RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 7, Episode 8

April 21, 2015 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout, Uncategorized

Joining me this week to talk Drag Race is Kim Chi! She's a phenomenal Chicago queen who performs all over. She's amazing.

Chad: So, I'm kind of sick of all the constant discussion about this season, whether it's any good, and "When is Trixie coming back?". At least this week, we finally have an answer.

Kim: In a season filled with group acting challenges, this episode finally gave me everything I needed! We got to see more of the eliminated queens' personalities and the remaining queens' creativity and crafting skills!

Chad: I know! FINALLY! Some CRAFTING! Design! And it was really fabulous to see all those girls together again. UNTUCKED was particularly special and filled me with goodness. Now, when I heard that there would be this conjoined twin challenge, I was kind of hoping that the eliminated queen would get to make over her partner! Wouldn't you have killed to see Trixie paint Pearl?

Kim: That would've been great, but that could've gone wrong in so many ways! This season's queens aren't as big of saboteurs as the previous seasons, but I can just imagine some eliminated queen painting a busted mug on a polished queen out of spite. Who wants to see Miss Fame with a beard, anyway?

Chad: Ha! Yeah, that's very true. And I think the top 7 did a superb job. How weird is it for a queen to have someone else do their makeup? Is it uncomfortable? Fun?

Kim: I think it depends on the queen. In the pageant system, a lot of the girls get their mug painted by a make up artist or another queen whose mug they admire in order to bring up their level of polish. Some queens will never have another queen paint their mug in order to continuously improve their skills and hone their signature make up style. When I first started, Pearl and Kahmora Hall painted my face just to show me how they do their mug, and it was a great learning experience for me! I think it's refreshing to see different products and different skills being done to yourself to expose you to a variety of techniques.

Chad: Do you think any of the queens gave their twin a particularly notable transformation? Taught them a few new tricks?

Kim: Trixie's transformation was definitely notable! We're so used to seeing her with cartoony, deranged make up, it was a refreshing change of pace to see her with no bottom eyeliner and white waterline. I'm sure they were on a time crunch to get everything done, so I don't necessarily know if anyone learned new tricks, but I thought everyone looked amazing!

Chad: Agreed! I love Trixie's usual look, but she and Pearl did such a great job of giving themselves enough of a family resemblance that it really worked!

Kim: Also, their look had a strong concept and a visual narrative that fit both of their drag personas really well.

Chad: Katya and Kasha really stole the show, too! I feel like they were a very, very close second. But Trixie's elimination always felt very weird to me, and it seemed like a setup to her inevitable return.

Kim: Trixie hardly got a storyline before her elimination, which was very weird to me, as well. I know her very well, and she's an extremely funny person with a sick, twisted sense of humor, and that hardly got portrayed on the show prior to her elimination. Katya/Kasha's look had a strong visual narrative as well, but Pearl and Trixie managed to serve both glamour, camp and comedy, which is why I think they ultimately won.

Chad: Yeah, that's a good point. Although twins, they managed to serve two very different, but related, looks. What do you think Trixie will make of her second chance?

Kim: I think Trixie will definitely make the most out of her second chance! I can't think of another person who's more deserving of this opportunity. For the first three years of her doing drag, lots of people in her hometown didn't understand her look or her sense of humor, and she really had to fight for her existence. Once she started performing in Chicago, everything changed. People were responding extremely well to her numbers, and she built quite a fanbase. Even though it would cost her a lot of money to travel into the city every weekend, she would take all of her drag on a train or a bus, come down here for a booking only to head right back home with no money in her pocket. She has such a strong work ethic, it's mind blowing to me, because I've never seen anyone who worked as hard as she did. One time, her bus broke down on the highway, so she got off and walked down the ramp to catch a cab so she could make it to the gig. Another time, Amtrak lost her luggage, so she whipped up a quick outfit out of things she had laying around and did her make up with cotton swabs. Which is why it broke my heart to see her go on episode four. She hustles so much and is so humble, I really want her to take this crown and showcase her talent to the world. Even though she's so well known now, she manages to stay the exact same person she was before. Self sufficient, easy going, and always punctual.

