The X Change Rate: Kandi Burruss & Miz Cracker
In "The X Change Rate," award-winning drag queen, entertainer and TV personality Monét X Change brings her signature wit, heart and style to BUILD Series. This week, Monét took some time to chat with "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Kandi Burruss and drag queen Miz Cracker.
Video Transcript
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MONET X CHANGE: Hey, y'all. It's your girl Monet, and welcome back to The X Change Rate, a show that's been described as warm, sweet, inviting, sensational, tantalizing, but enough about my WAP. [LAUGHTER]
I'm always excited about our guests, but today even more than usual, y'all. Our first guest it's unequivocally the best part of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Yes, I said it. Kandi Burruss is here. And later, my New York City soul sister, they Yo to my Mama, my All Stars queen Miz Cracker is also here.
But first, let's get up in the gig. Hit it. OK, I have to tell y'all, honey, this brown-skinned girl who-- highly melanated look, I am feeling it. Girl, I'd like to get me some rough straight hood-ass nigga to come up in her and choke me up in this goddamn apartment. No tea, no shade.
And I finally finished Black Is King, and it is really good. Now, I know last time we had the show I said I haven't watched through and I put it off, but I think I put it off in a lull. You know like in every movie, no matter if it's an episode of whatever it is, whatever movie, there's always that moment where you're like, ugh, there's so much of this movie left and you're a little bored. And I think that's where I got to, but I finished the whole thing, and it's fierce.
I can't believe Beyonce shaded Michelle by not include her in the film. And y'all can say what y'all want. Kelly was in there. The fact that she omitted Michelle in not putting her in there, I think it's a little shady. Do y'all think so? I think it's shady. But, yeah, the movie Black Is King is fierce, it's great. And, yes, people are talking shit about it, but people are going to talk shit whether you're doing good or whether you're doing bad, so you just keep on moving on and do your do. Amen.
I've also started intermittent fasting. If you don't know what that is, I can eat for eight hours of the day and then I have to fast for the other 16. And it has been changing my life, but bitch, the first three days was mothertucking hell. I hated everyone, I hated everything, and it was really hard. And I do advise intermittent fasting.
Now, again, go by your doctor dietary-- go by your doctor's dietary nutritional orders, but it is turning me out. In a week and a day, I've already lost five pounds. You can tell by this collarbone right here. Look at it. Look at her. Y'all see that? That's called fasting, honey.
And I had my first cheat day on Saturday, and let me tell y'all, I went in. First of all, I woke up at the blissful hour of 1:00 PM, I made me two bacon egg and cheeses on some Ezekiel bread that is like an egg, bacon, cheddar cheese on one of the sandwiches and white cheddar on the other one. Chef's kiss.
And then I took a little nap, and then I rented a city bike. And then I wanted to get pizza, and I love Domino's, but for some reason I was craving Uno's. Y'all know about Uno's? Full tea, Uno's is better than pizza-- Uno's pizza is better than Domino's pizza, but I think they're here or there.
So I biked down to Chicago Grill, got me a Uno, the little deep-dish pizza, and then I biked up to Levain, and I got me some Levain chocolate chip cookies. Which, do you know that each Levain chocolate chip cookie has 600 calories? 600 calories in one motherfucking cookie. Well, bitch I had to, and I don't regret it at all. I feel great. I look stunning. Intermittent fasting is the wave of the future.
And before I get into the first story, I do want to say really quick, I've had a small change of heart about the Ellen thing. I know last week I was pretty hard on Ellen, but I've been thinking about it. I'm like, you know what? Yes, she's mean, and I get it, she's a mean lady, but you can't ignore all of the amazing things Ellen has done for the community.
Ellen was one of the first people to put it out there. Her career was over for four years because she came out as being gay on her show. Arguably, if Ellen would have never done that, maybe I might not be sitting here in front of y'all on YouTube. You just don't know.
And I think trying to embrace Ellen's amazing work for the community is really shady because those are milestones and giants and that needed to be fought for us to be here. And no matter how big or how small her contributions are, to me they were major in the grand scheme of progression for LGBTQ folk and we should remember that.
And also trying to crush Ellen for the transgression of her male executives at her thing is a little misogynistic. We can't be blaming women for what men are doing. This shady-ass dude, Kevin whatever his name is, he's doing these actions on his own, and he should be held accountable. But holding Ellen accountable to his work is a very nuanced thing. We shouldn't just want to crush Ellen right away. That's all I have to say, and I'm so--
Yeah, moving on. First story. This hair is-- I can't wear these rings with this hair. This gets caught in my-- just pulling out this yarn, this natural-- wait, I need to put-- so I can hide this shoulder. This shoulder ain't losing 5,000. This shoulder. Trying to hide her right here.
Wet-ass pussy girl Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B have come out with "Wet Ass Pussy," and girl, I'm obsessed. I feel like my life has changed. It is everything. It came out on August 7, and it already has over 69 million views on YouTube. Crazy. But in the 24 hours it had 27 million views, and that is the biggest debut for a female collaboration in YouTube history ever. So that is major, major, major, major. So congrats to those two ladies.
But people are shading them because of the Kylie Jenner cameo. Y'all are shading-- y'all are forgetting about the two amazing women of color in this video and you're focusing on Kylie Jenner. Which, Cardi B is defending Kylie. Cardi B is like, I put Kylie in it. It was a little cameo, and Kylie has been really nice to me. Our husbands get along. Her mom has been really helpful with advice on my career.
So Kylie is cool-- I mean, Cardi is cool with Kylie, and she put her in the video. It was maybe all of seven seconds, and for what it's worth, Kylie turned it. She looked hot, it was fierce. When she opened that door and that little-- so she opens the door, and that slight look to the camera like-- bitch, I was like, yes! What is buzzing? It was so cute. It was fierce. It was major. You can't be mad at the girl for turning it out.
And that shit reassured me more that they aren't trying to act like this bitch's body is real. Honey, the BBL-ification of all of it. I'm like, girl you-- them hips was not made in America, honey. They were made in a lab in Turkey and then pumped into your booty because that is not real. But she still looks great. I digress.
And, yeah, and people are also mad that-- y'all are-- so this is a really weird dichotomy. Y'all are mad that we're focusing on Kylie, but you choosing to not-- but y'all are choosing to not celebrate Normani. Everyone's like, yeah, but why is Kylie Jenner trending and why is Normani not? It's like, bitch, why aren't you talking about Normani?
And Cardi said-- Cardi said this. She was like, Normani is one of the best female artists that dances. She dances her fucking ass off. Why would she open a door? Please tell me how that would make sense. And people are like, oh, Normani should have walked down the hallway and opened the door, and then Kylie would've been dancing. But then y'all would've been mad that Kylie's dancing and Normani just opened the door. You just can't win for losing.
And I think the video is great. It is a really bold, powerful statement about women's empowerment, and it's just-- I love it, I'm obsessed. And in a few weeks there might be some--
And obviously the Christian community has a lot to say. Ben Shapiro, ugh, and Representative James Bradley said this. "#WAP-- which I heard accidentally-- made me want to pour holy water in my ears and feel sorry for future girls if this is their role model!" Evangelicals and conservative and Christians who act like they don't fucking suck dick,
I'm like, y'all are part of the problem. This is why. Y'all ain't doing this with your wives, so you go to Moscow and you rent a hooker to piss on you for $20 because you're so afraid of your own sexuality and you're so afraid of women embracing their sexuality. This is literally the problem.
