Good morning my friends,
and welcome to New Day Northwest.
This is our show's 3rd annual Pride special,
and our whole entire staff is so
excited to bring the show to you.
We're going to be covering
quite a bit of ground here,
from queer history to supporting L,
GB, TQ businesses,
and youth stylist Darcy Camden
has tips on nonbinary fashion,
and we're going to talk with the Seattle
Thunderbirds only gay player and of course.
Today is also Juneteenth,
also known as Freedom Day,
which makes the state even more special.
And that brings me to our
first guest this morning.
She was the very first winner of
Ru Paul's Drag Race back in 2009.
And now she's in town today
with a show called Nubia and a
special Juneteenth celebration
tonight at the Moore Theater.
And we are thrilled to
welcome BB Zahara Benet.
Oh, my gosh, I'm so excited.
Thank you for having me. It is such
a great honor to have you here,
especially so early in the day.
Oh my, it's early. I
was like, what? By the way, you
look stunning for being that early.
When you're finished with that before.
That's good. Gorgeous.
Mama's skirt. Mama's rainbow skirt.
So tell us what Nubia is all
about and how you created
it. My gosh, Nubia,
I am so excited about the
show and being in Seattle.
So Nubia, It came about because when
I looked at a lot of tours and shows
that have been happening around.
I never saw like a lot of like the talent
and diversity represented in those shows.
So I thought it was very important
for us to Createspace where we
can bring people together to
come celebrate black excellence,
black glamour, black opulence,
everything black.
And I like to say that that space
is for all I like to say it's by us
but for all and we just you know,
I just want we just want amazing
folks to just come and have a good
old time and celebrate with us and.
Seattle, Seattle.
I love Seattle. When I won Drag Race
and I was traveling, this was one.
And I don't say this to be like just this
is one of the cities that has always
shown me so much love and shown the
other girls like of color, so much love.
And so it was just so important for
us to come here and be able to like.
Just do the show here. And
so that makes us so proud.
That makes us so proud of our city.
Right now. That is so wonderful.
So hope everybody shows up and shows out.
That's why we're waiting. Well, and I
have to say, it's pretty awesome that Nubia
is happening the same day as Juneteenth.
It is, isn't it? Yes, isn't it? It's all
and it's like when when we talk
about the culture and we talk
about what's been happening,
I mean, Nubia and Juneteenth,
it just makes sense together
because it's still,
we're still having the same
kind of conversations and also
those things do change.
We'll still be having those same
kind of conversations.
And so bringing people together and
seeing what we're all about is what's
most important in a very loving way,
because it does seem like there are
parallels between Pride and Juneteenth
and and that and that idea of freedom.
And to be seen, and to be seen. And to
Createspace, Where you belong.
Where you belong, yeah,
And everyone is welcome.
And I think it's just so important,
especially when you think back
on the evolution of things.
And Ru Paul's Drag Race has been
such an important piece of learning.
And you were the very first winner.
Don't say that. It makes
me feel so we're not.
Wait a minute.
I'm belly legal? Okay.
I'm belly legal. I mean,
how did it impact your life?
My gosh, I'm humbled.
I'm just humbled by it.
And just to be able to
see the fact that I was.
The very first one to start the
journey and and see how far it has
come which becomes so successful.
And we're part of the pop culture.
We, you know, where people are having
conversations about our artistry.
People are paying thousands and thousands of
dollars for our artistry aka Nubia, you know.
And I'm just so just humbled
that I was able to like start
that with that this adventure.
But we it's just you get to experience.
Yeah
I know and cannot wait. Can I
ask how you first got into drag.
Well, first of all, I'm not
from this country.
I'm from Cameroon, West Africa.
But when I moved,
I actually moved to Minnesota.
And one of my friends was like,
hey, let me take you to a drag show.
I didn't even know what drag was.
I was like, well, I had a drag show.
So she takes me to this,
this drag bar and I'm sitting there
and all of a sudden the curtains
open and I see all this amazing,
beautiful entertainers coming
out and just looking, standing,
and I'm telling my mouth was on the floor.
It dropped and I was like, Oh my gosh,
this is what I'm supposed to be doing.
Because as a child I had always
been into the arts, music, dance,
performance, fashion, all of that.
And I wasn't sure how what
form that would take.
And so just seeing those entertainers,
just it was the puzzle just came together.
And from there that's, you know, story.
It's that's the story,
you know, look at me now,
look at me now.
What would you say to other people who
are looking to get into drag or just
even entertainment in general? It is.
It's kind of scary to take that step.
It is. I think I get
asked that question a lot.
I think the big thing for me is
you have to answer your why?
Why do you want to do it?
You know, because I it's the glamour
is just 10% of everything else.
People come and see.
They see us and see what
we do and they're like,
my gosh, you don't know.
It takes a lot
and it would test you.
So you have to answer your why?
Because your why is really going
to give you a direction of how to
move forward and Ek if your why is.
I just want to have fun then.
You would have fun. If you're wise.
I want to make some money.
Then you're going to give up
yourself to how you make money.
So I would say you have to answer your Why?
Because you know why.
You would guide you. I
think that's the best advice
ever I'm gonna have. I'm
gonna write that even you.
You know what is your why?
Why you do? Well,
you know, because you're right.
You know when people look out and they see,
oh, you must have so much fun every
day or on the team, then you have
no idea that this is 10% of my day.
The rest of it is writing or doing
these things. And so it is true.
Your why is so important.
How are you celebrating Prime this year?
Oh, making money? No,
that's my. Why making money? No, I'm just
so excited that I get to.
Like just travel and meet people
and and just, you know, empower,
you know, and bring some joy.
That's what we're all about is
bringing joy to people and just
showing them some life and light.
And I just, I'm excited that
we get to do this and Jodie is
amazing because it's bright mouth.
But I say we need to do this every month,
you know, and it's just not
just bright for everybody,
you know, it's necessary.
Tell me before I let you go about
some of the other Queens in the show.
I'm very excited.
I mean we are with like the top,
top girls of color.
We have Shakule, we have Lala, Ree,
Evie, Oddly, we have more heart.
We have Raj O'Hara winners
and just just successful,
successful black artists.
And I'm telling you,
we are burning the stage tonight
and I want everybody
to just come out one Seattle.
I want to see the Seattle love
that I get all the time that.
We get here so hopefully everybody
shows up because it's a show for
all for all for all.
You hear that it's time to go
Just black people. I can't think
of a better thing to do tonight to celebrate.
And I cannot wait to see.
I mean you are absolute light here
just early this morning sharing
your your gifts with us today.
But I cannot wait to see everyone on.
Thank you. Thank you for having me.
Oh well. And you're not going anywhere.
Oh, Phoebe is going to be staying
with us for a round of hot topics
at the end of the show along with.
For Joseph, so that will be so much fun.