by You may have seen some previews already, but in case you didn’t know: The Canada’s Drag Race episode I guest-judged will air on CRAVE this Thursday at 9 pm! Since the announcement of my appearance, I started to have the full Drag Race experience. That is to say, I’ve been reading comments from fans outside of Canada asking “who is Mitsou?” I read that same question on Italian, British and German fan sites and accounts! In iTunes, I also saw the number of listens to my songs increase…in Japan! I already knew that the show is a worldwide phenomenon, but it’s still amazing to experience the kind of online fandom that I have for the last few weeks! It’s a lot of love!
That kind of love is also felt on set. It’s a tight-knit team that, above all, works around the clock. We had fun on set with host Brooke Lynn Hytes, who makes the entire technical team laugh during breaks. She’s a real chatterbox! Between her jokes and stylist Brad Goreski’s comebacks, there’s never a dull moment!
I also had a big crush on host Traci Melchor, also a regular judge on the show, who was extraordinarily welcoming and kind to me.
THE MOST DRAG OF GRADUATIONS
When it’s finally served, you’ll see how this graduation-themed special is one of the most exciting and moving editions of the competition. The drag queens take on a young person to create THE graduation look of their dreams. At first, I was almost shocked that I was picked for this theme, because I thought “this is unfair! they know I’m a mom! They’re going to make me cry on TV!” If you’re already a fan of the show, you’ll probably be as charmed as I am by the magic that happens onstage.
If you’re a parent, don’t hesitate to watch the show with your teens. It might help you have more open conversations with them, drawing on the fun and humour of Drag Race’s protagonists. In fact, this edition was in collaboration with It Gets Better Canada, which provides access to an array of encouraging and inspiring stories of hope, resilience and determination through the voices of 2SLGBTQ+ community members and their allies.
Myths and reality
Now, let’s talk about the outfits! The Drag Queens are first. Although I kept quiet until the show aired, I can tell you that this was one of the things that surprised me the most when I visited the set. I was sure that the drag queens had help behind the scenes with making their costumes for Design and Sewing challenges, but no! I have no idea how they sew (or glue) fabric faster than their shadow! Even after participating in the show, it will always remain a mystery to me.
As for my preparation, it was a bit… disjointed! As a fan of the show, I knew how much time everyone on the show — judges included — put into their looks, especially to keep up with show creator RuPaul and Canadian host Brooke Lynn Hytes. I relied on the fact that the show was taped in Toronto and that I would have a week of quarantine to bring in my stylist Camille Internoscia, clothes from the city’s boutiques (there is some fine stock in Toronto!) and do virtual fittings to find the coolest fit… until I realized a few days before my departure that ALL the boutiques were closed in Ontario! Note that last spring, the Quebec boutiques were already up and running at limited capacity.
In the end, it was Pink Tartan’s Toronto designer, Kim Newport, who saved me by picking up clothes herself at her warehouse over the weekend! (Fun fact: I had worked with Kim on a pink power suit for a project on self-confidence.) She left a gorgeous black tuxedo and the most beautiful feather cape for me at my hotel front desk saying, “I thought this piece from my last runway show would be perfect for your Drag Race outing.” I layered the tuxedo on over a sheer black Shan bodysuit and slipped my feet into some gorgeous Michael Kors shoes. Ta-dah! The look was complete so I could do my thing, on the runway! I was ready for my own appearance on the famed catwalk!
If you want to know how it turned out, you’ll have to tune into this Thursday’s show!
Sashay, shantay!
