We're Here (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - Ruston, Louisiana - full transcript

Yo, are you here
for the girl sesh?

- I guess.
- It's gonna be mad fun.

We could've gone
somewhere less extra.

What are you guys up to, man?

It looks like you're on
some kind of mission.

We're 'bout to mob, yo.
We need backup.

♪ If you down, boy
Really down ♪

Confidence, you have it.
You got this.

♪ It's your one chance, baby
Never or now ♪

- What?!
- I'm sorta arrested.

I got you.
Just don't go anywhere.



Yeah, no, I mean, I-- I can't.

♪ Go down, go, down, go down ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ I WAS STANDING BY THE WINDOW

WINDOW ♪

♪ ON ONE COLD AND CLOUDY DAY ♪

♪ WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN ♪

♪ BYE AND BY, LORD, BY AND BY ♪

YES, COME ON, FISH!

LITERALLY, LET'S FISH, FISH!

WHERE'S THE END OF MY LITTLE

LINE?

IN THE WATER, SHANGELA.

OH.



FROM, LIKE, EIGHTH OR NINTH

GRADE, THE ONLY WAY I COULD FIT

IN WAS IF I DID ALL THE COUNTRY

BOY STUFF, SO I DID IT, SO THAT

WAY I COULD GO CAMPING WITH

THEM.

YOU LIKED IT, I KNOW, LIKE?

YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN

WE WENT CAMPING.

SO, I WAS LIKE, MAMA, ALL

"BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN" FISH.

WE ARE UP IN NORTH LOUISIANA,

SPECIFICALLY, RUSTON, LOUISIANA.

DRIVING INTO RUSTON, IT'S

LIKE, SO SOUTHERN.

IT'S LIKE FIELDS, COWS ARE

EVERYWHERE.

THERE'S NOT EVEN 20,000 PEOPLE,

I THINK, POPULATION IN THIS

TOWN.

HIYA!

THESE BAKED GOODS LOOK SO

DELICIOUS.

I HEARD Y'ALL HAD COUNTRY

CANNOLIS.

THEY ARE.

THEY'RE REDNECK CANNOLIS.

HELLO!

HELLO!

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING SWEET?

UM, YES, SIR.

THAT WILL BE -- SIR?

MA'AM.

THAT'S OKAY, BABY, THAT'S ALL

RIGHT.

YOU GOT TO WATCH THAT BIRD,

BABY, WATCH THAT BIRD!

THROUGH THE WING, OVER THE

BIRD, THERE WE GO.

OOH!

SHOW THEM HIPS OFF, BABY.

THERE WE GO.

OH, WORK.

GONNA TIE IT, CINCH IT, THAT

WAIST.

YOU SEE SOMETHING YOU LIKE?

RUSTON, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY

CIVILIZED AND VERY FABULOUS, BUT

IT'S STILL THE COUNTRY, BITCH,

ALL RIGHT?

I KIND OF THINK IT IS A QUEER

WATERING HOLE IN RUSTON,

LOUISIANA.

HELLO?

SWEET -- WHAT'S THE NAME OF THE

STORE?

UPTOWN DOWNTOWN.

UPTOWN DOWNTOWN.

HELLO?

UPTOWN DOWNTOWN, MAY I HELP YOU?

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO REALLY EAT

A CUPCAKE?

THERE IS NOT A TECHNICAL WAY.

SHOW ME.

LOOK.

YOU TAKE THAT BOTTOM AND YOU DO

IT LIKE THIS, AND THEN YOU DON'T

GET YOUR LIPSTICK MESSED UP.

YOU ARE LYING!

YOU ARE CHANGING MY LIFE RIGHT

NOW!

WE HAVE COOKIES AND

SNICKERDOODLES AND THINGS THAT

LOOK LIKE WAFFLES.

THE THING ABOUT SMALL TOWNS

LIKE THIS IS, THEY DON'T WANT

CHANGE.

BUT THEY'RE ALWAYS READY FOR A

CHANGE.

BIG CAKES, LITTLE CAKES,

SWEET CAKES, CANNOLI CAKES.

SO IT'S LIKE, YOU'VE GOT TO

START SHARKING THINGS UP AND YOU

GOT TO START DOING NEW THINGS IN

AN AREA TO REALLY KIND OF CHANGE

THE AREA.

STRAWBERRY COVERED MUSHROO --

NO, THAT'S NOT MUSHROOM.

STRAWBERRY.

OH, CHOCOLATE COVERED

STRAWBERRY.

HELLO?

I GUESS THEY DIDN'T WANT IT.

HOW TALL ARE THESE SHOES,

BECAUSE YOU ARE, LIKE, TOWERING

OVER ME.

I'M 5'5" WITHOUT THE HEELS.

OKAY, SO WE WOULD BE, LIKE,

EQUALS.

NO, I'M NOT.

AND I'M, LIKE, AND I'M

ACTUALLY ONLY 140 WITHOUT THE

PADDING, SO.

OH, REALLY?

ME TOO, BABY, ME TOO.

IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED

THING, JUST TO BE YOURSELF IN A

SMALL TOWN WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS

YOU.

LIKE, I ALWAYS TRY TO NOT BRING

TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO ME,

BECAUSE THE MORE ATTENTION THERE

IS ON ME, THE HARDER IT IS HERE

IN RUSTON.

'CAUSE ANYTHING THAT YOU DO,

EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THE NEXT

DAY.

AT WORK, I HAVE TO BE ALMOST

STRAIGHT, HAVE TO MAKE SURE I AM

TALKING TO PEOPLE WITH A DEEPER

VOICE.

I HAVE TO MAKE SURE, LIKE, I

DON'T, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING

THAT MIGHT INDICATE THAT I'M

GAY.

IT MAKES ME SAD.

PEOPLE GO YEARS AND YEARS AND

THEY WAIT UNTIL THEY'RE, LIKE,

60, 70 TO FINALLY JUST BE

THEMSELVES.

I DON'T WANT TO BE SUFFERING TO

ALL OF THAT.

BUT EVEN WITH MY FAMILY, I DON'T

FEEL SUPPORTED.

WHENEVER I WAS BEING A LITTLE

BIT OF MYSELF AND I WAS GOING

OUT WITH GUYS AND PEOPLE WERE

SEEING ME AND STUFF, MY MOM GOT

ATTACKED AT CHURCH BECAUSE OF

THAT.

AND THEN SHE BROUGHT THAT BACK

TO ME AND SHE WAS, LIKE, TELLING

ME NOT TO DO IT AGAIN.

SO I FEEL LIKE I'M THE PROBLEM

MOST OF THE TIME.

I'M JUST TIRED OF NOT BEING ABLE

TO BE ME, AND I DON'T FEEL

WANTED.

OH, TRUMP 2020 SIGNS AT THE

DOOR.

NEVER SAYS "WELCOME."

OKAY, HELLO.

HI.

HELLO, GUYS.

HELLO!

HEY!

HI!

LOOK AT THIS PLACE.

DID SOMEBODY SAVE ME A SPACE FOR

CRAWFISH?

RIGHT HERE.

YEAH!

GOOD, RIGHT.

YOU MUST BE JOSE?

I AM, YES.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

CAN I BE HONEST WITH Y'ALL?

UH-HUH.

I'VE NEVER HAD CRAWFISH

BEFORE.

WHAT?

REALLY?

AND I'M FROM TEXAS.

LOOK, I'M SCARED, I'M JUST

TELLING YOU, I HAVE NEVER HAD

IT.

OH, THESE ARE NOT INDIVIDUAL

PLATES, RIGHT?

YEAH.

YEAH.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

YOU GOT TO REALIZE, HALF OF

IT IS SHELL.

HERE WE GO, YES!

ALL RIGHT, SO, HOW WOULD YOU

ATTACK THE CRAWFISH?

WELL, I HAVE A COUSIN THAT

LIVES IN HOUSTON AND SHE SAY YOU

TAKE ONE END OFF FIRST.

HA, HA!

BYE-BYE, I THROW THIS PART IN

THE TRASH, IN THE THING?

NO, NO, NO!

'CAUSE I GOT TO SHOW YOU, SHE --

I MEAN, YOU CAN SUCK THE

HEAD.

