KYS
Get into the mess that is the KYS pod (Kourtesan's Yap Sesh, not the other thing. Unless.....)
KYS
God Honoring Drag
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Cola, Karmella, and Cristina are joined by your current reigning Mx. Hot Mess, Aqua Maureen! We discuss her drag beginnings, Hot Mess 5 journey, and most importantly... Aquaman *gulp gulp gulp gulp*
The devil is a liar. So crazy. Oh my God.
SPEAKER_02It's like we're living in the revelation in the Bible.
SPEAKER_00I don't fucking drink water. I'm not a big I drink. And that is all.
SPEAKER_08Can my boyfriend come? Is your boyfriend gonna bend over and let us take turns licking it clean? Because if not, then no. What the fuck? What part of girls' night didn't you understand, bitch? If he's gonna come hands on your goddamn knees.
SPEAKER_03Hello, darling. Which way are you trying?
SPEAKER_05Hello, hello, hello, everyone. Thank you for tuning in today to KYS Courtesans Yap Sesh. My name is Carmella. I'm sitting here at the table. Had your husbands, howja Twinks. We have Miss Christina Bang. Hi, baby. How are you? Are you feeling better? I feel great. Okay, that's good. Did you have a nice weekend?
SPEAKER_06I had an amazing weekend. We did a lot. I went out. Um, I complained the whole time how tired I was. I came home at a sensible 1.30 and went straight to sleep. And I think that's what I need to do. I need to just take control of my own life and quit when I feel like it's appropriate.
SPEAKER_05I think you need to turn your t-shirt right side in.
SPEAKER_06Because it looks like you had a rough night. I mean, when a man is redressing you while he's pushing you out the door, you do what you can.
SPEAKER_05Hey, let's not get into what we talked about at lunch.
SPEAKER_06Okay, I I do think it was good for the table at lunch. I do think it's good for this podcast, too. We'll see, we'll see.
SPEAKER_05We'll save it. We'll save it. We're also sitting here with the light of my life, Miss Cola Fizz. Hello. Hello, how are you, Gorge? I'm so gorgeous. So gorge. You are so gorgeous. Your your mustache and your eyebrows match. It's kind of sickening. Thank you very much. It looks like you have a big old eyebrow in the middle of your face.
SPEAKER_04Ooh, and that's pretty much what a mustache is. An eyebrow on the lip. I recently saw a picture of myself from last September where I had completely close shaved, my head bald, and I did not have eyebrows, and I look like a naked mole rat mutant. But I cannot believe my friends for so long let me look like that. I look so much better now. I thought you knew. I mean, I knew I looked a little crazy, but it's shocking, really.
SPEAKER_05I think we all need to go on personal journeys to find out what works best for us.
SPEAKER_04And I think this is working much better. I think it is. I feel so much better about everything.
SPEAKER_06Was the trade-off worth it for how much easier it was to paint looking back? Actually. I mean, you were in a relationship, so what did it matter what you look like? T.
SPEAKER_04Um. Hey, shut up. Um wherever you are. Uh geez. Um no, but I am so tired of covering my eyebrows with the glue, and it just doesn't not look nearly as good as it used to. It's so smooth.
SPEAKER_05I want to see what you look like with no brows and a mustache.
SPEAKER_04Ooh, yes. That would be better than no brows, no mustache. Who am I to judge about? This isn't about me.
SPEAKER_05It can be.
SPEAKER_04Kaboom.
SPEAKER_05Do you have fun last night? I surely did. The return of deep fake.
SPEAKER_04Yes. Uh Deep Fake was scheduled after Hot Mess 5 because I did not know if Carmela was going to be continuing her hiatus. Yeah, Deep Fake was back for like one time. Probably won't bring it back again unless we absolutely need to, but Oh, this was like a one-off thing? Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Were you on a hiatus dur before Hot Mess 5 and you came back?
SPEAKER_05I took off right after Boy Beutant and then I came back uh for Hot Mess. So it was it was probably like six weeks that I was off. Um and then I did all of Hot Mess. Um but I think I'm back for for now. Back, back, back, back, back, back, back, back, back, back, back. As am I. Ooh, yes. Are you doing you said you have a schedule though. You're not doing every no.
SPEAKER_04I think you do like one or two a month.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. But we have some special stuff coming up that we're not involved in. Right. Anyway, so that'll be fun. Little breaky break for the gals.
SPEAKER_04You're officially returned.
SPEAKER_05I think I need a break.
SPEAKER_06Oh my god. Another one? I think I need to break my own my legs and get more sympathy and attention. I think so. I need to pull focus.
SPEAKER_05But you were excited to come back for Hot Mass 5 to judge? Oh yeah. I had such an amazing time. That sort of pushed you to be back full time.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, like looking back, why why did I leave for so long? Well, we know why.
SPEAKER_05We won't go there. Oh well, but we can.
SPEAKER_04Um and then have you been.
SPEAKER_05If you listen to IKTR, you know. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Have you been enjoying your um like time at the other shows that we've been doing post Hot Mess? Because now that's that's long gone now.
SPEAKER_06I think my issue before was at the shows, I would, you know, show up and not have anyone to hang out with. But now that I've been going out with like Carm and the little babies, like it feels more fun for me. And like hanging out in the dressing room and like I styled a wig for you before your show the other week. I was like, this is fun. I just need to be here and be me. Just doing you.
SPEAKER_05That is so very special. And and so true because I feel no, I felt the same way. Um, obviously, I don't go out that much anymore. Um Kenny, Kenny doesn't appear often. No, but for similar reasons, because like I don't have anyone to hang out with. Like, I don't care hanging out by myself and just watching the show, but it is more fun when you're with people that you know and like and can enjoy it with.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, like we had a cute little group last night.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, last night was so fun. Everyone in the show did amazing. Cola did such a great job hosting. Oh, yeah, show was great.
SPEAKER_06It was alright. Samaj fucking ate.
SPEAKER_05Oh my gosh. Happy birthday, Samage. This is coming out after your birthday, but we love you. Uh, you're right. Everyone was amazing.
SPEAKER_06It was a great show. And it was like such a chill crowd, too, because it wasn't packed out. Beautiful gowns. Which I know we want a packed out show for the money. But as an audience member, I like when it's like not a little easier to stand there.
SPEAKER_05Even as the host, like, or performing, when it's not as packed, I like it better. Like, of course, I love the room filled, but I love being able to move around and have the people who are in the room, like, I know that they're there to watch the show. They're not just there because it's the place to be, they're actually paying attention. Yeah. So less people doesn't bother me in that sense.
SPEAKER_04I like when the runway is real narrow and it's super packed, because then I don't have to like fill the space with my body as much.
SPEAKER_06Well, when I perform, I fill all the space out.
SPEAKER_04We do.
SPEAKER_06Well, we're joined by someone special.
SPEAKER_05We are. We have another guest on the pod coming to you all the way from Tucker, Georgia. Oh my god. That is many, many miles away. She drove especially long to be here. Six and a half hours. No, just kidding. It is our crowned hot mess season five winner. Everyone, welcome. Aqua Marine to the pod. Yay, applause.
SPEAKER_02Uh, hello.
SPEAKER_05Applause, applause. How are you, my love? I'm really good. I'm really good. How was your long journey here?
SPEAKER_03It it wasn't bad. It it's like an hour now.
SPEAKER_06Oh, okay. Yeah. Also, you were just here last night in the show. Yes. So you had to drive all the way home and drive all the way back. I did, yeah. That's the only part is like she's in a bedroom. She's invoicing us for the mileage. We need like a rinky dink drag motel for the out-of-town divas. Oh my god, I would love that. I mean, I w when I move into this new place, I want to have like bunk beds or something. That would be so fun. The big bang wig motel. The big bang bunk bed. Yes. That would be fierce. The price of a stay is just one twink. They have to stay in my room. You're killing it. Oh, I'll just put them in the cage. It's fine.
SPEAKER_05You're never gonna leave. What's the what's the going rate for that? What are you charging to book?
SPEAKER_06Yeah. I'll do it for free. You know I'm I'm a giving person.
SPEAKER_05We know you are.
SPEAKER_06Never receiving, but always giving. Just how I like it.
