Consider This ...Becoming! || 06

Before the stages, the titles, and the personas.... there were beginnings. 

In this episode, we get personal about how we found performance- or maybe how it found us. 

This one is about the pivots, the identities, the risks, and the moments that shaped who we are today. 
Not just what we do. But how. we became. 
 
🎧 Want to take Lashes Off! on the go in audio form? Check out our audio-only podcast feed and subscribe on your favorite platform by heading to https://www.buzzsprout.com/2567477 🎙️
 
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Lashes Off! Podcast was created by Butterfly Media LLC and Robyn's Universe LLC. 

To learn more visit https://linktr.ee/offwiththelashes

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:37

Hi friends.

SPEAKER_05 0:38

Hi, queers.

SPEAKER_04 0:39

How y'all doing?

SPEAKER_03 0:40

How y'all doing?

SPEAKER_05 0:41

It's me.

SPEAKER_03 0:42

Hello. We're black. Oh.

SPEAKER_04 0:49

What the fuck? It is Melanin March, babe.

SPEAKER_05 0:53

Yes. It is Melon March.

SPEAKER_04 0:55

Okay, we're continuing it on.

SPEAKER_05 0:56

I don't know. Black History Month was so exhausted. Oh, in so many different ways.

SPEAKER_04 1:02

Yeah, there was a lot of things.

SPEAKER_05 1:03

Yeah. I don't know if we want to continue. I think I just want to be black. I don't want it to be celebrated by other people.

SPEAKER_04 1:08

I'm going to celebrate you.

SPEAKER_05 1:10

Oh, thanks.

unknown 1:11

Hey.

SPEAKER_04 1:12

Sorry. Titi Bregunto. Okay, okay, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_05 1:16

That's my vocal stem. Hello, I'm Robin. I'm Butterfly. And this is Lashes I.

SPEAKER_04 1:21

And I swear this is not a Tanger Ranger episode.

SPEAKER_05 1:23

We did that last week, I think.

unknown 1:24

Oh, we're still.

SPEAKER_05 1:26

But it's just what we do, hey. Ay.

SPEAKER_00 1:32

Titi Baby Pregunto.

SPEAKER_05 1:33

It's our vocal stem of the week. Shout out to America's boyfriend. My boyfriend. America's boyfriend.

SPEAKER_04 1:40

Benito Teyamo.

SPEAKER_05 1:43

Bye. Bye Bonnie. Bye Bonnie. Aye. Say cheese. You don't have a brain. Love that man down. You don't have a bra on, and I think that's great. You say, wa, wa.

SPEAKER_04 2:01

Y'all welcome. I don't be one to wear. Listen, if I am not on the stage taking the bra off, I am not wearing a bra.

SPEAKER_05 2:09

It was already off, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 2:10

That's what I'm saying. I'm not. I wear look, I buy bras for um burlesque.

SPEAKER_05 2:15

Yeah. Just be free. There was one photo from paying tribute when he said my titties are all the way down there. And you were just with your camera, just like a uh a mom, just recording.

SPEAKER_03 2:32

It just looked like a ring at the end. Good old Chris Jenner. Poor T.

SPEAKER_04 2:37

I don't give a fuck.

SPEAKER_05 2:39

I don't give a fuck. I don't give a fuck. Yeah, this is what we're on today. It's gonna be so fun.

SPEAKER_04 2:44

Oh, we should make the play a drinking game. Every time we get distracted, take a shot. I'm talking to you, Phoenix. Uh-huh. Shout out to Phoenix. Phoenix always watching, always sharing, always liking. We love, love, love Phoenix Town.

SPEAKER_05 2:57

Melanated house dance. No. Oh my god. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 3:00

I just found where we're gonna go right now.

SPEAKER_05 3:02

Oh.

SPEAKER_03 3:03

Hold on.

SPEAKER_05 3:05

What's happening?

SPEAKER_03 3:06

I don't know. I just need to have a little look at it.

SPEAKER_05 3:08

Um in front of us there are drinks from High Neighbor. Yeah. We've got an S exotic soda.

SPEAKER_04 3:19

Does that mean sexy slut?

SPEAKER_05 3:23

Sexy and slutty. Sure. Enjoy. What is the flavor?

SPEAKER_04 3:29

Yummy. Tropical mangoing Waba.

SPEAKER_05 3:32

Aye. Was that racist? I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 3:37

Well, I I'm I'm the Latin person in the room.

SPEAKER_05 3:40

Okay. I didn't answer the question though, but yeah.

SPEAKER_04 3:44

We're just singing a song. Okay. Did you sing along when you watched the studio?

SPEAKER_05 3:48

I didn't sing.

SPEAKER_04 3:48

You still haven't watched it. Have you watched the Benito Bow yet? I'm sorry. This is important.

unknown 3:54

No.

SPEAKER_00 3:55

Roll that beautiful bean.

SPEAKER_04 3:58

Oh, and they start behind the tree too. Like in the little green. What? You would know if you said that.

SPEAKER_05 4:03

Oh, in the yes, I have seen that part.

SPEAKER_04 4:05

Fucking no.

SPEAKER_05 4:06

I've also seen the memes where um like the trees are talking about their experiences, and uh, I was tree number five.

SPEAKER_04 4:15

I actually would have killed to be any of those. Really. I would have loved to be standing up there with uh oh, you don't even know. Never mind. Watch it and then we'll talk about it.

SPEAKER_05 4:24

Seems so upset.

SPEAKER_04 4:25

I am upset! It's been like 42 weeks!

SPEAKER_05 4:28

It's also like, you know, I've seen it, basically. No, you haven't. I've seen all of the memes, all of the wow. All of the memes, all of the clips. And so in reality, I've seen the entire time. Oh wow. You can get your high neighbors.

SPEAKER_04 4:48

Make sure you're following high neighbor on Instagram.

SPEAKER_05 4:50

At high neighbor614 on Instagram. Period. Um, but you talked about hold your poodle, and that brought me to April 18th, where High Neighbor and Melinated are putting on White Chicks. We're watching White Chicks, and we're gonna do a drag show. And there's a seven course.

SPEAKER_04 5:06

Like you say, we're watching white chicks and we're doing white chicks.

SPEAKER_05 5:08

We're doing white chicks.

SPEAKER_04 5:10

Sure.

SPEAKER_05 5:13

Um, seven course meal. Um follow high neighbor 614. Get all of the details. They just released the courses earlier. I read that shit and I'm salivating. Yeah, so it's gonna be a fun, fun time. Yeah. Get your tickets. Hold your poodle. Oi. I didn't take my step.

SPEAKER_04 5:34

Perhaps not! We're back. Oh shit, I took my glasses off. Don't zoom in on my boarheaded legs. They shall find you.

SPEAKER_05 5:41

They are off with your lashes. We got goodie bags.

SPEAKER_04 5:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 5:44

Okay, what do we got?

SPEAKER_04 5:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 5:46

What do you got?

SPEAKER_04 5:47

Okay, I got Ooh, I'm opening this right now. A gusher snackle box. Snackle box. Hi neighbors. See what's sweet inside. 100 milligrams total. About five milligrams per. Ah, perr.

SPEAKER_05 6:08

Perr. Make that kitty go purr.

SPEAKER_04 6:11

And let's see. Ooh.

SPEAKER_05 6:14

No beavers.

SPEAKER_04 6:15

Beaver nuggets! Oh! I don't even care. I don't want to open up anyone. Um, also 100 milligrams total.

SPEAKER_01 6:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 6:27

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 6:28

I have soda. Mm-hmm. I've got a melanated soda. Ooh. And and and red cream exotic. So now we've got.

SPEAKER_03 6:41

We exotic.

SPEAKER_05 6:42

Melanated soda, which is like um here. A lightly carbonated black cherry blood orange ginger with a hint of vanilla exotic.

SPEAKER_04 6:53

That sounds freaky. I like it.

SPEAKER_05 6:54

Uh-oh. Red cream soda, which I think you know what that is.

SPEAKER_04 6:59

No, what is it?

unknown 7:00

It's a red cream soda.

SPEAKER_04 7:01

Alright.