SATURDAY NIGHT!

THERE YOU GO.

THAT'S VERY GOOD.

WHOO!

THIS IS FUN, OKAY, I'M HAVING A

GOOD TIME!

SO I'M PARTNERING WITH JOSE

HERE, AND HE'S GONNA BECOME MY

NEW DRAG DAUGHTER, AND WE'RE

PROGRAMMING A SHOW HERE FOR NEXT

TUESDAY NIGHT.

I'M STARTING TO GET NERVOUS.

JUST, IT'S ALL AT ONCE, ALL THE

FEELINGS AT ONCE, LIKE, JUST

LOT.

I THINK HE'S AT A TIME IN HIS

LIFE.

HE NEEDS IT.

HE NEEDS IT.

BUT YOU ALSO GOT TO REMEMBER,

THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU, THIS IS

ABOUT THE OTHER LITTLE, CUTE

LITTLE MEXICAN BOYS WHO ARE

LIKE, I WANT TO BE FREE.

AT TIMES, DO YOU FEEL UNFREE?

YEAH, LIKE, HELD BACK?

YEAH.

WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL THAT WAY?

JUST NOT BEING ABLE TO

EXPRESS MYSELF.

JUST NOT BEING ABLE TO GO OUT

THERE AND JUST BE MYSELF.

WHEN YOU'RE IN A SMALL

COMMUNITY, I COULD TOTALLY

UNDERSTAND.

ANY LITTLE THING THEY CAN, LIKE,

TAKE AND TRY TO, YOU KNOW, PUT

YOU DOWN.

EVERY TIME I GO OUT, LIKE,

OUT IN PUBLIC, LIKE, I'M JUST BY

MYSELF, I AM NOT COMFORTABLE.

AS SOON AS HE'S THERE, I DON'T

CARE, I CAN BE MYSELF BECAUSE

HE'S THERE AND HE'S, LIKE, THE,

LIKE, HE'S THE LIFEGUARD, LIKE,

HE'S LIKE THE --

WHAT'S IT CALLED?

HE'S BIG MAMA.

HE'S JUST --

HE'S JUST BIG MAMA, YEAH.

I CAN BE MYSELF AROUND MY

FRIEND, MARIO, 'CAUSE HE'S SO

CONFIDENT ABOUT HIMSELF, IT'S

CONTAGIOUS.

HOW TALL ARE YOU?

I'M A BIG GUY.

I'M 6'1" AND A HALF, AND I'M 250

LBS.

SO, BASICALLY, IT'S GONNA BE

SOMETHING IF SOMEONE STARTS

MESSING WITH YOU.

OH, YEAH.

LIKE, MY GRANDPA, HE'S PASSED,

BUT HE ALWAYS TOLD ME, PEOPLE

TREAT YOU HOW YOU ALLOW THEM TO,

SO.

AMEN.

IF YOU LET SOMEBODY RUN OVER

YOU, THEN OTHER PEOPLE ARE GONNA

RUN OVER YOU.

RIGHT.

NOT ME!

RIGHT, RIGHT.

BUT I WANT HIM TO BE ABLE TO

BE HIMSELF WITHOUT ME BEING

AROUND.

I CAN TELL THAT JOSE DRAWS A

LOT OF STRENGTH FROM JAMARIO.

SEEING THAT EXAMPLE OF QUEER

CONFIDENCE, JOSE GETS TO HAVE A

LITTLE BIT MORE CONFIDENCE IN

HIMSELF.

IT'S 2020.

YOU, HER, HER, HER, WHATEVER.

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO WEAR

WHATEVER YOU WANT TO WEAR.

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE WHO YOU

WANT TO BE.

I THINK THAT'S WHY I REALLY AM

EXCITED THAT WE'RE COMING HERE

AND DOING, LIKE, A DRAG SHOW

HERE.

BUT TRUST ME.

THERE IS NO COMPLETE 180 SHIFT

IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE IN A WEEK.

IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

I KNOW, YOU KNOW, FAIRY

GODMOTHER, FABULOUS AS I AM, I

AIN'T NO FAIRY GODMOTHER, TO

COME AND LIKE, BING, AND THE

WHOLE LIFE IS CHANGED.

THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

BUT WHAT CAN HAPPEN, IF YOU'RE

OPEN TO IT, IS YOU'LL START TO

GET THOSE TOOLS AND REINFORCE

HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT YOURSELF,

'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT COMES

FROM, HOW WE FEEL ABOUT

OURSELVES AT THE END OF THE DAY.

SO I'M EXCITED, AND I HOPE YOU

GUYS WILL COME TO THE SHOW.

OF COURSE!

IT'S TUESDAY?

TUESDAY.

OKAY, WELL, I WILL SEE Y'ALL

AGAIN SOON.

WISH ME LUCK, I DON'T HAVE AN

UMBRELLA.

BYE!

LOOK AT THIS MAN!

THAT'S KARL MALONE.

HE'S A BASKETBALL PLAYER,

AIN'T HE?

HE WAS LIKE THE SECOND OR

THIRD --

OH!

HEY!

SO SORRY.

DON'T BE FOOLIN' WITH KARL,

NOW!

I APOLOGIZE, KARL!

I'M SORRY, KARL!

THANK Y'ALL.

RUSTON IS A TOWN THAT'S SO

FAR BEHIND.

IT'S JUST CLOSED MIND, BAPTIST

AMERICA.

IT'S, ALL RIGHT, LET'S JUST PUSH

OUR BELIEF ON EVERYBODY ELSE.

WE DON'T CARE WHO WE OFFEND, WE

DON'T CARE WHO WE DISCOURAGE.

WE'RE JUST GONNA, YOU KNOW, GET

THIS MESSAGE OUT THERE BECAUSE

THAT'S WHAT GOD WANT US TO DO.

AS A LIFE-LONG RESIDENT, 30

YEARS OF LIVING HERE, TEN YEARS

AT THE FIRE HOUSE, SO I'M VERY

DATED TO CERTAIN ASPECTS.

I'M A HETEROSEXUAL MALE, BUT I

THINK, FOR A GAY PERSON LIVING

IN RUSTON, THE TOWN THAT I KNOW,

IT IS SO HARD TO BE OPENLY WHO

YOU ARE HERE.

BUT YOU'RE NOT GONNA MISTREAT

NOBODY, JUST BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT

LIKE WHAT THEY DO, IN FRONT OF

ME.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD VIEW ME AS

A MANLY MAN.

I'VE BOUNCED AT BARS.

I'VE ALSO BEEN A FIREMAN, AND

I'VE ALWAYS HAD THESE, LIKE,

JUST MANLY PROFESSIONS.

I MEAN, I'M WILLING TO STEP

OUTSIDE MY COMFORT ZONE TO MAKE

OTHER PEOPLE WELCOME.

IT'S 2020, SO I MEAN, IF YOU'RE

NOT WILLING TO CHANGE IN 2020,

THEN THERE'S NO HELP FOR YOU.

HEY!

HOW ARE YOU, MAN?

I'M GOOD, HOW ARE YOU?

I'M GOOD, YEAH, YEAH, STACY.

IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU COME TO THIS

BAR?

I MEAN, IF I'M IN TOWN, THEN

EVERY NIGHT.

THEY KNOW WHO I AM WHEN I WALK

THROUGH THE DOOR.

YOU DON'T REALLY GET THAT IN A

LOT OF PLACES, YOU'RE ALWAYS A

NUMBER.

I HEARD THAT YOU ARE THE

UNOFFICIAL BOUNCER HERE?

YEAH, SOMETIMES.

YOU THINK SUNDOWN IS LIKE AN

INCLUSIVE PLACE FOR EVERYONE?

VERY MUCH SO.

I MEAN IT.

IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE ONLY

ONES THAT.

AROUND HERE.

JUST LIKE A CHILL PLACE AND

SOME, THAT YOU CAN COME AND FEEL

COMFORTABLE.

GOT IT.

MYSELF AND MANY OTHERS

INCLUDED HAVE BEEN GOING TO

SUNDOWN A WHOLE LOT.

