Elliott with Two T’s: From Texas Farm Kid to RuPaul’s Drag Race

This week, I’m joined by RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 queen Elliott with Two T’s — a classically trained dancer turned Las Vegas performer who grew up as a gay kid on a Texas farm.

We talk about how dance became her safe place, and how her fiercely supportive mom helped her build confidence early on. Elliott shares what it was like performing in drag for the first time at 15 through a Dallas LGBTQ youth center charity event — and how drag quickly became more than performance. It became creative control.

We get into auditioning for Drag Race during COVID, filming under intense pressure, and what life looked like after the show — nonstop touring, burnout, and learning when to “bed rot” and recharge.

We also talk about advocacy. Elliott reflects on how LGBTQ rights have shifted from gaining ground to fighting to protect what we have — and why youth safe spaces matter more than ever. She credits the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) with teaching her how to understand and use her legal rights in school. Plus, she shares surreal moments from lobbying in D.C., including AOC running over to meet her.

This is a conversation about resilience, performance, advocacy, and finding your voice — onstage and off.

You can follow Elliott @TheRealElliottQeen

You can write to us at: Questions@DukesDownload.com

And follow us onInstagram: 

• @jamesdukemason
• @PrideHouseMedia

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Welcome to Duke's Download, my newweekly podcast. I'm Duke Baser here. And each week I'll bring you can't stop provoking conversations with incredible guests in the worlds of politics and pop culture. Together we'll explore the stories, ideas, and moments that shape our lives and drive change. I'm so glad you're here. Now let's get started. Hey everyone, welcome back to Duke's Download, the No Filter podcast, where we get the real stories, real tea, and real downloads from the people who are actually living it. I'm your host, Duke Mason, and today I am beyond excited because we've got a true superstar in the house. She's a classically trained ballerina, a Las Vegas showgirl, a farm kid from Texas who turned her two T's into international fame, one of the most talked-about queens from RuPaul's drag race. You know her from those sky high kicks, the precision dance, and that unbreakable spirit. Please give it up for the one, the only, the real Elliot Queen, Elliot with two T's herself. Hello, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

Thank you. Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here.

SPEAKER_00 1:14

I am so happy you're here. Um, how are you doing? How are you feeling today?

SPEAKER_01 1:18

I'm good. Uh the weather in Vegas is still, you know, it's not getting too hot quite yet, but we're all gonna be just burning alive pretty soon.

SPEAKER_00 1:26

Well, it's funny you say that because I was thinking about it when when I obviously I knew I knew you were from Vegas and that you lived there. But um what I mean, how does that work when you're having to dress? I mean, as I said before we taped, I was so grateful that you actually got all done up for this interview because it's like what? It's probably boiling there, right?

SPEAKER_01 1:46

I mean, it's just something you kind of get used to. You get used to the climate. It's you know, you wait, you wait to put your wig on until the last possible moment because it's just radiating heat.

SPEAKER_00 1:59

It's you know, it's kudos because the I mean, if I'm in a like a polo shirt and I'd be drenched in sweat already. Um, but you know, one of the reasons I wanted to interview you was that I think you know, beyond drag race, just your life story is so interesting and compelling. And you you know, you grew up on a farm in Texas, and I was curious like what little Elliot was like on that farm. And how did a country kid, you know, when you were so young became a you know, be how did a country kid become, I guess is the right way of putting it, um, a classically trained ballerina and drag superstar?

SPEAKER_01 2:36

So as a little b as a little baby kid, I always was just twirling around the house and my mom could see that I had a natural ability. And so she put me in dance classes at five years old, and I just started, I was obsessed. I was obsessed with it, and it was something that was kind of my escape from being the gay kid in a small farm town. It was, you know, where I was accepted and I could be a star. I could be, you know, oh, look at look at Elliot, you know, it was it was a special, beautiful place to be in such a difficult environment. And it really was just my safe space. And I just, you know, it was something that God gave to me. He gave me the ability to dance the way that I do. And it's always been so special to me. And I just, it really was my mom who, you know, she knew from day one that I was gay and she knew that I was fabulous. So she never once, you know, tried to dim that. She always wanted to lift me up and make sure that I was supported and loved because she knew how difficult the world outside was for me. So it was the combination of being a dancer and my mom that kind of created where I am today.