SPEAKER_05Get get that hemorrhage checked out, and then we can talk about some stuff. Miss Aqua, we're super excited to have you here today. How are you? What's going on? How's life?
SPEAKER_03Um, the move has been really good. Um, it's been like a lot more seamless than I expected, so that's been really nice. Um, we're like filling the new space. Yeah, and I'm excited to start doing like a balance of Athens and Atlanta drag. Um, so that's really exciting too. Because like I'm definitely gonna keep on like doing a bunch of Athens shows, but I also want to do some Atlanta gigs in there too.
SPEAKER_06Well, you're following the the hot mess winter pipeline of moving to Atlanta and doing the Atlanta gigs. Do you um have you done any Atlanta gigs recently? No, I've just seen a few like gone audience member. I'm so happy to have you here because we were talking about this. We have probab we've known you for a long time, and we all had kind of like a similar drag beginning story starting with the Athens Showgirl cabaret. So I went well, did I I think I met you when I was performing with them and you had started drag. When was your first show with them?
SPEAKER_03My first show with them was it was July three years ago. So I think it was a few months after you stopped doing shows with them, or it was like right in that transition period.
SPEAKER_06I think I was removed from the group chat by then.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I um 2023. My first show with them. I like went to the Pride show in June and I was all in drag, and I was like, oh my god, I'm out in drag. Um, and then Kelly was like, I don't know you, who are you? And the rest is history. It must be.
SPEAKER_05Well, let's get into a little bit of that history. So you first went out, you said pride three years ago. What started you like doing shows with them? Um, how did that relationship come to be?
SPEAKER_03Kind of organic, just like I had gone to see a few of their shows, and then I was like, ooh, I let me I've been I had really been wanting to start drag, but it felt like such a mountain. And so then I think it being pride was like the push that I was like, okay, well, nothing's gonna make me want to do this more than it being pride.
SPEAKER_06I feel like drag queens are produced either during pride season or on Halloween. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Most of them, I I would say so. That's sort of the easiest time to get into drag. So what what got you into drag in the first place? What made you want to be a performer?
SPEAKER_03I had wanted to for a really long time. Where I went to undergrad, there wasn't really much of a drag scene. Like there were drag performers that would come from like two towns over kind of situation, but wasn't really like a drag scene. So anytime I did get to see a drag show, I was like, this is the best night of my life. Where was this? That was in like Fort Myers. But then I also my like hometown is near Orlando, so I started going to a lot of like Orlando drag, like a lot of the shows that like Roxy would host. Nice. Um, so that was a lot of like my beginning first introduction to drag, and I just I always was so enamored by it, but I didn't think I was like cool enough. Well, you gotta see the nice pageant stuff in Orlando, and then you move here and everyone's trash.
SPEAKER_04Every every single performance.
SPEAKER_05Did you just get into drag sort of organically, or did was it drag race, or how how did you figure out um that you like drag?
SPEAKER_03It was a little organically. I think I think there was like one event in undergrad where like these drag queens came and were like, we're gonna have students do a drag show with us. And I was gonna sign up, and then at the last second I didn't because like I had a shift or something, and I was like, there's no way I'm getting ready in that time. And then I just like regretted it for like a month or two, and I was like, I really wanted to do that. And then I actually before I like went out and drag, I was like, I'm gonna have a drag show in my living room, and I invited like ten people, and like two came, and I did three numbers for them in my drag, like in my living room. What what okay?
SPEAKER_04This is That's adorable.
SPEAKER_03That is. I don't think I've ever heard that before for your drag beginnings, and they loved me so much for dealing with that because that was it was harsh, it was rough.
SPEAKER_05It was your first ever drag performance was something that you put on in your living room.
SPEAKER_03Yes, I even moved the like couches so that it would like all be like a little you that is incredible.
SPEAKER_06She brought she brought people in from the street at gunpoint.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. You sort of you sort of figured it out at the very beginning, like if you want spaces, you have to create them. Yeah. So and you created your very your very own little drag show in your living room. I think that's so fierce. We're gonna get on that soapbox.
SPEAKER_04Get on it. Get on it. I love when you're on the soapbox. Speak on it stuff. No, I was just saying, we're going. We did something similar to that. My roommates and I. We like did a um before any of us were like performing at all, we threw like drag house parties where everyone like dressed up in drag for the party. Would you do numbers? No, but everyone was in in drag. This was in like 2015.
SPEAKER_06Oh, that's fun though. Like that's just like a you know, get together party situation.
SPEAKER_05Shout out to Look Ball. Remember those? Yes, oh, I loved those. Those were like big house parties. That was before you. Um where we would actually perform. Was that the one y'all did in like someone's garage?
SPEAKER_04We did it a few places. There was the first one was at someone's big house in like basically their front yard and their porch. The second one was at some other house kind of by the mall, and then the other one was at Go Bar.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_05It was Rip Go Bar. It was put on by Alex and Lisa and Miss He. Oh. Miss He. What were they called? They were some trio. Clubhouse? Clubhouse something, yeah. Something like that. All right, Miss Aqua. So uh when you finally made it out of your living room to the great city of Athens, Georgia, what was your first um experiences with drag like performing here?
SPEAKER_03The first time I performed, it was like that next month after Pride, and it was the showgirl show. And I remember I get into the dressing room and I had this like blue wig. It's actually the one that I took apart to come like out of the pots for my camp fucker like club runway.
SPEAKER_06Oh, I styled that at one point, didn't I?
SPEAKER_03Yes, yes.
SPEAKER_04I remember your old I remember your old blue wig.
SPEAKER_03Yes, and it was I think it was right before I styled I had you restyle her. And I had styled her and then moved, and she'd been like, she wasn't styled well, and then she was crushed. Um and so then I put her on my head and I was like, I'm gonna perform. Um and I get into the dressing room, and this one drag queen is like, Do you need a hairbrush? And I was like, What's it looking? It was wow. That was my next guess. And I was like, Yes, I would love a hairbrush. Thank you, community. And she said, I don't have one.
SPEAKER_05In my soul, I knew you were about to say that. That is the craziest shit I've ever heard, but it is also makes the most sense.
SPEAKER_03Well, and then it was also funny because like I was like, okay, well, that was a little weird, but whatever. Like she's trying to be nice, I guess. Um, and then I remember I had one number that night, and I was about to go on. They said, and next up, Aqua Marina, because you know, Kelly could not get my name for like five months.
SPEAKER_04She can't pronounce anyone's name right.
SPEAKER_06She hasn't gotten mine right in 11 years. I was always Christina Bangs to them. She always got my name right, I guess, but no one else. Well, she wanted to. She just rolls off the tongue. She wanted this.
SPEAKER_04Ain't that right, fatty. Oh, sorry, that was the wrong one. What one time she did shout me out in the crowd. She was like, She's been eating too many chicken nuggets. Told the telling the crowd that I got bad. Yeah, she's mad.
SPEAKER_05Oh my god.
SPEAKER_03It's less for her. Oh my god, what the hell? I remember though, like So community, right? Yeah, community. Yes, go back to that. And I was about to go on. She was like two feet to my right looking at herself in the mirror, and she turns and looks at me. They call my name, and she goes, Oh, your lip looks terrible. Your lip? Your lip. Oh, you two. Who said that to you? Said, Do you want to redo your lip after they called my name? And I went on stage, like the audacity of her to say that with her. Put the pipe down.
SPEAKER_05You're gonna immediately, if not sooner.
SPEAKER_04Well, you're committing to a lot of editing.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. Did you um I loved performing at Hendershots? I just thought it was a cute venue to perform at. Did you enjoy it?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I really like the venue because I think it's a good mix of like some bar spaces similar to Hendershots, they're like awkward with how the tables are set up, or you're like, where is a performance space and where am I just like walking through these tables? And I think Hendershots is a good balance of that. I always felt like it was an easy way to pace out the number throughout the space.
SPEAKER_06That one's like so relaxed compared to church, where you know, obviously it's everyone standing up uh dick to butt. But then at Hendershots, you have everyone sitting in tables and it's pretty chill, so you don't have to like mm trudge your way through a bunch of faggots. You can just kind of twirl around and gyrate on top of people sitting in chairs. Or children. Or children. They do they do all they just showed, didn't they?
