker 2: you putting on, you know, the nice makeup and looking
Speaker 2: at it sexier. But I still loved the little bit
Speaker 2: sh shabby version of it.
Speaker 1: I mean, the thing is is like, I don't look
Speaker 1: at myself as said, I'm actually crep, Like I'm not crep,
Speaker 1: like I'm actually not rough. I think when you look
Speaker 1: at the time constraints and things like that, yeah, I
Speaker 1: am going to come off rough because my process is
Speaker 1: completely different on the outside world, you know, where I
Speaker 1: can allow two and a half hours to sit and
Speaker 1: enjoy the process and then you don't have that luxury.
Speaker 1: But I mean, going into it as well, I knew
Speaker 1: what my weaknesses were and I knew what my critiques
Speaker 1: were going to be, so I was prepared for that.
Speaker 1: And you know that's that's when you have to have
Speaker 1: a real hard look at yourself and go, Okay, I
Speaker 1: know what they're going to say, so be prepared for it.
Speaker 1: And you know they didn't really kind of show those
Speaker 1: critiques because it was constant. You know, there were a
Speaker 1: lot of those, and I did every week give them
Speaker 1: exactly what they wanted, so, you know, there was part
Speaker 1: of it. And it is a show, you know, it's
Speaker 1: a competition and there has to be some kind of
Speaker 1: growth or transformation in it as well. You know, that's
Speaker 1: why we're there, and it is one of those experiences
Speaker 1: we can learn a lot. So I just tried to
Speaker 1: suck it up like a sponge, and you did. I mean,
Speaker 1: I'm a big sponge.
Speaker 2: So there's only so many minutes in a RuPaul's Drag
Speaker 2: Race episode for you to suck up all of that.
Speaker 1: I know. I tried.
Speaker 2: What about interestingly enough, you know, asking this question to
Speaker 2: Kong and Hannah about who they thought was going to
Speaker 2: be in the top three? They were both had said
Speaker 2: that they didn't see you there, but so happy that
Speaker 2: it is you. What about for you? When the competition
Speaker 2: first started, who did you think was going to be
Speaker 2: in the final three?
Speaker 1: Well, I knew Hannah was definitely going to be there.
Speaker 1: There was absolutely no doubt in my mind. She was
Speaker 1: definitely going to be one of my biggest competitions.
Speaker 2: Queen.
Speaker 1: I had really heard of Queen before the show, so
Speaker 1: I didn't have the expectation. And then as Queen kind
Speaker 1: of got I mean, she wasn't she didn't really give
Speaker 1: what she was wanting to give either, So I did
Speaker 1: possibly see Many there too. I didn't see her making
Speaker 1: it to the end, but unfortunately that just didn't happen
Speaker 1: for her.
Speaker 2: I thought Many from the first episode was going to
Speaker 2: be in the top three. I just was like, Mini
Speaker 2: Coop was so funny in that first episode. But then
Speaker 2: I watch reality TV differently. I don't know if it's
Speaker 2: because I've been in it, but I just could see
Speaker 2: between the lines that she was kind of her own
Speaker 2: undoing in a weird way.
Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, which.
Speaker 2: Was really sad to see because she could have easily
Speaker 2: won it, oh one hundred percent.
Speaker 1: But I think the thing is is that, you know,
Speaker 1: it's all different for everybody, and I think everybody has
Speaker 1: this expectation or this vision of how it's going to be,
Speaker 1: and then sometimes when you get there and it's not
Speaker 1: the same, that's what throws you off because you're like, actually,
Speaker 1: I wasn't prepared for this, and it's the emotional toll,
Speaker 1: you know, it's exhausting, Like you know, you're on the go.
Speaker 1: You understand it's you're on the go all the time,
Speaker 1: and you have to keep going like this is part
Speaker 1: of the process. You don't have time to just give up.
