- Hello, my little chicken cutlets,
vegan of course,
It's Michelle Visage.
Welcome to another episode of
Whatcha Packin'
(upbeat music)
Joining me today all the way from Minnesota
Yeah
It's Utica Queen.
- Oh gosh hi there, hello. Oh, I could use some casserole.
(giggles)
- Oh hi how are ya?
- I'm doing just peachy.
How are you doing Michelle?
- Oh, I'm wonderful Utica.
We have so much to talk about.
- Oh bring it on.
- First and foremost in general
how was your experience on the Drag Race of RuPaul?
- The Drag Race of RuPaul was everything.
(Michelle Laughing)
- What an honor
- Watching you up there.
My mom was a sewing teacher growing up
- ReallY?
- and she never taught me how to sew and I always wanted
but when I saw you up on stage
it reminded me of all those McCall's and Butterick patterns.
It brought back so many great memories
because those are kind of fashion moments that are forgotten
especially in a drag world.
I get a full seventies vibe from you.
What is it about that time that calls to you?
Cause you're young.
- Girl, you're nuts.
I am fully wearing seventies pants right now
- See there you go, so seventies cow print.
(Utica laughing)
- I love that you had a mom that sewed like that
and like gifted that to you.
(record scratching)
- Let me clarify.
My mother taught sewing
and every time I asked her to teach me would push me away
and tell me no, she didn't have the time.
- Oh no.
- So I never learned, but I did learn the love of a pattern.
So there was a passion for fashion at a very young age.
We didn't have a lot of money.
So my mother would make all of our clothing,
my brother and I - Wow
- would be wearing matching conflicting patterns.
(Utica Giggling)
And that's why I think I have an affinity
for a conflicting pattern.
When I see a plaid with a floral
or a plaid with a polka dot you know,
you'd learn in school no, no, no,
but for me it's yes, yes, yes.
It makes me really happy.
- Yes.
- And have you always been kind of a quirky outsider?
- I am literally a dork at all times
such an outsider.
- Which I love.
- I think we're cut from the same cloth
two contrasting patterns but we fit just perfectly together.
- Oh, I think that's perfect Utica that's so poetic.
- I'm in cow print and polka dots
and you're in leopard print sequins.
It's Gorgalina Jolie.
- I agree.
- I have been this banco wankos for a long time
but just embrace it, you know
- You have to, I mean, you walked into the workroom
with a strawberry on your head.
- [Utica] A really good friend of mine made that for me
and I was like, I'm just going to toss this on my head.
I love it.
- I love it too
and I think that's what makes Utica Queen, Utica Queen.
And the first lip sync you lost to Gottmik,
and that must have been difficult.
I was an outsider myself and continue to identify as one.
I was always kind of the last person picked
for things and the one made fun of and things like that.
Did it feel that way?
- There was a moment where I was getting
the short end of the stick with the voting portion of it.
- Hmm.
- Was like oh drat, what do I gotta do.
- (laughing) You're so cute, drat.
- (laughing) Drat.
- Your drag tells stories.
There's such an edge to that kind of drag that I appreciate.
And I really have an affinity for dorks in my heart.
- (Utica Laughing)
- And I could tell like right away you were
you were one of me.
So I loved you from the beginning.
And I know you had your moments that were fantastic.
- (Utica Laughing)
- I think you struggled with some like the roast,
- I felt terrible.
- [Michelle] you're kind of mean in the roast,
which was shocking.
My Minnesota kid being mean.
- You're not wrong, you're not wrong.
My main goals coming into all of this was
I want to show them my heart,
I want to show them my kook,
and I really want to perform to the best of my ability.
- You helped a lot of the girls in the ball challenge.
Is that correct?
- Yes. That was one of my favorite top
top moments of the show by far.
I feel so comfortable around a sewing machine.
My wife's teacher once told me
if you can't afford therapy, you can afford to sew.
I was like, that's great.
I'm never going to have money, but I do know how to sew.
So this is my form of therapy.
And to be able to share my joy for sewing
with the other girls,
that really was something that I'm going to hold on to
for a long time.
- Does it work for you Utica, sewing is therapy?
- I definitely think so.
I will find myself sewing for hours lost in thought.
Being able to like construct a garment
I think is definitely something that fuels my soul.
- Should we talk about your Snatch Game for a minute?
- (laughing) Yeah, yes let's go.
- I loved the way you looked.
I loved the ideas of squirrels instead of the Afro.