Chad: I'm hoping that Trixie really has a chance to shine in next week's John Waters challenge! Man, I can only imagine what Ginger, Katya, and Trixie will cook up for that! It seems like it will be perfect for their respective styles and sensibilities.

Kim: Trixie will ace the John Waters challenge! Her deranged sense of humor will be perfect for it!

Chad: Yeah, Trixie is amazing. I'm so glad I got to see her perform in Chicago before she got too famous for us! But seriously, for the record: Was that your green dress she was sent home in?

Kim: Everyone assumes that dress is mine, but it's Trixie's dress that I borrowed! She told me to hold onto it as long as I want, and after episode four, it all made sense. I'm assuming she doesn't want to travel in the dress she got eliminated in! Come on, cultural sensitivity!

Chad: Well, you ARE the secret asian queen of Season 7! Has it been weird to see your name keep popping up in Drag Race forums this season? Flattering? Funny?

Kim: I was there, you never saw me because I managed to evade the camera with my secret ninja skills! It is really flattering, and I'm grateful, but it is a bit overwhelming! I can't fly, teleport or raise anyone from the dead. I'm just an Asian man in a wig doing k-pop numbers and wearing big, crazy outfits.

Chad: Wait, you're a MAN?

Kim: Shhh it's a secret. Secret Asian queen full of manly secrets

Chad: So, aside from your frenemy Trixie, is there anyone else you're rooting for this season?

Kim: With every episode, I am extremely impressed and inspired by Violet's looks! For someone so young, her taste level and execution are impeccable! I will go as far as to say some of her looks are legendary! Miss Fame is incredibly sweet and quirky. I enjoy every moment she's talking on the screen. Pearl's been coming out of her shell (pun intended) and the audience is finally able to see the fun, quirky side of her.

Chad: I agree that Violet is pretty much amazing, and I love that she's making an effort to open up and show some warmth to the other queens. She'll clearly always have an attitude, but maybe she deserves it! I agree that Miss Fame is phenomenal. Do you think Ru is giving her a hard time with that goddamn "head" joke?

Kim: She gave me good head with the knife look last week.

Chad: I think if Ru kept asking me "How is your head?" I would just try to keep coming up with more deranged answers. Like, "Toothy." "A little drooly." "There may be blood."

Kim: LOL! let's get you on this show so you can draw yourself every week

Chad: Ugh, self portraits are so indulgent!

Kim: Aren't all drag queens a little self-indulgent to a degree, though? Being creatures of vanity and all?

Chad: I think it's fair to say that, yes, when one spends hours a day on their makeup, they might be a little preoccupied with their looks!

Kim: Some of us, not enough time on our make up.

Kim: Oh, and how could I forget Katya, who is basically a one-liner factory?

Chad: I'm SO glad to see that she seems to have loosened up over the last few episodes. She seems to have more fun with the judges on the runway, and she got major props from the other queens this week in Untucked! Her own neuroses are clearly her worst enemy, since everyone else loves the hell out of her.

Kim: Her humor never seems forced, and it feels authentic to her. I can't wait to see all the other jokes she's got in her head!

Chad: Yeah, she seems endlessly authentic. And she almost never turns her humor on the other queens – it's pretty much always endearingly self-deprecating. She has a very weird, witty, meta sense of humor as a drag queen, almost like Alaska. And here's hoping she ascends to super stardom like her, too!

Kim: If you can't make fun of yourself, how in the hell are you gonna make fun of someone else, right?

Chad: AMEN!

If you don't already, you must follow Kim Chi on Instagram,Facebook, and Twitter. Her photographic collaborations with Adam Ouahmane are stunning works of art. And she's funny as hell.

Kim will be at Hysteria by the Bad Kids collective at the Metro Bar in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 4th! She'll be hosting GayGlow at Hydrate on June 5th, Milwaukee Pride on June 6th, and then Iowa City Pride (with Trixie, Katya, and Sasha Belle) on June 18th! She'll be hosting Neverland's Bougie Ball on June 27th and the Chicago Pride closing party June 28th.

