Roll up, roll up, it’s time to test your luck!
Well actually it turns our that the lever has been pulled, the reels have span and wouldn’t you know it, we’re onto a winner baby.
Yes that’s right, Drag Race Live Untucked is coming back, back, back again baby and we’re so ready for the drama and antics of a second season. Just as a little brag, the first season became WOW Presents Plus’s highest rated original series since launching in 2017 so we can’t pretend to be shocked to see it returning.
This time around we’re going behind the curtains for a six-part series to see what really happens when the hit Vegas show ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race Live!’ is slaying the stage. The show recently celebrated its 1,000th show so you just know there will be celebrations involved and with drunken antics, comes a whole bunch of gossip.
There’s a little bit of a cast switch up this season, we have Season 16 babe Mirage and winner Nymphia Wind stepping onto the stage to strut their stuff. Throw them in the mix with returning queens Bosco, Derrick Barry, Latrice Royale, Lawrence Chaney and Kennedy Davenport and well, you just know we about to see some drama, tea spilling and kitty cat fights.
Who fancies a quick glimpse at the trailer?
The Shagpipes are calling!
Oh you didn’t think we’d be promoting the new series without talking to one of the legendary starts of the show did you? Come on Gurls, you know better.
The hilarious icon herself, Lawrence Chaney of the UK Season Two crown, took some time to sit down and spill the strong tea (with a bit of sugar and a splash of milk) on all things Vegas.
Hiya babes, how’s life treating you as a booked and blessed winner?
I am having the time of my life being a winner and working away. I’m forever grateful for
these opportunities and I do not take them lightly! When you’re able to make your hobby
your job, and you wake up every day doing something you love, that’s truly magic. That is
the best thing ever, so I’m very grateful. And especially four years on since winning, to still
be working, that I’m very grateful for.
What was your initial reaction to getting the invite to Vegas?
It was intimidating, but I knew I wanted to do it. I’ve been a big fan of the Vegas show since it
opened. I saw clips online and I was like, I need to be in that show! I asked my friends at
World of Wonder and said, “I know I’m an international drag queen, but I would love to do
this. I don’t know if this is something we are allowed to do, but is this possible?” Luckily, they
said they needed an opening, and did I want to do summer 2023? I’m like, yeah, of course! I
mean, I love it.
Before you start, they send you the list of the costumes that you need to get and it was so
intimidating because all the costumes have pictures next to them of what maybe Vanjie wore,
what Asia wore. I got sweaty just trying to think how I could be on the same level as Asia
O’Hara and Vanjie! I put myself under a lot of pressure but I remember as I was leaving
Glasgow, I literally kissed my front door and said, it’s only three months. It’s only three
months. It’s going to be so hard, it’s going to be so, so difficult, it’s going to be brutal, but
you’ll be back three months.
Then I got there and learned the choreo (that was the hardest part!) but once I learned it, I
just loved it. I met so many amazing people and I just felt at home. Vegas is such a tourist
centric place, but it’s also it’s a melting pot of people from different places, people from the
Philippines, Vietnam, Ohio. People have come from all over to be in Vegas, so everyone’s
very friendly because everyone’s on the road and trying to make their way through life.
Because everyone welcomed me, I didn’t want to be there for only three months, so we
extended, extended, extended and I just love it. I love it.
Can we get a sneaky insight into what season two of untucked is bringing our
way?
Okay, so you didn’t really see much of me on season one because I had to go halfway
through. I was doing a show in the UK at the Edinburgh Fringe – sold out show, by the way!
So I had to fly back because of that and I was devastated. Season one was such a success I
thought, wow, we’re a shoo-in for season two. However, when season two came along, I
found it scary because I am in it more, which means there’s more of me! This season I share
more of my life. You get to see my relationship with the queens more, us being silly, and you
get a great dynamic change of Nymphia coming into the show, learning this new track and
how she interacts with everyone.
She already has such a good relationship with Mirage because they were in a season together, so that relationship causes some friction. You get to see the inner workings of what it’s like dealing with a new performer coming into the fold and the rehearsals that surround that, the stress that surrounds that, and the love and the sisterhood.
Which of the gals has kept you the most grounded and in comparison, which
one drives you crazy?
Nymphia drove me the craziest because she just won and was that raw dog in that trip! She
was really in it. But what I will say is that I didn’t think we’d connect very well because she
seemed very shy, but actually she is really nice when you get to know her and really is a
sweetheart. So, although she drove me crazy because in the beginning I didn’t get her, it
was also fun to sort of peel back the layers of the banana and meet the real person.
The person who grounds me the most is Bosco – she is the best. She’s so funny. She’s
someone I actually get a lot of advice from her for out of drag stuff. I was getting advice from
her about the DMV! I just relate to her a lot and she’s funny. We would always carpool
because we lived right next to each other, but this one time we had to walk to Kennedy’s
apartment for this thing that we were filming, and I mean we had no clue where we were
going and we were hopping over fences, jumping over! I mean, we are one and the same.
