Television
Yards to ‘Envy’
One of the stars of Bravo’s “Backyard Envy” talks about working with friends, making backyards beautiful and supporting LGBT people
From small intimate New York backyards to sprawling hills In the suburbs to transforming a Manhattan parking lot into a tropical oasis — complete with live palms — the trio from Manscapers New York have tackled almost every space imaginable.
James DeSantis, one-third of the exterior and interior design team, hopes that those who tune in to watch the three friends get their hands dirty in Bravo’s “Backyard Envy” can take away some helpful gardening tips, but also see three best friends. Check local listing for air times. To catch up on this season, watch full episodes here.
It started with a party
Manscapers NY got its start when DeSantis was living with his best friend Melissa “Mel” Braiser in New York. The two had met while attending the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and were both pursuing careers in interior design. They were also known to throw some good parties for Garrett Magee, their best friend who had an extensive landscaping background. And it was transforming Braiser and DeSantis’ small backyard into an outdoor living space that was the talk of the party more than the drinks.
DeSantis said they would hear remarks from “fabulous people” about their designs. Then those people started asking them to redesign their backyards.
“One of our first clients was in fashion. Most of our first clients came from that world of design and fashion because those were the people that we know,” DeSantis says. “They let you have a little more of creative freedom and are more understanding of the creative process and trial and error. We really are not trained landscape designers. We consider ourselves exterior designers. I think that’s what makes us different. Because we had practiced interior design for so long, we just translated all of those things and all the elements and principals of good design as well, and we took them to the outside.”
By that time they had had successful careers in their own right: DeSantis worked for Ralph Lauren, Braiser worked for elite clients in construction and design and Magee was a respected landscape designer. But as more jobs came in, the friends decided that maybe they had found something that allowed them to work together. That’s when they founded the Williamsburg, Brooklyn-based Manscapers New York.
Go for green
Transforming outdoor spaces in a four-season climate where backyards are notoriously tiny has had its challenges, DeSantis says
“Number one, New York City is a very small space-driven design palette. There are those constraints and then the actual constraints of the weather here,” he says.
That means understanding the type of plants that can survive a brutal New York winter, but still give their clients some greenery during those cold months.
“There’s definitely a learning curve there. Garrett is really our plant expert, which that’s what helps our relationship. We all are experts in this sort of exterior design and we all do know a lot about design and we all do know a lot about plants, but also let each other shine on certain issues,” he says. “Like I have no problem deferring to Garrett and saying, ‘Hey, what plant is good for this shady backyard?’ or asking Mel, ‘What type of stone is going to look great with this oak tree but isn’t going to stain?’ I do my business and clients relations and design stuff. We pick up each other. … That’s what’s kind of amazing of three people running a business.”
We are family
At the core of the show, and their real life, is their friendship. And although some might say getting in business with friends is a bad idea, DeSantis says for them it’s never been an issue.
“I don’t think it hinders us, because we do know how to approach each other. We’ve known each other for so long and so well that we know when someone’s buttons are being pushed, so we know when to back off, too. Some of us — I’m not going to mention any names — have a hard time shutting off business sometimes, remembering that when we’re not working we’re still friends. Sometimes we have to say, ‘OK today’s not a work day, today’s a friend day.’ And that’s trial and error, too.”
Their friendship existed before their business and subsequent show and DeSantis says it always will continue long after the show.
“I don’t think these two people are ever going to be anyone I cannot see in my life or that it’s ever going sour,” he says. “You know that when you work with people. We have supported each other through everything. Once you’re friends and you also share a bank account, it could change things, luckily for us it’s always been very positive.”
In this season of “Backyard Envy,” DeSantis’ father, David, a well-respected metal works artist, makes an appearance on the show. He builds a special light for a wedding arch for one of Manscapers’ clients.
“It was amazing. I’ve worked with my dad on and off for 12 years, since I’ve been in design,” he says.
DeSantis says his father has always been his go-to person when he needs anything in metal.
“When I used to work for Ralph Lauren, he would build a lot of custom furniture for us, and he still has Ralph Lauren as one of his clients still today,” he says. “It’s been great. We just did this huge event last week for the New York Botanical Garden as contributing designers this year, and we did a big installation and my dad built a bunch of furniture for us, which all got purchased, which was great.”
Gay pride
DeSantis, who’s openly gay, says it never crossed his mind to worry about exposing his private life on TV. Mostly because of reality shows like the original “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” and the rebooted “Queer Eye” allowed he and his castmates to be who they are on and off the screen.
