Honestly it makes sense that Drag Race is hard to get into, it’s a *very* self-referential show and it’s not the kind of thing where you can just show up and easily understand if you start at season 15 or something. Big Brother doesn’t require you to know what a random contestant said in a spin-off in 2016, but if you don’t know that Alyssa Edwards was shocked and appalled during season 5 of Untucked when Jade Jolie told her she had backrolls, you’re gonna be missing out on a season 15 joke about it. It’s a great show, but it’s definitely one of the harder reality competition franchises to get into bc it’s about as close as reality TV can get to an MCU-level cinematic universe lmao
Yeah someone needs to make a video on all the important references people need to know about if they are interested in Drag Race but don't want to start on an early season. Although I think the easiest way to introduce people to the show is the lip syncs.
@@elsiehupp God hates figs. He just HATES EM. Smite them fig trees, smite em. But dragons are cool, they got invited to Jesus' birthday party. Luke told me so. I AM NEVER RECOVERING FROM CATHOLIC SCHOOL. GOTTA USE THIS KNOWLEDGE SOMEHOW.
@@jamie1602 In the last few months I got obsessed with learning about the books that didn't make it into the Bible and now I'm obsessed with the fact we missed out on giants or Jesus being a total brat as a kid (he killed a kid and then brought him back to life). Younger me would have loved those as a kid when stuck in Catholic school
I find the fuss over Drag story time really funny. Here in the U.K. families go at Christmas to see pantomimes where there are men dressed as women (pantomime dames) and often the romantic “male” lead is played by a woman in thigh high boots and shorts. We also have drag artists on mainstream TV, such as Lily Savage, the alter ego of Paul O’Grady who died recently
Also those protestors look like the West Boro Baptist church, who basically hate everyone including other Christians not in their church. They are basically one family plus some hangers on. Louis Theroux did some interesting programmes on them
ASL interpreters are truly underrated. They’re typically translating multiple people, in real time, making up signs and spelling it out to use in the future parts of the performance, adding inflection and emotions, as well as making sure that those relying on their translations can differentiate between the different people speaking.
Just a heads up that we call them "interpreters" because they're interpreting, not translating. You can't "translate" ASL because it doesn't have any written form. Interpreting is for spoken/signed modalities and Translating is for written modalities.
@@RoseyPosiePie I didn’t call them translators, however I did use “translations,” but I understand what you’re saying. (I’m autistic, sorry if my tone is off)
I wanted to thank you for hanging a lantern on the proper etiquette for going to these events (around photos especially). I think the "how to behave in public" rules are getting forgotten or overlooked in some spots. Creators like you who model the respectful behaviour, especially in sensitive areas like dragcon or the adult movie awards are super valuable and hopefully make events safer and more enjoyable for future attendees. It's much appreciated.
I don't understand how people don't mind just taking pictures of strangers. Especially in a context where they charge for photos. I feel super bad if I notice there's a random person in the background of my selfie. I really can't imagine people thinking it's okay
it's apparently particularly bad for musical theatre, nobody knows how to behave respectfully post pandemic and theatres aren't throwing outright _violent_ guests out like they should
The bigots are always there with their signs, I loved giving them a show in my drag looks as I walked into the convention center last time I went. They called me a man and said I would never be a woman, as a female born non-binary person it was extremely validating 😂
I love it when the bigots can't figure me out, as a cis(ish) pan woman, my favorite is when I'm mistaken for a gay man lol... the best one was some dude yelling "it's Adam & eve, not Adam and steve!" at me *when I was walking alone.* hey, he assumed I had a partner lol 😉 altho to be fair, in my younger years when I looked quite intentionally butch, I would get hit on by cute gay guys who saw me from the back, bummer for me - getting hit on AND rejected in one go lol. I've got quite a rack on me & don't bind, so I'm a bountiful surprise from the front heehee
As someone who is Deaf and loves being Deaf it's nice to get true appreciation of the interpreters, instead of them being mocked. People often say that the interpreters over exaggerate what the hearing people do, but that's not the case. They are giving voice/emotional intensity through their body language and a facial expression can be the difference between a statement and a question. They are not translating, because an ASL sign doesn't stand for a word. The signs are for concepts, which is why they are called interpreters and not translators.
@Moon Toad does the deaf community struggle with there being 2 things to look at during a drag performance? I'm talking about how there's an interpreter and the drag queen doing a lipsync, which makes it seem hard to keep up with both.
@@MoonshineTheDragThing I responded but apprently didn't save it. No, not really. We have a lot of experience in looking at the interpreter and what is going on on stage, it just takes some exposure and experience to get it down. It's really no different from reading the captions on a show and watching the show itself. You might miss a couple seconds here and there but overall you get the information you need. I do know that when people first start watching TV with captions they tend to read the captions only and forget to look at the screen. I've been doing it so long I can't even remember not doing it. Plus, there are deaf drag queens which are super fun, they tend to have a lot of deaf humor which hearing people don't understand. They are my go to thing to watch when I need to decompress.
When you said talent, I fully expected you to say "charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent", which doesn't make sense because you don't watch Drag Race. Thanks for going! It's nice to have your POV of the experience.
Fun fact, the pressure and altitude with going on a plane flight causes swelling in your legs and ankles wven when not injured. With the injury the flying is probably what made it much worse
There was a group of anti-lgbt protestors that came to my community college (I think this was before covid), and we were all intrigued (it's a very chill and supportive campus), we just watched them like a circus show. 😂 I had class while they were doing their protest, but from what I heard all they did was say shit in the quad for like less than 30 minutes and then walked away when no one was giving them the attention they wanted.
They did this at my public college all the time when I was in undergrad lmao I stopped and poked holes in all of their arguments one time for the lols and to defend my homosexuality, everyone around me was enjoying the show even though I knew that I would never convince those morons they’re wrong.
