In this episode of Talking Hospitality, we delve into the fascinating world of drag and what lessons the hospitality industry can learn from them.

Summary

The Covid-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the drag queen community, with performers losing their primary source of income.

Many drag queens turned to digital platforms to perform for their fans, but it wasn't always enough to make ends meet.

As the pandemic continued, drag queens found new ways to adapt, such as starting their own businesses or hosting outdoor events. The drag scene has evolved over the years, especially with the influence of RuPaul's Drag Race.

During lockdown, drag queens used social media to create content and connect with their audience. Advice for those going through difficult times includes finding joy every day, surrounding yourself with good people, and maintaining a positive attitude.

Whilst lockdown seems a distant memory, how are Drag Performers managing now?

To help answer this question hosts Timothy R Andrews, Tracey Rashid, and Sarah Kettel explore the resilience and creativity of drag artists and the challenges they face.

They are joined by the effervescent drag performers Mary O'Kart, Stephanie Von Clitz, and Linda Bacardi in one of our most of the wall episodes yet.

Takeaways

• The Covid-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the drag queen community, with performers losing their primary source of income.
• Drag queens turned to digital platforms to perform for their fans, but it wasn't always enough to make ends meet.
• Drag queens found new ways to adapt during the pandemic, such as starting their own businesses or hosting outdoor events.
• The drag scene has evolved over the years, especially with the influence of RuPaul's Drag Race.
• During lockdown, drag queens used social media to create content and connect with their audience.
• Advice for those going through difficult times includes finding joy every day, surrounding yourself with good people, and maintaining a positive attitude.

Titles

• The Evolution of the Drag Scene
• Using Social Media to Connect with Fans

Sound Bites

• "The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the drag queen community."
• "Drag queens found new ways to adapt, such as starting their own businesses or hosting outdoor events."
• "Drag started as a necessity centuries ago when plays needed female characters, but they were played by men."

Chapters

00:00 The Impact of Covid-19 on the Drag Queen Community

02:05 Adapting and Finding New Ways to Perform

05:43 The Evolution of the Drag Scene

08:06 Using Social Media to Connect with Fans

11:56 Surviving and Continuing to Perform During Lockdown

20:50 Supporting local drag artists

25:12 The power of drag in bringing joy and inclusivity

26:07 Advice for those facing difficult situations

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a

devastating impact on the drag queen

2

community.

3

With bars and clubs closed for months on

end, performers lost their primary source

4

of income.

5

Many were forced to find new jobs or rely

on government assistance.

6

In the early days of the pandemic, some

drag queens turned to digital platforms to

7

perform for their fans.

8

They hosted virtual drag shows, sold

merchandise online and even streamed their

9

lives on social media.

10

However, these efforts were not always

enough to make ends meet.

11

And as the pandemic dragged on, many drag

queens found new ways to adapt.

12

Some started their own businesses, such as

makeup tutorials or drag weave fitness

13

classes, others turned to teaching or

writing.

14

And still others found new ways to

perform, such as hosting drag branches or

15

performing at outdoor events.

16

As things have reopened, we want to find

out what drag queens are doing now.

17

Have things returned to normal or have

things changed?

18

you

19

Welcome to a very special edition of

Talking Hospitality with two T's and a

20

catel.

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I'm Timothy R.

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Andrews and I'm delighted to share that we

have a full house today.

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I'm joined by my wonderful co-hosts, the

delightful Tracy Rashid and the fabulous

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Sarah Catel.

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We have quite a spectacle lined up for

today.

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A round table discussion with three

immensely talented and vivacious drag

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queens.

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From Flynn Burge, aka Linda Bacardi, Harry

Casella,

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aka Mario Kart and Steven Maugham aka

Stephanie Von Keats.

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We're here courtesy of the Brighton Box

Gallery who are sponsoring today's event.

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The Brighton Box is an LGBTQ plus owned

award winning art gallery in the heart of

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the lanes, Brighton.

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Whatever your preferred style of art, the

Brighton Box Gallery is able to offer a

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wide range of unique and local artists at

thebrightonbox.com.

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Excited to have you all here with us

today?

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So let's start from the very beginning.