SPEAKER_00 3:49

What was it like when you first started doing classes? I mean, was that, did you feel like were you aware of that? Not to get to focus on like the negative, but I mean, you know, I can imagine, you know, I I know I always say I grew up, you know, I was lucky that I grew up in a relatively accepting environment and place. But did you feel in any way, uh, I wouldn't say I don't know if intimidate is the right word, but did you feel, did you just feel, did you just say, I don't care what people think? Like I'm just gonna pursue this passion, or how do you feel in the environment you're in?

SPEAKER_01 4:23

My mom had a phrase that she would say to me every day before I got on the bus to school, and she would say, fly under the radar, like you know, airplanes, how they would fly low enough to go under the radar. And she would say that not to dim my light. She would say that to protect to to be self-aware, to protect myself, not necessarily to diminish who I am, to just kind of be more self-aware and not welcome the unwanted attention that would come my way from you know being the gay kid in my town. Because I mean, my my town had a Walmart, a Chili's, one high school. So everyone knew everyone. And it just, you know, she she could see that it was going to be difficult for me. And so she would say every day for the bus of school, fly under the radar. But she knew that I could, I didn't have to fly under the radar in the dance classes and you know, at my studio. So she knew that that was my safe space, but you know, out in the world, just fly under the radar.

SPEAKER_00 5:26

What was that first like uh experience like when you were 15, when you did your first? Well, I don't know if it was your first drag competition or were you performed in drag like publicly for the first time. But what was that? What how did that come about? And what was that experience?

SPEAKER_01 5:40

So in Dallas, there was a gay youth center that kind of coexit every city major city has the resource center. And so it was a youth center that kind of was along the similar aesthetic. And I would go there for counseling and for, you know, the every Thursday they would have a big group dinner, so all the teens would come. And so it was just this this gay youth center. And they would put on these nonprofit events. And when I was 15, we had one of our first major nonprofit events. And I was 15 years old, and we decided a whole bunch of us kids, I mean, we're all teenagers, we decided let's, you know, choreograph some drag numbers and do drag. And, you know, it was in the safe environment of, you know, supervision and parents and you know whatnot. But it it was really the very first time that I did drag was at a ticketed, you know, charity event. So it it wasn't like in my bedroom or anything, it was like on a stage with backup dancers and costumes and so it was it was it was incredible to be thrown into it that way. I'm really lucky to have had that support to be able to do it so young. But that was the first time that I really, you know, got got a taste of it.

SPEAKER_00 6:57

And what was that like? Were you were you, I mean, did the same way that you were drawn to dance and to to ballet, was was uh was drag with that moment? Were you like, this is something that I like, did you just immediately feel like this is something that connects to me?

SPEAKER_01 7:14

What I felt connected me to it was being a dancer and being in an ensemble of other dancers. Um, you know, I wasn't necessarily in control of what performance we did, what numbers we did, what choreography we did. And so with drag, I was able to, you know, I was able to show off and show how, you know, trained I was as a dancer, but I got to express myself as a dancer my own way. I got to decide what how I wanted to look, what songs I wanted to do, what performances I wanted to do. So it gave me the artistic outlet to express myself that way while still being a trained dancer doing, you know, classic ballet classes and everything like that that had more structure. But being doing drag, I got to be, you know, the producer and the director and the creative director of everything that I was doing. So that that gave me the freedom to do all of that.

SPEAKER_00 8:11

No, I mean, I think that's so true. I mean, you know, from my perspective, I think that's one of the best parts of drag is that, you know, it's such an incredible uh, you know, way for people to express themselves, both personally, but also just artistically. And every drag queen is different. I mean, everybody has their own persona, not just their own name, but their own look, their own style, their own everything, mannerism, whatever it may be, but just it's so, it's so the the the artistry and the creativity is just incredible. Um, and I mean in your case, it's it's uh we'll get into this later. I want to talk to you more about your your personal style and uh and voice. But you know, before we move on to drag race, I wanted to ask you, you know, as someone who went to a gay youth center when you were young and and coming of age, especially given the the climate we live in now and the times we're living in, how important do you think it is for for LGBTQ youth to have a safe space like that? And and how do you feel when you see, you know, you know, we th we at least I think you and I, you're a little younger than me, I think maybe, but you know, but you know, but for our generation, I think at least I'll speak for myself, but I came of age, you know, there were definitely struggles, but it seemed like we were on like a forward trajectory, like things were inevitably kind of heading in the right direction. But I feel like there's we're in a lot more of an uncertain time right now. And I guess I just wanted to get your your perspective on on that.