@@starspangledhiker Oh my god thank youuuu! I like to think I have a knack for it, my drag name is Brenda Ovah, Delta Work said it’s one of the best she’s heard and Trixie Mattel told me to fuck off when I told her my name 😂💕
I'm an illustrator for a living but do fanart for fun, and I spent a good 13 years selling my stuff at local anime conventions in the Dallas area from 2004-2017, especially AnimeFest and A-Kon. That being said, _thank you so fucking much_ for supporting artist alley vendors!! Also? I'm 5'2" as well and it shocks me a little that you are, too. You look tall... while sitting there...? I don't know how you can look tall from the shoulders up _but you do._
@@scarlett453 I was a lot more active back in ~2016, but I stayed in a very limited sandbox while mostly just posting my art. I tend to stay in my own little corners in fandom that way because I'd rather not deal with the bullshit that comes from a lot of fandom. I still post personal art to my Tumblr, but it's few and far between because mental health sucks.
It just occurred to me how strange it is that the fact that talking about 'gap years' due to a worldwide freaking pandemic it's just a normal ass part of our vernacular. Strange times we're living in.
Yeah tbh I watched religiously till season 11 which was a WHILE ago. I went to every Drag Con LA 2015-2019 but haven’t gone back due to price and almost no OG queens there. Also, there was a HUGE problem with a tonnn of queens having a big meeting fee because of Voss management. Not like $1-10, it was $30-50 (!!!) for popular queens.
Same, bi/pan, I love drag culture and live shows, but not a big contest show watcher... and you certainly belonged there!! Everyone with a good heart & mind does ♥
Thanks for recognizing the ASL folks. As someone who lost hearing on one ear and is learning ASL have also become very aware of them, it's always nice to see them get some notice.
I also am bisexual who haven't watched drag race and prob never will, I don't really like competition format. It looked super fun to be there! Good for them
I would recommend you watch All Stars 7 if you’re ever curious. It’s an “All Winners” season. No one goes home weekly, they just crown a winner at the end. And it’s love and respect and fun vibes all around. It’s basically just the best of the best all having fun with each other for a full season. Really good if you don’t like the competition format.
@@gothicxromanticthank you! Same! I'm bi but refuse to watch because I hate watching people (especially those in an already marginalized group) tear each other down instead of lift each other up. Yes competition can be healthy and fun but many of the queens on that show are far too high on their own egos to behave in a compassionate manner!
Filmed competitions, sports included, just aren't very fun to watch for me. Drama or non-fiction just never really lands for me. Reality TV almost never lands unless it's so terrible and I'm group watching for lols. The exceptions are wrestling and NASCAR because these are both ultra dangerous and that's actual suspense.
Hi Amanda, I don't know if you'll end up seeing this but I wanted to give you some advice for your ankle. I'm disabled and I deal with chronic pain that stops me from having a job or living a "normal" life, and most of my pain is in one of my legs after an ankle injury. Try compression! People always talk about putting cold on it or elevating it and that's great when it just happened and you want to reduce swelling but if now like you said "it's killing you" then you're past that point. I find that compressive garments like sprain "socks" or even just wrapping a bandage yourself can relieve pain a lot. Also hot is underrated, for a time having a hot water bottle against it would help a bunch. Elevating does help as it gets the blood away from the area that's inflamed. Speaking of inflammation, stuff like ibuprofene works wonders, but paracetamol can do if you have nothing else. Cataplasms are also a good thing, and arnica cream for ex is great for inflammation and swelling. I hope it can start to hurt less soon, I know what pain does to a brain and I don't wish that on anyone. Take care!
aside from the sensory overload, i would have simply cried my eyes out over seeing so many people in the community in one place and the booths being so inclusive
I was working the event at the Got2b booth. My company had the Photo Booth for them to use. The person running the booth was kind enough to allow me to walk around before I picked up the booth but I only got to experience it for 30 minutes because I got in at 4:30 not knowing it ended at 5. Next year I want to go as an actual attendant! Drag Race is fun. I recommend watching! My all time favorite queen is KimChi
It’s so weird how some queens get paid to be there. And then other queens have to pay to be there. And it’s sooooo much $ just to have a booth there. If you are not one of the “special” ones. But, a lot of them just break even. So, plz remember, to tip the local queens!
Something interesting to note is that despite this basically being a meet & greet event for these stars of the show, the rugirls still have to pay world of wonder to have their booths (and extra if they want like electrical or lighting), so it's actually a financial strain for a lot of queens to attend in the first place.
As a casual Drag Race fan who just follows some random queens on insta, thank you for mentioning the Teletubbies. I was seeing a bunch of queens post with them and had no idea what was happening/that Dragcon was happening and thought it was for the weirdest crossover episode of all time.
DragCon is becoming my annual convention events because of all the amazing queens and the genuinely loving environment. It’s a great event that is worth going. ❤
Hi Amanda! Loved this video. I am an ASL interpreter and I would like to gently push back on what you said about interpreters. We are not there to perform for the hearing audience members, we are there to provide access to Deaf individuals. I'm sure you meant it as a compliment, but a lot of us are not comfortable being filmed and posted, especially without our knowledge/consent. I have been filmed and posted before (and it went viral) without my knowledge and it made me super uncomfortable. Thank you for thinking that interpreter is talented (he is!!!) but it's not really appropriate to describe interpreters as you would performers, especially if you don't know ASL. I'm so glad you're noticing interpreters at more events (yay access!) but they are there to do a job and provide access to Deaf people, not to make the hearing audience laugh.
Seconding the boost. This was a really helpful comment to read, and now I know, if the situation ever arises, to avoid filming the interpreter for an event if possible. TY!
