12 Hours On Set with RuPaul's Drag Race
By Jeff Chatterton
Anyone who watches RuPaul’s Drag Race, or watches LOGO at all, will probably remember those Absolut commercials starring the lovely ladies from season one. This week they filmed commercials with six of the girls from season 2, and I was an “extra” on set, sitting in the audience of legendary cabaret club “Don’t Tell Mama” with 7 other people while the girls each gave a monologue about life, love, and vodka.
The call time was 5:30. In the morning. I didn’t even know that was possible, but somehow I drag my ass from Brooklyn at that godforsaken hour, whimpering into my coffee. The crew is setting up the shot, the girls are getting ready... getting in drag at 5am is cruel and unusual punishment! Ru is nowhere to be seen, unfortunately.
The six girls are Pandora Boxx, Tatianna, JuJu Bee, Raven, Jessica Wild, and of course, Season 2 winner, The Other Tyra. Each girl is representing a different vodka, and their outfits and monologue are styled to match. They wrote their own scripts, some of them months in advance, and have been working on the costumes as long.
My favorite throughout Season 2 was always JuJu Bee, so when I saw her duck into the bar I grin. Some of them have been getting ready since 2am, and most of them haven’t slept more than a couple hours but the mood on set is decidedly upbeat, if maybe a little sleepy.
One by one the girls do their commercials. First JuJu, who talks about her father and Hollywood, then Raven who opines about her first time in drag, then Pandora, who discusses finding confidence through comedy. Each monologue is so different, but seems to capture the energy and personality of each performer. They all look great.
After the first three girls film we break for lunch (about ten o’clock am, i think), I have some more coffee, and talk to some of the people on set. Its a very comfortable shoot, and everyone seems to be having a good time. I’m waiting for drama and catfights, a drag queen diva to storm off the set, but none of that happens. These girls are hard workers, and professional. More than anything else they all just want to do a good job.
After lunch is Tatianna, who’s monologue talks about doing drag in High School, then Tyra, who tells a sweet story about being a young parent, and the importance of her son. Last but certainly not least is Jessica Wild. Jessica’s commercial is a really funny story focusing on a pivotal moment in her time on Drag Race, specifically an inability to pronounce the word “Açai”.
The shoot wraps at 5pm and the cast and crew disperse into the night. Wigs are torn off, heels are removed, and everyone looks ready for bed. Exhausted, I head home to nap before running out to a DJ set. Quel Drag!