Speaker 1: And then the other thing is is your own expectations
Speaker 1: of yourself too, and then when you don't meet them,
Speaker 1: that's when you start to go. You know, you start
Speaker 1: to spiral inside because you're like, oh, actually, I'm not
Speaker 1: doing as good as I know I am. Why am
Speaker 1: I doing this? Why is this happening to me? So
Speaker 1: it's all of those kind of things. And I mean,
Speaker 1: I absolutely love an Adornmedy and she's an absolutely Australian icon,
Speaker 1: Like she's a drag legend. It's a shame that she
Speaker 1: didn't get to make it there because she is so
Speaker 1: hilarious and so quick. That's never going to change for her.
Speaker 1: You know, she is an icon. So it's you know,
Speaker 1: it's just a shame she didn't get to get there.
Speaker 2: I'm going to go and see her. She's on my
Speaker 2: list of the queens this season and I have to
Speaker 2: have to have to go and see in a live
Speaker 2: drag show immediately.
Speaker 1: So oh brilliant so good.
Speaker 2: Did you mean to forget your pants on the first episode?
Speaker 2: As I have this theory because it's obviously garbage, this theory,
Speaker 2: but I feel like you'll enjoy it. I was like,
Speaker 2: maybe Spanky jack And on purpose didn't finish her outfit
Speaker 2: that day so she could take us on a journey
Speaker 2: throughout the series, so it only would show how big
Speaker 2: she got by the end of it. Or did you
Speaker 2: just forget your pants? I mean, I mean, come on,
Speaker 2: tell me the truth.
Speaker 1: Yees to no, yes, and no. I did have a
Speaker 1: plan going into it where it was like I knew what,
Speaker 1: you know, the expectations of me were going to be
Speaker 1: in that instance, I just ran out of time to
Speaker 1: be fair, to make a bottom for it, and in
Speaker 1: my mind, I was like, oh, yeah, this totally works.
Speaker 1: It totally works, it's no problems. Looking at it on
Speaker 1: the run way, I was like, oh, that's so didn't work.
Speaker 1: But it was so good that it was like it
Speaker 1: was still Spanky Jackson, especially with the bum out beer
Speaker 1: bum national television. I mean, my mom and dad were
Speaker 1: just super proud and yeah, I mean it was yeah. No,
Speaker 1: it was definitely a time issue and just not enough time,
Speaker 1: but still super stoked because it's very speaker Jackson.
Speaker 2: So but also maybe it did lean into the idea,
Speaker 2: like your idea of going into the show to maybe
Speaker 2: start a little bit small so that you could take
Speaker 2: us on a journey.
Speaker 1: So there was that, Okay, you have to have some
Speaker 1: you know, element of growth, Like I feel like that's
Speaker 1: always something that people want to see. And like I said,
Speaker 1: you know, I'm not the most polished queen. I'm not
Speaker 1: the expectation of what a rue girl is. And so
Speaker 1: you know, however, bloody many seasons we've seen you know,
Speaker 1: this is the expectation. You know, they want you to
Speaker 1: be this polish, they want you to be this But
Speaker 1: if you're that polished from the beginning, then there's no
Speaker 1: we're for you to go.
Speaker 2: Being the older queen, you're able to sort of teach
Speaker 2: people a lot, but you also seem to learn a lot.
Speaker 2: What was the biggest take home from your journey on
Speaker 2: the show.
Speaker 1: My biggest take home was just kind of like I think,
Speaker 1: it was the critiques and stuff from you know, RuPaul
Speaker 1: and hearing it from somebody that has done this. You
Speaker 1: can't get any bigger than her, So it's you know,
Speaker 1: she's turned it into coin. So I think one of
Speaker 1: the biggest takeaways was just like that I'm kind of
Speaker 1: perfect the way I am, and not to like to
Speaker 1: worry about that and to just carry on delivering Spanky
Speaker 1: Jackson because she's definitely just perfectly fine the way she is.
Speaker 1: But if anything, I mean, it's just you know, a
Speaker 1: little bit more finishing. It's about the finishing of the outfit.
Speaker 1: You know, the details there, you know, even my makeup
Speaker 1: to a certain extent, Like I learned a lot from
Speaker 1: Queen and Hannah as well, you know about finishing and
Speaker 1: Queen with hair, and you know those girls helped me
Speaker 1: as well. You know, we all helped each other. So
Speaker 1: I mean, I hope they learned something from me. I
Speaker 1: think it's probably just not to wear pants, but like
Speaker 1: maybe they took something away from me too, I don't know.