Ben Shapiro, shut your ass up. Go talk to your wife, your girlfriend. I don't know what he-- I don't really know nothing about Ben Shapiro, but I know he heard it accid-- he heard it-- how do you hear it accidentally? No, mama, you went on YouTube and you probably typed in ebony enchantress goddess, who knows what your old ass is typing in, and WAP came on your screen and you enjoyed it. Just say you enjoyed it. You don't got to talk shit. Anyway, congratulations Cardi and Megan. Y'all are turning the party. Work.
Mulan, Mulan, Mulan. Not Milan the drag queen, Mulan the movie, girl. In case y'all don't know, Mulan was supposed to come out in March, I think March 27. I remember when Manila-- Nina West and I filmed a commercial for Trolls, that same night Manila went to the red carpet event for Mulan, so it was definitely March. But with COVID, a lot of things have been pushed back, and Disney's finally announcing that they're going to be premiering Mulan on their app, Disney Plus.
However, here's the catch. You have to pay 30 additional dollars to watch it starting September 4. And this may be an unpopular opinion, but I think that's right. I think that makes sense. Think about it. I can't speak for everywhere else, but I know in New York, if you go to see an IMAX 3D movie, you're, off the bat for the ticket, you're coming off-- oh, my hair. You know when you move and it just hits-- oh, there's the light. I can see it. Whatever. Oh, I got it. Whew.
Off the bat in New York City, you go to an IMAX movie, that's $26 out of your pocket. That's just for the ticket. Now, you fast-forward to you're getting snacks, you're getting popcorn, whatever. So a family of three, like a mom and a dad and a kid or a dad and a dad and a kid and a mommy, a mommy, and a kid, whatever it is, you're spending close to about $70, $60 just going to see the movie. So I think them putting it in for $30, I think that's a nationwide average.
Also, you don't have to buy it. You can wait until it's available in a few months, just like you would any other movie. So people are up in arms. They're like, how dare they charge $30? It's like, then don't buy it. Don't watch it. Disney is not making you-- it's not this mandatory $30 charge you have to do to see the movie. Just wait till it comes out like you would have any other movie.
And it's-- obviously this is going to be the case in a lot of America. However, if movie theaters are open in your town, for places like New Zealand, where they have literally zero COVID cases in over 100 days, movie theaters are open there, so you can go watch it at the movie theater. But this is just an option for people at home who can't go to the movies to watch it, so which makes sense.
And the Disney CEO, Bob Chapek, not the drag queen, Bob Chapek said that the pandemic has forced the company to think of different ways to generate money. In the first quarter of the year, they reported a $5 billion loss. That is a lot of coins, although, Disney, they've got it. I mean, they ain't hurting for $5 billion, but that is no small-- that ain't chump change. That's a lot of money. So I get it. You're trying to think of ways.
Again, you don't have to buy it, all right? You don't. I don't think it's complicated. People are so upset at Disney. If you want to see the movie and you have it, great. I know I'm going to buy it.
I mean, I'm the kind-- again, I go to movies in the city, and at the movies I'm buying the nachos, which is $14 by itself, and then I'm going to get me the large soda, which is another $8. So if you look at my tickets, what's that? $14 plus $8 is $24? $22. So $22 on top of my $26. So every time I go to the movies, I'm already spending a minimum of 36, 42, $48 every time I go to the movies. So spending $30 when I can be at home and just watch it.
A friend of mine did have a good idea. If they gave you a voucher for Uber Eats, like $10 off popcorn or something, maybe that could be a way to subsidize it. I don't know. That's adding even more shit because then you end up spending more money because you're getting more than popcorn, whatever the case may be. Anyway, I'm all here for it. Go watch Mulan if you've got the $30, and if you don't, wait till it's free.
Another story that I want to talk about really quick is something that we've all-- it's like the big elephant in the room. We all know the whole RuPaul deleting all of his social media. People have been really wondering where is RuPaul among-- with Black Lives Matter? Why isn't RuPaul saying anything?
And sources close to Ru are saying that things like Black Lives Matter are really overwhelming for Ru. Ru gets a lot of backlash and negativity for things like Drag Race for not having more trans contestants or AFAB contestants, all that stuff. So I guess he shuts down.
And on diversity for Drag Race, the show itself is pretty diverse. If you look at all the winners, out of all the winners, 12 of the seasons' winners, seven of them are people of color. If you look at the All Star winners, two of us are people of color. Trixie is Native American. And the cast for each season is pretty, pretty, pretty diverse. You have eight transgender women who have been on Drag Race.
And could the show do more? Absolutely. Could the show open up their horizons more? Absolutely. But as looking at it now, the show is a pretty diverse show. And I guess Ru has a hard time with this. Again, I'm not Ru Paul, I don't know his life, I don't know his feelings, I don't know his emotions. But I guess that could be--
I'm kind of going the route of the Tamar Braxton story we talked about. If I can imagine the amount of hate and mean things that I get, being called a Black monkey and people send me pictures of monkeys with crowns on, talking about that was me when I won, I can only imagine how much that's multiplied for someone like Ru, who is a bajillion times more famous than me or Tamar Braxton.
So I think it's a really tricky thing, and maybe he thought the best way to mitigate that was to shut down his social media so he's not getting mean comments or DMs or whatever it was. And people are like, Ru should be out there on the front lines, Ru should be protesting, Ru should be saying something about Black Lives Matter.
First of all, I am not in the business of white people telling Black people how to be activists and how to speak up. As a white person, you don't get to tell me how I should be acting, how I choose to be an activist for Black people. You have your own crosses to bear. You worry about yourself. Don't tell Black people how to activate. That's not your job.
Ru has a long history of his own activism. Ru was part of the VIVA Glam campaign for AIDS awareness. They've raised over $400 million. Ru used to protest the KKK back in the early '90s. Ru was at the women's and gay liberation march. Ru is an old Black man who was alive in the '70s, '80s, and '90s and is still alive now. I was saying like he's dead. Oh, Lord. Jesus Christ.
But yeah, Ru has had a lot of activism and a lot of fighting for Black folk and queer folk in his life, so I don't think we get to call him out and say, how dare you not do this. That's his own demons, that's his own struggle, and we don't get to do that.
And as far as people saying that Ru doesn't care about the girls on the show, I have been on Drag Race two times, and I've had two separate meetings with Ru outside of the Drag Race thing, and they have all been good experiences. Every time Ru will come into the workroom, Ru would say, hey, girls. Oh, girl, make a snippy comment. Oh, girl, you wearing that outfit today? Like fun little bipitty bops like that.
And Ru did this show. Ru did my talk show. And I can tell y'all, Ru was so sweet, so kind. I walked into the green room to meet him, and he was like, Monet X Change, you've got a talk show, girl! And it was a fun-- it's never anything like I can't talk to Ru directly.
And going on to Drag Race, I guess some girls go on and they feel like they're about to make this personal bond with Ru and he's going to be your mentor forever. But I know, being someone-- I wasn't new to film and TV, I know how TV works, even before Drag Race, so I wasn't expecting that. That was my expectation.
So for people who had that expectation, I can get why they feel like Ru's mean, but I feel like, girl, he put me on an international television show, and he's a reason why I have this platform now. So Ru has made waves for over 150 of us who have platforms and have our voices, so I feel like Ru is doing good work and he doesn't owe anyone an explanation why he ain't speaking out. Girl, that's her business, and just let the girl live.