Season Six was my first season & I think it was a great season to start. Bianca, Adore, Laganja, Courtney Act, BendelaCreme, Gia… lots of amazing queens, iconic quotes, a great final three, and a super beloved winner. ❤
I’m absolutely losing it that Amanda completely missed the drama 😂😂 that’s so funny and so on brand LOL Id love to know how wheelchair/handicap accessible you think the venue was?
I love drag. Maybe not enough for a con but still. I thought to myself when I saw the title "is it really even DragCon if there's NOT any drama!?" 😂 C'mon
For Ru, they should put up a big screen with a digital green face that mimics his movements when talking and a curtain around him (that’s not actually covering him) so he can be like the wizard in the Wizard of Oz while he’s DJing.
Technically you did belong! You know of the concept and love the art of drag. This was your opportunity to become more aware and admire while supporting entertainers that you are getting to see for the first time! Great way to find your favorites that you can go on to follow on their socials and support then there after the event. That can be very valuable! 💚
thank you so much for covering this convention, everytime you upload I instantly stop what I'm doing to watch. I love how you balance the fun aspects while covering the more harsh things. i cant wait for the next video
I'm bisexual and don't watch Drag Race. I also appreciate the art of drag, but tbh, I'm not really into the kind of drama the show has...and a lot of reality TV has. I like Queer Eye, but even then, there are a few things about how it's produced that are questionable as well (an incident in Season 1 had the entire cast almost walk off the show for good).
@@liliesrnice I've seen clips of it, and have heard stuff from people who like it. A lot of the reasons why people like it are reasons why I wouldn't.
I'm the one who commented on that tik tok 🐥 lol I've been waiting for this review to come out since. I fangirled a little when you liked my comment ngl 🤭
Drag Race is ok at best and all us gays know this but it's whether or not we watch the clips on YT or we actually sit down and watch the whole thing just so we know that we know Everything lolol
@@bewwybabe8045 Honestly I've been perfectly happy to click on whatever clip decides to make its way to me and continue consuming Trixie and Katya content, I really only need that at the end of the day LOL
Seasons 4 & 5 are the best. Also this review is adorable, I’ve always wondered what someone not fangirling over certain personalities would think of it all, because I think after being in the midst of it, they would understand our fascination. Like you did! 😊
Sign language interpreters during drag show performances look like there having so much fun. We always have one for drag shows at my college and sometimes I forget to actually watch the performance 😂😂😂
It might seem like a small thing, but thank you for using the correct terminology for sign language “interpreter” instead of “translator”, and taking the time to shout out their inclusion in the event!
I would add to your comment about more variety as somebody who has not been to this: a viewing room sounds like the answer. As someone who's been too for example a lot of anime conventions sometimes those viewing rooms are just there as a mostly quiet and dark room where you can watch the thing and kind of decompress from all the people and doing one of those episodes of drag race sounds amazing while not taking away from the queens. I would love to go to one of these sometime it does look like a lot of fun.
25:27 regarding making booths bigger. You pay by square foot and as you mentioned, unlike in the UK and AU, US queens must pay to exhibit at DragCon LA. Not only are they paying for the booth space - which is why some choose a small area despite it being cramped (it’s just not affordable) - but all the decor for the booth, perhaps a designer to create the whole booth backdrop/vibe, their outfits (which if they’re not sewers, can range from $200 - $20k including wigs, makeup, jewelry and shoes), lighting (because it’s not included with the booth, you usually have to pay extra for additional electricity as well), all their merchandise, staff to work the booth, and travel expenses if they’re not from LA. As a queen you spoke with mentioned, many are content if they break even. While it’s a lot of fun and can be a great way to self-promote, it’s INCREDIBLY expensive and it’s long hard days which can be Hell from someone in literal pounds of clothing (or God forbid-latex), stiletto heels, heavy wigs, and layers of makeup. I give the queens SO much credit for doing this. I really miss DragCon NYC - went every year it happened and learned a lot. I sincerely hope WOW begins treating all queens better in the future, such as paying them to come to the con (or at the very least, don’t charge them for the booth space) - take commissions or make it a reasonable price per booth (maybe tiers for returning queens, so many things they could do to make it better).
id love to go to dragcon! i would religiously watch the early seasons, but i honestly don’t enjoy the newer seasons as much. the art form is still just as beautiful to me so this looks fun!
I think ru just wanted everyone to acknowledge the Empire he’s created by not putting a spotlight on him and wanted and the attendees and queens to be noticed, and recognized on stage, and not just him.
I think that goes against every bit of personality Ru has shown in the past and more likely it was to prevent unflattering photos being taken of him - or it was just lighting fuckups. But humble ru is not a side I have seen
(13:45) RuPaul probably didn’t want good lighting so that double can take his place. There were a few doppelgängers at dragcon filling in for Queens that stepped away.
I like the show but avoid the fandom for the most part. I definitely think this event is for everyone though!! I’m glad you went and covered it🙌👑 This is one event though where even though, “you went so we don’t have to,” I still would be ecstatic to get a chance to go one day😁
advice from a nurse compression might work with your ankle, you can wear compression socks in the airplane or on long walks which should help reducing swelling but also (specially in the airplane and on long travel days) prevent swelling!
The Foo Fighters troll the Westborough Baptist "church" when they're in Kansas City since the headquarters are not too far from there. I've seen it 2x with my own eyes and it warms my heart at the FF's ability to use their powers for good. Another fact is there's a house across the street from the Westborough compound that's painted rainbow 🌈 It's beautiful.
I literally just started watching drag race last week lol I am someone who occasionally would watch the pitstop episodes but I'm deciding to go in fully so the timing of this vid is great!
