C’mon HennyRuPaul’s Drag Race has been a show that prides itself in the drama, the fashion, and the personalities. Drag Race has always been, and still is, a beacon of representation for all the queer people in the world. And to commemorate the impact that drag has had on today’s world, Mama Ru has brought her famous Rupaul’s Drag Con to the big apple. Hosted at the Javits Center, Rupaul’s Drag Con is a huge convention that brings together everyone’s favorite queens from the show all to one place. Fans have a chance to purchase merchandise like pins and posters as well as having the chance to meet their favorite queens. Each queen had a booth set up with all their collectibles and fans waited in huge lines just to get a chance to see the queens that they look up to. And this Rupaul’s Drag Con, we got a chance to look around and even talk to some of the queens. Check out our exclusive interviews down below.
Cynthia Lee Fontaine:
Q: What is it like to be at DragCon in NYC?
A: Finally! It’s a dream come true. And I think a dream for RuPaul since she started her career as a club kid and now supermodel of the world and has one of the biggest international TV shows. And I think we are seeing another perspective of drag in the area here. And the drag in this area is so rich in culture and talent. So, I’m excited because we are bringing all the girls from the show to the drag area here and it is a clash of different types of drag and I love it. It is fascinating.
Q: And what is it like to see so many of your fans? I’m sure people scream ‘CUCU’ at you all the time.
A: I love it. I have been in weird situations. In the airport, I was at the urinal and all of a sudden a fan in the next urinal comes up to me and says, ‘I’m so sorry but can I take a selfie?’ And I’m Miss Congeniality so I was covering my private parts and taking the selfie and he tagged me. But it doesn’t look like it was in the bathroom because he cropped it. Things like that but at the same time the fans are the only ones who support us and without them we are nothing. And so I am so thankful for this new fanbase and for all the support by everybody. So that’s beautiful.
Q: What goes into maintaining a good ‘cucu’?
A: I think it takes three things: exercise, a good diet, and a good doctor.
Q: All Stars 3 and Season 10 has recently been confirmed. What are you looking forward to see in both All Stars 3 and Season 10?
A: I think I’m looking forward to seeing the new talent and the new faces. So maybe that. For All Stars 3, I am looking forward to seeing my sisters. It is going to be an explosion of new talent and showing to the community who we are.
Q: If you could have your dream All Stars cast, who would you want on it?
A: My dream team for All Stars…I am going to be honest with you, I would like to see an All Stars season with a team. Like pageant queens versus comedy team. Or campy vs extravaganza. And the emojis can be something like a crown vs a clown!
Q: If you could lip sync against anyone to any song, who would you want to lip sync against and to what song?
A: I would do Body Language and the other girl would be Valentina. And it would be in Spanish. We have a Spanish version of the song that they did in season 3 with Carmen Carrera and Yara Sofia. But I want a Spanish song and lip sync against her. And maybe in the middle of the song we can start eating M&Ms. Champagne maybe. Presidential suites.
Stacy Layne Matthews:
Q: What is it like to be at NYC DragCon?
A: I was excited to do the previous two dragcons in LA and I am excited to be here. I think it is just as successful as LA’s dragcon so I am excited to eat…eat…I mean MEET. Hunny meet.
Q: It’s okay, I just ate and I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I ate.
A: I could go for something right now hunny.
Q: What could you go for?
A: Oh my god, a good ol’ chicken taco sounds good. A good ol’ bowl of soup.
Q: What kind of soup?
A: I don’t know. What kind of soup do you like?
Q: I love a good roasted corn, tomato, tortilla soup.
A: I could eat some pasta. That’s my weakness. That’s why I am so fat…I love a good pasta with alfredo and chicken and mushroom. But, why are we talking about food?
Q: What is it like meeting the fans in NYC?
A: Honestly, it is pretty much the same. There aren’t many differences in the fans.
Q: And you’re doing some panels. What are you looking forward to with them?
A: I am excited to talk about the impact of fans and the fandom on social media. And I think those are some of the things we are going to touch upon at my panel.
Q: You’re a fan favorite with all the memorable quotes and having fans just flock towards you. What is it like to have that attention?
A: I love it. I am a Cancer, I was born in July. So the whole mother, nurturing thing has been in my blood and people always flock to me. It’s not much different than being back at home with my friends. I am a big ol’ mother.
Q: And the AAA Girls did a whole song about you. What was it like being a part of that music video and having that concept thrown your way?
A: I love it. I think Willam is one of the most talented queens on drag race and she is very quick and very talent. She comes up with a lot of interesting concepts and I think people are excited about some of the things the AAA Girls are doing. I am HAPPY to be a part of it.
Q: Anything else coming up for you?
A: I am just getting some tours done. When I leave here I am going to Canada for a tour and then Ohio and then I am planning my tour for March in the U.K. I have never been to the U.K. so I am excited for that. And hopefully working on some music. People have been asking ‘when are you going to come out with some music?’ But here is the thing, before I started doing drag I was a singer. I was doing theatre and I am very critical—I am a whole lot more critical about my voice than I am about my drag. That’s kind of weird to say but when I come out with an album I want it to be right.
Q: What kind of genre would you like to do?
A: I am very into soulful, jazz, R&B type stuff. But these days, some of the kids like the techno stuff hunny. So you make one song and you have to turn it into a techno song. I am going to come out with a techno gospel album, what do you think about that?
Joslyn Fox:
Q: What is it like to be at DragCon in NYC?
A: It is so exciting. I have always loved DragCon but New York City has always been somewhere I have wanted to live since I was a little kid. It is just really, really cool to be in this city.
Q: Have you been sightseeing?
A: Yes! We walked a lot of walking up and down Broadway. But, it’s so exciting just to cross the street, and avoiding cars, and going into stores, and smelling the smells.
Q: What is it like being in the NYC DragCon versus the one in LA?
A: It is very different. A different energy but still a very fun energy.
Q: Have you had any weird experiences with fans?
A: No. Just a lot wonk wonks today.
Q: How many wonk wonks have you gotten?
A: I lost count. I wouldn’t have it any other way though.
Q: If you could lip sync against any queen and to any song, which queen would you go against and to what song?
A: Oh my goodness, that is a great question. I have so much fun performing in general and the thing about drag race is that you don’t get a chance to lip sync until you’re in the bottom. So I didn’t mind being in the bottom 2 because I had a good time lip synching. Maybe I would rematch Adore and we would lip sync for our lives on stage and this time I would send her home. Same song too. She betta think.
Q: Would you ever want to do All Stars then?
A: Absolutely!
Q: Who would you want to be on All Stars with?
A: A lot of my season 6 sisters. So we can relive all those memories. Let’s do season 6 pt 2?
Q: What are you excited for about All stars 3 and for Season 10 that was announced?
A: I am such a big fan of the show and so I am excited to see the challenges and the celebrity guest judges and the interactions with the girls. Especially getting to know so many of them through the years, it’s fun to watch them on TV again and see the relationships because we have so much fun when we are doing shows together and the antics backstage. But, when you’re thrown back into the challenges, that’s when all the drama arises.
Q: What kind of challenge would you want to see on drag race that hasn’t been done yet?
A: I have thought about this. It was a makeover challenge that has not been done before.
Q: Who are some of your favorite queens to work with?
A: BenDelaCreme and I always have so much fun. And Bianca and I always have a blast. I always have fun with the season 6 girls because we are forever bound as sisters because of this experience and it has definitely proven true because we still get to work together.