5 Minutes With Spankie Jackson | What The Drag Race Down Under S2 Winner is Up To Now!
Winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race: Down Under S2, Spankie Jackzon, spills the tea on how drastically her life has changed, the reality of doing drag full time, and why she and her fellow BAB’z (Hannah Conda and Kween Kong) are in search of the next Pole Icon.
Winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race: Down Under S2, Spankie Jackzon, spills the tea on how drastically her life has changed, the reality of doing drag full time, and why she and her fellow BAB’z (Hannah Conda and Kween Kong) are in search of the next Pole Icon.
Since taking home the crown (and the hearts of audiences) last year, the trajectory of Spankie Jackzon’s life has drastically changed. After quitting her day job right before the finale aired, becoming the next drag superstar, and immediately hitting the road, life’s been busy.
“I think I’ve had four weeks total at home … it’s been amazing. I’m super grateful,” she says.
Still on the go, and on the penultimate night of a three-week trip over in the USA (that included her first time at DragCon LA) Spankie talks about her experience, stating, “it was overwhelming, exciting., colourful, exhausting, rewarding. It was such a melting pot of drag on another level.”
“I’m not sheltered, but I was not prepared for how full on it was going to be. We had people who are dressed up in outfits like us, we had people who made us gifts, like, it was just amazing. But more than that, I think the fact that we got to network and meet drag icons of Drag Race that we have always watched, but not only for them to turn around and say that they love us just as much as we love them. It was amazing for me.”
Though Spankie’s had many a professional highlight in the last year, the one she cherishes the most has been, “touring with the BAB’z, and us being able to continue the joy and the friendship that we had on the show. I mean, we’re even still here in America together in an Air BNB.”
“The three of us, that is the highlight.”
“… but I think if there’s a personal highlight, it must be the reaction that I’ve received here in America. I had no idea that people would even watch the show let alone that they’ve have been watching me since I won House of Drag, which was the first TV show that I won. So, it’s been overwhelming how many people already knew my name, and just to know that I have in some small way, made a little bit of a mark on the world. I think that’s the biggest highlight for me.”
Yet, Spankie does admit that there are certain aspects of her old life that she does miss, divulging, “I mean, it’s not like I’m famous, it’s not like people jumping out of bushes or taking photos. For me, it’s the reality of doing this as a full-time job, touring, being on planes, travelling, constantly living in a suitcase, not seeing your family, not having your own beds and your own room and it’s all those kinds of little things that we just kind of take for granted. The things that I missed the most are just doing laundry, doing the washing, cooking a meal, like, we’re eating takeaways and things like that because you’re just on the road all the time. So, it’s a completely different lifestyle, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s just an adjustment. And everybody goes through adjustments in life with new opportunities.”
As for the upcoming third season of DRDU, Spankie has a word of advice for her soon-to-be sisters, “seriously, just have a good time,” she says, “and try and enjoy it … It’s a stressful, highly intense emotional process. Through that you must find some element of peace. Just enjoy yourself because that’s when you’ll finally feel comfortable in your own skin, to kind of just let loose and do your thing. I just wish the girls the best of luck, and I hope to have another fucking sister with a crown on it soon.”
“… Hopefully a Kiwi,” she laughs.
To catch Spankie and the BAB’z for a one-night entertainment spectacular of jaw dropping performances, Sydneysiders look no further, as the three DRDU finalists will be heading to this year’s Pole Icon to help crown the next Aussie pole dance superstar.
Spankie says, “we’re gonna have high energy shows from us, and we’re also going to be judging. I’m pretty good on a pole, but not to this scale you know what I mean? I can do the slip and slide, up and down, and maybe a slight twerk too. This is not an erotic pole dance. This is like sports, an emphasis on strength and agility and t takes so much more physicality to achieve what these people are doing, so I think it’s amazing to be a part of and we’re super excited to see the performances.”
She adds, “there’s a meet and greet with us before the show as well. But we’re also going to be there for the whole night, so please, everybody should just come and buy a ticket because I cannot wait.”
Taking place on June 24 at Luna Park’s Big Top, tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster.