Those types of protestors showed up to my HIGH SCHOOL Drama States competitions in Florida 2014 - They would scream at us about abortions, and gay rights being the devil - We were on the trolly heading back to the center dreading going by these people, then all of a sudden someones dad with a HUGE speaker pulled up BLASTING the the Book of Mormon, we heard it pull up & couldn't believe this was happening, so then 30+ theater kids came pouring out of the trolly in full broadway character, talking real life high school musical moment, and we improved the whole song in front of those people. - I was very happy I was forced to compete that year or I would of missed that. XD
We had protesters from texas came to canada to protest that anime will send you to hell and taking up the limited space of a busy convention. I dont know why people do feels like a qaste of time.
I’m a drag race tragic, my suggestions for entry level viewing… seasons 2,5,6,7 and all stars 2… really enjoyed your response and review of drag con… I’m in Australia, so I really appreciate any and all insights… glad you enjoyed yourself 💕
Guuuurl welcome to fandom! Start at season 4. Skip all stars 1. And don't bother with the international seasons. Go back can catch up on 1-3, as1, and the int seasons after you've caught up with the us seasons after 4. One of us one of us one of us
I'm not sure what the drama was about during the panel but I did watch this season. Minnie Cooper, the queen who said she was being disrespected, was the oldest contestant on the cast. She is in her 50s, and mostly everyone else was in their 20s and 30s. The younger queens really didn't take her seriously bc she is very old school while the older queens kept saying that if it wasn't for queens like Minnie they wouldn't be here. Minnie was also very confrontational and wouldn't allow ppl to say stuff about her behind her back.
I just recently came across your channel (and am also bisexual, however I’m a newfound fan of drag race LOL) so it’s really exciting to see you post this content!! I can’t wait to watch once I have the time
Your Ankle: “Too much entertainment lately. Not enough swell. I must restore balance.”
Good joke
Omg 😂
this is fucking genius
Her onkle went cleek 😢
LMFAOOOOO
Honestly it makes sense that Drag Race is hard to get into, it’s a *very* self-referential show and it’s not the kind of thing where you can just show up and easily understand if you start at season 15 or something. Big Brother doesn’t require you to know what a random contestant said in a spin-off in 2016, but if you don’t know that Alyssa Edwards was shocked and appalled during season 5 of Untucked when Jade Jolie told her she had backrolls, you’re gonna be missing out on a season 15 joke about it. It’s a great show, but it’s definitely one of the harder reality competition franchises to get into bc it’s about as close as reality TV can get to an MCU-level cinematic universe lmao
Yeah someone needs to make a video on all the important references people need to know about if they are interested in Drag Race but don't want to start on an early season. Although I think the easiest way to introduce people to the show is the lip syncs.
This is a perfect description lol slay
I agree but also just watch season 5 -7 and you should be fine🤣
@@alejandromagana9327 *3-7 Shangela, Latrice, and Willam references
@@TheGoldenAlchemist86 anything for my beloved Latrice
You missing the drama because you were filming the ASL interpreter is so wholesome 😂
Queer ASL interp and queer Deaf culture is sooooo awesome! Of course, everyone is equal, but some subcultures are just extra equally good 😉
@@standdownrobots_ihaveoldglory excellent phrasing 😂
Funny too, she's filming the dude while chaos is erupting in the background 😂
As a queer Deafie, I support this message and appreciate it! :3
Those protestors show up for anything... they're at every anime/comic convention too. God hates nerds I guess.
@@elsiehupp God hates figs. He just HATES EM. Smite them fig trees, smite em. But dragons are cool, they got invited to Jesus' birthday party. Luke told me so.
I AM NEVER RECOVERING FROM CATHOLIC SCHOOL. GOTTA USE THIS KNOWLEDGE SOMEHOW.
@@jamie1602 In the last few months I got obsessed with learning about the books that didn't make it into the Bible and now I'm obsessed with the fact we missed out on giants or Jesus being a total brat as a kid (he killed a kid and then brought him back to life). Younger me would have loved those as a kid when stuck in Catholic school
@@randomtinypotatocriedthere’s a gospel which didn’t make it in where the cross comes hopping out of the tomb after the risen Jesus
I find the fuss over Drag story time really funny. Here in the U.K. families go at Christmas to see pantomimes where there are men dressed as women (pantomime dames) and often the romantic “male” lead is played by a woman in thigh high boots and shorts. We also have drag artists on mainstream TV, such as Lily Savage, the alter ego of Paul O’Grady who died recently
Also those protestors look like the West Boro Baptist church, who basically hate everyone including other Christians not in their church. They are basically one family plus some hangers on. Louis Theroux did some interesting programmes on them
Omg the irony of you having an ankle issue before dragcon is absolutely lost since you aren’t a fan, but trust me it’s there 😂
Her oncle went cleek
@@ohwellthenB CLEEEEEEK
I was thinking about this the whole time she was discussing her ankle 😅
A knee injury would have also been apt lol
shoutout to kornbread’s ankle!
ASL interpreters are truly underrated. They’re typically translating multiple people, in real time, making up signs and spelling it out to use in the future parts of the performance, adding inflection and emotions, as well as making sure that those relying on their translations can differentiate between the different people speaking.
They're truly amazing. That's why I will never understand those who think they can fake it-
Just a heads up that we call them "interpreters" because they're interpreting, not translating. You can't "translate" ASL because it doesn't have any written form. Interpreting is for spoken/signed modalities and Translating is for written modalities.
@@RoseyPosiePie I didn’t call them translators, however I did use “translations,” but I understand what you’re saying.
(I’m autistic, sorry if my tone is off)
I saw a video recently of an interpreter at an Eminem concert. Holy crap she was amazing! She kept up amazingly.
As Trixie Mattel says, "drag is for everyone." It's an art and if you don't know anyone before you will after.
I wanted to thank you for hanging a lantern on the proper etiquette for going to these events (around photos especially).
