Vincent / Envi, Worth The Drive

In this episode of Worth the Drive, we cruise through Long Beach with Vincent a hair and makeup artist, creative visionary, and the force behind his drag alter ego, ENVI. More than just glam and performance, this conversation dives into identity, artistry, confidence, and the courage it takes to fully express yourself in a world that often tells people to stay small.
Vincent opens up about his journey into beauty and entertainment, how ENVI became an extension of self-expression and empowerment, and the work that goes into transforming not just appearances, but energy and confidence. We talk about creativity, community, representation, and how art in all forms can give people permission to embrace who they truly are.
This episode is raw, inspiring, entertaining, and deeply human — a conversation about passion, transformation, and owning your space unapologetically. Trust us… this one’s worth the drive

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Today I'm with Vin, a good friend of mine, a hairdresser, a makeup artist. He's worked in the industry for years. I'm pleased to have him in the car to talk about the world of drag. Drag has been around for centuries, all the way back to Shakespearean times and probably beforehand. But there's still a fear, a stigma of the people who perform it. Vinny is an amazing human being, and I'm pleased to talk to him about the world of drag, both here in Long Beach and in Palm Springs, where he's in residency. The best part about today's interview is I not only get to interview Vinny, but I get to interview his alter ego, Envy, who is fabulous. So I can't wait for you to meet her. Come join us for the exciting, eye-opening interview with one of my favorite drag queens, Envy. So, where is Vincent Paul? Where's Vinny from? Where is Vinny from? Actually, I'm born and raised in uh Hacienda Heights. Hacienda Heights. So Los Angeles pretty much your whole life?

SPEAKER_01 1:12

Yeah, pretty much. I mean, kind of bounced around from there to East LA, but I mean I grew up in Haceita Heights. I say East LA because that's where my family's at. Yeah. So I but I mean went to elementary school, it started in Whittier, went over the hill, and finished everything in Hacienda Heights.

SPEAKER_02 1:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:28

That's where her uncle lived, right? Still up over there?

SPEAKER_01 1:30

He lives, he still lives in East LA where uh the house for him and my my aunts and my mom all grew up still lives in the same house, right there off of Lorena on fifth.

SPEAKER_02 1:40

So the original, wow, he never left.

SPEAKER_01 1:42

Never left, yeah. My grandmother sold him, or he ended up buying the house from my grandmother, you know, years back, and that's where he raised my cousins and got married and all that stuff. Oh, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 1:52

Yeah, so it's a good interesting house. So, what brought you to Long Beach?

SPEAKER_01 1:56

God, what brought me to Long Beach? You know, Long Beach was one of my first 29 21 and over uh queer experiences. Um, it was one of the first cities I came to that just felt extremely diverse.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Uh it was one of the first cities I came to that I felt I could be out without being out. Yeah. You know, so I came out when I was 19, but like coming out with the friends and finding places to go dance and be yourself and go to your first uh gay pride festival was all in Long Beach.

SPEAKER_02 2:31

So before that, when you were like Hossee of the Heights, you were not out?

SPEAKER_01 2:39

No, I mean I no, I didn't come out until I was 19, and I was already kind of moving away from Hossey the Heights. Um, you know, you had your full your your small group of people, yeah, your handful that uh knew you said my came out to that were very, very supportive and just hey, do your thing, whatever.

SPEAKER_02 2:57

So so you were not truly your on your who you are or on your on your journey until 19?

SPEAKER_01 3:05

Yeah, I think that's kind of where it all started. It's like 19 was the the year that I said, look, it's either this or that. Yeah, and I'll figure out what happens along the way, you know?

SPEAKER_02 3:16

Yeah. And on that on that journey, you found hair and makeup.

SPEAKER_01 3:21

Yes, most of the yeah. And that was uh well, back up a little bit when I was 15 years old. I was uh got invited to this place in LA called Arenas, and it was one of the uh places that I went to in high school, totally snuck out of the house and went to this place. Uh-huh. And when I got there, it was everything from punk, queer, homeboy, yeah, rocker, everything you possibly can club kid, anything you could possibly think of was in this place every Friday night.

SPEAKER_00 3:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:56

And it was when I walked in there, it was one of the first places that I felt like, oh wow, there is a place and a space for you to be whatever, whoever you want to be, and have all this other different diversity around you support you, right?

SPEAKER_02 4:11

And seeing them and seeing them in themselves.

SPEAKER_01 4:14

In themselves.

