WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:00.833 - But there is. 2 00:00:00.833 --> 00:00:03.780 Ooh, there's a fly. 3 00:00:03.780 --> 00:00:04.860 - There's a fly. 4 00:00:04.860 --> 00:00:05.693 - I got you. 5 00:00:05.693 --> 00:00:06.880 Sorry, I probably should have. 6 00:00:06.880 --> 00:00:08.440 Can you imagine, I just smack you in the face? 7 00:00:08.440 --> 00:00:09.273 (Audra laughing) 8 00:00:09.273 --> 00:00:10.620 Sorry, I just didn't want a fly to, 9 00:00:10.620 --> 00:00:12.540 can you imagine a fly lands on your face? 10 00:00:12.540 --> 00:00:13.470 - I mean. 11 00:00:13.470 --> 00:00:14.700 - Has it happened before? 12 00:00:14.700 --> 00:00:17.979 - I feel like, was it Mike Pence that was in that debate? 13 00:00:17.979 --> 00:00:18.870 (Lagoona Bloo laughing) 14 00:00:18.870 --> 00:00:20.020 Was that debate, right? 15 00:00:20.020 --> 00:00:20.853 - Yes. 16 00:00:20.853 --> 00:00:21.810 - You're answering this question. 17 00:00:21.810 --> 00:00:22.643 - Yeah. 18 00:00:22.643 --> 00:00:23.476 - They want another word. 19 00:00:23.476 --> 00:00:24.690 - No, and honey, they're not getting it. 20 00:00:24.690 --> 00:00:25.803 No, yeah, they're not. 21 00:00:25.803 --> 00:00:26.730 - They're not getting it. 22 00:00:26.730 --> 00:00:28.783 - I'm gonna take this manicured nail and pop it. 23 00:00:28.783 --> 00:00:30.453 - Permission to slap me. 24 00:00:30.453 --> 00:00:31.286 - Okay. 25 00:00:31.286 --> 00:00:32.310 - If it lands on me, kill it. 26 00:00:32.310 --> 00:00:33.510 - Okay, I will, I will. 27 00:00:33.510 --> 00:00:35.120 And honey, do I kill it? 28 00:00:35.120 --> 00:00:36.861 ♪ Boom boom boom boom ♪ 29 00:00:36.861 --> 00:00:38.757 ♪ I want you in my room ♪ 30 00:00:38.757 --> 00:00:39.900 - So, first things first, 31 00:00:39.900 --> 00:00:42.570 I wanna talk about your first single. 32 00:00:42.570 --> 00:00:43.635 - Yes. 33 00:00:43.635 --> 00:00:44.468 - Off your debut album. 34 00:00:44.468 --> 00:00:45.301 - Yes. 35 00:00:45.301 --> 00:00:46.140 - Tell me about that. 36 00:00:46.140 --> 00:00:47.850 - Oh my gosh, it's so exciting, yes. 37 00:00:47.850 --> 00:00:49.470 My debut single for my new album 38 00:00:49.470 --> 00:00:51.540 is called "Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!". 39 00:00:51.540 --> 00:00:52.920 It's a Vengaboys cover. 40 00:00:52.920 --> 00:00:53.753 - Right. 41 00:00:53.753 --> 00:00:54.673 - The classic. 42 00:00:54.673 --> 00:00:55.590 ♪ boom, boom, boom, boom ♪ 43 00:00:55.590 --> 00:00:58.380 I wanted to give audience something 44 00:00:58.380 --> 00:00:59.790 that they could really latch onto. 45 00:00:59.790 --> 00:01:02.460 Something a little bit of nostalgia with a updated twist. 46 00:01:02.460 --> 00:01:03.390 And I'm super excited 47 00:01:03.390 --> 00:01:05.880 because it features one of my favorite drag queens, 48 00:01:05.880 --> 00:01:08.790 one of my good friends and sisters, Alaska. 49 00:01:08.790 --> 00:01:10.860 - Tell me about the decision to tap her in. 50 00:01:10.860 --> 00:01:11.693 - Absolutely. 51 00:01:11.693 --> 00:01:14.520 So it was really amazing because Alaska 52 00:01:14.520 --> 00:01:16.020 and I have been friends for a few years now. 53 00:01:16.020 --> 00:01:17.209 - [Audra] Right. 54 00:01:17.209 --> 00:01:19.020 - We just kind of met in 2017 or 2018. 55 00:01:19.020 --> 00:01:23.160 And I love Alaska so much because she's always seen me. 56 00:01:23.160 --> 00:01:27.690 I have always been surrounded by girls who are on the show 57 00:01:27.690 --> 00:01:29.790 and some of my best friends have been on RuPaul's Drag Race. 58 00:01:29.790 --> 00:01:31.950 And it's a really, it's a sometimes hard 59 00:01:31.950 --> 00:01:33.930 as someone who has not had that opportunity yet. 60 00:01:33.930 --> 00:01:34.763 - [Audra] Right. 