“I actually thought of it always as a selling point,” he says. “In my mind it was just two fabulous gay men and a beautiful woman in New York who have an interesting relationship.”
That means all types of audiences will find something in the show.
“I think we have something for everyone. Garrett has that ‘70s porn star look, and I’m like a funny bear and Mel’s an amazing-looking contractor and she’s straight, appeals to everyone. To me, it was like, ‘Oh we’re checking all the boxes,”’ he says.
It also helped, he says, that they were going to be aired on Bravo, which has always been known as an LGBTQ-friendly network.
“I wanted ours to be a LGBT TV show because that’s how we consider our business,” he says. “We started catering to gay men in Chelsea. We have hot guys who wear tank tops (called the Mannies) to work who dig your bushes and plant your holes. Our entire staff is gay, actually like 95 percent are gay. Not because for any reason, it’s just that those are the people that we know and who works for us.”
They also had the support of their producers World of Wonder. The production company produces other LGBTQ-friendly shows such as “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
“We knew we were in the right hands, if we were going to have a show with two main characters who were gay it would be with World of Wonder,” he says.
Giving back
With their newfound celebrity, DeSantis says it has encouraged them to give back even more to the LGBTQ community and using their new status to help.
“I think anytime you become a public figure or a person in media and you have attention on you, you have to step up a little bit,” he says.
One of their newest projects is working with the South Hamptons estate of the late LGBTQ activist Edie Windsor. Many fundraisers that benefited the LGBTQ causes were held on her estate and with the new project, Manscapers NY are hoping to give it new life as the fundraising continues. DeSantis says they expect to feature the project next season. On April 25, they also are doing a charity event for Housing Works for AIDS research.
All three give back as much as they can to the community as much as they can.
“Mel’s straight but she’s a huge supporter, she gives up a lot of money and her time because everyone in her life is gay except her husband,” he says with a laugh.
Changing minds
Sure, DeSantis says they want people to watch their show for great design tips, but he also wants viewers to see stereotypes broken.
“My goal always for this show was to show reversified gender roles on the way we do things. Mel is such an amazing strong character as a woman who does building and constructing projects. She really does. It’s not bullshit, it’s not just for TV, that’s always been her role in her company,” he says.
And in the media where gay men are portrayed as either flamboyant or drag queens, DeSantis says he and Garrett show that gay men come in all types.
“It just demystifies for some people in Middle America that a gay guy can pick up a hammer or dig holes or do work with their hands,” he says. “We’re not all just hairdressers and fashion stylists. … I hope it can show people we’re not all the same.”
Five tips to transform your space
James DeSantis from Bravo’s hit exterior design show “Backyard Envy” offers design tips to transform your backyard into an oasis.
Treat your inside like your outside. Take the inspirations from your interior design and bring them outside. Look around and find what works. Find your favorite room and if you have A-B-C-D, translate that style to your outside.
Start small and go green. If you can’t afford to redo the entire backyard but you want to live with some greenery for the summer months, go to any hardware store and get some really affordable houseplants parlor palms that are 6 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide and inexpensive. They take up a lot of space and they’re greenery. Put them in a pot and have them outside and in the wintertime bring them inside.
Find the walls. We always treat fences like interior walls. Your fence or your exterior wall, because you’re surrounded by buildings in New York, should be treated like a decorative element. To liven up your space, hang mirrors on the fences or the walls. Paint them interesting patterns and colors. You can create a macrame weave on the wall. Always think about the vertical spaces as well because that’s really what helps to make it feel like an outdoor room.
Lighting is key. Don’t neglect that to the last thing. The easiest way to handle outdoor lighting is hanging bistro lights. It’s something simple and you can get them at Target for $25 and it can create a mood in your backyard.
Be realistic with your budget. I think the most important things, as the money guy, is to not get over your head. When you’re looking to redesign your space, you really need to take a fine tooth comb to your finances and see how much you can really dedicate toward it. Then, create an order of operations around that that will give you the most successful bang for your buck. Don’t go spending $2,000 of your budget on one tree if your yard is 3,000 square feet. You need to find a cost-effective plant that will take up a lot of space. Maybe you reuse or recycle your outdoor plants or your furniture from somewhere else or build it yourself because that stuff can get really costly really quickly. It can eat up a ton of your budget. Know where you’re at and what you want to tackle before you get three sheets to the wind, Really know your budget inside and out.