SPEAKER_02 4:15

We had a place like that, it was called Tortilla Flats.

SPEAKER_01 4:17

Tortilla Flats.

SPEAKER_02 4:18

Yeah, yeah. And it was just the place where you went and it anyone and everyone was there.

SPEAKER_01 4:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:23

I almost thought like 80s music was the universal music because they had to have 80s night, right? And you'd see everyone.

SPEAKER_01 4:30

Oh, for sure. For sure.

SPEAKER_02 4:32

Every walk of life was in Tortilla Flats, experiencing that stuff, which is pretty awesome. So that's when you were kind of introduced to the queer community, to a bunch of different communities.

SPEAKER_01 4:43

Yes, it was the melting pot of communities all coming together in such a beautiful, crazy art form. Yeah. You know, the first time I saw a drag show, the first time I saw queer backup dancers, and that moment where you've like, oh my gosh, I'm attracted to this drag queen makeup, I'm attracted to the hair, I'm attracted to the man dancing in his Levi's and topless, and like there were so many just explosions of attractions that were all happening in one particular place. And I thought, oh, you can do this, you can be this, you can now.

SPEAKER_02 5:18

Do you think that's something like that's like specifically LA? Because there's the melting pot of culture in LA is so incredible. Right. The fact that you can see uh, let's say, uh, people that look like gangbangers in the same room with people that look like queens. Correct. Because they're the alternate uh society at that time, right? They found each other. And isn't that amazing that like I think that might be something that is maybe not only LA, but predominantly LA.

SPEAKER_01 5:49

Well, being that I grew up in LA County, that was the one place that I knew it existed, and when I would share this with other people that have come up out here to the West Coast from the East Coast, the only other place that I heard that was compared to it was New York.

SPEAKER_00 6:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:03

Because they had that underground scene. Yeah. And they still do. You know, they still have that underground scene where you see the feminine meets the masculine, meets anything you can think of, all in some, you know, fabulous art form.

SPEAKER_02 6:18

So was that your first exposure to drag? Oh, yeah. And was that your first kind of like, oh, look at that hair, look at that makeup. Look at the was it your first idea of something you could do?

SPEAKER_01 6:28

Yes, it truly was. I mean, you know, if you ask my sister, you know, when I was 12, I was sneakering into my mom's bathroom and doing her hair and makeup, and she was six years old, and she's like, Why do we have to do this? Because I want to make you pretty. And you wanted to do it then, yeah. And I wanted to do it then, but that was so yeah, but you're running away from you know, your brothers and your cousins are like, Yeah, that's girl shit, put that away, you know what I mean? So, uh, or getting scolded for playing with mom's makeup bag, right? So but when I started to explore things as a teenager when I went to this place called Arenas in in West Hollywood, that was the first time that I saw, again, so much diversity and thought, oh, this this is this can be a thing, it possibly can be a thing.

SPEAKER_02 7:10

And it brought that back out in you, like the the moments of you doing your subscription.

SPEAKER_01 7:14

100%, 100%. Pretty handy. Yeah, it was really cool.

SPEAKER_02 7:18

So were you always like proud in who you were, or were you kind of stilted until that, you know, like you said, people, your cousins yelling at you about girl stuff, were you kind of stilted in yourself before that point?

SPEAKER_01 7:32

I don't think I really truly became proud of who I was until I created boundaries for myself in my 40s, to be honest. And that's where it really was like, this is who I am, love it or leave it.

SPEAKER_00 7:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:45

And I think all the different but you know, going back to me as a child or in that time when I was going to arenas, I think that's where I be got a voice.

SPEAKER_00 7:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:54

And the voice was kind of my confidence, just having been the little guy with the big voice, right? But um, and when you weren't in that atmosphere, I don't think I was as confident.

SPEAKER_02 8:09

You'd have you had to regress to who you were.

SPEAKER_01 8:11

But when you get together with the friends that were just like, come on, let's be, you know, we're here, we're queer, get used to it, kind of a thing.

SPEAKER_00 8:18

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:18

And you're surrounded by them, and they're the ones that were supporting you in doing whatever you were doing, no matter how you were doing it, that's when I think that's where the confidence started.