YOU'RE GONNA FIND PEOPLE THERE

IN ALL TYPES OF WALKS OF LIFE.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW,

YOUR VERY PROGRESSIVE

COMMUNITIES, THAT'S SUNDOWN IN

THE WHOLE.

IS THERE ANYONE IN TOWN THAT

YOU, LIKE, SPECIFICALLY WANT TO

SEE THIS OR, LIKE, NEEDS TO SEE

THIS OR WOULD GET A KICK OUT OF

THIS?

I HAVE SO MANY FRIENDS THAT,

I MEAN, YOU KNOW --

NOT TO BRAG.

YEAH, YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S JUST

LIKE, THAT'S WHO I AM.

I MEAN, LOOK, TO MAKE

CONVERSATION AND TO CREATE

RELATIONSHIPS.

AND BY DOING THIS, YOU KNOW, BY

ME BEING AN ALLY, I THINK IT

HOPEFULLY OPEN OTHER PEOPLE

EYES, YOU KNOW, TO BE AN ALLY.

WORK.

WHAT WOULD YOU WANT FOR, LIKE, A

STAGE NAME?

YOU KNOW, BEING THAT I HAVE A

UNISEX NAME, I DON'T KNOW,

STACY.

I CAN'T, IN GOOD FAITH, SAY

THAT'S NOT AN EXCITING NAME,

BECAUSE MY NAME IS BOB, SO

OBVIOUSLY I CAN'T BE, LIKE,

STACY'S NOT EXCITING, BECAUSE

BOB'S NOT EXCITING.

SO, HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU GONNA

MEET THAT HAD A UNISEX NAME, YOU

KNOW?

YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR BEARD?

I'VE BEEN DREADING THAT EVEN,

LIKE, JUST BROACHING IT, BECAUSE

I MEAN, I FINALLY GREW A BEARD

FOR THE FIRST TIME, AFTER

GROWING UP, DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE

CHANCE, THEN YEAH.

LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF WORK.

LISTEN, THERE IS...

I LOVE BEARDED DRAG.

I'VE NEVER DONE IT MYSELF, SO

THIS WOULD BE ACTUALLY REALLY

EXCITING TO INCORPORATE THIS.

I'M DOWN.

WHATEVER YOU COME UP WITH, YOU

LET ME KNOW.

IT'S GOING TO GET A LITTLE

DIFFERENT.

I THINK, LIKE, WHAT STACY IS

DOING WITH THIS SHOW IS INSANELY

IMPORTANT.

HE'S A FIREFIGHTER, HE STANDS UP

FOR PEOPLE, AND IF YOU ARE

RESPECTED AND YOU SET AN EXAMPLE

AND YOU DO SOMETHING FOR OTHER

PEOPLE, THEN OTHER PEOPLE DO IT

TOO.

I MEAN, I WEAR A PAIR OF

CREASE PANTS AND COWBOY BOOTS

DAILY, BUT BRING IT ON.

LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE YOU

CROSS THE STREET.

HI, HI, HI.

I'M LOOKING FOR LYNN.

WORK!

HI!

I AM EUREKA, ACTUALLY IS MY

NAME.

OH MY GOD, HI!

I'M SUPPOSED TO MEET YOU.

HI, EUREKA.

YOU'RE SEXY.

WORK!

HI, BABE.

HEY!

YOU'RE SO CUTE!

IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME IN

RUSTON, LOUISIANA?

OH, YEAH.

BUT I'VE BEEN TO NEW ORLEANS.

LIKE, THE BIG GAY PART..

THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.

I CAN TELL!

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU

NOTICED.

IT'S A FIVE-HOUR RIDE, BUT IT'S

A WORLD AWAY.

YOU'RE BAD ASS, LYNN, I CAN

TELL.

KIND OF, SOMETIMES.

IT'S NOT JUST THE TATTOOS, YOU

KNOW.

WHAT'S THESE TATTOOS ALL

ABOUT?

TELL ME MORE.

OKAY, LET ME TELL YOU MY

STORIES.

THIS IS THE OHM, BECAUSE I HAD

TO REMIND MYSELF TO BREATHE

AFTER MY ACCIDENT.

TO BREATHE?

JUST BREATHE.

NOW, THE EAGLE WAS THE LATEST

AND GREATEST.

I ACTUALLY, PRIOR TO MY

ACCIDENT, HAD AN EAGLE SOARING

OVER A STORM CLOUD TATTOOED ON

THIS ARM.

REALLY?

YES.

SO THE EAGLE DURING A STORM WILL

ACTUALLY RISE ABOVE IT AND USE

THE DRAFT FROM THE STORM TO

FLOAT ALONG.

TO FLY?

AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT MY

LIFE HAS BEEN LATELY.

WHAT HAPPENED?

DO YOU MIND?

I'M SORRY.

SO I WAS HIT HEAD-ON BY

SOMEBODY.

THEY CAME OVER TO MY LANE.

I DON'T HAVE ANY RECOLLECTION OF

THEM DOING THAT, WHICH IS, I

THINK, WONDERFUL, BECAUSE I

THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HARD FOR

ME TO DRIVE OR TO BE OUT ON THE

STREETS.

YOU DIDN'T SEE IT BASICALLY?

NEVER SAW HIM COMING, NO.

I WAS COMING AROUND A CORNER AND

HE JUST PEELED, HIT ME AND THEN

CONTINUED ANOTHER 150, 160 FT

DOWN THE ROAD BEFORE HE CAME TO

A STOP.

I HAD MY ARM AND MY LEG RIPPED

FROM MY BODY.

WOW.

SO, YEAH.

HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING NOW?

IT'S BEEN A ROUGH GO OF IT

BECAUSE I WAS A MOTORCYCLE RIDER

AND VERY INDEPENDENT AND

SELF-EMPLOYED AND JUST, I WAS

STRONG.

I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE TO ASK FOR

HELP MUCH.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I'M TRYING

TO LEARN WHO I AM, AND THERE ARE

DAYS THAT I GO, I CAN'T DO THIS.

I MEAN, IN THE BEGINNING WHEN I

FIRST CAME TO WORK HERE, I WOULD

SAY THERE WAS PROBABLY AT LEAST

ONE DAY A WEEK THAT I WOULD SAY,

"HEY, I CAN'T COME IN."

YEAH.

AND IT WAS BECAUSE I EITHER

COULDN'T GET MY LEG ON RIGHT, SO

I JUST PHYSICALLY COULDN'T COME

IN, OR I COULDN'T GET MY HEAD ON

RIGHT.

YEAH.

AND SO MENTALLY I JUST

COULDN'T DO IT.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE BIG

PICTURE, I WOULD HAVE NEVER MET

MY WIFE IF THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN.

WOW.

SO, YEAH.

SO YOU FEEL PRETTY ACCEPTED

HERE?

I MEAN, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT

I'M A LESBIAN.

EVERYBODY KNOWS I'M MARRIED TO A

WOMAN.

I KNOW THERE'S ENVIRONMENTS

WHERE IT'S MUCH MORE ACCEPTED.

YEAH.

NEW ORLEANS, FOR EXAMPLE,

WOULD BE A PLACE THAT YOU CAN GO

AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT,

PROBABLY, AT ALL.

WHEREAS HERE, YOU KNOW, I THINK

A LOT OF US ARE A LITTLE BIT

MORE SUBDUED THAN WE MIGHT BE.

WELL, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN

DRAG BEFORE?

NEVER!

NEVER.

SO, I'M GONNA BE YOUR

DRAG-MAMA.

YAY!

DO YOU WANT TO BE A MALE OR A

FEMALE?

DEFINITELY A MALE.

OKAY, GOT IT.

DEFINITELY MALE.

DON'T GET ME WRONG THOUGH.

'CAUSE I'M THE WOMAN IN THIS

RELATIONSHIP.

EXACTLY.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT, LIKE,

DANCING AND STUFF LIKE THAT?

SO, I'M REALLY...

I DANCE LIKE A STRAIGHT, WHITE

DUDE NOW.

YEAH.

I HAVE NO RHYTHM WHATSOEVER.

NO, THE NIGHT OF MY ACCIDENT, I

WAS WEARING MY COWBOY BOOTS.

