Don’t Dream It, Be Peaches Christ

This week on Horror Heals, we’re serving glamour, gore, and a whole lot of gratitude with none other than the high priestess of horror drag herself—Peaches Christ! 🎃👑💋

From her locker full of Fangoria centerfolds to commanding the San Francisco Symphony stage as Pinhead with fla-tits (you read that right), Peaches takes us on a full-throttle ride through her haunted, hilarious, and heartfelt journey. Along the way, we summon the spirits of John Waters, Divine, Elvira, Tim Curry, Heather Langenkamp, Adrienne King, Amanda Wyss, and Chloris Leachman—yes, all in one episode.

✨ Topics we sink our fangs into:

• Catholic schoolgirl horror and the bedroom that got a priest to do a blessing
• How Wes Craven and horror legends inspired survival and identity
• Peaches’ horror-soaked drag origin story—from Elvira to Frank-N-Furter
• Behind-the-scenes tea on meeting Tim Curry, working with Cassandra Peterson, and that iconic elevator moment with Nancy & Tina
• The legacy of Rocky Horror Picture Show, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Friday the 13th
• Building chosen family through drag and the power of celebration over cruelty
• Creating immersive horror experiences like Terror Vault
• Why horror drag is finally breaking into the mainstream (hi, Boulay Brothers!)
• Hope, horror, and being loud in a world that’s trying to silence us

🎤 Plus: A tribute to Nancy Thompson, a love letter to Adrienne King, and one very rogue moment with Chloris Leachman that involves a wig and a lap.

This episode is a lovefest to horror, queerness, drag, and the radical act of being exactly who you are—even when the world tells you not to. So don your fiercest wig, light your cult candles, and get ready to feel seen, slayed, and celebrated.

🩸 Episode Trigger Warning: We talk about bullying, religious trauma, political rhetoric, and safety for queer and trans communities in today’s climate—with love, strength, and dark humor.

👑 Guest Bio: Peaches Christ

Peaches Christ is the cult movie queen, horror hostess, drag icon, and all-around underground legend whose work has helped redefine the intersections of horror, queerness, and theatrical spectacle. Known for her long-running Midnight Mass movie series in San Francisco, Peaches has spent decades paying reverent, riotous tribute to cult classics and the queer creatives behind them.

She’s the mastermind behind immersive horror experiences like Terror Vault, the writer-director of the beloved horror-comedy All About Evil, and a celebrated performer who’s taken the stage everywhere from haunted attractions to highbrow symphony halls (often in Cenobite couture).

A drag mother to icons like Jinkx Monsoon and Bob the Drag Queen, Peaches is also a champion of horror’s healing power, creating space for misfits, Final Girls, and everyone in between to feel seen—and fabulous.

From her early days as a horror-obsessed Catholic school kid to rubbing elbows (and elevator rides) with Elvira, Tim Curry, John Waters

Thank you for listening to Horror Heals. 

Share the show with someone who loves horror and someone who needs a little healing.

If you want to support our guests, check the show notes for links to their work, conventions, and fundraising pages.

You can also listen to our sister podcast Family Twist, a show about DNA surprises, identity, and the families we find along the way.

Horror Heals is produced by How the Cow Ate the Cabbage LLC.

Is horror good for mental wellness? Of corpse it is.