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So what we want to know is what inspired

you to get into drag or let's use drag as

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a verb here.

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Why do you drag?

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Let's start with Flynn.

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I was inspired to be honest.

42

I've been doing drag for about 50 years.

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I started with the likes of Lily Savage

and whatever you started at the Black Cap

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in Camden.

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And I used to do websites with the likes

of Sandra and Titi Lacam, Boy George

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Experience, some of which are still on the

scene now.

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and being quite technical and whatever

you.

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And then one day I got asked to join in on

the drug amateur dramatics group called

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the Drama Queens.

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And that inspired me to take it up full

time.

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And then I turned from just somebody enjoy

putting makeup on, being a man in a dress.

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It was an evolution and then I became a

drug week.

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And 15 years later, she's still doing it.

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Amazing.

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Good way back then.

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Oh yeah, yeah.

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Here goes my name.

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How about you Harry or Shagami Mary?

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You can call me everyone darling.

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Someone's calling me.

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So I started doing a lockdown.

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Before lockdown happened, I was a dancer

on cruise ships for like five years.

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And then the pandemic put a halt to that

because nothing could happen.

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So I basically came home and was like, I'm

over dancing on cruise ships.

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I wanted to try something else.

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And I've always been a huge fan of drag

and thought, well, I'll just give it a go.

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Screw it.

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Let's try it.

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So I spent most of lockdown watching

tutorials.

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learning about drag, going to see these

two wonderful people here.

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I saw many shows, you too.

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I believe we worked together.

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Yes, we have.

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Yeah, we have.

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Watching and learning from what the queens

are doing on the scene and kind of molding

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myself and, you know, taking bits and

pieces from everywhere, like a jigsaw and

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kind of figuring out what I wanted to do

and just taking inspiration from

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everywhere and I do it because not to like

keep it on brand, but you know, it's Super

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Mario takes a magic mushroom or like, he

gets big.

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That's how I feel.

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When I do drag, like it's like I've taken

like that super mushroom or that superstar

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and you're just living your best life.

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So I do it because nothing compares to

that feeling when you're on stage and

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drag, like nothing compares to it.

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So that's why I do it and how I got into

it.

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And Stephanie.

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So for me, I started 12 years ago this

year.

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I was mentored by a drag queen called Bet

Rinse.

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And I did a guest spots at halfway to

heaven every Tuesday.

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My first residency was at the Adbal Duncan

in Soho.

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Mitchie have gone from there.

92

Then I moved to Brighton, did a guest spot

at the Queens arms with Cosmic.

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And it all kind of evolved from that

point.

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And yeah, I mean, it's an honor to give

back to the scene as well, because what we

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do is we have an open mic night at the

Marine Tavern every Sunday, which

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encourages new artists to come and have a

go, just do it and.

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If it works, it works.

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If it doesn't just keep on going.

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And for me, I think drag is obviously a

complete art form in itself.

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The message that you can leave a crowd

with is always very powerful because you

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should always utilize your own voice and

carry that forward.

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Thanks for bringing your voices to our

show.

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In case some of our listeners, and they

might, because we know some of our

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listeners, don't have a clue what drag is.

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Here is a very brief history.

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Drag actually started as a necessity

centuries ago when plays needed female

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characters, but they were played by men.

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God forbid women should be allowed to

perform for a liling in the 17th century.

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In fact, it's thought to be called drag

because of the long dresses worn by the

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actors and their dresses dragged on the

ground.

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The times have changed and thank goodness

that this is now an art form, not female

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impersonation.

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And it's a whole lot more than that.

114

And it's adored now in the mainstream and

there's a staple of the entertainment

115

offering within hospitality venues across

the UK.

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So we've talked about history, but what is

drag for you?

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And I'm going to start with Stephanie.

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So drag for me, I touched on it briefly

earlier on, like Mary said, as well.

119

It's very electric, that feeling when you

have on stage, if you know that you have a

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room he was engaging with you, there's no

better feeling.

121

I think one of my

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favorite moments actually is when it comes

to I say festivals, but pride, because

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it's the message behind everything.

124

And, you know, again, you have to push

that message to everyone and I'm not

125

pushing it in forcing it upon someone.