SPEAKER_03They do.
SPEAKER_06That makes me uncomfortable.
SPEAKER_03It makes me uncomfortable, and it makes me uncomfortable when there's a four-year-old at the like 18 plus show.
unknownOh honey.
SPEAKER_03I'm like, why have why have a child in the first place?
SPEAKER_04Was the clinical kill them all? Well, I have a question. The first time I saw you was in that blue wig that we were discussing, and you we were in the main bar of church, and I remember seeing you and being like, That's that showgirl. She's over here. How interesting. Because usually they don't do that. But you were you were so like when you started, were you just aware of the showgirls, or did you know about us too? Or like how did you become aware of like everyone?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I knew about both of you. Um, and I I was just like excited to experience as much drag as I could. So I think at the same around the same time that Kelly was like, come here next month, perform. I also signed up for friend request like the month after, and I was like, oh my gosh, I'm booked for uh two months in a row. Like I thought that I had made it. Ain't that right?
SPEAKER_06And you did compared to others, yes, you have made it.
SPEAKER_05Were people very welcoming when you first arrived on the scene?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I actually one of the first, like I remember for that final request, I was terrified because I was like, oh my god, everyone here is like so good. And I walked into the dressing room like alone, and then Blair was in there in her crutches, and she was just like so welcoming and nice, and like made me immediately feel like this is a space for you, and Mona right after her, too. I was gonna ask Larry.
SPEAKER_05Do you remember who was all on that show?
SPEAKER_03It was Emir Mona. It was it was when Mona did her like half and half like look. I think Dior was in it, a few other.
SPEAKER_04Who won? Was that when Aris and Dior were the top two?
SPEAKER_03No, I I think that might have been like a few months later. Oh, who knows? This was so long ago. I forget who won.
SPEAKER_06Well, I remember when I met you, you identified as the daughter of Natasha, who I loved. Oh, yeah. So I think that already kind of put you in my good graces. I was like, oh, you know, I love Natasha, she's fun to hang out with. Yeah. Uh the garden was cute. Do you want to talk about the garden? How did that come about? The best of the game. I'm interested in that.
SPEAKER_03I guess the lore behind it was that I had done the trouble number, like the Patty Lapone trouble at Hendershots, and I guess Z was like, that was good. Then like Natasha came up to me at my second friend request, which is when I did Mean Girls, and it was really bad.
SPEAKER_04Um it's okay. I don't think anyone remembers.
SPEAKER_03What was bad about it? Um probably everything. Just that it was like my third performance, so like the things that come with that.
SPEAKER_04That's crazy. I just don't remember you being like over with us so early. Yeah. That's crazy to me.
SPEAKER_03I was very much intermingling, but I think it was mostly those like one night comp or like right. And and also at that point, I was doing like a drag show every month or other month. So I just wasn't doing a lot.
SPEAKER_05Did you get added to the Showgirls cast fairly quickly after your first performance? Because you were you were on cast, right?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I was on cast. I think it was kind of quickly. I think it only took a few months, which I think the Natasha of it all helped.
SPEAKER_06Right. Were you on the Website? The website. When I was with them, a website happened. Oh, good lord. With the stretched distorted pictures that appear on the posters.
SPEAKER_04I don't even know about the website. When I was in there, we were in the almanac.
SPEAKER_06Right.
SPEAKER_03Just old.
SPEAKER_06You're still on the tip sheet, though, I think, right? I might be. The one I went to recently, I think I saw you on there. And and Tigris.
SPEAKER_04That's crazy that you've been removed from the group chat, but not the tip sheet. Yeah. They can still tip you, I guess. They could. They can. If you if you are listening and you go to a showgirl show, select payment type. Find Aqua's Bedmo Cash App. It's just her a little 50 cents.
SPEAKER_06Skip whoever's on stage. Oh my god. Also, is is that my fire alarm beeping? Yes, it is. That just started when we started recording. Yes. I'll fix it at some point.
SPEAKER_05She put the she put the fresh batteries in her vibrator, and now the fucking fire alarm won't stop beeping.
SPEAKER_06I'd rather risk my life than go without a nut.
SPEAKER_04It's the soundboard. So the garden was Natasha and you and Zizi and Kara.
SPEAKER_06Oh, also the garden is the name that you gave your little family of people.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that was. I think Natasha it Natasha already had. I think Natasha already had that name when she approached me.
SPEAKER_04Because she's Natasha Rose. Yes.
SPEAKER_03So she was like, I'm the Rose, and Zusie's the fox, and Kara's the little bug. Kara's the piss. Right. And so she was like, the rainwater or whatever. And I was like, okay. Sure.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. And so what happened? What why did y'all fall apart? I don't know anything about it. I'm just kidding. We don't have to talk about it.
SPEAKER_02But we can. Okay.
SPEAKER_03Um I just I I just didn't.
unknownOh my god.
SPEAKER_04Oh Lord. Our Sacred episode was very uplifting.
SPEAKER_06Oh. Oh, they're not getting that anymore. No. You know what? We're versatile. We're submitting that to the Peabodies for our award nomination, but after that, we're fucking good.
SPEAKER_04Oh my god, we were correct. They were correct about you in the last episode. Oh, rotted? No. Um, what did they describe Sacred as? Pervasive and evil. Yes, there we go.
SPEAKER_06And the other thing. We can't say. But I think with any group of drag performers, if the chemistry isn't right and you don't like each other, you're not going to help each other or uplift each other. So it's just gonna become a detriment. So I I hope that you realized pretty early that it probably wasn't beneficial for you. How long did that go on? Too long.
SPEAKER_03It was a while. And like it wasn't that I disliked her the whole time. There was like a good amount of time when I was like, oh, I love these people and they're great. But then things just happened. And it was weird. Um yeah, and then like okay, so we're getting into it, honey. We can. Um no, she just she's someone who like you can't subtly be like, hey, I want to distance myself. Like you have to very bluntly and straightforward be like, hey, I want to distance myself. And so that's what I did. And I wasn't like, we have to leave each other's lives, but then that's what happened.
SPEAKER_06I think that just has to happen for some people.
SPEAKER_05Where did where did the distancing yourself come from? Was it just like them being annoying, or did y'all have a falling out, or did something happen?
SPEAKER_03It wasn't like a big event, but it was like, yeah, I just didn't live for them. And then they would like they would say like shitty things and then be like, I'm just reading. And I'm like, open the schools. Open the schools. Right.
SPEAKER_06When you were getting your drag start, where were we in hot mess at that point? When did you become aware of our competition?
SPEAKER_03Um, between Hot Mess 2 and 3, I think I saw like two per two numbers from Hot Mess 2. Then I like really became aware of like, oh, this like Hot Mess is a thing is a thing going into Hot Mess 3. And Mona was like, You should do Hot Mess 3.
SPEAKER_02And I was like, I shouldn't.
SPEAKER_03Oh my god, that would have been so interesting. It would have. I just I knew I was so not ready. And I was starting school. I decided to start drag and grad school at the same time. Oh, yeah, that's tough.
SPEAKER_06Which was I did the same thing. I started drag in my junior year of my degree, and that was not the time to do it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, like I wouldn't change it, but it was also not advised.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. And then because I remember when we were softballing ideas for who we think would be good to audition. And I think your name came up for me. I was like, I hope Aqua does it, but I'm glad that you waited until you did. Did you audition for Hot Miss Four?
SPEAKER_04No, she had other stuff going on, but she was like on my list of like, oh my god, Hot Miss Four is coming. I can't wait for Aqua to do it, but then she couldn't do it.
SPEAKER_03And yeah, what were you doing? You were out of the state. I was yeah, I had like a I had like a summer stock gig in Illinois in like the farm fields of Illinois. And I remember being at Mary's and we either we drove together or we ran into each other, and you were like, Are you doing Hot Mess 4? And I was like, when's the finale? And then you told me, and I was like, I'll be gone. I'll be long gone by then.
SPEAKER_06Well, I think one gig that we did that kind of turned from oh, this is another drag performer to oh, this is like my friend, was when we did the production of well, when you were working on Little Shop, and then they brought me in to do the hair. And I was just, you know, in the little wig studio with Ivan. That's his name, right? Yes. I was in the little wig studio with Ivan, and then you were down the hall sewing, and I would come kiki with you. I just had such a great time with that.