Transcript

Crypt Keeper Welcome and Horror Heals Kickoff

John Kasir 0:11

Speaker 1 (00:07.374) Yeah Speaker 3 (00:12.034) Hello, boys and girls. It's your old pal, John Cusir, the voice of the Crypt Keeper. And I want to welcome my good fiends of the Horror Heals podcast. Is horror good for mental wellness? But of course it is. I delight in the delicious deaths of pitiful people on the silver screen. He he he! Hehehe So get ready for a hell of a good time with my new fiends Cory and Kendall on the horror heels podcast Speaker 2 (01:03.67) Welcome back Horror Heliacs. Today's guest is the Queen of Cult, the Sultan of Scream, the Priestess of Peaches. Yes, that peach is Christ. Now, if you know horror and you know drag, you already know that Peaches is the moment, and has been for decades. From blessing the San Francisco Symphony stage in Cenobite Couture, to conjuring immersive haunted attractions, to creating horror-tinged drag spectaculars that are equal parts Reverend and Riotous, Peaches Christ has turned her love of the weird, wild, and wicked into a lifestyle and legacy. In this episode, we get into how Wer helped her cope with being the Other growing up, how she found her people through cult cinema, and how drag became the ultimate outlet for celebration, not cruelty. and did I mention a little elevator encounter with Nancy, Tina, and Alvira? This one's packed tighter than a Peaches wig full of secrets, so grab your glitter, your gore, and maybe just bit of garlic, just in case. and let's dive in. peaches, welcome to the podcast. Thank you, thanks for having me. Speaker 2 (02:07.264) Absolutely. We go back a few years and I just kind of wanted to start off asking you, how do you feel about our theory that horror movies and horror culture is good for our mental wellness? I long felt that way. think I was lucky in that I was such a horror obsessed child that by the time I was a teenager, it was already concerning to the adults in my life. I remember my parents getting a call from Sister Phyllis at my Catholic high school because she was very concerned about the images that I'd hung up in my locker. I remember my parents bringing our priest up to my bedroom behind my back to bless it and he was shocked by all the you fangoria centerfolds and you know horror movie posters and I say that because it was through reading interviews with the masters of horror and I believe it was Wes Craven quite frankly who talked a lot about how horror was the way that he dealt with the real world and that as a sensitive empathic person he would often be overwhelmed by the cruelty of humans and that horror was a way to deal with it and I thought about how much that connected to me especially at that time you know I was a sissy in high school Catholic high school in Maryland getting bullied you know I was an outsider I was an other why did I love horror so much I knew that I loved it from a young age but when I realized that it was actually helping me cope You know that was really important and into this day i you know now that i've a life you know celebrating or creating horror you know living in it i can honestly say that there is a therapeutic part to it. Speaker 2 (04:02.862) Was it always a given then that Peaches was going to have some horror elements? yeah, mean, because before my love of drag, my foundational love of all the stuff that has made up what I am as an adult, my first real obsession was horror before I understood drag. And then, you know, I can look back and go, okay, my first drag queen obsession was Elvira. I just didn't know that she was a drag queen. You know, I didn't really get it. I think I knew inherently that Cassandra Peterson and Paul Rubens weren't the characters they play but because they could exist outside of a singular movie they could exist on tv shows that could exist on talk shows that could go to red carpet premieres it wasn't until later that i was like that's like a drag persona you know that's a persona that you adopt and carry with you your entire life and then it was obviously frank and furter and the discovery of rocky horror that you know really opened my mind to a different kind of drag world, a different kind of drag community. But the most powerful, of course, was growing up in Maryland and discovering John Waters and Divine and the Dreamlanders and becoming obsessed with their movies. And really, you know, when I look back on it now, I go, my God, my holy triumvirate of drag was fused with transgressive horror movies, cult movies. You know, all three of them, you know, have those elements. So I feel really lucky. that my gateway into drag was actually through horror and through cult movies. So Peaches was born as this sort of, know, I want to do this, but it was it even a question that she would be horror. Because for the listeners, I'm sitting here in full glamour goth drag. Speaker 2 (05:56.566) Is it still surreal then that you've gotten to work with these people who are sort of your heroes? mean, John Waters and Elvira? Yes, and most recently, Tim Curry. So, I mean, it's beyond surreal. Sadly, by the time I was in a position to meet people that I admired so much, Divine had passed. And I remember Marilyn was devastated. And that was also really important. She gave me the gift of, in her passing in many ways, of showing me that there were people in my own community who cared about people like this. Because I was in a bubble. was growing up in Annapolis. I was not exposed to as many open-minded people, you know, growing up in a Catholic community as one, but because Divine was such a Maryland hero, her passing was such a public thing that it was really a beautiful thing. That being said, meeting John as a college student, John is the reason I'm in San Francisco, sitting here right now. It was John who... as a Penn State student making a movie called Jizz Mopper. John was sort of my, you know, validation in many ways, because there was a faculty there that didn't really get what I was trying to do. John told me about the coquettes and the underground film scene here in San Francisco and explained that he and Mink and Devine would live here. And I thought I would come here and be here before I would go to New York or LA. Meeting him was crucial in terms of just everything, everything I am. I didn't become friends with John until about a decade later when I had been doing midnight mass for about 10 years. Before that, I was just the student who brought him to Penn State. But then when I had become Peaches Christ, and I had done this thing for 10 years, and I had worked with Mink because Mink Stoll was the first celebrity to ever come and do midnight mass. I was in a position to invite John, not knowing that John never did anything with drag queens. was his assistant later who kind of called me and said, Speaker 1 (07:56.194) This is extraordinary we get letters and emails from drag queens all over the world he will never ever replace divine he isn't interested in drag in that way but he's interested in what you do and i think it's because i grew up in maryland and i was interested in all the things he was. I mean in many ways he was my real film school shock value was my. Bible. I went to Penn State. That's not where I learned about Russ Meyer or Herschel Gordon Lewis or Ted V. Michaels was through the book Shock Value, which I read before I even got to Penn State. yeah, John has been the most crucial influence. And Midnight Mass also is why I was able to invite Cassandra before John invited Cassandra to be part of Midnight Mass. And the first year she came and did it out of drag is Cassandra and we did a big tribute and was lovely. And then she called me and said, I want to I want to come back as Elira, you know, I mean, that was insane. And then we started working together and doing projects together and doing appearances together. I obviously invited Mink Stolen Cassandra to be in my first feature film. So that's a long way of saying I will never get used to it. I will always be a fan of these people. I was so fucking nervous a few weeks ago. Sorry if I'm cussing too much. I was so damn nervous. I guess damn is a cuss. Anyway, I was so nervous meeting Tim Curry and working with Tim Curry because even at this stage in my life where you'd think, oh, you've met these people, it doesn't change. That child in you that was touched by their spirit and their work is still there. Oh my God, Tim was life-changing for me and working with him and him being on stage and us doing a tribute for Tim was, I feel like I already had the best night of my year and it's March. Right, when I saw that announcement I was so excited for you because I just knew that that was going to be a special night. I was a little jealous for myself because not able to go and you know SF SketchFest that's one of the things I miss the most and you've done some great great stuff there but boy would have been wonderful to be in that audience but I just have to it had to be like so bizarre and just just me like laying eyes on him for the first time what was that what was going through your head? Speaker 1 (10:12.022) Luckily, I was able to go and meet with him ahead of the event, which I always try to do because they meet Joshua out of drag and they meet Peaches in drag. And I am both things. You I don't pretend that. It ain't actually meeting Cassandra and Paul Rubens in my adult life. You realize they are not totally acting, you know, a big part of. Peewee is Paul, right? And a big part of Elvira is Cassandra. And so I really have embraced that Peaches is this sort of exaggerated version of me. And so Peaches is, you know, this way for me to sort of unlock something and give myself permission to be this thing that I don't think I would do, you know, without that sort of character, but she's in me, you know? And so I wanted Tim to meet Joshua first. And I always have felt like that. makes more sense because well, I've done it both ways. mean, sometimes, you know, someone's schedule only allows them to meet me as peaches. And you can tell that it's a different thing because they're trying to figure out what's underneath all that and what my agenda is and what my style is. remember once doing a show with Maxwell Caulfield, the star of Grease 2. And he's so handsome and so sweet. And he's a straight man. And quite frankly, I don't do many shows with straight men. Or if I do, they're very much of our oeuvre. They very much get it. Bruce Campbell, know, very, very easy to go on stage as peaches and do a show with Bruce Campbell, because as much as I'm performing, so is he. Bruce off stage is the sweetest, most gentle kind of quiet, you know, and you get on stage and he becomes Bruce Campbell. So I totally connect to that. Maxwell Caulfield is like a real actor who's so sweet. grew up doing theater, professional theater, movies in England. He thought I was gonna be like the meanest British drag queen, because that's what he was exposed to growing up, panto and catty, mean queens. And you could see on stage, he was so confused. You know, because I was so reverential to his performance and earnestly celebrating Grease too. He was used to people kind of like. Speaker 1 (12:31.714) taking the piss, guess, and making fun of it. And that's not my style. I only celebrate movies I genuinely love. So I wanted Tim to meet me. And so we got to have lunch. And that lunch was so crucial because, you know, one is that Tim, as you know, suffered a really severe stroke, and it's affected his physical abilities as far as even having a conversation. so it was really important that I not have to figure out those you know how we were gonna connect on stage you know because the audience would have felt that so what was lovely is when we were on stage I think there was this sort of confidence but meeting him at lunch I was terrified terrified. He comes up to the table and. I swear for a few minutes, I just felt like he was just staring at me, but it was clear that I needed to show him who I was, but we got there. the best part was the end of the night, his holding my hand and his gratitude and him whispering in my ear how talented he thought I was. And I mean, that is, you know, I'll take that to my grave, that feeling, you know, and also just that I could tell that he genuinely. felt that love, you know, that's part of what I do. You've been to my events. It's like I pulled 2000 people into a room and then my job as the quote unquote cult leader is to channel the love of that audience, you know, and to bring that love through to the person we're celebrating. And