From the small TV screen, to the BIG SCREEN!
We attended the CHERRY POP New York premiere. The film follows one night in the life of a failing drag bar and its colorful performers—from the backstage backstabbing to the onstage antics. When a newcomer (Lars Berge) arrives for his first night performing, he struggles to find his place amidst the raucous regulars, the vicious clique of performers, and one legendary queen coming to terms with life after her last night in drag.
Alexis Michelle:
Q: What are you excited to see this movie?
A: I can’t wait to see all my friends. And of course, Assaad, the amazing director. He directed the C.L.A.T video, Team New York’s C.L.A.T video. I am excited to see his work.
Q: This whole movie is about this guy’s first time doing drag, so what was your first time doing drag like?
A: My first time in drag was crazy. I was ready to go to the Halloween parade in New York wearing a Richard Nixon mask and by the time we left the house I was a witch.
Q: What are you looking forward to for this coming Pride?
A: Just a chance to be at home and celebrate with my community and be very proud.
Q: And moving towards Rupaul’s Drag Race, would you ever consider doing All Stars 3?
A: Absolutely, sign me up for All Stars 3.
Q: Who would you want on the cast then?
A: I would want to do it with Trixie Mattel, Aja, Valentina, and Porkchop. I want Porkchop on.
Q: So Valentina recently made an Instagram video about her fans sending roses to other queens, you saw that right?
A: Did I see that video?? Yes, I saw that video.
Q: If you could have your fans send one emoji to other queens, what would that emoji be?
A: Peaches!
Q: Why?
A: Because I love ass.
Q: And what are your pride plans?
A: It is going to be a busy week. I am going to be here all week. You can catch me at Boots on Wednesday, at Therapy on Thursday, Friday night we have the coronation party and top 7 performances. And then Sunday I will be on the first ever broadcast of the parade.
Q: And which team are you? Team Peppermint, Team Trinity, Team Shea, or Team Sasha?
A: I am team Sashity. That’s team Sasha and team Trinity.
Tempest Dujour:
Q: How was it like being in this movie?
A: Amazing. Totally amazing. I don’t think there is anything like this. People have been trying to compare it to movies like Priscilla and other drag movies, but this has its own voice and own character and this movie is just so fun and real.
Q: Did you get to play yourself or did you have to step into the role of another character?
A: It is definitely an exaggerated version of myself, maybe myself in a few more years. She is kind of bitchy. But that’s okay.
Q: What was it like working with these queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race?
A: It was amazing. To have us all in one space, and all these other girls who weren’t on Drag Race that are well-known queens in their own right, it was all just so amazing. There was so much talent jammed in.
Q: And the movie is about this guy doing drag for the first time. What was your first time in drag like?
A: My first time in drag? Oh my god. Well, we would have to go back, technically, in preschool, 4 years old. I played a hen in Henny Penny the Sky is Falling. I was the lead, I was Henny. I was a gay woman chicken as my first role.
Q: And your first real performance then?
A: I wasn’t scared because I started later than most girls and there were so many years of buildup for it so I was so excited to do that. It was exhilarating, it was like a great orgasm for me. It was a small local club but it felt like I was being me.
Q: So moving toward Rupaul’s Drag Race, who are you rooting for to win?
A: It is hard to say but if I had to pick I would pick Sasha Velour. I am a big Sasha fan because she is so unlike everybody else and is so unique. I love them all. Well, I don’t love them all, that’s not true.
Q: Who don’t you like?
A: You are on this show for a reason and it is such a big opportunity and if you just don’t try during it then I just don’t like that. No name though.
Q: And who would you want to see on Season 10 of Drag Race?
A: Me!
Q: All Stars 3?
A: The return of Tempest. But, the thing about the casting is that it has never been about who is the most talented, it is about who fits into the casting. And there are so many interesting, cool, queens. I would love to see some genderfuck queens like bearded queens and a bigger spectrum of the rainbow. Let’s expand it a little bit and see what happens.
Detox:
Q: What was it like filming this movie and what was your experience like?
A: It was very, very fun because I was able to stay home in LA, which is very rare because I am constantly on the road. And I was able to work with so many of my local friends there, especially Assaad, who is an amazing director who literally was on my ass for months trying to get me on this project.
Q: What was it like working with the queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race as well as queens who are talented outside of the show?
A: And talented in their own realm, yeah! It was really fun. I’ve known a lot of the girls for many years so it was like a family reunion because I never get to see them anymore.
Q: What was your favorite scene to film the movie?
A: Anytime I got to work with Mayhem because we have the best chemistry. And we got to hate each other in this movie which is very rare for us. So it was fun to fight with her.
Q: And this movie is about this guy’s first time in drag, so what was your first time in drag like?
A: Well, which time? My first time going out into public in drag? There are so many first times.
Q: Out in public and in performance…
A: I was in a fashion show. I was 15 years old and called myself Corn on the Cob. And it was in Orlando, Florida and I had water balloon tits that fell out while I was walking the runway. And I wore 10-inch platform shoes and almost broke my ankle…but I did not! I recovered.
Q: What are your pride plans?
A: Work! I love what I do so much so it is always very enjoyable. No matter how much work I am doing, I am lucky that I am able to work as much as I do and travel the world and do so many different prides.
Q: And you’re watching Drag Race this season right?
A: I am.
Q: How was watching the reunion like for you?
A: It was fun for me to watch it because I am a fan now and I don’t need to worry about anything. It is fun to sit back as a fan and watch but it’s been tough to be vocal about it being a fan because people look at us differently when we state our opinions about certain performers and certain things that happen on the show. And to them I say, fuck that, because I am sitting at home watching like they are. I have my opinions, they have their opinions. Get over it.
Q: What do you want to say to all the haters out there sending death threats and things like that?
