With “Drag Race” firmly ensconced in American pop culture, Mama Ru — that’s RuPaul Charles to the general public — has been busy expanding the reality competition series worldwide. Over the past decade there have been 15 international offshoots of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” with 11 currently airing or about to begin filming new seasons — roughly two for superfans to watch at any given time, year-round. Many of these spinoffs have been massive hits, turning contestants into international stars and producing programming so stellar it’s at times bested the mother ship.
That also means there will be more than enough alumni queens to fill the South Hall at the Los Angeles Convention Center for the eighth RuPaul’s DragCon LA when it kicks off on Friday. In advance of the event, we caught up with six of the franchise’s hosts — from Thailand, Canada, Spain, Italy, France and Mexico — to discuss their countries’ brands of drag, the politics of “Drag Race” and more. On landing the gig Brooke Lynn Hytes (“Canada’s Drag Race”): I couldn’t tell you who asked me.
I couldn’t tell you how I was asked, and I could not tell you when I was asked. For some reason, it’s like a complete blur. I think I probably just blacked out.
Priscilla (“Drag Race Italia”): I was thinking that I was one of the contestants because they just told me, “We want you in ‘Drag Race Italia.’” The first day that we had a meeting with the production, I met [Season 1 ju.