sometimes I ask friends like John to do a pitch for me, you know, John is who got me Ricky Lake, you know, people like that. And I think what he does is I know what he does because he tells me he says, Who wouldn't love it? You you show up there and it's just an evening of gay worship. Like she and her legions are just worshiping you. it's, yeah, that's what it is. Speaker 2 (14:24.812) Absolutely. it's, you know, I'm so glad to hear that it was, you know, that you were able to meet with him ahead of time and kind of get that sort of comfort level because yeah, I think you're right. think people in the audience might have picked up on any kind of strangeness if you had didn't have that opportunity. mean, anyone who's sort of altered from what they remember them being, you know, I think is it's that jarring thing where, you know, I knew that we were going to run this giant reel, this huge performance where they're going to see him as Frankenfurter. They're going to see him. So we actually made sure that even the end of the video, you know, focused and showcased him receiving awards in his wheelchair that, that they really understood that this is a huge life with a lot of. twists and turns and it sort of set the audience up. I think to understand that there was going to be an extra layer of patience with Tim and I, and they were, I'm telling you, you could have heard a pin drop and these pregnant pauses were beautiful because it wasn't so much that Tim, you know, mentally wasn't able to come back. was the stroke, right? Like they understood that there was a physical effect of the stroke. And when Tim would say something, It was often witty and wicked and hilarious and short and sweet Tim Curry, you know, I mean, he read Annie and I loved it, you know, because of course he celebrated Carol Burnett quite highly, but then he said, because he talked about how much he loved working with Carol Burnett. And then he paused and went, Annie, not so much. Yeah, I was very nervous when I met him a few years ago, but he has an immediate calming presence. Horror is so important to our history. Kendall and I did Rocky Horror for our first Halloween together 20 years ago. He was Frank and Fritter, I was Eddie. He was genuinely asking questions and stuff. I thought it was going to be a quick come in and take a photo, but no, he shook my hand. Lovely smile, and it was just everything I could have asked for. I'm looking at the photo of his right now. have a Rocky Horror little accent wall. Speaker 1 (16:05.816) Yeah. Speaker 1 (16:33.262) Gifts of getting to work with folks such as Tim Curry or John Waters or Minx Stoll or any of these amazing people is that they get to see and experience forever the effect their work has had on people. There's only a few that have that impact on people and culture. mean, God, mean, Rocky Horror. It's indescribably huge. you know, the magnitude of the number of lives it's touched, you know, and the way that it's touched them as far as acceptance and not dreaming it, but being it. So yeah, I think Tim, I hope he really enjoys that, you know, I think he does. I think you would know we all have done conventions. We've all met people, you know, you know, when they care and when they don't. for sure and I imagine how could he not be touched when you see these really young kids now finding Rocky Horror for the first time they're finding clue yeah you know it's and there's just such a reverence for him to see a 10 year old kid walk up with joy in their eyes audience for that that yeah the audience for that tribute was totally cross generational in a way that I honestly did not expect I didn't realize it until I was doing the show also I didn't realize the impact he's had with all the animated voiceovers I mean we had we did the costume contest and there were a number of people in costumes where I was like what the hell is that you know and it's because there's this whole generation that grew up with him on these animated TV shows and stuff it was fascinating And the diversity of frankenfurters that showed up. I mean, we're talking like young, sexy, tall black women dressed as 70s style frankenfurter with Afro wigs. I mean, it was perfection. And what was great is the way that the show was designed, we had it so that he was part of two giant kind of interview chunks, but there was all this sort of celebratory fanfare and tribute performances. Speaker 1 (18:38.71) And he was in this gorgeous green room where he was able to watch on like an HD monitor and he saw it all, which is great, you know, because sometimes when someone's off stage and you're doing these tributes, depending on the theater and the stage, they miss a lot of it. You definitely know how to put on a show. just saw an image just popped into my head. One of the times that we saw you live was Clarice Leachman taking your wig off. Yeah, and you know, the audience did not, it was the first time I felt like the audience was sort of turning on one of the people I was celebrating, you know, and I kind of feel the audience, at least some people in audience didn't really like that she did that, but I was fine with it. And I was trying to let the audience know I am fine with this. I don't know if you remember, but then she sat on my lap. She sat on my lap holding my giant wig. And the reality of it is I had been warned by her manager, before the show that she would attempt to do that. no, I said, did she tell you she's gonna do that? He said, no, but she is crazy. And this is her own manager who's she's unpredictable and she will not and she's going to derail the interview. She's not gonna answer any of your questions and you're gonna have to be ready for, know, an improv experience. I actually. had my dresser who was there that night, we went in and pulled out all the bobby pins that had been attached to my head. So when I was walking out on stage, I was trying to balance that thing in a way that normally I wouldn't. And I was kind of like, okay, just keep it together. Because if it fell off before she took it off, that would be so much less, you know, satisfying. So anyway, that's a little behind the scenes. Love that thing that did happen. That's hilarious. And sure enough, exactly what he described is exactly what happened on stage. Speaker 1 (20:24.396) She didn't answer any question. She was gonzo. I loved it. I loved it. Yeah, it was, it was amazing. One, and I've always appreciated and you've mentioned it, the style of drag that you do, it's not coming from a place of meanness. It's coming from a place of celebration. And I think that's, has to sort of like wash off on your drag children. Cause I've met both Jinx, Monsoon and Bob the Drag Queen and so nice and just genuine. you can just, you know, when you meet people, sometimes you can tell are they putting it on or are they being genuine and that definitely genuine people. You must just. attract that from the universe, I'm guessing, the good people. think, you know, like any community, Drag is, there's so many different kinds of drag and there's so much drag around the world, more than ever before, right? And I think that what you find is the like-minded, the like-spirited, I should say, folks tend to, you gravitate towards each other. And I was really lucky that I grew up in San Francisco in a scene. that prioritized creativity and wildness. And even if there are scenes here that we don't connect with as horror queens, such as like the Imperial Court, which is very much more of a traditional pageant drag that does a lot of fundraising for the community. Of course, we gave birth to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Of course, we have drag brunch queens who death drop and look fierce and do the modern pop songs. Speaker 1 (21:59.278) We all get along. We appreciate each other. I show up and do Imperial Court events and the Imperial Court queens will show up if I ask them to. We're friends. It wasn't until I started traveling that I realized, oh, not all drag communities get along. And sometimes, just like in high school or anywhere else, cliques and things start to form. And competition amongst people, I was lucky. Me and Heclina and Sister Roma and Juanita Moore, You know, we were kind of the queens, I guess you would say at that one time that we're seen as the sort of top queens of San Francisco. You know, of course we're much older now and younger queens have come along to replace us as they should. And most of us have gone on to do other things, but we were never competitive in that way, believe it or not. I mean, I get jealous of Heklin and she'd get jealous of me, but ultimately we helped each other. We showed up for each other. We did things together. I don't know. think Jinx and Bob very much as a mother naturally experience what it's like to come and do a pizza show, which is really doing a San Francisco show. Jinx is from Seattle and that's a sister city as far as the scene goes. Benda LaCreme is certainly part of our drag family and Bob being from New York, Bob has a much more, what's the word? A stronger edge to her. You know, she she's more likely to call a bitch out if you know what I mean. But but Bob is love, you know, Bob is Bob is so wonderful and and just love and then there's a lot of drag children that haven't become famous yet as you can imagine. You know, I have more I feel like they always get neglected. People reject because they just don't deliver. I love that we're seeing horror drag coming more into the mainstream because it's not something that we saw a lot of. mean, obviously you and Elvira and other folks, but like seeing the Goulet brothers and their style of drag kind of coming to the forefront. Cause that's something that the two things that Kendall and I immediately bonded over were horror movies and drag queens. our breakfast area is a full gallery wall of drag. And then we've got horror stuff all over. What are my favorite moments? I'm living in San Francisco. Was seeing Peaches Christ. Speaker 2 (24:18.712) dressed as Pinhead in a very violent way performing at the symphony. Yeah. I mean, the truth of that is it was the first and I thought last symphony event I would ever do. And the reason is I am invited to these spaces. Usually I enjoy being a disruptor, right? Like the fact that I have a career that's got and I even think it's hilarious to call it a career. You know, that's hilarious to me because it was never, I never set out to have this be a career. I didn't know how I was going to make money. I just knew that to do the things I loved, I would probably have to have a job. And I did for many years, I ran movie theaters, but at least it was a job I liked. I never thought of this in that way. And so I think in many ways, things like being invited to do a show at the San Francisco Symphony and to do it with a screening of Rocky Horror and have a concert of horror movie music that I got to select and put on a program where I was able to invite the talent. was very... clear to me that I wanted to invite people to the stage that I felt belonged on that stage, but probably wouldn't be invited like myself. You know, with the shadow casts for Rocky, had Latrice Royale, you know, I flew in and I thought, okay, I'm going to be so crazy that they'll never have me back. But at least I will have been Peaches Christ on stage at Davie Symphony Hall. And you're right. I wore a Cenobite outfit with flayed tits. I mean, it was violent. was, you know, I came on stage to Psycho's. you know, murder music, stabbing my way through a shower curtain. And then here we are in 2025, you know, 10 years later, and now I'm doing symphony shows around the world. So I guess that worked out. That did not, that was not my intention, but it caught the eye of a Chicago conductor who's since moved to San Francisco, Edwin Outwater. And he called me and said, Hey, I think this is so cool what you've done. Speaker 1 (26:20.27) Let's partner up and let's do shows together. So Ed, Edwin and I then formalized a relationship and we've now been doing symphony shows ever since. Unfortunately, Symphony of Terror, which is one of them that you can buy. We have three shows that you can buy if you're a big fancy symphony orchestra. have managers out of London who sell these things. One is a Christmas show. One is a horror show and one is a pride show. So we have the pride show now booked. We're doing it in Oregon in June. and we have the horror show. I don't think I could say yet we're negotiating it's coming back. But you know, it's so cool, right? And I'm doing I was booked to do the Kennedy Center in