A: Lick my fucking hole.
Q: So did you see the Valentina Instagram video about sending roses?
A: I did and I have been sent a lot of roses so thank you.
Q: What emoji would you want your fans to send to other queens?
A: I don’t think there is an emoji for that.
Q: If you could make one then what would it be?
A: An asshole. Not the peach. I want the entire starfish of the asshole. A chocolate starfish, almost like a prolapsed asshole would be my ideal emoji to have everyone send to everyone else.
Q: And now that you’re a fan, but have also been on the show, who would you want to see on All-Stars 3?
A: Ongina. That’s it.
Q: One contestant and she are battling Rupaul then.
A: Yeah! But, Ongina, Milk, Delta Work, Morgan McMichaels, Kennedy Davenport. There’s a bunch of good girls out there.
Aassaad Yacoub:
Q: What are you excited for people to see about this film?
A: I am excited for people to see the drag scene in a completely different perspective. It is in the perspective of a straight man, which I don’t think you get to see very much from a gay movie. So I am also excited for people to see the behind the scenes of a drag show. Normally you see all the glamor but now you get to see the behind the scenes. The drama, the nitty gritty.
Q: What was it like to work with all these amazing queens?
A: Bob and I have been working together for years because we did the short film together. So, it was amazing. I loved working with the girls, they are all amazing. They are all phenomenal actors, very professional, and I couldn’t have asked for a better cast.
Q: How was the casting process like?
A: I just went to bars to hunt them down. When I met Bob I was underage and sneaking into Stonewall and begging him to be in my short film at the time. And I live in LA now and Detox is an LA queen and I would see her around and I would be like, ‘Be in my movie! Be in my movie!!’ and she was like, ‘why are you always harassing me?’ And then I finally got her to sign the contract.
Q: What was your favorite scene to film from this movie?
A: I loved the scene where we had a stunt guy jump from a roof to a car and he smashes the car and that was so much fun because I never did a stunt before and I got to see that happen. It wasn’t like post production, I got to see that on set.
Q: Where did the concept of this movie originate from?
A: It originated from just seeing the shows. I had never been to a drag show until I was 20. And knowing the girls backstage and onstage, I was like, why isn’t this on tv? And there is a difference between their onstage persona to the backstage where they take off the wig and are like, fuck this and become all manly again, I thought it was hilarious and wanted to show it.
Q: And what’s coming up next for you?
A: We wrote this out to be a TV show and so we have a pilot and it is very different to the movie and the pilot will star Bob and Bob’s character which would be amazing.
Bob the Drag Queen:
Q: What was it like filming this movie?
A: It was my first feature film where I had a large role and I had a lot of fun. I was one of the best experiences of my life. I got to work with Assaad, who I really respect, Detox, Tempest, Mayhem, some really talented people that I really respect.
Q: And what was it like working with all these queens?
A: I have worked with Queens who have been on and off Drag Race all my life so this was nothing new to me.
Q: What are you going to do with your last remaining days as reigning queen of RuPaul’s Drag Race?
A: I don’t have any plans. I have wearing this crown a lot because I DESERVE IT. But I am excited to move past this. It has been a great year but heavy is the head that wears the crown and my neck hurts and I am ready to pass this on. I am keeping the crown.
Q: And who do you want to win this season?
A: I am torn between Sasha Velour and Peppermint. I want a New York City girl to win again. I want New York City to be the unbeatable force on Rupaul’s Drag Race. LA has no winners. That’s no shade, but Bianca lived in New York City when she won. It is me, Bianca…also, Atlanta has two winners too so… who knows the girl.
Q: What are your pride plans?
A: I am going to Alaska. I am working. I will work…I will work at a Walmart in Alabama as long as you pay me.
Thorgy Thor:
Q: What are you excited for to see in this film?
A: I don’t know. I was most excited about seeing Bob dressed as an African prince on this red carpet. But I texted Bob all day saying that I was going to come and surprise him tonight. I am just excited to see all my queens that I have known for years and years to be in a film and to support them. I have no idea what this film is about. I want to know nothing about it.
Q: So this movie is about this guy’s first time in drag, so what was your first time in drag?
A: My first time in drag was running around New York City dressed as a clown and I think I got so drunk that I fell asleep on the subway and woke up sleeping on the pole. I am like 6’7” so nobody really fucks with me. So I always know like, oh I woke up at 7 in the morning, whoops. I am never scared.
Q: And you’re watching Drag Race right?
A: Yeah, of course!
Q: Who do you want to win? Which team are you?
A: I don’t know. I feel like I already know who is going to win through the grapevine. I was Trinity for a while. I am from Brooklyn and I have known Peppermint for years.
Q: Did you know Sasha before Drag Race?
A: I knew Sasha, kind of. She is new… we call them ‘Poopy Diapers’ in Brooklyn. They’re like brand new but they are all really smart and cool and well-educated queens and she was one of the poopy diapers. And I loved her but I never got to know her because she was so new and I have been doing it for 15 years. So I love her, and Peppermint I knew for years, but for me, it was about Trinity. She is polished, she is smart, and she is just incredible.
Q: Would you want to be on All Stars 3?
A: Sure, I would love to.
Q: Who would you want to do All Stars 3 with?
A: Nobody has asked me that question so far. Milk! I think she would be good competition.
Q: What are your pride plans?
A: I am actually DJing. Somebody asked me to DJ and I said great, I am not a good DJ but I will play my music. But, I am doing a Grindr party on Fire Island this Saturday. And I am doing a viewing party this Friday at Metropolitan for the finale, a finale to see the winner. And I am doing that with Aquaria, who is apparently on Season 10. Everyone keeps telling her that.
Q: Does she know that?
A: Exactly! Like who knows?