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It's giant.

127

Yes.

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And it's, and it's just the respect behind

everything and making sure everyone's

129

included.

130

I can't see myself doing anything else

now.

131

It's great.

132

I mean, 12 years in, I'll be like 80s, you

know, I'll last that long, but you know,

133

who knows?

134

A change now, isn't it?

135

Well, you know, you know, you know.

136

And no offence, Linda.

137

Wait, you know.

138

Says the 50 year old wild card in the

room.

139

What are you, Harry?

140

I'm Mary.

141

Ethan's fine, darling.

142

I think drag for me is just expression.

143

And whether that's expression of gender,

whether that's expression of arts, whether

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that's expression of creativity, to me, I

don't think drag has one definition.

145

I think it's evolved.

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so exponentially now that there isn't, you

can't define what it actually is.

147

I know obviously you touched on what

you're saying about what it used to mean

148

or in theory used to mean back then, but I

just think like, to me it is just

149

expression and it's whether, whatever that

encapsulates, whatever you want that to

150

mean in your own drag, that to me is drag.

151

You know, you can get glamorous queens,

their whole thing is pageant style of

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drag, you can get gender non-conforming

drag, you can get...

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To me, everything is drag really.

154

Like, I know not to quote RuPaul, but all

born naked and the rest is drag.

155

That to me actually really resonates

because everything is like, everything is

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just, we put on clothing and we fit, you

know, you express yourself in what you're

157

wearing now.

158

Every one of us is expressing something.

159

So to me that is drag.

160

Yeah, it's just expression of everything.

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Is that famous saying all drag is valid?

162

Correct.

163

I agree.

164

And I love that word expression as well.

165

because everyone can express themselves.

166

Exactly.

167

There's no right or wrong.

168

Exactly.

169

It's just how you express yourself.

170

And drag is just like in the traditional

sense of it, it's just exaggerated

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expression.

172

But it is an art form of 12.

173

Absolutely.

174

An art form of, and it's having, you know,

it's a form of expression.

175

Yeah.

176

An individual.

177

So Linda, you've done this for 15 years,

Slemmon, you've done this for 12.

178

Have you seen the drag scene change over

the last decade or so?

179

Definitely evolved.

180

definitely changed for the better, I

think, because we started before RuPaul's

181

Drag Race came along.

182

And now it's encouraged a lot of people,

because it's been in the mainstream a lot

183

more, to do it.

184

And I think that can only be a positive

thing.

185

To have the courage to even get on a stage

and to be inspired or influenced by other

186

people, certainly now.

187

And years ago, there were matriarchs who

paved the way, and that should never be

188

forgotten either.

189

So it's different times, but again, there

are queens who have done it for years who

190

will always help newer artists like myself

and others, give it back, help and

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encourage because if you don't, it'll go.

192

Yeah.

193

I mean for myself, I'm a child of the 70s

and I was brought up watching the likes of

194

the two Ronnies and Littlen and Large and

Les Dawson, Larry Grayson.

195

Some of them were quite bad gay

stereotypes because of the climate.

196

the legal climate there was then, but

there was also a lot, you know, so Kenneth

197

Williams, there was also a lot of, uh,

just circulation and, uh, you know,

198

exaggeration, pomp and ceremony where I

got my inspirations from was watching all

199

that sort of laughter, variety,

expression.

200

And then that took me on a journey when I

was a DJ in my twenties and in my youth.

201

And then that went on to me in my thirties

learning about drag, you know, I'm now 50,

202

where I started and I look at the pardon

if this sounds condescending, it's not

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meant to an end.

204

I see the new age of drag now.

205

There's an old school, there's a new

school, there's a new school, there's an

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old school.

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There might be those queens from an older

generation such as myself, some more

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established than others, that will

criticize the young style of drag.

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All the new schools, shall we say.

210

But I know that it's an evolution.

211

Love or hate.

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RuPaul's Drag Race, but it inspires

people.

213

And as long as somebody takes something

from it and makes it their own, if you

214

copy it, you copy it and just put a

lipstick on a mime to a Whitney Houston

215

song and think, drag queen, that's not my

thing.