June, but I got fired by you know, the orange Cheeto monster. So we are moved to the Bethesda Strathmore, which is this giant, gorgeous, beautiful venue. But as someone who was born in DC, I have to say it was pretty thrilling to think that I was going to perform at the Kennedy Center. Yeah. Maybe someday once he's out of our and then they take his alt, know, his craziness down out of there and s-s-s-s- I love this trend. This is so dark, but I love this trend on TikTok where kids are all talking about, you know, when it happens, when it happens. We all know what they're talking about. They're talking about, we're to be partying in the streets. And I'm like, my God. that's where we're at. Just kind of hoping for it to happen soon. Speaker 1 (27:50.976) Sorry to derail the box. No, no, We get it. We get it. It's just, I'm like sort of reflecting back on this just great career that you've had. mean, you wrote and directed a horror film and you've the symphony, all sorts of stuff. So what is still on, what's in your horror bucket list still? Oh, that's a really good question because one of the things that was on my bucket list for years was to have a haunted attraction. And in 2018, I was able to open terror vault with my friend, David flower and really kind of design and create a haunted attraction that we wanted to go to that just didn't really exist, which is basically a 60 minute immersive walkthrough horror show, you know, with a story, but also it has all the carney, you know, we have. mazes with drop panels and stuff, you you just so happen to enter scenes where there are actors who are scripted and that luckily has become a success bucket. Yeah. And I don't even know. I'm not a musician. I never even imagined. So I think now I'm just kind of open-minded to see, you know, okay, what's next. Yeah. I have some ideas. I'm working on a new movie that has some interest behind it. It's in the development phase, but this is one that I'm very passionate about and co-writing it with my podcast partner Michael Verratti and I'm directing it and I really It's very different from all about evil and I think it's really special and it's something I'm really excited about so I do hope that I get to make another movie But as you know, even John fucking waters has trouble raising money, which is insane to me need to make this movie You know, it's just really are you kidding? How is this possible? Right? Why is it I would love to have Speaker 1 (29:31.842) be honest, something special for television. And I am pitching a midnight mass TV show. If there's any interest out there, get in touch with me that Michael and I would host. would be very similar to things I loved growing up as a kid. I'm also pitching with a group of producers, a TV show, much like the bar rescue shows and the restaurant shows where they go in and help the failing restaurant. It would be that but for haunted attractions. So I would show up around the country and they would have actors that were misbehaving or stuff that wasn't working. I love that idea. Those are some projects I hope would see the light of day. Before we get to our final question, I do want to say Boston just became a sanctuary city for transgender folks and so peaches, know, Boston's college. It feels like I'm in my safe little bubble and we're also obviously a sanctuary city. We have the world's first transgender cultural district. And luckily, I think locally we're on the right side of history, right? Just like Boston is. But that being said, I will be probably looking at Boston as a place to perform more often, you know, because the reality of these things are like Mink and I are going to Texas to do this Texas tour. And I have two mindsets around it. One is we need to be there and we need to be in these spaces. But the other is there's a real concern for, I think probably because I'm traveling with mink just that we're well supported and well protected. Even in San Francisco, I don't feel completely safe because the rhetoric is so horrible. And the way that they're dividing us is so intense and the division is so key to their success. And they're not only dividing. Speaker 1 (31:17.836) You know, MAGA versus non-cult people, because that's been very, effective. Let's call it out. If it happens, we know JD Vance is not going to be the cult leader they need. If it happens, the cult will be in peril because you need a leader in order for a cult to stay functioning. They've divided us. They've divided the queers. They've divided the progressives, the leftists, and they've done it brilliantly. We're fighting with each other so much. going to the non-safe places is important, but it's also uncomfortable, you know, because you don't know what's gonna come out. And my biggest thing right now is to try to say, okay, let's really look at these divisions. Let's all look at them and focus on what matters, because we're facing Nazis. They're not hiding it. So can we set aside our differences around whether we agree or disagree that trans people should be able to play sports because we have a bigger fight ahead of us? fuck off. This is bullshit. They are fueling this. It doesn't matter. And it's how they are keeping themselves at the top. And it's how they are stealing from all of us. And it's, you know, it's brilliant. It's how they stay rich. They want us to keep fighting. But yes, I want to come to Boston. In fact, I think at one time there was talk of doing one of the big symphony shows there. So I don't know where that that stands out. Boston, for being a sanctuary city, it also has a very conservative reputation. but that's why I was really excited to see that this week because... Feather in the cap. All right. The last question, which is that we ask every guest on Horror Heals is, who is your favorite final person, the survivor in a horror film? You know, it's funny, it's easy for me because it goes back to my childhood and the characters that first touched my heart. And so the franchise that I was most obsessed with, like many people my age, you know, I'm very Gen X and grew up in the eighties, was the Nightmare on Elm Street and Nancy and Heather Langenkamp and her portrayal of Nancy, especially in that first film, you know, she was a little bit nerdy, but she was powerful. Speaker 1 (33:32.246) and she was relatable and she was cool. She was both nerdy and cool. And what I really love about Nancy is that she's a strong feminist woman who does not wait for her boyfriend to save the day. She goes to the library. She learns how to set booby traps. She's the one who goes in and confronts the scariest person I've ever seen. So I think for me, it'll always be Nancy. And then when she shows back up, you know, in Dream Warriors, And then I think New Nightmare, know, the fusion of Nancy and Heather Langenkamp is so powerful and so iconic. And I actually, don't know if you've seen the documentary Heather made called I Am Nancy. my God, I love it. So I think Nancy, I think Nancy's will always be my favorite. Yeah, that's definitely mine. I think it's very much sort of a generational thing because you and I are only a months apart. Kendall's few years older and so his, his go- How is it possible that you're older than us? How is that even possible? Trust me, I-I wonder since. There's a lot of spackle involved in- Speaker 1 (34:37.287) So okay, then Kendall, who's yours? Is it Laurie Strode? mean, you know, I'm wondering like who comes before Nancy? I guess Laurie Strode, right? always vacillated between trying to pick my favorite fans franchise and it will always be between Friday the 13th and Halloween. I love Jamie Lee Curtis and it's almost like I revere her so much that I'm like, can't be her. Adrian King is an angel sent from heaven. Adrian is my- Yeah, I've got to meet her through Michael Verratti and I just love her so much. So plug for the Midnight Mask podcast. Listen, one of my favorite episodes we've ever done is our Friday the 13th episode with Adrian King. She- one of our favorite guests on the show. We launched on Friday the 13th last year. Of course we had to have a drink and she was so good and she's become a friend to the show. She's she's always liking our posts and stuff. She's just so awesome. So that's Kendall. It's been really interesting to hear people's answers. Yeah, yeah, definitely Heather's mine. And so, you know, put that out in the universe again that she's like a dream guest. So might have to use that clip of you praising her to entice her. Isn't she great? Speaker 1 (35:34.537) Okay Speaker 1 (35:47.628) leave you with one story before we jump off. know we're wrapping up. I was doing a horror convention with Elvira and Indianapolis and it was Friday night and they had us all in the same hotel, but they had the guests of the convention using sort of a staff elevator. And so we were in the elevator. She and I out of drag, you know, and the elevator is going down. The door's open and it's Heather Langenkamp and Amanda Wiss. So Nancy and Tina together step onto the elevator and I audibly gasp because I mean it was you know mind blowing to me you know I will never not like I said I will never not be a fan so they react to my gasping because of course I'm just now looking like just some obsessed fan I think they're thinking are we in the wrong elevator are we stuck in this elevator with a stalker what's happening And I say, I stutter and go, my God, I'm such a huge fan. my God. I can't believe I'm just like so dorky, right? They kind of smile like, you know, okay, nice to meet you. But give me very much the fan treatment as you would, you know, cause they're stuck in an elevator with me and Cassandra, I think doesn't like that. So she goes, this is Peach's Christ, you know, and they're looking like, I don't even know that they knew. this is 15 years, 20 years ago. I don't remember, but like they're going, okay. You know, it didn't land quite the way I think Cassandra wanted it to. So then I say, and this is Elvira. And then they go, and then they have the reaction, you know, and they freak out because Elvira. And then it was kind of like we got off the elevator and we had a bigger conversation in the comfort of a lobby. Elevators are uncomfortable, right? And it was just kind of this lovely. lovely experience that I'll never forget, you know, so I got to share an elevator with Tina, Nancy and Elvira. Speaker 2 (37:44.288) Isn't it funny? Speaker 1 (37:50.222) But maybe no, no, I mean, that's the other thing. So that you would think there these groups, right? That there's all this overlap, you would think, I think the slashers are their own cult. You know, Adrian, Heather, all of those women, they do all know each other. And I don't know if you read that great book, the final girl support group. Have you read that? Oh, it's Oh, my God. We actually Speaker 1 (38:23.341) Oregon. Speaker 1 (38:35.662) it's so great. And it's based on their lives, the real women, even though he wrote characters. And if you listen to the audio book, it's Adrian. She narrates. Yeah, it's fabulous. Yeah. I love knowing that they have their own group. But like someone like Elvira is in a different group. And her group is so interesting. It's some of what you would expect, obviously, all the burlesque She knows Dita Von Teese and all those people, but also it's a lot of people like Rob Zombie and folks who grew up obsessed with her. That's her click is a little different. For sure. So it's really interesting to see how all these areas of gray kind of come to gifts. Peaches, it's been a joy. I knew it was going to be, but we adore you and we appreciate you taking the time to do this. Thank you. Thanks for having me. For sure. That was a ride. From Catholic school controversy to rocky horror royalty, Peaches Christ reminded us that horror isn't just entertainment, it's empowerment. Whether she's channeling John Waters, celebrating final girls, or shaking things up at the symphony, Peaches proves that you can be spooky, silly, sincere, and subversive all at once. And honestly, that reminder to lead with love, to build bridges across drag styles and horror fan clicks, and to keep creating in the face of fear? That's what Horror Heals is all about. Speaker 2 (40:00.568) Peaches, thank you for being your full, fabulous self. And to our listeners, remember, when life gets monstrous, lean into it. You might just find your inner peaches. And until next time, when someone asks, is horror good for mental wellness, you tell them, of course it is. The Horror Heels podcast is produced and presented by How the Cow Ate the Cabbage, LLC. o,