SPEAKER_02 8:30

Well, you know, it was really such a different time. Oh, 100%. Right? Like there was so much fear. Oh, yeah, and there was so much fear around the community, there was so much fear around the stigmas, there was so much fear. I mean, even at the time, with you know, people weren't out. And I have friends who have never truly been open to themselves because of that fear. Oh, for sure. And it's kind of sad because they've let a whole portion of their life go by without experiencing being truly themselves. Yep. And it's hard to do in any situation, let alone uh let alone being someone that comes from an upbringing where it wasn't necessarily approved of or and so the ability of growth is quite difficult, but the ability to still grow is incredible. So now as a person, thinking about you being the 15-year-old kid going to this club, how do you support the kids coming in? Oh, yeah, to the queer community.

SPEAKER_01 9:36

Oh, for sure. It you know, one of the things, you know, that I really put a lot of time and effort into as a hair makeup artist and a drag entertainer is just really trying to put time and energy and to bring people to life in their own special and unique way. And because I struggle with that, either with myself or with people around me, or different uh um experiences, you know, because like you mentioned, it was it was a rough time. Yeah, you know, just creating that space for people because I think sometimes they don't feel like they have that space, you know, either sitting in the chair, uh getting dolled up for a special occasion, or now, you know, I've been you know commissioned to do a lot more drag makeup, uh facilitate drag makeup classes, you know, for people that are coming out or transitioning or being able to have that support that we didn't, you know, true, because now there's a demand for it.

SPEAKER_02 10:39

100% because we're more open in it, correct, which is pretty incredible, and I think that helps everyone mentally, right? Oh yeah, because they feel like they can truly be themselves without worrying about it. Yep. It has gotten worse in recent years, yeah, just with everything going on, but I don't think it's yeah, I don't think it's anything like what it used to be. No. Has it has there been a moment where you've been doing someone's makeup and hair and you see them come into themselves like that aha?

SPEAKER_01 11:12

Oh yeah. I I think one of it was I was at RuPaul's drag con, and there was this little 12-year-old that was at the show, and he was watching me do makeup on other people. And I I'm gonna call the boy drag. I had some makeup on, but I wasn't a full ensemble of drag, right? And uh he was watching me, and I turned over and I looked at him, and he wanted to get his makeup done. He happened to be a friend of a friend that I wasn't aware of at the moment. And uh she comes over and says, Oh, this is my nephew. He would love to do his makeup. And then I find out later that his parents are not supportive of his creativity.

unknown 11:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:53

You know, he's 12. I don't think a lot of 12-year-olds really know what direction they're gonna go in, but they're gonna want to explore a lot of different things, and to not have that support from your parents can be challenging, you know. And so when he sat in my chair and I asked him, How would you like to do your makeup? And he says, I want it to be big and bold. So he knew he wanted it big and bold. I put his makeup on. I wish I had a picture to share with you because he got so emotional at 12 years old and just was so excited that somebody was in that space with him. And we were trusting each other to create this for him. And I think that was one of the moments that I just thought, wow, these are the youngsters that I was at that one point that didn't have those people, you know, either supporting or creating that space for me. And it was just a really, really special moment to be able to do that for somebody so young.

SPEAKER_02 12:48

Yeah, and I mean, you gotta think if if your parents aren't for something, you want something so bad, just the ability to try it. Correct. It's not gonna kill anybody, it's not gonna hurt anybody. But the fact that that they did it and they actually felt something is important. I mean, I think having the ability, especially at that age. I mean, at that age, I was on the streets the next year, right? So I remember that age vividly, and and guess what? I knew who I was, I knew who I was attracted to. I knew that at 12. Right. A lot of kids nowadays know it earlier who they are, and us denying who they are is not a good thing. Correct. I mean, as a parent, uh now with my boys, I parent them each differently because they're each different individuals. And they like the bright pink streak in their hair, right? And they like the fashion, and that's something, even though I'm not very fashion forward, I like to support that in them because that's amazing. Right. If they never have obstacles of, oh, I'm I'm gonna doubt myself, they're gonna be better and more confident people, right? Yeah. So having someone like you in the community for these kids is super important, yeah. Because they can see you thriving in yourself as opposed to like when you were younger, you see people struggling.

SPEAKER_01 14:08

Yeah, it's very, very true.

SPEAKER_02 14:10

So, how did you get into the makeup world?

SPEAKER_01 14:13

Uh, you know, again, going back to that time that I was in going to arenas for the very first time, and I just saw this beautiful array of people in makeup, I was very attracted to at the time, but of course, you know, it should be the times that we were here. Yeah. You know, guys didn't do makeup, it was a girl thing. And uh I was probably maybe 18 or 19 again, sneaking out of the house right before I left home. Maybe it was even 17. I went out uh in drag, someone complimented me, and about two years later, I uh got into drag for the first time on stage somewhere. It was very, very it was a very successful show, and that particular show uh prompted my journey as A Jana Jackson impersonator here in Southern California. And uh my best friend's sister saw a picture of me and she said, I want him to do my makeup for my wedding. And I said, Oh, absolutely not, absolutely not.