— CRYSTAL SCHELLE
Television
Charles Galin King brings cultural influences, style to ‘King of Drag’
First-ever drag king television competition series airs on Revry
When Charles Galin King made his big debut on the world’s first drag competition show, “King of Drag,” you knew you were taking in a star. He introduced himself as “a Mexican-American Indigenous Wixárika with Ch’ol blood person,” and you couldn’t help but take notice.
His cultural influences are apparent in his drag, serving distinct and memorable looks. He won fans over with his fabulous impression of Nosferatu on “The Dong Show” and connected with them through his honesty about his mental health struggles. After bringing the black plague to the prom, his time on the Revry series came to an end.
We caught up with Charles Galin King to talk about his experience on “King of Drag,” what he hopes to see in future seasons, and advice for new drag kings.
Tell us about your first time in drag.
Back in high school senior year, I decided to wear one of my dad’s black button-up short-sleeved shirts and made a beard and mustache on my face, and wore a fedora hat. I went out with one of my best friends to this day, Ruben, and we went to Hollywood and went to Jack and the Box. I needed the restroom and went to the women’s, and a guy coming out of the men’s said, “Not that one, this one.” And I felt validated in drag cause I was that convincing of a “man,” jajaaaja.
What made you decide to be a part of the inaugural season of ‘King of Drag’?
I wanted to try it cause I was looking at the application out of curiosity, and upon reading started feeling fear and nervousness. And said, “I should apply,” to my mother. Also, l will die one day, might as well go for it and see how it is. I knew I would be a part of the first trial and error cause it’s a first of its kind, so we all learned together what this show is and will be.
What do you hope to see differently in future seasons?
More kings on the King’s Court, and more BIPOC judges, and more lip sync songs.
What surprised you most about your experience on ‘King of Drag’?
I gained nine new siblings and felt a beautiful connection to myself in wanting to be a part of this community even more because of them. And due to being a beautifully diverse experience.
What do you cherish most about your filming experience?
I showed what drag means to me and what my drag is. And being able to say thank you to the cast, crew, tech, and owners of the studio where filming was at.
If you could do one thing over on ‘King of Drag,’ knowing what you know now, what would it be?
Have more money and be able to show my true fear of cutting out a fetus from me and showing myself dying.
Have you had any especially memorable fan interactions since the show began?
Yes, when people and fans would say thank you for sharing your story about accepting death and suicide. And them asking me what surprised me most about being on the show.
Do you hear from other kings about the representation the show offers?
Yes, very much. They feel seen and have been wanting this for such a long time, and it’s a breath of fresh air seeing us all work together. We still feel the hate from those who don’t understand our existence, though I have learned from my kings on the show that with every hate comment, there are ten love comments from the fans.
What do you want aspiring kings to know about the working life of a king?
Be prepared to be looked at by certain audiences with stares of confusion, and being on their phone when performing or being compared to other kings. Also, since we are still climbing to be accepted in this world, the majority of “Drag Race” fans still see us as non-existent and trash. Always focus on our drag king audience, for they understand us the most. Always have fun, for if I have fun, then the audience will have fun alongside me. SO many queens support us, and there are still queens who look down on us. Accept that and focus on your music, routines, lyrics, and feeling the vibes of what character you will put on stage.
If you can ask a co-star or Murray Hill one question at a season 1 reunion, what would it be?
What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream if you eat ice cream? And when can we hang out and look out to the sunset and high-five when it’s time to go home?
Stream the entire season of “King of Drag” now on Revry.com and follow Charles Galin King on social.
Sure, we know everybody’s talking about the Emmy nominations right now, but they aren’t the only TV awards in town.
On July 8, GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics announced the winners of its 17th Dorian TV Awards.
With more than 560 critics, journalists, and media icons making up its membership, GALECA is the second largest entertainment journalists’ group in the world, and they present their Dorian Awards – named in honor of Oscar Wilde, the celebrated queer writer who penned “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and who serves as something like the group’s patron saint – to honor the best in film, television, and theater at separate times during each year. Frequently, many Dorian nominees and winners presage similar honors from the more mainstream awards bodies, reminding the world that the informed LGBTQ perspective on all things entertainment definitely matters; at the same time, however, the Dorians also include several queer-centric categories that are unique to them, providing an opportunity to amplify the reach of more unsung and off-the-radar material which might otherwise be overlooked.