She's also a regular performer at Trannika's Most Wanted everything third Monday at Scarlet in Chicago, and at Berlin's Drag Matinee on Sundays!

As always, you can find my art on my Etsy store! And you can find ME at C2E2 in Chicago this weekend!! I'll be in Artist Alley, Table A-4! I'll have my queen art and comics, and I'm dying to meet all of you.

Last week, I launched an exciting new collaborative comic project called The Cardboard Kingdom! I'm seeking your story ideas for some imaginative, fun children's comics! Click here to find out more and submit your stories!

RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 7, Episode 6

April 07, 2015 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout, Uncategorized

Joining me to talk Drag Race this week is Shea Couleé, one of my absolute favorite queens in Chicago!

Chad: I've been hearing a lot of complaints about this season. And while I do think there have been issues with the pacing, with Ru's decisions, and with the constant group challenges, this episode was a real turning point for me. What are your thoughts on the season so far?

Shea: The jury is still out on this season. I want to like it, really I do. I feel like having known Trixie and Pearl beforehand really made me wanna be invested in the show. But as of right now, I feel like I am having a hard time staying invested on the journey of Season 7.

Chad: Fair enough. Did this episode stand out to you, or not? I got really engaged in Jaidynn's storyline and performance. The runway slayed me. And for once, Ru made a decision I agreed with.

Shea: I really liked hearing more about Jaidynn. I struggle with the same lack of support from my family due to a strict Christian upbringing, and it allowed me to identify with her more. I really do like Jaidynn. I find her quite lovable, and her humility and passion are very endearing.

Shea: The group challenges thus far, I feel, have made it difficult for the queens to stand out on their own. I feel like they're not getting the chance to shine and do what they really feel represents themselves because they are confined to group challenges.

Chad: Yeah, agreed. It can make for good drama when the queens butt heads and are forced to work together, but I think it's been a bit overdone. Even Violet said so!

Shea: Oh yeah! But all of the conflicts the producers are highlighting seem snatched from thin air. They open up a storyline of conflict between queens each episode, and they never see it through. There's not conclusion, they never really address it the next episode, and then start something new. It's all just so trivial and transparent.

Chad: Yeah, I guess that's why this episode felt like a breath of fresh air. Kind of. Jaidynn has her very real struggles. Miss Fame is her own worst enemy. Max had his issues with the other queen's raunchiness.

Shea: Yeah? Like why was max's disinterest in talking about sex with the other queens even a storyline?

Chad: Well, I think it's kind of interesting, because Max's relationship to the other queens has been an ongoing issue. Whether they get her or not, whether they think she's uptight.

Shea: What are the producers trying to show us with Max? I don't get the direction Max's storyline is going. Frankly, I'm bored.

Chad: Well, here's my take on Max: He's an artist. Of a different kind than we usually see on this show. I really live for most of his runway looks. Just really different, lovely stuff. A very refined and unusual aesthetic.

Shea: I have really liked them. I have.

Chad: The issue of Max's relationship to the other queens and to their raunchy conversations is intriguing to me because that sort of thing has been on my mind: Queens tend to favor raunchy humor, they can get up to sexual hijinks onstage, and even with the audience. By hijinks, I just mean flirtation, touching, etc. Mostly.

Shea: SOME.

Chad: And where do you draw the line as a performer? What if that's not your bag?

Shea: Like for me, though my character is very sexy, I'm careful about how raunchy my interactions are with people because they can easily take it overboard. I think for Drag, no comedy should really be off limits. It's all about the approach and having a good understanding of your audience. A good performer knows when to draw the line. I may touch a patron, but it's nothing more than a face caress, a hand on the shoulder, or a kiss on the cheek. It's all very innocent – I don't have to try to be raunchy, because when you see me, you just get it.

Chad: Ha! I do.