Someone who is speaking out and having a big dick energy flex-- honestly, I think this next person has a massive dick energy: Oprah Winfrey. Oprah Winfrey does not play games. When Oprah is ready, when Oprah does shit, she does it major, major, major, major.
And she flexed real hard on Black Lives Matter, girl. Oprah went on down to Louisville, and she put Breonna Taylor's image on 26 billboards in Louisville to correspond with her 26 years of life before it was sadly taken away by Louisville police. And this is the first-- well, because Oprah has been on the cover of O Magazine. This is the first time in the 20 years O Magazine has been around that they have put someone other than Oprah on the cover of the magazine. So this is really major.
Obviously, we are all, all, all still trying to get justice for Breonna Taylor, and to see a powerful woman like Oprah Winfrey-- Black women like Oprah Winfrey speaking out. Honestly, as a lowly individual in this world, I don't know what else we can do to make this government in Louisville open their eyes and to have actual forward movement and action. Because I feel like every day I am seeing "arrest the cops that killed Breonna," but it just seems like Louisville, they are just literally not listening or they're choosing to ignore us and what we-- and the justice that a lot of the country and, honestly, even the world is requesting.
So it's been really interesting. But to see someone like Oprah using her platform in such a major way, I think it's really fierce. And she said this: "Breonna Taylor. She was just like me. She was just like you. And like everyone who dies unexpectedly, she had plans. Plans for a future filled with responsibility and work and friends and laughter. I think about Breonna Taylor often. Imagine if three unidentified men burst into your home while you were sleeping. And your partner fired a gun to protect you. And then mayhem. What I know for sure: We can't be silent."
So I'm going to keep on posting, you can keep on posting, and if you're ever confused about what you can do to continue the fight, here are some steps. One, sign petitions. There's one at whitehouse.gov, and on Color of Change has some petitions out to demand justice for Breonna. Two, call Kentucky's attorney general, call the Louisville mayor, Louisville's interim police chief, and demand justice for Breonna. Number three what you can do is donate to the Louisville community bail fund to aid protesters fighting in. Breonna's hometown. And four, #SayHerName, #ArrestTheCopsThatKilledBreonnaTaylor.
Yes, it seems like no one is listening, but honestly, you can only ignore a ticking clock for so long. At some point that ticking gets to you, and you have to do something. So I think that we've just got to keep on hashtagging, girl, and keep on calling the attorney general and keep on doing the things to get justice for Breonna. So thank you, Oprah, and thank you to all the major celebs using their platform to still talk about it. And keep the conversation going. We've got to.
Girl, the sheer power that this woman holds in her fingertips alone, Thanos could never. Singer, songwriter, executive producer, restaurant mogul, HBIC on The Real Housewives, the list goes on. Welcome, Kandi!
KANDI BURRUSS: Thank you. That was a hell of an introduction.
MONET X CHANGE: I mean, and they're all facts, facts, facts, facts. How are you, my dear?
KANDI BURRUSS: I'm doing great. I mean, as good as I can be with what's going on in this world.
MONET X CHANGE: Yeah, yeah, yeah, making the best of all of it.
I had this-- you were-- before we all started, we were talking about the weather in Atlanta. And it is hot everywhere in America, but I can--
KANDI BURRUSS: Hot--
MONET X CHANGE: --only imagine how disgustingly hot it is in Atlanta.
KANDI BURRUSS: Yes. It's really on fire right now. And then plus, I believe we're supposed to have rain. But it's kind of crazy because it's still super hot, and then you don't know. They say it's going to rain, but it rains, it's like for a little, and it goes back to blazing.
MONET X CHANGE: Last summer I was in Atlanta, and I went-- I literally flew there to get some tattoos by Miya Bailey. Shout-out Miya Bailey. I love him in Atlanta. And I tried to go to OLG, but the lines-- the wait was crazy. It was impossible. I was like, I have to be friends with Kandi. I just want a meal.
KANDI BURRUSS: Next time you're just going to have to text me and then we can figure it out. Right now it's even more crazy because we've actually taken out some of the tables so that it can be not as crowded in a little bit because of COVID, which makes the waits longer on the weekends. So unfortunately, it's not our fault. We're trying to figure it out.
MONET X CHANGE: With COVID, did you guys get really-- did it really mess you guys up? How was the whole COVID energy?
KANDI BURRUSS: Yes. It really messed us up at first, especially because when everybody did the shutdown at first in Atlanta, we shut our restaurant down, and we really wanted to follow the protocol that the mayor had set. So we totally closed our doors. After a while we started doing takeout, but we were kind of closed for two months.
And for us that's crazy because we normally have a lot of people coming in and out of here, so I was like, oh my God, what is happening to our business? But we eventually opened back up.
MONET X CHANGE: OK, good, good. And then, it's OK-- what do you think about your career and your life? It is obviously insane, and you're super accomplished, but the younger kids that watch Housewives of Atlanta who know you through that lens don't know you are a super accomplished musician. You've written some of the biggest hits that we know, and it's like-- does that get you tight, that these young kids don't be throwing respect on your name sometimes because they don't know?
KANDI BURRUSS: Not really. I feel like the people who need to know know, I guess. And every now and then we drop a little reminder now for those who don't remember. [MONET LAUGHING] But it is kind of crazy to me that it's like now-- I've been on Housewives for over 10 years now, 11 years for me, and so it feels kind of like people, they want to put me in a box of a reality star, but I feel like I'm way more than just a reality star.
MONET X CHANGE: 100%, 100%. And, well, you started back with Xscape, and that was your big break. Why did you transition-- why after Xscape did you transition to songwriting, or were you doing that all along?
KANDI BURRUSS: Oh, you mean in the group, what made me start--
MONET X CHANGE: Yeah, in the group. Yes, yes.
KANDI BURRUSS: OK, right, so, we-- for those that don't know, our group, we started when we still in high school. So Jermaine Dupri was the one who signed us. I got our record deal when I was 16-- we got our record deal when I was 16 years old, so he kind of led the way with all the production and writing, and we were just happy to be there.
So we did write a little bit here and there, but it wasn't like we were the main creatives on the songs or whatever. That was something that I always wanted to do more of. So when our group started falling apart, I had talked to Tiny. I was like, yo, we need to figure out what we're going to do, first of all, because looks like our group not going to be together. We knew one of my group members was going to go solo, and I was like, what are we going to do?
So I was like, we need to work on a project, just the two of us, and then we need to write the songs ourselves so when we shop the deal we can say, hey, we are capable of being the creative for our own project. And that's how "No Scrubs" came about. That was on our demo tape.
MONET X CHANGE: Was it really?
KANDI BURRUSS: Yes. It was me and Tiny's song first. It was the demo--
MONET X CHANGE: Dope.
KANDI BURRUSS: Yeah, so from there, after that song got picked up, it was like-- I was like, OK, I'm just going to keep writing and hopefully be able to write for everybody. I was on the go.
MONET X CHANGE: Yeah, 'NSync, Pink. Which, no shade, because Pink is fierce-- I think Pink is a dope vocalist, but when you wrote there you go. What was it? You get--
KANDI BURRUSS: [SINGING] There you go, looking pitiful, just because I--
MONET X CHANGE: Because I let you go. Yes! Did you think it was going to be-- did you think Pink would be major as she was?