SPEAKER_03That was so much fun. And yeah, I remember I would like, I'd be like, uh, I have to go get a needle. And I would go down and just like kiki with you for like a few minutes, and we would just like have a blast.
SPEAKER_06And that was that was such a fun thing, too. Did you have anything to do with them reaching out to us for the makeup thing?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so originally I think I made a group chat with all three of you, and I was like, Hey, do you want to do this thing? And then Carm left immediately. Right.
SPEAKER_05Oh my gosh, that sounds that tracks.
SPEAKER_03You were like, I'm busy, and then I think, yeah, you'd like just had too much out on your on your plate at the time.
SPEAKER_05Probably around that time, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and so then the two of you came, Christina and Cola, y'all came for the makeup, which like thank god, because no one there knew about drag makeup, they didn't have that that queer eye for the straight guy look.
SPEAKER_04That was fun. We did like a little drag 101 sort of like class with the cast and department that was like doing it.
SPEAKER_06It was so cool. The Hot Mess 5 auditions are announced. What made you say, I'm ready? Let's do it.
SPEAKER_03There had just been always a reason why I couldn't do it, like Hot Mess 3. I was starting school and I felt so not ready. And then Hot Mess 4. Christina Bang's not judging, so why should I even be exactly? Yeah, then I was gonna be gone, and then Hot Mess 5, I was like, wait a minute. Like, I asked about the dates, and I was like, that works perfectly for me. And so just like it finally all lined up, and I was finally able to do it. And it was really fun because like it was something I had watched so many of my friends do. Like, I watched every single week of Hot Mess 3. That was definitely the season I watched the most of. And I just like was so excited to see Hot Mess, and then I was like, wait a minute, now I get to be in it.
SPEAKER_06Like, I think as far as like a dreamcast for Hot Mess goes, for Hot Mess 5, you made sense with my fantasy. So when you signed up, did you say to yourself, I can probably win this? What was your opinion on your own self and your own performance at that point?
SPEAKER_03I thought I can probably make it to the end. And I remember I told myself, I had been telling myself for a while, because I'd been wanting to do Hot Mess for a while. I was like, I just want two things out of Hot Mess. Three if I'm greedy, I want to make it to finale, and I want to be proud of everything I present. And then I was like, and if I'm really greedy, I'd love to win a week. And those were my things. Skipping ahead, you didn't win until the week before the finale. Yeah, the semifinals, yeah. 613 balls that is crazy.
SPEAKER_04Although you were close to the two weeks before that.
SPEAKER_03Yes, it was like top two for a few weeks.
SPEAKER_04You were like top two, top two, and then you got that win. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Were were you ever um discouraged that you didn't quite get the win until kind of the very last inning?
SPEAKER_03I remember just being like, you know, it's like tough like putting your all into it, and then like just being like, that was a good performance. It wasn't great, but it was good. So I think there were a few weeks where I felt that about myself, and then like y'all were very uplifting, but I think I'm just like my worst critic. I'm just always gonna be like, Well, that could have been better.
SPEAKER_06So auditions happen, you get in. Were you close with any of the other performers that got in?
SPEAKER_03Tigris and I were really close. We've been Fellow Showgirl. Yes. We've, you know, my niece. Oh yeah. Formerly. Oh yeah. We'll cover that on her episode. Which was so silly. Um, but yeah, Tigris and I were really close, and Travis and I were really close. That wasn't me, but it might as well have been. I had just met Tina like the week prior or two weeks prior because she did the Tim Denson show with us.
SPEAKER_06Oh yeah. We'll have to talk about that too.
SPEAKER_03Yes. So that was really exciting, and I was like, oh, I just met this queen who I really like, and like, yay. Um, but we didn't know each other like super well yet. And I'm probably missing people, but I think those are the people I was closest to going into Hotmas 5. And oh, Kara.
SPEAKER_05Who are you most intimidated by? She said no one, honey. She had this in the bag.
SPEAKER_03I I was able to watch Tina's audition. I was like right next to the stage because either I had like just gone or I think I went early in the night, so I was like, yeah, I get to see like most everybody. And I remember she performed, and I was like, oh, oh, this is a competition.
SPEAKER_06And then as the competition progresses and the chart gets released, and Tina is having all these wins happen. What was your outlook on finale night when you went into it? Did you think like I still have a good chance of winning, or were you kind of discouraged by the the stats?
SPEAKER_05Because hold on, before you answer, I just want to make like the observation that I had is you were you're always very pleasant and and a joy to be around, but in the dressing room, I feel before the shows, um you were sort of in your head a little bit. So kind of what was going on, what were those feelings like?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I just I think with the whole it being a competition, I was like, the stakes are so high, and I would just get really nervous. And so I think going into it each night, I like felt all the emotions. Like beforehand, I was nervous. During, I was like, this is great. Um I think it did always kind of end up in like uh nervous towards the beginning of the night, really like high on the night by the end of the night, and kind of a curve upwards towards that most nights. But Tagris and I would talk about this a few weeks and we'd be like, I've experienced every human emotion tonight, and we've been here 30 minutes.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, I'm glad you could brought that up too, Carmilla, because that's something I noticed as well in the dressing room. Because like obviously, after when everyone's like packing up, I want to go in and like talk to the girls. But the energy that you were giving off, I was like, maybe you know, she didn't win tonight, or there's maybe something going on. The energy I got was maybe it's best if I just, you know, let her pack up and go and we can kiki later. Oh no. Well sorry about that. No, it's it's okay. Like I'm fuck you, as a judge, I'm just there to cut up and have a good time. But I think I have the problem where I don't I've never done a competition, so I don't know what it feels like. So when the night is over and maybe you were top and didn't win and you were really proud of what you did, I'm just coming in there with my big fat self having a jolly old time. And then the girls are like kind of decompressing and processing the night, and maybe I just don't I don't have the the social awareness to be like, oh, maybe I shouldn't go up to you and be like, hey girl, sorry you didn't win.
SPEAKER_04Don't you don't you remember going with me to L and All-Stars and every week me being like, oh my god, oh yeah. I'm going home every week.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. I need to do a competition, but not not that like do dragnificent. Okay.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_06I'm committing right here. I hope.
SPEAKER_04Well, whenever Phoenix, whenever it is. You heard it.
SPEAKER_06But we know you listen, Phoenix. Mentally, how well were you able to process all the nights? Like, did did you take things hard or were you like down to clown? I think I was down to clown, but also like the moans, especially made me because I I figured that's what it was, but I didn't I don't think it's my place to bring that up or talk about it.
SPEAKER_03I mean, but you can. I I also like I don't I'm so willing to talk about like any of it. I know not everyone is, but the moans definitely like I I think this last I've been on them like a year and a half now, but especially this last like six months to a year, um, they've just made me like crazy. I love it. I love being crazy, and I'm allowed to stay crazy because I'm on like three antipsychotics. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Oh my god. So you really have a lot going on, pill-wise.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I guess I do. And then like it's uh it's a lot to remember. I need one of those little like weekly. Yeah, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_04And it's what you do now, just like grab a handful.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_04So at the end of finale night, were you surprised at the result?
SPEAKER_05Or did it like can we hold can we go back to your to your first win? Oh, yeah, I'll just go. On the on the semifinals. Um because that was your your big win um of the season. So all those feelings sort of that it was funny, that was the first night.
SPEAKER_03So every single night before that night, I think because I never got to see other people's performances for the most part, I was like, I could be top two or bottom two. Like I always thought both were a possibility, and so I'd be like listening to the song or like whatever. And that was the first night we were all on the sidewalk, and I think like everyone was listening to the song on their phone, and I was like, Oh, I don't need to do that.
SPEAKER_05So you knew you had it on Saturday.
SPEAKER_03I knew I was at least high, like I knew that I had done a good job. Whereas like other weeks, I think like my insecurities got the better of me, and it was always it was always like a really big jumbling pot of like I'm insecure, but also I ate. Like the drag delusion and insecurity like cocktail is so interesting.