61 00:01:34.763 --> 00:01:36.870 - Not to get intimidated, but Alaska is one of those people 62 00:01:36.870 --> 00:01:38.280 who has always included me. 63 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:40.260 She's always seen me, she's always believed in me. 64 00:01:40.260 --> 00:01:42.510 She's always given me opportunities and she's lifted me up. 65 00:01:42.510 --> 00:01:46.290 And when I was working on the album, our producer 66 00:01:46.290 --> 00:01:48.660 or my producer is one of her producers as well. 67 00:01:48.660 --> 00:01:51.150 And while we were recording the single, he was like, 68 00:01:51.150 --> 00:01:53.640 oh, we gotta get Alaska on this track. 69 00:01:53.640 --> 00:01:54.473 We gotta get Alaska. 70 00:01:54.473 --> 00:01:55.306 (Audra laughing) 71 00:01:55.306 --> 00:01:56.850 And so I called Alaska and I was like, girl, 72 00:01:56.850 --> 00:01:58.110 will you come be on this track with me? 73 00:01:58.110 --> 00:02:00.750 I would love to just have you be a part of this. 74 00:02:00.750 --> 00:02:02.790 And she was like, absolutely. 75 00:02:02.790 --> 00:02:04.061 So it was great. 76 00:02:04.061 --> 00:02:06.832 ♪ If you're alone and you need a friend ♪ 77 00:02:06.832 --> 00:02:10.400 ♪ Someone to make you forget your problems ♪ 78 00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:11.250 ♪ Just come along, baby ♪ 79 00:02:11.250 --> 00:02:13.470 - Obviously, you're not new to this, right? 80 00:02:13.470 --> 00:02:15.690 You've been performing for a long time. 81 00:02:15.690 --> 00:02:18.000 You're all over the place, you have range. 82 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:20.100 When did you first start performing? 83 00:02:20.100 --> 00:02:22.530 - Oh, well, I guess I've been singing since, 84 00:02:22.530 --> 00:02:23.910 for as long as I can remember. 85 00:02:23.910 --> 00:02:27.750 And I came to New York to pursue acting 86 00:02:27.750 --> 00:02:29.520 and I was working pretty well, 87 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:33.000 but I found drag and it was this light bulb for me. 88 00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:35.580 This amazing, all these amazing things 89 00:02:35.580 --> 00:02:37.080 that I never thought could be possible for me. 90 00:02:37.080 --> 00:02:39.720 All these things that I was shamed for as a child 91 00:02:39.720 --> 00:02:41.880 became the things that were the most celebrated 92 00:02:41.880 --> 00:02:42.713 about my drag. 93 00:02:42.713 --> 00:02:46.350 - So your trademark look is something of a mermaid, 94 00:02:46.350 --> 00:02:47.370 something right out of the sea. 95 00:02:47.370 --> 00:02:48.526 - Yes. 96 00:02:48.526 --> 00:02:49.359 - [Audra] A siren, if you will. 97 00:02:49.359 --> 00:02:51.960 And I read that it was inspired by 98 00:02:51.960 --> 00:02:53.700 something that was kind of unexpected. 99 00:02:53.700 --> 00:02:54.700 - [Lagoona Bloo] Yes. 100 00:02:54.700 --> 00:02:58.110 - At least for me, again, the element of the surprise. 101 00:02:58.110 --> 00:02:59.580 A Monster High doll? 102 00:02:59.580 --> 00:03:01.020 - Yes, absolutely. 103 00:03:01.020 --> 00:03:03.480 I came across this doll, her name was Laguna Blue. 104 00:03:03.480 --> 00:03:04.638 - [Audra] Yes. 105 00:03:04.638 --> 00:03:06.015 - And I remember like looking at her, 106 00:03:06.015 --> 00:03:07.950 she had this beautiful blonde hair, blue skin, blue outfit, 107 00:03:07.950 --> 00:03:09.300 some versions of her have blue hair. 108 00:03:09.300 --> 00:03:11.580 And I was just like, okay, this is so beautiful. 109 00:03:11.580 --> 00:03:14.760 If I ever was a drag queen, my name would be Laguna Blue. 110 00:03:14.760 --> 00:03:16.560 Well, cut six years later, 111 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:17.910 I went out in drag for the first time 112 00:03:17.910 --> 00:03:21.900 and my drag mom, Brita Filter invited me to come out. 113 00:03:21.900 --> 00:03:22.733 And I was like, okay. 114 00:03:22.733 --> 00:03:23.566 So I showed up to the party 115 00:03:23.566 --> 00:03:25.240 and she's like, hey girl, what's your name? 116 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:27.300 And I was like, oh, I'm David. 