KANDI BURRUSS: I had no clue. I'm not even going to lie to you. I thought she was dope because when I first met Pink, she was actually in a group. Yeah, she was signed to LaFace Records as in a group. They were like--
MONET X CHANGE: I had no idea.
KANDI BURRUSS: --white girls that could sing R&B. And I was like, OK, she's dope. And then they decided to take her solo, and that's when Shakespeare and I, we worked with her or whatever. But she still had that urban edge when we worked with her. For her first album, I had no clue that she was going to become this huge pop phenomenon, but hey, I'm just glad to be a part of her early beginnings. I had her first hit. I can always hold on to that.
MONET X CHANGE: Yeah, you did. And then you fast-forward to 2017, and people are trying to shade you and Ed Sheeran. OK, so when I heard this story, Kandi, I was gagging. I was so afraid-- for the viewers who don't know, Ed Sheeran has that song "Shape of You," but it heavily samples "No Scrubs." I want to know were you the one who heard it? Were you driving in your car down 85 and you were like, wait a minute! This melody sounds hella familiar.
KANDI BURRUSS: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Much props to Ed Sheeran. He actually did it the proper-- well, he started out doing it in the proper way. As soon as he did the record, he know it was going to be an album, he actually reached out to us to start negotiating our percentage in the song. Well, not him, his people.
So, now, it wasn't-- the negotiations were not done, so we figured, oh, OK, well, maybe he's not going to use it. But then the song came out and all the fans was like, oh, that's the song. But he had already reached out to us, so he had already started the process.
MONET X CHANGE: OK, cool, cool, cool. I wanted to make sure-- I'm about to, Ed Sheeran, don't be trying to slight these Black beautiful creative women. Got you.
KANDI BURRUSS: Nah, they actually hit us up.
MONET X CHANGE: OK, cool, cool. And then, recently, I had K. Michelle on the show a few months ago, and me and her, we were chatting about the state of R&B and the state of music. And she had some really interesting words. She feels like R&B artists, like the younger kids, they don't put out great bodies of work anymore. Like back in the day, you could put on an album and listen from top to end and being a whole vibe, a whole mood. Do you agree?
KANDI BURRUSS: Not necessarily. And I feel like it's different, obviously. The music of today is obviously totally different than the music of the '90s, but if you want to go to that, I mean the music of the '90s is totally different than the '80s and the '70s. I mean, when I was younger and we was doing our thing, the people from the 70s was like, oh, they don't make music like we used to. They used more live bands and stuff.
So I think it always, it's going to-- music is going to forever change, and it's going to reflect what's happening at whatever time it's in. I understand what she's saying, but I just feel like it's a lot of dope artists out here right now. You just have to find them.
I'm a person-- I always like to look into the What's Breaking playlist, like on different-- for me, like Apple Music. If I'm listening and I go to their breaking list on the R&B section, it's all the new breaking artists, what they're listening-- what they're putting out. So then I know what's going on, so I can check out all the new sounds, the vibes or whatever. Everybody's different.
MONET X CHANGE: Yeah, yeah. I feel that, I feel that. And now that-- I just had my 30th birthday, and I do find myself being like, man, these songs just aren't the same anymore, so I get it, I get it, I get it.
KANDI BURRUSS: Hey, I'm biased, so I'm always going to think that the '90s is the best time in music to my mind, but. I think the only thing different is, now, obviously, everybody started putting little curse words here and there, even in the '90s. But now it's like the whole damn song is-- they're going to catch your ass out the whole song. So you can't always play that version.
MONET X CHANGE: Are you still writing slash--
KANDI BURRUSS: Yes.
MONET X CHANGE: So I had an album that debuted number 2, behind Ariana. I would love if I could have a Kandi collaboration.
KANDI BURRUSS: Woo! I would love it. What're we doing?
MONET X CHANGE: Oh, we'll figure it out. We're going to figure that out after this, and we're going to gag the children with some hot shit.
KANDI BURRUSS: That'll be dope.
MONET X CHANGE: So now switching gears to Real Housewives of Atlanta. Like you said, you've been on Atlanta, Kandi, since season two, over a decade. Stepping in season 2, looking back, were you like, this is like-- I'll be here for a while, or you were planning to make a quick little bippity bop and be out?
KANDI BURRUSS: I thought it was just going to be something to do for the time being. I had no idea that that show would become such a major part of my life. At that time I just thought it was like, oh, yeah, it'd be cool to do it, just for a second. I didn't believe-- to be honest with you, one of my home girls, when I told her I was going to be on the show, she was like, what do they want you on there for? [LAUGHING] I was like, well, I don't know, but hell, it's just something to do. So it's just so funny to me now, all these years later, to be a part of that show and all the different spin-offs. It's just crazy. It's crazy.
MONET X CHANGE: Well, and then you've had your fair share of drama, but this past season I love how you switched-- you were just spicing up the drama a little bit. They call you Salt Bae. And I like you in this role, Kandi, because, again, like I said--
KANDI BURRUSS: Did you? Nobody else did.
MONET X CHANGE: Oh, I loved it. They're just hating because they were in the drama. You were just tiptoeing by, like I'm going to add a little sass on here, I'm going to put a little bit of a Black over here. I'm going to put it together. So but again, I feel like with your aura and your personality, you are an HBIC, so I love that you kind of overlooked the drama and you put stuff together, and I like you in this role. I think it fits you well.
KANDI BURRUSS: Well, I appreciate it, but sometimes it's like, even though we can always try to avoid drama at all costs, sometimes it just seems like drama may follow you somewhere. I'm not trying to be in the midst of drama. I found moments last season, like, OK. Everybody was mad at me about Kenya's stuff, and I'm like, Kenya is her own woman. Why are you trying to be mad at me for her decisions? Leave me alone.
MONET X CHANGE: Well, also, rightfully so, because let me tell you something. I have had friends try to plan surprises for me and another friend ruined it. With that baby shower thing, I was right there with you. I'm like, why on earth would you ever go to her and do that? I was with you 100%.
KANDI BURRUSS: Oh, the proposal, the way--
MONET X CHANGE: Yeah, the proposal. Baby shower. I was like, come on, girl.
KANDI BURRUSS: I was heated. And that's-- it was so crazy because I didn't even know how to react in that moment I was so mad. I was like, you're my girl, but what?
MONET X CHANGE: This past season we saw you-- you're now in "The Chi." Congratulations, by the way, season three coming up.
KANDI BURRUSS: Thank you. Yeah, well, it's on right now.
MONET X CHANGE: On right now, yeah. How are you adjusting with-- you guys obviously finished filming before the pandemic, but how is it having your newborn baby-- well, not newborn anymore, I guess. How many months are they now?
KANDI BURRUSS: Oh, she's eight months now. Her name is Blaze. Yeah. She's eight months. She'll be nine months soon.
MONET X CHANGE: Because-- so on the show we saw you were kind of handling this amazing role and then but also being a mom, and how is that all working out for you now?
KANDI BURRUSS: Oh my God. It's just, for me it's a blessing to be able to still do what I love doing, still have my family and the support of them being with me. It's like, I mean, hey. Some people always be like, she needs to be doing this, she needs to be doing that, but it's like, if you can do it all, why not? Just go for it. Go for it.
And I definitely have a very supportive family that helps me out. They make sure that-- if I'm not here, my husband is making sure things is good. I have a friend and her name is Katrina, she always looks out for my kids if we can't be here at the time, so it always works out.
