Detox of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season five, All Stars two performs at PLAY Louisville tonight

A super-villainess descends upon the city — what are you going to do? Ask her literally any question you can think of, duh. The iconic drag queen from Season 5 of RuPual’s Drag Race and Season two of All Stars graced me with some of her time, and even shared some top secret filler tips I’ll be sharing with everyone today. I had realized, so often, the conversation focus is always Drag Race, but never the Queen herself and her passions or interests. Trying to keep consistent with this thought (and learn some traits I could emulate, as someone who also wants to square up with Sailor Moon in a cool villain outfit) I present to you… The best worst interview that may have been conducted in a public bathroom (allegedly).

Anya: Where do you see drag in ten years? 

Detox: I don’t know. The trajectory of the show [Rupaul’s Drag Race] has been really amazing, but everybody and their dog is doing drag these days… I don’t know, it seems a little… Stale. It doesn’t seem like it has passion. The passion isn’t as prevalent as it used to be, and maybe it’s me in my old age coming from a generation where it was more challenging and full of passion. Granted drag queens are celebrities now, but I remember being a kid and the queens were just… Celestial beings to me. The end goal is I do drag because I wanna get on Drag Race, but back then it was an artform people lived and breathed. While it has represented a lot of faces that wouldn’t get representation otherwise, It has become disingenuous.

Anya: How is being a famous homosexual? 

Detox: Last night, I was out at Big Bar. And for the most part, people are respectful until they start getting drunker. Still respectful for the most part, but being a pillar of the gay community… It’s a given you’re gonna be approached. And I appreciate it a lot, but there’s times where I’ll be out with friends or family at dinner and people will approach. I consider myself a sublebrity. I’m famous, but not actual famous. I get overwhelmed. Obviously, there’s like an appreciation and love for what I did and it’s good to be recognized for doing what I love. But at times, it can be invasive. As I’m getting older, I’m realizing I wanna settle down a bit more. I miss ambiguity. Wanting to be unknown and hoard gowns.

Of Course, we cannot mention Detox in Louisville without mentioning the Hard Candy founder himself Daniel Cole.

I first had the opportunity to work with Detox back in 2013 – I was very much still in the formative stages of my career as an LGBTQ promoter. I was familiar with Detox prior to Drag Race, but we had never met. I booked her along with Penny Tration for an event at Prime Lounge where I was producing Hard Candy events at the time. Season 5 of RuPaul’s Drag Race had just begun airing a few weeks earlier so Detox was quickly gaining a large new following. 

The show was lots of fun of course. What I remember most was after the show. I was taking Detox back to the hotel and we were chatting and she broke down into tears. If you know Detox, this isn’t uncommon or necessarily a bad thing. She was overwhelmed and grateful that so many people would come out to see her at a show and appreciate her art. 

Nearly ten years later – it’s incredible to see her career still blossoming with new opportunities. I’m very proud to see her continuing to tour the world and continue to engage with fans – who eventually all become her friends along the way. 

I’m grateful to be producing LGBTQ+ events full time for several years now and to have this full circle moment touring with Detox again. It’s going to be very special having a hometown show in Louisville. I hope to see many friends there!

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Anya: To sound a bit like a serial killer, What is your favorite scary movie?

Detox: Oh god, I love scary movies. I love the Scream franchise. 

Anya: Drew Barrymore’s boobs… 

Detox: Yes! One of my all time favorite movies, period. Is Silence of the Lambs — Everything in the Hannibal franchise as well.

Anya: As a transgender, I agree.

Detox: I know it’s a little problematic when it comes to plight of the transgender community…

Anya: If it’s not problematic it’s not worth it. 

Anya: If you were in a horror movie right now, what role would you be? 

Detox: I would be the whore who dies first, and is the actual killer.

Anya: Here to collect dick, *and* murder?

Anya: Who’s your favorite designer? I’ve read you were inspired a lot by MUG-ler for your drag.

Detox: (Correcting my pronunciation) Moo-Ghler. Moo-ghler darling!