Shea: And people also get that I am not the type of girl who will tolerate someone getting fresh with her. I'll put you in your place really quick if I feel you're being disrespectful.

Chad: Good to hear! But to sum up: you're not into Max and whatever story is being told about her this season?

Shea: I'm not. I wish I was. I wish that we were given more insight to the artist Max is. But her edit is just not doing her any favors. I feel like I'm not going to get anything more out of Max, and I'm bored...

Chad: Do you think it's fair to criticize her for the consistency of her runway looks and gray hair?

Shea: No. Pearl is always blonde? So is RUPAUL. Michele just likes to critique queens who don't fit her aesthetic for drag

Chad: I guess that the gray hair is more distinctive than a typical blond wig, so it sticks out more.

Shea: True.

Chad: So, you mentioned that a lot of the conflicts and storylines so far have lacked teeth. However, it does seem like a recurring issue is Pearl's attitude and efforts to open up more. What do you make of her time on the show?

Shea: That's just Pearl. I think the same thing happened to her in Chicago – Girls are rattled by her confidence. And when that happens, people put a target on your back, so that they can highlight any weaknesses there are. Pearl's attitude is obviously a defense mechanism. She puts up a wall and looks down her nose so as to not appear weak or vulnerable. But we saw that wall break after her lip sync against Trixie.

Chad: Yeah, good point. She's SUCH a divisive queen. She has a ton of vocal fans, a lot of people who are over her, and a whole lot more people who like to Photoshop her face anywhere and everywhere

Shea:She is definitely the meme queen for season 7.

Chad: I think it's her irreverence, the fact that she doesn't seem to take things seriously. Some people love it that she talks back to Mama Ru, whereas others see that as a cardinal sin.

Shea: But being polarizing keeps people talking, and that's what you want, so that you can continue getting booked after your season is over...

Chad: Yeah, and I don't think she has anything to worry about in that regard.

Shea: Nah. She'll be fine.

Chad: Another figure I've been fascinated by this season has been Miss Fame.

Shea: OMG YEAH!

Chad: I had assumed we wouldn't see much personality from her, but man! She's such a character!

Shea: Not what I expected her to be like. She's a whackadoodle, and I find it endearing.

Chad: I can totally understand the other queens' frustration with her, but I find her really endearing, too.

Shea: I don't know what planet she's from, but I'm glad she picked Earth to visit.

Chad: Ross's reply to her emotional explosion was priceless: "I feel like I'm dating you."

Shea: I KNOW! I died! I love that we get more Ross this season. I love him...

Chad: The other main queens that I drew this week and want to talk about are Violet and Katya. And Kennedy's RIDICULOUS runway look.

Shea: Kennedy was a hot mess.

Chad: She kept explaining the story behind her runway outfit, and I JUST DIDN'T GET IT. She was a dead rooster? She was a dead rooster. She died of cock.

Shea: She was a mess. She died of bad taste.

Shea: These challenges have been very acting heavy this season. I know one of the challenge producers, and literally ALL of them are writers, actors, and comedians with theatre and film backgrounds. So naturally, they think about writing scripts and creating stories before they think about making looks out of garbage and hand-me-downs.

Chad: You know what we HAVEN'T seen at all this season? A photo challenge.

Shea: Nope.

Chad: Or even a good design challenge.

Shea: I don't know if we really will.

Chad: Is that why the runway looks usually seem like an afterthought?

Shea: Yeah, but I was into the runway this week, though some girls clearly missed the point. I get that the theme is death. But some of them forgot completely about GLAMOUR!

Chad: I thought the runway looks were REALLY strong!

Shea: Same, same.

Chad: Yeah, Kennedy's was some crazy roadkill catastrophe. Kandy's was sleek, but too simple.

Shea: It looked so cheap. My mom used the fabric from Kandy's dress to make throw pillows in the guest bedroom at our house. NO JOKE.

Chad: Ginger's was a little weird. Was she eaten by a bear? Because it looks more like she had killed a bear and was wearing its hide.

Shea: Agreed! That coat is from fucking URBAN OUTFITTER.