SPEAKER_06Well, I think you are on such like an upward trajectory throughout the competition, and then it all cumulates in that last night where you were like a very obvious winner, and then we go into finale night, and you know, we talked about it on our premier episode of the the KYS pod, where we kind of analyzed our decision and said, you know, we don't want to go into finale night based off of statistics, like we really think we should weigh each person equally without too much consideration into okay, well, the chart says this, this, and this. So, and I I was a big proponent of that. I don't want to speak for my fellow judges, but finale night, I really thought, you know, anyone can win, it just depends on the presentation. And I think your upper trajectory continued there, and it was kind of like Aqua's final form. And your finale performance, I think especially after you got on the mic and you talked about it, and you said, I've wanted to do this number for so long, and I did it here, and you were proud of what you did. I I think that's what Hot Mess is about. So I think that just brought me so much joy, and I think that has solidified you as a winner in my mind because you came to the competition and you did what you wanted and you were proud of what you presented. Yeah. That's literally just what drag is.
SPEAKER_03That was so important to me. I each week I was like, okay, am I gonna be proud of this? Whether I get good or bad critiques. Like, I don't want to do something that I think is the thing I'm supposed to do. I kind of always was like, I want to do something that I is from my perspective and is something that I enjoy. I hope other people do as well. But I want to do something that's like me.
SPEAKER_05When when you got that win on the semifinal night where you like obviously excited, but where you're like, fucking finally, I finally got one.
SPEAKER_03I mean, like, I was just so happy. Yeah, you know. I want to be clear, like, I wasn't discouraged earlier when like because like I watched, I sometimes got to see other people's performance, and I was like, oh, they ate, like, they're winning tonight. Or like, I remember we were rehearsing beforehand on like the movie night, and I saw some of Tigris's like choreo, and I was like, Oh, she's taking it. Um, so I wasn't like discouraged not to win because like a lot of the times I was like, Oh my god, I'm high, hell yeah. Um, but winning that 613, I was just like, I had never really like won anything before, and so like hearing it was just the entire experience of being on stage and being announced as the winner and people like being so nice, um, very much was exactly what I always envisioned. And so, like, I remember going to the car and like telling Tristan like anything can happen now, and I'm so happy. I got all three of my things, even the greedy one.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I was gonna say you got your you got your greedy wish.
SPEAKER_03Yes. So like we got in the car and I was like, I I did it.
SPEAKER_06Like you're like, pull down your pants now.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yes. I was like, I did hot mask, like you did.
SPEAKER_05That is awesome. You got everything you wanted out of it, and it wasn't even the very end of the competition yet. Right. So it's like the the win of the whole season was sort of just like the cherry on top of your experience.
SPEAKER_03It very much was, and I remember because I very much also was like, it is anybody's game.
SPEAKER_05And we said that. We said that on social media. Anyone, anyone can take it. That's what the finals are for.
SPEAKER_06So you win that last night. Do you think that impacted how you went about curating your finale performance?
SPEAKER_03Probably, yeah. I think I think I was like, oh, I I think I was in the second half of the competition, I was kind of like figuring it out. Like how to balance what I want and also what the challenge calls for. Because like, you know, earlier there was like certain weeks where like I would do what I wanted and it fit mostly the prompt, but like But not what Cola wanted. Right, exactly.
SPEAKER_04There's a balance there between your own artistic vision, but like also what does the challenge actually call for?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, what is what it what are the judges asking me to do? Um, because that is very relevant. Um, and so I think I was figuring out that balance, probably like I think movie night was when I was like, oh this is the formula, this is the like how much of me, how much of the comp.
SPEAKER_06I think, and we can all probably chime in. Your standout moment for me that I thought was so cunty is when you came out and you sat in that chair with that remote and you were just flicking through the TV channels. I thought that was so funny. I was like, oh yeah, this this is Aqua. Like, this is her shining. Because she I've seen you do like you know, a lot of like stuff like that where you give theater. Um, does anyone else well besides the fashion? Because we'll get into that, because that's an obvious standout for you. Any like standout aqua performance moments that come to mind?
SPEAKER_04It's the same number, but the that Carol Channing spoken word. Oh, yeah, because that was like that's an Aqua staple already, but that was the best that I've ever seen. I've seen it a few times, and that was the best I've seen it, and it was like the crown jewel, besides the finale, obviously. But that was like the crown jewel of Aqua's journey up to that point. It was so fierce. But then during your finale number, Christina and I cried. We like looked at each other, we were coming. Your finale number was amazing.
SPEAKER_03When y'all told me that, like, I was just I don't even know. I was I was very surprised. I was like, oh my god, like that I don't think I was expecting that. And I think that was a lot of like finale night, was like, oh my god, like this is my biggest wish coming true.
SPEAKER_06And I mean, I think we said it on the pod, like your s your scores for that night too were just I don't I don't want to say significantly, but there was a large margin where you obviously took the night.
SPEAKER_05And sorry, did did your feelings change at all from the start to finish of finale night? Like, did you start the night saying like this is mine and then it just got better? Is that kind of how you were going into it?
SPEAKER_03I started the night thinking I'm really gonna love what I present. But it's I mean, I knew everyone was gonna bring it, you know? So I was like, who knows what the ranking is gonna end up being? And then I think by halfway through the night, I was like, you know, like Tristan was helping me like run back and forth and get changed. And I think there was a moment I was like, I think I'm top two. And that was exciting in itself. Like, I was like, oh my god, if I were top two of the season, that would be crazy.
SPEAKER_06You saw Tigris in the corner drooling with her brain turned off.
SPEAKER_03Okay, I okay, I felt so bad because she came back into the dressing room. I was in the dressing room, I was feeling great. Like y'all had just told me all the greatest, like nice things about my number, and like had cried, and I was like, Yeah, I get to explain like I get to explain this number that I literally thought about like I think it was I think it was my like second or third hand or shot show ever. I was walking back to the car and I started explaining this number to Aquaman. Yes. Um, and I was like, yeah, and I finished explaining it, and then I said, I'm not gonna have the skills or the resources to do that for a moment, but when it happens, I'm excited. And so then the fact that the prompt for finale night of like show stopping number very much lent itself to that. I was like, oh my god, I need to make this happen.
SPEAKER_06And then you make it happen, you get amazing critiques for it, and then you go to the dressing room.
SPEAKER_03I go to the dressing room, and then like five minutes later, Tigris walks in and goes, Congrats on your win, Diva. Oh man. And I was like, oh no.
SPEAKER_06Oh, I love that fantasy. Yeah. Not well, I hate it for you, girl. Love you, Tigris. Fuck you, bitch.
SPEAKER_03I was just like, ooh, one girl down.
SPEAKER_06Ooh, yeah. Ooh, sucks for you. Let's celebrate me now. Right. And we did. So the night is coming to a close. We have y'all on stage. You know you're top two against Tina. What is running through your mind at that point?
SPEAKER_03I thought it was 50-50. By the point that you guys were about to announce who won, I thought it was 50-50 of like I was going through my head of all the reasons she deserved the win, and I was going through my head of all the reasons I deserve the win. And I was like, yeah, either of us. I can see either of us fairly winning, was basically what my mind was thinking.
SPEAKER_05You saw Tina on stage and you thought.
SPEAKER_03And did.
SPEAKER_06And did the pearls came loose. I don't know how it happened, but and I was I was standing next to Lewis, and he was like, if Aqua wins, I'm gonna fucking lose it. And I I just and he turned around and I just stood there like, hee hee hee hee. Like I was excited for it to happen. Um so I don't remember how you announced it. I think you just announced the winner, right? It was like this is the top two, and then we said the winner of Hot Mess 5 is Aqua. And then you hear those words. What emotions did you feel?
SPEAKER_03Oh my god, like so proud and so happy and so excited and surprised, and I was just like on cloud nine. Like I was high for like three days after that.
SPEAKER_06Also, like whenever I'm watching a number and something funny happens, you know, there's always that one person you want to turn to and kind of like experience it with. Who was that person for you that you immediately just wanted to share that moment with?