OH, WHERE ARE THEY?

WELL, THEY'RE STILL IN THE

CLOSET.

I HAVEN'T MADE IT -- I HAVEN'T

GRADUATED TO COWBOY BOOTS YET

BECAUSE, WELL, IT'S A DIFFERENT

FEEL TO WALK.

RIGHT, YOU GOT THE HEEL, AND I

ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE A ZIPPER

PUT IN SO THAT WE CAN GET IT ON

THE PROSTHETIC FOOT.

OH, YEAH, 'CAUSE YOU HAVE TO,

LIKE, BEND YOUR FOOT TO GET INTO

A BOOT.

YEAH.

IT IS A GOAL OF MINE.

WE'RE GONNA GET A ZIPPER ON

YOUR BOOTS.

NICE, LET'S DO IT.

WE'RE GONNA FIGURE IT OUT.

WE'RE GONNA MAKE YOU A BAD ASS.

COOL!

FOR SURE.

WELL, 'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE

THAT'S WHAT I SHOULD BE.

YOU ARE A GUY, YEAH, YEAH.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU.

WE HAVE A LOT OF COSTUMES,

TEAMS TO GET TOGETHER.

YES, AND YOU NEED TO FIND

SOMEBODY TO PUT SOME ZIPPERS IN.

THIS IS GOING TO BE THE FIRST

TIME LYNN HAS DANCED, PROBABLY,

SINCE HER ACCIDENT, SO WE REALLY

GOT TO PUSH HER TO UNDERSTAND

THAT SHE CAN DO IT AND THAT I'M

HERE WITH HER AND I'M NOT GONNA

LET ANYTHING HAPPEN.

IF I CAN GET LYNN LINE DANCING

AND GETTING DOWN, THE CROWD IS

GONNA LOSE THEIR FUCKING MIND!

SO, WELCOME TO THE CAMP.

THE CAMP.

YES.

THIS IS WHERE US QUEENS DO ALL

OF OUR GLAMOFYING AND, YOU KNOW,

DRAGGERY AND, YOU KNOW, GAY

SHIT.

WELCOME TO MY HOME.

THE DIVA!

THE DIVA!

THIS IS A VERY EXTRA GAY SPACE.

DID YOU MAKE ANY OF THESE?

OH, CHILD, NO.

IF I MADE IT, IT'D BE FALLING ON

THE GROUND APART.

YOU KNOW, I HAVE YOU AS MY

DAUGHTER, OF COURSE, TA-DA,

LOOK.

YAY.

YAY.

BUT I WANTED TO INVITE

JAMARIO TO ALSO BE INVOLVED IN

THE NUMBER WITH US.

WOULD THAT BE FINE?

AS LONG AS HE'S OKAY WITH IT.

THAT INCLUDES YOU GETTING IN

DRAG TOO.

I'M OKAY WITH IT.

YAY!

OKAY.

AND I'M TAKING ON EVERYTHING

FROM HIPS TO TITS TO WIGS.

WE'RE GONNA GO FULL ON.

THE STORY IS ABOUT EMPOWERMENT

AND CELEBRATING YOUR LIFE, AND I

DON'T THINK THAT JOSE WOULD

FULLY BE CELEBRATING HIS LIFE AS

A GAY PERSON WITHOUT JAMARIO IN

IT.

SO, ARE YOU READY?

YES.

I FEEL READY.

I'M SORRY, ARE YOU READY?

I'M READY, YES.

HE'S LIKE, I'M READY?

ARE YOU READY?

I'M SORRY?

I'M READY!

I WANT TO HEAR AN ECHO.

I'M READY!

I'M READY!

OKAY, SHE'S READY, SHE LIVES.

COME ON IN, THIS IS OUR WORK

SPACE.

MAKEUP MIRRORS.

MOM WOULD BE SO HAPPY.

OH, 'CAUSE YOU'RE IN FRONT OF

A MAKEUP MIRROR?

EXACTLY.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS ONE OF

YOUR BEST FEATURES THAT YOU LIKE

TO SHOWCASE ON STAGE?

I LIKE MY CHEST AND MY LEGS.

CHEST AND LEGS, OKAY, SO SHE

WANTS TO BE NAKED.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

ASS.

I AM SO EXCITED.

I'M EXCITED TOO, AND

HONESTLY, I'VE NEVER DONE, LIKE,

THIS TYPE OF TRANSFORMATION

BEFORE.

I DON'T KNOW THE MOST ABOUT

BEING A DRAG KING.

I MEAN, I CAN TEACH LYNN HOW TO

DO DRAG, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I

CAN TEACH LYNN HOW TO BE A MAN.

SO, I DEFINITELY NEED TO PULL IN

SOMEBODY TO HELP US WITH THIS.

I BROUGHT IN LANDON CIDER WHO

IS, LIKE, A PROFESSIONAL DRAG

KING.

HI!

NICE TO MEET YOU.

HI, HOW ARE YOU?

NICE TO MEET YOU!

SHOW HIM YOUR SHIMMY.

SHOW US YOUR SHIMMY.

I DON'T HAVE A SHIMMY YET.

A SHIMMY, YES, COME ON, GIVE

US -- THIS IS THE SHIMMY.

SHIMMY.

YES!

FOR THIS HERO VERSION OF A

FIRE MARSHAL DRAG QUEEN, I AM

THINKING THAT WE DO SOME KIND OF

INTERPRETIVE GAS MASK THAT CAN

THEN REVEAL THAT YOU HAVE A FULL

BEARD UNDERNEATH ALL OF IT TOO.

COOL, COOL.

I LOVE YOUR RESPONSE.

I MEAN, IF I LOOK LIKE THAT,

THEN I'M DOWN.

THE NUMBER IS GONNA HAVE THAT

GREAT MEXICAN LAYER TO IT AND

EXCITEMENT.

RIGHT.

I WAS THINKING, LIKE A FULL

SENORITA MEXICO FANTASY.

SEE, WE'RE GOING, LIKE, VERY

COUNTRY BUT A LITTLE --

OH, I LOVE IT, YES.

YOU'RE STILL A LITTLE GAY.

SO WHAT IS THE CLIMATE LIKE

FOR GAYS IN MEXICAN CULTURE?

I THINK IT'S A LOT OF, LIKE,

THESE ASSUMPTIONS.

DRAG QUEENS ARE PERVERTS AND

THEY'RE THIS AND THEY'RE THAT.

YEAH.

JUST BAD PEOPLE AND PEOPLE YOU

CAN'T TRUST.

WHEN I FIRST CAME OUT TO MY

MOTHER, A LOT OF TEARS, RIGHT?

"I'M SURE IT'S JUST A PHASE."

AND YOU'RE LIKE, "NO, MOM, VERY

GAY.

STAYING GAY.

FOREVER GAY."

WELL, I THINK THE MORE THAT

PEOPLE KNOW SOMEONE, AN ACTUAL

PERSON AS OPPOSED TO JUST AN

IDEA OF WHAT A GAY PERSON, OR A

DRAG QUEEN IS, MAYBE WILL HELP

BREAK DOWN WHAT THAT STEREOTYPE

IS.

I WANT TO SHOW YOU THE ENERGY

THAT DRAG QUEENS BRING TO THE

STAGE WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO

BRING THE HOUSE DOWN.

SO THERE'S THIS LEGENDARY QUEEN

WHO PERFORMED THE SAME SONG THAT

YOU'RE PERFORMING.

TANDI IMAN DUPREE, THIS IS THE

ENTRANCE, GET READY.

BAM!

IT'S GONNA BE HARD!

SO J.LO, WHEN SHE GETS THAT

HAIR IN HER FACE, SHE TOSSES IT

BACK OUT.

SO, YOU JUST.

LET'S SAY YOU'RE DOING YOUR

NUMBER AND THIS HAPPENS, WHAT

YOU GONNA DO?

YES, YES.

I AM A WOMAN, AND I KNOW WHAT

I'M DOING.

I'M A WOMAN.

GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY FACE,

BITCH!

YES, OH!

CONFIDENCE IS KEY.

THAT KIND OF LIKE, "HEY, LADIES,

WHAT'S UP?"

YOU KNOW, KIND OF, WHAT SWAGGER.