Speaker 1: But yeah, definitely just the finishing, you know, and it
Speaker 1: does matter, It does matter.
Speaker 2: I think they did. But I think we all did.
Speaker 2: I think we all walked away learning something from Spanky Jackson.
Speaker 1: Well, I hope something.
Speaker 2: You might have easily been the front runner for Miss Congeniality.
Speaker 2: I don't know, can you still be misconji if you don't.
Speaker 1: I don't know who that works, but does that work?
Speaker 2: But I mean, who do you think could be Miss
Speaker 2: congeniality of the season.
Speaker 1: But it's hands down Hannah. Like it's Hannah. That girl
Speaker 1: is just the kindest, funniest, most hilarious person. And she
Speaker 1: may not have got that edit. Like to be fair,
Speaker 1: I think there's a little bit more heart that she
Speaker 1: could have been shown of Hannah, but she is by
Speaker 1: far miss congeniality. It's not It's definitely not me. I
Speaker 1: think people just see me for the laugh and you know,
Speaker 1: and the kindness and stuff. But you know, that girl
Speaker 1: there is has absolutely I mean, both those girls have
Speaker 1: my heart. But she would definitely be Miss congeniality for me.
Speaker 1: We had each other in hysterics. We even got separated
Speaker 1: at times because we were just too hysterically laughing.
Speaker 2: So you sit on that side, you sit on.
Speaker 1: Literally like literally its room. So but yeah, she's just
Speaker 1: so kind and lovely, So yeah, they would be my pope.
Speaker 2: I also loved how many times you broke the fourth
Speaker 2: wall of RuPaul and it had never been seen in
Speaker 2: any other season. And there's been a season in Antarctica,
Speaker 2: so there's been a lot of seasons, but you know,
Speaker 2: you would always hear you laughing in the background, and
Speaker 2: it was like you must have pulled your chair up,
Speaker 2: like you're watching RuPaul's in RuPaul's like you're goggle boxing
Speaker 2: the goggle boxes like something that RuPaul would be laughing,
Speaker 2: and you'd normally hear that in other seasons, but then
Speaker 2: now in RuPaul's Drag Race down Under season two, in
Speaker 2: the background, Spanky Jackson's yeah, I can't do it, but
Speaker 2: you did it on que You did it on que
Speaker 2: But I just loved you could always hear you laughing
Speaker 2: in the background supporting the other queens, which.
Speaker 1: I mean, it's completely genuine. It's like, yes, we're in
Speaker 1: a competition, but it doesn't mean that I need to
Speaker 1: be a pro and it doesn't mean that I need
Speaker 1: to be in a you know, like that I need
Speaker 1: to be an asshole to when or you know, to
Speaker 1: get further or anything like that. It's like, we can
Speaker 1: actually do this and be nice people and you know,
Speaker 1: support and you know critique, and that's what it's all about.
Speaker 1: Like that's what Dragon Sisterhood's about. You know, your sisters
Speaker 1: are going to lift you up when you're down and
Speaker 1: tell you that you look hideous, because that just helps
Speaker 1: you improve. And you know, it's all about those moments.
Speaker 1: So it's yeah, And of course I just love to
Speaker 1: laugh my way through life, even if it was really depressing.
Speaker 1: I just crack up laugh even when they read me
Speaker 1: like I found it hysterical. It's not just like, I
Speaker 1: really don't care what you have to say. Thank you,
Speaker 1: thank you for telling me. Preciate it. I think I'm
Speaker 1: old enough now to realize, you know, say what you're
Speaker 1: going to say, Babs, I don't really care. It's not
Speaker 1: going to pick my feeling.
Speaker 2: It's a good way to be though. I think you
Speaker 2: can when you can laugh stuff off, you know. I
Speaker 2: think it's the best lesson to learn to get to
Speaker 2: the point where you can laugh at yourself and allow
Speaker 2: yourself to laugh with others like and that takes a
Speaker 2: very long time, and that takes a very confident person.