For this year’s TV awards – which, as always, honor both mainstream and queer-focused content across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms – streaming giant Max scored big. Their new, genre-expanding hit “The Pitt” was awarded Best TV Drama, with veteran star Noah Wyle earning Best Leading TV Performance (Drama) for his role on the show. A parallel double victory was bestowed in the comedy categories, where Max triumphed once more with “Hacks” winning both Best TV Comedy and Best Lead Performance (Comedy) for star Jean Smart (both winning for the third year in a row), and her co-star, Hannah Einbinder, took the Best Supporting TV Performance (Comedy) win for a second time. “Hacks” also scored wins as Best LGBTQ TV Show and Best-Written TV Show (Comedy).
Smart also added an additional accolade to her ever-growing tally, winning GALECA’s TV Icon Award, an annual career achievement honor previously bestowed on the likes of Jennifer Coolidge, Christine Baranski and Carol Burnett. Other special accolades: nonbinary multi-hyphenate Cole Escola (creator-star of the outlandish Broadway smash “Oh, Mary!”) earned GALECA’s “Wilde Wit” Award, following in the footsteps of such past winners as Julio Torres, Wanda Sykes, Bowen Yang and John Oliver; and Ncuti Gatwa – the Rwandan-born Scottish actor who is the first Black and out queer performer to portray the title character in BBC’s long-running sci-fi hit “Doctor Who” – was named as LGBTQIA+ TV Trailblazer.
Other noteworthy wins: “Andor,” the boldly queer-inclusive (and anti-fascist) Disney Plus “Star Wars” spin-off about the rise of the galactic resistance against an authoritarian empire, was named as Best Genre TV Show; “Overcompensating,” the sexy-but-sweet collegiate comedy from viral internet star Benito Skinner and Amazon Prime Video, took the prize for Best Unsung TV Show; Peacock’s Alan Cumming-hosted “The Traitors” won double honors as both Best Reality Show and “Campiest” TV Show (the Dorians’ cheekiest prize); the HBO two-parter “Pee-wee as Himself” defeated all competitors to win as both Best TV Documentary and Best LGBTQ TV Documentary; and “Wicked” fans will be glad to hear that the movie’s stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo (the group’s LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer honoree earlier this year) came in on top of the TV Musical Performance category, beating out a highly competitive field that included Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar, to win with a medley of tunes from “The Wizard of Oz” and its various descendents on ABC’s broadcast of the 97th Academy Awards.
“This year’s Dorian TV winners prove once again that queer folks have an especially keen eye for stellar TV, using our culture’s lens to elevate the bold, brilliant, and blissfully bonkers,” said Diane Anderson-Minshall, GALECA’s Executive Director. “From Hacks’ dazzling domination to Ncuti Gatwa’s historic trailblazing, we’re proud to celebrate a wildly entertaining spectrum of talent and storytelling.”
Added GALECA’s President, Walt Hickey, “The Dorian Awards this year illustrate more than anything the depth and quality of TV right now, especially when it comes to shows by and for LGBTQ+ people. This year’s crop of winners made us laugh, inspired us, and delivered some of the most intense and rewarding performances many of our members have ever seen.”
GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics and its Dorian Awards honor the best in film, television, and theater at separate times of the year. With over 560 members, GALECA. A nonprofit organization, GALECA also advocates for better pay, access, and respect for entertainment journalists (especially those most underrepresented), providing scholarships for LGBTQ journalism students and more.