YOU CAN DO SOME HIP THRUSTS.

SO THERE'S, YEAH.

HYPER MASCULINITY VERSION OF

YOURSELF IS GONNA BE SO FUN TO

WATCH.

WHAT ARE YOUR INITIAL

THOUGHTS?

LIKE, THIS IS A LOT.

I MEAN, THE TRANSFORMATION'S

GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, HUGE!

I DON'T THINK STACY

UNDERSTANDS THE GRAVITY OF WHAT

IT IS WE'RE DOING.

ALLY VOICES ARE AS STRONG AS

QUEER VOICES THEMSELVES.

IT'S A HUGE DEAL WHEN THAT

PERSON WHO EVERYBODY HAS LOOKED

UP TO IS STANDING UP FOR A GAY

COMMUNITY.

WE GONNA LOOK LIKE THREE

SISTERS.

THEY GONNA THINK WE DREAM GIRLS.

YES.

OH, I'M DEENA.

OKAY.

IN THE BEGINNING, I WOULD

WAKE UP MANY MORNINGS FORGETTING

THAT I WAS AN AMPUTEE AND, YOU

KNOW, THEN HAVE THAT

REALIZATION.

IT'S NOT A DREAM, IT'S REAL.

COME ON, LULU, YOU WANT TO GO

OUT?

LET'S GO OUTSIDE.

AFTER MY ACCIDENT, I WAS AT THE

REHAB.

THE EMTS ARE PUSHING ME ON THE

STRETCHER, AND I LOOKED WAY DOWN

THE HALL, AND THERE WAS A PERSON

STANDING THERE WITH A LIGHT

AROUND HER.

AND I CAN'T TELL YOU, IT WAS NOT

A LIGHT SOURCE LIKE YOU WOULD

EXPECT, BUT SHE WAS ILLUMINATED.

LOVE YOU, BABY.

AND I REMEMBER LOOKING AT HER

AND SAYING, "WOW, WHO IS THAT?"

I DON'T KNOW AT THE TIME WHAT I

WAS THINKING BECAUSE, WHO'S

LOOKING FOR THEIR LIFE MATE IN

THE MIDDLE OF, YOU KNOW, THIS

TYPE OF SITUATION?

I REMEMBER JUST LOOKING AT HER

AND NOT REALLY KNOWING FOR SURE

IF SHE WAS EVEN SOMEBODY THAT

DATED WOMEN.

ARE YOU SEATED?

I THINK I AM.

HAVE TO WALK FIRST.

I WAS ACTUALLY TOLD, YOU'LL

PROBABLY NEVER WALK AGAIN.

GET YOUR HOUSE WHEELCHAIR READY.

DO MY TEST WALK.

AND I REMEMBER, ROSE WAS JUST

LIKE, "THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE."

AND SHE'S LIKE, "PUT THE LEG ON.

LET'S GO."

WANT TO CHECK THAT STRAP?

YEAH.

COULD BE A LITTLE BIT --

IT'S A LITTLE SNUG.

IS IT SNUG?

OR TOO MUCH?

NO, IT'S GOOD, I THINK.

OH, IT'S RELEASING TOO.

YEAH, JUST TIGHTEN IT JUST A

TAD BIT SO THAT I DON'T HAVE TO

WORK SO HARD TO OPEN.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S TRY THAT.

HOLD UP.

STRAIGHTEN YOUR ARM OUT.

SEE?

THAT'S GOOD.

ALL RIGHT?

THE THING THAT I KNOW FOR

SURE, SHE'S GONNA TAKE CARE OF

ME.

LYNN, DO Y'ALL KNOW EACH

OTHER?

I DON'T, I DON'T.

NO, NO.

STACY WAS A FIREFIGHTER FOR

ABOUT TEN YEARS.

YEAH, I REMEMBER YOUR

INCIDENT, YEAH, YEAH.

OH, REALLY?

NO KIDDING, OKAY.

YOU WERE ON THE SCENE OR --

YOU LEFT, YOU LEFT.

YOU WERE GETTING IN THE

HELICOPTER BY THE TIME I WAS

THERE, YEAH.

YOU WERE THERE, YEAH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU

DID, YEAH.

OH, ANY TIME, ANY TIME.

HOW ARE YOU?

STACY.

I'M SHANGELA, NICE TO MEET

YOU, STACY.

LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO MY

FRIENDS.

THIS IS MARIO.

WE GREW UP TOGETHER.

I THINK WE GREW UP TOGETHER,

YEAH, YEAH.

I LOVE THAT.

AND JOSE.

OH, Y'ALL ALREADY KNOW EACH

OTHER?

OH, MY CHILD.

DRAG MAMA!

I AM SO HAPPY YOU'RE HERE.

HI, BABY, HOW YOU DOING?

YOUR HANDS ARE COLD.

HI, BEAUTIFUL.

HOW ARE YOU GUYS FEELING

ABOUT THE SHOW THAT'S COMING UP?

I'VE HEARD WE HAVE BEEN THE

HOT TOPIC ON RUSTON RANTS.

WHAT IS THAT?

WAIT, WHAT'S RUSTON RANTS?

ON FACEBOOK.

IT'S A GOSSIPING LITTLE --

YEAH, IT'S FOR VERY NARROW

MINDED PEOPLE.

SO YOU THINK VERY HIGHLY OF

IT.

I SEE YOU'RE A BIG FAN, ROSE.

I GOT KICKED OFF, SO.

20,000 MEMBERS OF RUSTON

RANTS!

THAT'S THE WHOLE TOWN, YEAH.

THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WOULD

EXPECT WHO WOULDN'T BE

SUPPORTIVE, THEY'RE LIKE, LET

'EM DO WHATEVER THEM DOING.

THE FOLKS WILL BE, LIKE, "I LOVE

YOU " OR LIKE, " THAT'S NOT A

CHRISTIAN THING TO DO."

SO IT'S BEEN...

THEY'RE THE ONES LIKE WRITING

CITY HALL, BEING LIKE, "THE GAYS

ARE TAKING OVER."

BUT THEY SAY THESE THINGS

WHEN THEY ARE BEHIND THEIR

KEYBOARD.

THEY DON'T SAY IT OUT --

IF YOU MET 'EM OUT IN PUBLIC?

YEAH, THEY WOULDN'T SAY THAT.

NO, THEY GONNA RUN.

'CAUSE I'VE HAD INTERACTIONS

WHERE THEY TAKE OFF RUNNING.

SO, DO YOU FEEL LIKE HAVING

THIS EVENT, THEN, ON TUESDAY

NIGHT, DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING

TO MAKE A MARK ON RUSTON, IT'S

GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN

THIS TOWN, YOU THINK?

I THINK FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT

HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED IN BEING

INVOLVED IN THAT ARE GONNA BE

LIKE, WOW, THIS IS NOT WHAT I

THOUGHT.

SO DON'T FORGET, GUYS, WE

ALSO HAVE REHEARSAL TOMORROW.

REHEARSAL TOMORROW.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN

THIS COMMUNITY WHO MAY NOT FEEL

COMFORTABLE BEING AS OUT, LOUD,

AND PROUD OR BEING AN ALLY LIKE

YOU GUYS ARE ON THAT STAGE AND

IF YOU GIVE THEM THE AMOUNT OF

CONFIDENCE THAT YOU HAVE AND YOU

GIVE THEM THE PRIDE THAT YOU

GUYS HAVE, THEN IT'S GONNA

REALLY HELP SOMEBODY OUT, AND

THAT'S REALLY WHY WE'RE HERE.

WE'RE GONNA GET, RUSTON'S GOT

SOMETHING TO RANT ABOUT.

HEY!

HEY, HEY, YOU GUYS, LISTEN.

THERE'S A MARDI GRAS FESTIVAL,

WE SHOULD GO.

WORK.

DO THEY HAVE, LIKE, CERTAIN

BARBECUES AND STUFF LIKE THAT?

WELL, MY WIFE ALWAYS COOKS

SOME CORN DOGS AND THAT'S --

WORK.

HOP UP ON 'EM.

IS THIS, LIKE, TRADITIONAL NEW

ORLEANS MUSIC?

