Paris Starz is a bearded queen that performs in Evansville, Indiana! Paris is a talented performer, with an amazing personality and attitude to match!
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Transcription of above micro-podcast:
Kealie: I had the pleasure of getting to interview drag queen, Paris Starz. Paris is a very talented queen in Evansville, Indiana that has been performing for years now. A part of the interview that was really interesting was when Paris discussed how she prepares for her performances.
Kealie: Alright, so what goes into getting ready for a performance?
Paris: A whole lot. Well for the night of, it’s just doing your makeup and then some girls don’t have to but I personally have to wear hip pads and that’s just to make my body look more womanly. So I literally use couch cushions that I once found, I cleaned them of course, and you just cut out the shape of like your hip and what you want your butt to look like and you trim it down and put pantyhose over it so it smoothes out like your real legs and that is the hardest part like yesterday when I performed I literally was like my mom was here and she saw me getting ready and I was like “Ugh this is the worst part, you’re so lucky that you don’t have to put hip pads on,” but honestly preparing up to that we just have to like listen music and lip sync and honestly I’m sitting in my bedroom and usually I have two big mirrors in here and I’ll just like kind of perform or just dance in the mirror and just see what I look like like.
Interview with Paris Starz, 2021.
To cite this particular interview, please use the following:
Bohnert, Chelsey. 2021. Interview with Peach of the Midwest. Sociology of Drag, SIUE. April, 9. Available URL (https://ezratemko.com/drag/peach-of-the-midwest).
Chelsey: Alright, So, you are doing good today?
Peach of the Midwest: I’m doing pretty good. How about yourself?
Chelsey: I’m good. I just can’t hear very well. [Laughs]
Peach of the Midwest: How is the… how is the COVID going?
Chelsey: It’s going, it’s going. I feel fine. I just know that a… I just know I have an ear infection. I got to get over this before I fly.
Peach of the Midwest: Oh good. So, it’s working out pretty good? You’re not having any…?
Chelsey: No..
Peach of the Midwest: You didn’t have any horrible symptoms or anything?
Chelsey: No. I mean, I was just wiped out for about a week and, um, I just… I just… the secondary thing right now is what’s getting me. Let me close this.
Peach of the Midwest: Oh okay. Yeah, I had… when I had it, I had somewhat of a cough, and then, like, my cough has lingered, like, on and on, so I’ve been taking Robitussin, so…
Chelsey: Yeah, I’ve been doing the Mucinex. That’s been working for me.
Peach of the Midwest: Oh okay. Yeah, ’cause it’s good to do that, and some tea, because I noticed, um, that mucus will sit there.
Chelsey: Oh yeah. Well, I mean, since we are on the subject of COVID, that’s one of the interview questions. What has the COVID-19 pandemic meant for you, for your life as a drag artist?
Peach of the Midwest: Oh my goodness! [laughter] Honestly, it has… COVID has stopped everything for a drag queen, I’m telling you. We’re even having… we’re having to get creative. Um, so a lot of queens are doing, um, like, virtual shows, a lot of queens are doing, um, like, you know, they’ll have, like, a big show within their basement with just the queens only. As for me, I stopped doing… my last show would have been Halloween, actually.
Chelsey: Oh wow!
Peach of the Midwest: And, um, I was actually quarantined then from being exposed to COVID, so I couldn’t make that show.
Chelsey: Oh!
Peach of the Midwest: So, I haven’t performed since before then actually.
Chelsey: Okay. So, it’s changed everything for you?
Peach of the Midwest: Oh yeah, definitely.
Chelsey: Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah, definitely.
Chelsey: Alright, um, so I just want to know a little more about your, your personal story with drag. When did you hear… when did you first hear about drag? And what was your initial reaction to it?
Peach of the Midwest: Um, well, I started doing drag… when I first heard about drag, it was at Chester Street Bar in Champaign, Illinois. A few of my friends were actually drag queens at the time; they were doing some talent nights or whatever. And I started off from a dare. I was dared by a friend to do it, and ever since I got in drag, I never stopped. I’ve been doing drag since 2008.
Chelsey: Okay, okay. And you said a tala night. What is that?
Peach of the Midwest: A talent night is where it’s just like a talent show; you, kind of, showcase your talent and…
Chelsey: Oh talent.