SPEAKER_03Oh, that night. Um I mean, definitely Tristan, because he like saw he saw me being crazy and he saw me being excited, and he saw me being like um every single week. And I I it was really funny because after I won and we went to the dressing room, I remember him letting out a big sign going, Oh my god, we don't have to do all stars.
SPEAKER_04Well, in 10 years when we do all winners, but exactly. Um that was his big takeaway. We're done. We're done, we're done forever. Get in the car now.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. Um, so I think it was just, yeah, I I was feeling every great emotion, and then I remember like 10 people coming up to us and being like, Are you coming? Like, are you coming to the afters? And we were like, no, because I had just done an all-nighter the night before making the DIY look. So I was so beyond tired, and it was like 3, 4 a.m. And then Cola, you came up to us, and you were like, Are you coming? And we were like, We don't think so, and you went, You have to make an appearance, and I would have regretted that like forever if I didn't go because I I had the time of my life, it was so much fun, and then like, yeah, like it was so much fun, and I'm really glad that you like gave us that little push of like come out.
SPEAKER_04Well, yes, it was it was the only time that it was like right after your win, you're never gonna have that exact night again.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, live up that night. And I'm glad I got to like soak it in. So, like, thank you for giving the push.
SPEAKER_05So, after this incredible high of winning hot mess season five, what is next for Miss Aqua?
SPEAKER_03Well, we just moved, so now we're closer to Atlanta. We're like between Lawrenceville and Atlanta, and those are the two kind of like big cities where a lot of our day-to-day work are gonna be. Um, I'm trying to get into the like costume design um scene industry, whatever you want to call it.
SPEAKER_05Let's get into that really quick because you made all of your looks for Hot Mess 5, right?
SPEAKER_03Yes. I'm trying to think of one I didn't. There's probably one or two things that I wore that like I didn't make, but I think like nine out of ten things that I wore, I had just either made from scratch or made mostly from scratch or altered something to make it more special, not HM. Did you make that leopard print thing? Yes. Oh my fucking god. So the coat I had made years ago. It was like my first thing that I made that I was really proud of. It's sickening. I thank you. I had made it like a year or two, a year or two into sewing, and I remember my mom, um, like, you know, birth mom, she is not someone who like gives out compliments just to give out compliments. She's, you know, gonna keep it real. Um, there were several sports that she took me out of as a kid because she was like, You're not good at this. Um, and so I remember like, or even when I started doing drag, I remember a few months into doing drag, she called me and she was like, I have to know, why do you do grandma drag? From your mother. And I think that was something that wake woke me up of like, okay, I have to get better at makeup.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, but bad makeup ages you. So even when you think you're being fierce young sleigh, you just look old.
SPEAKER_03There's a picture of stretch marks and I in the Hendershot's dressing room, and we look like two grandparents.
SPEAKER_04You look like American Gothic.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_06I I relate to that so hard because the only person that's ever read me for having ripped fishnets is my mother.
SPEAKER_03Yes. And so I remember I was home from like just I was like home for the summer or something, like a year or two after starting sewing. Um, because at first I wanted to act, and then I wanted to be a nurse, which was crazy.
SPEAKER_06Um You should be the nurse that kills people.
SPEAKER_03Well, exactly. Um I was a nursing major for four weeks, and then I said, I'm changing it to theater literally four weeks into undergrad. I was like, I'm changing it from pre-nursing to theater. Oh, thank God.
SPEAKER_06Um what would Hamas have been if you were a nurse?
SPEAKER_03Well, a medical mystery.
SPEAKER_05Did you get into sewing first or drag?
SPEAKER_03Sewing, yeah. Sewing quite a few years before drag. Um, I remember I was auditioning for this show, and I remember mid-audition going, I'm not that good at this, like acting. And I was like, I don't want to put in the work to like study and learn how to act better because I don't think I care about it that much. But I knew that I liked theater and I really like had a passion for theater, so I was like, okay, let's pivot to like cost like to like technical theater. And then I was like, well, I guess sewing would be fun. Let's try costumes first, and then I it stuck. Because what's your um degree in? My I have a BA in theater, so that's just kind of general. And then I just got my MFA in costume design and technology.
SPEAKER_06And it was weaponized.
SPEAKER_03Oh, it was weaponized.
SPEAKER_06Severely for the good of the people.
SPEAKER_03Because one of your outfits was for your master's thesis, right? Yes. So my thesis was this show called The Revolutionists, and it takes place during the French Revolution, but it's very like meta and talks about like, you know, social media or whatever. So it's like, you know, it kind of breaks the fourth wall a lot. And there's only four characters, and one of them is Marie Antoinette. Like, three of the four characters are real people from the French Revolution that got executed. And one of them is Marie Antoinette, and there were four of us, like grads in the costume department. So I was like, oh, each of us is gonna make one of the outfits. And so the Marie Antoinette I gave to myself because I was like, she's too complicated. I'm gonna be having to have a discussion with whoever makes it like every two steps. So let me just have the conversation with myself. She's like, Y'all would flop.
SPEAKER_06I'll take this one, right?
SPEAKER_03Um, and so like I she took she was so much work, and I also like when you're working in the shop as a the designer, every two seconds someone's like, What do you want for this stitch? Or how do you want me to do this? Or what color should this belt be? And so you don't really get much done on your own project. So I was coming in at like 7 a.m. and working those first two hours of like just me. And then I was like staying after five to like nine or so to have a few hours at the end of the day, and so I was not getting much sleep at all, and I was just like the love of the craft was kind of making me not burn out. So it took a few weeks of just like that kind of commitment to make the look. Um, but by the end, I was like, oh my god, wait, she looks fierce. And there was another layer too. There was a reveal, but I thought this runway, there's it's enough. She doesn't need another skirt to have no. So I just left the like reveal part.
SPEAKER_06And are commissions open?
SPEAKER_03Well, yes.
SPEAKER_06Because you have a Instagram now for your creations.
SPEAKER_03Seems like Aqua. I need to post on her more. I haven't seen that.
SPEAKER_06I'm gonna follow it right now.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I've only posted like two things. It's just hard. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06I'm the same way.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I need to get better at social media, especially if I want to make commissions like a more serious thing that I do, which I do want to make it more serious.
SPEAKER_06I mean, now that you're close to Atlanta, I think there's plenty of people who will probably hit you up and be like, hey, can you make this for me?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I just need to start posting like pictures of me and things I've worn and put it out there and then like make things for other people. I'm gonna make this gown for Siren. I'm really excited about.
SPEAKER_06For what?
SPEAKER_03I don't know for what. I think she's an upcoming project, perhaps? Something maybe. Oh.
SPEAKER_06We'll have to see.
SPEAKER_03Who can know?
SPEAKER_06Cola's giving me a death stare right now.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I need I need to I need to like make a calendar, like, you know, little reminder, like, oh, it's this time of day.
SPEAKER_02Time to make your little post.
SPEAKER_06Well, okay, one thing that I love is the fantasy of having a drag husband. And I think you have a really iconic one who I feel like whenever I see you you put him to work, which I love. Oh, congrats on your engagement, by the way. Oh my god. Thank you. Love that fantasy. For some reason I thought y'all were like engaged for like two years already. I don't know why I thought that. Well, we've been together like nine years. That's another I didn't know that. Because I think we were talking yesterday, and you were talking you were telling a story from like a long time ago, and you mentioned him was like, oh, I guess they've been in cahoots for a while.
SPEAKER_03Cahoots is crazy.
SPEAKER_04I'm gonna have to admit, I did not know who this is not a username is for a really long time. I would like see them like my post or whatever. I was like, who is this? You're like, this is a dumb name. This is a I thought it was it 2014. I thought it was funny, but I was just like, who is this person? And then eventually I was like, oh my god.
SPEAKER_06Oh, I live. I live for the Instagram notes.
SPEAKER_03Oh my god, he's so in touch with the Instagram notes.
SPEAKER_06So does having someone to help you in the dressing room significantly change the way you go about shows? Because I feel like a lot of times I'll be like, I can't do this, or I I will struggle putting this together. Do you put him to work? Yes. Okay, good.
SPEAKER_03And hot mess, I definitely put him to work. And I saw it. He uh he understood the assignment, you know? Um, he understood, like, okay, we need to lock in. Um and so he really helped me a lot, especially the nights when it was like a three-parter. I was like, hey, babe, you're not gonna be able to see anyone's performance past the first two people. Um and he'd be like, okay.