2025 DORIAN TV AWARD WINNERS, FULL LIST
BEST TV DRAMA
Andor (Disney+)
The Last of Us (HBO)
The Pitt (Max)
Severance (Apple TV+)
The White Lotus (HBO)
BEST TV COMEDY
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Hacks (Max)
The Rehearsal (HBO)
Somebody Somewhere (HBO)
The Studio (Apple TV+)
BEST LGBTQ TV SHOW
Agatha All Along (Disney+)
Hacks (Max)
Heartstopper (Netflix)
Overcompensating (Amazon Prime Video)
Somebody Somewhere (HBO)
Rebel Ridge (Netflix)
BEST WRITTEN TV SHOW
Andor (Disney+)
Hacks (Max)
The Pitt (Max)
Severance (Apple TV+)
The White Lotus (HBO)
BEST UNSUNG TV SHOW
English Teacher (FX on Hulu)
Evil (Paramount+)
Fantasmas (HBO)
Mid-Century Modern (Hulu)
Overcompensating (Amazon Prime Video)
BEST NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE TV SHOW
Elite (Netflix)
My Brilliant Friend (HBO)
One Hundred Years of Solitude (Netflix)
Pachinko (Apple TV+)
Squid Game (Netflix)
Threesome (ViaPlay)
BEST LGBTQ NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE TV SHOW
Becoming Karl Lagerfeld (Hulu)
The Boyfriend (Netflix)
Elite (Netflix)
The Secret of the River (Netflix)
Threesome (Viaplay)
When No One Sees Us (Max)
BEST TV PERFORMANCE – DRAMA
Colin Farrell, The Penguin (HBO)
Stephen Graham, Adolescence (Netflix)
Cooper Koch, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (Netflix)
Diego Luna, Andor (Disney+)
Cristin Milioti, The Penguin (HBO)
Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us (HBO)
Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us (HBO)
Adam Scott, Severance (Apple TV+)
Michelle Williams, Dying for Sex (FX on Hulu)
Noah Wyle, The Pitt (Max)
BEST SUPPORTING TV PERFORMANCE—DRAMA
Carrie Coon, The White Lotus (HBO)
Owen Cooper, Adolescence (Netflix)
Taylor Dearden, The Pitt (Max)
Erin Doherty, Adolescence (Netflix)
Walton Goggins, The White Lotus (HBO)
Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt (Max)
Genevieve O’Reilly, Andor (Disney+)
Parker Posey, The White Lotus (HBO)
Jenny Slate, Dying for Sex (FX on Hulu)
Tramell Tillman, Severance (Apple TV+)
BEST TV PERFORMANCE—COMEDY
Uzo Aduba, The Residence (Netflix)
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear (FX on Hulu)
Bridget Everett, Somebody Somewhere (HBO)
Nathan Fielder, The Rehearsal (HBO)
Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along (Disney+)
Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face (Peacock)
Seth Rogen, The Studio (Apple TV+)
Benito Skinner, Overcompensating (Amazon Prime Video)
Jean Smart, Hacks (Max)
BEST SUPPORTING TV PERFORMANCE—COMEDY
Ike Barinholtz, The Studio (Apple TV+)
Colman Domingo, The Four Seasons (Netflix)
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks (Max)
Kathryn Hahn, The Studio (Apple TV+)
Jeff Hiller, Somebody Somewhere (HBO)
Holmes, Overcompensating (Amazon Prime Video)
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Linda Lavin, Mid-Century Modern (Hulu)
Catherine O’Hara, The Studio (Apple TV+)
Meg Stalter, Hacks (Max)
BEST TV MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
Beyoncé, “Cowboy Carter” medley, Beyoncé Bowl (Ravens vs. Texans Halftime Show) (Netflix)
Doechii, “Catfish” / “Denial Is a River,” 67th Annual Grammy Awards (CBS)
Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, “Oz Medley” (“The Wizard of Oz,” “The Wiz,” “Wicked”), 97th Academy Awards (ABC)
Kathryn Hahn, Patti LuPone, Ali Ahn, Sasheer Zamata, “The Ballad of the Witches’ Road,” Agatha All Along (Disney+)
Kendrick Lamar, “Squabble Up,” “Humble,” etc., Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show (Fox)
BEST TV DOCUMENTARY OR DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Deaf President Now! (Apple TV+)
Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes (Max)
Pee-wee as Himself (HBO)
The Rehearsal (HBO)
SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night (Peacock)
BEST LGBTQ TV DOCUMENTARY OR DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution (PBS)
Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara (Hulu)
Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution (Netflix)
Pee-wee as Himself (HBO)
Queer Planet (Peacock)
BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS SHOW
The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney (Netflix)
Hot Ones (YouTube)
Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
BEST GENRE TV SHOW
Agatha All Along (Disney+)
Andor (Disney+)
Black Mirror (Netflix)
The Last of Us (HBO)
Severance (Apple TV+)
BEST ANIMATED SHOW
Big Mouth (Netflix)
Bob’s Burgers (Fox)
Harley Quinn (Max)
The Simpsons (Fox)
Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
MOST VISUALLY STRIKING TV SHOW
Adolescence (Netflix)
Agatha All Along (Disney+)
Andor (Disney+)
Severance (Apple TV+)
The White Lotus (HBO)
BEST REALITY SHOW
The Amazing Race (CBS)
The Great British Baking Show (Netflix)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV)
Top Chef (Bravo)
The Traitors (Peacock)
CAMPIEST TV SHOW
Doctor Odyssey (ABC)
Mid-Century Modern (Hulu)
Overcompensating (Amazon Prime)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV)
The Traitors (Peacock)
WILDE WIT AWARD
Quinta Brunson
Alan Cumming
Hannah Einbinder
Cole Escola
Nathan Fielder
GALECA TV ICON AWARD
Gillian Anderson
Angela Bassett
Alan Cumming
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Jean Smart
GALECA LGBTQIA+ TV TRAILBLAZER AWARD
Jonathan Bailey
Greg Berlanti
Ncuti Gatwa
Bella Ramsey
Mike White
Television
How this Texas drag king reclaimed their identity
Chicano performance art serves as inspiration
Three out of ten drag kings who were cast for this first season of King of Drag self-identified as Latinx and after episode two, only one Latinx king remains in the running for the competition.