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah. So, they call it a talent night.
Chelsey: Okay, okay. Um, so you started performing as a drag artist in 2018, and you did it on a dare?
Peach of the Midwest: 2008.
Chelsey: 2008. Excuse me.
Peach of the Midwest: Mm-hmm, yeah. Quite some time ago.
Chelsey: So, 2000… and you did it on a dare, huh?
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah. I did it on a dare, and I, um, haven’t stopped since. I started… I started at Chester Street Bar, actually. I became a show director over there. And then I went over to Emerald City. That was another, um, bar that they had. Um, I became a show director over there. And I’ve, I’ve been a show director for quite some time everywhere I go. So, uh, yeah I’ve, I’ve… it’s been pretty successful for me, actually.
Chelsey: That’s cool, that’s cool. Um, like, show directing, like, say, is it like, um, like, a drag family or a house that you’re in?
Peach of the Midwest: So, I’m in the house of Carrington. I started off from being a Dupree…
Chelsey: Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: Um, and then, after… I think after, probably, six months, six or seven months, I became a Carrington, and I’ve been a Carrington ever since.
Chelsey: Nice. Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah.
Chelsey: How did your family, friends, and your other… and other loved ones receive you becoming a drag artist?
Peach of the Midwest: They packed the shows. [Laughs]
Chelsey: Yeah?
Peach of the Midwest: They packed the shows. Oh yeah, definitely.
Chelsey: That’s great. That’s great.
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah, they packed the shows, so it worked out great for me.
Chelsey: Okay. That’s really cool that you got so much support. Where does your… where does your drag name come from?
Peach of the Midwest: Um, so I started off as… my first drag name was Peaches, um, and then my, uh, current drag name is Peach of the Midwest Carrington. Um, honestly, the Carringtons are known for their backsides. So, that’s where we, kind of, get the peach name from. And I’ve, I’ve… I used to travel a lot, and I’ve also, uh, traveled to, like, different bars within the Midwest. So, that’s where we got the Peach of the Midwest from, so…
Chelsey: Okay, alright. So, there’s, there’s a lot of terms for, for types of drag and styles of drag, from, like, drag queen, drag king, glamor queen, comedy, bio queen, camp queen. Are you… are there particular labels you would use to characterize your drag? What kind of drag do you do?
Peach of the Midwest: Um, I would say I do, uh… I have performed glamorous drag, and I’m also a dancer. So, I’m a drag… I’m a… I’m a dancing girl, what they call it. Um, so, sometimes, you’ll see me, like, in a dance costume with a lot of fringe and, you know, big hair, big dance hair, or sometimes you’ll see fully glamorous in a full, uh, stone gown, or, you know, sequined gown or…
Chelsey: Oh, fun. That’s fun. Do you make the gowns yourself?
Peach of the Midwest: No.
Chelsey: No?
Peach of the Midwest: No. So, I have a lot of seamstresses that I work with. Um, Mona Montclair, a retired drag queen, her name was Amaya St. James. Um, I have a team of seamstress who does alterations and things like that for me. They are a part of the U of I. They used to do the U of I ballet team.
Chelsey: Oh, nice.
Peach of the Midwest: So, they do my alterations.
Chelsey: Okay. So, you would characterize yourself more of a glamor queen, dancing, dancing queen?
Peach of the Midwest: Yes, uh, huh.
Chelsey: Does the type… does being a glamor queen or, you know, dancing queen, does that affect your life as a drag artist? Like, how does that affect your success or your being a drag artist?
Peach of the Midwest: Um, I think it actually helped out a lot, actually. So, I am the owner of Miss Chambana Pride. Um, I came up with that pageant last… I think two years ago. And I was a manageress for that, so that was a success. Also, I was a part of the In Her Closet at Spurlock Museum at U of I, on the U of I campus. They had an exhibit for drag queens, and I was showcased on the runway as one of the girls on there.
Chelsey: Wow!
Peach of the Midwest: I’ve done several big shows with, like, the RuPaul Drag Race girls. Uh…
Chelsey: Oh, that’s the…
Peach of the Midwest: I’ve done the sold-out… I’ve done the sold-out shows at the U of I, Illini Union. So, yeah, it’s been pretty good.
