Alaska on pinching Ru’s fake lashes, signing fans’ bottoms and stanning Manila Luzon
Exclusive: Ahead of her first-ever comedy special, the Drag Race superstar tells Attitude about a few of her favourite things...
As told to: Thomas Stichbury
An edited version of this interview appears in the Attitude May issue, out now.
Alaska Thunderf**k 5000 had us at “Hello” – or rather, “Hieee!” – and is, indisputably, one of the greatest queens in herstory, finishing runner-up on season five of RuPaul’s Drag Race before savaging the competition and winning All Stars 2.
An out of this world talent (she crash-landed on Earth in 1996, after all), with albums and podcasts to her name, Alaska reminds us that, ahem, anus is possible when you put your mind to it, as she readies her first-ever comedy special.
In an exclusive interview ahead of the release of the title-stays-it-all The Alaska Thunderf**k Extra Special Comedy Special – premiering 15 April on OUTtv USA and FrootTV, in the UK and Ireland – the drag superstar tells us about a few of her favourite things…
Credit: Shaun Vadella
What is your favourite joke?
What is Charo’s favourite fashion designer? Gucci Gucci!
What is your favourite book?
When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön. It’s the first kind of woo-woo book I ever read that introduced me to spirituality and meditation. It changed my life.
Who is your favourite film character?
Margo Channing from All About Eve. She’s bold and fierce and a drunk, and she annoys all of her friends by being a monster – but underneath it all she’s actually sweet and vulnerable.
What is your favourite quote?
“My name is Blanche Devereaux. That’s French, for… Blanche Devereaux”.
What is your favourite word?
F*** – it’s short and to the point and versatile.
What is your favourite noise?
The sound of a teapot hissing. That means I get to have tea soon. I love tea!
What is your favourite smell?
I’m a vegetarian but I love the smell of buffalo chicken wings. So, I often eat fake ones to simulate what it’s like to actually be eating dead birds.
What is your favourite possession?
In the first music video the AAA Girls ever did, Mathu Andersen put me in a pair of lashes, which he later told me he used on RuPaul. I kept the lashes and now I have them in a frame.
Credit: Santiago Phillips
Where is your favourite date spot?
Precinct, Downtown LA. It’s a queer bar with a rock and roll sensibility, and (when the world is open again) it’s a great place to get a drink and watch a Drag show. I usually end up sneaking into the dressing room and hanging out with the queens the whole night and I love it.
What is your favourite hangover cure?
Drinking more – seriously. I was once really hungover at a family function and I thought I was going to die because my head hurt so bad. And then I had a beer and I suddenly felt human again.
Where is your favourite place to escape to?
My hometown, Erie, Pennsylvania. People are kind, the pace is more relaxed, and the drinks are cheap.
Who is your favourite Disney villain?
Ursula the Sea Witch. She’s fat and sexy and she has magical powers. She also has six legs and wears a strapless black dress so like, hello!
Credit: Magnus Hastings
Who is your favourite Drag Race queen?
Manila Luzon. Her drag has humour and whimsy but is also sexy and beautiful. And her taste level and ability to construct and design things is unreal.
What is your favourite memory?
The first time I saw a show at The Stud in San Francisco on my 22nd birthday. I was so stunned and inspired by the queens I saw – it was Duran Duran tribute night – and it was the moment I knew that I was meant to do drag.
What is your favourite fan encounter?
A fan named Teddy drunkenly asked me to sign his ass. He said he was going to get it tattooed, but I didn’t believe him – he wasn’t lying, and he still comes to all of my UK shows.
What is your favourite piece of advice?
The best way to forget about your problems is to listen to someone else’s.
The Alaska Thunderf**k Extra Special Comedy Special premieres on OUTtv USA and Froot (in the UK and Ireland) on 15 April.