Chad: But Katya, Max, Violet, Pearl, and Fame. They all got it! Katya wasn't necessarily GLAMOROUS, but come on.

Shea: Agreed. I LAUGHED out loud when I saw her.

Chad: I really liked Jaidynn's, though it didn't deliver on the glamour as much.

Shea: I guess it's not ALL about the glamour. But you have to SELL IT.

Chad: Right. Pearl's outfit was apparently thrown together at the last minute (as discussed in Untucked) but her crazy runway walk sold it.

Shea: Totally. You HAVE to, or no one will care.

Shea Couleé hosts #FACE every Wednesday at Hydrate in Chicago! She's in The Naughty Little Cabaret this Saturday at Mother's Bar. You can catch her on Tony Soto Show, out every Wednesday. And you can find her on Facebook and Twitter!

Thanks to Adam Ouahmane, the photographer of Shea's stunning portrait featured here. Check out his fashion photography at his website and his drag photography on Facebook!

My Drag Race art is available on posters, prints, and postcards! Find them at my Etsy Store!

WEEK OF RU, Season 2: Day 1

November 17, 2014 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout, Uncategorized

Okay, over the last few years, I've drawn a lot of drag queens. They keep making more seasons of that damn Drag Race, I keep meeting amazing queens in Chicago, I keep working on drag queen board games and video games and comics.... But I've never drawn Season 2 of RuPaul's Drag Race. I get asked about it all the time, because so many of those queens are still beloved and still doing amazing stuff. Here's the T: I started drawing the Drag Race queens in Season 3--it's all Raja's fault. I've been all over the show ever since then. When they re-aired the first season in 2013, I took the opportunity to draw "The Lost Season". But when would I get the chance to draw Season 2?

Well, I found myself with a little bit of time this fall and an itch to draw some queens. So I decided to re-watch the second season for the first time in five years and relive all that glorious drama.

And I loved it.

Here’s what’s great about Season 2:

It’s not about the clash of different “types” of drag. For the most part, they’re all going for the same thing, even the “funny” queen (Pandora) and the “fishy” queen (Tatianna). It doesn't make the competition any less interesting--it makes it all the more competitive and compelling.
UNTUCKED is superb. No heart-wrenching videos to induce breakdowns or audience sympathy. Just drammmma! And drinking. Lots of that, too.
No good guys, no bad guys. Just girls who don't get along, and girls who do.

Over the next week, I’m going to focus on a different queen each day: Tatianna, Pandora, Tyra, Jujubee, and Raven (in that order)

But today I want to share individual portraits of some of the other fabulous queens from Season 2:

MYSTIQUE

Okay, I couldn't not draw this moment. Come on. I live in Chicago.

And this was in the very first episode of Untucked. See? I told you Untucked was amazing in Season 2. So iconic, so classic. But I feel bad because I do like Mystique a lot, and it sucks that she'll forever be associated with that moment. Especially because that whole argument seemed to stem from Morgan's poking and prodding.

MORGAN McMICHAELS

Morgan came on the show with a ton of confidence. She was on home turf, an LA queen, and she was tight with Raven. But that confidence, combined with her outspoken tendencies, came across as cockiness. Like, it was important to express her opinion at all times, despite the (sometimes explosive) results.

Still, she's a fierce queen, and she can lip sync for the gods.

JESSICA WILD

Jessica brought some seriously stunning looks to the runway, she’s a high-energy performer, and she’s a total sweetheart.

SAHARA DAVENPORT

What can I say about Sahara? She possessed an astonishing grace and elegance that I haven't seen in any other queen. Throughout the season, she struggled to let loose, to drop her guard. And she succeeded in some truly legendary, epic lip sync performances. She was a great beauty and an incredible queen.

Thanks so much for joining me in DAY 1 of my WEEK OF RU! Early tomorrow morning, I'll share my portraits of Tatianna alongside some exclusive interview questions with the queen herself!

Share your thoughts on Season 2 in a comment here or find me on Twitter and Facebook!