I think the "how to behave in public" rules are getting forgotten or overlooked in some spots. Creators like you who model the respectful behaviour, especially in sensitive areas like dragcon or the adult movie awards are super valuable and hopefully make events safer and more enjoyable for future attendees. It's much appreciated.
I don't understand how people don't mind just taking pictures of strangers. Especially in a context where they charge for photos. I feel super bad if I notice there's a random person in the background of my selfie. I really can't imagine people thinking it's okay
it's apparently particularly bad for musical theatre, nobody knows how to behave respectfully post pandemic and theatres aren't throwing outright _violent_ guests out like they should
The bigots are always there with their signs, I loved giving them a show in my drag looks as I walked into the convention center last time I went. They called me a man and said I would never be a woman, as a female born non-binary person it was extremely validating 😂
They even attend anime/comic cons. They truly have no lives.
I love when bigots try to tear one down, but end up validating them and boosting their self-confidence instead 😂😂😂
I love it when the bigots can't figure me out, as a cis(ish) pan woman, my favorite is when I'm mistaken for a gay man lol... the best one was some dude yelling "it's Adam & eve, not Adam and steve!" at me *when I was walking alone.* hey, he assumed I had a partner lol 😉 altho to be fair, in my younger years when I looked quite intentionally butch, I would get hit on by cute gay guys who saw me from the back, bummer for me - getting hit on AND rejected in one go lol. I've got quite a rack on me & don't bind, so I'm a bountiful surprise from the front heehee
r/AccidentalAlly
Yeah, they're getting more emboldened. Especially after the Bud Light incident. I expect them to carry guns to protests now.
As someone who is Deaf and loves being Deaf it's nice to get true appreciation of the interpreters, instead of them being mocked. People often say that the interpreters over exaggerate what the hearing people do, but that's not the case. They are giving voice/emotional intensity through their body language and a facial expression can be the difference between a statement and a question. They are not translating, because an ASL sign doesn't stand for a word. The signs are for concepts, which is why they are called interpreters and not translators.
I have so many questions for you because I've never had the opportunity to ask a deaf drag fan these questions.
@@MoonshineTheDragThing Ask away!
@Moon Toad does the deaf community struggle with there being 2 things to look at during a drag performance? I'm talking about how there's an interpreter and the drag queen doing a lipsync, which makes it seem hard to keep up with both.
@@MoonshineTheDragThing I responded but apprently didn't save it. No, not really. We have a lot of experience in looking at the interpreter and what is going on on stage, it just takes some exposure and experience to get it down. It's really no different from reading the captions on a show and watching the show itself. You might miss a couple seconds here and there but overall you get the information you need. I do know that when people first start watching TV with captions they tend to read the captions only and forget to look at the screen. I've been doing it so long I can't even remember not doing it.
Plus, there are deaf drag queens which are super fun, they tend to have a lot of deaf humor which hearing people don't understand. They are my go to thing to watch when I need to decompress.
@@moontoad6412 how do deaf drag queens perform? Is it stand-up comedy?
"The Anti-fun Police fucked up the mailing list" go off Queen
Everyone has business being at DragCon, it’s for everybody who wants to enjoy the art of drag!
When you said talent, I fully expected you to say "charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent", which doesn't make sense because you don't watch Drag Race. Thanks for going! It's nice to have your POV of the experience.
I am absolutely shocked to hear that Rupaul was actually on stage for most of the time.
Maybe that's why it was so poorly lit. So he could swap out lol.
bottom half was hidden, mostly likely sitting (fair enough, he's a hundred) and hiding the sweatpants :P
Same
I sincerely wish those purple sparkly glasses were a part of the glasses layers in the intro.
Fun fact, the pressure and altitude with going on a plane flight causes swelling in your legs and ankles wven when not injured. With the injury the flying is probably what made it much worse
Swelling Ankle Entertainment
Underrated comment of the year!
There was a group of anti-lgbt protestors that came to my community college (I think this was before covid), and we were all intrigued (it's a very chill and supportive campus), we just watched them like a circus show. 😂
I had class while they were doing their protest, but from what I heard all they did was say shit in the quad for like less than 30 minutes and then walked away when no one was giving them the attention they wanted.
They did this at my public college all the time when I was in undergrad lmao I stopped and poked holes in all of their arguments one time for the lols and to defend my homosexuality, everyone around me was enjoying the show even though I knew that I would never convince those morons they’re wrong.
Amanda as a drag king is something i can get behind. Thanks for the video, really love watching this sort of content from you :)
I feel she could pull off a younger Mr Rogers or even a Jon Arbuckle tipe character
@@shortinsomniac76 omg you're right!!
Btw, if you like theatrical, sassy ASL and drag queens, Deafies In Drag is a great drag duo!
Commenting to boost this cuz that is a great combination of things
Omg I'm definitely checking them out now
I want Amanda to go to a furry convention so bad, just to see an outsiders perspective
She has :)
amanda the drag king??? yes
Swell is a solid drag king name.
Get her a drag king chest plate that’s absolutely RIPPED, her king name could be Swole Entertainment 😂
@@BrendaTheBuilder420 🤣🤣 as someone who's preformed as a drag king. I wish I had you help me pick my names
@@starspangledhiker Oh my god thank youuuu! I like to think I have a knack for it, my drag name is Brenda Ovah, Delta Work said it’s one of the best she’s heard and Trixie Mattel told me to fuck off when I told her my name 😂💕
Idk I think “A man, duh” would be great as a drag king name
I'm an illustrator for a living but do fanart for fun, and I spent a good 13 years selling my stuff at local anime conventions in the Dallas area from 2004-2017, especially AnimeFest and A-Kon. That being said, _thank you so fucking much_ for supporting artist alley vendors!!
