Drag Race queen ‘isolated’ by fellow contestants: ‘They would ignore me’
RuPaul is currently hosting Drag Race Down Under. (World of Wonder)
Drag Race Down Under queen Minnie Cooper has said that she was “isolated by a big majority” of her co-stars. Warning – spoilers follow.
Minnie Cooper spoke after being eliminated from the second season of Drag Race’s Australia and New Zealand spin-off.
The 50-year-old from Sydney became the fourth queen to sashay away after failing to impress the judges with her impersonation of Ellen DeGeneres in the legendary Snatch Game, and losing a lip-sync to Lady Gaga’s “Dance in the Dark” against 21-year-old Brisbane queen, Beverly Kills.
Speaking with The Daily Mail Australia, Minnie Cooper revealed that the rift between her and the younger contestants was just as, if not more, explosive than the series made it appear.
“I think it’s quite obvious. I would go to speak to them and they would just ignore me and dismiss me,” Minnie said.
Minnie Cooper failed to garner praise for her celebrity impression of Ellen DeGeneres (WOW/ Stan)
Minnie condemned this behaviour, saying: “I personally would never do that in especially in an environment like that. It’s really hurtful.”
The veteran performer believes her competitors were jealous of her relationship with host RuPaul and judge Michelle Visage.
“You could see the connection I have with Ru. There’s something about that self deprecation. Being able to laugh at oneself, seeing humour in a circumstance. It’s just something that’s of a generation, I think,” she said.
“I don’t know if it’s because we’re of the same ilk and same age. I just connected with them, I could speak to them.”
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The Sydney queen said that it due to this rapport she “felt actually quite safe [from elimination]”.
Even when Beverly’s name was called as being saved from elimination, she thought the result would be a double save.
Minnie Cooper was sent home fourth after lip-syncing against rival Beverly Kills. (WOW/ Stan)
Before Minnie Cooper’s Drag Race Down Under elimination, her fellow queens had joked that there was a “curse of Cooper” – and that whoever argued with her would be eliminated next.
Aubrey Haive and Pomara Fifth, who were second and third out respectively, each clashed with Minnie shortly before they were asked to sashay away.
Beverly Kills said during the Snatch Game episode: “I’m not going to be a part of Minnie’s list, because any queen she fights with goes home. I’m not part of that narrative.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under season two streams on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
