RuPaul's Fiercest Queens Speak Out Before the Crowning of 'RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4' Winner

Television

by Nigel M. Smith
May 1, 2012 4:42 PM
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Latrice Royale

It seems like you took it the hardest when you were voted out.

The tears were not about disappointment. It was an overwhelming mix of emotions. The fact that I had made it as far as I did, and that I knew my life was going to be forever changed, is where a lot of that come from. I wanted to convey that to RuPaul and let him know that I really appreciated and loved everything that he's done for the world of drag.

Anything that you'd change looking back on the show?

If I would have known that I could have used more of my own drag in my challenges and not sew from scratch, I would have used my own. But my own integrity wouldn't let me do that. I wanted to really embrace the challenges full on and really go for it.

"Sharon got her good laundry out of a bag and won the challenge." -- Latrice Royale

You caught some flack making a statement about just that, with regards to taking sides with Phi Phi over Sharon Needles, due to Phi Phi's seamstress skills. Do you still stand behind that?

Yeah, I still do, only because I know how talented Phi Phi is as a seamstress. She sewed her ass off. Really I know what Sharon did. Sharon got her good laundry out of a bag and won the challenge. It's about integrity, not so much as the story you can tell the judges to make them believe whatever you want to sell.

You hear all these horror stories about how reality show contestants are forced to drink and not sleep in order to make for better TV. What did RuPaul do to you?

[Laughs] All of the above! And they took my phone away! We didn't sleep very much. On average we slept like four, five hours. It's really stressful.

Of all the queens, your drag is the most emotional. You really go for the core of what the song's about. What's your approach?

Well my approach to any kind of song or doing my drag is you have to listen to the words, and you have to know the story of it so you can convey it. I'm not singing it live, but I want to give it emotion as if it's coming from my heart.

If you could star in a biopic of anyone's life, who would you choose and why?

I would love to do the story of Aretha Franklin. That's my girl. She's the ultimate diva.