I know it's a sensitive subject
because you don't want to tread politically incorrect
and you don't want to offend cultural appropriation.
But I think that you did something so smart
by sewing those squirrels together
and making a wig out of it.
Now mind you, no Bob Ross in there whatsoever
- There is none.
- but you looked adorable - Thank you
- and talk about quirk and kook.
I mean, we saw your kook. - (Utica laughing)
- Let's talk a minute
about this would have been your finale look.
- Yes. This one is based off the cathedral of Notre Dame
and the event of it burning.
- Okay.
- You can't see the whole thing
but this thing goes all the way to the floor
and has big train, it's crazy, oof.
And the neck is supposed to bring the prayers up to heaven.
And I have this big cathedral headpiece that I made.
- Oh wow.
- It's really pointy and pokey and very fragile.
And so I couldn't have it here today, but yeah
I wanted to bring a little bit
of my religious upbringing into my finale look.
- But it's not just your upbringing.
You still practice.
You're an Adventist, aren't you?
- I do yes, I'm a Seventh-day Adventist.
Yeah. We worship on Saturdays.
The Sabbath, sometimes religion works
for the gays and sometimes it doesn't.
My family gave me amazing morals and I wanted to hold
on to that and like bring it into my art form.
- I know that you're vegetarian.
That means you probably been vegetarian your whole life.
Cause I know they don't eat meat
Correct?
- So I am actually not vegetarian
- (laughing)
- But it's that Adventist thing?
- It is like the Adventist thing, kosher,
vegetarian or vegan.
I ended up on a beef and dairy farm.
- (Michelle laughing)
So I'm a weird Christian
- Is the Adventist church good with gay people?
- Not at all.
- Okay. I didn't think so.
So it's just your family.
- I feel like my family is filled
with a bunch of special beans.
We put ourselves into these boxes of religion
and like small town vibes, but somehow we're just
like the little daisies that peek out of the cracks.
- I love that.
- And I feel very blessed to be
with such a goobery family.
- If you were to do any of the challenges over again
you get a second shot in any of the challenges
would you want to?
And if so, which one?
- I'd probably do the roast again.
(group laughing)
It's one of those experiences where you're learning
while you're doing it.
- Yes.
- You were there.
- I was there.
- I had one of the best zingers that was off the cuff
and I highly doubt it's going to get in.
- Which one? Which one?
- Ah oh my goodness.
RuPaul, you are a such a fashion icon from head to toe.
Could you stand up for us please?
(crickets chirping) (Utica laughing)
- Right? You are so wrong.
- Yes. Triumph.
I can die happy.
- So you had a great win with Simone as a team
for the makeover challenge.
What did that feel like?
- [Utica] That moment was definitely
one of my favorite moments
and I learned so much and really it was inspiring.
I was quite concerned with going into that challenge.
- Right.
- Trying my best to like be an advocate and be an ally.
But is it also appropriate?
Is it okay?
Over the course of that episode
I learned how to be so strong
and I learned how to be fabulous on the stage
and be sexy and beautiful.
By winning that week,
it was a lot of cherries on the top of the cake.
- It was.
- It was, it was really magical.
Simone is just amazing to be able to share that with her,
it was unreal.
- Well, it was unreal to watch too.
It was fantastic.
And you all were just the perfect team at the perfect time.
And that's the way it works.
- [Utica] Michelle. You're frozen.
But let me just say
even when you're frozen, you're gorgeous.
(television static)
- Thank you, you're frozen now, too.
(television static) (beep)
Utica froze too.
(beep) Let's get this together
so we can say goodbye to each other.
Now we're okay, Utica's back.
- Okay. You're back.
- You were frozen too. You're like this
(Utica laughing)
Utica, you made it to the top six.
You showed everybody your Minnesota quirk, your kook,
your fashion, your comedy, and most importantly your heart
you are an incredible talent.
I'm so glad I got to meet you.
Got to know you, got to laugh with you and got to judge you.
So condragulations, baby.
Thank you so so much.
- Oh my goodness.
Thank you, Michelle.
Honestly, icon, legend, star.
I hope to have that white streak just like you someday.
- (group laughing)
- I can't wait to hug you in person, honey.
- I will hold you to that. (fingers snapping)
- I'm a big hugger so I will hold you to that too.
Okay with the puns?
(Utica laughing)
- I love you sis.
- I love you Utica.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Thank you all for watching another episode
of Whatcha Packin'.
See you next time.
Bye.
♪ All I want ♪
♪ All I want is to stay up ♪
♪ Ah ah ♪