SPEAKER_05 7:03

We also have the old-fashioned maple root beer. Do you want any of these? And then we were having the guava. Yeah, let's do it. You didn't open it. You said you were gonna open it, but you didn't.

SPEAKER_04 7:11

I got crazy about these. Just a little AMS.

SPEAKER_05 7:21

A M R S R. K V W X Y N Z.

SPEAKER_04 7:25

Alam L P.

SPEAKER_05 7:27

A S M R.

SPEAKER_04 7:29

Sorry. Shut up, boy. I say You have to be stronger than those. Your lips look juicy.

SPEAKER_03 7:50

What's the flavor like?

unknown 7:52

Delicious.

SPEAKER_03 7:53

Delicious?

SPEAKER_04 7:55

Would you be good on traitors? Yes! I want to go on traitors so bad! Somebody tag Rob Roush that just won. I think I said his last name right. My Love Island Snake Boy. I'm so sorry. I don't care. It's out. It's on the internet.

SPEAKER_05 8:08

I haven't seen it.

SPEAKER_04 8:09

Oh.

SPEAKER_05 8:11

Last person I saw went home. Who was that?

SPEAKER_04 8:13

You can kill me now if you want. On live camera.

SPEAKER_05 8:17

Wow. But you have to have known violent today. I'm feeling spicy. Snarky reason. Retrograde. Who went home last? Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. Oh, it was uh Taylor Swift's uh Oh, you're at the beginning. Yeah. Taylor Swift's mom-in-law or whatever she is. Did she come back or something?

SPEAKER_04 8:41

I'm not saying anything else. Oh, okay. I have already talked about. All I'm saying is I really actually there's all they're auditioning right now. The next one.

SPEAKER_05 8:48

Yeah, no, they're auditioning for regular people.

SPEAKER_04 8:50

So I really I think I would kill on traders.

SPEAKER_05 8:52

I thought about it. Um I know that I would kill on traders.

SPEAKER_04 8:54

I would eat. I don't get y'all. Chew your feelings up and apologize later.

SPEAKER_05 8:58

I'm not really here. Like the ultimate goal is to win.

SPEAKER_04 9:02

To win.

SPEAKER_05 9:03

To win. So if we're friends, like you should be. You should be chill, babe. Um, but we're like we're friends outside of this.

SPEAKER_02 9:09

Okay, bitch. Let me win this money. Let me win this money, bitch, and then we can go fly the fucking like because we're somewhere else.

SPEAKER_04 9:21

Yeah. Not not political. We'll go to Costa Rica. I love Costa Rica. Um, no, I really do want to be on that show. So you need to we're gonna make each other audition. And they have like a local one, which is cool, but I wanna I really want to try. I feel like, I don't know, I feel like my momentum is kind of I feel like I could get on that show.

unknown 9:40

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 9:40

And then I could go hang out with Alan and the dog in that castle? Bitch, I'm packing my bags.

SPEAKER_05 9:46

In the middle of nowhere. Um, yeah, it's uh you know they don't actually stay in the castle.

SPEAKER_03 9:51

That's sad.

SPEAKER_05 9:52

That was sad.

SPEAKER_03 9:53

Why the fuck did you tell me? I mean you're in the castle. I don't want to go.

SPEAKER_05 9:58

Yeah, that's where the I don't care. During actual recording, but I thought that you would actually stay in the castle, but then also it's like, what happens at nighttime in the dark castle?

SPEAKER_01 10:07

That's why I want to stay in the castle!

SPEAKER_05 10:10

That's where you're taking the Ghost Hunter uh podcast starts. What?

SPEAKER_04 10:14

If I don't make it I would record it. I need you.

SPEAKER_05 10:22

I need you to We were talking earlier about what's your your favorite uh what's your favorite gospel track.

SPEAKER_03 10:33

Drop it low for Jesus.

SPEAKER_05 10:36

That's not a gospel song. But that would make sense for you. Because you are a harlot.

SPEAKER_03 10:44

Rrrr.

SPEAKER_04 10:48

Alright, pipelines. Getting piped on the line.

SPEAKER_05 10:51

Um Yes, getting piped on the line. That sounds fun. Takes us back to those fisting moments you were talking about earlier.

SPEAKER_04 11:01

So freaky and violent. What's going on?

SPEAKER_05 11:03

Sometimes violence is freaky. True. And freaky can be violent.

SPEAKER_03 11:08

True.

SPEAKER_05 11:14

That we're talking today about the origins of us. Of us.

SPEAKER_04 11:19

As entertainers.

SPEAKER_05 11:20

Yeah. Yeah. It could be a sad episode.

SPEAKER_04 11:23

It could. Maybe. I might cry. I am on my period. I might.

SPEAKER_05 11:29

And we're in sync, so I guess I'm also on my period.

SPEAKER_04 11:31

Do you want a whole hands? We should have brought ice cream. Wow. Fuck me.

SPEAKER_05 11:37

Very emotional.

SPEAKER_04 11:39

Not fuck you. Oh, I forgot to say this.

SPEAKER_05 11:42

Oh.

SPEAKER_04 11:44

It's important.

SPEAKER_05 11:45

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 11:46

After Sunday fun day, we did not go home.

SPEAKER_05 11:49

Where did you go?

SPEAKER_04 11:50

We went to union. Oh. And then to church.

SPEAKER_05 11:54

Oh, you went to church? Yep. What a Sunday for you. It was a Sunday. You were outside. I was outside. Uh-huh. How was that for you being out that late on a Sunday? And also being on the north side. All right. Say cheese.

SPEAKER_04 12:21

And then I left without saying goodbye to anyone.

SPEAKER_05 12:24

That's that's you. That makes sense.

SPEAKER_04 12:28

Also I saw Cherry at Bendy on Monday.

SPEAKER_05 12:30

Oh, just randomly.

SPEAKER_04 12:31

Um they came for lunch. I was like, did Robin tell you I work here? Because I also saw them the night before.

SPEAKER_05 12:36

Yeah, at church.

SPEAKER_04 12:37

Yeah. Uh huh.

SPEAKER_05 12:39

Wow.

SPEAKER_04 12:41

Origins of us. Who are you? Tell me about Robin. Tell me about your name.

SPEAKER_05 12:47

Who is you? Um, so I started drag. Um originally I before drag. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 12:55

Performing. Did you do anything before drag? Tell me.

SPEAKER_05 12:58

Oh yeah. So you know, I'm a church kid. Uh that's not the same.

unknown 13:03

Nope.

SPEAKER_05 13:04

I'm a church kid. Um, I went to tracks.

SPEAKER_04 13:08

I I trained myself to uh not go tracks Columbus. Did you see that? I trained myself, but I still did it because Deja Deja Baby Deja vu. Baby Pun it.

SPEAKER_05 13:21

I'm a church kid. Been in church since I was five. Um started singing in choir.

SPEAKER_04 13:27

You're just running the streets from one to four. I'm just curious.

SPEAKER_05 13:30

Yeah. I but then I turned my life over to Jesus.

SPEAKER_04 13:32

Amen. Amen.

SPEAKER_05 13:37

Five or six. Started going to church. Um joined choir, then joined mime. Um I almost.

SPEAKER_04 13:45

Yeah, I almost did that, but I didn't want to be disrespect.

SPEAKER_05 13:49

No, that's not the same type of mime, but it's the same, I guess. In a way, it originates from it. Yeah, I know. Um I know I almost did that. Christian mime. Um, you know, we wear whiteface. Um we wear whiteface. Um I still wear whiteface a lot. The preacher does. Um I did I did my uh for uh most of my church dumb that was my that was my uh bread and butter. Um and then I left church. Um and back to the streets. Back to the streets, yes, in a different way to go pass out trucks. You can't resist. Um left church, went to do that, and then I started preaching, obviously, and we talk about all of the I actually feel like this episode could probably be a part one and a part two, by the way. Yeah, maybe. I guess. Well, because I don't want to talk about the preaching stuff right now. We're talking about the entertainment. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's the fun stuff. I know, but I'm saying that's the fun stuff.

SPEAKER_03 15:01

This could be part two.