Speaker 2: So take somebody who's living their life, has lived their life.
Speaker 1: Once you learn that you can laugh at yourself and
Speaker 1: and you know, it's totally fine and.
Speaker 2: Still gravy after that is what I say.
Speaker 1: You know, once you can laugh at your own misfortunes
Speaker 1: and like, how much of a loser. You could be
Speaker 1: there's nowhere else that anybody can hurt. There really isn't,
Speaker 1: because it's like I've already done it to myself. So
Speaker 1: if i can laugh at myself, then I'm good.
Speaker 2: You know, you're a very good queen to ask this
Speaker 2: question too. Looking at the mix of Australian and New
Speaker 2: Zealand queens, what would you say is the biggest difference
Speaker 2: between the drag queens that are in Australia versus New Zealand.
Speaker 1: I think New Zealand queens have a lot more realness
Speaker 1: to them. There's a down to earth quality about New
Speaker 1: Zealand queens and there's an artistic quality where we have
Speaker 1: a point of view that's just slightly different from the
Speaker 1: Australian drag queens, where it's a little bit more friendly.
Speaker 1: I suppose you could say that and maybe not as polished,
Speaker 1: but I mean, look at your absolutely incredible and we're
Speaker 1: engine that's not even a word, but it is now
Speaker 1: it is today our ingenuity and I think that there
Speaker 1: is the massive difference. Like New Zealand as a whole
Speaker 1: as people, we are very creative, do think outside the box,
Speaker 1: and we don't give you what you expect or we
Speaker 1: do look at things from a different angle and I
Speaker 1: think that there comes across in our drag as well.
Speaker 1: It's like and it's very same with the Australians. You know,
Speaker 1: the humor is different, you know where and even you
Speaker 1: know looks wise, we're all very different. I mean we're
Speaker 1: still same, you know, we're similar, but we're not quite
Speaker 1: the same.
Speaker 2: I can see the difference, like absolutely agree with everything
Speaker 2: you just said. Absolutely all yeah, you can definitely see it.
Speaker 2: And I think in way RuPaul's drag Race down Under
Speaker 2: has put a put New Zealand Queens on the map
Speaker 2: a little bit more. I do think, you know, it
Speaker 2: would be nice like we had a lot. I think
Speaker 2: we have more New Zealand Queens in this series this year.
Speaker 1: To be fair, like quite a few either half or half,
Speaker 1: you know, like some are you know, like Pomara is
Speaker 1: multi Aboriginal or you know like Uri being Maori or
Speaker 1: you know Queen being from South Auckland but representing for Adelaide.
Speaker 1: Same thing with me. It's like I still consider myself
Speaker 1: part of Australia as well. It's like I wouldn't be
Speaker 1: the same drag Queen today if it wasn't for my
Speaker 1: time in Melbourne and the drag queens and the legends
Speaker 1: and the icons that work here. You know.
Speaker 2: So are there any Melbourne queens that you think need
Speaker 2: to be on the show? Like, is who from Melbourne
Speaker 2: that you worked with that you're like a surprise that
Speaker 2: we haven't seen in the first and second season.
Speaker 1: That's such a hard question because there's so many different
Speaker 1: variations of Drag and Melbourne, and I think it just
Speaker 1: comes down to every season is different and it's it's
Speaker 1: what's best for the season and who would be great?
Speaker 1: But I see, I would have loved May she rest
Speaker 1: in peace, But I would have loved to have seen
Speaker 1: somebody like Miss Candy in there, or you know, like Paris,
Speaker 1: you know, the older the fucking legends of drag. There's
Speaker 1: lots of baby queens, but there are some brilliant queens
Speaker 1: like Amina Ja Lura as fabulous you know, Daytona. There's
Speaker 1: some fabulous performers here. So there's a plethora there, really is.
Speaker 1: Melbourne has some of the best drag talent in Australia.
Speaker 1: It really does. I mean, I don't think it kind
Speaker 1: of gives the credit that it deserves to be fair.