SPEAKER_01 9:45

I mean, I again I was really lucky with my youth program that I was a part of because I would not know where I would be today without it. I was introduced to the human rights campaign as a young teenager. Um, and so that really helped me understand that I am a person, I'm a human being, and I have rights and I have things that I I need to be taken care of. And so as a senior in high school, I carried around printouts of my legal rights as a student in the state of Texas. And I would I handed them out to my principal and to my counselor of the things that they're required to do for me as a student. And that gave me power. That gave me, you know, it gave me a safety net almost, knowing that I was I legally was meant to be taken care of. But I think currently I think the difference between then and now, even though it's only been, you know, a few years, is I we we were doing this. It felt like we were getting better and better, and things were, you know, we were what we were fighting for and marching for and having our parades and everything was for, I felt like it was finally starting to pay off. But now I feel like we're we're just fighting to keep the things that we already have, to you know, beg not to take away the things that you gave us when we should have had them in the first place. You know, it's just it that's the hardest thing is I feel like we're fighting to keep things that we have fought, you know, decades and decades and decades for.

SPEAKER_00 11:24

I thought of true. And I think you know, it's I wanted to highlight that because I think you are a perfect example of what someone can become and be when they have a you know supportive environment around them and a safe space and a place where you know they can f have that encouragement and freedom to express themselves. And um, you just you know, when you stifle that and you make you know make kids feel like they're living in a climate of fear or hostility, or I just think it it's you know, it's it's tragedy and it stifles that that potential within that that person. Um but of course I had to I have to ask you about drag race. Um yeah, I was curious, you know, obviously it's been what I think this is the 20th year or something that it's been on the air. So it has become like this cultural institution, not just within our community, but sort of you know broadly and and broad cultural. Um so when you got the call that you were cast, or like when you even found out about the I guess the place to start would be how you got to what how you came to audition, but then when you found out you were cast, what was that whole experience like when when it first came under your radar?

SPEAKER_01 12:37

It what what was so crazy about it was I auditioned right as COVID was happening, and so I would get a response that, oh, we're gonna pause production and we're not gonna go forward with picking people yet. So just wait. And so then you're just like, well, dang, of course, when I decide to, you know, join this, of course the world shuts down. And but it just as a as a dancer, as a performer, you become obsessed with the idea of auditions and gigs and what's the next thing? What is the next thing I can achieve? What's the next, you know, opportunity that I can strive for? And so that's kind of where the passion to want to be a part of it came from was okay, I've accomplished this and this and this. What else can I do? And so that's really where the idea for drag race came from was I wanted to reach higher in whatever field I was at, I was in. You know, as a dancer, you always want to work on cruise ships because it's consistent work. And so I did that for two years. And then I, you know, it's just, and then I moved to Las Vegas and I wanted to be a Vegas, you know, performer and did that. So I was like, what's next? What else can I achieve? So it's this just hunger that as a performer, as a dancer, we just naturally have where we're always trying to reach for the next opportunity. And drag race was kind of, you know, it's kind of top tier as a queen that you kind of want to achieve that. It's kind of like a badge of honor.

SPEAKER_00 14:08

The Olympics for drag queens, basically.

SPEAKER_01 14:11

Right.

unknown 14:11

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 14:12

I mean, you know, it's just as big as it gets. Um, right. But you know, I mean, putting the COVID factor aside, which obviously, I mean, I I remembered that you you uh that that that was a big element during that season. But yes, it was but did you was the experience what you expected it to be? Because I always you know, I always I always feel when you you meet people who you know, whether it's sports or whatever it may be, politics, movies, music, uh performing, you know, you you wonder if it's with once they get there, if it really is the way that they experienced or imagined it to be. Was it what you expected it to be, or was it the whole experience?