She’s great.
Spill the tea, who is the biggest diva backstage?
Oh, I don’t know if I can tell. Ok, I’ll tell you. Nymphia’s first night at Drag Race Live, the
show didn’t start at 9:30pm…The ticket it says 9:30pm, but it didn’t start then! I’m not going
to say by how much we were late, but I mean she looks that good for a reason! I mean we
don’t mind waiting and she looks amazing, but she was just so new to that environment and
the theatre set up. To be honest, I remember when I first started, I thought you could just be
like, “I need a couple more minutes”, like a normal drag show. Oh no, it is not like that, so
she got a wakeup call for sure!
What has been your favourite moment of drama behind the scenes?
Someone wiped a bun on Derrick’s mirror and everyone was like, wait, was it you? Was it
you? It turns out that it was one of the dancers, David. I mean he is so silly for that, but it
caused so much drama! Everyone was like, was it you? That’s my favourite bit of drama
because it’s so silly. No one’s hurt you. No feelings are hurt. So that’s my favourite.
Have you been getting lucky in Vegas?
Well, yeah, I’ve got a boyfriend, so yeah, I mean I’ve gotten lucky actually. I’ve pulled the
lever on a slot machine, and I won and my boyfriend! Yeah, I mean what’s been amazing
about Vegas, is Vegas has had so many stars, Janet Jackson, Katy Perry, all these big stars
that nobody kind of cares if they see you walking around. No one knows who you are. No
one cares so I’ve been able to live a really normal life, which is something, because ever
since I turned 18, I have been working in drag in Scotland where the scene is smaller,
everyone knows everyone.
If you were to take a break from the residency, which of your UK sisters would
you want to ship over and step in for you?
Tayce.
She would be so good. Her energy’s amazing. She is
such a good performer and was incredible on my season. Ever since then she’s just gone
from strength to strength. She won Strictly. She won! Especially the way drag’s being
villainised right now, to go on that show and literally win it, how can the haters say anything?
Haters are going to hate, but how can you argue that she was meant to be on that show?
She’s sickening.
So, Tayce needs to be on. And Tomara Thomas, Tomara Thomas would kill
it. She’s so funny. I want to see how Americans deal with her accent. It’s been challenging
for the Americans to deal with my accent. I want the tables to turn, a spit guard will need to
be put to everyone in the front row! Buckle up, Tomara’s going to be there and it’s going to
be like having Donald Duck.
To have a wholesome moment, what advice can you offer to our queer youth
looking to thrive in our current world?
The current climate is really tough for all queer people, especially trans people right now.
They have just been villainised so much and I feel like for some reason, the wider
demographic are starting to blur the lines between what drag is and what being trans is. And
I think that’s crazy.
I think we really need to look out for our trans brothers and sisters, our non-binary friends –
we’ve got to look out for all of our people because I think it’s very easy to get caught up on
our differences in the scene, and disagree over whether we liked Lady Gaga’s Mayhem
album or not. Who cares? I hate how queers are attacking each other in such hard times.
I need us to come together because we are not going to win this if we’re not together. We’re
not going to win this fight and it is a fight right now.
Hell, I’ve been to Downing Street myself as a gay person, the only fucking drag queen in the room. And that, I mean, you can imagine what that was like. I mean everyone, the guards at the door and everything, they were so confused! So it’s really important to be visible. It’s important to be open. Togetherness is the key to it. These people are saying LGB. Without the T. Without the T, you’d have nothing. So you’ve got to stand by our trans brothers and sisters.
So to the queer youth, just know we are trying to fight this fight and we want you to join in
with us. And it goes beyond social media, this is the real life. This is the real world. Let’s
make effective positive change. We have little pockets of people trying to make difference all
over the place, but we will come together. Check me out. I’m queen of the people!
What are you plans for the rest of 2025?
I wish I could tell you, but I can’t, sorry! I have some really cool plans, but I’m not allowed to
talk about those just yet! However, I’m still doing drag – I mean, drag is always going to be
my life. I could go back to Vegas in summer, but I’m dipping my toe into something new,
which will use the strengths I have in drag but in a different way, so watch this space. You’ll
hear more about that next year which will be fun. But that’s 2026, you asked about 2025! I’m
making it in 2025, let’s just say that. So, there’s lots coming!
Still thirsty? Lacking Potassium?
If you’re not already convinced, first and foremost, you’re high maintenance gal.
Like for real, Lawrence has fully sold us on something we were already down for and let’s be honest, the first season was absolutely hilarious.
Thankfully for those of you wanting that little bit extra, the incredible Banana Queen herself is ready to give you an exclusive sneak peak. Over to you Nymphia Wind!
Catch a brand-new episode of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race Live! Untucked’ Season Two every week from April 16th on WOW Presents Plus
Not subscribed already? Click here right now!
