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Drag Race Down Under judge Rhys Nicholson shares scoop on new queens

Headshot of Jessie Stoelwinder
Jessie StoelwinderThe West Australian
RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under judge Rhys Nicholson.
Camera IconRuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under judge Rhys Nicholson. Credit: Stan

Rhys Nicholson likes their drag a little rough around the edges.

The comedian is returning as a judge for the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, but contestants needn’t be perfect to get their vote.

Rather than the sublimely coiffed and contoured queens who rule in the international Drag Race universe, Nicholson says our local counterparts are a different breed.

“I know it sounds kind of hokey, but I am looking for authenticity,” they say.

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“And that’s something we do particularly well in Australia. I mean this in a good way — we are a bit rough and ready, drag-wise. RuPaul was on (talk show) Graham Norton a few months ago and called us ‘ratchet’, and I took that as a compliment.

“We aren’t about getting a perfect Beyonce lip-sync or doing death drops. We are more about being genuine and interesting. I think of drag as character acting.”

The cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under.
Camera IconThe cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under. Credit: Stan

Ten new performers from Australia and New Zealand have stepped up for the “Olympics of drag” this year, representing a range of cultural and artistic backgrounds.

Something they all have in common, though, is their talent, which Nicholson jokes is “threatening”.

“If I see a queen who looks incredible, can do choreography and then also does an amazing stand-up set, it’s like, come on, I can only do one of those things!,” they laugh.

“When you really look at drag, it is such a multi-faceted art form and to be the full package, you need to do a thousand things.”

Nicholson promises this year’s challenges will force the queens to test their skills and deliver some killer runway looks.

But away from the razzle dazzle is a more serious side of the Drag Race franchise.

The show is almost as well known for providing a rare public platform for contestants to champion conversations about gender identity.

For Nicholson, who came out as non-binary last year, this representation is crucial.

“I would put the conversations that were had on our show and across the board on the franchise as, without hyperbole, a major part of me being comfortable to talk about (being non-binary),” they say.

“There’s not really another mainstream place that it is talked about. We can all be funny and sarcastic about the scenes where the queens are talking about deep s..., but it is so important to broader culture. I hope that continues.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under starts on Saturday on Stan.

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