SPEAKER_01 14:53

I mean, for me particularly, because of my season, what when we filmed, I'll never know if it was what I expected it to be or not, because we our the way we filmed it was so different than anyone else's season. And so I've worked with drag race girls long before I was on the show. And so you kind of hear what their experiences are like, and they're all pretty similar. And so no one can ever compare what they go through to what we went through on our season. It was it was very strange, very bizarre. It was a lot more steps involved, a lot more obstacles, and it just made it more difficult and more stressful. And so it was almost like a harder season to film because of you know, all of the barriers we had against us. It was really difficult. But I mean, it's never gonna be what anyone expects, especially, you know, especially with our season. It no one, even the people who've done it for years and years and years behind the scenes, they even had no idea what to expect with it. So it was just we were figuring it out as we went along.

SPEAKER_00 16:02

I I can't even imagine. I mean, I I remember life in general, but I mean, yeah, but obviously during that period, but having to perform and be and it's just you're right. It's hard. It's it's particularly on a show like Drag Race, you know, when you when part of it is the energy and being able to interact with people. And and uh I can only imagine, in a way, the ability your ability to be, you know, creative and to get that that your your performance across and those that sort of environment is even more impressive, I would say. But um, you know, one of the things I loved the most about you was that you clearly had a love for pop culture, for not just pop culture today, but like, you know, icons like Judy Garland and Rue McClanahan. Uh in your performances and your persona. And where does that interest uh and passion come from? Was that a thing from when you were young that that that developed, or did that come later in your development?

SPEAKER_01 17:03

So it all comes from my mom. My mom, like I said, my mom knew I was gay since I was very, very young. And so she instilled in me knowledge about things that would pertain to my life as a person in the entertainment industry. So she made sure that I watched old black and white Broadway musicals on VHS. She made sure I had a VHS tape of um the birdcage when I was like 10 years old. She wanted me to know references to things. She wanted me to know about music and about film. And I mean, I had Doogie Hauser on VHS, I had Murphy Brown on VHS, I had things that she wanted me to know so that when I walked into a room with people who were directors or choreographers or managers, that I could stand on my own and not just be like the young stupid kid that was in the room. She wanted me to to kind of know what I was talking about when I walked into a room when it came to entertainment and the industry I wanted to pursue. So my mom 100% is the whole reason I know anything about anything, because she just made sure that I knew all the gay things.

SPEAKER_00 18:20

It's a very it's important. I don't know if you're familiar with this reference, but when I was a kid, I remember I don't I don't think I'd even come out at this point. But my mom, my mom has a lot of gay friends, and uh, but she would show me things like do you know who Julie Newmar was? Absolutely, yeah. The Catwoman and like the old Batman, like super campy, like super like great. But like I look back and my mom showed me John Waters movies when I was a teenager. So, like, you know, and I look back and I go, I don't know if she's we'll go into that, but she always like sometimes she'll be like, Oh no, I didn't see it coming. Other times she'll be like, Yeah, you know, maybe deep down I did, like, but uh but I've regardless, like she showed me all these movies and shows that later on I was like, Oh, thanks, mom, thanks for showing me that stuff. Because 100%. Not only would I, I mean, especially for you, I can imagine, as someone who incorporated these influences into your persona and your performances, having those touch points and that that sort of that information to go to you know take from and and use as as inspiration must have been pretty helpful.

SPEAKER_01 19:32

It was. I mean, there's something powerful about being the only person in the room that knows a reference or knows what someone else is talking about. It's it's a very powerful feeling. And you know, it's better, it is it's been beneficial to me in many a situation to be able to carry on a conversation with someone knowing what they're talking about, instead of just kind of like being in the back, just hanging out with the other, you know, 20-something-year-olds. I I just I was very proud of the fact that my mom instilled that type of knowledge in me because she knew it would help me one day as an entertainer. She knew it would be important. So thanks, mom.

SPEAKER_00 20:13

Now I feel this I feel the same way. Um well, out of out of your performances on Drag Race, which one on a personal level, like were you most excited about or proud of? Or in terms of like but I you know it could be it anyway, whether it's the song or the the you know, the the whatever, what was the performance that spoke to you the most on a personal level?

SPEAKER_01 20:35

Can I be completely honest? The whole thing was like a fever dream. It's so hard to even think back to anything in particular that happened because it doesn't feel like it happened really happened, because you're just you're so stressed the entire time you're there. You're just you're just trying to make it through the motions and do what you gotta do. I will say one thing that was really cool that I remember was when I was on set, we had to do a mini challenge the one day to a RuPaul song that was Happy Birthday. And on that actual day that we filmed that, it was my actual birthday. So in my head, I got to go home and say RuPaul sang happy birthday to me. And that was that was cool. But you know, the whole thing, like you just try you try your best with every single challenge. You work so hard, you don't sleep, you just you're on set all day, and you just try it so so hard. And so every single day, I just try to do my best. And again, it's all like a blackout to me. It really was.