SPEAKER_05 15:05

Um I started that and then um throughout high school, actually, um Jada Phoenix Lorez. I love Jada. Yes, I went to high school with Jada. Um was one of the first persons who ever showed me that um queer show, Drag Race. Um it's like season one when we were in high school. When were you? Where were you?

SPEAKER_03 15:28

What?

SPEAKER_05 15:29

2009. 2009?

SPEAKER_04 15:32

I was in college. Yikes. I was in college. I graduated from high school in 2007. Let's just get this out the fucking way now.

unknown 15:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 15:45

Here comes the violence. I'm turning over an early for the rest of this episode only. I was in high school. I mean, I was in college, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 15:56

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 15:57

Um but I wasn't watching Drag Race.

SPEAKER_05 15:59

Wow.

SPEAKER_04 16:00

No shade. I just wasn't.

SPEAKER_05 16:01

Trevor introduced me to Drag Race. I like watched like three minutes of it before I was like, no. You know, very closeted. I'm not watching this. Um very closeted, but you know, open to other people living their experiences. It's just not for me.

SPEAKER_04 16:21

We've all been one of them, huh? I've been one of them.

SPEAKER_05 16:24

Yeah. I had a girlfriend and maybe a boyfriend, but they didn't know each other. Anyway. Uh so we're watching drag race. I would go home some nights and watch drag race early at night and like two, three in the morning.

SPEAKER_04 16:45

The way I was watching porn. That's all I mean.

SPEAKER_05 16:47

I was doing that often as well. B.E. T. Uncut. Tip drill.

SPEAKER_03 16:52

Shit tip drill.

SPEAKER_05 16:53

Yeah, all of that while also just watching the scramble channels.

unknown 16:57

Oh.

SPEAKER_05 16:57

You didn't watch the scramble channels? No. Oh. Or were you rich and you just actually had the channels?

SPEAKER_04 17:03

I wasn't rich, but I had cable. You had cable? Well, I had them channels where you could watch the freaky stuff.

SPEAKER_05 17:08

But like the HBOs and all of that, those were scramble channels. And Dr. Ruth and all that.

SPEAKER_04 17:13

Well, I had the channel that you could watch the stuff on. I did watch it. And you want to know what I used to call it?

SPEAKER_05 17:23

What?

SPEAKER_04 17:24

Pleasantville. I'd be like, yeah, I'm just gonna like when my little girlfriends are coming. You guys wanna watch some? Like we watch them together. Yeah, we did.

unknown 17:33

How you doing?

SPEAKER_04 17:34

No, I'm just kidding. But we call I was like, you guys wanna watch Pleasantville tonight when uh grandma goes to sleep?

unknown 17:42

Boop boop.

SPEAKER_05 17:43

Yep. Yep, you gotta have that remote hold that remote your entire time and watch the show.

SPEAKER_04 17:47

Ah, it's just a dog. It's a ghost. Oh shit.

SPEAKER_05 17:52

This was not acting.

SPEAKER_04 17:55

I don't know how this channel got on here. I don't know. I was watching fucking Rocco's Modern Life, man.

SPEAKER_05 18:01

Which is still inappropriate. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 18:04

Courage. I was watching Courage last night. Yeah, it's courage. It's on Tubi right now. They moved to B. Tubi. Not sponsored, but maybe we can get a movie on there.

SPEAKER_05 18:13

I should have projects.

SPEAKER_04 18:15

I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_05 18:16

Um watching it late at night.

SPEAKER_04 18:18

I'm watching Pleasantville.

SPEAKER_05 18:21

Direct race late at night. Um I continue in church, but now I'm an affirming church, so I'm inclusive. I'm okay with being gay. I have, you know, a first gentleman instead of a first lady because I'm a faggot. Um things are different. Um but uh within that process, I think it was my 20th birthday. Um I wanted to celebrate the entire month. That's something that I do. Um for this one we did something every weekend. The first weekend. You went to Trax Columbia. I don't remember. But this the first weekend we had dinner. Um second weekend was drag weekend, so Michaela and uh Mystic Just Right. Um put us in drag. And um me and my spiritual brother at the time, um, we were we shaved our entire body.

SPEAKER_03 19:18

Together?

SPEAKER_05 19:19

No.

SPEAKER_03 19:20

I don't know.

SPEAKER_05 19:21

You're gay now. So I'm like, what the fuck? It's not like it's a bad thing, but yeah, we we shaved our body. We took razors, shaving our entire legs. We had prepared these outfits, um, the shoes didn't fit, so we had to like cut open.

SPEAKER_04 19:38

Have I seen a picture of you in this outfit? I'm just curious.

SPEAKER_05 19:40

I'm certain you have. Um I was Sahara Darling. Yes, you were.

SPEAKER_04 19:48

Yes, you were.

SPEAKER_05 19:49

Michaela the other day said, I don't know who the hell all these people are, but I have one daughter and her name is Sahara Darling. That's it. That is not funny. Um But yeah, I started drag and technically I started dragging in 2014. 2014. Um, but I never did it again until 2018, 19. Okay. 2019.

SPEAKER_04 20:14

Um Okay, wait timeout.

SPEAKER_05 20:16

Yep.

SPEAKER_04 20:17

Okay, we have Sahara. And then we have Robin, right? Yes. So what happened in between this time?

SPEAKER_05 20:25

Oh, I was just I just did it that one time.

SPEAKER_04 20:27

No, I mean, but like what happened to where Sahara didn't come back?

SPEAKER_05 20:31

I moved to Chicago, I started planting churches, drag was.

SPEAKER_04 20:35

No, I'm not asking about I'm asking how did Sahara not come back and Robin. Where did Robin come from?

SPEAKER_05 20:40

Yeah, I'm getting there.

SPEAKER_04 20:41

Oh, okay. I'm like, no, I don't need you to Okay, I'll shut up.

SPEAKER_05 20:44

Sahara was never going to be um the thing. That was the thing back then, and then I was a different person. You know his name again? Darling. Um, actually, that's a quick story. Um, when I was watching Drag Race, Sahara Davenport um was on season two of Drag Race. Um she was Manella Luzon's partner. Did you work with Manela when she was here? She's so sweet. She was Manella Luzanne's partner at the time.

SPEAKER_03 21:07

She's like, dude from fucking Boniface. No, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 21:12

Um that they were partners. Um, and but Sahara was like someone I really like fell in love with in terms of like drag and like her personality. She unfortunately passed. Um yeah, but that was like I want to based my character off of her. Um and so I became Sahara Darling.

SPEAKER_03 21:32

Cool.

SPEAKER_05 21:33

Anyway. Um, but when I came back, it was like that's not gonna be it. And also I came back very alternative.

SPEAKER_04 21:38

Um, you don't saw it.

SPEAKER_05 21:41

I was at Miss Union the year that Envy Green won.

SPEAKER_04 21:46

Oh my goodness. I haven't heard that name in a minute.

SPEAKER_05 21:48

Yeah. She was like stapling herself on stage. And I thought, dude, this is really cool. I must I want to do that type of job. I'ma go home and staple myself. I don't know if no, I think it was the year that Maha was crowned. It was her step down.

SPEAKER_04 22:02

Um 45 years ago, according to Maha's post yesterday. Right.

SPEAKER_05 22:07

Um, but yeah, she had stapled herself on the stuff, and then I was like, oh my god, I that's the type of drag that I think I want to do. Um and I was with the circle at the time, like hanging out and getting to know people who were very alternative as well. Um so that's just where it looked. And then um personalone who I was really close with at the time was like I'm doing the show. I really think that you should think about doing drag. And I said, I don't think so. And you know me. I like give it a couple minutes and then I'm like, okay, so here's the personality, here's what I thought about, here's the number and the concept. It's like, I thought you didn't know. I didn't, but I took two minutes and I came up with everything.

SPEAKER_04 22:42

That is the most unique. That is exactly who this person is. Please know that. That is who you are. It's so perfect though. You are like so meticulous in your brain. It's like you know it before you know it before you know it. And then once you have the implanted in your brain, you're like, well, the alcohol is a little bit more.