Speaker 1: You know, it's always kind of about Sydney queens, but
Speaker 1: I agree, Yeah, there's so many talented queens here and
Speaker 1: diverse because then you start getting into the club kids
Speaker 1: and the alternative queens and there's so many different versions
Speaker 1: of that. So that's what I missed the most about
Speaker 1: Melbourne is it's such a melting pot of inspiration because
Speaker 1: I am inspired by all drag and Okay, it may
Speaker 1: not be for me, but at the same time, I'm
Speaker 1: totally it's like uri, It's like, to me, I would
Speaker 1: never look like that, but the eye candy and the
Speaker 1: inspiration that it makes me feel inside is like I'm
Speaker 1: just absolutely gagged every time I see him, And to me,
Speaker 1: that makes me froth inside because I'm just like, that's
Speaker 1: so interesting and who in their mind like came up
Speaker 1: with that? Do you know what I mean? Like, how
Speaker 1: did you go? You know what? I want to be
Speaker 1: a drag queen, but I want to look like this,
Speaker 1: you know what I mean? So I think that that's
Speaker 1: what's really great about Melbourne. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, you gave me the juiciest answer on that, because
Speaker 2: I was keen to know because I'm from Melbourne. So
Speaker 2: it's a little bit me centric. I'm sorry, but you know,
Speaker 2: I just was curious to know what people what's someone
Speaker 2: from your perspective of working here and working in New Zealand,
Speaker 2: you know what, because to me, I'm like, there's so many,
Speaker 2: Like there's the Frock Hudson's, but there was also the
Speaker 2: Dolly Diamonds.
Speaker 1: And then there's so many.
Speaker 2: But then also where does Millie Minogue fit into all
Speaker 2: of that?
Speaker 1: That's it? And then you've got Melly as well, Like
Speaker 1: there's so many icons on legids here that should you know,
Speaker 1: be given that platform to show themselves too, because and
Speaker 1: that that's what I'm glad about, is like, Okay, I'm
Speaker 1: only thirty seven and I keep getting called an older queen.
Speaker 1: But it's like it would be really nice to have,
Speaker 1: you know, not just you know the twenty one year
Speaker 1: olds like flinging their blonde hair around, you know, hikircking
Speaker 1: into whirling. It'd be nice to see the girls who
Speaker 1: actually have done it and pave the way for us
Speaker 1: to be standing here really get to show their chops
Speaker 1: because they're actually an incredible talented bunch and they really
Speaker 1: do deserve a space and their time, you know, the
Speaker 1: time isn't up. We're not dead yet, so you know, hello.
Speaker 2: My favorite drag queens are all the old ones anyway.
Speaker 2: But I grew up in Melbourne, so I grew up
Speaker 2: with parisat.
Speaker 1: Hanging It, you know, like Candy, I mean not a legend.
Speaker 1: I mean I was so gutted and saddened to hear
Speaker 1: of her passing because she was she you know, when
Speaker 1: we want to talk about spanky systhetic, it's like Candy
Speaker 1: is definitely on the same page, and she's an icon,
Speaker 1: you know, absolute Australian icon, and that that was who
Speaker 1: my inspiration, you know, she was part of that. I
Speaker 1: look at Candy just just hysterical, you know, trashy, fun,
Speaker 1: not what you expected, but just a lovable person as well.
Speaker 1: So you know I look at people like that too. Well.
Speaker 2: I'm glad it's a bit of a bit of a tribute,
Speaker 2: I actually think, because I've been asking everyone about Reece.
Speaker 2: Nicholson does a great job. But it looks like there's
Speaker 2: like an extra space on that panel. I feel like
Speaker 2: we could get another queer representation on that panel that's
Speaker 2: from New Zealand or Australia, you know, Australia, who do
Speaker 2: you think could fit in there. I think Millie Minogue
Speaker 2: would be good because I can't see meally competing in
Speaker 2: the competition, but I feel like she represents a lot.
Speaker 2: Who do you think we could put on the panel
Speaker 2: with Rhys Nicholson?