Chelsey: Well, that’s good.
Peach of the Midwest: And I also… um, this past… two years ago, ’cause we didn’t have it this year, but the year before that, I brought back the shows at Parkland College.
Chelsey: Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: They hadn’t had shows in over, I think, five to eight years, so…
Chelsey: That’s awesome. Okay.
Peach of the Midwest It was a great success. So, yeah.
Chelsey: Who or what has influenced your drag, like…?
Peach of the Midwest: Um, the list is long. So, I have… so, I have a queen who I started out with. Her name was Kelasia Karmikal. Um, she started me out, started me… teaching me makeup and different things like that. And then, once I became a Carrington, my drag mother is, um, Stimulation Carrington. And then I have my grandmother, which is Ceduxion Carrington. I have Mona Montclair, I have Amaya St. James, um, Alexis Carrington. So, it was like… kinda like… the Carringtons are kinda like a village. Like, a lot of people say a village… it takes a village to raise a child; it takes a village to raise a drag queen too… [Laughs]
Chelsey: Okay. Alright. I was reading… um, I was reading a reading from class the other day, and it said… one of the… one of the things it said in the reading was, um, drag is for… drag is like kindergarten. It’s like kindergarten for drag queens, like, starting off.
Peach of the Midwest: Uh-huh, uh-huh.
Chelsey: Do you agree with that, kind of? Once you start off, you kinda… growing?
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah, yeah, I agree. Yeah, definitely.
Chelsey: Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah, ’cause you have to learn the ropes of it all. Because the makeup and…. See, a lot of the times… a lot of times when you have… when you are in drag houses, their main thing is they want you to be as independent as possible.
Chelsey: Mm-hmm.
Peach of the Midwest: So, what they do is they kinda mold you into being as independent as possible. So, they’ll start off with… a lot of times, they start off with make-up. Make-up is like one of the hardest things for you to, uh… to do, ’cause you’re going from, of course, a male to a female, you have to learn the structure of your face and all that. So, I think that was like the first thing for me to learn.
And then, after that, we went on to costumes, because a lot of times, when you’re a new drag queen, if you don’t have the family structure of someone who already was in drag or someone who’s willing to allow you to borrow their costumes and garments and all that, you’re gonna wear street clothes. So, that was one of the things. We kinda got a creative in the beginning with the street clothes and all that. And, um, as I [inaudible] on and learned make-up and, you know, got more serious and was willing to spend more money and invest in myself, I became, um… I became interested in costumes and, you know, garments, and I was able to meet different seamstresses and work with a lot of people to where I was able to, uh, start my closet of having my own items. So, yeah.
Chelsey: Mm-hmm, nice. Okay. How often do you perform in drag, and where do you perform the most?
Peach of the Midwest: So, bef– before COVID, um, I used to perform at a bar called Noah’s Rock Bar. Um, we would perform every month. We would have every month shows. And that had started prior to COVID, and it actually… the last show there was Halloween. Prior to that, I was going from different bars and hosting shows. I was over at Clark Bar before. Um, like I said, C Street before it closed, I was there. Sometimes we were there Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, it just depends, you know, what kind of events they had. Um, normally, Sundays were drag shows, but sometimes we would have, you know, like, a talent night for… on a weekday or something like that.
Chelsey: Okay. So, like, four or five times a week you would, before COVID, perform?
Peach of the Midwest: Uh, it just… it just depends, ’cause, see, C Street has been closed for quite some time. So, once C Street closed, things kinda decreased a lot. We kinda weren’t doing drag for a while. And then I kinda did some networking to where we could get it back going. So, I would say, before COVID I was probably doing, probably like two shows a month, if that.
Chelsey: Two shows a month?
Peach of the Midwest: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Chelsey: Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: ‘Cause sometimes I would travel to Peoria; sometimes I would travel to Decatur, Illinois, so… sometimes Springfield. So, yeah. Yeah.
Chelsey: Okay. So, what goes into getting ready for a performance?
Peach of the Midwest: [Laughs]
Chelsey: Short version. No, [laughs] just kidding.