SPEAKER_05 23:00

It's literally one of those Libra traits, right? Like people are like, um, why did you even ask me? You're going to make your own decision anyway. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I just wanted to hear what like you were thinking. I didn't like any of it. But I kind of already did have my mind set with what I wanted to do. But if you said it, then it'd be different than I probably wouldn't want to do it. Yeah. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_04 23:23

Sometimes you just need to say it out loud.

SPEAKER_05 23:25

Exactly. Um, Maha hates it.

unknown 23:28

That's okay.

SPEAKER_05 23:29

The show was funeral for my regrets. Um, I did my first number was um Florence and the Machine. Uh, what's the song called? Happiness. Nope. It wasn't that one. No. It was the other one. No.

SPEAKER_03 23:49

Um it's like old friends.

SPEAKER_05 23:55

Rennie with me, Zimbabwe, you know the song.

SPEAKER_04 24:03

But you were singing what I was singing at first.

SPEAKER_05 24:05

Yeah, I was.

SPEAKER_04 24:05

I know.

SPEAKER_05 24:06

That wasn't what it was. Okay, I'm the first song that came to mind. What is the song? No, I have to figure it out.

SPEAKER_04 24:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 24:11

Have you ever seen this performance?

SPEAKER_04 24:13

I don't I don't think so, actually. Where can I You gonna send it to me?

SPEAKER_05 24:19

It's on my Instagram. It's the like the first or second video ever on my Instagram reels.

SPEAKER_03 24:25

How long I gotta scroll down.

SPEAKER_05 24:26

Not far. I made it. Shake it off.

SPEAKER_03 24:29

Shake it off. Oh. Shake it off, shake it off.

SPEAKER_05 24:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 24:34

Um so I wore this like soup this outfit and um it's like red and black. It's got blood on it. It's literally like a choir robe or something. Yeah, it's a lot of things. But it revealed No. But it revealed into um my f my friends came up and like cut it off of me. And it reveals into this like fully index card outfit um that says they them on it on every index card. And so it was like my coming out story. What an outfit. Doesn't that look so good?

SPEAKER_04 25:11

This is this is very huge. That's a message. I mean, but there's a message. So a message. There's a concept that like you are just yeah.

SPEAKER_05 25:21

Yeah, and I had my like I I it was the figuring out who you are, going through all of that, and then surrounding yourself with people who are gonna cut you out of that mess so that you can reveal into your full self. So it was my coming out story.

SPEAKER_04 25:36

Have you done it since?

unknown 25:37

No.

SPEAKER_04 25:38

Would you redo it?

SPEAKER_05 25:39

Not like that. I didn't ask if you would redo it like that. Yeah, I do think that I'm like.

SPEAKER_04 25:44

I was like, I feel like that's a really sickening like concept. And like you now could take it somewhere like so do it again.

SPEAKER_03 25:52

Yeah, do it.

SPEAKER_05 25:55

It was my first ever performance. Um and in reality, the rest was history after that. I was like, I I think I really want to do this. Holly, who was not Holly at the time, um, drag persona-wise, was like, you go guard, you've gotta you've gotta keep going, girl. Um I think I think you're right, Holl Holly. Uh um, and then I just kept going. I did a couple more performances at Club 20. I was at South Bend literally the next week. Um, and then I you weren't at the first one for at Club 20.

SPEAKER_04 26:31

Who was it? Whose show was it?

SPEAKER_05 26:33

It was a abortion show. Oh, on a Sunday? No. This was a Saturday show.

SPEAKER_04 26:37

Oh, was it like a okay, it was a Saturday show. Like, it was a Saturday show.

SPEAKER_05 26:42

Yeah, she was like doing it like an open stage competition type thing.

SPEAKER_04 26:48

Yeah, I honestly I worked there at that time, so I promised you I was probably there.

SPEAKER_05 26:51

You were probably there, just not there at that time.

SPEAKER_04 26:54

Who is still in the podio?

SPEAKER_05 26:57

I do remember that one because uh I beat the fuck out of Crybaby that night. Oh, crybaby! I still have that video somewhere. We're friends, so he's fine. He's recovered.

SPEAKER_02 27:11

He's over it. He let it go.

SPEAKER_05 27:14

Um, but yeah, no, truly, that was that was the rest became history. But my name was Robin Banks then. I remember uh uh which um I was at South Bend like a couple months later, um, and Ursula Majors from Dry Gla season one was there. She was in town, she used to do tons of shows here um with the cult of controversy. Remember them? I do. Those were times. Times. Holly, you remember those days, Holly? Hollyana. Um yeah, uh, she was here and we were outside smoking. Um, and she I introduced myself and she said, you know, Robin Banks is a really popular name. You don't want to be you don't want to be anybody else. I was like, oh fuck. You're right. Thanks for reading me get out. I'm gonna go home and change my mind. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 28:05

And then and then five minutes later, you had 16 different names, and you were like, that doesn't work.

SPEAKER_05 28:10

I actually did it. So I um was getting hot. You're just like tearing up, throwing them, no, this doesn't work. This is not it.

SPEAKER_03 28:18

I hear it.

SPEAKER_05 28:20

I was actually listening very high, listening to Dejango Jane, Janel Monet. And what do they say? They say, I do it for the culture. And I said, you know what?

SPEAKER_00 28:35

Me fucking too bitch.

SPEAKER_05 28:37

Robin the culture. Period. I have my career, my new career to Janelle. Don't tell them that because we're doing it.

SPEAKER_04 28:47

You know, we just did a uh a trivia, a Janelle trivia last week. I won that trivia. I just not that one, but the black one. I won the black movies. I won black movies, and I I just need you to know I ain't never won a thing in my book. You won a lot of things.

SPEAKER_05 29:04

You just won a tattoo recently.

SPEAKER_04 29:06

Recently, because this is now my season.

SPEAKER_05 29:09

Say something.

SPEAKER_04 29:10

This is my season. I have never won bingo, I ain't never won trivia, I ain't never won shit. And I didn't tell nobody I was playing, and I was just sitting my black ass over there in the name was drinking, drinking my water while I was drinking Hi Neighbor, and my name, my game name was Hi Gaber, but for some reason they couldn't figure out it was me. And I'm like, well, they must be hi too. Anyways. And then when they were like, first place, hi bo. I said, Oh. It's me. They say hi Gaber.

SPEAKER_05 29:40

Uh uh.

SPEAKER_04 29:40

Robin, you should have fucking known that.

SPEAKER_05 29:42

You don't want to like spell it right or something.

SPEAKER_04 29:44

Hi. Gay. G-H-E-Y-G.

SPEAKER_05 29:48

It didn't work that way in my mind.

SPEAKER_04 29:50

It well, your mind wasn't working, babe. That's what I'm here to say to you right now. Fix your lips. Fix your lips, but I give you a reason to pout.

SPEAKER_05 29:57

Your words are also violent today.

SPEAKER_04 29:59

I love you. You want to have smoochy? No. Okay, well, whatever. Anyways, um, the culture.

SPEAKER_05 30:06

And then the culture came and it just kept spiraling from there.

SPEAKER_04 30:09

And then it How did you get all these? Are you like, what's going on in there?

SPEAKER_05 30:14

Oh, the other people? Yeah, they're about the other people. They've always existed. Same honestly. They're here. Whoops.

SPEAKER_04 30:22

The rest of them isn't there. I just thought that I would introduce the world. I present for everyone.

SPEAKER_05 30:27

I thought I would introduce the rest of the world to the craziness in my brain.

SPEAKER_04 30:31

Okay, so then what was who came after the culture?

SPEAKER_05 30:34

So technically, the creature was first because Robin Banks was that. And then um I started Maha. We went into quarantine, and Maha was getting ready at the time for Miss Gay Ohio America.

SPEAKER_03 30:47

Um, you know what? You know what?

SPEAKER_05 30:50

Yeah, so I did face off drag race um Selena.

SPEAKER_04 30:53

Um Selena just won a new hat.

SPEAKER_05 30:56

Selena did, just uh when Miss Ohio gay United States. Okay, Miss United States. Yes. Um, but I was in face off and I won face off. Um but there was one of those weeks during face off that Courtney Kelly, who was the current Miss Gay Ohio America at the time, was like, You should really consider doing pageantry. And I said, absolutely not.