216

But if you take something from it, make it

your own and you're inspired from it and

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then you perform and you can entertain.

218

I'm all for that.

219

That's the art and the creativity.

220

Really incredible, isn't it?

221

And I think the normalising of the

acceptance as well, I think.

222

One of the best things that I've seen just

in my personal life was my nephew.

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Absolutely loved Dracarys when it came

out.

224

He was about eight at the time.

225

And it got to the point where when it came

on the telly when it was on Saturdays or

226

whatever, he would literally run to mum's

closet, get a pair of high heels and

227

around the living room while it was on.

228

Which I think is the most beautiful thing

because if you think back to, you know,

229

when you were young, Flynn, would boys

have been able to do that?

230

Obviously, I mean, this is an audio

experience, but occasionally on my

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Facebook, there's a picture of me when I

was eight years old and Stephen Hymne was

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seeing me when I was eight years old and

my next door neighbor dressed me in her

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dress.

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Is it a balloon?

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Ray and Judy Garland pinny on and

whatever.

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It's really flock wallpaper behind me.

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It's very sort of 1979.

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That's the only one that's got me in a

trip.

239

I can pitch in this gallery as a postcard.

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That sounds amazing.

241

What an image.

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Amazing.

243

How did the lockdown affect you and how

did you survive during this period?

244

Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic posed

major challenges for performers worldwide.

245

How did the lockdown affect you and how

did you survive during this period when

246

going to marry?

247

I was addicted to TikTok.

248

I just use that as a bit of an outlet.

249

I used to just do home workouts.

250

That's when I kind of started dabbling

into drag as well.

251

So I kind of used social media for that.

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I drank my own body weighting wine every

day.

253

Just been watched so much TV.

254

Yeah, I mean, for me, I just kind of, it

was the time that I was experimenting with

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drag.

256

So a lot of my time in COVID was focused

on that.

257

So if the pandemic didn't happen, do you

think you'd have had the opportunity to

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focus on drag?

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I don't think so.

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I honestly don't think so because I think

I was in the cruise ship career mind.

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So it was just contract after contract,

after contract, after contract.

262

I don't think it would have happened.

263

I've always had a love for it.

264

I just don't think I've had time to solely

focus on it.

265

So who knows?

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I just don't think it would have.

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Why you guys?

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Ladies.

269

So for me, it was a bit of a surreal time.

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I lived above a pub at the time.

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So we were literally locked in there for

that all of lockdown.

272

That was quite weird, but luckily we had a

rooftop.

273

So we can literally like get a bit of

space.

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I remember once we were like,

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peeping out the windows if you're watching

TV downstairs having a roast dinner being

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like, oh my God, I'm just going to know

we're in here.

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That was really crazy.

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And I did quite a few online shows.

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I got involved with the Drag Choir that

thanked the NHS workers.

280

That was really good.

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A lot of pre-recorded stuff was done.

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I had the police called on me twice whilst

doing online shows because we were allowed

283

to have a smoke machine blaring.

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I don't know why, but I pressed it.

285

I was a bit too...

286

ego and then I opened the door, it was

like stars in your eyes coming out.

287

Yeah, it was very weird.

288

But it was a time to get proactive.

289

Certainly, you know, if things came along,

I'd jump at it.

290

Raising money online, like trying to

survive.

291

It wasn't great.

292

I got the self-employment grants, all of

them.

293

Luckily others didn't.

294

It was very, very stressful trying to even

apply for that.

295

But I was very grateful that I could get

it.

296

It was crazy.

297

you know, we got through it and...

298

Came out very quickly.

299

Yes, absolutely.

300

Yeah.

301

I mean, I think it was a chance to

re-evaluate and just horrendous for other

302

workers, let alone performers.

303

It feels just about back to normal.

304

Before American listeners, because we do

have some, what are self-employment

305

grants?

306

So self-employment grants, basically it

was like a loan that you were going to pay

307

back for sub-employed performers to

survive for living costs, food costs,

308

whatever.

309

And I think they were basing on different

salaries that you would submit for your

310

tax return.

311

And that's how they were basing what they

were giving out to people.