SPEAKER_00 21:39

I can I can imagine I can, I can, I can imagine because again, you know, not to keep repeating myself, but like, you know, people that are in, you know, those sort of whether it's beyond the dive board, the Olympics, whatever, when you know when you're when you finally walk up to that to that uh to that threshold when you're it's like, okay, we're doing this. know uh you hear people say like i blacked out you know yeah or i don't even i don't even remember the details you just do it you know you just no literally bl blacked out for six weeks truly genuinely it's yeah it it's a I have little like tidbits of little flashes of memories of it but it just it it was so stressful that it's just all gone but I mean you know obviously drag race as incredibly big and and important as it is and was um you know is just a part of your your journey I mean it's been a few years since season 13 you were based in Vegas you have been doing viva drag brunch and traveling nonstop hosting charity galas big gay cruise charters had to I but I saw the all the places you've been I mean you've been to Japan you've been to London Fashion Week New York what does a typical month look like for you these days well this month in particular I decided to take a break because between February and April I was home four days from the first week of February until the first week of April I was home four days and so I was very exhausted which I love what I do so much.

SPEAKER_01 23:21

I love being exhausted I love you know being a zombie at the airport it's it's why I do what I do because that was the dream but it was just kind of like you do kind of get burnout every once in a while and you have to refocus yourself and recenter yourself. And so this month I am taking it very easy but then next month I'm right back at it. I'm going what I what I try to do is I try to do at least two weekends out of town a month and then I do try to do two weekends at home but it just depends you know sometimes I'll be gone every weekend for the whole month or I'll be gone the whole month. Like it just depends. And so I just every month is different and I just I manage myself I do everything myself so it just depends on what I'm able to what what I'm able to get and once I get it goes in the calendar and pack my bags.

SPEAKER_00 24:27

And uh oh my God and uh I just know I mean she always says granted she's 50 40 50 years older than you now but uh but she always says you know like I mean I've I've seen it you know with my own eyes it's a tough life sometimes being on the road I mean people think it's glamorous it's not always glamorous it's it's hard on you it is not glamorous it is not glamorous I mean it's cool you know I think the one thing she always says is it the it is cool getting to experience different places and seeing new I mean that's that's the maybe the one benefit of it is that you get to go to new places experience cool things and travel but it's not always the most like luxurious you know uh opulent uh accommodations you know I mean I have a brother-in-law who's never been on a plane I have a brother-in-law who's never left the state of Texas so the fact that I come from a town where that's the norm and I've now been to Japan and I've been back and forth to England multiple times and to Amsterdam and just the things that I've done is things that people from that I went to school with are just like, oh my God, I can't believe you're doing these things.

SPEAKER_01 25:43

It's just it seems insane but to me it's just kind of my norm at this point in my life. So but I just I I pinch myself constantly because I just can't believe I've done the things that I've done and continue to do. I mean I still have I have things scheduled all the way up through the end of this year already of things new things and places I haven't been and just it's it's insane.

SPEAKER_00 26:08

It is insane but it just it's a testament to your you know your your your will it's your force of your force of nature you know and you've you've willed all of this into existence which is which is pretty amazing. But you know other than drag race and your performances and your touring you've also popped up on TV yeah you were on hacks I mean what was the coolest pinch me moment would you say that you've had like other than drag race where you were like this is pretty effing cool what what I think is cool is in my head only my parent my family saw me on drag race that's how I that's how I see it.

SPEAKER_01 26:45

Only my family saw it no one else saw it no one knows who I am and that's just how I feel but I one of my like buddies on Instagram that I text back and forth is Minnie Driver. Like she's just one of my buddies that I just text back and forth to because she has somewhat knows who I am because of drag race and I've been at parties before in LA where I would see um celebrities and people of things that I've seen them on TV and they would go oh my god you're Elliot it's so nice to meet you AOC AOC jumped out of a moving car in Washington DC to run down the sidewalk to come say hi to me and in that moment I just couldn't process what was happening because I could I I was standing in front of the White House or the Capitol and I was doing stuff with human rights campaign and I was in full drag and this car kind of just skids in the middle of the street and this woman gets out and goes is that Elliot and I couldn't really see her I couldn't really see her and I'm like hi like hello hello and she got closer and I went oh my god it's AOC and I'm standing there with all of the human rights campaign people and she gives everyone a hug and she gives us all like this big motivational speech and it just moments like that where I'm reminded that people did see the show and people do know who I am is just madness.