117 00:03:27.300 --> 00:03:30.390 And she was like, no girl, what's your drag name? 118 00:03:30.390 --> 00:03:32.790 And Laguna Blue just came out and stuck. 119 00:03:32.790 --> 00:03:34.833 And it was the perfect fit. 120 00:03:35.839 --> 00:03:38.400 ♪ I been waiting ♪ 121 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:42.575 ♪ Oh so patiently anticipating ♪ 122 00:03:42.575 --> 00:03:44.910 ♪ Feet don't touch the ground I'm levitating ♪ 123 00:03:44.910 --> 00:03:46.620 - Now, obviously you've mentioned 124 00:03:46.620 --> 00:03:49.200 being from the Bible Belt a million times over. 125 00:03:49.200 --> 00:03:50.070 We were talking earlier 126 00:03:50.070 --> 00:03:52.293 about being from Prairieville, Louisiana. 127 00:03:53.250 --> 00:03:55.560 Obviously, being raised in a hyper-religious home. 128 00:03:55.560 --> 00:03:56.722 - [Lagoona Bloo] Yes. 129 00:03:56.722 --> 00:03:58.740 - And amidst a culture that was probably 130 00:03:58.740 --> 00:03:59.880 hyper-religious as well. 131 00:03:59.880 --> 00:04:00.713 - Yeah. 132 00:04:00.713 --> 00:04:03.210 - So I was reading about more and more about 133 00:04:03.210 --> 00:04:04.470 how you came to New York 134 00:04:04.470 --> 00:04:08.160 and you said your late mother encouraged you 135 00:04:08.160 --> 00:04:11.130 to follow your dreams and to make it here. 136 00:04:11.130 --> 00:04:15.000 So now that you've achieved this measure of success, 137 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:16.400 what does that mean for you? 138 00:04:17.430 --> 00:04:22.430 - It's a really amazing feeling, because I never thought 139 00:04:24.090 --> 00:04:25.650 I would have that experience with my mom. 140 00:04:25.650 --> 00:04:28.710 I never thought that my mom would accept me. 141 00:04:28.710 --> 00:04:31.590 And I know that a lot of queer people experience that. 142 00:04:31.590 --> 00:04:33.510 A lot of people don't have opportunities 143 00:04:33.510 --> 00:04:35.490 where their parents ask for forgiveness 144 00:04:35.490 --> 00:04:37.230 or have that moment of acceptance. 145 00:04:37.230 --> 00:04:40.110 And when I had that moment with my mom 146 00:04:40.110 --> 00:04:42.000 right before she passed, it was really special for me 147 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:46.740 because for so long, I thought I would never get that. 148 00:04:46.740 --> 00:04:48.940 And when I did it really 149 00:04:49.890 --> 00:04:52.980 changed the way I kind of saw myself and yeah. 150 00:04:52.980 --> 00:04:54.960 She was like, you have to go to New York 151 00:04:54.960 --> 00:04:56.640 and you have to make all of your dreams come true. 152 00:04:56.640 --> 00:04:58.080 And so now it's really interesting 153 00:04:58.080 --> 00:05:01.857 because you're right, I am doing that. 154 00:05:01.857 --> 00:05:03.210 I'm doing all these things 155 00:05:03.210 --> 00:05:04.830 that I never thought was gonna be possible for me. 156 00:05:04.830 --> 00:05:07.110 And it feels right. 157 00:05:07.110 --> 00:05:09.570 I feel like my mom would be so proud of me. 158 00:05:09.570 --> 00:05:10.620 - You're gonna get me choked up. 159 00:05:10.620 --> 00:05:11.572 - Oh no. 160 00:05:11.572 --> 00:05:13.050 (laughing) 161 00:05:13.050 --> 00:05:13.883 Oh yeah. 162 00:05:15.471 --> 00:05:16.920 I've been through a lot, 163 00:05:16.920 --> 00:05:20.070 but it has made me the person that I am 164 00:05:20.070 --> 00:05:23.400 and it's shaped me to work really hard 165 00:05:23.400 --> 00:05:25.560 and to really go after that dream. 166 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:26.610 And it's all because of her. 167 00:05:26.610 --> 00:05:30.436 - Well, I think she's pulling some strings for you. 168 00:05:30.436 --> 00:05:31.327 - I hope so. 169 00:05:31.327 --> 00:05:33.870 - Wherever she is, I think she's working on your behalf. 