YES, THIS IS IT.

OH MY GOSH, AND YOU MAKE THE

CAT FRY RIGHT HERE?

YEAH.

OH, I LOVE IT.

YEP, SIGN ME UP.

THIS IS MY FIRST TIME TO RUSTON.

REALLY?

YES!

I'M SHANGELA, BY THE WAY.

WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

I'M JACKIE K.

NICE TO MEET YOU, MISS

JACKIE.

AND LOOK, IF Y'ALL ARE HERE ON

TUESDAY, OUR SHOW IS 7:00.

WE'RE DOING A BIG DRAG SHOW

HERE.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO A DRAG

SHOW?

OH, HAVE I!

YES.

WHAT?

YES.

I LOVE IT.

I'D BETTER GET YOU SOME RED

KOOL-AID.

OH, OKAY, RED KOOL-AID.

YOU GOT TO HAVE RED KOOL-AID.

OKAY.

OH, MISS JACKIE, THANK YOU.

I'M PUTTING SOME EXTRA FISH

ON.

YOU ARE?

OH, I'M SO FISH!

YES, GOD!

GOT TO SERVE ME FOR THE FIRST

TIME WITH SOME FISH!

YES, GOD!

GO FISH!

GO FISH!

GO FISH!

GO FISH!

GO FISH!

GO FISH!

OW!

I LIKE THIS TOWN.

WORK.

OH, THAT DOESN'T OPEN EASY.

WORK.

ISN'T THIS WILD?

THIS IS VERY WILD.

OOH, OKAY, SO WE GOT SOME

DUCKIES HERE.

I BELIEVE THOSE ARE GEESE,

ACTUALLY.

OH, ARE THEY GEESE?

YEAH, THOSE WOULD BE THE

GEESE.

HI, GIRLS.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA GET

SOME REHEARSAL IN.

ARE YOU EXCITED?

OKAY.

I AM VERY.

JUST A LITTLE CONCERNED, BECAUSE

I HAVEN'T DANCED.

YOU HAVEN'T DANCED?

I HAVE NOT DANCED SINCE MY

ACCIDENT.

OKAY.

HOW DOES THAT FEEL?

BECAUSE YOU'RE THE GENTLEMAN, SO

I THINK...

AND I'LL HOLD YOU LIKE THIS.

YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

WOULD YOU, PLEASE?

I KNOW I'M THE LADY.

YOU AIN'T GOTS TO WORRY ABOUT

THAT, PAPA.

I'M JUST NOT A GOOD DANCER.

DON'T THINK OF THIS AS

DANCING, RIGHT?

WE'RE JUST WALKING AROUND.

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR.

RIGHT.

AND TURN?

COME ON, STAND.

OH, I NEED TO LOOK AT IT.

COME ON, FISH.

THE HUSTLE, COME ON.

OH, GIRL, USE THIS.

JOSE CAN'T EVEN WALK IN THE

HEEL.

I'M LIKE, WHAT KIND OF GAY BOY

ARE YOU?

YOU AIN'T NEVER PLAYED UP IN THE

PUMP?

'CAUSE I KNOW WHEN MY MAMA LEFT,

I WAS UP IN THE PUMP, OKAY?

SO I'M GONNA GET AN AEROBICS

FANTASY GOING ON.

SO LIKE BAT WINGS?

LIKE P90X STYLE?

YEAH, BUT NO, 'CAUSE THAT IS

NOT THE STUFF.

NAOMI CAMPBELL, SET, GO.

COME ON, BABY.

I'M GONNA FALL.

YOU ARE NOT GONNA FALL.

KEEP YOUR STATURE, YOUR POSTURE

IS UP, YOUR HEAD IS UP LIKE A

BOOK IS ON TOP AND YOU GONNA HIT

THAT SIDE CORNER.

YOU READY?

FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT AND

WALK.

I'M GETTING A LITTLE NERVOUS

WITH YOU IN THIS SHOE.

FOR DANCING AND FOR ALL THAT WE

HAVE TO DO.

SO LET'S TRY ON A BOOT, OKAY?

NOW, THAT'S A SICKENING BOOT.

CAT WALK ACROSS THE STAGE.

HANDS ON MY HIPS.

THERE YOU GO, YEAH, YES!

YES!

PUT YOUR HEAD UP!

THERE YOU GO.

LESSON ON THE CHOREO, OKAY?

YEAH, I FORGOT.

SO I'M GONNA NEED THE MUSIC

AND A COCKTAIL, GOOD LORD.

TAP, TAP, UP AND CLAP.

YEAH, YEAH.

STEP, TOUCH, STEP, TOUCH,

STEP, TOUCH.

OH, FRONT AND BACK, YEAH.

YEAH, OH, YEAH.

FRONT AND BACK.

THERE YOU GO.

OH, YOU GOT IT.

YOU KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.

WHY ARE YOU PRETENDING?

SOMETIMES DRAG IS BIG.

'CAUSE YOU HAVE TO SEE IT ON THE

BACK ROW!

NOT HERE.

OH, EXTEND ALL THE WAY.

EXTEND.

SO, IF YOU FORGET YOUR WORDS,

YOU JUST START SAYING WATERMELON

MOTHERFUCKER, AND FOR SOME

REASON.

IT LOOKS LIKE YOU MIGHT NO A

WORD OR TWO.

FANTASTIC!

WATERMELON MOTHERFUCKER!

FOR SURE.

I AM A LADY, HA!

I AM SELENA.

OOH.

WHAT IS...

OOH.

HELP ME, JESUS.

IT'S JUST A TURN.

WHAT YOU ALSO HAVE TO

REMEMBER TOO, LET ME TELL YOU

RIGHT NOW, THIS PERFORMANCE AND

WHAT WE'RE DOING, GOES BEYOND IF

YOU TURN AND STEP ON THE RIGHT

FOOT AT THE RIGHT TIME.

RIGHT.

I'M GONNA NEED HIM TO, LIKE,

LIVEN UP, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S

IMPORTANT THAT OTHER PEOPLE SEE

WHAT STACY'S DOING AND THAT HE

DO IT UNABASHEDLY.

IT IS PUTTING EVERYTHING

TOGETHER.

THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.

I'M GONNA TELL YOU NOW, I

DON'T KNOW WHAT TIME YOU'LL BE

UP IN THE MORNING, BUT IF YOU

DON'T HAVE THIS MEMORIZED

TONIGHT BEFORE YOU GO TO BED.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO SLEEP

TONIGHT, BITCH.

I KNOW.

I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS FOR

JOSE.

THE SHOW IS UPON US, OKAY?

NO, I MEAN, I LOOK FORWARD TO

IT.

I WISH WE KIND OF HAD LIKE A

TELEPROMPT.

TELEPROMPTER!

LISTEN, WE'LL DO WHAT WE GOT TO

DO TO GET WHERE WE GOT TO GET,

OKAY?

HOW OFTEN DO YOU COME OVER

HERE?

ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH.

OKAY.

BUT YOU LIVE IN THIS TOWN TOO.

SO IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU AND

YOUR MOM HAVE A SOMEWHAT OF A

ROCKY RELATIONSHIP?

YEAH.

DO YOU LOVE HER?

YES.

HER, BRINGING US HERE AND TAKING

ME AWAY FROM HOW BAD MY LIFE WAS

BACK IN MEXICO, I'M JUST

GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

I LIVED WITH HER TILL I WAS

ALMOST 19.

OKAY.

AND THAT'S IT, AND THEN I'VE

BEEN ON MY OWN SINCE THEN.

WHY DID YOU MOVE OUT?

WE HAD A FALL-OUT.

I TOLD HER I WAS GONNA GO SEE A

GUY THAT I WANTED TO DATE AND

SHE WAS LIKE, IF YOU GO OUT AND

SEE HIM, DON'T COME BACK.

YOU KNOW?

DID YOU GUYS EVER, LIKE, HAVE

THAT TALK WHERE YOU WERE, LIKE,

"MOM, I WANT YOU TO HEAR ME,

THIS IS HOW I FELT AS A KID."

NO.

TO THIS DAY, NOW WE ALWAYS TRY

TO NOT TALK ABOUT STUFF LIKE

THAT.