Speaker 1: Oh, I don't know. That's such a difficult question. I mean,
Speaker 1: I would like to see somebody like Jamay, like somebody
Speaker 1: very like iconically Australian, But there's there's too many options there, mate, Like,
Speaker 1: that's such a hard question because how do you narrow
Speaker 1: it down to just one person to add? You know,
Speaker 1: there's two many people that would be great up there.
Speaker 1: So yeah, I mean, and I think, to be fair,
Speaker 1: Reese is doing a bloody good job and he's such
Speaker 1: he is the GC like, he's such a good guy
Speaker 1: and so bloody funny as well. So I think everybody
Speaker 1: in the in the beginning kind of was like, you know,
Speaker 1: I don't know if that was the right choice, but
Speaker 1: he's so good on there, and he's such a lovely guy,
Speaker 1: and I don't think it would be even the same
Speaker 1: without him, to be fair, So I'm not sure who
Speaker 1: you'd put in it.
Speaker 2: I was for this podcast, I ask everyone this game
Speaker 2: where I'm like, give me something from behind the scenes,
Speaker 2: but we're not doing that because we can't go behind
Speaker 2: the scenes of Rup Paul's and ruin some of the magic.
Speaker 2: So instead of just being playing this game shady or lady,
Speaker 2: and I've been absolutely terrible at introducing this game. So basically,
Speaker 2: I'm gonna ask you a few questions. You can say
Speaker 2: lady if you don't feel like you want answer the
Speaker 2: question because you don't want to be shady. Have I
Speaker 2: explained that I think I've done this, well, okay, okay,
Speaker 2: we'll try. We'll try. So I'm just gonna ask you
Speaker 2: a series of questions and basically you'll just give me
Speaker 2: shady answers, because who's gonna say lady? I think Kole
Speaker 2: is the only person who said lady to one of
Speaker 2: the questions.
Speaker 1: Of course, of course, Okay.
Speaker 2: Who was the most talented queen for twenty twenty two?
Speaker 2: Oh me, okay give me that. I have to say
Speaker 2: this to every single one of you, every single one
Speaker 2: of you. No, don't say that. Everyone says me me
Speaker 2: like good, Um, it has to be Yuri. Okay, great Uri?
Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely incredible. And the fact that he made everything
Speaker 1: himself is just unbelievable.
Speaker 2: I kept watching the YouTube clip of him in the
Speaker 2: green dress, you know, when everyone got revealed. Yeah, oh no,
Speaker 2: it's not the Primantis. It's like the first YouTube clip
Speaker 2: where you all spoke to the.
Speaker 1: Camera, Oh yes, yep, yep, yeah.
Speaker 2: And that dresses and you can see the tattoo, and
Speaker 2: I don't know, I just it just looks very sexy
Speaker 2: at the same time as being from another planet.
Speaker 1: Super talented. And that's what I love about is esthetic,
Speaker 1: you know what I mean. It's like it's not you
Speaker 1: haven't seen it before. You could kind of compare it
Speaker 1: to like the tricksy kind of the cut of the
Speaker 1: cheek and stuff like that. Yeah whatever, But she sits
Speaker 1: in a league of her own, and I love that.
Speaker 1: It's like it's almost a caricature of how somebody who's
Speaker 1: in fashion would draw themselves, but then that coming to
Speaker 1: life in real life. And that's what I love about it. Like, yeah,
Speaker 1: most talented queen uri hands down?
Speaker 2: Who is the funniest.
Speaker 1: Hannah? Hands down?
Speaker 2: Hannah I loved as well. Yesterday or the day before,
Speaker 2: she turned up on the Someone's Instagram live and like
Speaker 2: there was like a good like thirty seconds of her
Speaker 2: sort of not appearing, but then all of a sudden
Speaker 2: just appeared with this princess Leah.
Speaker 1: Oh. Yes, she does this to us all the time,
Speaker 1: and oh my god, honestly there's photos of us because
Speaker 1: we grow chat and she comes out and this throw
Speaker 1: line work a and like we just die, like I've
Speaker 1: actually nearly passed myself because she's so bloody funny and
Speaker 1: she does it to us all the time. We'll just
Speaker 1: be having a serious conversation and then she just pops up, oh, like,
Speaker 1: she's so funny, so funny.