170 00:05:33.870 --> 00:05:35.022 - Thank you so much. 171 00:05:35.022 --> 00:05:35.855 - [Audra] For sure, for sure. 172 00:05:35.855 --> 00:05:36.688 - That means the world to me, thank you. 173 00:05:36.688 --> 00:05:37.521 - Yeah. 174 00:05:37.521 --> 00:05:39.420 What would you tell your younger self? 175 00:05:39.420 --> 00:05:40.437 - [Lagoona Bloo] Oh. 176 00:05:40.437 --> 00:05:41.270 - Back in Prairieville? 177 00:05:41.270 --> 00:05:43.650 Because you've made it, you're doing it, 178 00:05:43.650 --> 00:05:47.610 but at that time, I imagine it was really hard 179 00:05:47.610 --> 00:05:50.670 to get through knowing that doing it 180 00:05:50.670 --> 00:05:53.005 and making it was far off, right? 181 00:05:53.005 --> 00:05:53.838 - [Lagoona Bloo] Right. 182 00:05:53.838 --> 00:05:54.671 - You have to get through your childhood, 183 00:05:54.671 --> 00:05:55.860 you have to get through your teens, 184 00:05:55.860 --> 00:05:57.540 you have to get through high school. 185 00:05:57.540 --> 00:06:01.440 - Yeah, I would say that 186 00:06:01.440 --> 00:06:04.380 life is gonna throw the craziest things at you 187 00:06:04.380 --> 00:06:06.270 and sometimes it's gonna feel like 188 00:06:06.270 --> 00:06:10.920 you're not gonna be able to get through it, but you will. 189 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:15.060 And I think the thing that I would just do the most 190 00:06:15.060 --> 00:06:17.889 is hug him and love on him 191 00:06:17.889 --> 00:06:22.889 and just let him know that it's going to be fine. 192 00:06:22.950 --> 00:06:24.375 - [Audra] Yeah. 193 00:06:24.375 --> 00:06:27.090 - And I think the thing that's super exciting for me 194 00:06:27.090 --> 00:06:29.250 is that, or what I would love is that 195 00:06:29.250 --> 00:06:33.720 I know that the person that I am today 196 00:06:33.720 --> 00:06:36.900 is who I needed when I was a kid. 197 00:06:36.900 --> 00:06:39.180 - So obviously, as we all know 198 00:06:39.180 --> 00:06:40.920 the threats to the LGBTQ plus. 199 00:06:40.920 --> 00:06:41.796 - [Lagoona Bloo] Yes. 200 00:06:41.796 --> 00:06:44.580 - Community right now are, and to drag artistry too. 201 00:06:44.580 --> 00:06:45.654 - [Lagoona Bloo] Yeah. 202 00:06:45.654 --> 00:06:47.610 - Are more prevalent than ever. 203 00:06:47.610 --> 00:06:50.310 And obviously you keep showing up 204 00:06:50.310 --> 00:06:52.050 and I know that's not easy. 205 00:06:52.050 --> 00:06:53.070 - [Lagoona Bloo] Right. - All the time. 206 00:06:53.070 --> 00:06:55.920 So how do you keep showing up despite all of it? 207 00:06:55.920 --> 00:06:58.620 - Well, I mean, I don't really have an option. 208 00:06:58.620 --> 00:07:01.170 I used to say that drag is all I have, and that's not true. 209 00:07:01.170 --> 00:07:03.510 I have so many, I have such an amazing chosen family. 210 00:07:03.510 --> 00:07:04.740 I have so much love in my life. 211 00:07:04.740 --> 00:07:09.600 But drag to me, drag totally changed my life. 212 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:11.370 So there's no other option for me. 213 00:07:11.370 --> 00:07:14.160 And I feel like now more than ever, 214 00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:15.630 there were times in the beginning of this 215 00:07:15.630 --> 00:07:16.950 when all this started happening 216 00:07:16.950 --> 00:07:18.660 and all these bans and bills 217 00:07:18.660 --> 00:07:22.650 and anti-LGBTQ legislation started happening. 218 00:07:22.650 --> 00:07:24.870 Of course, I was terrified, as we all were. 219 00:07:24.870 --> 00:07:26.430 Especially because I was like, 220 00:07:26.430 --> 00:07:28.980 I've just started to really put my feet on the ground. 221 00:07:28.980 --> 00:07:31.530 I've really started to forge my own path 222 00:07:31.530 --> 00:07:33.090 and now is there a possibility 223 00:07:33.090 --> 00:07:35.790 that what I do is gonna be illegal? 224 00:07:35.790 --> 00:07:39.157 So yeah, there comes this moment where you're like, 225 00:07:39.157 --> 00:07:40.110 is my livelihood at stake? 