John Kasir 0:12

Boils and Goons. It's your old pal, Jonkus Deer, the voice of the Cripkeeper. And I want to welcome my good Fiends of the Horror Heels Podcast. Is horror good for mental wellness? But of course it is. I delight in the delicious deaths of pitiful people on the silver screen. So get ready for a hell of a good time with my new fiends, Corey and Kendall, on the Horror Heels Podcast.

Catholic School Panic, Fangoria Posters, and Wes Craven Therapy

Corey 1:03

Welcome back, Horror Heliax. Today's guest is the Queen of Cult, the Sultan of Scream, the Priestess of Peaches. Yes, that Peach's Christ. Now, if you know horror and you know drag, you already know that Peaches is the moment and has been for decades. From blessing the San Francisco Symphony stage and Cenobite couture to conjuring immersive haunted attractions to creating horror-tinged drag spectaculars that are equal parts Reverend and Rietous, Peaches Christ has turned her love of the weird, wild, and wicked into a lifestyle and legacy. In this episode, we get into how War helped her cope with being the other growing up, how she found her people through cult cinema, and how drag became the ultimate outlet for celebration, not cruelty. Oh, and did I mention of a little elevator encounter with Nancy, Tina, and Elvira? This one's packed tighter than a Peaches wig full of secrets, so grab your glitter, your gore, and maybe just a bit of garlic, just in case. And let's dive in. Peaches, welcome to the podcast. Thank you. Thanks for having me. Absolutely. We go back a few years, and I just kind of wanted to start off asking you how how do you feel about our theory that horror movies and horror culture is good for our mental wellness?

Peaches Christ 2:21

I have long felt that way. I think I was lucky in that I was such a horror-obsessed child that by the time I was a teenager, it was already concerning to the adults in my life. I remember my parents getting a call from Sister Phyllis at my Catholic high school because she was very concerned about the images that I had hung up in my locker. I remember my parents bringing our priest up to my bedroom behind my back to bless it, and he was shocked by all the, you know, Fangoria sinnerfolds and you know horror movie posters. And I say that because it was through reading interviews with the masters of horror, and I believe it was Wes Craven, quite frankly, who talked a lot about how horror was the way that he dealt with the real world. And that as a sensitive, empathic person, he would often be overwhelmed by the cruelty of humans and that horror was a way to deal with it. And I thought about how much that connected to me, especially at that time. You know, I was a sissy in high school, Catholic high school in Maryland, getting bullied. You know, I was an outsider, I was an other. Why did I love horror so much? I knew that I loved it from a young age, but when I realized that it was actually helping me cope, you know, that was really important. And to this day, I, you know, now that I've lived a life, you know, celebrating horror, creating horror, you know, living in it, I can honestly say that there is a therapeutic part to it.

Horror Before Drag, Elvira, Rocky Horror, and John Waters Origins

Corey 4:02

Absolutely. Was it always a given then that Peaches was going to have some horror elements?

Peaches Christ 4:10

Oh, yeah. I mean, because before my love of drag, my foundational love of all the stuff that has made up what I am as an adult, my first real obsession was horror before I understood drag. And then, you know, I can look back and go, okay, my first drag queen obsession was Elvira. I just didn't know that she was a drag queen. You know, I didn't really get it. I think I knew inherently that Cassandra Peterson and Paul Rubens weren't the characters they played, but because they could exist outside of a singular movie, they could exist on TV shows, they could exist on talk shows, they could go to red carpet premieres. It wasn't until later that I was like, oh, there that's like a drag persona. You know, that's a persona that you adopt and carry with you your entire life. And then it was obviously Frank and Furter and the discovery of Rocky Horror that, you know, really opened my mind to a different kind of drag world, a different kind of drag community. But the most powerful, of course, was growing up in Maryland and discovering John Waters and Divine and the Dreamlanders and becoming obsessed with their movies. And really, you know, when I look back on it now, I go, oh my God, my holy triumvirate of drag was was fused with transgressive horror movies, cult movies, you know, all three of them, you know, have those elements. So I feel really lucky that my gateway into drag was actually through horror and through cult movies. So Peaches was born as this sort of, you know, I want to do this, but it was it wasn't even a question that she would be horror. Right. Because for the listeners, I'm sitting here in full glamour goth drag.

Working With Heroes, John Waters, Cassandra Peterson, Mink Stole

Corey 5:56

Is it still surreal then that you've gotten to work with these people who are sort of your heroes? I mean, you know, John Waters and Nel Vyro.

Peaches Christ 6:04

Yes, and and most recently Tim Curry. You know, so I mean, it's beyond surreal. Sadly, by the time I was in a position to meet people that I admired so much, Divine had passed. And, you know, I remember Maryland was devastated, you know, and and that was also really important. She gave me the gift of, in her passing, in many ways, of showing me that there were people in my own community who cared about people like this. Because I was in a bubble. I was growing up in Annapolis, I was not exposed to as many open-minded people, you know, growing up in a Catholic community as one. But because Divine was such a Maryland hero, her passing was such a public thing that it was really a beautiful thing. That being said, meeting John as a college student, John is the reason I'm in San Francisco, sitting here right now. It was John who, uh as a Penn State student making a movie called Jiz Mopper. John was sort of my, you know, validation in many ways because there was a faculty there that didn't really get what I was trying to do. John told me about the cockettes and the underground film scene here in San Francisco and explained that he and Mink and Divine would live here. And I thought I would come here and be here before I would go to New York or LA. Meeting him was crucial in terms of just everything, everything I am. I didn't become friends with John until about a decade later when I had been doing Midnight Mass for about 10 years. Before that, I was just the student who brought him to Penn State. Um, you know, but then when I had become Peaches Christ and, you know, had done this thing for 10 years, and I had worked with Mink because Mink Stoll was the first celebrity to ever come and do Midnight Mass, I was in a position to invite John, not knowing that John never did anything with drag queens. It was his assistant later who kind of called me and said, This is extraordinary. We get letters and emails from drag queens all over the world. He will never ever replace Divine. He he isn't interested in drag in that way, but he's interested in what you do. And I think it's because I grew up in Maryland and I was interested in all the things he was. I mean, in many ways, he was my real film school. Shock Value was my Bible. I went to Penn State. That's not where I learned about Russ Meyer or Herschel Gordon Lewis or Ted V. Michaels, was through the book Shock Value, which I read before I even got to Penn State. So yeah, John has been the most crucial influence. And Midnight Mass also is why I was able to invite Cassandra. Before John, I invited Cassandra to be part of Midnight Mass. And the first year she came and did it out of drag is Cassandra, and we did a big tribute and it was lovely. And then she called me and said, I want to, I want to come back as Elvira. You know, I mean, that was insane. And then we started working together and doing projects together and doing appearances together. And I obviously invited Mink Stoll and Cassandra to be in my first feature film. So that's a long way of saying I will never get used to it. I will always be a fan of these people. I was so fucking nervous a few weeks ago. Sorry if I'm cussing too much. I was so damn nervous. I guess damn is a curse word. Sorry. Anyway, uh, I was so nervous meeting Tim Curry and working with Tim Curry because even at this stage in my life where you'd think, oh, you've met these people, it doesn't change. That child in you that was touched by their spirit and their work is still there. Oh my god, Tim was life-changing for me. And working with him and him being on stage and us doing a tribute for Tim was I feel like I already had the best night of my year, and it's March.

Corey 9:43

Right. When I saw that announcement, I was so excited for you because I just knew that that was going to be a special night. I was a little jealous for myself because not able to go. And you know, SF Sketchfest, I um that's one of the things I miss the most. And you've done some great, great stuff there. But boy, it would have been wonderful to be in that audience. But I just have to, it's it had to be like so bizarre and just just meet like laying eyes on him for the first time. Like, what was that? What was going through your head?