Also? I'm 5'2" as well and it shocks me a little that you are, too. You look tall... while sitting there...? I don't know how you can look tall from the shoulders up _but you do._
The way you type makes me think you're on tumblr a lot... then again what does that say about me
@@scarlett453 I was a lot more active back in ~2016, but I stayed in a very limited sandbox while mostly just posting my art. I tend to stay in my own little corners in fandom that way because I'd rather not deal with the bullshit that comes from a lot of fandom. I still post personal art to my Tumblr, but it's few and far between because mental health sucks.
It just occurred to me how strange it is that the fact that talking about 'gap years' due to a worldwide freaking pandemic it's just a normal ass part of our vernacular. Strange times we're living in.
A friend told a protestor at a concert once “if hell is where my friends are and you aren’t then I think I’ll take my chances in hell”
i don't watch drag race either & i'm a gay trans man. dw amanda you definitely belonged there!
classic gay trans man with hannibal pfp /lh
Yeah tbh I watched religiously till season 11 which was a WHILE ago. I went to every Drag Con LA 2015-2019 but haven’t gone back due to price and almost no OG queens there.
Also, there was a HUGE problem with a tonnn of queens having a big meeting fee because of Voss management. Not like $1-10, it was $30-50 (!!!) for popular queens.
I love that your pfp is Hannibal but your name is Will. It makes it seem like Will is just “Hanni 🥺
Same, bi/pan, I love drag culture and live shows, but not a big contest show watcher... and you certainly belonged there!! Everyone with a good heart & mind does ♥
I love your Hannibal pfp 🥰
Thanks for recognizing the ASL folks. As someone who lost hearing on one ear and is learning ASL have also become very aware of them, it's always nice to see them get some notice.
I also am bisexual who haven't watched drag race and prob never will, I don't really like competition format. It looked super fun to be there! Good for them
I would recommend you watch All Stars 7 if you’re ever curious. It’s an “All Winners” season. No one goes home weekly, they just crown a winner at the end. And it’s love and respect and fun vibes all around. It’s basically just the best of the best all having fun with each other for a full season. Really good if you don’t like the competition format.
i agree i love drag and i would do drag but i haven’t really ever been interested in drag race
@@gothicxromantic i’m definitely gonna check this out
@@gothicxromanticthank you! Same! I'm bi but refuse to watch because I hate watching people (especially those in an already marginalized group) tear each other down instead of lift each other up. Yes competition can be healthy and fun but many of the queens on that show are far too high on their own egos to behave in a compassionate manner!
Filmed competitions, sports included, just aren't very fun to watch for me. Drama or non-fiction just never really lands for me. Reality TV almost never lands unless it's so terrible and I'm group watching for lols. The exceptions are wrestling and NASCAR because these are both ultra dangerous and that's actual suspense.
Hi Amanda, I don't know if you'll end up seeing this but I wanted to give you some advice for your ankle. I'm disabled and I deal with chronic pain that stops me from having a job or living a "normal" life, and most of my pain is in one of my legs after an ankle injury. Try compression! People always talk about putting cold on it or elevating it and that's great when it just happened and you want to reduce swelling but if now like you said "it's killing you" then you're past that point. I find that compressive garments like sprain "socks" or even just wrapping a bandage yourself can relieve pain a lot. Also hot is underrated, for a time having a hot water bottle against it would help a bunch. Elevating does help as it gets the blood away from the area that's inflamed. Speaking of inflammation, stuff like ibuprofene works wonders, but paracetamol can do if you have nothing else. Cataplasms are also a good thing, and arnica cream for ex is great for inflammation and swelling. I hope it can start to hurt less soon, I know what pain does to a brain and I don't wish that on anyone. Take care!
Don't mind me taking notes on this great advice, ty!📝
Thanks for the tips! I'm gonna do some of this right now!😮❤
I currently have a twisted ankle, so this advice has helped me a lot, thank you so much ❤
aside from the sensory overload, i would have simply cried my eyes out over seeing so many people in the community in one place and the booths being so inclusive
DragCon is the only convention I'd like to go to
I was working the event at the Got2b booth. My company had the Photo Booth for them to use. The person running the booth was kind enough to allow me to walk around before I picked up the booth but I only got to experience it for 30 minutes because I got in at 4:30 not knowing it ended at 5. Next year I want to go as an actual attendant! Drag Race is fun. I recommend watching! My all time favorite queen is KimChi
It’s so weird how some queens get paid to be there. And then other queens have to pay to be there. And it’s sooooo much $ just to have a booth there. If you are not one of the “special” ones. But, a lot of them just break even. So, plz remember, to tip the local queens!
As a man who broke his ankle last year: Take care of yourself. Hydrate. Take yer vitamins.
Something interesting to note is that despite this basically being a meet & greet event for these stars of the show, the rugirls still have to pay world of wonder to have their booths (and extra if they want like electrical or lighting), so it's actually a financial strain for a lot of queens to attend in the first place.
That’s wild since meeting the queens is the main draw. It’s wild that they made them pay
the disrespect the queen mentioned is a real issue inside the drag race community some of the fans can be really toxic
You’re dedicated to your craft. Bless you for going to these places (and writing them off in your taxes) for us Amanda
As a casual Drag Race fan who just follows some random queens on insta, thank you for mentioning the Teletubbies. I was seeing a bunch of queens post with them and had no idea what was happening/that Dragcon was happening and thought it was for the weirdest crossover episode of all time.