MONET X CHANGE: Dope. And then are you-- how are you handling Zoom teaching? Are you having to wake up at the crack of dawn, have Ace in this virtual class? How is that?
KANDI BURRUSS: Child of Zoom. That Zoom is wearing my ass out. OK, so listen. I definitely love that bonding time with Ace. I feel like I must be his fun teacher because he'll be like, Mommy, Mommy! Sometimes, like if I say, well, let your daddy teach you today, she'll be like, no, I want you to teach me. And I'm like, OK, so.
I actually-- that was one of my backup jobs, like if I didn't make it. You know how you always would be like, if I don't make it at this or what I really want to do then. I used to say that I would be a performing arts teacher or something like that--
MONET X CHANGE: I could totally see that.
KANDI BURRUSS: Yeah, so I could still have something I love and be involved with the kids and stuff. So I actually like it, but when he has to-- he also does Mandarin. That part is hard.
MONET X CHANGE: Oh, like-- oh, God, yes.
KANDI BURRUSS: Yeah, yeah. I can't. When the Mandarin teacher's-- Chinese teacher's teaching Mandarin, I'm just like, uh, yeah. I'm not [INAUDIBLE] here, because I don't even know it. Some I'm like, you've got to teach me. I don't know it. Yeah. But--
MONET X CHANGE: Kandi, you are raising a young-- he's going to be speaking English, Spanish, Mandarin. See, that's so-- yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. And does he play any instruments?
KANDI BURRUSS: Not yet. I did have him in drum class, but I felt like I put him in there a little bit too early. And was only two when I did it. And so he was liking it, but he wasn't as old as the other kids in the class, so. And now I can't take him, so I don't know what I'm going to do. But I want him to learn.
MONET X CHANGE: Oh, yeah. I'm sure the singer gene is probably going to be strong in Ace. And would you encourage a part in arts, in music, or are you like-- or because you obviously have such a long history with entertainment, would you push him another way?
KANDI BURRUSS: No. If this is something that he would want to do, then I definitely would be supportive of it. I tried with Riley. She-- that just wasn't he thing, being a lawyer and represent us. But with Ace, he loves-- he has his own YouTube channel. He asked for the channel. He's like, I want my own YouTube channel.
It's so funny to me. We don't really keep up with it like we should, and he'll be like, when am I going to do my YouTube video? He's so serious about it, so if y'all have got kids, please subscribe to his channel, Ace Plays and Giveaways, because--
MONET X CHANGE: Love, love, love, love that. Now, Kandi, we have to talk about "The Masked Singer." First of all, I am-- as you can probably tell, I am a Kandi stan, so as soon as-- I didn't know 100% it was you, but I was like 80% sure. I'm like, I think that's Kandi. But you won season three, and you are the first woman to do so. How was it?
KANDI BURRUSS: "The Masked Singer" was an awesome experience, first of all. It was so cool because they really take that secretive stuff seriously. Nobody knows who the other person is.
The only person I had figured out while I was there was Bow Wow. Because I actually walked in backstage one time while he was up onstage, and I could hear his voice. Normally they keep you separate, like if somebody else is performing, you don't get to see them perform or anything.
MONET X CHANGE: Oh, I thought y'all knew each-- I thought--
KANDI BURRUSS: No--
MONET X CHANGE: I was like, oh they're just saying that. They acted--
KANDI BURRUSS: Oh, no, no, no, no, no. We definitely do not know each other. We have our full costumes on by the time we see each other. We don't speak, we don't say anything, we're just standing there, looking around at each other with these costumes. You have no idea who's in the other costume. And so-- and then you don't ever get to hear them perform unless--
MONET X CHANGE: Right.
KANDI BURRUSS: Because they escort us back to our trailers when the people are performing.
But like I said, he just so happened to be finishing up his rehearsal when I was going back, so even though-- we've covered up even when we go to rehearsal.
MONET X CHANGE: That is so crazy.
KANDI BURRUSS: Yeah, but I know his voice. He was [INAUDIBLE], I was also-- I know that. I know that voice. So yeah. He was the only person I figured out. I did not even see anybody else until it aired on television.
MONET X CHANGE: What?
KANDI BURRUSS: Yes. I had to watch each week just to see the people as they were revealed.
MONET X CHANGE: Kandi, I thought y'all-- I was like, there's no way. I'm like, they're all backstage playing spades, playing heads up, chilling. Really?
KANDI BURRUSS: No. Even at the very end, with Turtle or whatever, they see I won or whatever, and I go-- they show me going up to the judges. But in real life, I go up to the judges and they're like, OK, stop. OK, take her away. So I didn't get to see him revealed, so I don't even know who Turtle was until it aired.
MONET X CHANGE: Well, congratulations. You did-- I mean, week after week. So yeah, you were phenomenal. Phenomenal, phenomenal, phenomenal. Amazing, amazing.
KANDI BURRUSS: Thank you. This has been a bad year and a great year at the same time.
MONET X CHANGE: Right? You started off the year with such a amazing moment, and then here we are in July. We can't even do this in studio. We have to do it through Google Meet Ups.
KANDI BURRUSS: Right, exactly. When I tell you-- it was a dream come true for me to be on the show "The Shot." I was a fan of the show, and I got a part to be on that show. Then right after taping "The Shot," then I got to do, tape "Masked Singer" or whatever.
So I knew those things were both going to be coming on air, so I'm like, ooh. I knew I was going to win, so I was like, ooh this year going to be lit. And I was planning on dropping music. I did drop a single, but I didn't even get to finish the album I was planning to do because it was right when everybody got stuck in quarantine. And I was like-- and I had stopped going to the studio as much. So I was like-- but then I knew "The Chi" was coming out, so I was like I have all these great things happening. But at the same time I really can't go nowhere.
MONET X CHANGE: I know. Which is crazy that y'all-- because allegedly you guys are filming right now, which I can only imagine--
KANDI BURRUSS: Just started, yeah--
MONET X CHANGE: Yeah, filming during this whole pandemic. So if that's not enough of a reason to watch, I can't tell people-- it's going to be really interesting watching y'all do this.
KANDI BURRUSS: Right. I mean, it is crazy. But the network and the production company, they are definitely following all protocols. We get tested every week. They want to make sure everybody's safe. So we're doing our thing in the midst of craziness.
MONET X CHANGE: Which, a little birdie, a.k.a. a blog, allegedly Apollo is back on this season, and him and Kenya are having a budding relationship?
KANDI BURRUSS: Child, who made that up?
MONET X CHANGE: Really?
KANDI BURRUSS: They'll be making up stuff, I swear. I'm not here to tell you who is or who ain't on the show, but I can definitely tell you that I ain't seen Apollo, and I definitely ain't heard nothing about him and Kenya doing nothing. That is such a made-up lie. Like, this part-- that's why it was cracking me up when they be making up stuff. It's just crazy, like really?
MONET X CHANGE: I also want to congratulate you, Kandi. Your post this year regarding the Supreme Court decision for the LGBT community. Your posts are so beautiful, your words are so amazing, and I don't-- and for the younger kids, seeing a beautiful, strong Black woman like you doing that. I don't-- knowingly and unknowingly, you are helping so many people. So from the community, which I'm just a tiny little bit of the community, but thank you, from all of us to you.
KANDI BURRUSS: Oh, thank you. I just personally felt like-- I mean, I was happy. I was excited. So of course I'm about to tweet. I post about what I'm excited about. So I was glad they made that decision.