Lunch With Tim Curry, Stroke Recovery, and Rocky Horror Legacy

Peaches Christ 10:11

Luckily, I was able to go and meet with him ahead of the event, which I always try to do because they meet Joshua out of drag and they meet Peaches in drag. And I am both things, you know. I don't pretend that I ain't actually meeting Cassandra and Paul Rubens in my adult life. You realize they are not totally acting. You know, uh a big part of Pee-Wee is Paul, right? And a big part of Elvira is Cassandra. And so I really have embraced that Peaches is this sort of exaggerated version of me. And so Peaches is, you know, this way for me to sort of unlock something and give myself permission to be this thing that I don't think I would do, you know, without that that sort of character. But she's in me, you know, and so I wanted Tim to meet Joshua first. And I always have felt like that makes more sense because, well, I've done it both ways. I mean, sometimes, you know, someone's schedule only allows them to meet me as Peaches. And you can tell that it's a different thing because they're trying to figure out what's underneath all that and what my agenda is and what my style is. I remember once doing a show with Maxwell Caulfield, the star of Greece 2. And he's so handsome and so sweet, and he's a straight man. And quite frankly, I don't do mini shows with straight men. Or if I do, they're very much of our ouvre. They very much get it. Bruce Campbell, you know. Very, very easy to go on stage as Peaches and do a show with Bruce Campbell because as much as I'm performing, so is he. Bruce offstage is the sweetest, most gentle, kind of quiet, you know, and you get on stage and he becomes Bruce Campbell. So I totally connect to that. Maxwell Caulfield is like a real actor who's so sweet, grew up doing theater, professional theater movies in England. He thought I was gonna be like the meanest British drag queen because that's what he was exposed to growing up, panto and catty, mean queens. And you could see on stage he was so confused. You know, because I was so reverential to his performance and earnestly celebrating Greece too. He was used to people kind of like taking the piss, I guess, and making fun of it. And that that's not my style. I only celebrate movies I genuinely love. So I wanted Tim to meet me, and so we got to have lunch, and and that lunch was so crucial because, you know, one is that Tim, as you know, suffered a really severe stroke, and it's affected his physical abilities as far as even having a conversation. And so it was really important that I not have to figure out those, you know, how we were going to connect on stage, you know, because the audience would have felt that. So what was lovely is when we were on stage, I think there was this sort of confidence. But meeting him at lunch, I was terrified. Terrified. And he comes up to the table, and I swear for a few minutes I just felt like he was just staring at me, but it was clear that I needed to show him who I was. But we got there, and the best part was the end of the night, his holding my hand and his gratitude, and him whispering in my ear how talented he thought I was. And I mean, that is, you know, I'll take that to my grave, that feeling, you know. And and also just that I could tell that he genuinely felt that love. You know, that's part of what I do. You've been to my events. It's like I pull 2,000 people into a room, and then my job as the quote unquote cult leader is to channel the love of that audience, you know, and to bring that love through to the person we're celebrating. And sometimes I ask friends like John to do a pitch for me, you know. John is who got me Ricky Lake, you know, people like that. And I think what he does is I know what he does because he tells me, he says, who wouldn't love it? You know, you show up there and it's just an evening of gay worship. Like she and and her legions are just worshiping you. And it's yeah, that's what it is.

unknown 14:24

Absolutely.

Corey 14:25

Yeah, it's uh you know. Oh, I'm I'm so glad to hear that it was you know, that it that you were able to meet with him ahead of time and and kind of get that sort of comfort level. Because yeah, I think you're right. I think people in the audience might have picked up on any kind of um strangeness if you didn't have that opportunity.

Peaches Christ 14:42

I mean, anyone who's sort of altered from what they remember, them being, you know, I think is it's that jarring thing where, you know, I knew that we were gonna run this giant reel, this huge performance where they're gonna see him as Frankenfurt or they're gonna see him. So we actually made sure that even the end of the video, you know, focused and showcased him receiving awards in his wheelchair that that they we really understood that this is a huge life with a lot of twists and turns, and it sort of set the audience up, I think, to understand that there was gonna be an extra layer of patience with Tim and I. And they were, I'm telling you, you could have heard a pin drop. And these pregnant pauses were beautiful because it wasn't so much that Tim, you know, mentally wasn't able to come back. It was the stroke, right? Like they understood that there was a physical effect of the stroke. And when Tim would say something, it was often witty and wicked and hilarious and short and sweet. Tim Curry. You know, I mean, he read Annie and I loved it, you know. Because of course he celebrated Carol Burnett quite highly, but then he said, because he talked about how much he loved working with Carol Burnett, and then he paused and went, Annie, not so much.

Corey 16:04

I loved that. Yeah. Yeah, I was very nervous when I met him a few years ago, but he has an immediate calming presence. Rocky horror is so important to our history. Kendall and I did Rocky Horror for our first Halloween together 20 years ago. He was Frank and Fritter, I was Eddie. He was genuinely asking questions and stuff. I thought it was gonna be the quick come in and take a photo, but now he shook my hand, lovely smile, and it was just everything I could have asked for. I'm looking at the photo of this right now.

Peaches Christ 16:31

We have a Rocky Horror uh little asset wall minus. The gifts of getting to work with folks such as Tim Curry or John Waters or Mink Stoller or any of these amazing people is that they get to see and experience forever the effect their work has had on people. There's only a few that have that impact on people and culture. And I mean, God, you I mean, Rocky horror. It's uh it's unit's un indescribably huge, you know, the magnitude of the the number of lives it's touched, you know, and and the way that it's touched them as far as acceptance and not dreaming it, but being it. So yeah, I think Tim, I hope he really enjoys that, you know, and I think he does. I think you would know. We all have done conventions, we've all met people, you know, you know when they care and when they don't.

Corey 17:25

For sure. And I mean, I imagine he could how could he not be touched when you see these really young kids now finding Rocky Horror for the first time, they're finding clue. Yeah, you know, it's and there's just such a reverence for him to see a 10-year-old kid walk up with joy in their eyes.

Peaches Christ 17:40

The audience for that that yeah, the audience for that tribute was totally cross-generational in a way that I honestly I did not expect. I didn't realize it until I was doing the show. Also, I didn't realize the impact he's had with all the animated voiceovers. I mean, we had we did the costume contest, and there were a number of people in costumes where I was like, what the hell is that? You know, and it's because there's this whole generation that grew up with him on these animated TV shows and stuff. It was fascinating. And the number of and the diversity of Frankenfurters that showed up. I mean, we're talking like young, sexy, tall black women dressed as, you know, 70s-style Frankenfurter with Afro wigs. And I mean, it was perfection. And what was great is the way that the show was designed, we had it so that he was part of two giant kind of interview chunks, but there was all this sort of celebratory fanfare and tribute performances. And he was in this gorgeous green room where he was able to watch on a like an HD monitor, and and he took he saw it all, which is great, you know, because sometimes when someone's off stage and you're doing these tributes, depending on the theater and the stage, they miss a lot of it.

Corey 18:53

You definitely know how to put on a show. And I just saw an image just popped into my head one of the times that we saw you live was Claris Leachman taking your wig off.

Peaches Christ 19:00

Yeah, and you know, the audience did not, it was the first time I felt like the audience was sort of turning on one of the people I was celebrating, you know, and I could kind of feel the audience, at least some people in the audience didn't really like that she did that. But I was I was fine with it. And I was trying to let the audience know I am fine with this. You know, I don't know if you remember, but then she sat on my lap. You know, she was she sat on my lap holding my giant wig. And the reality of it is I had been warned by her manager before the show that she would attempt to do that. Oh no. I said, Did she tell you she's gonna do that? He said, No, but she is crazy. And this is her her own manager who's she's unpredictable, and she will not, and she was she's going to derail the interview. She's not gonna answer any of your questions, and you're gonna have to be ready for you know an improv experience. So I actually had my um dresser who was there that night. We went in and pulled out all the bobby pins that had been attached to my head. So when I was walking out on stage, I was trying to balance that thing in a way that normally I wouldn't. And I was kind of like, okay, just keep it together. Because if it fell off before she took it off, that would be so much less, you know, satisfying. So, anyway, that's a little behind-the-scenes thing that did happen. You know, and sure enough, exactly what he described is exactly what happened on stage. She didn't answer any question, she was gonzo. I loved it, I loved it.

