Shannel Interview
We recently caught up with Shannel from RuPaul's Drag Race season 1 and All Stars 1 and talked about drag race and how important fan interaction is.
1. How did you first find out about drag and how old were you?
My parents loved to travel to Las Vegas when I was growing up and took me to see Kenny Kerr's "Boylesque" when I was 8.
2. Who was the first person that you told you were doing drag?
My mom.
3. You were the first person on Drag Race to ever remove their wig and you recently talked about it on Alaska and Willam's podcast 'Race Chaser'. What made you decide to do this?
I needed to show vulnerability to the judges and found a way of doing so.
4. What was it like to be one of the first queens to ever enter RuPaul's Drag Race?
I've always been ahead of my time but it has it's positives and negatives. It's amazing that it's been 10 years. But I'm still the first one who ever walked in the workroom so, that's always nice to say. But everything's so different now. Drag is different now. There are so many people who don't know the first few seasons, especially season 1.
5. What made you decide to come back for All Stars 1?
Why not? Lol. It was nice to be asked, and it was nice to see friends.
6. Mya Fairr asks, have you ever hosted a show? If so, how was the experience of doing it for the first time?
What's funny is that is what I do best. I am a headliner and emcee of the only drag show on the Las Vegas Strip. Actually every weekend, I am hosting 10 or more shows. And I absolutely love it. I was in debate in high school and it taught me to think and respond quickly to whatever comes at me. My first experience was just something I did, and have continued 20 years later.
7. What was the best part of being season 1 and All Stars 1 of Drag Race?
We were the originals. And from what we started on these shows, it allowed for continued seasons to flourish and make the art of drag even more mainstream.
8. What pressures do you feel there are on newer queens?
I don't really think there are any heavy pressures on newer queens. The art of drag has shifted and allowed all types of queens to be inclusive with the drag community. I'm going on my 25th year and when I started, you had to make a name for yourself. We didn't have Instagram or YouTube. The real pressure of the business is for a really talented female impersonator, who has been in the business for years to continue being successful when all people want to see is someone who has been on Drag Race. THAT is the true pressure these days.
9. Do you feel that drag has been a way of expressing yourself and your creativity?
Absolutely. My wardrobe itself is about being creative and fashion forward as possible. My costume designer, CoCo Vega, and I can sit for days designing an outfit and then spend the next few weeks constructing it and putting pieces together. When it comes to expressing myself, Shannel and Bryan are two very different people. And I like it that way.
10. How important do you feel fan interaction is and why?
Absolutely important. The interesting thing about Drag Race and what we do is that we are able to meet so many fans, and I think for those who really want to meet us, it changes their world. This world has become a mean place, so if chatting with someone and taking a photo brightens someone's life, then I'm all about putting some good into the universe!
1. How did you first find out about drag and how old were you?
My parents loved to travel to Las Vegas when I was growing up and took me to see Kenny Kerr's "Boylesque" when I was 8.
2. Who was the first person that you told you were doing drag?
My mom.
3. You were the first person on Drag Race to ever remove their wig and you recently talked about it on Alaska and Willam's podcast 'Race Chaser'. What made you decide to do this?
I needed to show vulnerability to the judges and found a way of doing so.
4. What was it like to be one of the first queens to ever enter RuPaul's Drag Race?
I've always been ahead of my time but it has it's positives and negatives. It's amazing that it's been 10 years. But I'm still the first one who ever walked in the workroom so, that's always nice to say. But everything's so different now. Drag is different now. There are so many people who don't know the first few seasons, especially season 1.
5. What made you decide to come back for All Stars 1?
Why not? Lol. It was nice to be asked, and it was nice to see friends.
6. Mya Fairr asks, have you ever hosted a show? If so, how was the experience of doing it for the first time?
What's funny is that is what I do best. I am a headliner and emcee of the only drag show on the Las Vegas Strip. Actually every weekend, I am hosting 10 or more shows. And I absolutely love it. I was in debate in high school and it taught me to think and respond quickly to whatever comes at me. My first experience was just something I did, and have continued 20 years later.
7. What was the best part of being season 1 and All Stars 1 of Drag Race?
We were the originals. And from what we started on these shows, it allowed for continued seasons to flourish and make the art of drag even more mainstream.
8. What pressures do you feel there are on newer queens?
I don't really think there are any heavy pressures on newer queens. The art of drag has shifted and allowed all types of queens to be inclusive with the drag community. I'm going on my 25th year and when I started, you had to make a name for yourself. We didn't have Instagram or YouTube. The real pressure of the business is for a really talented female impersonator, who has been in the business for years to continue being successful when all people want to see is someone who has been on Drag Race. THAT is the true pressure these days.
9. Do you feel that drag has been a way of expressing yourself and your creativity?
Absolutely. My wardrobe itself is about being creative and fashion forward as possible. My costume designer, CoCo Vega, and I can sit for days designing an outfit and then spend the next few weeks constructing it and putting pieces together. When it comes to expressing myself, Shannel and Bryan are two very different people. And I like it that way.
10. How important do you feel fan interaction is and why?
Absolutely important. The interesting thing about Drag Race and what we do is that we are able to meet so many fans, and I think for those who really want to meet us, it changes their world. This world has become a mean place, so if chatting with someone and taking a photo brightens someone's life, then I'm all about putting some good into the universe!
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