SPEAKER_02 15:18

There's a difference between 100%.

SPEAKER_01 15:20

Yeah, 100%. And you know, and she said, No, you're gorgeous, I want you to do it. And I confidently said, Okay, sure, let's do a trial. I have no makeup kit, went to Michael's, lots of paintbrushes, figured out how to put a makeup ticket together, makeup kit together, did her trial, did her wedding at her wedding. I had two of her bridesmates look me for their wedding, and I thought, oh, I I think I'm really good at this. And so I went from you know, playing with the idea and getting into drag a little bit more in you know the mid to late 90s to you know starting my career as a makeup artist.

SPEAKER_02 16:04

And uh and it all started with the one night and drag.

SPEAKER_01 16:08

It started with the one night and drag, and someone said, I think you're really beautiful, and I would love for you to do my makeup one day. I mean, I had the idea of wanting to do that. I always was attracted to makeup artistry. I think makeup is a beautiful, beautiful way of expressing yourself. Uh-huh. Um, and I think, you know, again, going back to my time at that club, to see so many men, you know, older men, young men, club kids, punk, everybody just really just expressing themselves with the form of makeup. I was very attracted to that, but was too nervous to kind of play with the waters of actually making it a career.

SPEAKER_02 16:44

Yeah, it took someone like making you take that leap.

SPEAKER_01 16:46

Right. And someone just saying, no, I don't care what you say, you're doing it. Yeah. And she knew me maybe two years. She didn't know she didn't ask for a portfolio. She didn't ask for how long I've been doing this. It was way before social media.

SPEAKER_02 17:00

How much of that do you think was personal, though? Like, I want Vinny there.

SPEAKER_01 17:04

You know, I I maybe a little bit of both.

SPEAKER_02 17:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:07

But when she saw my picture and my best friend said, Hey, my sister saw you in makeup, and she said she wants you to do her makeup for her wedding. I laughed.

SPEAKER_02 17:18

So that was just like hobby at that point, though, right? You were doing a wedding here, a wedding there. Exactly. What were you doing for work?

SPEAKER_01 17:25

I was working, I was a uh millwork specialist at Home Depot. Really? Yeah. So working with doors, windows, installations five Monday through Friday, and doing you know, getting my feet wet in the drag uh world on the weekends. That's kind of what I was doing.

SPEAKER_02 17:43

Well, I can see the customer service in you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can totally see that. Oh, yeah, we'll get this door hooked up for you real quick. Let me get over here. Hey, that's a balanced door for you. Yeah, what you want, what you need. What do you need? What do you need? Yeah. Very much. So, what started the professional hair and makeup?

SPEAKER_01 18:01

Um, I was like, when did you take the leap?

SPEAKER_02 18:06

Because you're like, I'm really good at this.

SPEAKER_01 18:08

27. I was doing it as a hobby, and 27 was around the corner, and I was just about to hit my 10 years at Home Depot, and I went to an interview to be promoted, and they said that I did not fit the requirements of what they were looking for, or the experience, if you would.

SPEAKER_02 18:31

Uh-huh. And uh was that do you think that was truthful?

SPEAKER_01 18:36

Uh no, I don't think it was. I really don't think it was because I, you know, my numbers proved different. Uh, my customer service proved different, my sales proved different, all the other things.

SPEAKER_02 18:46

Were you coming into yourself?

SPEAKER_01 18:48

And I was also coming into myself. So at that moment when they said no to the position, is when I just said, you know, I'm gonna put in my two leaks. Okay. And uh I already, while I was at Home Depot, I was I went to cosmetology school, so I already had that on the back burner, ready to go, but still needing a push, you know. We always need these pushes in life.

SPEAKER_02 19:11

Well, yeah, even bad things, right? Yeah. Like bad things like that gave you the push to be in the right direction.