Corey 20:30

Yeah, yeah, it was it was amazing. One, and I've always appreciated, and you've you've mentioned it, the style of drag that you do. It's not coming from a place of meanness, it's coming from a place of celebration. And I think that's that has to sort of like wash off on your drag children because I've met both Jinx, Monsoon, and Bob the Drag Queen, and so nice and just genuine. Like you can just, you know, when you meet people, sometimes you can tell are they putting it on or are they being genuine, and definitely genuine people. So you must just attract that from the universe, I'm guessing. The good the good people.

Peaches Christ 21:03

I think you know, like any community, right? Drag is is there's so many different kinds of drag, and there's so much drag around the world more than ever before, right? And I think that what you find is the the like-minded, the like-spirited, I should say, folks tend to, you know, gravitate towards each other. And I was really lucky that I grew up in San Francisco in a scene that was, you know, that prioritized creativity and wildness. And even if there are scenes here that we don't connect with as horror queens, such as like the Imperial Court, which is very much, you know, more of a traditional pageant drag, but that that does a lot of fundraising for the community. Of course, we gave birth to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Of course, we have drag brunch queens who death drop and look fierce and do the modern pop songs. We all get along. You know, we appreciate each other. I show up and do imperial court events, and the imperial court queens will show up if I ask them to. We're friends. It wasn't until I started traveling that I realized, oh, not all drag communities get along. And sometimes, just like in high school or anywhere else, clicks and things start to form and competition amongst people. I was lucky, you know, me and Heclina and Sister Roma and Juanita Moore, you know, we were we were kind of the queens, I guess you would say at that one time that were seen as the sort of top queens of San Francisco. You know, of course we're much older now and younger queens have come along to replace us as they should. And most of us have gone on to do other things. But we were never competitive in that way, believe it or not. I mean, I'd get jealous of Hecklina and she'd get jealous of me, but ultimately we helped each other. We showed up for each other, we did things together. I don't know. I think Jinx and Bob very much as a mother naturally experience what it's like to come and do a peaches show, which is really doing a San Francisco show. And Jinx is from Seattle, and that's a sister city as far as the scene goes. Benda Lecram is certainly part of our drag family. And Bob being from New York, Bob has a much more, what's the word? A stronger edge to her. You know, she she's more likely to to call a bitch out, if you know what I mean. But but Bob is love, you know, Bob is Bob is so wonderful and in and just love. And then there's a lot of drag children that haven't become famous yet, as you can imagine. You know, I I have more. I feel like they always get neglected. People are reject because they just don't deliver.

Corey 23:48

I love that we're seeing horror drag coming more into the mainstream because it's that's something that we we saw a lot of. I mean, obviously you and Elvira and other folks, but like seeing the Boole brothers and their shit style of drag kind of coming to the forefront, because that's something that the two things that Kendall and I immediately bonded over were horror movies and drag queen. So our breakfast area has is just a full gallery wall of drag, and then we've got horror stuff all over the place. One of my favorite moments from living in San Francisco was seeing Peaches Christ dressed as Pinhead in a very violent way performing at the symphony. Yeah.

Peaches Christ 24:27

I mean, the truth of that is it was the first and I thought last symphony event I would ever do. And the reason is I am invited to these spaces. Usually I enjoy being a disruptor, right? Like the fact that I have a career that's gotten, and I even think it's hilarious to call it a career. You know, that's hilarious to me because it was never, I never set out to have this be a career. I didn't know how I was gonna make money. I just knew that to do the things I loved, I would probably have to have a job. And I did for many years. I ran movie theaters, but at least it was a job I liked. I never thought of this in that way. And so I think in many ways, things like being invited to do a show at the San Francisco Symphony and to do it with a screening of Rocky Horror and have a concert of horror movie music that I got to select and put on a program where I was able to invite the talent. It was very clear to me that I wanted to invite people to the stage that I felt belonged on that stage, but probably wouldn't be invited like myself. You know, we had the shadow casts for Rocky, we had Latrice Royale, you know, I flew in. And I thought, okay, I'm gonna be so crazy that they'll never have me back, but at least I will have been Peaches Christ on stage at Davy Symphony Hall. And you're right, I wore a Centibyte outfit with flayed tits. I mean, it was violent. It was, you know, I came on stage to psychos, you know, murder music, stabbing my way through a shower curtain. And then here we are in 2025, you know, 10 years later, and now I'm doing symphony shows around the world. So I guess that worked out. That did not, that was not my intention, but it it caught the eye of a Chicago conductor who's since moved to San Francisco, Edwin Outwater, and he called me and said, Hey, I think this is so cool what you've done. Let's partner up and let's do shows together. So Edwin and I then formalized a relationship and we've now been doing symphony shows ever since. Unfortunately, Symphony of Terror, which is one of them that you can buy. We have three shows that you can buy if you're a big fancy symphony orchestra. We have managers out of London who sell these things. One is a Christmas show, one is a horror show, and one is a pride show. So we have the pride show now booked. We're doing it in Oregon in June, and we have the horror show. I don't think I can say yet. We're negotiating it's coming back. But you know, it's so cool, right? And I'm doing I was booked to do the Kennedy Center in June, but I got fired by, you know, the orange Cheeto monster. So we we are moved to the Bethesda uh Strathmore, which is this giant, gorgeous, beautiful venue. But as someone who was born in DC, I have to say it it was pretty thrilling to think that I was gonna perform at the Kennedy Center. Yeah. But maybe someday once he's out of our lives or whatever.

Corey 27:22

And then they take his all you know his craziness down out of there.

Peaches Christ 27:26

I love this trend. This is so dark, but I love this trend on TikTok where kids are all talking about, you know, when it happens. When it happens. And you we all know what they're talking about. They're talking about we're gonna be partying in the streets, and I'm like, oh my god. Like real horror. That's where we're at, just kind of hoping for it to happen soon. Sorry to derail the box.

Corey 27:53

No, no, we get it. We get it. It's just I'm like sort of reflecting back on this just great career that you've had. I mean, you wrote and directed a horror film and you've done the symphony stuff, all sorts of stuff. So, what is still on what's in your horror bucket list still?

Peaches Christ 28:09

Oh, that's a really good question because one of the things that was on my bucket list for years was to have a haunted attraction. And in 2018, I was able to open Terror Vault with my friend David Flower and really kind of design and create a haunted attraction that we wanted to go to that just didn't really exist, which is basically a 60-minute immersive walkthrough horror show, you know, with a story, but also it has all the carny, you know, we have mazes with drop panels and stuff, but you know, you just so happen to enter scenes where there are actors who are scripted, and that luckily has become a success. Bucket. You know, I don't even know. I'm not a musician. I I never even imagined. So I think now I'm just kind of open-minded to see, you know, okay, what's next? Yeah, I have some ideas. I'm working on a new movie that has some interest behind it. It's in the development phase, but this is one that I'm very passionate about. I'm co-writing it with my podcast partner, Michael Varati, and I'm directing it. And I really, it's very different from All About Evil, and I think it's really special, and it's something I'm really excited about. So I do hope that I get to make another movie. But as you know, even John Fucking Waters has trouble raising money, which is insane to me. I need to make this movie. You know, it's just really, are you kidding? How is this possible, right? Why is it I would love to have, to be honest, something special for television. And I am pitching a Midnight Mass TV show. If there's any interest out there, get in touch with me that Michael and I would host. It would be very similar to things I loved growing up as a kid. I'm also pitching with a group of producers a TV show, much like the bar rescue shows and the restaurant shows where they go in and help the failing restaurant. It would be that, but for haunted attractions. So I would show up around the country and they would have actors that were misbehaving or stuff that wasn't working. I love that idea. Those are some projects I hope would see the light of day.

Corey 30:11

Well, before we get to our final question, I do want to say Boston just became a sanctuary city for transgender folks. And so Peaches, you know, Boston's calling.

