Pause. And Rewind...
I’m Neil (he/him) - host of my podcast, Pause. And Rewind… I’ll be chatting to change makers, thought leaders & role models who all share a common goal. They’re striving to make the world a more inclusive place. And let’s face, we need it!
Each guest has a unique story when it comes to doing their thing. We often know who people are in the now. But how much do we really know about them?
Pause. And Rewind… takes a moment to explore the experiences in my guests’ lives that led them to where & who they are now. Cos’ everyone loves an origin story!
We’ll dive into tales, anecdotes and what makes our guests tick. So, are you ready to Pause. And Rewind… ?
Pause. And Rewind...
Pause. And Rewind... with George Lester AKA ThatGirl | Happy-Go-Lucky
“It’s all just a happy accident.”
I love the above sentiment from this week’s guest on ‘Pause. And Rewind…” when talking about their career. I also bloody love them - and it’s a hard relate too!
George Lester, or That Girl, is an author & drag queen. I first met them in early 2023 during the protests against drag queen storytime that were taking place at the Honor Oak pub in Southeast London. The local community came out in force to protect both the drag performers & the pub and stand-up against the bigots. That Girl became the ‘very pretty’ face & voice of the counter protests. We reflect on our experiences of this which led to their incredible one person show ‘That Girl vs The World’ which tells the story of their drag career & the protests.
To reiterate the opening line, this was accidental - That Girl was simply filling in for a friend yet this boosted their profile. They’re now one of London’s firm favourite drag queens. Booked & blessed as they say. Not just because of this… they’re also insanely talented!
Little George describes himself as a ‘creative little monster’ always putting on shows for adults. Though when not performing, don’t perceive him! It’s a contradiction & balancing act he thrives in. His creativity extends to writing and George is now a published author with two books out in the world - ‘Boy Queen’ & ‘Don’t Die Alone Lucas Cook’ - both of which are a dream come true. He recalls reaching out to publishers when he was just 12 years old & still has physical rejection letters.
“So many rejections. So many near misses. So many ‘no’s’.” George strives to find the good in these instances. Taking philosophy from Rachel Green from Friends of all places, he jokes, he believes things work out because ‘they have to’.
We talk about George’s publishing career & writing experience, the phone call telling him he’d been accepted into drama school and his journey into drag - which he describes as one of the greatest joys of his life. When talking about performing, he shares “I'm like looking out at a sea of faces who are all smiling & screaming this song back at me, and it's like, Oh, this feels like Wembley Stadium. But it's not. It's a little bar in Soho, and I feel like I'm on a cloud like it's just pure joy.”
Listen in for a truly gorgeous chat. Grab yourself a copy of George’s books. And get yourself to a bar to see That Girl perform. You’re in for a treat!