SPEAKER_04 31:21

Pageantry. I feel like you said absolutely not to every fucking persona. We're gonna hear this like a few more times. Just okay, drink. I never told you I want to drink. I actually probably did, but drink also. Whatever.

SPEAKER_05 31:37

Just keep drinking so you can break.

SPEAKER_04 31:41

It could be water.

SPEAKER_05 31:43

Unless you're in Ohio.

SPEAKER_04 31:45

It can be water. Yeah, let's have a shot of water. Stay hydrated. It's important.

SPEAKER_05 31:51

Anyway, um, Courtney was like, you should consider doing patentry. And I was like, I don't think that's for me. Um Ma is getting ready for Miss Gay Ohio America. We're locked in together. We're quarantine. We're quarantine buddies. We're quarantine bunnies living our lives. Butt buddies. We're butt buddies, yes. Um, and they're getting ready, and I'm like, like falling in love with this idea of like, oh, this is like cool, and like what it might do, and I might consider it. And so Entertainer of the Year um was where I started out first. Nina West is a former, and Nina and I started having more conversations.

SPEAKER_03 32:30

I seen it. Yes, her dumb. I seen it.

SPEAKER_05 32:33

Um, Nina started. I don't feel like I put deodorant on.

SPEAKER_04 32:37

I just thought you should know, so I mean, I don't stink, I just feel like I'm sweating.

SPEAKER_05 32:42

This is just butterflies, tangerang, and I'm trying to have an actual conversation with y'all.

SPEAKER_04 32:46

Like, I don't want you to like, I just felt like I smelled it. I was wondering what I was smelling.

SPEAKER_05 32:49

Fuck off. Anyway, um started have conversations, more conversations with Nina, and Nina was like, girl, I can just appoint you. Like, one of the things for you to qualify for nationals is either go through a prelim or be appointed by a former. Nina was like, I can just appoint you. I said, I really think that I should go and watch first and like learn more about the system. Um, and then I was like, you know what? Why not? Let's just go do it. Don't do that. Don't do that. Thank you to shit, bitch. You had even a far. I did make top ten though, but uh yeah, and so I did that, and then I like the rest was really history. I like from that first moment, it was like I gotta keep going. Um so I did my first ever pageant was National Entertainer of the Year. Jesus Christ. Um don't suggest that for anybody. But almost seven years later, you see where I am now within pageantry and within my career. So it like um it lit that fire. Yeah. Um I learned a lot from that experience. Oh, you just sell in the fucking deepest. And people are like, so like tell me more about pageantry and like you know, I want to get into pageantry, and I'm like, really, like learn the system before you just jump into something. Don't just think that you're gonna show up and that you're gonna do it. That can happen. It can happen. Might I remind you that my sister, Jane Darlins, the wrench, went to Continental and whooped those bitches' asses. First time. First time, everybody can't be Janay Darlins. Um, but literally learn the system. Think about like, is this the system for me? I think that pageantry literally can be for anybody. Anybody can do a pageant and be successful in pageantry. You just need to find the system that's for you.

SPEAKER_03 34:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 34:44

Yeah. Um so the culture the culture really came from melanated, really. Like the culture you know now came from melanated, and like me really getting to that point that it was like I really want the persona that wholeheartedly focuses on being this Nubian goddess of sorts, and that's where the culture came from. And then I put the creature into its own box and became this like out of this world, non-binary creature. Fertile, fertile character. They've they've changed over the years. Like the creature used to wear a body, and now the creature is just slangant. Slangent! Oh, we were like, oh my god. Remember, we were at um alternate egos, uh, there was a bartender, we're not gonna go into details, and I was just there, and he was like, Oh.

SPEAKER_03 35:45

Yeah, I sure do. Yep.

SPEAKER_05 35:49

Oh. Okay. Hey, what what oh uh we ordered drinks.

SPEAKER_04 35:55

Well, you fucking state.

SPEAKER_05 35:57

Oh, what did you order?

SPEAKER_04 35:58

I'm sorry. I'm what?

SPEAKER_05 36:02

I'm just ready to I'm just trying to start the show, girl.

SPEAKER_02 36:04

I just need a shot.

SPEAKER_04 36:06

I'll uh never mind. Oh, it's been too far. Oh real. Anyway. Dolphin noises.

SPEAKER_05 36:16

Um, the man came from me wanting to really explore masculinity, you know, being um non-binary and typically mask presenting. Okay. Um I wanted to explore that a little bit more. So that's where the man came from. Um the fly came from being forced to do burlesque. Um timeout.

SPEAKER_03 36:41

Who forced you to do burlesque?

SPEAKER_05 36:43

Dad. Who? All of my children.

SPEAKER_04 36:46

Um I was like, I didn't force you to do anything. I distinctly remember you going, I want to do this number, and you sent me the side.

SPEAKER_05 36:55

And I said, All of my children are burlesque performers. I have no idea how the fuck that happened. Um I don't know. It's like, well, I think that I should dabble in your world a little bit and like figure that out a little bit more. And obviously, you know, burlesque entertainers have always been like my ride or dies from the beginning of my career. Um shout out to Butterfly. Shout out to Deli Marquette. Yes! Delhi!

SPEAKER_04 37:27

Come back.

SPEAKER_05 37:28

Right, come back. It's so exciting to see uh Deli at like Payne Tribute. We see them once a year.

unknown 37:35

Come back.

SPEAKER_04 37:39

Come back next year for paying tribute. It's the 10-year anniversary. Yes, it's my birthday gift.

SPEAKER_05 37:47

But Deli was actually the first person that booked me um out of town.

SPEAKER_04 37:51

Really? In Athens? Yeah, with Renee Lamar.

SPEAKER_05 37:56

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 37:57

From the burlesque. Yes, from the troop, yes.

SPEAKER_05 37:59

Yeah, um, yeah, so I I've always been in the burlesque community, and so it just felt like time to start exploring that art form a little bit more. And I never want to get tired with art. So, you know, I'm always looking to find other ways to progress and grow, which is why we've got so many projects we're working on. So many can't get tired if you just keep going.

SPEAKER_03 38:24

Yeah, no.

SPEAKER_05 38:25

And then lastly, fire. Um, the creature has always played with fire in a lot of their numbers, and um, I started going to like wanting to get more involved and learn more about the art form of flow arts and fire play and all of these things, and I was like, I want to start eating and breathing and I wanna breathe fire. I wanna just play with it, touch it a little bit more. Um and so I started going to fire camps, and at my first fire camp, I was like, Robin Deflame. It's a thing. It has to, it has to be. And so now it's a whole uh production, Robin's Universe. There's a lot of people there, and anything that's not black related, Robin's Universe puts it on, and Melanated 614 puts on all the nigga shit. And here we are.

SPEAKER_04 39:16

Here we are.

SPEAKER_05 39:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 39:17

Queer we are. Now you're a podcaster.

SPEAKER_05 39:22

Now we're a podcaster.

SPEAKER_04 39:23

Now we're podcasters. It's crazy because people usually say that people that podcast don't like want to be in front of like cameras, but then I feel like this big wave of people podcasting with video, with video came, and you know, I like to be in front of the camera and innocent. So I was like, oh, you know, this is cool. Yeah. Although the podcast that I listen to actually, I don't watch any of the visuals. Which is crazy because I am like a I do got ADHD. What? I do be everywhere.

SPEAKER_05 39:54

I was trying to listen to a book earlier while we were also having conversations, and you were like, I I can you turn this on?

SPEAKER_04 40:00

I was trying to focus on what you were saying.

SPEAKER_05 40:01

Meanwhile, I was very focused on you while also focusing on the book.