Peaches Christ 30:21

It feels like I'm in my safe little bubble. And we're also obviously a sanctuary city. We have the world's first transgender cultural district. And luckily, I think locally, we're on the right side of history, right? Just like Boston is. But that being said, I will be probably looking at Boston as a place to perform more often, you know, because the reality of these things are like Mink and I are going to Texas to do uh this Texas tour. And I have two mindsets around it. One is we need to be there and we need to be in these spaces. But the other is there's a real concern for I think probably because I'm traveling with Mink, just that we're well supported and well protected. Even in San Francisco, I don't feel completely safe because the rhetoric is so horrible and the way that they're dividing us is so intense, and the division is so key to their success. And they're not only dividing, you know, MAGA versus non-cult people, because that that's been very, very effective. Let's call it out. If it happens, we know JD Vance is not going to be the cult leader they need. If it happens, the cult will be in peril because you need a leader in order for a cult to stay functioning. They've divided us, they've divided the queers, they've divided the progressives, the leftists, and they've done it brilliantly. We're fighting with each other so much. Going to the non-safe places is important, but it's also uncomfortable, you know, because you don't know what's gonna what's gonna come out. And my biggest thing right now is to try to say, okay, let's really look at these divisions. Let's all look at them and focus on what matters because we're facing Nazis, they're not hiding it. So can we set aside our differences around whether we agree or disagree that trans people should be able to play sports because we have a bigger fight ahead of us? Fuck off. This is bullshit. They are fueling this, it doesn't matter, and it's how they are keeping themselves at the top, and it's how they are stealing from all of us, and it's you know, it's brilliant. It's how they stay rich. They want us to keep fighting. But yes, I want to come to Boston. In fact, I think at one time there was talk of doing one of the big symphony shows there, so I don't know where that that stands. Now, Boston, for being a sanctuary city, it also has a very conservative reputation.

Corey 32:45

Yeah, yeah, but that's why I was really excited to see that this week because Yeah, that's awesome. Congrats. Feather in the cap. All right. The last question, Peaches, that we ask every guest on Horror Heels is who is your favorite final person, the survivor, in a horror film?

Favorite Final Girl, Nancy Thompson From A Nightmare on Elm Street

Peaches Christ 33:03

That you know, it's funny, it's easy for me because it goes back to my childhood and the and the characters that first touched my heart. And so the franchise that I was most obsessed with, like many people my age, you know, and very Gen X and grew up in the 80s, uh, was a nightmare in Elm Street. And Nancy and Heather Langenkamp and her portrayal of Nancy, especially in that first film, you know, she was a little bit nerdy, but she was powerful and she was relatable and she was cool. She was both nerdy and cool. And what I really love about Nancy is that she's a strong feminist woman who does not wait for her boyfriend to save the day. She goes to the library, she learns how to set booby traps, she's the one who goes in and confronts the scariest person I'd ever seen. So I think for me it'll always be Nancy. And then when she shows back up, you know, in Dream Warriors. Oh. And then I think New Nightmare, you know, the fusion of Nancy and Heather Langenkamp is so powerful and so iconic. And I actually, I don't know if you've seen the documentary Heather made called I Am Nancy. Oh my god, I love it. So I think Nancy, I think Nancy's my will always be my favorite.

Corey 34:17

Yeah, that's definitely mine. And I think you're it's very much sort of a generational thing because you and I learn only a few months apart. Kendall's a few years older, and so his his go-to.

Peaches Christ 34:26

How's it possible that you're older than us? How's that even possible? Trust me, I I wonder since like oh there's a lot of spackle involved. So, okay, well then Kendall, who's yours? Is it Lori Strode? I mean, you know, I'm wondering like who who comes before Nancy. I guess Lori Strode, right?

Kendall 34:44

I've always vacillated between trying to pick my favorite fan franchise, and it will always be between Friday the 13th and uh Halloween. I love Jamie B. Curtis, and it's almost like I revere her so much that I'm like, it can't be her.

Peaches Christ 35:00

Adrian King is an angel sent from heaven. Adrian is yeah, I've got to meet her through Michael Varotti, and I just love her so much. So, plug for the Midnight Mass podcast. Listen, one of my favorite episodes we've ever done is our Friday the 13th episode with Adrian King.

Kendall 35:18

Yep, she was one of our favorite guests on the list too.

Corey 35:21

We launched on Friday the 13th last year, so of course we had to have Adrian King, and she was so good. And isn't she great? She's become a you know a friend to the show. She just she's always liking my our posts and stuff. She's just so awesome. So that's Hendel's. It's really interesting to hear people's answers. Yeah, but yeah, definitely Heather's mine. And so, gonna put that out in the universe again that we she's like a dream guest, so might have to use that clip of you praising her to uh entice her.

Peaches Christ 35:47

I'll leave you with one story before we jump off. I know we're wrapping up. I was doing a horror convention with Elvira in Indianapolis, and it was Friday night, and they had us all in the same hotel, but they had the guests of the convention using sort of a staff elevator. And so we were in the elevator, she and I out of drag, you know, and the elevator is going down, the doors open, and it's Heather Langenkamp and Amanda Wiss. So Nancy and Tina together step onto the elevator, and I audibly gasp because I mean it was, you know, mind-blowing to me. You know, I will never not, like I said, I will never not be a fan. So they react to my gasping because of course I'm just now looking like just some obsessed fan. I think they're thinking, are we in the wrong elevator? Are we stuck in this elevator with a stalker? What's happening? And I say, and I stutter and go, oh my God, I'm such a huge fan. Oh my God, I can't believe I'm in just like so dorky, right? They kind of smile, like, you know, okay, nice to meet you, but give me very much the the fan treatment, as you would, you know, because they're stuck in an elevator with me. And Cassandra, I think, doesn't like that. So she goes, This is Peach's Christ, you know, and they're looking like, I don't even know that they knew. I mean, this is 15 years, 20 years ago. I don't remember, but like they're they're going, oh, okay. You know, it didn't land right quite the way. I think Cassandra wanted it too. So then I say, and this is Elvira, and then they go, Oh, and then they have the reaction, you know, and they freak out because Elvira, and and then it was kind of like we got off the elevator and we had a bigger conversation in the comfort of a lobby. Elevators are uncomfortable, right? Yeah. And it was just kind of this lovely, lovely experience that I'll never forget, you know. So I I got to share an elevator with Tina, Nancy, and Elvira.

Kendall 37:44

Isn't it funny? But maybe not. No.

Peaches Christ 37:52

No, I mean, that's the other thing. So that you would think there these groups, right? That there's all this overlap, you would think. I think the slashers are their own cult. You know, Adrian, Heather, all of those women, they do all know each other. And I don't know if you read that great book, The Final Girl Support Group. Have you read that? Oh, it's fabulous. We just oh my god.

Corey 38:16

We actually just did a copy. Fabulous. Um, Kendall's, oh, is it your Adrian lives in Oregon? Oregon. Oregon. And she got involved and donated some stuff to a really great children's charity thing. And so I got Kendall, I won one of the packages, and so an autograph copy of that book was part of the package. So we do have it. Oh, gotten into it.

Peaches Christ 38:37

It's so great. And it's based on their lives, the real women, even though he wrote characters. And if you listen to the audiobook, it's Adrian. She she narrates. Yeah, it's fabulous. Yeah. So I love knowing that they have their own group, but like someone like Elvira is in a different group, and her group is so interesting. It's some of what you would expect, obviously, all the burlesque. She knows Dita Vantis and all those people, but also it's a lot of people like Rob Zombie and folks who grew up obsessed with her. That's that her click is a little different.

Kendall 39:13

No, for sure.

Corey 39:14

So it's really interesting to see how all these areas of gray kind of come to gifts. Peaches, it's been a joy. I I knew it was going to be, but we adore you and we appreciate you taking the time to do this. Thank you. Thanks for having me. For sure. That was a ride. From Catholic school controversy to Rocky Horror royalty, Peaches Christ reminded us that horror isn't just entertainment, it's empowerment. Whether she's channeling John Waters, celebrating Final Girls, or shaking things up at the symphony, Peaches proves that you could be spooky, silly, sincere, and subversive all at once. And honestly, that reminder to lead with love, to build bridges across drag styles and horror fan clicks, and to keep creating in the face of fear? That's what horror heals is all about. Peaches, thank you for being your full, fabulous self. And to our listeners, remember, when life gets monstrous, lean into it. You might just find your inner peaches. And until next time, when someone asks, is horror good for mental wellness? You tell them, of course it is. The Horror Heals Podcast is produced and presented by How the Cow Ate the Cabbage LLC.