SPEAKER_01 19:18

Correct, correct. And uh I planned it my two weeks and found a salon, and they needed a makeup artist, and I said yes, again, saying yes to the things without even having the experience of it, and it just started to grow from there. So it was makeup first? Uh well, no, I went in as an assistant for hair as a hairstylist. Okay. And they didn't have any makeup artists there, so anytime they had a makeup client, they would give them to me. So we were they were kind of like merging together, you know, and still doing, still playing around with drag for a little while, and then uh shortly after that uh dove into corporate again with Matt Cosmetics, uh-huh. And still building my clientele along the way.

SPEAKER_02 20:00

Was that a comfort for you to get back into corporate? It was, it was.

SPEAKER_01 20:04

You know, Matt Cosmetics trainers had a very big reputation of traveling, being very involved in Fashion Week, doing, you know, creating looks and doing so many wonderful things in the makeup industry. And I was just so attracted to that. Yeah. But of course, you know, you have to start at the bottom and work your way to that position. And uh yeah, did that for about 13 years and then had that other move of time to move again.

SPEAKER_02 20:27

And what was that move? To go on your own?

SPEAKER_01 20:29

To go on my own. Yeah. To go on my own.

SPEAKER_02 20:32

Stop making the millions for others, start making it for yourself.

SPEAKER_01 20:34

100%. Yeah, 100%.

SPEAKER_02 20:36

How scary was that?

SPEAKER_01 20:38

Uh, it was scary because you know, you have you let everything go. You let your 401k go, you let your insurance go, you let um you let the structure go. Yeah, especially going from corporate. And you have to rebuild it. And you have to learn what direction uh being in that is for you. Because it's different for every individual, yeah, either entrepreneur or a business owner, right?

SPEAKER_02 21:03

So but the entrepreneurial jump is is really scary.

SPEAKER_01 21:07

Oh my god, it's so scary.

SPEAKER_02 21:08

I remember I was I was making a lot of money in corporates. Yes. And then I went to like making less than $30,000 my first year as a photographer.

SPEAKER_01 21:16

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:17

Easy. So, how was your support network during that?

SPEAKER_01 21:20

Um, it wasn't. I think I had great support because the flexibility of clients I picked up along the way. That support system was great. And I think the biggest support system came from uh other artists that I've met along the way that knew what I was doing, and they invited me to lean in and lean on them and you know, let's help you navigate all of that stuff. And that was one of the things that I really find is very special. You know, when you meet people along the way, stay in touch. Stay in touch with them and and and find your tribe, you know, and find your people that will uh Assist you through the good and the bad and the ugly, you know? Support you. That support you. Because sometimes that's not gonna happen with, you know, people at home, and that doesn't always happen with family because they think you're crazy.

SPEAKER_02 22:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:14

What are you doing?

SPEAKER_02 22:15

You know? Yeah. So then your hobby became a career.

SPEAKER_01 22:18

Hobby became a career.

SPEAKER_02 22:19

And you started working, getting the clients.

SPEAKER_01 22:22

Started working, uh re-inviting back those clients that have stuck with me on and on for the last 20 years. Picked more clients working in corporate, and uh yeah, then right around the time I left corporate, COVID hit, so that was a double whammy.

SPEAKER_02 22:38

And then uh or perfect timing.

SPEAKER_01 22:41

You know, I feel like it was not the best timing, but also the best timing.

SPEAKER_02 22:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:46

Because you were only left with time on your hands to kind of figure it out.

SPEAKER_02 22:49

Yeah, it kind of brings me back to why I named my company Fate. We we don't choose anything, it just happens. Yeah. Right? We make microdecisions that can, you know, okay, affect the day to day, but I think we're destined to be who we are. Yeah. And uh so through COVID, you survived. We survived.

SPEAKER_01 23:09

We survived.

SPEAKER_02 23:10

Um we survived. We when did in all of this, when did the drag start to really take hold? During COVID. During COVID.

SPEAKER_01 23:22

Yep, uh during that time um at the previous house that I had, I just buckled down, worked on some home projects, started cleaning out life, storage, drag, all the things. And I was I had boxes and boxes of drag that has just been traveling with me through the years that just wasn't being put to use. And uh I pulled out one of my Janet wigs the same week that I got a phone call about a show that was coming back after a 10-year blackout. Oh well. And uh they said, hey, the producer's looking for you. And I just had this moment where I thought, shit, if you let me do it. And uh it was that it was that moment. I just thought, look, I still have the energy, I still have the love for it, uh, I still have the drive, and it was one of the things that I wasn't, I don't think I had put a lot of as much energy in it back in the days because it was hobby, right?