Peach of the Midwest: Oh my goodness. So, first of all… first of all, picking out the garments is, is, you know… it’s, it’s a big deal, um, ’cause a lot of times you want your garments to go with your music. So, picking out the music is one of the most stressful things for me, because you kinda wanna… you kinda wanna, uh, look… I don’t know, I’m the type… I’m the type of performer that likes to look at the audience. So, if I’m going to a bar setting, a lot of people at a bar setting don’t really like the glamorous gown girl. You know? A lotta… a lotta gowns I normally pull out at, like, children’s events, I normally pull out at, like, brunch events, um, so that I can keep the energy up.
Chelsey: Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: So, first things first is your music. Second thing would be your garments that you’re gonna wear. Third thing would be your makeup, which takes sometimes from 30 minutes to probably two hours, just depending on, you know, how long you want to stretch it out or how long… how creative you wanna get with it. Um, and then it’s getting to the bar, going ahead and setting up your station and, you know, getting to it. So, yeah.
Chelsey: Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: It’s a… it’s a lot of work, but that’s…
Chelsey: So, a lot of work.
Peach of the Midwest: It’s a lot of work, but that’s just the short time… that’s just the short version of it. [Laughs]
Chelsey: [Laughs] Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: Doing it is… doing it is a lot longer than talking about it, so [overtalking].
Chelsey: Yes, I… from what I’ve read, you guys… you guys, uh, put a lot of work… a lot of work into it.
Peach of the Midwest: Oh yeah, oh yeah. Definitely.
Chelsey: Alright. So, um, what are the biggest challenges to doing drag and being a drag artist?
Peach of the Midwest: Um, I think the biggest challenges are… well, I think the biggest challenge for now, like, in our area, we don’t have a gay bar. So, we have to utilize straight bars and, you know, LGBTQ+ friendly bars to be able to showcase our talent. So, I think that’s one of our biggest challenges currently.
Chelsey: So, but you said that you perform for universities or, or put on pageants? Is that what you s–?
Peach of the Midwest: So, so we… okay, so we do… we work with the university because we are… we’re a part of the In Her Closet with Spurlock Museum. So, that went on for about a year. They extended it due to COVID because they said a lot of people didn’t have a chance to come in and all that. So, um, the exhibit is currently down, but they’re looking into bringing back some more exhibits over the course of the year or whatever. Um, so, we do do work with them. We um… we do the U of I’s Illini Union show, but they cancelled it due to COVID this year.
Chelsey: Gotcha.
Peach of the Midwest: So, it’ll probably be retired. So, a lot of things that we normally would do were cancelled due to COVID. So…
Chelsey: Okay. Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah. But as far as the pageant, that was cancelled as well. [Laughs]
Chelsey: Yeah. I’m so sorry
Peach of the Midwest: So, [overtalking] before… I was actually supposed to crown the first queen, um, because I was the emeritus, so I was crowing the actual first queen this year for pride, but they cancelled it.
Chelsey: Okay. Um, next question. Let’s see. Is there anything unique to the drag scene where you live compared to other places in the country or in the world? What’s unique about…?
Peach of the Midwest: I think… I think the biggest thing that we would need would be a gay club.
Chelsey: Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: I think the biggest thing we would need is a gay club because it gives us our own space. It gives us our own safe haven, you know, and it allows us to have that voice on what… you know, what our community likes and enjoys versus going into somebody else’s bar and having to get comfortable with what everybody like, you know? We can actually do what we enjoy within our community in our own space.
Chelsey: Mm-hmm. And can you clarify for… where you live that, that you don’t have the…?
Peach of the Midwest: I currently live in Champaign. I live in Champaign, Illinois.
Chelsey: Champaign? Okay, yeah, so I see what you’re saying. Okay. So, um, the…
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah.
Chelsey: So, what is.. what is… there is nothing really nothing unique about the Champaign drag scene to you?
Peach of the Midwest: I mean, honestly, like, the Carringtons have taken over. [Laughs]
Chelsey: Okay, okay.
Peach of the Midwest: So, that’s, that’s the unique thing. I’m in one of the hottest houses in the Midwest, um, which is the Carringtons. I mean, we go all over. We have queens all over. Um, and I mean, when I say all over, literally, all over. There’s Carringtons everywhere. But that’s, that’s the most-known house in the Midwest. So, that’s, that’s the unique thing. I’m in one of the… I’m one of the It girls. [Laughs]
Chelsey: Gotcha! That’s gotta be nice.