SPEAKER_04 40:05

I would have had a my like a one of my shits on, I could have focused because I wouldn't, but I was just like, I shut up! Shut up, they're trying to tell me something. I can't focus. You're so fucking loud. It was just the radio. I get overstone. You do. I do, I'll be overstone. Um, okay. So I have a question. Okay. So obviously you just said the flame is coming into fruition, and like I would love to see you at like one of those, like, like a freak show type of like outdoors, like circus type vibe. Do you know? This is a perfect segue, actually, because I'm getting ready to tell you my shit. My burlesque shit. The first burlesque show I ever performed at as a solo was actually a freak show. Um, not a show that's happening now. It was like literally a traveling circus and they were um using Wall Street as a I guess. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was just like a traveling and they were there for the whole weekend, and that was the first time I debuted. But I'll go back further than that. Um after I asked you this question. Do you see any other like what's an we have so many things that we want to do, but like where do you want like where do you see yourself going or do you see more more personalities coming out? Do you see yourself dabbling in a few years? Oh, there's more personalities. I know. But I'm like, what what else do you see? Like because I feel like you and I both do have this vi like we see so far out, like we think further than just like tomorrow. I'm like, no, bitch, I'm thinking about it.

SPEAKER_05 41:39

You know, I'm like, where do you what what's like something that's like Yeah, like um remember during quarantine that we were all making like music videos of sorts? I there are so many moments that I just want like I have a song in mind and I'm like I want to create a music video to this. Um I think that's something that I I want to do. Yeah. Um I don't know. It's like that's cool. Do people actually want it?

SPEAKER_04 42:04

Do people watch music videos so I mean someone needs to bring them back? I love music videos.

SPEAKER_05 42:08

I love music videos.

SPEAKER_04 42:09

I love I it's just I don't know. I like the storytelling I just like to see it. I'm a visual person. I think it's cool.

SPEAKER_05 42:16

You're not watching visuals.

SPEAKER_04 42:18

Yeah, I'm not well because I'm usually at work doing something and I shouldn't even be listening to it in the party. But guess what? I got that little pod in my head.

SPEAKER_05 42:25

I love reading books at work. I made a post- did you see my post the other day about I I was I'm not reading it anymore. I finished it, but I was reading um Malcolm X's autobiography. Yes. Um, and I have a very diverse office, but it's still a overall predominantly white, predominantly white company, et cetera, et cetera. And I was reading Malcolm X's biography.

SPEAKER_04 42:47

Um and people were like coming up and it was just like You're like, white devils, you fucking fucking you look like the motherfucking president of the KK right it was just you ancestors! You know what? I'm about to pop off right now. I'm gonna kill everybody, but I get it.

SPEAKER_05 43:06

Hey, insert out of drag name. Have you uh started this yet? Or like, hey, uh you know, um just a normal, hey, how's it going? I'll tell you how it's going, whitey. You devil you fucking I love white people.

SPEAKER_03 43:29

Some of you some anyway.

SPEAKER_05 43:32

Um what were we talking about?

SPEAKER_04 43:35

Uh-huh. If you oh, you want to make music videos? I want to make music videos. You kind of are already uh They told me not to wear a bra. I was lying in the beginning. I was only I was lying. They said, don't wear a bra, we gotta get our views up. Teddies for the views. Teddies for the views, titties for the kitties. I don't know.

SPEAKER_05 43:59

Um, but yeah, no, I think that's um a good thing. Um I'm still on the fence right now about the rest of the year and about like the year started off so well that I I really want to enjoy the rest of the year versus like 'cause that was all crazy, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 44:19

That was a lot, and we're still looking kinda like not all.

SPEAKER_05 44:22

Not even done yet.

SPEAKER_04 44:23

So like Can we get off the train for a bit?

SPEAKER_05 44:26

And then all of the pageants started coming up and all that stuff, and I was like, Whoo, um, I just wanna go to another country. Uh, and I can use all that money for that or something, versus buying these costumes and doing that, you know. Are there any pageants you want to do?

SPEAKER_04 44:42

Right.

SPEAKER_05 44:42

There are. I'm not gonna talk about the on the microphone though. I just wanted to know.

SPEAKER_04 44:46

I was just curious. You are, you know. Well, I'll be there in the audience. Yeah, I'll be able to do that.

SPEAKER_05 44:51

Um, maybe we'll take the house dance.

SPEAKER_04 44:53

We're a sign. Yeah. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_05 44:56

You You know, I strategically I know you did.

SPEAKER_04 44:59

You're so smart, you shouldn't.

SPEAKER_05 45:01

I didn't just start a troop for melaninated. Do y'all wanna travel with me?

SPEAKER_04 45:09

This is so I have so many I don't want to like, I have so many things I just want to say. You just like that I see happening for like this, but I don't want to say it because you know, I want to say it to you. I don't want you all to know yet, because you know we gotta keep our cards close to our chest. Exactly. Because your guys are already watching all the other 5,000 things. We'll keep this 6,000 thing away. And then what we do. You should know. I don't know what we did with the podcast. We just were like look at us. Follow this fucking page. Who the fuck is this? It's like oh fucking no, follow it.

SPEAKER_05 45:44

It's like what is happening here?

SPEAKER_04 45:45

Why are these bitches behind a microphone?

SPEAKER_05 45:48

And now look at you. Make sure you like, comment, and subscribe. Talk about all of our craziness in the comments. Yeah. It's been your favorite moment so far of this thing that we're doing.

SPEAKER_04 46:05

Yeah. Also, I feel like they were supposed to tell us things last week.

SPEAKER_05 46:08

I hope that you told us things. You didn't tell us things yet.

SPEAKER_04 46:12

Okay, because the episode Okay. Make sure you watch last week's episode because we gave y'all homework.

SPEAKER_05 46:16

We did give you homework. We would like to.

SPEAKER_04 46:18

So if you haven't watched it, stop. Collaborate and listen. I'm just kidding, at this point you can finish the episode.

SPEAKER_05 46:24

But when you're done, go back. It's good homework. It's homework. You're gonna like it. It's fun, it's fun homework. But watch the episode and figure it out. Also, last week's episode was a tangent rangent where you just We just shot shit the shadow. I talked about it shattered the shit. To the point that Butterfly forgot that you were even here, so I did.

SPEAKER_04 46:46

Uh I just um oh wait, I'll save okay, okay, wait. Where are we? I don't know. Okay, we're back.

unknown 46:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 46:52

Did you ask me something? Oh, I said pageants and you said okay, no. Yes. Um, I guess I should talk about myself. Yeah. Gosh, um my life's been so much longer. We might be here on a night since I'm 45.

SPEAKER_05 47:08

We would have known that yeah last we talked were here last week.

SPEAKER_04 47:12

Um, for me performing, I've always been performing. I've been in like my grandmother was the type of grandmother that kept you in like every activity. So I always had dance recitals. I always had gymnastics. I quit that. I cannot do any of those things any longer. Except for like the things that I already do. Okay, so don't think I'm a gymnast any longer.

SPEAKER_05 47:35

That's not what M telling me, but uh Um.

SPEAKER_04 47:43

I my first thing I ever wanted to be was an Olympic ice skater. My girl, I used to ice skate. I I was on a synchronized ice skating team for a while, and then I had a private coach for a while when I was competing. But ice skating's really expensive, so we had to quit. That was when I was in elementary school. I'm really sad. I could have been at the Olympics with Sergei Bonnale. I still low key when Ice skate, but I'm too I just feel like my body would say no. Like, I can go ice skating, but there's no way I think I was gonna say there's no way I'm gonna be an Olympic ice skater, but I could if y'all start like an adult ice skating group. Yeah, stop coming up with things to do. That's just you know, that's me talking to myself.

SPEAKER_05 48:17

I'm gonna say you go do it, girl. That's all you need. I'm gonna be there cheering you on. Okay, as long as you're gonna be doing it.

SPEAKER_04 48:29

Uh you don't have to ow in that. Boo. Boo evolved. Um, what was I saying? Oh, okay, ice skating. Um, so middle school, I mean, I did theater, my grandma had me in theater camp. I got to high school, and believe it or not, I used to really be shy. I and I know you probably won't believe it, but I used to be a doormat, a quiet little mouse. Just those moments. Yeah, when I'm high or dissociated or asleep. They come out. Or sleep, okay. Um what was I saying?

SPEAKER_05 49:08

I suscated. Where was I at? Theater camp.