MONET X CHANGE: Yeah. And before you go, I do want to let you know I am going on the website as soon as this is done to Bedroom Kandi. I'm putting in an order because I heard that there are some toys for the girls. I need to--
KANDI BURRUSS: Yes, there are. First of all, we have a lot of great products for everyone. And I always try to make sure people know that. But we've got products for everybody. It's not, no specific group. It's for everybody.
So anyway, but some of our really cool LGBTQ-friendly products, like we have this harness for the ladies. The harness-- the ladies who love ladies. We've got the harness Matchmaker, and it holds two of our extra parts. I don't know what all I can say on your show.
MONET X CHANGE: Oh, no, pussy, dick, everything.
KANDI BURRUSS: Oh, OK. Because I ain't never had to be kind of like-- [INAUDIBLE]. OK, so one is called Simple Pleasures and one is called Deep Delight. So depending on how deep you want to go. Now [INAUDIBLE] for my girls, we have a-- oh, we have a lube for our trans men--
MONET X CHANGE: Oh, word.
KANDI BURRUSS: Yes, we do, because we know that sometimes there's periodic dryness is due to just our testosterone and hormone replacement. So that is made just for them.
MONET X CHANGE: Kandi, I love you.
KANDI BURRUSS: We have-- oh, this one I love. Thrust is a vibrating-- it's a anal toy. It's to give some anal stimulation, but it's so great.
MONET X CHANGE: Oh, Kandi, after this I'm going to send you an instant DM so you can tell me what the names are because I will be making some the purchases because quarantine is a lot of self-love, and I need a lot of self-love for myself.
KANDI BURRUSS: Let me tell you, Bedroom Kandi's been doing so amazing in these last couple of months. It's crazy because I thought being in quarantine, I was like, oh, people aren't going to go to Bedroom Kandi parties, whatever, whatever. But then we start coming up with all these fun online parties and different things that we were doing. And when I tell you we've done huge numbers in quarantine, it's crazy. I was like, OK, everybody must want to have some good love on their sales time.
MONET X CHANGE: Oh, absolutely. Kandi, I had-- from March 13 until the first day of liberations, I want to say it was June something, June 8th, literally the morning that we were allowed to be back in the wilderness, I called my little quarantine bae I was chatting with. I was like, come over at 7:00 AM, I will be nice and ready to go. I miss human-to-human contact, and it was on and popping. But throughout quarantine, you've got to take care of yourself.
KANDI BURRUSS: Yeah, that too. That too.
MONET X CHANGE: Kandi, this has been so amazing. Thank you so much for stopping by and chatting. You are a queen. I stan, and we are going make some music together. I'm going to let the Lord work and the Lord move, and I believe it and it's going to happen.
KANDI BURRUSS: So you said when you dropped your album, when did you drop it?
MONET X CHANGE: Oh, I dropped it February 16, 2019, and it was right when Ariana had dropped her projects. I was number two, right behind Ariana. And I was like, couldn't she wait another week or two?
KANDI BURRUSS: Well, that's when I came out of the Big Brother's house. And I actually, she sampled my song that I did for 'NSync, and it was number one, the song that she had at the time I was coming out of the Big Brother's house.
MONET X CHANGE: Work.
KANDI BURRUSS: So when you dropped your album and I dropped too, we heard. Won't it do it?
MONET X CHANGE: He's going to do it. I'm going to send you some links so you hear a little bit of the vibe.
KANDI BURRUSS: OK.
MONET X CHANGE: OK, Kandi, Kandi, thank you so much, my dear. Be safe, take care of your beautiful kids, and I'm sure I'll see you soon. Well, when this is all over, please come back to the studio. It's so much more fun in the studio. We've got to have a cocktail, we play games, it's a riot.
KANDI BURRUSS: OK, let's do it.
MONET X CHANGE: OK, cool. Thank you, my love.
KANDI BURRUSS: Bye.
MONET X CHANGE: Bye.
We always get asked in the comments where our theme song is from. Well, do y'all even watch the show, Tamar? It's my original music, girl. Here's a sneak peek of "There for You" from my at-home session, debuting on YouTube tomorrow at 6:00 PM.
[MUSIC - MONET X CHANGE, "THERE FOR YOU"]
(SPEAKING) So funky.
Hey, y'all. It's your girl, Monet X Change here, and welcome to my lovely two-bedroom New York City apartment. I am here for a little at-home session with this amazing guitarist, Jeff Matthew. Life has been a wild ride since Drag Race, but one of the best gifts I've received on the show is getting the opportunity to work with amazing songwriters and singers and creating my own music. And I'm super excited to bring this little home session to y'all. I hope y'all enjoy it, and I hope we do something for y'all. So without further ado, let's start.
[MUSIC - MONET X CHANGE, "THERE FOR YOU"]
Uh-huh. This is so funky. I live. These males too. Act like I'm talking right to them.
(SINGING) Would you be there the way I'm there for you? I wonder if you're there like I've done for you. But would you really cry for me, said you put it on the line for me, but I've got to say, respectably, something makes me feel like you're there for you, you, there for you, there for you, you, you, there for you.
I thought we were looking out for each other, but you ain't going to be there tomorrow. With heartache, and sorrow, damn, you are a hard pill to swallow. Something makes me feel like you're not the truth. Stab me in the back, but you'll never shoot, shoot. Would you really cry for me, said you'd put it on the line for me, but I've got to say respectedly, something makes me you, you, you, there for you, there for you, you, you, there for you. There for you, you, you, there for you. There for you, you, you, there for you.
Thought we were looking out for each other, but you ain't going to be there tomorrow. Fill me up with-- damn you are a hard pill to swallow. You, there for you, only you. Only you. There for you, only you, there for you.
Now, listen. I know everybody watching this has had a shady ex-boyfriend, shady ex-girlfriend, shady non-binary person messing with you. Tell them this. Thought we were looking out for each other, but you ain't going to be there tomorrow. You're there for you, not for me, only you, there for you, only you. Uh-huh. Only you, just you.
You ain't checking for me. You were there just for yourself. I mean, that's the tea. You would just be like, you were only there for-- you're not there for me.
Honestly, y'all, listen. I'm not going to waste no more precious moments on this intro because I'm so happy to finally have my sister here. Welcome, my girl Miz Cracker.
MIZ CRACKER: Hello. Hello.
MONET X CHANGE: Cracker time. First of all, I am obsessed with this whole-- so y'all don't know, Cracker literally built this set for this interview.
MIZ CRACKER: I did, I did. I'm trying to give you "American Horror Story Coven" out on the veranda, girl, just flossing.
MONET X CHANGE: I love that you have the fan because it's probably so hot outside.
MIZ CRACKER: Yeah. There's no air conditioning in the house that I'm at, and so it's coolest outside, but it is still a blazing 87 degrees, and I am smelting. This is--
MONET X CHANGE: Well, you know me. I have a hard thought, and I'm just literally a puddle of water, so I can't imagine.
MIZ CRACKER: Oh, exactly. She's like, 2 times 4 is-- oh no, here goes the makeup. Let me tell you something, it is not Cameo weather, all right?
MONET X CHANGE: So, Crack. So everyone's like, when is Cracker coming? As soon as the cast is announced, and I had heard through the grapevine that you were on, I was like, I want Cracker to be the last thing that we do. Well, well, we were supposed to have you a while back, but then COVID happened, and then so we had to switch things around.