SPEAKER_02 24:30

Yeah, but was it a hobby because of fear? Like, were you holding yourself back about 100% that it was a hobby because of fear? Like, was the fear I won't be successful at this, or people will judge me at this? What was the fear?

SPEAKER_01 24:46

I think it was a combination of all of that. Uh, when I had some family members first see me and drag, it didn't go over very well. Oh, and tell me about that. Yeah, so it was just, you know, it goes into oh, you want to be a woman, you want to be a girl. It wasn't about the art of performing, it was more about me transitioning, and we struggled and we argued and we fought, and we had some ugly confrontations, and uh, you know, one of my shows that I did, I somebody cut up my costumes, and it was just trauma. And I thought, this is is this what I'm supposed to do? Is this what this drag things about, you know? So it was very easy for me to let it go when I did.

SPEAKER_02 25:31

And they were there were family members against you in this situation, friends?

SPEAKER_01 25:37

Um, you know, I you know, I'll never know. Because I opened up my bag and that's what ex that's what I saw happen. But there was also the there was also the arguments and this, the confrontations that were happening with different people. Mind you, I had some very, very successful things happening with me in drag, yeah, but there was a lot of speed bumps and a lot of rocky roads that I was up against. So it made it a little easy for me just to say, uh, we don't want to do this right now. Let's go into this other creative direction, which was working as a heramica artist and working that hard out.

SPEAKER_02 26:14

But that's so hard because it kind of pushed you out of something you were really enjoying and loving.

SPEAKER_01 26:20

Very much so.

SPEAKER_02 26:21

No, I mean I think a lot of that comes with a confusion about drag and trans. I think it's about not understanding what they're talking about. Right. Right. Just because you do drag doesn't mean you're trans. Correct. And just because you're trans doesn't mean you want to do drag. Correct. And there's an evolution in there as well. Right. So did you try to educate the people around you? Or was it more so bad that you had to shut it down?

SPEAKER_01 26:51

I think I became more of an educator when I got back into it in my 40s. I don't think it was something I was trying to protect myself and defend myself more back then. Um or I was really easy just sit throw in the towel and be like, eh, I don't want to put that energy into it. Yeah, I'm gonna focus on something else. Uh so the education side of it became one I was more comfortable with getting back into it and doing it for as a career. Yeah. Because now there was such a huge merge of trans being entertainers. Drag that I knew becoming trans. You know, so there was so much inter, I'm gonna call it intermingling of lifestyles that you now understand it as it's still entertainment.

SPEAKER_02 27:44

Yeah, you know, yeah, and I think a lot of times people always try to find the less painful route. Correct. Right? Correct. And so someone who may be trans, which I know we know a couple people who are trans, that dip their toes in drag to see what it felt like and to see how comfortable they were. Right. And then when they found, wow, this really truly feels like me, then they went that direction. But then there are other drag performers that are like, no, this is just who I am. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Um, so there's that evolution, and and to have people that have been through it, do you have that one person that has like drag performer that kind of helped you along your way?

SPEAKER_01 28:23

There's a handful of them. Um, you know, you asked me earlier about coming back into drag, and I think one of the things was is I know a lot of entertainers, you know, Jules Longbeach, you know, Morgan McMichael's, Delta Work, uh Raja Mayhem, some girls from Ripall's Drag Race that I've known since the very beginning of stages. And you know, I've always admired their drive in the arts of drag. And it didn't matter when I saw them, how often I saw them, or how often I didn't see them, through the years of me not doing drag, every time I did have an encounter with them, it was always about, bitch, you're amazing. When are you coming back? So there was always, it was always a there was always a welcome match with some people that I met through the industry that saw something in me probably a little bit bigger than I knew it to be.

SPEAKER_02 29:21

So that's amazing because you don't get that in other fields. I guarantee you didn't get that at Home Depot. Like, like bitch, you cut that door. Boom. No, no, you didn't.

SPEAKER_01 29:30

No, you did not. Although there was a good support system when I came when I did come out. I remember one of my managers at Home Depot, he coordinated the very first drag show that Home Depot ever had. Really? And I did it. Wow. And I was so nervous, so unsure, there was a lot of homophobia there. But let me tell you, when this show came to life, the entire 220 whatever employees that were there came to the show. And then when I started playing around performing at different venues, they would all come. So it was like a coming out, I think, for a lot of us.

SPEAKER_02 30:12

Yeah. You know, in well, they probably the fact that they knew who you were, correct. And man, that's one of my best guys at work. I love this guy, and then all of a sudden they get to experience you, you being truly in your element. Correct. Like what a fun thing. No, I mean, you couldn't help but support someone in that situation, right?