SPEAKER_04 49:11

Yes, theater camp. Um, high school. I get to high school and I was like, I always wanted to like try theater, right? But I was just, you know, you're shy, you know, I didn't want to do any of that. And like I was like I said, really shy. So like in middle school we had to go up and do the little speeches or go do any. Oh my god. I'm like, no. You want me to do what? In front of those people. Oh, it was awful. I hated it. But I got to high school in ninth grade immediately on my schedule, theater. Oh no. I was so scared. I was fucking scared. I tried to get it taken off. They're like, Well, you have to take it. Why? I don't want to be an actress. That's a fucking lie. Um why don't I do that? I don't want to do that. Perform me being you. No. I mean I don't want to do that. Meanwhile, have my whole career plan. Anyway. Um, so I made friends with these gals, and auditions were coming up for the musical in the spring, which was the whiz. So we had the auditions, and me and my friends were like, you know what? Because we were having fun in theater class. It was just like we would do random, like, fucking theater exercises that were like to get you uh more comfortable and all that stuff. And I was like, oh, this shit's kind of fun. Like, ooh, I kind of like this. So we were like, okay, let's not be bitches, let's not be little pansies. Let's audition. So we auditioned, and I got into the we got into the whiz. We were in the um, like we were dancers in the whiz and singers background, like we weren't I wasn't a lead. But then I this is way before I used to sing in public. I didn't sing in public at all in high school. And I'm so pissed that I didn't because I could have been singing in the fucking musicals, but I was too scared. I really was scared. I wasn't even in choir because I was so deeply like immersed in the theater. I couldn't even do drill team. Like I wanted to do all those things. Anyways, there fast forward. I mean, like I fell in love with it and I I became the fucking president of the Thespian Society. If you tell that how fast I go. Like I I don't want to perform. I don't want to perform, and now I'm the president and I'm did every show from the whiz through high school. I did every fucking show, whether I was dancing, acting, stage managing, stage crew, any of it. And I just like fell in love with it. I was like, oh my god, this is what I'm doing. You know what? My dad and my family, they already live in Cali. Cool. When I graduate, that's where I'm going. I obviously didn't go there. That was my plan though. I was like, I'm gonna move to California, I'm gonna get on TV, it's gonna be great. And then I went to college. Yeah. And I went to um, I don't know, should I say my college? I mean, I guess they know I work at District West. If they're gonna come get me, they're gonna come get me. Who's coming to get you? I don't know, like a stalker or something, bro. Like people is crazy.

SPEAKER_05 51:53

I think you've also said where you went to college in another episode.

SPEAKER_04 51:58

I was at Capitol University. Capitol University is a Lutheran school, uh private, predominantly white, not a lot of chips in the cookie. If you went to Capitol, I know you've heard that because that's a one of the fucking medals we all said. Yeah. What were you expecting? Yeah. Well, I mean, I didn't expect anything because I didn't want to go there. I didn't get in the Otterbine, but it's cool. I'm actually glad. What is the difference? It was they were rival theaters. Oh, okay. And they were like, I mean, I'm not gonna say they were a better theater because I loved every show we did, it was like we had a great theater. We were more of a black box theater. But that's where I would try to go. I did. I didn't get in. And I'm grateful now that I didn't get in because like I loved my whole entire experience at Capitol. Um, as I was going to Capitol is when I started dancing more. We had like a dance team. It was out there with the football team, like this only black girl. It was lit. Um and then I started going out to the clubs.

SPEAKER_05 52:57

Oh. And you kind of told the story now about your first performance.

SPEAKER_04 53:03

No, I'm not gonna talk about the first well.

SPEAKER_05 53:05

About the first time that you really got involved. In the very first episode, yes.

SPEAKER_04 53:09

So I got involved that way. I don't need to go through that, yes. So I started at Wall Street performing burlesque, da-da-da-da-da. And butterfly just like happened. Butterfli I think I also said this in that episode, but I will just say it again. I didn't like pick that stage name. I went my butterfly before that. Did I not say this?

SPEAKER_05 53:31

Yeah, you were butterfly before Yeah, I was that I was just my Facebook name.

SPEAKER_04 53:34

But I made it my Facebook name after my great grandmother passed away just because butterfly signs of life. They were her favorite things. I was like, I love butterflies. And then it just blew up really fast. And I was like, wow, I really I really am in love with burlesque after, you know, joining that troupe and then having to kind of like dive in just to performing. I was like, this is great. This is great, this is what I want to do. Obviously, I had we had to be squared before that, but burlesque, I like I fell in love with that. That's why I was like, oh yeah, okay, I like this. This is cool, it's empowering, it's it's like a way of owning, like owning your body and falling in love with yourself. That's one thing when I talk about burlesque, it's literally letting someone fall in love with you. Like letting people watch you fall in love with yourself. Because that's what you're doing. You're celebrating yourself, you're you're taking whatever you're going through, you're putting it into it. And I feel like it really, I don't know, helped me. I I mean, if I haven't performed in like three days, I'm probably not a nice person. And I know that sounds so insane. No, like that is my I have I I that's what I ha I need to do that. I have to do that. Um then I got into district uh after a while. You know, I was performing obviously with Club 20 and I was at Bossy for a while. Long time ago. Like ten years ago. Long, long time.

SPEAKER_05 55:01

We all start somewhere. You know, we all start somewhere.

SPEAKER_04 55:03

Um I got into district and shit took off, honestly. Yeah. I got very lucky. Um I honestly just started going to shows and 'cause you weren't at district when it opened.

SPEAKER_05 55:15

No, you weren't. No, I was we we were still at Two Truths.

SPEAKER_04 55:17

Yeah. I went. I mean I was still at Two Truths afterwards. Because Tutruths closed while I was at District. That's true. Yeah.

unknown 55:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 55:28

But it would just become a instant segue. But yeah, but you were talking earlier about how not like burlesque saved your life, but like, you know, you're like you can't live without it. But um truly in reality, like drag saved my life, right? Mm-hmm. Um I talk about it a lot in pageantry. Like people talk about like what's that one thing that you would change in your life? And truly the answer is like I wouldn't change anything because I wouldn't be the person I am today without everything that I've been through. But um when I decided that I didn't want to do church and ministry anymore, that's truly when you know, like I was like, I need to figure out something else. Um and it's a common thing with like church folk, like when you're like deeply involved in church and like you're that's probably for everything. When you're deeply involved in something and like you take that thing away, it's like, well what else what else is life? What else do I live for now? Um And really I had that moment where it was like what else do I live for now? Like this is literally everything I know. Um and then drag came about. But you know, I had a real low moment where I wanted to not be here. Um and really try to not be here. Um, because there wasn't like I literally felt there was no other option, and you know, it took that a step further within religion. It's like, well, if God is telling me to do these things and I don't want to do these things anymore, and I f I feel like I'm a disappointment now to God, then might as well just end it all and not be here anymore, right? Um so that's really why drag started off like super alternative for me. It was like that rebellion moment, but also like this is truly saving my life. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 57:20

That makes me like connect burlesque because like a lot of people have very negative perceptions of burlesque because like if you haven't come to a burlesque show and you don't know burlesque, you just like that's just some stripperho, and yeah, that might be true, and that's fine. But like within this, I feel like within performing and and just putting myself out there in that way, uh like unapologetically and without fear, has helped me become stronger. Because like fuck you, you know what I mean? So I'm just like I connect with it in that way with in that way too. I just feel I feel like I've I have lost people in my life because of it though, which is strange. Like people don't really fuck like some people like and I don't really care about that.

SPEAKER_05 58:05

Yeah, like I but it's just like you probably you have not lost anybody who was worth something, right? Because if you were worth something, you would still be here. Exactly. Um and that's what like people try to come back often, like you know, I used to have my personal page, only my personal page, and at some point within my drag career, it was like I don't really need two pages. Like these are obviously I'm still myself and still the persona, but the persona is like the person who is social and needs all of these things. Yeah, um, I want to keep some type of privacy. There's no privacy. Um but I want to keep like those things separate as much as possible. And then as time went on, it was like, no, this is just who I am, right? And so if you have an issue with that, then you're just gonna remove yourself. Um, and like those first couple of months where I was like super alternative and super dark and um doing blasphemous type numbers, um, and seeing all the church folk on my page who were like going back to my grandmother and back to the other church members, and it's like, oh my gosh, yeah, you are different. Woo! You the left Jesus and look at you now. You're just a hell yeah! And yes, uh, but you know, those moments were reassuring because it helped make a space for other people, like not you, but other people to like enter into my life to like enter into my life and like make it better, but like not you, but other people.

unknown 59:51

So yeah.