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah.
Chelsea: Gotta always feel like you belong somewhere, you know?
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah (inaudible) I’m telling you, I, I get asked if I’m a Ca—a Carrington everywhere.
Chelsey: Really? [Laughs]
Peach of the Midwest: When I say everywhere, everywhere. Yes.
Chelsey: Okay. Well, I got a couple personal questions for you, so, um, just feel free to just pass or if you don’t… if you don’t feel comfortable answering, um, that’s totally fine.
Peach of the Midwest: Okay.
Chelsey: Okay? Um, so, how do you identify in terms of your sex, gender identity, and gender expression out of drag?
Peach of the Midwest: Um, so, I go by pronouns he/him. Um, actually, I’m a drag queen, and I actually have a baby that will be born July 21st.
Chelsey: Oh, well, congratulations!
Peach of the Midwest: So, I’ll be a dad soon. Thank you. Yeah, so, I’ll be a dad soon. Um, so yeah, I ide– I identify as he/him in a dress. [Laughs]
Chelsey: Okay. Okay. So, how, how has drag influenced your, your sex and, and gender identities?
Peach of the Midwest: Uh, I don’t… I don’t know…
Chelsey: Don’t know?
Peach of the Midwest: Actually… okay. So, I’ll say, so I am engaged to a trans man.
Chelsey: Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: So, I’m engaged to a trans man, I’m a drag queen. I identify as he/him. He identifies as he/him Um, so I think it’s actually been fun. [Laughs] I think it’s been fun and very interesting for us.
Chelsey: Oh, lost him.
[Blank from 00:20:22 to 00:26:04]Chelsey: His phone died. Shit!
[Blank from 00:26:07 to 00:27:31]Chelsea: We’ll continue at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow.
Peach of the Midwest: [Inaudible]. How about now?
Chelsea: That’s better, yeah. Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: Okay. So, yeah, so, like I was saying with pageantry, you have to network a lot more, so, honestly, I always keep my personal life in drag kinda separate. Um, so, I, I don’t know. I don’t really know how to answer that.
Chelsey: Okay, you’re good. Alright. So, um, this, this next section… there’s just a few more questions. I just wanna know, how do you define drag?
Peach of the Midwest: Um, I define drag as dance like no one’s watching. Um, be yourself, uh, do what makes you comfortable and be entertained.
Chelsey: So, that’s how… that’s how you define… that’s how you define drag, as just your… freedom…
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah, definitely.
Chelsey: Freedom just to do whatever you want?
Peach of the Midwest: Oh yeah, yeah, freedom to… yeah, freedom to do whatever you want. ‘Cause nowadays, drag is… nowadays, drag is a lot more open. Drag used to be, you’re a drag queen or a drag king. Now, you have bioqueens, now you have, um… you know, you have androgenous, you have so many… there’s so many classifications when it comes to drag now.
Chelsey: So, bioqueen…
Peach of the Midwest: So, I think just being yourself… I’m sorry?
Chelsey: So, bioqueen, can you…? Can you ju—can you… what is…? I’ve, I’ve read about bioqueens. What is… what is your, uh, definition of a bioqueen?
Peach of the Midwest: I, honestly, don’t even have a [laughs] definition of bioqueen because I’m still learning, like, as far as the definitions and all that. I don’t even know what to consider myself. [Laughs]
Chelsey: [Laughs]Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: My…. you know, ’cause I don’t know what classification it goes under, um, because it’s so many definitions that I’m, I’m not even sure what my classification would be as far as my drag persona.
Chelsey: I see.
Peach of the Midwest: Um, because as I said, I’m very versatile, you know, so I don’t really know if it has the certain criteria it goes under or what. So, as far as a bioqueen, I know I’ve had some in shows before. Um, and they were a lot different than, you know, regular drag queens, like, as far as the attire, makeup and all that. But I don’t really know if I could put together a definition for them, though.
Chelsey: Okay, okay. Um, what do you think… what do you think is the purpose of drag is?
Peach of the Midwest: I think the purpose of drag is an outlet for everybody. It allows you to be yourself. And not only just that, it, um, allows you to showcase your talent. I know a lot of, uh, talented individuals, they struggle with depression, they struggle with mental illnesses, and this is like their escape for them, so yeah.