312

Well, two sides to our employment before

and during lockdown.

313

So.

314

since moving down here, as well as doing

bits and pieces of drag at weekends, some

315

bits in Brighton and some bits out of

Brighton.

316

I was also a carer through the early

liberal dementia and actually worked in a

317

care facility nearby here in Brighton, New

South 6th.

318

With the two main parts of UK's COVID,

shall I say, in between the two, my

319

husband worked at the NHS, so he couldn't

work in his environment.

320

He was a manager.

321

data procurement up in London.

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So he had to work from home and I was

working in a care home and all of a sudden

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I had to stop working in a care home

because sadly my husband passed away.

324

It was and still is a bit of a journey,

but what it will save for drag for me

325

during the second half, you know, I've

always been quite technically minded and I

326

bought a green screen and when we were

allowed to even step around and we, we

327

would do these.

328

Skype, but something, you know, these sort

of online chats and then I'd upload them

329

on Facebook with certain tracks, you know,

Warner Chapel music and all that kind of

330

thing.

331

For me, what I'm coming out of it

actually, from somebody who's still coming

332

out the other end, but still suffering

grief of what I've found of the drag for

333

me, not a facade, but it empowers me.

334

It gives me a chance to know what I do

actually, makes me feel better about

335

myself and if I can entertain other

people, then all the better.

336

I think also whilst doing the online

shows, a lot of people were commenting

337

saying like, thank you for getting us

through, thank you for helping.

338

Like it was a distraction for them just to

watch something because it got a little

339

bit mundane, didn't it?

340

Like just sat in them doors all the time.

341

And then when they said you allowed

certain amounts of exercise, I mean...

342

Let them go for a walk.

343

Yes, let's jog on the spot.

344

You're American listeners, obviously.

345

Be very, very familiar with RuPaul's Drag

Race coming out of that.

346

I mean, UK Season 1, I acted Molda Wanda's

paperwork filling in for Bag of Chicks.

347

And then, no, this is an entirely true

story.

348

Me and Bag go, oh, go way back.

349

Not like that, but yes, we've been good

friends for a very long time.

350

And then coming out of lockdown and

everything else, still having the green

351

screen, I had the honor of being able to

record.

352

Lovely.

353

Miss Clit for season two and you got quite

far with that, didn't you?

354

Yeah.

355

Yes.

356

Wow.

357

I gave it a go.

358

I'm a very trying woman.

359

See, what I love about that is, we were

saying how things were quite repetitive.

360

And you know, the TV we did watch, I mean,

we all completed Netflix, like it was

361

gaming, I just watched everything.

362

And there was no new TV being made.

363

They just couldn't do it.

364

But actually giving you guys that space to

then go on social media and create that

365

content to bring, I mean, people like me,

basically just more of what I wanted.

366

And loads of people felt like that, you

know, what we serve through the media

367

generally, there was a cutoff point.

368

There was a certain amount of what you can

watch, an amount of what's being made.

369

But actually.

370

You guys then had that space to fill the

gaps that all of us wanted, I think, which

371

was a gift.

372

It is quite nice because Facebook has the

memories thing, doesn't it?

373

Yeah.

374

So some of the videos that I did

throughout Lockdown often pop up now.

375

And I'm like, gosh, like there was one

green screen thing we had.

376

It was like, I was like running through a

bloody roller coaster.

377

It was nuts, but it was, yeah, it's nice

to have those kind of memories to look

378

back on as well.

379

So the three of us here, we have a good

friend called Mrs.

380

Moore, John Moore.

381

He was the best man at my wedding,

ironically.

382

Brother from another mother.

383

Yeah, we go way back and it was his kind

of thing.

384

Even though he didn't have all the tech

kind of stuff and he only had an iPhone,

385

which I got hold for him and some sort of

bits and pieces, which Shally Vape,

386

Brighton Queen would do.

387

Basically, he would do this kimono thing

where pretty much only dressed in his

388

empress new clothes and some underwear.

389

He'd wear this.

390

No, no, no

391

If you were doing it legally, you could

actually get some money from it.

392

But even if it wasn't about the money, it

was about the sanity.

393

Even if you're insane to do it.