And I was like, well, I want Cracker to be the final All Stars 5 queen because (A) the world knows my love for you, and we're just going to have a good ol' girl chat.
MIZ CRACKER: Just a Sister Act. I'm so into it. Yeah, no, it's true. I remember very-- I'll wait. I remember very early on, you were-- you did this interview, and they're like, who do you want to see on All Stars 5? And you were like, Miz Cracker. And I was very choked up. I was the puddle, girl. It made me so-- I was like, I'll do it. I'll do it.
MONET X CHANGE: Well, for those that don't know, Cracker and I worked for years in New York City together. We had a show, "Turn It on Sundays," which we started off on this concept. We were like, we're going to be fierce. We're going to every week we'll make up this PowerPoint presentation of videos. Bitch, we lasted for a few months and we were like, all right, let's just do a regular show. We're done--
MIZ CRACKER: Especially because for the first year that we did the show, we were doing it for ourselves and maybe one drunk person. So we're like, I'm not doing a PowerPoint presentation for nobody.
MONET X CHANGE: Were you asked to do A Is for Cracks?
MIZ CRACKER: I don't remember. I feel like I may have been and I was like, I'm not ready emotionally. I don't feel like a star yet. I'm still broke from season 10, please. But you jumped right in, and I'm imagining that now. I can't imagining jumping right back in, girl.
MONET X CHANGE: Girl, it was a lot--
MIZ CRACKER: Girl, you walked off the stage from elimination day and back into the work.
MONET X CHANGE: So the cast of All Stars 5 gets revealed, and I'm not going to lie, Cracker. From the beginning I was like, it's going to be Cracker and Shea in the top two. Which, surprise! If anyone knew, obviously that's what it was.
MIZ CRACKER: Thank you.
MONET X CHANGE: How do you feel like your overall experience of All Stars was?
MIZ CRACKER: I mean, it was so intense. But like any season is, like filming anything is, it was like-- at first it was a wild ride, but then Juju gave me the secret. She was like, if you feel stressed out, that's correct because that's what they're trying to make you feel. So if you're feeling stressed out, then you're doing it correctly. And I was like, oh. So from then on, every time I got stressed out I was like, that's fine. That's how it's supposed to be. And it really made the difference. So I think that was the big thing.
The big thing about the whole season was Juju because she was like my spiritual guide through the whole thing. Yeah.
MONET X CHANGE: And I agree. Like, going back, I was so happy to have people like Naomi. Naomi was like my tether to be like, bitch, you've got this, turn it out, and vice versa. We were doing that for each other. So having someone there, people don't understand. We were like that for season 10. Season 10 we were like, girl, you've got this. When I was in the bottom you would come over and coddle me. And I never had to do that for you because you were always on top.
So you were constantly like, Monet, you've got this, girl. And I was like, thank you, Cracker. I so thank you, thank you. So it was good to have someone like that there.
MIZ CRACKER: But one thing that did help, when you did get discouraged, it did help me to see because I was like, oh my God, I know Monet is a fierce queen. So if she's discouraged, then this is really hard. And I was like, there's no way that Monet is not a great queen, so I guess everybody is going to get discouraged no matter how great they are. And that helped. I was like, oh my God, I'm not the only one. So it was nice to have you there.
We finally got our wig lesson session that we'd been waiting for.
MONET X CHANGE: On set.
MIZ CRACKER: On set. I was like--
MONET X CHANGE: I was bugging Cracker for a month. I was like, Cracker, and she was like, yeah, come on over, girl. I'll teach you. And I would always be like, oh yeah, I can't today. My stomach hurts. And then finally on the set of Drag Race, my elimination episode, I'm like, Cracker, can you teach me how to tease that wig?
MIZ CRACKER: Yes. I was like, this is called hairspray. Oh, Lord.
MONET X CHANGE: Oh, so Crack, so we go to season 2-- I mean, episode 2, in which we find out that you told on Gina. You were like, girl, I think you should go home.
And I'm hustling because, again, I've been there twice on Drag Race. I get it. When you see someone who isn't so passionate about it as you, it gets you. You're like, bitch, I literally would kill my grandmother to win this competition, and you're like, oh, I guess I just didn't do well, and I guess I should go home. I get it. Why were people so mad at that?
MIZ CRACKER: I don't know. I guess what I did learn is that it's always good to tell the truth, but you just have to think about what people want to hear over their cereal in the morning. And Ongina is just waking up and I'd be like, guess what? So it's like, there's nothing wrong with telling the truth. It's just all in the timing.
And since then, she and I have talked it through and really just-- I think it took us a while, but I was like, look, I've been through this with other girls too, and I've been on the opposite side of this, so let's figure this out because what happens on the set of Drag Race should stay on the set of Drag Race. At the end of the day, we should be sisters. And I was like, what we do when we're under pressure is a lot different than what we do in our regular day-to-day life. So I was like, let me show you who I am on a regular day.
MONET X CHANGE: I feel that, i feel that. Yeah, 100%. Which is something that really got me about Blair. Blair-- OK, so, the show built up this weird tension between you and Blair, but it didn't make any sense to me as a viewer watching it because I know that-- after season 10, when we were touring together, you and Blair, y'all were friends. Y'all were talking-- y'all were cool. Y'all we're really cool.
So it was so crazy to me to watch Blair say these things, that you were egotistical. And it was just so-- how is watching that, because for all intents and purposes, I thought y'all were home girls, y'all were cool, y'all were friends.
MIZ CRACKER: Yeah. The thing is that it is so weird. And especially because, even after the season, Blair and I are talking on the phone, sharing our emotions and stuff like that. And it's just like, when you watch it, you just have to understand, oh, this is what we're like when we have no sleep and we're under the most pressure in the entire world. So it's just a different you. It's you. It really is you, and it really did happen. They can't-- they don't-- believe me, I've seen their craft services table. They do not have the budget to CGI any fake scenes together.
It is really what happened, but it's just like-- it's you at your most strained and stressed. And I think that's what I would like all fans to know, and I would like all queens that are watching this season to know, because before you've been on, when you're watching it, you're like, oh, I would do that easy, and I would never say that, blah, blah blah. I was like, well, wait tell you have not seen a pillow in four days. Cause you get done and you're practicing your lip-syncs in your room by yourself. It's like, yeah, it's just a
different world. You can't judge it till you've been there.
MONET X CHANGE: But you and Blair are cool now? Because fans watch your show, and they're like, Ongina and Cracker, they hate each other. Oh, Blair hates Cracker. Cracker hates Blair. They're not friends. But just to set the record straight, y'all are cool?
MIZ CRACKER: Yeah. I have my Blair St. Clair-certified hair. We have-- actually, Blair has been one of the most supportive people over the last couple of weeks of the show because it was just like, you get so much stress just from watching yourself. And she was one of the people that was like, I'm in the same place, so don't feel alone, and yeah. That's-- that's the reality, and then reality TV is different.
MONET X CHANGE: Yeah. And now, Cracker, three challenge wins. You had the most challenge wins. I think you did a really good job on the final episode. Your verse were good, your choreo looked stunning. OK, Shea, her little head cartwheel thing, did you know they tried to get us to do that shit in All Stars 4? I said, absolutely not. If I do that, I will snap someone's neck off. I was like, no, I can't do that shit, Todrick, no.
But you had a really good showing in the production number, and you had a great final runway. Like in the months after, were you confident that you would have seized the win?
