Kylie Minogue and Taika Waititi have been announced as some of the first guest stars to appear in the forthcoming premiere season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under.
The season, which is set to air on Stan from Saturday May 1, was filmed in New Zealand earlier this year. The contestants were later revealed at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade last month.
In a press statement, Minogue said, “I’m SO excited to finally be a part of RuPaul’s Drag Race for the first series Down Under.
“It’s such an iconic show and I can’t wait to watch the contestants perform their hearts out.”
Dannii Minogue is also set to be a guest star in the series, and she revealed part of her experience on the show in a separate press statement.
“I got to have a cheeky ‘Untucked’ chat with the girls…They had come straight from the runway challenge so it was exciting and tense all at the same time, not knowing who was going to have to lip sync for their life!” she said.
RuPaul will be hosting the series, with franchise regular Michelle Visage and comedian Rhys Nicholson joining as judges.
A few of the contestants on the series have already sparked controversy, after past instances of racist behaviour were unearthed. Anthony Price – who performs under Scarlett Adams – apologised after various images of them in black face, portraying a stereotypical Asian character and wearing a Sari circulated.
“There is no way to sugar-coat it, when I was a teenager roughly eight years ago I performed in black face/cultural appropriation,” Adams said in a statement.
“I was young and ignorant. I am no longer this person.”
Karen From Finance – otherwise known as Richard Chadwick – also acknowledged their past controversy when an image of a large golliwog doll tattoo on their leg circulated (the golliwog is considered offensive due to being an historical racist caricature of Black people).
Apologising for the tattoo, which they say has since been covered, Chadwick said on Instagram, “I’ve committed to an ongoing journey of accountability, activism and education, and to uncover and unlearn any and all racial bias – conscious or unconscious – that may or may not be embedded within me.”
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