Anya: Haha! (trying not to end zoom call and throw myself into a dumpster)

Detox: I like… I remember. I remember watching VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards. 20th or 25th Anniversary retrospective, huge showcase of Mugler. Changed my life. I wanna live in that world. I wanna be this super villainess, power bitch. Seeing that has truly… made me veer into severe lines, super bitchy aesthetic. I have a passion for fashion. Tom Ford, Kim Jones, Marc Jacobs… Huge Fan of vintage Pierre Cardin, Emilio Pucci, Garreth Pugh.

Anya: Oh, I’ve got a few to google.

Detox: Google away, darling! Bask in the fashion.

Anya: Is there any particular garment you would wear every day… Like, the most ridiculous.

Detox: My Dream Garment is Mugler’s Robot Suit. I can’t remember what collection it was… Full body, head to toe, chrome plastic robot suit. I would wear that every day if I could.

Q: What is your favorite type of filler? 

Detox: Most of me is Silicon! Not good, don’t recommend it. Had I grown up in a different era where filler was a little different, I would’ve never gone the route of silicon. Haven’t had much filler done — a little cheek touch up of voluma. I also, one of my new favorites is PRP Streamlets — take your blood, separate plasma from blood and inject it into you. Around eyes, and hairline.

Anya: And what’s your oldest piece of plastic surgery?

Detox: My face! I started when I was 18, cheeks and lips. Chin and jaw. Hips, pecs, butt. It’s old enough to drink.

Q: Worst Grindr message ever received?

A: My Grindr name used to be Fart Noise, because of the alert noise — Raja, Delta Work, and my other SoCal friends and I would make fart noises at each other all the time because of it. Grindr can be embarrassing and gross, but the amount of messages I would get about people wanting me to the fart of their faces…  A lot of scat queens. I Had to change my name.

Anya: No more hung fart slaves?

Detox: Had me at hung, lost me at fart slaves.

Anya: You’re from Florida. Would you claim yourself as being a Floridian?

Detox: Totally. I spent my youth there, started my drag career there. I don’t really *like* Florida, it’s kind of embarrassing. Especially the Mayor of Orlando and the policies… At the same time, my fondest memories are there, and I wouldn’t be who I am if it weren’t for growing up. I was influenced by legendary queens from there, and trans icons that took me under their wing.

Anya: Florida and Kentucky are kind of the same.

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For the next portion of the interview, I insisted upon acting like a TV Show host, something that may never happen because I’m trans and America will not allow too many of us on TV: Detox, however, believes in me: “The dolls are taking over. I’m all about the doll take over.”

I quickly asked her questions, getting her immediate responses as a test of willpower (and how annoying I could possibly be in 5 minutes): 

Anya: Gaslight, Gatekeep, or Girlboss?

Detox: Girlboss all the way.

Anya: No more filler or no more wigs?

Detox: Suicide.

Anya: An eternity of doing the same song, or an eternity of eating only pizza?

Detox: Both of those are my reality. I do that Mannequin number in my sleep, and I eat pizza in my sleep. Either way, I’m set, regardless.

Anya: Pick a city to be stuck in forever

Detox: Oooh! Uh. That’s a good question. Stockholm, or Sydney… Or Brakivoic? I would get bored, and it’s so expensive… But I do love it. All of my Icelandic friends over there, don’t get mad at me… But I do love it. Stockholm more than Sydney.

Anya: Three items at the convenience store.

Detox: A hot shot, which is like those ginger orange and turmeric cayenne pepper shots… A… Those little pepperoni and mozzarella roll up things, and a pack of dentyne arctic chill gum.

Anya: DBD Main?

Detox: I love Feng Min… She’s got a big wide ass. She’s built like me. There’s one skin I always wear with her, where she has an asymmetrical bob with a chunky streak in it and this neon yellow visor. It reminds me of when I was a twink and did porn!

Anya: Argue with KPOP fans on Twitter OR republicans

Detox: There’s not getting through to republicans, at least KPOP fans listen.

Anya: Stan Loona!

Detox: Stan Loona!

Anya: Worst thing you’ve done in a public bathroom 

Detox: This interview. I’ve done a lot of things in public bathrooms… The only thing I haven’t done in a public bathroom is poop. I cannot poop in public. There’s a thing that happens to me physically where I am unable to do it in public. Even when I am home alone, I have to run the faucet and lock all the doors… and I live alone.