Chelsey: Mm-hmm. Good, good. Okay. So, do you think drag is sexual at all?
Peach of the Midwest: Uh, no, I don’t think so.
Chelsey: No?
Peach of the Midwest: Now, sometimes in a performance, you can get a little cheek or a little tit, but I don’t think so, no. [Laughs]
Chelsey: Why, why don’t you think its sexual?
Peach of the Midwest: Uh, I don’t know. I think… I, I don’t know.
Chelsey: Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: I think… well, I mean… I don’t know ’cause sometimes… honestly, some times… I mean, with the House of Carrington, you just never know what to expect. So, I think in certain cases, it could be, because sometimes it just depends on the crowd, because sometimes the crowd likes more of a striptease versus a drag queen performance, if that makes sense.
Chelsey: Yeah, that makes sense.
Peach of the Midwest: So, I think it, honestly… I think it, honestly, just depends on the venue and the occasion.
Chelsey: Okay, so the sexua—so, it’s sexual just depending on the night and the crowd and, and what’s going on?
Peach of the Midwest: Right. Definitely, yeah. The energy in the room, ’cause sometimes you can get a bunch of older guys, and they want that extra, you know…
Chelsey: Yeah.
Peach of the Midwest: That extra dance. Yeah, so…
Chelsey: Like, the eroticism of it?
Peach of the Midwest: Yep. They want you to pull out all the tricks, and they pull out all the money so, they… [laughs]
Chelsey: There you go. Aright. So, how do you feel about RuPaul’s Drag Race?
Peach of the Midwest: Oh, I like RuPaul’s Drag Race, don’t get me wrong. Um, I feel that some of their critiques and some of the pickings of the contestants are unfair at times, and some of the eliminations are unfair at times. But I believe it gives the world the opportunity to see the lifestyle, and it gives the world the opportunity to get educated on the art form.
Chelsey: How, how… in what ways do you think it’s unfair?
Peach of the Midwest: Um, I just think a lot of times, like, when you’re watching it, I think, certain people that I would say [inaudible].
Chelsey: Oh, I can’t hear you again. I’m so sorry. You said it’s, uh…?
Peach of the Midwest: Can you hear me now?
Chelsey: There we go. Yeah. [Laughs] Sorry about that.
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah, I just… I just think that, um… I just think that at some points, it’s just not fair, like, as far as eliminations and some of the challenges of people that I feel should win. Yeah, they don’t get to win, so…
Chelsey: Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: And then, also, a lot of the contestants have been… a lot of the contestants have been, uh, former contestants like daughters, former contestants like fam– you know? So, I just think the picking sometimes is not…
[Blank from 00:05:32 to 00:06:17]Chelsey: And disconnected again.
[Blank from 00:06:20 to 00:12:38]Speaker: [Unclear].
Peach of the Midwest: I’m back.
Chelsey: Hi. [Laughs]
Peach of the Midwest: This time I’m telling you it’s ridiculous. I was trying not to get back into the car ’cause my nephew is on YouTube watching videos.
Chelsey: Aw, that’s alright. Um, alright, I just…
Peach of the Midwest: I’m on the charger now, and I’m ready. [Laughs]
Chelsey: Okay. [Laughs] Alright, so, I’ve only got a couple more questions for you. So, you were talking about Drag Race, and you said that it was unfair, um, that…
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah, I just… I think that some of their selections and some of their, um, pickings are unfair at times. Um, a lot of times, when watching, um, as a spectator, you think that if some pers– some people should win, and you think that the person that won shouldn’t have won.
Chelsey: Oh, I’m — I can’t hear– I can’t hear you again. I’m so– It’s just coming through… coming through a little bit, the, the background. Um, okay. So, you said the contestants…
Peach of the Midwest: Can you hear me?
Chelsey: Yeah. So, how they’re… how they’re, um… how are picked and how people win, um, you disapprove?
Peach of the Midwest: Yeah. How they pick a lot of the contest winners and all that. I just think a lot of times the people who are winning should not win, and some of the people who don’t get to win that, um, challenge, I think that they should win that challenge because they are a lot stronger within that challenge or whatever. I just… I don’t know. Sometimes, I just feel like, a lot of the times, their pickings are more so for television versus it is for the best of… you know, the best of the best of the, the, um, contestants.
