Runner up of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season Four and one of the shows most explosive and entertaining queens ever, as Phi Phi O’Hara prepares to make her UK debut this month bigger, stronger and bolder than ever, she spoke exclusively to Jason Reid.
You’re finally coming over, making your UK debut at West 5; what took you so long?
I’ve been constantly busy here in the States, which has been good of course. I’ve always wanted to play the UK and I’m thrilled about coming. I’m obsessed with y’all. It’ll be my first time in London, plus my boyfriend will be with me and it’s my birthday during the trip.
How cute! You have been to Scotland before though, but you didn’t get to perform?
I was deported due to a visa issue. Whoops! So I can imagine why venues were a tad hesitant after that. But it’s all good now.
Ouch! So, Drag Race, three years on. You were quite the firecracker of season 4 and you received a crazy amount of criticism from the fans. How did that affect you?
To be honest with you and I’m not trying to sound cocky, I had a thick skin from before, which I think had to do with my childhood. For me it’s always been about never letting what people say bother me, so that really kicks into play when you’re on TV. Then EVERYONE has an opinion. If anything I used it as ammo to be more successful and to piss the people off who wanted to see me fail.
Is that what drives you? To prove your critics wrong?
It used to be. I was focussing too much on succeeding to prove them wrong rather than for me. But recently that’s shifted, I’ve found out who Phi Phi is and I’m having a blast.
You were a fascinating character on the show which ultimately makes for compelling viewing. We have a phrase over here, ‘something is Marmite’, meaning you either love or hate it. You’re quite Marmite, would you agree?
Yeah totally! Is it like the stuff I had in Australia?
Vegemite?
Yes. I’ve had that. I do not like it.
It sounds like you’re is in a good place right now?
I’m happy, yeah. I was trying to be something I wasn’t on Drag Race. I did what ‘people’ wanted me to do which was totally the wrong way to go about it. In hindsight, I would’ve been happier getting kicked off earlier being myself than getting to the top being someone else. I’ve learned from that.
Are you sensitive?
I care about my feelings. It’s all up to you if you want to be happy.
Competitive?
I’m competitive to the max, even if we were playing Monopoly.
“In hindsight, I would’ve been happier getting kicked off earlier being myself than getting to the top being someone else”
You took that bitch persona you were lumped with and turned that into a positive for yourself and your career. Was that a conscious decision?
I’d always told people ‘words cannot define you unless you let them’ and I wasn’t gonna let people put a negative spin on that word for me, so I decided to switch it to empower myself and others.
Where did your name come from?
O’Hara comes from my drag mom in Dallas, Texas. She’s the only queen that’s made me stop in my tracks in awe. Phi Phi wasn’t my original drag name, it was Phoenix, but there was a Phoenix on Season 3 so we went with Phi Phi. It stuck and it kinda sounds like a bitchy Pomeranian, which works for me!
Let’s imagine I’m a novice young drag fan who’s going to skip along to your show at West 5; what can Timmy Twinkle toes expect?
I’ll be singing live in London, which I’m excited about because a lot of people don’t know that I can sing. Plenty of comedy and a few game-shows too. I just want it to be a party and for everyone to have fun.
Finally, if you could chose any five girls from any season to compete against who would you plump for?
Well I’d want to go up against the best so Alaska, Katya, Roxxxy Andrews, Delta Werk and Jiggly Caliente.
• You can catch Phi Phi doing her thing at West 5, South Ealing W5 4NT on Saturday 10th October.
