Season 2 of RuPaul’s “Drag Race: All Stars” came to a close Thursday night (Oct. 13), and the winner of the $100,000 grand prize, the newest inductee into the Drag Race Hall of Fame is none other than Alaska [redacted]! While she was a force to be reckoned with in “Drag Race” Season 5, fighting to be known as more than just Sharon Needles’ boyfriend and eventually earning a place in the Top 3, Alaska showed up to “All Stars” even more refined. This was her competition to lose, and she came scary close to doing just that.
RELATED: ‘Drag Race: All Stars 2’ winner: Fierce fan favorite or temper tantrum queen?
It was the temper tantrum heard around the world. The week before the finale, the pressure and stress of the competition got under Alaska’s skin. Her childish, expletive-filled meltdown put a sour taste in everyone’s tea. From the audience’s point of view, after >she tried bribing Katya and Detox to not send her home, she seemed permanently branded with RBF. Many couldn’t see past that temporary lapse of self-control, and Team Katya grew exponentially afterwards.
Born Justin Andrew Honard, the deep-toned slow speaker was able to ignore the naysayers and return for the finale with her drag game on fire. Screener got to say “Hieeeeee” to this year’s winner — and ask her about Rolaskatox’s current relationship, how much is actual T in her latest music video, “The T” featuring Adore Delano and what audiences can look forward to seeing in the highly anticipated “All Stars 2” reunion show.
What’s the first thing you want to buy with the prize money?
I wanna buy 100,000 slices of pizza.
Okay, the second thing!
There’s this “Golden Girls” toilet seat on Etsy that I’ve had my eye on, so I’m going to go ahead and buy that.
Are you surprised by the social media response?
I haven’t turned it on, I hope it’s nothing but crowns and hearts.
So about your meltdown… How was it, watching that episode?
It wasn’t great. I had a really bad day that day. I think we’ve all felt that way, but luckily we don’t have a camera crew following us… But I did, at that time. I don’t know. It comes down to the fact that it really meant a lot to me. If caring about something deeply makes me a snake, then I’m Queen of the Snakes!
Is there anything you would’ve done different?
I would’ve gone back in time, smoked a joint and chilled out a little bit more — enjoyed the process more. But I had victory, I had failure… It was a high and low dramatic journey! So no, I wouldn’t do anything differently. I won! It all worked out.
Less or more nerve-wracking: Coming back a year after filming to compete in the finale?
Anytime I get to go back to “Drag Race,” and into that crazy pink work room, the nervousness never goes away. No matter how many times you’ve been there, it’ll always be terrifying.
Anything you wish the cameras showed but didn’t?
Actually, yes. During the lip-sync when I was dressed as Lil Poundcake, and I don’t know what happened, there’s only so many minutes [that make the final cut], but I did a somersault down the center runway. And it was amazing. And it didn’t make it to air. I hope they release it in some way or another.
When and how did you come up with the name Alaska Thunderf**k 5000?
I was a young person dabbling in drag, and I was smoking a lot of weed. There’s a strain of marijuana named Alaska Thunderf**k, and I heard those words and said, “That is going to be drag name.” I had never done drag, I didn’t need a drag name, but that was it! As it is written, it shall be done.
What inspired you to get into drag in the first place?
I always like girls’ clothes, because they are prettier — even a baby can see that. Even as a kid, I really liked girls clothes, so it was just a natural progression. I saw drag performers one day and I was like, I want to do that.
Where does that deep-toned drawl come from?
I have no idea. No one in my family speaks this way. But even when I was a little kid I remember sounding like this, and I would get made fun of in school for talking the way I talk. But now of course, like, a Southern accent, sometimes if you want to you can turn it up a little bit more. So I can turn up more when I want to, but it’s always there. Even when I think it’s off.
How’s the Rolaskatox alliance holding up these days?
Well, every full moon we sacrifice one virgin and one lamb. We have a blood oath for all of eternity. Each of us is 672 years old… haha. [Kidding!] Detox is great. Roxxxy is great. We’re cool.
What’s the reunion like? Will it be friendly or is shade flying?
Alyssa Edwards, The Duchess, said it best: We all went into it like a family reunion. We did not hold back and we did not hold any punches.We went in with a good attitude, but weren’t afraid to let it all hang out.
Were you disappointed that Phi Phi O’Hara didn’t come?
You’ll have to watch and see!
What’s next for Alaska?
I’m really excited about the new album I put out. It’s very drag. It’s by drag, for drag and about drag. So go on Amazon or iTunes and get into that. And I’m touring. Check out my site to see when I’ll be near your city!
How much truth is relayed in your most recent song, ‘The T’?
(If you haven’t watched: What are you waiting for? Watch it! Alaska raps about cheating on ex Sharon Needles, her troubles with sobriety and it even features fellow competitor Adore Delano.)
That song is a snapshot of how I was feeling at certain point in time — so, before “All Stars” aired, and after we had filmed it, going through the stress of how you feel in show business when you’re under contract and you’re not allowed to talk about the things happening in your life. So I got it out there. Like Wikileaks! That’s why it’s called “The T”! It’s real.
The “Drag Race: All Stars 2” reunion airs Thursday, Oct. 27, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Logo & Vh1.