Buck Wylde, a king from Dallas, Texas delivered a performance that took inspiration from their Catholic upbringing and Catholic school days to put together this persona. During the episode, they shared that they like to “play with religion.”
Murray Hill responded by adding, “sometimes we can’t afford to go to therapy for the Catholic guilt, so we do drag.” Buck Wylde says their therapy and their church is drag.
Buck Wylde, cancer sign, goes by Trigger Mortis when they are outside of drag and present more on the femme side. Along with Big D—another drag king on the series—they are the only two who are more femme outside of their drag persona.
During this episode, Buck Wylde also spoke about the difficulty of performing drag in a red state. They live in conservative Dallas, so they still struggle to find large-scale acceptance and support in the midst of statewide legislation targeting the LGBTQ community in Texas.
“Sometimes it doesn’t feel [as] safe as [I] would like it to be. There’s protesters all the time and we don’t have as many spaces to perform as kings there,” they said in the interview.
Buck Wylde says that for them, the most important thing about drag, is that it is and always has been a protest.
Living in a conservative state is a challenge to them as a drag king, but they say that it’s important for them to stand their ground and not only bring that representation to these areas, but also intentionally keep it there.
“So many people leave Texas for their safety and mental health to go to Portland, LA, or Colorado Springs or you know, anywhere but here.”
During the episode, Buck Wylde also opened up about how their religious background and cultural heritage added an extra layer to their identity issues growing up where they did. Their family wanted them to assimilate and even prevented them from speaking Spanish and they say that through Buck, they are able to re-examine what it means to be a part of that culture.
Buck Wylde is a third generation Mexican-American and they say that though their Spanish is not fluent, they say they do prefer their horchata without (ICE).
“I kind of straddled different worlds there, because I was sort of assimilated but I still had my Mexican culture. I always felt like I wasn’t connected enough because of the assimilation and it was through drag that I was able to reclaim my culture.”
In the first round of competitions for the second episode, the kings broke up into three teams of three for an improv skit where they would have to mansplain a topic and whichever team did it the best—won the group Weenie Challenge.
The winning team included Buck Wylde, Alexander the Great and Henlo Bullfrog. Together they improvised a skit where they mansplained the Amelia Earhart story.
For the solo show, they dressed up as ‘The Devil’ for the improv solo challenge, cracking a joke about how they are dressed like the person currently living in The White House.
Dressed as the Devil, sporting a Zoot Suit for the final competition, Buck Wylde improvised a skit with food.
Buck Wylde says they felt the pressure to perform because along with the other nine kings who were cast, they are the first ten kings to make it to the mainstream and represent king culture.
“We call ourselves the first ten because whatever happens, we’re responsible for how the kings are viewed and how we move forward together, being the blueprint for what’s to come,” said Buck Wylde in an exclusive interview with Los Angeles Blade.
Back stage before the solo improv competition, Buck Wylde says they felt their drag persona “crumbling” away.
They felt like Buck had abandoned them prior to their big moments to prove to the judges that they should stay in the running for the competition. They went up against Perka $exxx, who gave a king-based Dave Chappell performance.
In the end, it was Perka $exxx who received a 4-1 vote from the judges.
Buck Wylde left the show with some advice for the kings and the audience: “No matter what life throws at you, always remember who the Buck you are.”
King of Drag is now available to stream on RevryTV, an LGBTQ streaming platform for queer movies, TV shows, music and more — all for free. New King of Drag episodes will premiere weekly on Sundays.
Gottmik and Violet Chachki are bringing drag excellence across the country with ‘The Knockout Tour’
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