SPEAKER_00 28:16

It's when I'm in a different country I was in Australia and a woman from like Japan I think knew who I was and I just I can't process that because again I think only my family saw that no it's true especially because not to keep going back to this but you were you were it was during a time when the world everything felt so isolated.

SPEAKER_01 28:39

So so I can only imagine when you then realize that this I mean in a way more people probably know you than most uh most drag queens because you know everybody you basically had you know the whole world watching yeah watching uh watching the show and so I mean you know and and and that is right there I mean I'm sure human rights campaign loved the you I mean you did your you you served I mean I hope that's a weird way to say it you served your purpose in that oh absolutely got you got her attention and you know and so I mean you you literally went to Washington to lobby for or to to you know to um uh activate lawmakers for our community and you did it so yeah it was cool it was really cool and it did it did feel like I because sometimes you know you think oh I'm just the token drag queen that they you know bring along for attention but it was that situation with AOC and then Corey Booker saw us as well and he wanted to come up and take pictures and so it just was really incredible to be able to provide those moments to the rest of the HRC people because you know they they're not going to get that type of attention and so to be able to bring visibility to the cause and to human rights campaign is why I always anytime they ask me to do something with the human rights campaign I always say tell me when tell me when you need me there I'll be there always that's amazing seriously um I mean it's uh you do you do you not just through uh your the advocacy but just by being you know you really are I wanted to get I'll get to that as in the final question but um I wanted to ask about you outside of your persona um what would be one thing that people would be shocked to learn about the real Elliot Puckett when the wig and lashes are off oh my gosh I don't even know I just I've gotten to the point where I'm so boring now like as you get older you become more boring and you just you you want to be home with the dogs you don't want to go out of that I'm like yeah true no like you just become we become so boring and I just I don't know I I mean I don't know I don't even know if you have a day off what do you do most of the time what's your what do you I just bed rot 100% just bed rot because you know when when I do shows and when I perform it's not just doing the number it's also you have to be on like Disneyland. You have to you know present yourself in a very like hello like you have to be way more than yourself because for me personally if someone does recognize me and makes a deal about it I want their experience meeting me to be really special because again I don't think anyone knows who I am. So the fact that you knew who I was and you wanted to come say hi to me and you like what I do is so special. And so I will always take a picture I will always say hi because that's you know the little kid in me that you know when I first was taught cursive in elementary school would practice my artograph as a little baby because I just was so excited to have that opportunity to give someone that and so that always is with me when someone recognizes me. So I always try to be on 100% when I'm out. So when I do have downtime I don't want to go anywhere I don't want to see anybody I don't want to go out to eat.

SPEAKER_00 32:26

I don't want to do anything but I don't blame I mean it's just it's not just I forgot I mean I I kept emphasizing the physical part of it the visual but it's so true that it not only is it physically an ordeal I'm sure but having to like always be on too and and it must require an immense amount of like mental energy and physical energy.

SPEAKER_01 32:51

I mean it's just it's a lot it's a lot it is a lot I mean it reminds me of when I worked on cruise ship where anytime I left my cabin you had to be on you had to be ready to answer a question or point someone in the right direction. You had to be a staff member a crew member and so whenever I'm in drag I kind of take that same mindset and instill that because again I don't ever want to disappoint someone I always want someone to have the best experience possible even if it has anything to do with me. I want it to be the most magical special memorable thing for them. And so I I personally take that very seriously of being on even if I'm not feeling like it I want to be on. So yeah I love a good bed rot. That's a chance to recharge yes we we're we're all not so lucky. We're not most of us are not lucky enough to have days where you can just do nothing and recharge.