226 00:07:40.110 --> 00:07:40.943 - [Audra] Right. 227 00:07:40.943 --> 00:07:41.940 - And I was really scared at first, 228 00:07:41.940 --> 00:07:44.610 but I then I realized it was a call to action 229 00:07:44.610 --> 00:07:46.620 for me to be louder and queerer and raise my voice, 230 00:07:46.620 --> 00:07:47.640 because we're not going anywhere. 231 00:07:47.640 --> 00:07:49.260 Queer people have been here since the beginning of time 232 00:07:49.260 --> 00:07:50.400 and we're not going anywhere. 233 00:07:50.400 --> 00:07:53.250 And obviously these attacks on us, 234 00:07:53.250 --> 00:07:55.620 on these marginalized groups is just a distraction 235 00:07:55.620 --> 00:07:57.870 of what the important issues are. 236 00:07:57.870 --> 00:08:00.300 And like I said, history repeats itself 237 00:08:00.300 --> 00:08:04.890 and we've been fighting for a long time 238 00:08:04.890 --> 00:08:07.740 and it's a lot of two steps forward 239 00:08:07.740 --> 00:08:09.480 or a step forward, two steps back. 240 00:08:09.480 --> 00:08:14.480 But I feel empowered and I think it's really amazing too 241 00:08:14.610 --> 00:08:16.500 to start to see a lot of these bills, 242 00:08:16.500 --> 00:08:18.720 though some of them are being passed, like in Montana, 243 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:20.640 a lot of them are being denied. 244 00:08:20.640 --> 00:08:21.929 - [Audra] Right. 245 00:08:21.929 --> 00:08:22.762 - And are not being passed. 246 00:08:22.762 --> 00:08:25.110 So that's really invigorating for me 247 00:08:25.110 --> 00:08:26.250 to know that that's happening. 248 00:08:26.250 --> 00:08:28.980 - Last question, because pride month ain't over. 249 00:08:28.980 --> 00:08:30.013 - [Lagoona Bloo] Yes. 250 00:08:30.013 --> 00:08:31.080 - Despite what Bud Light might say 251 00:08:31.080 --> 00:08:32.213 with their new marketing strategy. 252 00:08:32.213 --> 00:08:33.120 - Right. 253 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:34.500 - It's not over. 254 00:08:34.500 --> 00:08:36.270 What is queer joy to you? 255 00:08:36.270 --> 00:08:41.270 - Queer joy to me is the very simple act of loving yourself. 256 00:08:41.880 --> 00:08:44.253 And it sounds very easy. 257 00:08:45.630 --> 00:08:46.860 A lot of people talk the game of 258 00:08:46.860 --> 00:08:48.210 yeah, just love yourself, love yourself, 259 00:08:48.210 --> 00:08:49.043 but what does that mean? 260 00:08:49.043 --> 00:08:50.850 And I think for me, 261 00:08:50.850 --> 00:08:54.390 my queer joy is in accepting everything that I am 262 00:08:54.390 --> 00:08:55.650 right here right now 263 00:08:55.650 --> 00:08:58.800 and not waiting for a better version of me. 264 00:08:58.800 --> 00:08:59.940 I used to walk around the world 265 00:08:59.940 --> 00:09:01.410 and tell myself that I wasn't good enough. 266 00:09:01.410 --> 00:09:02.940 That I wasn't thin enough, I wasn't pretty enough, 267 00:09:02.940 --> 00:09:04.890 I wasn't successful enough, I wasn't talented enough. 268 00:09:04.890 --> 00:09:06.270 And I realized that 269 00:09:06.270 --> 00:09:08.610 the moment I started changing the way I speak to myself, 270 00:09:08.610 --> 00:09:09.930 my whole life changed. 271 00:09:09.930 --> 00:09:14.610 So then whenever I have these feelings of self negativity, 272 00:09:14.610 --> 00:09:19.610 I actively turn it off or I actively speak against that 273 00:09:19.860 --> 00:09:21.780 and speak positive over my life 274 00:09:21.780 --> 00:09:26.520 and pride and being queer was the key 275 00:09:26.520 --> 00:09:28.470 that opened that door for me. 276 00:09:28.470 --> 00:09:31.080 So for me, queer joy is radical self-love 277 00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:34.530 and self-acceptance for yourself, right here and right now. 278 00:09:34.530 --> 00:09:37.005 Because we are all really worthy of it. 279 00:09:37.005 --> 00:09:39.922 (inspiring music)