DragCon is becoming my annual convention events because of all the amazing queens and the genuinely loving environment. It’s a great event that is worth going. ❤
Hi Amanda! Loved this video. I am an ASL interpreter and I would like to gently push back on what you said about interpreters. We are not there to perform for the hearing audience members, we are there to provide access to Deaf individuals. I'm sure you meant it as a compliment, but a lot of us are not comfortable being filmed and posted, especially without our knowledge/consent. I have been filmed and posted before (and it went viral) without my knowledge and it made me super uncomfortable. Thank you for thinking that interpreter is talented (he is!!!) but it's not really appropriate to describe interpreters as you would performers, especially if you don't know ASL. I'm so glad you're noticing interpreters at more events (yay access!) but they are there to do a job and provide access to Deaf people, not to make the hearing audience laugh.
commenting to boost this!! thank you for your perspective!
Seconding the boost. This was a really helpful comment to read, and now I know, if the situation ever arises, to avoid filming the interpreter for an event if possible. TY!
Boosting
+
Co-sign
OMG, when you tipped your sparkly fedora and said "mi'lady" I laughed so hard I poked my eye with my mascara wand 😂😂
@green mayo man🇺🇦 I'm good, no permanent damage 😁 thanks friend
Season Six was my first season & I think it was a great season to start. Bianca, Adore, Laganja, Courtney Act, BendelaCreme, Gia… lots of amazing queens, iconic quotes, a great final three, and a super beloved winner. ❤
Yes yes yes! This was the first season I ever saw and I was hooked. Best season ever haha
I’m absolutely losing it that Amanda completely missed the drama 😂😂 that’s so funny and so on brand LOL
Id love to know how wheelchair/handicap accessible you think the venue was?
I was there too and know nothing of the drama.
I love drag. Maybe not enough for a con but still. I thought to myself when I saw the title "is it really even DragCon if there's NOT any drama!?" 😂 C'mon
For Ru, they should put up a big screen with a digital green face that mimics his movements when talking and a curtain around him (that’s not actually covering him) so he can be like the wizard in the Wizard of Oz while he’s DJing.
I love that idea 💡
That tiara is killing 😍
Technically you did belong! You know of the concept and love the art of drag. This was your opportunity to become more aware and admire while supporting entertainers that you are getting to see for the first time! Great way to find your favorites that you can go on to follow on their socials and support then there after the event. That can be very valuable! 💚
Me: [Shows up to Dragcon dressed as a dragon. Looks around confused.]
Lol, I thought it said dragoncon at first and I was so confused because it hasn't happened yet this year!
thank you so much for covering this convention, everytime you upload I instantly stop what I'm doing to watch. I love how you balance the fun aspects while covering the more harsh things. i cant wait for the next video
you getting an ankle injury, whilst reviewing dragcon, is so iconic
it was my first dragcon and running into you was definitely one of the highlights of my day!
The comments below said "Amanda as a drag king" - I WANT TO SEE THAT SO BAD!!!!
I'm bisexual and don't watch Drag Race. I also appreciate the art of drag, but tbh, I'm not really into the kind of drama the show has...and a lot of reality TV has. I like Queer Eye, but even then, there are a few things about how it's produced that are questionable as well (an incident in Season 1 had the entire cast almost walk off the show for good).
Was it when they got fake pulled over when Karamo was driving? Cause that was fucked 😬
@@freudiannipslip Yes, that's the thing.
How would you know if you haven't watched?
@@liliesrnice I've seen clips of it, and have heard stuff from people who like it. A lot of the reasons why people like it are reasons why I wouldn't.
I'm the one who commented on that tik tok 🐥 lol I've been waiting for this review to come out since. I fangirled a little when you liked my comment ngl 🤭
Drag Race is ok at best and all us gays know this but it's whether or not we watch the clips on YT or we actually sit down and watch the whole thing just so we know that we know Everything lolol
Yeah tbh it really went down after season 10/11. The era of WOWPresents+ was a turn for the worst unfortunately
@@bewwybabe8045 Honestly I've been perfectly happy to click on whatever clip decides to make its way to me and continue consuming Trixie and Katya content, I really only need that at the end of the day LOL
@bewwybabe8045 nah the new season slaps.
I would LOVE for you to one day do a deep dive into the Cosplay Community and all it's drama. Cause boy oh booyyyy is it full of drama lmfao
Seasons 4 & 5 are the best. Also this review is adorable, I’ve always wondered what someone not fangirling over certain personalities would think of it all, because I think after being in the midst of it, they would understand our fascination. Like you did! 😊
That ASL interpreter was definitely slaying.
Sign language interpreters during drag show performances look like there having so much fun. We always have one for drag shows at my college and sometimes I forget to actually watch the performance 😂😂😂
Same as far as Drag Race goes, but I love the artistry and humor. My fav is drag names, my hairdresser’s drag name is Iona Traylor.
It might seem like a small thing, but thank you for using the correct terminology for sign language “interpreter” instead of “translator”, and taking the time to shout out their inclusion in the event!
Thank you for spreading the love for interpreters! They are unsung heros and its truly an art to interpret things to ASL.
I would add to your comment about more variety as somebody who has not been to this: a viewing room sounds like the answer. As someone who's been too for example a lot of anime conventions sometimes those viewing rooms are just there as a mostly quiet and dark room where you can watch the thing and kind of decompress from all the people and doing one of those episodes of drag race sounds amazing while not taking away from the queens.
I would love to go to one of these sometime it does look like a lot of fun.
25:27 regarding making booths bigger. You pay by square foot and as you mentioned, unlike in the UK and AU, US queens must pay to exhibit at DragCon LA. Not only are they paying for the booth space - which is why some choose a small area despite it being cramped (it’s just not affordable) - but all the decor for the booth, perhaps a designer to create the whole booth backdrop/vibe, their outfits (which if they’re not sewers, can range from $200 - $20k including wigs, makeup, jewelry and shoes), lighting (because it’s not included with the booth, you usually have to pay extra for additional electricity as well), all their merchandise, staff to work the booth, and travel expenses if they’re not from LA.