SPEAKER_00 33:49

So I do not take that time for granted I put the time in and the hours in just rotting well you know I I you are definitely special and I think you you know you really you have something that a lot of people uh on the show don't have and you have a you have a unique not just on the show but in general in this in this in this genre in this field I think you know because of the references you make and and just in your re and your your just your presence your persona I think you'd you definitely have made a massive uh mark but um sort of as a final question uh and this is a big one you know I think of one specific to this uh podcast you know because you know I think I you know I I think a big part of it is is learning lessons from people who have uh you know shown courage and shown determination and conviction um what advice would you give to a young queer kid whether it be in Texas or anywhere else in the country around the world who's dreaming of doing drag and chasing the spotlight and just chasing sort of being an authentic version of themselves what what advice would you give about persevering?

SPEAKER_01 35:03

I think the main thing is is to know that nothing lasts forever as in the bad situation you're in or the small town you live in. You can always leave but it's not something that happens overnight. It's something that takes time. And so I used that as my superpower to make me want to achieve more instead of kind of you know being battled down by the negativity and the homophobia and the things that I went through as a kid I always knew this is temporary. I'm not gonna be in Texas forever I'm not gonna be in this town forever I'm eventually going to go out and be able to pursue the things that I want to pursue. And I think that that was a superpower for me was knowing this is all temporary. And so if you're in a negative situation, you know make a plan, figure out what you're gonna do. Don't let your situation control what you want to do or where you can go. Everyone has the ability to get up and leave and walk away and pursue the things that they want to pursue. You just have to have a plan. You have to know what I mean I say that but I moved to Vegas on a one-way southwest flight with two suitcases and just went I'm leaving I didn't know what I was gonna do. And you just sometimes that works but it's not always so but you have to be able to have the conviction to do that. You have to be able to have the conviction to go I'm getting on this one way flight and jump. But you know you have to be able to know where you're gonna go with it. You can't just you know I had been a dancer for like God knows a few decades a couple of decades at that point when I moved to Vegas so I knew like this is the path I'm going. So I had the tools and the skill set to back up relocating and figuring out what I wanted to do with myself. So you have to have you have to have the the backbone you know the framework that you need to be able to achieve the things you want to do and then just do it honestly it sounds it sounds so cliche but if it's something you want to do do it just jump.

SPEAKER_00 37:17

Like you know not not to yet again we're compare you to my mom but like my mom she was 17 and she left home and she was basically homeless and you know and and within a few years she was you know in a in one of the biggest bands in America but you know she went through some really hard times but she just said you know what uh I'm just gonna do it. And sometimes that's yeah and then that comes with risks and it's not always easy but um sometimes you know what do they say high risk high reward sometimes it just takes a leap of faith I slept on couches when I moved to Vegas.

SPEAKER_01 37:54

I mean again it's not glamorous it wasn't ideal it wasn't the perfect situation but if you're hungry enough for something and you find the outlets and you find the people the right people and you surround yourself in those environments that are going to help you know boost you it it can happen for anyone you just have to you know kind of be really smart about it and be in the right place at the right time and just again when it comes to time time frames of things not everything happens overnight. You have to be patient and know that it's gonna happen when it happens. So don't get down on yourself if it doesn't happen this year or next year.

SPEAKER_00 38:32

It it's things take time take a long time sometimes they do they do but uh you are honestly you are a perfect example of what someone can do when they have when they have you know courage and uh and determination so um I really appreciate you being here thank you so much I'm really glad we got to talk yes this was amazing it's so nice to finally meet you and yes this has been lovely I wanted to ask I mean obviously I know people watching this probably already know or know where to found do you find you but in case they don't where would people go to keep up with with what you're doing and follow you just follow me on Instagram at the real Elliot Queen make sure you spell Ellie with two T's it's the whole point of my name make sure you spell it correctly and it's just at the real Elliot Queen on Instagram that's pretty much where I I exist is just there.

SPEAKER_01 39:26

So yeah just check out where I'm going next I have lots of things coming that are exciting.

SPEAKER_00 39:31

Catch her in Vegas or on your next cruise streamer latest performances. Elliot thank you so much. Thank you so much Duke this has been fabulous. It's been great. Bye thank you for joining me today on Duke's download this podcast is part of Pridehouse Media hosted by me Duke Mason and produced and edited by Josh Rosen's white original music composed by Nell Balaban. If you enjoyed this episode please subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. While you're there leave us a rating and review it really helps others to discover the show. I'd love to stay connected with you so join the conversation by following me at James Duke Mason on Instagram and X or by emailing me at questions at Dukesdownload.com