SPEAKER_06You're on the clock. You're not getting your state mandated 30-minute lunch. I'm sorry, it's just not gonna happen. Shut up and zip me up.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. Um, it was actually funny, like the first high tea prunch I did after Hot Mess finished, he couldn't make it out to the brunch, or he didn't want to because he like wanted to sleep in or something, which is valid. And I got myself into the Marie Antoinette look by myself, and I was like, oh my god. Thank God I have him.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. See, you need like some backups, like Zachary has, because somehow she has an army.
SPEAKER_03An army. She has a roster for real.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. Just gotta steal one of those.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Well, Travis Travis Travis did help me a lot once.
SPEAKER_06Oh, yeah, because he's great at stoning.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, the second half of Hot Mess, Travis stoned a large majority of the things I like my props or my like costumes that were stoned, a lot of it was her hand.
SPEAKER_06So I feel like all the eliminated contestants kind of became team somebody. Yes. Were any of the eliminated girls? I mean, obviously Kara was team Aqua. Did anyone else come and help you stone or do anything leading up to the finale? No. Oh. Well, um I think a lot of them helped Faith, but you know.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I think it was kind of like just dispersed of like I don't know. It it kind of happened naturally with everybody, I think.
SPEAKER_06And who do you trust the least of your castmates?
SPEAKER_03Myself.
SPEAKER_05You had a lot of supporters in the audience. Uh, where did all of the Aquafans show up from?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so there was a big group of them that came from the um the table show and the Tim Denson show. Because the lore there is that the table show happened, and you know, the like pastor at the table, she reached out to me and we met up and like Kiki'd, and I was like, wait a minute, I love her, she's amazing. And then she dropped like the like, yes, my wife. And I was like, aha, yes. Um yeah. So I was like, okay, yes. So after the table show, I remember telling her, hey, um, there's no unawkward way to say this. I like you, and I want to continue being friends after this. And she was like, Oh, thank God, me too. And then a month later, um, her partner reached out to me and was like, Hey, I'm with the Democratic Socialists, and we have this Tim Denson show. So both of them reached out to me about that, and then I put both of them to work for hot mess.
SPEAKER_04What did they do?
SPEAKER_03They um learned to hand sew all of those like magnet snaps in the gown, because the gown, the ripaway gown at the beginning of my strongest suit number was there was like a magnet snap every two or three inches along every seam. And so a majority of the work that whole finale week was just sewing those and making sure that would work. I actually remember it was like the day before, and I was like calling all my like costume grad friends, and I was like, Can you come over? Can you help me with this? So a few of them were able to, and I put them to work as well. But then um it was like 5 p.m. the night before before or something like that, and I looked at um I looked at Aquaman and I said, Hey, you're gonna learn to hand sew.
SPEAKER_06He doesn't know yet?
SPEAKER_03No, he can sew like skin, but y'all can't see it, but like suturing? Well, yes. Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_05He just he just put the finger gun to his head, but y'all can't see that.
SPEAKER_03Well, exactly. And I remember I was like, you're gonna learn to hand sew. And I taught him, and then he did well at the magnet snaps because like it is easy, like it's pretty straightforward. And then I remember going, Okay, wait, I'm actually gonna give you this other thing too. And I like had I gave him like stretch fabric with like a it was just a terrible project to give him, and he finished it and he gave it to me, and he was like, Is this good? And I was like, For what I gave you, I set you up for failure. This good job. It's good enough for me to unchain you from the radiator, so you're good. Exactly. I only had to seam rep 60% of it.
SPEAKER_06And then so for the Tim Denton show, also, how did your gig go for the Oconee County Conservatives Group luncheon?
SPEAKER_03Oh my god, because they invited you to host, right? Yes, those divas love me.
SPEAKER_06Um the the Red Hat Society. That pervasive um go ahead. What was the first word? Evil. The evil pervasive sacharin.
SPEAKER_03Well, yes, I made that post.
SPEAKER_06So you are whatever her name was. So I'm every woman.
SPEAKER_03So you didn't get anything that Saccharin got. No, uh, I didn't get any of the hate, but I didn't get any of the followers.
SPEAKER_06I I guess you came out losing. Yeah. You lost out on a lot of good publicity or publicity.
SPEAKER_03Well, it happened, and I remember being like, Are you okay? Is there anything you need right now in this moment? And she was like, No. And I was like, okay. Well, then I can like joke.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, because like immediately when I saw because I think Sacchin posted something about it, I was like, Oh my god, that's fucking horrible. Like, I hope she's okay. But now that we're far out of it, the camp of both of you being on the poster.
SPEAKER_03Yes, and I was upset that I didn't get any hint. I would have been too.
SPEAKER_06Are you prepared for it?
SPEAKER_03Are you ready to fight back? Oh, I would have had a field day with it, I think.
SPEAKER_06Did I did anyone at any point say, oh, when we do this, something will probably happen. People will probably be mad. Was that on your radar at all?
SPEAKER_05You got zero though.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I don't think we thought about that at all. Yeah. Well, and it's funny because I reached out to Tigris and I was like, you're never gonna believe who just asked me to be in a drag show. Oh yeah. And then I was like, mayoral candidate Tim Denshin, Tim Denson. And she was like, That's so funny. I'm in one for Lakeisha. Oh wow. And I was like, we love Athens.
SPEAKER_06And then you do this the Tim Denson show. Well, so all of the weird nasty stuff happened leading up to it. On the night, did that make you in nervous at all? Oh no.
SPEAKER_03Um they it was such a like cute little like because it would uh it was at authentic, right? No, it was at the church. Oh, okay, okay. It was in the church, and I remember I had like never produced a show or hosted or any of that. So like getting the music together was like very much new material for me. I was like, where do I put these files? How do I send them to her? Um, and so that was a whole thing, and then yeah, no, we were just having a great time in the dressing room because it was like it was me, Tigress, Sacron, Pample, Travesty. Oh wow, ta so Tigers played both sides. Well, yes. Love that about her. Um sorry. I was talking about the table show. Oh, sorry, sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry. I was misunderstood. The authentic, the Tim Denson show was at authentic. Oh, okay. And then that was that was that was at authentic, and that was a really fun, fun show. That was our second like saccharine aqua collaboration.
SPEAKER_06How does one approach doing a number in a church? What would y'all do? Were there any limitations? I wouldn't. Because I wouldn't feel right going into the house of God and doing some of the shit that I've done.
SPEAKER_03Oh, I don't think I can just I asked her like when we did the walkthrough of the space, because I wanted to like see like, okay, is this a performable space? Is this does this make sense? Can we, you know, have the show? And it was a cute little space, so I was like, work. And why didn't Kara Piss get booked for this show? Uh he was busy pissing.
SPEAKER_06Okay, Aqua. So we have a very controversial thing among the production team of this podcast concerning a certain game. And we talked about this last night, and you made me aware that you wanted to turn the tables on us. Very cola-coded, very Rose's turn. Oh. So Am I about to get shotgun blasted to the face? Not right now. Oh, okay. So uh we want to play a game with Aquamarine, but I think you want to play a game with us.
SPEAKER_03Well, yes. Alright, girl, what you got? Okay, well, I was wondering cola ribs. Oh. What is your best pickup line?
SPEAKER_04I don't have one. Thank you.
SPEAKER_06So on Grinder, if I said hey, what are you saying back? Just hey. I would just I would just match the energy. Okay.
SPEAKER_04So if if if you came at me with hey, I would be like, hey, or what's up? Just like something simple. But if someone came at me with something like a bit or like something like charming and like whatever, I would match that and play along. I'm not I'm not meant to experience love and joy. That's the outro. Aqua, you are unveiling some things. Uh R-ro. Ru-Row. So you've got you've got rhymey names for all of us. I I did. Okay. Yes. This is fun. I'm actually not mad about this. This is like a cute um inversion on on the game. We gotta invert the expectations of the people. Play with the form.
SPEAKER_03Carmelo Machiat show. Do you have any favorite church shows moments that come to mind? Favorite church show moments?