AND WHENEVER I DO TRY AND TALK

ABOUT IT OR ANYBODY TRIES TO

TALK ABOUT IT, IT JUST GETS SHUT

DOWN BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW AND

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO COPE WITH

IT.

WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS

WHEN THINGS GET BOTTLED UP AND

IGNORED.

THEY JUST SIT THERE AND THEY EAT

AWAY AT YOU.

HELLO!

HI.

HOW YOU DOING?

HI!

I'M DJ, OR SHANGELA.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

MY NAME IS ROSIO.

ROSIO.

I LOVE IT.

BEAUTIFUL.

NICE TO MEET YOU, ROSIO.

A PLEASURE.

ARE YOU MAKING ME SOME CEREAL?

YEAH.

YEAH, I WANT A BOWL OF

CEREAL, MAMA!

EVERY MORNING, WHEN I WAS A

LITTLE KID, MY GRANDMA, SHE

WOULD GIVE ME A BOWL OF FROSTY

FLAKES AND THAT'S WHAT I'D EAT,

AND SHE WOULD DUMP SUGAR ON IT

THOUGH.

OH.

I DIDN'T HAVE NO TEETH.

I HAD TO GET 'EM ALL NEW.

HOW WAS JOSE GROWING UP?

AS A NIÑO, AS A KID?

HE WAS A GOOD BOY, JUST WHEN

HE LITTLE.

WHEN HE IS MOVING HERE IS A LOT

FOR HIM, FOR CHANGE EVERYTHING

AND THIS IS CONFUSED, NO

ENGLISH, NOTHING, GOING TO

SCHOOLING HERE IN SIXTH GRADE.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE.

I STARTED SCHOOL WITH NO

ENGLISH.

YEAH, NOTHING.

WERE YOU MORE QUIET IN

SCHOOL?

OH, YEAH.

ONE YEAR HE HAS TO SPEAK

ENGLISH.

ONE YEAR ONLY?

IN ONE YEAR ONLY.

THIS IS COMING TO HIM 'CAUSE

HE'S GONE TO SCHOOL, IN THE

SCHOOL.

NEVER COMPLAIN IN THE SCHOOL.

AND THEN IN THE SCHOOL, SOMEBODY

PUSH ON HIM AND --

BULLYING.

BULLYING.

UH-HUH, THE BULLYING ON THE

SCHOOL.

HE HAS NOT TOLD ME, BUT I...

HE'S TOLD TO ME EVERYTHING.

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU

WOULDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING

HOME AND TELLING YOUR MOM?

I THINK SHE'S MORE WORRIED

ABOUT, LIKE, WHAT THEY WILL SAY

ABOUT HER AND THE FAMILY AND,

YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WILL THINK

ABOUT HER, STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO I JUST DON'T TELL HER.

NO, YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU 12

YEARS OLD?

WHEN YOU 12 YEARS?

WHEN I TALK TO YOU.

YOU REMEMBER?

NO, NO.

I'M YOUR MOTHER.

WHEN YOU --

IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY.

DO YOU HEAR HER?

THIS IS FOR REAL.

THIS IS REAL.

REAL.

REAL.

AND ALL THE TIME, ALL THE

TIME, I'M SUPPORTING YOU.

ALL RIGHT, SO I HAVE MORE OF

A, "DON'T DO IT BECAUSE YOU

GONNA BRING ATTENTION TO

YOURSELF."

AND SHE DOESN'T, SHE DIDN'T WANT

THAT.

INSTEAD OF BEING, LIKE, "DON'T

WORRY ABOUT IT, JUST DO IT" SHE

SUPPRESSED IT.

WE'RE DOING A SHOW TOGETHER.

WHAT WILL IT MEAN TO YOU WHEN

YOU SEE YOUR MOM AND YOUR SISTER

IN THE AUDIENCE?

THAT I CAN COUNT ON THEM.

THEN MAYBE EVERYTHING THAT I'VE

THOUGHT, THAT THEY DID WRONG OR

THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS WRONG,

THAT I WASN'T RIGHT, YOU KNOW?

HOW WILL IT MAKE YOU FEEL TO

SEE HIM ON STAGE?

I LOVE THIS.

WELL, THANK YOU.

CAN ONLY DRAG PEOPLE WALK ON

STAGE?

BABY, YOU WANT TO COME UP ON

THE STAGE?

YOU MAKE SURE AND THANK YOUR

SISTER.

THANK YOUR SISTER AND TAKE HER

TO THE SHOW.

I KNEW IT.

WE WILL SEE YOU AT THE SHOW.

YES, IT IS.

OKAY, PLEASE INVITE YOUR

FRIENDS.

OH, YEAH.

OH, YEAH.

I LOVE IT.

OKAY, WE'LL SEE YOU.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

TUESDAY, TUESDAY NIGHT.

TUESDAY NIGHT.

OKAY.

REMEMBER, MOTHERS ARE ALWAYS

GONNA PUT ON THE BEST FACE

AMONGST FRIENDS.

AMONG STRANGERS.

UH-HUH.

THEY'RE ALWAYS GONNA DO THAT.

DID YOU FEEL LIKE THAT?

I DIDN'T FEEL IT, I SAW IT.

IT'S JUST, I DON'T WANT TO HURT

THEM, SO IT JUST, WHATEVER FACE

SHE GIVES ME, THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH

FOR ME RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT.

AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW WHAT,

WE'LL TAKE RIGHT NOW.

DOING DRAG IS NOT ABOUT

WANTING TO DRESS OR BE A GIRL,

IT'S ABOUT SHOWING MY FAMILY

THAT I CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT

MYSELF AND BE MORE THAN THEY

THINK I AM.

IF THEY WERE THERE, I WOULDN'T

CARE IF THEY WERE THE ONLY

PEOPLE THERE.

I JUST DON'T WANT MORE

REJECTION.

LOOK STRAIGHT AT ME.

OH, WHO IS SHE?

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN JAMARIO

WITHOUT HIS MUSTACHE?

NO.

IT'S A PART OF WHO I AM.

YEAH, HE ALWAYS HAD IT.

IT'S GONE.

NOW I LOOK LIKE A LITTLE CUTIE

LIKE YOU.

TAKE A SHOT BEFORE YOU GO ON

STAGE, SETTLE THE NERVES.

WELL, I AM BETTER AT DANCING

WHEN I'M DRUNK.

YOU EVER BEEN DRUNK IN HIGH

HEELS THOUGH?

MM-MM, MM-MM, I CAN'T SAY I

HAVE.

I THINK EVERYONE'S SURPRISED

BY WHAT THEY FIND WHEN THEY GET

IN DRAG FOR THE FIRST TIME.

LIKE, YOU FIND SOMETHING IN YOU

THAT WAS NEVER BEFORE AND YOU'RE

LIKE, "OH, THIS IS BRAND THE

FUCK NEW."

HOW YOU DOING WITH YOUR

LINES?

YOU GOOD?

GOOD, YES.

YOU FEEL GOOD?

OKAY, TELL ME, WHAT'S THE FIRST

WORDS OF J.LO?

OOH, WHO?

HEY, SIR, YOU WANT A DATE?

I COULD GO TAKE YOU OUT

DANCING.

AH!

THIS WAS SO CONVINCING WHEN I

WALKED INTO THE BATHROOM, I

TRIED TO PEE STANDING UP.

RUSTON, LOUISIANA, ARE YOU

READY FOR A GOOD TIME?

PLEASE WELCOME THE ONE AND ONLY

MISS BOB THE DRAG QUEEN!

RUSTON, HOW YOU FEELING?

SOMEBODY TAKE MY BABY, I GOT

TO...

YOU KNOW, THEY JUST LATCH ON.

THERE WE GO.

CAN WE HAVE A BIG, BIG, BIG

THANK YOU AND BIG SHOUT OUT TO

SUNDOWN FOR ALLOWING US TO HAVE

A --

YES, WE SAID, WHERE IS THERE A

SAFE SPACE FOR QUEERS TO GO AND

DRINK AND PARTY AND COMMUNE AND

TIME AND TIME AGAIN, PEOPLE SAID

"GO TO THE SUNDOWN TAVERN."