394

It's quite hard as a performer when you

don't have an audience.

395

Exactly, it's the worst thing I've seen.

396

Yeah.

397

Very two-dimensional.

398

You get in your head a bit.

399

Yeah.

400

It's quite funny because obviously you're

playing different personalities when

401

you're on stage.

402

And when you're talking to a computer

screen, your other personality, talking to

403

people who are...

404

just watching, you can't gauge a reply,

you can't gauge a laughter.

405

That energy is missing isn't it?

406

I think it was nice when you saw the

reactions and people putting love hearts

407

and engaging with you.

408

And then you end up saying hello to

multiple people like, hello so and so.

409

And then you're like, oh I should do a

song now.

410

It's clear that all of you are not only

immensely talented, but also incredibly

411

resilient.

412

Your stories have been truly inspiring and

enlightening.

413

So thank you for sharing that with us.

414

What would people do to support their

local drag ads?

415

I think to support local drag is to just

go see local drag.

416

Obviously with the success of Drag Race,

everybody flocks to the Drag Race shows

417

when these Drag Race queens are performing

and I go see them, they're great because

418

they're still dragged.

419

I'm intrigued to see what they can do off

of the show.

420

But I think in terms of supporting local

queens is go and see local queens.

421

Don't just flock to mainstream queens.

422

This city is thankfully so rich with the

amount of drag that we have here.

423

And you can go any night of the week here

in Brighton and to any of the bars and

424

you'll see a drag show, whether it's a

bingo, whether it's a quiz, whether it's a

425

full on cabaret.

426

There's so much out there that you don't

need to just focus on the mainstream.

427

Like, and I actually think this is

probably controversial, but I actually

428

think it's better.

429

I think a lot of the times just seeing

local drag is just better and seeing

430

somebody that you've never heard of.

431

you may never see again or you'll follow

them or whatever.

432

I think that is the best thing.

433

Like that is just, that to me is what true

British drag is.

434

Like going to these pubs, going to these

nightclubs, seeing that, that to me is

435

British drag.

436

And, you know, I utilize social media.

437

I know a lot of us do follow them on

social media, see what they're doing, buy

438

merchandise, you know, if they stream a

song or release a song, go and, you know,

439

support in that way.

440

But I think the main thing is to just go

and see them.

441

And talk to us.

442

We all talk after shows.

443

Yeah.

444

We all talk and we're not.

445

I don't think anyone here in the city

particularly is a diva that's done and

446

that's it.

447

And then they walk off.

448

We probably are all pissed with you after.

449

We're about to be on it.

450

No, and I think that's another thing.

451

Don't be afraid to talk to us.

452

Like we're not monsters.

453

Like come in with human beings and talk to

us.

454

We're exactly the same as you.

455

Like, I think it is, like you say, just

encouraging everyone and like going to see

456

people.

457

And obviously the venues that we perform

in needs an audience.

458

So.

459

use it or lose it because once venues

start going and artists can't perform,

460

what can we do?

461

Yeah, we're in a central cog in the wheel.

462

Yeah, yeah.

463

A cog in the wheel, a cog in the machine.

464

Yeah, yeah.

465

And entertainment, whether it be drag,

singers, bands, does bring in crowds.

466

Yeah.

467

If people are spending, it helps the venue

out and it helps the artists out.

468

And we do it so well, don't we, as a

nation?

469

I always think that whenever I go and see

something live, not something that's, you

470

know,

471

necessarily big stadium vibe, but whenever

I go to something that's fairly local or

472

just at a theatre, I'm like, we're so

good.

473

Yeah, we're so good at it.

474

And the diversity of it as well.

475

Oh yeah, absolutely.

476

I mean, I love a festival vibe, but

there's nothing better than going to a

477

very intimate space to see a show that it

feels like you have more of a connection.

478

It's nice, it's really nice, you know, and

you feel something and that's great.

479

I've known sign language for about 20

years.

480

And I recently had the opportunity through

just signing a number in a drag show a few

481

years ago, pre-COVID.

482

And then somebody said, Oh, would you do

Worthing Pride?

483

Would you do Seaford Pride?

484

Would you do Southampton Pride?

