Divine Magazine are thrilled to welcome Eddie OK Adams to the blog – Drag Queen, Presenter, DJ, Showgirl, #3 in Rupaul’s Drag Race UK 2015 and Dusty O’s Tranny Academy2013.
We normally like to ask our guests some silly questions to get to know them before we push on with the more serious stuff, so we asked Eddie to give us his answers to these rather quirky ones first…
If you were a fashion designer, what style of clothing or accessories would you design?
I have very little background in fashion, but I’ve always believed that nothing beats a ‘Statement dress’. The dress I made and designed for Rupaul’s Drag Race UK is actually a good example of the kind of thing I’m into. Big and regal but oozing femininity.
Do you ever laugh at things you shouldn’t?
I am probably THE worst person for that. When shit goes down I’m very often the only one cackling like a harpie in the background.
Have you ever walked out of a cinema before the film was done? If so, which film was it?
Have you not been to the cinema? It’s so expensive in this country! On the rare occasion I do go I don’t care if I’m having to sit through Sex and the City 2, I’ll be there at the credits getting my money’s worth!
What song would you say best sums you up?
Bicycle – Queen
Vanilla or chocolate?
Ah the eternal struggle…
If someone else’s child was being an annoying little monster, would you go tell them off or do something about it?
I have no idea, all children run from me screaming. Possibly instinctive.
Right, now we have the silly stuff out of the way, here’s the rest of the interview with Eddie.
There’s myriad of things a Drag Queen has to do to prepare herself for a show – can you give us a run down on what happens- how long does it take to put your make-up on, tuck or untuck, shave and get ready?
To be honest I do the whole thing is on auto pilot now, I practically phase out, and two and a half hours later, I’m in drag. Aesthetic is a big part of what I do but by far the most important part of getting ready for a show is mental preparation. Sometimes I’m on stage for an hour and the initial allure of sparkles and baubles often wears off after about two minutes. Your main concern should always to be entertaining.
How do you feel the soaring popularity of shows like Rupaul’s Drag Race have affected the art of drag?
Tough question. I can’t tell you the impact it’s had on my bookings, everyone wants drag now and I have to thank it for that. As far as the ‘scene’ goes, you know, I think it’s important to remember that Drag Race is no different to shows like Britain’s Got Talent. Anyone can do drag, but not everyone’s a drag queen.
Tell us something about being part of Rupaul’s Drag Race UK. It must have been one helluva experience.
It was great fun, lovely to meet girls from all over the country in that setting. The budget was HUGE. I don’t know if you can really tell from the footage but the stage was in the shape of (for want of a better phrase) a massive dick and balls entering an asshole. Hilarious.
If you had to pick one of these, which would you choose and why? Courage. Uniqueness. Nerve. Talent.
Talent, every time.
On your Facebook profile recently, you posted a ‘before’ and ‘after’ picture of yourself – the Eddie beneath the make-up and drag queen beauty Eddie OK Adams. You thanked God for drag – is this when you feel most comfortable, when you’re in drag? Divine happens to think you look pretty good in both pictures… but Eddie OK Adams is stunning.
Well that’s very kind. Drag has been my world for over ten years, many people would suggest it’s a mask, maybe it is, it’s certainly true that I don’t like to ‘ruin the illusion’. Drag in my opinion has always been about the romanticism of beauty, not just physically but in the things that you say, do, think even. A subtle movement or phrase can have just as much impact on other people’s perception of you as a high contour game. Also good drag queens should be the best of both society’s perception of a man and a woman. The pursuit of those key concepts has been the driving force and moral compass of my entire life. I view it in the same way a priest views his religion I suppose, it’s not necessarily my whole identity, but it’s had a huge hand in crafting the person I’ve become.
What part of your performing do you enjoy most? Being on stage as Eddie OK Adams, behind the camera in TV shows, performing at private events like you did at the UK LGBT Author Meet in Bristol, dancing it up at nightclubs, being part of the fashion scene- what floats your boat the most?
My career has been mostly stage based, I love everything I do but I do find being onstage the most emotionally and physically taxing of all the above. I’m certainly at my happiest in front of a camera. I’ve been working with an incredible photographer called Gareth Millar over the last year or so, when you find someone who can see your creative vision and translate its image into reality, I find it truly the most exhilarating experience.
Based on the sustainable fashion article you wrote for Brighton Fashion Week, you obviously feel strongly about the advent of what you perceive as the rise in ‘fast food fashion’ and countries exploiting workers in poorer areas to produce cheap clothing for the likes of consumers to buy. Would you like to tell us a bit more about your views on this?
While I worked PR for Brighton Fashion Week I was forced to take a really hard look at the impact the fashion industry is going to have on the world over the next 10 years. I can’t describe to you how important it is we make some serious changes as soon as possible. In a lot of ways Fashion is the world’s silent killer, even if you put aside massive exploitation and child labour, it’s the second most polluting industry to the environment after gas and oil. To me that’s insane. Somehow it’s the one industry that seems to have escaped focus and retained an elegant facade in the face of shocking miscarriages of justice. In the article I talk a little bit about what each of us can do to edit our behaviour and make a difference, worth a read. Remember who coined the phrase ‘Fast Food Fashion’ by the way. *winks*
#fastfoodfashion #EddieOKAdams #DragQueensRule #LicketySplit
All Photos courtesty of Eddie’s own Gay-llery
You can check out Eddie’s original article on sustainable fashion below
http://www.beautyandruin.com/brighton-fashion-week-leads-the-way-for-the-future-of-sustainable-fashion/
Divine would like to thank the magnificence that is Eddie Ok Adams for answering all the nosy questions and being such a wonderful lady to talk to. Your views on sustainable fashion are certainly an eye opener for those of us not in the industry.
We’ll welcome you back anytime, darling.
Eddie’s links
http://www.eddie-adams.co.uk/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqz8t8Mx7x1TRUxUnfAMgUA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn97UweI