As a queen you spoke with mentioned, many are content if they break even. While it’s a lot of fun and can be a great way to self-promote, it’s INCREDIBLY expensive and it’s long hard days which can be Hell from someone in literal pounds of clothing (or God forbid-latex), stiletto heels, heavy wigs, and layers of makeup.
I give the queens SO much credit for doing this. I really miss DragCon NYC - went every year it happened and learned a lot. I sincerely hope WOW begins treating all queens better in the future, such as paying them to come to the con (or at the very least, don’t charge them for the booth space) - take commissions or make it a reasonable price per booth (maybe tiers for returning queens, so many things they could do to make it better).
I love that there was a fight and you were just filming the interpreter! They're doing such a good job
Ru being badly lit was definitely intentional 😂
you kept popping up on my home page. and after a few videos your channel grew onto me. i love how you give a whole 360 view of every con you go to!
id love to go to dragcon! i would religiously watch the early seasons, but i honestly don’t enjoy the newer seasons as much. the art form is still just as beautiful to me so this looks fun!
Daniel from Mean Girls leaned so much into his role for his booth and I love it
I'm a festival vendor! Thanks for supporting artists 🙏
I think ru just wanted everyone to acknowledge the Empire he’s created by not putting a spotlight on him and wanted and the attendees and queens to be noticed, and recognized on stage, and not just him.
I think that goes against every bit of personality Ru has shown in the past and more likely it was to prevent unflattering photos being taken of him - or it was just lighting fuckups. But humble ru is not a side I have seen
(13:45) RuPaul probably didn’t want good lighting so that double can take his place. There were a few doppelgängers at dragcon filling in for Queens that stepped away.
Wait is this serious or conspiracy?
No. You very much had business being there. Drag is for everyone! :3
this!
Yeah. You people really want to push your agenda onto everyone, including kids.
3rd'ing this, haha.
"And surely that I sashay close to you, I say verily: Drag is for all!" The Book of Ru Chapter 3, Verse 37
It was so nice to meet you there!
This was the first year out of 4 dragcons where I actually ran into protesters which was wild
I like the show but avoid the fandom for the most part. I definitely think this event is for everyone though!! I’m glad you went and covered it🙌👑 This is one event though where even though, “you went so we don’t have to,” I still would be ecstatic to get a chance to go one day😁
I thought this was going to be a dragon convention so I am slightly disappointed but still intrigued
The queen who started singing during the argument is sending me 😭
You giggling at your own jokes honestly gives me so much joy. Love your videos ❤
advice from a nurse compression might work with your ankle, you can wear compression socks in the airplane or on long walks which should help reducing swelling but also (specially in the airplane and on long travel days) prevent swelling!
I was there! I was hoping to see you!!!! Ugh so bummed I didn’t
The Foo Fighters troll the Westborough Baptist "church" when they're in Kansas City since the headquarters are not too far from there. I've seen it 2x with my own eyes and it warms my heart at the FF's ability to use their powers for good.
Another fact is there's a house across the street from the Westborough compound that's painted rainbow 🌈 It's beautiful.
Swell and Siri about to throw hands at the next Creator Clash...I'm ready for that front row seat!
I went to the very first DragCon. I probably paid $15 to get in, but it was a much more low key event. It’s really stepped up
I literally just started watching drag race last week lol I am someone who occasionally would watch the pitstop episodes but I'm deciding to go in fully so the timing of this vid is great!
I saw you there near Irene the Alien’s booth! Was going to say I loved your videos but was in line when you walked by
I don’t know why but I never imagined Amanda would go to Dragcon, I’m so happy
New upload! What a perfect lunch break for me.
I am obsessed with drag race and I am so jealous 😭
Those types of protestors showed up to my HIGH SCHOOL Drama States competitions in Florida 2014 - They would scream at us about abortions, and gay rights being the devil - We were on the trolly heading back to the center dreading going by these people, then all of a sudden someones dad with a HUGE speaker pulled up BLASTING the the Book of Mormon, we heard it pull up & couldn't believe this was happening, so then 30+ theater kids came pouring out of the trolly in full broadway character, talking real life high school musical moment, and we improved the whole song in front of those people. - I was very happy I was forced to compete that year or I would of missed that. XD
We had protesters from texas came to canada to protest that anime will send you to hell and taking up the limited space of a busy convention. I dont know why people do feels like a qaste of time.
I’m a drag race tragic, my suggestions for entry level viewing… seasons 2,5,6,7 and all stars 2… really enjoyed your response and review of drag con… I’m in Australia, so I really appreciate any and all insights… glad you enjoyed yourself 💕
Watch most of your stuff, cause I love your coverage but this is something I love and you, perfect 💜💜💜
Guuuurl welcome to fandom! Start at season 4. Skip all stars 1. And don't bother with the international seasons. Go back can catch up on 1-3, as1, and the int seasons after you've caught up with the us seasons after 4.
One of us one of us one of us
screamed when i saw this i watch every swell video been here since maybe 30k? so excited to see a drag / swell crossover! two of my fav things
I’ve been waiting for this one 😭😭
Honestly focusing on the interpreter during the argument is kind of iconic
I love a sassy interpreter, but also get distracted from paying to attention to what's being said because I'm so interested in their body language.
omg the short story box, I lovee!
I'm not sure what the drama was about during the panel but I did watch this season. Minnie Cooper, the queen who said she was being disrespected, was the oldest contestant on the cast. She is in her 50s, and mostly everyone else was in their 20s and 30s. The younger queens really didn't take her seriously bc she is very old school while the older queens kept saying that if it wasn't for queens like Minnie they wouldn't be here. Minnie was also very confrontational and wouldn't allow ppl to say stuff about her behind her back.
I just recently came across your channel (and am also bisexual, however I’m a newfound fan of drag race LOL) so it’s really exciting to see you post this content!! I can’t wait to watch once I have the time