SPEAKER_05Yes. I would say that I have favorite shows, definitely. Um our fli our flirt show that we have for Valentine's Day is one of my favorite shows. Um I love the bloodbath show. Um, it's coming back. The first one that we had, where I believe Aphasia and Infinity were the finalists and Infinity One. I love that show. I think it was our that was our first time meeting Aphasia too, or my first time. So that was a good show. And the bloodbaths are always really fun. I also really enjoyed our pride series, the very first one that kicked off our weekly shindig that we have now. Um Taylor Swift Night in particular. Yeah, I remember that. The very first Taylor Swift night we had, uh, despite your feelings on her, that show was packed out in the middle of summer, um, which never fucking happens. Oh yeah. So that one. But yeah, those are probably my favorites.
SPEAKER_03My per my first paid gig was the Taylor Swift show at church.
SPEAKER_05Nice. See, it's meant to be.
SPEAKER_03Yes, we were meant to be. That's why it's my favorite. Because you were in it. We belong together. Alright. Christina Thang, how big is it? I'm not like packing.
SPEAKER_06I mean, it's big enough. Like it gets the job done. I'm like a good what does my snippy say? Like probably five and a half six. I don't know what it says. I love that. I've never gotten into the side. What does your snippy say? Let's get into that. Let's see what my snippets It says I'm a top, which Saccharin read me for. Wait, hold on. Why am I a top?
SPEAKER_03Because I'm broken. Ristina bang. Were you ever called out for your Limbrist in middle school? Yes.
SPEAKER_06I think mostly by my father. Well, yes.
SPEAKER_05But he was still around while you were in middle school? He's uh still around now, somehow.
SPEAKER_06By the grace of God. I think me me being faggy, I thought I hit it well, but honestly, I don't think I did.
SPEAKER_03That is such a thing. I remember being in like freshman year of high school and someone in PE asking me, Are you? You know. And I like made them say it. I was like, I don't know. And they were like, Well, are you like and I forget how they said it. I don't think they said gay. Right. Um, and my girlfriend at the time happened to be sitting next to me, and I was like, Well, why don't you ask my girlfriend? And like, I th I thought they I ate them up, and I was like, I am I'm both fierce and straight.
SPEAKER_06Alright, here's the sniffies breakdown. I have my age as 26, which is wrong. I need to update that. Two years too late. Yeah. 5'10, 230 pounds. I think that's right. Are you 5'10? I think I'm 5'9 and a half. Are we not the same height? I think I don't know. We'll find out. Six inches cut, stocky, passive top. I don't know what passive actually means, but that means you just like 230 pounds. Yeah. In your bra. And then looking for daddy's geeks and twinks. And I won't read off the fetishes and kinks, but you can go on the map and you can find out. Call or read them. No.
SPEAKER_04And passive top means you want them to bounce on it.
SPEAKER_06Interaction is anonymous come and go and worship.
SPEAKER_04Oh my god. You want them to worship it. Worship? Worship. The Lord. Oh, yes. Worship the Lord like Kennedy Davenport. We need to pray together first.
SPEAKER_05What is worship? It means they have no going in on it.
SPEAKER_06We ask forgiveness for the fagotry that we commit inside of me.
SPEAKER_05Do you feel forgiven?
SPEAKER_06No. Do you feel judged? No, and I probably should. Because I probably am.
SPEAKER_04This is a safe space.
SPEAKER_06You asked to be in this space. Demanded. This is your house. Dominant Top, Christina Bang. That'll be my 2027 New Year's resolution is to go from passive top. To active top. To active top.
SPEAKER_04I like that new one. It's a good one. I love it. I'm having fun with the subject today.
SPEAKER_06Aqua obscene. What's your most like edgy number that you've done or want to do?
SPEAKER_03I actually I have this. I really want to start getting into like liquid latex. Me too, yeah. I want to get into like more more naked but creature. If that makes sense. Naked creature. Like Dior. She's just naked. Well, like when I like when I do like skimpy little things, I always feel like my shoulders are so boxy. And so I was like, how do I still make that like drag? Because that takes like, I don't know. I see my shoulders and I'm like, mmm. And there's something to unpack there, I'm sure. But then I recently was like, wait a minute, what if I just like did liquid latex like little made them into horns and like accentuated them on purpose and like maybe made my titties into horns. I don't know.
SPEAKER_06She will be horny soon. You heard it here first.
SPEAKER_03So that's a cute little idea I have, but I have no idea how to use liquid latex for prosthetics. So you pad, right?
SPEAKER_05You pad your butt. Yeah. Yeah. She get bigger pads. Pad my butt. Pad my butt.
SPEAKER_06I thought you were a diva cup girl. What? Take a bite, take a bite. Saber panties. Yep. Okay. Um doing great. Aqua Adel Dezim. What's your favorite musical?
SPEAKER_03My favorite musical? Yeah. Actually, it's have you heard of a bear-pop opera? It's this faggy little musical about. You sold me. Be more specific. Right. No, it's like these two gays in Catholic boarding school, and their school is doing Romeo and Juliet. It's like every single, like, you know, gay. End of sentence. Just gay. No, it's like every I love gay. It's like every single Have you ever been gay? Stereotype. Oh. It's like every single gay stereotype, but like it's cutesy. And that really helped me when I was like 16 and gay. And I was like, wait a minute, I'm gonna make this my personality for a year or two. And so that just has a special place for me, like when I was finding my queerness, and it like it was a show that made me feel like it was okay to be queer.
SPEAKER_06And is it okay to be queer?
SPEAKER_03We're trying to figure out. For some. Hang it out. We say no. Survey says KYS.
SPEAKER_06Yes.
SPEAKER_05Well, yes.
SPEAKER_06Alright, well we're gonna get wrapped up, but is there anything else that we haven't covered that you'd like to make known to the masses? Perhaps the ones on my chest? Tristan, do you want to say anything?
unknownNo.
SPEAKER_04Did you guys hear that?
SPEAKER_02He said, no. No. Get me out of here.
SPEAKER_05Have we traumatized Aquaman? No. No.
SPEAKER_03He was giggly. He was giggling. He's giggling from the Kaya asylum over there.
SPEAKER_04Christina called it the cook chair.
SPEAKER_06I mean, we're over here fucking each other and he's watching. What else should we call it?
SPEAKER_03Well, exactly. No, he's been perceived. Oh, he does not want that. Check the notes.
SPEAKER_04He's turning even more red than he already was.
SPEAKER_02What? Oh my god. His hair and his skin, they match. No.
SPEAKER_04Well, we love love here at KYS. We love nothing more than love. And we just want to say congratulations, Aqua. We love you.
SPEAKER_03Thanks for watching and everything you do. I'm like in such a good phase of my life right now. I mean, there's I I there's turmoil. Oh, but of course.
SPEAKER_05Okay, now we feel better.
SPEAKER_03Right. But yeah, like just graduated, moving, engaged, like life's really lifing.
SPEAKER_06That's crazy. And I hope your life doesn't end anytime soon. All right, Carm, you want to bring us out? Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_05Well, I was gonna say uh Aqua, thank you again for being here, and I'm super excited to see what you do next. Uh your Hotmas Journey um stands out as one of my favorites. So I think I told you that personally.
SPEAKER_03Thank you. You did tell me that, and it meant like it meant a lot to me. So thank you.
SPEAKER_05I I loved it. It was it was such an amazing thing to watch.
SPEAKER_06All right, Carmen, you want to bring us out?
SPEAKER_05Yes, thank you guys so much for listening today. Thank you again to Miss Aquamarine. Christina, do you have any final words for our listeners?
SPEAKER_06Um, I don't know because I don't know how much of this I'm gonna cut out, but I hope you enjoyed and you thrived.
SPEAKER_05We're thriving, baby. Miss Cola. Any words of wisdom for the people listening?
SPEAKER_04I've never had any words of wisdom, and I don't think I ever will. Um the soap boxes. The soap storage. We need to bring it out because i i surely it's overdue for something.
SPEAKER_06We'll save that for the solo app. Okay.
SPEAKER_05Alright, my name is Carmella. Thank you guys once again for listening. We'll see you on the next one. Bye. Bye bye.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_04I'm not I'm not meant to experience love and joy.