Chelsey: Yeah. Okay. I noticed on Drag Race that, um… and I read also that, uh, there hasn’t been any Latino women or Latino drag queens that have won. And I noticed, like, a lot of the challenges, kind of, personify more of a, uh, white icons instead of, of, you know, different ethnicities. Um, do you think that, that drag pers– a lot of drag performances personify whiteness more than any other ethnicity?
Peach of the Midwest: Um, as far as television, I would say yes.
Chelsey: Mm-hmm.
Peach of the Midwest: And RuPaul. [Laughs]
Chelsey: Yeah. [Laughs]
Peach of the Midwest: Um, but, um, I can say the benefit of RuPaul, honestly. He’s made way for a lot of… a lot of individuals of all generations and all races, I will say. Um, even, even for local entertainers because drag… you know, with having Drag Race on television, it’s allowed people to be more educated and be able to accept, you know, a drag queen better than they would if they hadn’t seen it, you know? ‘Cause there’s never really been a show about a drag queen before RuPaul’s Drag Race. So, I think it has helped us in a way. Um, but I think also it’s, um, hindered a lot of us because they think that that’s what… that’s what they should expect from the local girls and all that and they don’t– you know? That’s television. So, television is a lot more skunked up at times. And, you know…
Chelsey: Okay.
Peach of the Midwest: They have a lot of designers that can do different creative garments and all that, so…
Chelsey: Okay, great! Okay. Well, um, I noticed also that RuPaul doesn’t allow fully trans, uh, individuals or fully transitioned individuals on the show. What do you think about that?
Peach of the Midwest: Um, I think that it’s unfair, but I also think it’s best to keep it separate so that they are judged fairly.
Chelsey: Mm-hmm. Okay. Do you think, uh, that they should allow drag kings on the show?
Peach of the Midwest: Um, I think that they should have their own show, actually. I think if RuPaul did their own show, I think…I think that that would be good.
Chelsey: Okay. I only got one or two… Only got one more question for you. Um, if you could change one thing about drag, the drag scene, or the drag community, what would it be?
Peach of the Midwest: I’m sorry, I can’t even hear you? [Background conversation]. Oh, you’re still on. I’m sorry, what did you say?
Chelsey: You’re fine. [Laughs] I really appreciate you taking the time to do this. Um, I said, if you could change one thing about drag, the drag scene, or the drag community, what would it be and why?
Peach of the Midwest: I think it would be getting a club. I think that would be the main thing that’s our focus currently in the Midwest. I think that’s one of our hindrance and one thing that will make the community and also the drag community a lot stronger.
Chelsey: Okay. Well, what do you think about… what do you think are a lot of misconceptions people have about drag?
Peach of the Midwest: You said about drag?
Chelsey: Yeah. What are… what do you think are common misconceptions people have about drag? Where, where do you think it comes from?
Peach of the Midwest: Um, I’m not exactly sure how to han– how to answer that, honestly.
Chelsey: Okay. Uh, so if… last question, if you choose one thing you want people to know or learn about drag, what would it be?
Peach of the Midwest: Um, uh, probably that drag is like an escape and a way for us to showcase our talent for everybody… um, to everybody. Um, and that it’s… you know, for a lot of times, for a lot of people it’s a fun thing versus a career. And also, a lot of people within it have made it a career, ’cause there’s a lot of times, drag queens, that’s their full-time job.
Chelsey: Mm-hmm. Okay. Well, thank you so much. That was my last question for you. I really, uh… I wish you the best. I know COVID has affected this a lot for you, and I, uh, I really, uh, I wish you the best, and I hope that things pick up for you and in doing shows and everything.
Peach of the Midwest: Same to you. Thank you so much. And I hope that COVID gets better for you, and I hope that it leaves you very (inaudible).
Chelsey: Thank you. And, uh, take care of that new baby when it comes.
Peach of the Midwest: Thank you!
Chelsey: You’re welcome. You have a good day. Thank you.
Peach of the Midwest: You too.
Chelsey: Bye-bye.
Peach of the Midwest: Bye-bye