Before getting deep into the holiday spirit, Bob explains why her new show is worth every last penny, starving children be damned.
Times are hard, Bob. You’re going to make me pay for WOW Presents Plus?
I’m not making anyone pay for anything! But $3.99 a month? I know you can afford it. It’s literally 13 cents a day, if you do the math, and that’s cheaper than a cup of anything. You can either support a child in Africa or subscribe to WOW Presents Plus -- what’s more important?
Some Drag Race fans have commented on the service’s YouTube teaser that they don’t pay for online content. What do you say to people who are hesitant to subscribe?
We live in a world where people want everything to be free. Girl, it costs money to make content, so it should cost money to consume. If you want it, you should have to pay for it. That’s life.
Besides Bobbin’ Around, WOW Presents Plus features shows from queens like Valentina, Detox and Jinkx Monsoon. Have you been watching your competition?
I have! Cool Mom With Jinkx Monsoon, Detox’s Life Rehab -- I’ve watched them all, actually. There’s great content on there. I’m a big fan of World of Wonder in general. They really are the queens of queer culture.
How did you come up with the concept for Bobbin’ Around?
When I first started traveling for gigs, I knew I wanted to create some online content. I used to edit Bobbin’ Around with my assistant, Luis, who’s also my co-star. The old episodes, which are still on my YouTube page, are very poorly done. Whenever we’d take a trip, we’d film and I’d then edit it on the plane. But then I lost my stylus, the little pencil that came with my Galaxy, and I started falling asleep on planes. So I pitched the show to World of Wonder, like, “Who wants to help me do this?”
So the newer episodes have better production value?
Yeah, because they’re edited by actual Hollywood professionals, not by a drag queen trying his best with an app on his cell phone.
What’s one of your most memorable recent Bobbin’ Around adventures?
Luis’ tonsils ruptured on our way to Australia, which made our trip very interesting. We landed and literally had to rush from the airport to the hospital, where he was a bedridden baby eating baby food and drinking Pedialyte. I already call him mijo, which means “son,” but I really was like his mom.
Between gigs, are you and Luis looking for love in all the right places?
Luis looks for love. I just look for a butthole. [Laughs] We don’t always have time for bromances on the road, but when we do, it’s always great.
Why do you and Luis make such a good team?
Luis and I have been friends for a long time -- before I did Drag Race. We used to be drag sisters back in the day, and even when we didn’t work together, he would come to my shows. Luis has always believed in me and my product, so he’s not selling something he doesn’t believe in. I believe in him, too, and I think that’s what makes our relationship work.
Luis has become a star in his own right on social media. Before hiring him as your assistant, did you know he wanted to share the spotlight?
Yeah. He says that he doesn’t, but he totally does, and that’s fine. I created Luis! [Laughs] No, but I’ve always known that Luis is very charming, talented, and appealing.
What’s the story behind the minimalist Bobbin’ Around theme song?
Luis and I wrote this terrible song -- I use the term “wrote” very loosely -- and recorded it on a plane. In theory, yes, we are composers. Eat it, Andrew Lloyd Webber!
The song fits perfectly with the show’s tagline: “It’s not that serious.”
Yeah, it’s not a serious travel show. We’re not, like, Bizarre Foods. It’s just me and Luis, being silly, traveling around with our fucking phones.
Is that also your personal mantra?
I take the rest of my life pretty seriously, actually. I’m serious about being funny, which sounds weird, but I don’t take myself so seriously that I can’t have a sense of humor about myself.
You’ve traveled to cities far from New York and L.A. Not to get too serious, but have you ever encountered any homophobia or racism on the road?
We perform in a bubble. When we’re in Alabama, we’re at B-Bob’s, the gay bar, and everyone’s there because they love Drag Race. So even when we travel to places that maybe aren’t accepting, we don’t really experience that.
What do you hate most about touring?
The worst part of touring is the airports, because they’re just uncool, un-fun places to be.
Are you all about that hotel life?
I do like hotels. I wish that my home was run like a hotel, actually, because they’re pretty convenient. Although, as a traveler of the world, I have learned to appreciate the beauty of sleeping in your own bed.
Since your Drag Race victory, you’ve released videos for your singles “Yet Another Dig,” “Bloodbath,” and the Billboard-charting “Purse First.” Were you always interested in making music?
Well, I grew up in musical theater, so musicality isn’t foreign to me. You know, I still don’t really consider myself a musician -- although I guess technically I am -- but I always have a song in my heart, and it’s usually a pretty silly song.
Do you have plans to release a full album in the future?
I don’t know that I’ll ever have an album. Well, maybe one day I’ll have enough songs in my heart to fill a whole album, but right now I’m enjoying working on a bunch of different projects.
“Yet Another Dig,” your collaboration with Alaska, claps back at haters. What inspired that song?
That was inspired by a Twitter exchange between Trixie Mattel and Detox. During the Oscars, Trixie wrote, “Halle Berry looks like she’s performing ‘He Lives in You’ at Hamburger Mary’s Brunch.” Detox responded, “More digs on the L.A. girls.” So it became a silly thing where whenever someone said something mean or offensive, Drag Race girls would go, “Yet another dig!” Alaska and I were on the Haters Roast tour, laughing about what a great song that would be, so we made it.
How do you handle digs and negativity on social media?
I deal with it in different ways. Like, I was up for a WOWie Award for Best Music Video with queens like Alaska, Sasha Velour, Peppermint, and Adore Delano, and some guy commented online, “Well, there’s only one real singer in here.” I just wrote back, “Is it you?” People say a lot of shady things about me, but I’ll either ignore it or give what I think is a funny response.
Which Drag Race alum’s music do you enjoy?
Oh, Alaska is the queen when it comes to Drag Race music -- besides RuPaul, of course. I listen to Alaska’s music when I go to the gymnasium. Or I will whenever I start going.
Which queen are you rooting for on the upcoming All-Stars 3?
I’m rooting for Trixie Mattel and Shangela Laquifa Wadley, because I really enjoy those girls. They’re both amazingly talented, hard-working, and smart queens -- despite how they may look. Me and Shangela just did a silly Christmas video called “Deck a Ho” that I’m really proud of.
You also have a song on the new Drag Race compilation album, Christmas Queens 3, called “Sandra Claus.”
“Sandra Claus” is the album’s prologue, and it’s more of a poem. How do you pronounce that? Po-emm? Po-eem? Whatever. It’s based on “The Night Before Christmas.”
It basically outs Santa as a drag queen. Are conservative Christians ready for that holiday message?
Are they not ready for the truth? First of all, Santa has rosy red cheeks. That’s not from the wind, girl, that’s blush. He’s wearing crushed velvet with fur trim, a nice cheap belt -- that’s a drag queen. I actually heard that Santa’s going to stop doing red cheeks and start doing Farrah Moan highlighter. So if you see a metallic reflection in the sky, you’ll know who it is.
Are you a Christmas queen?
My favorite time of year is summer, but I do love the yuletide. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Christmas, I can’t imagine that winter would be worth going through. If winter was just February, I would probably move to Brazil.