SPEAKER_01 30:31

Right. So, you know, as much as there was many struggles and challenges, there was also some wonderful moments of support that are off the ears. You know, I one of the things that I move forward into life now is, you know, you put so much time and energy and wanting certain people to support us. Yeah. You know, so much time, and usually those certain people, it's probably maybe five people, you know, in your right hand that might be blood related, right? Yeah. But there's 500 in your left hand that you picked up along the way that are just unconditional. So I always just try to encourage anybody that I speak to, especially the younger generation that I speak to nowadays, it's like, don't forget to focus on that energy. Yeah. Because there is still, with all the rockiness and all the bullshit that we experience in this world, yeah, there's still amazing, amazing supports experiences that you're gonna have that you want to hang on to.

SPEAKER_02 31:28

So when it comes to your performance, like what's your you show up full Vinny. Oh yeah, right. This is it. What's what's your process to go from Vinny to Envy? Like, is it instant? No. Is it an evolution in of the day? Like when does envy come? Is it when you put on the wig? Because I know your wigs change, so it can't be that. Right. Is it the face or is it like the outfit? Is what is that transformation like for you?

SPEAKER_01 32:11

For me, it's when that last piece of the puzzle is put together, whether it's either the the heels or the hearing or the wig, because always gonna be one of those three is gonna be the last thing that goes on. And when that piece goes on, if you look in the mirror and it's there she is. Okay, so you you find her. You find her.

SPEAKER_02 32:37

You find her. Yeah. Because I know me as as the guy in the big red suit. Yeah. I uh it's not till I do the voice. Yeah. Once the voice happens, then then all of a sudden he's here. And then I disappear for however long it is, and then I come back as Michael at the end of the day. Right. But for you, it's when everything happens. Is it that last look in the mirror?

SPEAKER_01 32:58

It's that last look in the mirror. Because you can walk in, you can walk in backstage as you see me now, with all your gear, you know, and your crew's like, hey Envy, what's up? Hey, Envy, what's up? And you're like, hey, hey, hey, you know, and you're you're actually hey as Vinny. What's up?

SPEAKER_02 33:13

You're saying hi as Vinny.

SPEAKER_01 33:14

I'm saying, hey, as Vinny. Yeah, they all know me as Envy, so you're saying hello, you know, and then you go into the shaving, and you start like it's almost like layers of you start to peel away that blossom of envy that's about to just explode in the middle, you know.

SPEAKER_02 33:30

And um so so you can't turn to envy at a at a press of a break. No. Oh, oh, I'm sorry, but that was a little bro. Wait a minute. For those of you um just listening, I I want you to go to the YouTube. I want you to go to the Instagram, because I am sitting next to now the lovely, uh, the uh wonderful Envy. Here she is. Hello, Envy, how are you?

SPEAKER_01 33:58

I'm fabulous, fabulous. Yes, you are. Yes, you are. You are fabulous. You know, just out on a little afternoon drive. Yeah, you match the car. Yes, I mean beautiful blue dress, look, beautiful blue eyes. I would normally say green with envy, but this blue is doing its job. Yes, you're definitely blue with envy.

SPEAKER_02 34:15

Yeah, so you can go blue with envy. So, Envy, I'm glad you're here because there's things I can talk to you about that I can't talk to you, uh talk to uh Vinny about. Okay. And I think the first thing is how do you support other queens in the community in just being you and being available and being present in what you do?

SPEAKER_01 34:38

Good question. You know, I think just for me, it's just showing up. Yeah, just just literally just showing up. Stay committed to what your whatever you commit to, stick with it. Um, and show up and be available. You know, just literally just show up and be available. I mean, I've you know, been in and out of the drag entertainment since you know the late 90s, left it for a really long time. So coming back to it, there's so many things have changed, and a lot of people are they don't know what I know or a lot of what a lot of the older queens knew or understand what entertainment was or is, you know, so um being open to take different people under your wings when necessary or be available to help and answer questions. I had one of the one queen recently told me she called me motherly. I'm I'm not a drag mom by any means, uh, but I am and I'm known from a lot of people in my circle, in and out of drag, as being motherly, you know. So just being able to uh show up for those that might need you whenever they do.

SPEAKER_02 35:42

Well, because it's important, like throughout time, there are different people, was it seasons of friends that come and they they're available to you when you know when you need a hundred percent. And being that person is really important, it's a strong, strong thing to be.