MIZ CRACKER: Girl, no queen walks away from being in the top without being certain. Every queen is like, oh, I better stretch my bank account because she's going to have to hold some extra money. I made one of those iPhone notes thing, and I was like, things that I'm going to buy. Dude, I made-- like, I'm going to treat myself.
But at the same time, the problem is that I was going up against two of my favorite people in the world, and they're incredibly talented. So every few minutes, through my delusion, I would be like, oh, wait a second. Those girls are fierce too. That's why I think you work so hard when you're in the top two, top three, because you're like, I better put out a music video, I better do the shoots, I better show people that I can do something great because these other girls are great too. So yeah. I was confident, but I also knew I had to work my ass off if I was going to be-- if I wanted to earn a place next to Shea and Juju.
MONET X CHANGE: Now, you won-- well, you won three challenges, but one of them was a comedy challenge. And I know to you it was super important because you are a comedy queen. People know you to be really funny. And coming off of our season, you had one challenge win, and I had zero. You had one. So was that very important to you to win that comedy challenge, show people, bitch, look, even these motherfucking judges know I'm funny?
MIZ CRACKER: Yeah. Well, I was like-- I went on season 10 like, I'm the comedy queen of New York. Look out, Bianca Del Rio. And that just didn't pan out. So what I wanted more than anything was to make good on my promise. And so, yeah, that was the most important win for me. If I had to choose one to keep, that would be the one. And I just wanted the judges to be able to see what it's like to be at one of my shows. And I feel like I did that.
So I was like-- after I was done, you never know which way it's going to go with the judges, but I was like, no matter what they say, I feel like I gave them the--
MONET X CHANGE: Material.
MIZ CRACKER: Yeah, I gave them me. And so if they don't like it, then they don't like me, but at least it was me. I was being myself.
MONET X CHANGE: You gave them enough material to make Latrice Royale a gal. You came through, girl. There's no way.
MIZ CRACKER: Yes, girl. A little something for the cutting room floor, darling.
MONET X CHANGE: Which ties in perfectly with your American Woman tour. So like a lot of the live shows, even our tour, your show was canceled this year because of COVID. But it's reannounced for next year.
MIZ CRACKER: Yeah, that's right. And I was going to do She's a Woman before, which was my show I was touring. But I've been done, done doing that show for almost two years now, so I was like, the kids deserve something that is brand new. And so what I'm doing up here, I'm upstate right now at an artist residence, is writing a brand-new show. And it's going to be different from any other show.
MONET X CHANGE: Oh, work.
MIZ CRACKER: It's going to be all original music and all original comedy, so it's all mine. Because, guess what? I can't pay for the rights to any of my dance numbers anymore.
MONET X CHANGE: Well, listen you're writing a brand-new show right now?
MIZ CRACKER: I'm writing a brand-new show.
MONET X CHANGE: Work, girl.
MIZ CRACKER: I'm like-- I wish I had my-- my note cards with me. I'm just going through all my notebooks and collecting all the jokes that are good. And some of them are like, grandma's dead. That's off my list. I'm like, I don't know what that joke is. That doesn't have to go in the show. It's just like-- I was like looking at those like what?
So I'm pulling together all of my notes that I've collected over the years, and I'm making it into an hour comedy special, which is different than anything I've done.
MONET X CHANGE: Oh my God, Crack. See, here's the thing. I know so many friends that are being so productive in quarantine, when I am literally sitting at home. Yes, I'm very-- I'm doing this show, which I love so much, and a podcast, but outside of that I am sitting on my couch, eating General Tso chicken and pork fried rice and watching "Judge Judy" while you're writing a fucking original music and a show. I need to get my life together. Patty, we need to do more work.
MIZ CRACKER: Now, let's be clear. Let's be clear about this, because I want you to know that during the airing of the season I did nothing at all. I didn't even get groceries. I ordered every single one of my meals, and I sat in my kitchen, and I stared at the floor until it got dark, and then I went back to bed. I didn't read, I didn't write anything. I did nothing for a solid two months. So the fact that I'm writing something now is very-- is different. I did the General Tso's chicken moment in my life. It was actually sesame chicken, but--
MONET X CHANGE: Oh my God, I said General Tso, but I meant sesame, and I get extra sesame seeds and I get it fried extra crispy. But that's neither here nor there.
MIZ CRACKER: I like something that looks the same coming out the other side as it does going in.
MONET X CHANGE: Oh my God, Cracker. Is there anything else you want to set the record straight about All Stars 5?
MIZ CRACKER: Well, I don't want to set anythings straight, but I do want to say that I just had such a fun time, and I feel like I, on the main stage, got to show who I was, what I can do, and that's really what I wanted to do. And besides that, just getting to be alongside Shea and Juju and Blair, it just feels like it was such a strong group.
While I was going on, while it was playing on-- while it was playing, what do you call it? Airing. I was like, please make it stop. But now that it's over, I'm like, oh, let's go around again. Let's do it.
MONET X CHANGE: Right, isn't that the tea? When it's airing you're like oh, God, I could never do this again. Literally they called me the next day. I was like, sign me up!
MIZ CRACKER: Exactly, exactly. You're like, I have more self-respect. I'm bigger than RuPaul's Drag Race, blah, blah, blah. Then the phone rings. You're like, I'll be there, Dad.
MONET X CHANGE: Would you-- do you see yourself maybe doing All Stars season 12, season 11 or some shit?
MIZ CRACKER: Let's see. Well, during the season I would say absolutely not, but if they want to Juju me, fine. If they want a top 2 queen for All Stars 8, then here she is.
MONET X CHANGE: Cracks, I cannot-- we went on one social distance walk during corona, and when you come back we should get lunch or something. Cracker has opened me up to so many fierce African restaurants up in our neck of the woods, so please take me somewhere else. You're always informed, you're always fierce, and I love you so much.
MIZ CRACKER: I love you so much, and thank you so much for being such a support for me, taking me on that walk and saying nice things about me. And I just like each-- I notice each one of those things. They're not just going out into the empty air. I'm at home ugly crying over them. So thank you. Thank you for being a wonderful sister or auntie, whatever people think you are. Sister--
MONET X CHANGE: I know. People are so confused about our drag family. So for the kids at home, Cracker is Bob's drag daughter, but just because-- Bob and I aren't drags-- I guess we are drag sisters, but Cracker and I are sisters. I'm not Cracker's auntie. How old do you think I am? I know Cracker looks 12, but she's older than me.
MIZ CRACKER: Oh, God. I'm just like an each one teach one, big brother big sister.
MONET X CHANGE: Very that.
MIZ CRACKER: So yeah, very that. I love you so much, Marla.
MONET X CHANGE: I love you too, Cracks.
MIZ CRACKER: And I'll talk to you very soon. I'll see you when I get back.
MONET X CHANGE: And listen, you can write any mean material about me. You know I love people making fun of me, and you're so funny. I can't wait to hear it.
MIZ CRACKER: OK, now it's an hour and 15 minute show. All right, great.
MONET X CHANGE: Bye, bitch. I'm ending the call. Blip.
Thank you all so much for watching. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. This has been an amazing show with great guests. And to continue the conversation about Breonna, if you're looking for more ways to help, I'm going to put a little banner at the end of this episode, and you can get some more information on what you can do to further justice for Breonna.
Again, thank you, and until next time, remember to always keep your currency in check.
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