WE'VE HAD A VERY INTERESTING

RECEPTION HERE IN RUSTON.

WE HEARD ABOUT RUSTON RANTS.

BOO!

WE HEARD ALL THE RUMORS.

THEY'RE HERE TO CHANGE PEOPLE

GAY!

AND I'M LIKE, MARY, THE GAYS

WERE ALREADY HERE BEFORE WE

SHOWED UP.

PEOPLE LIKE US AND PEOPLE LIKE

THE PEOPLE WE ARE SHOWING IN

THIS CAST TONIGHT, ALREADY EXIST

RIGHT HERE IN YOUR TOWN.

THESE ARE YOUR BROTHERS, YOUR

SISTERS, YOUR SIBLINGS, YOUR

PARENTS, YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR

CHILDREN, YOUR GRANDCHILDREN,

YOUR COUSINS.

SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, ARE YOU

READY FOR AN AMAZING DRAG SHOW?

YEAH!

FOR ME, THE BIGGEST THING IS

THAT I'M A LESBIAN AND I'M A

DOUBLE AMPUTEE AND I JUST WANT

TO BE ACCEPTED FOR BEING JUST

THE WAY I AM.

THREE YEARS AGO, I WAS HIT BY A

DUMB MOTHERFUCKER AND LOST MY

ARM AND LEG.

MY NAME IS WILL-LYNN O'HARA AND

THIS IS MY DRAG-MAMA, EUREKA.

WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK OF THIS

FUCKIN' STUD, WILL-LYNN O'HARA!?

WE ALSO GOT THE WIFE IN THE

HOUSE, MISS ROSE.

MISS ROSE, GET UP HERE.

SO THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL, OPEN,

LESBIAN COUPLE RIGHT HERE IN

TOWN.

I JUST WANT TO SAY, THESE ARE

THE EXACT BOOTS THAT I WAS

KNOCKED OUT OF THE NIGHT THAT I

WAS HIT ON MY MOTORCYCLE.

PUTTING THEM BACK ON THIS

MORNING, FELT LIKE COMING HOME.

DO YOU HAVE ANY RESERVATIONS?

NO, I MEAN, I AM NERVOUS, BUT

I MEAN, IT'S ALL RIGHT.

IT REALLY DOES MEAN A LOT, I

THINK, TO ALL OF US, TO HAVE YOU

HERE.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INCLUSIVE.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AN ALLY.

IF ANYBODY EVER BEING

MISTREATED, I'LL ALWAYS STEP IN.

IT DON'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE.

SO COMING TO THE STAGE RIGHT

NOW, I WANT TO INVITE MY GOOD...

WHAT?

WE DON'T WANT NO GAYS!

WHAT?

I'M SORRY, WHAT?

WE DON'T WANT NO DRAG SHOW,

NO GAYS!

Y'ALL DON'T WANT NO DRAG

SHOW?

WHAT?

WE DON'T WANT NO DRAG SHOW,

HEY, HEY!

WE DON'T WANT NO DRAG SHOW!

GIVE IT UP FOR FIRE MARSHAL

STACY.

WE ARE TAKING YOU OUT OF YOUR

COMFORT ZONE, LITERALLY WITH

THIS CORSET.

OH, OH.

WHAT HAS THIS WEEK BEEN LIKE FOR

YOU?

IT'S BEEN VERY EYE-OPENING.

I MEAN, IF IT TAKES THIS MUCH

JUST TO FEEL YOURSELF, THEN I --

I HATE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE

SUPPRESSED AND DON'T FEEL LIKE

THEY CAN BE THEIRSELVES.

I APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH

BEING A PART OF THIS.

HOW MUCH OF A BIG BROTHER YOU'VE

BEEN.

I AM PROUD OF YOU, MAN.

STANDING UP FOR HIMSELF MORE.

I'M TRYING NOT TO CRY.

YOUR MOM, HAS SHE ALWAYS BEEN

SUPPORTIVE?

HER UNDERSTANDING, IT'S KIND

OF LIKE DIFFICULT, I GUESS.

SHE SEES IT HER WAY AND THEN I

SEE IT MY WAY AND THEN WE DON'T

MEET IN THE MIDDLE MOST OF THE

TIME, SO I'M VERY NERVOUS.

I WANT TO PLEASE GET A HUGE

ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR

KIWI-LICIOUS, BIG MAMA BUTTER,

AND SHANGELA LAQUIFA WADLEY!

NO, EVERYBODY'S GONNA LAUGH.

FRIEND, IT DOESN'T MATTER

WHAT OTHERS THINK OF YOU.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND I WILL

ALWAYS BE YOUR FRIEND.

SOMEONE'S COMING.

I THINK IT'S YOUR NOSY NEIGHBOR.

NEIGHBOR!

NEIGHBOR!

HELLO.

HI, OLD LADY WADLEY.

WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?

OH, THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD WILL

BE TALKING.

ARE YOU A DRAG QUEEN?

NO.

I MEAN, YES, I AM A DRAG

QUEEN, AND I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU

THINK.

IT'S TIME I START CELEBRATING

BEING ME.

HIT IT!

I KNOW Y'ALL NOT GONNA HAVE

THIS PARTY WITHOUT ME, HONEY.

COME ON.

TONIGHT, I THANK YOU BOTH

BECAUSE YOU WERE OPEN TO

SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE NOT

COMFORTABLE WITH AT FIRST, BUT

YOU GREW.

LIVING IN A TOWN LIKE THIS,

NOT REALLY KNOWING HOW MANY

PEOPLE ACTUALLY DO SUPPORT YOU,

THIS IS HISTORY RIGHT HERE.

I AM VERY, VERY HAPPY.

MY FAMILY IS RIGHT HERE, MY

MOTHER.

GOOD JOB!

THANK YOU FOR PUSHING ME SO

HARD.

SIS, YOU PULLED OUT SOME

STUFF I HADN'T EVEN SEEN YET.

I WAS LIKE, OKAY THEN, MISS

THING!

WHOO!

I'M DEFINITELY A NEW PERSON.

IT FELT GOOD, IT FELT RIGHT.

WHEN I PUT ON FULL COSTUME, I

WAS ABLE TO RELATE A LITTLE BIT

MORE OF WHAT DRAG MEANS TO MANY

PEOPLE.

IT WAS LIKE, WOW, YOU CAN SEE

THEIR AUTHENTIC SELVES.

I'M SO FUCKIN' PROUD OF YOU.

OH, MY GOD, THAT WAS AMAZING.

THERE WAS A PART OF ME THAT WAS

A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS BECAUSE

QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WEREN'T REAL

HAPPY THAT WE WERE DOING THIS.

BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE

HERE ARE VERY ACCEPTANT OF ALL

LIFESTYLES.

THAT'S WHAT I SAW TONIGHT.

HEY, KIDS, DON'T FORGET, THIS

IS NOW A SAFE SPACE HERE AT THE

SUNDOWN.

BIG SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE DRAG

QUEENS AND THE NON-BINARY

PEOPLE, THE QUEERS WHO CAME OUT

HERE TO CELEBRATE TONIGHT.

THIS IS A PLACE WHERE I CAN BE

MYSELF WITH MY LOVED ONES, WITH

MY FAMILY, WITH MY PARTNERS AND

YOURSELVES, THE COMMUNITY.

YES!

WE ARE HERE!

WE ARE HERE!

THANK YOU SO MUCH, RUSTON,

YOU'VE BEEN AMAZING!

Sound is speeding!

I'ma do a clap slay!

Me, Bob, and Shangela
have been through

a lot of things
to get where we are.

And we hope that you all enjoy
exploring

just a part of our stories.

I used to try on towels,
on my hair, you know, as wigs,

and tip around in my mom's heels

when she wasn't looking.

Being a gay kid in a small town,

it was hard.

I always liked dressing up,

since I could remember,

but I was just really terrified
to do it.

I kept thinking, I'm broken.

Like just didn't wanna deal
with being myself.

Drag saved my life,
I don't know what I would do

if I didn't have this.

During this lockdown,

you might feel like
you're alone,

but this is a thing that
we're all in together.

Work.