485

Great young.

486

So now I'm actually a signer.

487

I do it in drag most of the time.

488

It's so casual.

489

And I love doing it.

490

And that was actually one of the things

that helped me, should we say, mentally.

491

disability inclusivity basis.

492

I'm epileptic and for me to, I'm stood on

the stage and it wouldn't, if you've got a

493

huge field of people wouldn't matter

whether it was three people or 300 that

494

were deaf and ambitio or hard of hearing

in, you know, in that field.

495

I was at Southampton once and I was doing

Bad to the Devil You Know by Kylie and

496

sign language.

497

And then I spot it because of their body

language, three deaf gay chaps, the corner

498

and they're going, I'm illustrating with

my hands.

499

thank you for enjoying yourselves and

British Sign Language to me.

500

Shortly after bereavement I suffered, I

was just, I had to go stage-fighting this

501

kind of thing, pulling my own self.

502

And if something like, the gift that I've

got, whether it be doing Dragon singing

503

songs or whether doing Dragon signing to

them, if something I can do gives

504

something back, they'll appreciate what we

all do at home.

505

It's fulfilling.

506

It really is fulfilling.

507

One more question for you, though.

508

Do you ever embellish?

509

Do you directly translate or do you add a

few extras?

510

No, depending on context, I might have to

find a keyword and build around.

511

You know, I was going to say find context,

but no, I mean, it's only a family event.

512

There are certain V words and C words and

other words that we couldn't possibly

513

mention on air, let alone in a field.

514

Thank you for sharing your experiences.

515

It's really important, but we do know that

there are people listening that might

516

still construct me, might be going through

some difficult situation themselves.

517

What advice would you give to them?

518

I want to start with you, my right wing

and you being Mary.

519

Find something joyful every single day.

520

Find joy in something, whether it's, I

don't know, cutting your nails.

521

I don't care whether it's like, I don't

know.

522

having a shower, find the joy in at least

one thing you do every day.

523

And if you start to build on that as like

a daily manifestation, it will translate

524

to a free day life.

525

So find something that makes you happy,

that brings you joy, something you love.

526

Whether, you know, you're the type of

person that being charitable makes you

527

happy and you want to give back to

something or someone, whatever it is, it

528

can be so mind you, just find joy every

single day and

529

it will manifest into such a bigger thing.

530

It's something about positivity, I think.

531

No matter what hardships you face at the

end of the day, you find something you're

532

good at or find something that interests

you, take it, harness it, and just hold

533

onto it and feed off of it, but to know

this can make me feel better about myself.

534

And that's what I do every day.

535

I'd always say never feel like you're

alone.

536

Always make sure you have good people

around you.

537

always communicate where you can, always

remember that things always will get

538

better.

539

If you have a positive outlook, it's like

when you talk and you smile, you have that

540

automatic response.

541

If you just have that positive attitude,

things will always happen for the good.

542

That's my philosophy and I always stick by

it.

543

Positiveity is key.

544

Negativeity never helps.

545

I know, and as much as sometimes some

people, they can find it hard to find

546

positivity.

547

look around, look around you, you know,

find inspiration at the end of the day.

548

Life's too short.

549

And we all have off days.

550

That's just human nature, but just always.

551

Don't make it all the time.

552

There's one popular drag queen says, can I

get an amen up in here?

553

Your passion for the art of drag is

infectious.

554

So thank you all for sharing your

experiences and for adding a touch of

555

glamour and glitter to our show today.

556

We did, we did have someone in drag

earlier.

557

That's why we're saying.

558

Mary was looking way fabulous.

559

Yes, I am now.

560

Putting a sword to shame.

561

Still fabulous.

562

And there's Ninja and I like Death Becomes

her.

563

Thank you, Flynn, Harry and Stephen for

joining us on this episode.

564

And a huge thank you to our listeners for

tuning in to Talking Hospitality with two

565

T's and a catelle.

566

We hope you enjoyed this journey into the

world of drag as much as we did.

567

Don't forget to subscribe on your

favourite podcast platform and leave a

568

review if it's nice and join us next time

as we continue to explore all things

569

hospitality.

570

Stay fabulous.