SPEAKER_02 59:53

I'm leaving, I know what I'm not wanted. Lock all this shit over.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:01

Motherfucker.

unknown 1:00:03

Fucker.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:04

Um, but it kind of leads into our origins, like you. I don't we were obviously talked a little bit about this at Club 20. You saw me perform. Oh, I saw you perform at community pride, ball headed ho shit, uh, to not naked. What was it? I performed, excuse me why I feel my lizard.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:26

Excuse me why I right at that park. I almost named it. I don't want to name it because I live close to it, babe. You didn't have to say that. Remove that. Sorry, I'm sorry, Shaq.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:39

I just said the park. Mamie Moore Park. Yeah, we performed at Mamie Moore Park. Yeah, it's community pride. It's always at Mamie Moore Park, so I do not live anywhere near there.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:51

Whatever next. I don't have to knock on a lot of doors.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:55

And I would not be knocking on random people's doors by Mamie Moore Park. No, but do what you want. Hey, you if you are that interested in finding butterfly, do what you want. Um, but yes, you were outside performing at Mamie Moore Park. Um I was there because I was I was uh the sh not chaperoned. I was I don't know. Or you was I was there with someone a volunteer? No, I came with another performer. Uh you were their dresser? I was not their dresser, I was their driver. Uh um, but you were there and you were bald and you were titties out. And you seemed fun. And here we are.

unknown 1:01:42

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:43

And then I saw you a couple weeks later as I was performing, and you were like, oh my god, I need you to do this, and that's still the same. I need to be a poacher. I'm serious.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:54

I'm still a poacher. I love going to shows when people are shows. I'd be like, hey, kid.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:06

Come on, quick mom. I'm gonna make your big star.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:15

You ever want to be a star kid? I feel like I do act like that still. Yeah, you're right. I can't help myself. I get so excited, but I love that. I'm like, ooh, I want to book this bitch right now. Oh, can't be out. Do you know I was there for Rave's debut and I immediately gave him my Instagram? Immediately at Bossy. Oh. I was there. I was in the audience and I was like, What's your Instagram?

SPEAKER_02 1:02:47

You're so great.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:49

I'd love to book you.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:50

I didn't even have a show yet. I'ma book you. We gonna do something together.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:57

I think that's when Femi has started, like, then they started doing um Fimmy was hosting one of the Mondays. So like we all three was always together for Mondays. And I used to host it and you know, I mean like I can't pretend we had some fucking times up in that bitch. We had some great times, and we had some really worse times that are awful. But that was a great time. I poached, I did the same thing with Femi. Me and Femi have such a crazy history. I love that girl. Hi, Femi.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:24

La freak. Fimmy La Freak. Um but uh going into district time, so Maha used to do a pod, like a video podcast live dancing show.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:38

I remember.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:39

Yes. Um, and it was with Jennifer Lynn at first, and then it became with Virginia. Um and I I was always told coming up, this is when you know the West were at Union and Access. I was always told you will never meet Virginia until one to two years of your career. I said.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:56

What?

SPEAKER_05 1:03:58

Who is this woman? That was an actual thing that people said. Like you you'll either never meet her than one person. You'll either yes, you'll either never meet her or she like won't know who you are, or like it's like all these things are just who is this woman? Um that's just that's also not the Virginia that I've come to know. It's not gonna go back to the code.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:21

Right! The fuck no! Fuck!

SPEAKER_05 1:04:24

Um, but I was like, oh well, whatever that curse is or whatever, I'm gonna break that shit.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:30

What did you Virginia? Fuck you, yeah!

SPEAKER_05 1:04:37

I'ma break that shit. Um and literally, Virginia went one at it was one show where she was like, I want you to be in. We I was just at the podcast and I didn't was doing drag for like three, four, five months. She's like, I want you to come do come do the show next week. And I didn't think she was serious, so I didn't show up in drag next week, and she was like, Why aren't you in drag? I said, Oh. My bad. And then she booked me for my first production show. Uh I think it was the last, the actual last production show at Axis. Um, it was the Don't Ask Me 90s. It was like 90s or something. Yeah, it was at Axis. Um I don't remember what it was called. But that I was like, I wasn't going there yet. The rest was truly history. I was in Madame West. I did we did a show at um Stonewall, right? That was at Stonewall. We did a show, an outdoor show at um Valley Dale Ballroom.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:38

Was it uh oh wait, I don't know what it was. I just made that up.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:43

Yeah, it was like a drive-in, so everyone was in their cars and we were all on the stage, and we'd like walk around to those cars and like collect the money and like all of that. It was a different time.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:56

That sounds cool. I wanna do it.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:59

I think we should literally bring that back.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:00

Let's bring it back. And if you do it before us, I'm gonna shoot you back. I'm not gonna I'm gonna shoot you a shot. I'm gonna give you a shot. If you would like to be booked, um, but we have to do that.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:15

We can actually play in that part. Yes, we'll do that. We'll do that.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:18

That'll be lit. We could probably do something like that with them.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:21

Yeah, that'd be a good idea. No more play. Projects, damn it.

unknown 1:06:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:30

But so I guess you don't want to A couple of months later, a couple months later, there's this new bar in town. It opens. Virginia wants a lot of us to be on cast, and uh I guess here we are. Six almost six years later.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:45

Yeah, you've been on you've been on cast longer than me.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:47

Since the jump.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:48

The jump off right here. Sorry. No! No, it's not!

SPEAKER_03 1:06:53

No! Owen! Or maybe just What's the wrong with uh I don't know, you gave me a look.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:59

It's still low kim, you know. I don't I can't I don't like Orange Pinage, but I mean You go cry.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:09

You go cry?

SPEAKER_05 1:07:10

No, because I saw today a meme where someone uh someone like asked her what her favorite Bible verse was, and she said she said, Oh, you know, the simple one like Sam's 23. I said, What the fuck is Sam's 23? She meant Psalms, which is a very popular verse, but she becomes more and more like the orange goblin every day. All right, Peter, she's not dead, but maybe she's dead. Anyway, we go to district, we're at district, and now our lives surround district a lot. Yeah. Yeah. What's your origin story? How did you start? Did you start drag or burlesque or anything? Let us know in the comments below.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:58

I thought you were asking me.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:59

I was like, I swear to God.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:01

We just talked about I mean, like, I didn't talk about the first time I was there because then we're gonna save that for another day. Yeah. Um, this is fun.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:14

Yeah, you get to know a little bit more about our origin story. I hope it was fun for you. Ask questions down below. Maybe we'll answer them. Maybe we will. Um, also, go do your homework because there's prizes for your homework. There are prizes. If you do your homework.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:28

You get seven minutes in heaven with Robin.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:34

Wow, are you pimping me out? I'm the pimp who built this shit. You don't know that monologue? No. That's my capitalism monologue.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:46

Oh, I do know it. Yes, I do. You're wearing the green. The green. The green. And you got that bag and you're doing it. You are, your arms.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:56

You're like your arm. Grandma, your arm. We're done today. We hope you had a lovely time with us. Learning more about our history. Um, stick around. Stay tuned for more.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:14

Yeah. Yeah. Make sure you're liking, sharing, subscribing, hitting that little bell so it goes.

SPEAKER_05 1:09:20

And you know, share this shit. Share it. Get other people involved. Tell a friend. Tell a friend. Tell a friend. Tell a neighbor. Say hi neighbor.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:27

Jinx. Hi neighbor.

SPEAKER_05 1:09:31

Wink wink. Do all of those things, and we'll see you back here next time on Latches Up!

SPEAKER_04 1:09:38

And I'm Butterfly.