Speaker 2: I hope people can go on and rewatch those Instagram lives.
Speaker 2: I think you can start. You can watch them on
Speaker 2: the story. Who did you not like or maybe didn't
Speaker 2: get enough time to get to know?
Speaker 1: Oh? I think that maybe probably Molly, Like maybe Molly
Speaker 1: and we just didn't get enough time and when we
Speaker 1: got to the top four obviously, but I think that
Speaker 1: that's just part of her personality. It just takes a
Speaker 1: little bit of time for her to warm up. And
Speaker 1: we're in a competition as well. You know, it's not
Speaker 1: like you're just gonna flop it all out on the table,
Speaker 1: you know. Okay, we're talking to me here, So yeah,
Speaker 1: I did flop it out on the table. But you know,
Speaker 1: yeah Molly.
Speaker 2: Fair enough, fair enough? Who is the messiest queen?
Speaker 1: Like me?
Speaker 2: I am putting it all together. So you know, there's
Speaker 2: there's two different ways that you can be a messy queen,
Speaker 2: and that is like, you know, makeup all over the workstation.
Speaker 2: But then also messiest queen is in like all over
Speaker 2: the place.
Speaker 1: Well, then there would be many, wouldn't that They would
Speaker 1: be my girl many love her, love your babes, but yeah,
Speaker 1: oh messiest queen, Like yeah, I don't know. Yeah, we'll
Speaker 1: just say many.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and who this is the good question, not yourself,
Speaker 2: but who do you think could win out of the
Speaker 2: other two that are in the top.
Speaker 1: Three with you, babes. That's a difficult question because you know,
Speaker 1: like I said to you earlier, it's like if I
Speaker 1: could give everybody a piece and we could all win,
Speaker 1: I would, like, I literally.
Speaker 2: Would, But that isn't the game.
Speaker 1: But I get I understand that, babes, it would probably
Speaker 1: be Hannah because like when you look at like you
Speaker 1: put both of the our track records together, it's like, yeah,
Speaker 1: she deserves it.
Speaker 2: Spanky Jackson, you have made my day. I love you,
Speaker 2: and I think you've done such a good job on
Speaker 2: the show. I can't wait to see how you go
Speaker 2: in the finale. But also I can't wait to be
Speaker 2: in your audience and see where you go from this.
Speaker 2: So congratulations, Thank you so much.
Speaker 1: I really appreciate it. And I just think that this
Speaker 1: is even like this whole journey for me has been
Speaker 1: full of the full circle moments, like constantly, like I
Speaker 1: can't even explain, like even the hotel I'm staying it
Speaker 1: right now, literally outside my window is the old Diva
Speaker 1: bar on commercial rope, which was the first that I
Speaker 1: ever did show in in Melbourne. Like even talking to
Speaker 1: you as another full circle moment. Who knows what's to happen,
Speaker 1: But I just know that I'm in the right place
Speaker 1: and I've done the right thing, and I've done myself
Speaker 1: and my country and Australia hope Brown without getting emotional
Speaker 1: about it, but yeah, I'm really proud. So thank you.
Speaker 2: And you've now told everyone that you're staying at the
Speaker 2: Color Hotel, so.
Speaker 1: Well I have.
Speaker 2: I'll just ed about out of the podcast. I'll bleeve
Speaker 2: it so well.
Speaker 1: I'll be gone tomorrow flag again, So don't worry, don't
Speaker 1: be long.
Speaker 2: I'll all turn up. Actually, when they say everyone, I
Speaker 2: mean myself. I'll be there.
Speaker 1: Hello.
Speaker 2: Thanks so much for the chat, Thanks so much for
Speaker 2: your generosity time with your time as well.
Speaker 1: Oh no, honestly, thank you like it's it's honestly, it's nothing.
Speaker 1: It's I'm nobody special, I'm just a person. So I
Speaker 1: love that you've taken the time to talk to me.
Speaker 1: So thank you so much.