SPEAKER_01 35:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:58

So what would you tell a young queen starting out right now about the journey and about how it's not all uh shunshine and rainbows, but to stick to it? What would you tell them directly?

SPEAKER_01 36:15

I would suggest for anybody interested in tapping into this world of drag entertainment is to have a vision for yourself of what your drag is. Um, you know, drag is trying changed so much through the years. Um, when I was introduced to it, it was about being as feminine looking as you possibly can. You know, uh the term was called can you pull fish? You know, can you be fishy? Can you be a woman? And uh it was about being as feminine as you possibly could, thin, all the things, the hair, uh the nails. And as drag progressed, it was more about transforming yourself into some kind of light art. Yeah, right. So, yes, you're seeing the hair and you're seeing the glam today, but you know, there's a whole other side of my drag that can be very androgyny that a lot of people have not had an opportunity to see.

SPEAKER_02 37:16

And that's some of the more fun stuff because it's more experimental to do more because it's not what people are expecting. Correct. And I think when things get normalized, um, and don't get me wrong, there's different views of this, but drag race came out and made drag available to everybody, to everyone, right? Yeah, and spread that out, correct? But then it also showed you a certain type of drag, right? And drag has evolved so much correct since the even the even the start of drag race, right? Yes, there are female queens, correct, there are female being men, correct. There's all these different aspects that you don't necessarily see on drag things. No, not at all. Yeah. Um, what do you think the most I don't want to say, how do I want to say it? What do people think they know about drag that isn't true? And what is true about drag that people have no clue about?

SPEAKER_01 38:20

Um, I want to I guess I'm gonna answer that, but I want to go back to what you said about the young queens. Another thing that I want to share with them is be open to critique. Yes. That is something that I think is uh I I've met a lot of young queens that just this is what it is, this is how I am, this is what this is my drag. They're no one's they could be even offended when you say there's a run in your in your pantyhose. Yeah, don't take it personally. Don't take it personal. Like if somebody is out there to look out for you to share, you know, your bra straps undone, your wigs coming loose, your lashes needs a little, whatever. Like be open to that kind of critique. Because if you find somebody that's open to doing that, yeah, you will you will learn so many different ways. And that's just being behind the scenes.

SPEAKER_02 39:07

Well, there's so many, there's so many people that are willing to trade your tiara. Correct, correct. Right? You don't but it's sad because I think that is because they come from a world that's not so forgiving. Yeah. And when they think when you're in a world that's not so forgiving, you think everyone's against you. Yes. So even in a place of comfort where you're among like-minded people, you may think these things are attacks, but they're not.

SPEAKER_01 39:29

They're not, they're not. And look, drag is shady. Yeah, drag is shady. Somebody said recently I saw on something like passed on my feed of you know, queens are shady, they can give it, and a lot of them can take it just as much, right? Yeah, so it just becomes like a fun banter, but also, you know, with that also being said, is we a lot of us show up with our own spotlight. And if you are willing to bring your spotlight together, what doesn't matter what you're working on in your drag entertainment profession, uh you know, that stage is just gonna shine that much bigger. Yeah, you guys are ready to share that spotlight together. No one ever stole your sparkle. No one ever stole no one no one steals your sparkle. And if you feel like they did, add more.

SPEAKER_02 40:13

Yeah, add more. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, I mean, that's important. That's important. I mean, and and then back to that, like what do you what do you think some of the misconceptions are in drag?

SPEAKER_01 40:24

I think one of the biggest misconceptions is every drag queen is not as masculine as they are feminine when they're in drag. So there's like this perception of, and that's my own personal experience, you know, where it's you put on a dress, you put on the hair, you put on the makeup, uh, you know, and you all of a sudden they want to put you in this box of um femininity or being a sissy or whatever, you know. It's just and look, I'm a big feminist by heart. I am surrounded by many, many women, and I support them in all uh in all ways possible. But I think the perception is that I feel it's also changing with some masculine men that I've met coming back into drag in the last five years, that they're now more open to wanting to explore what a queen identifies as in and out of drag.

SPEAKER_02 41:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 41:29

Well, I mean, you especially. Like knowing Inby. Yes. And and knowing Vinny. Right. Vinny can kick ass. Yeah. Like Vinny can kick box. Vinny can. I'm a martial artist. I've been in martial arts for 20 years. Vinny does bike rides that would make you cry.

SPEAKER_01 41:47

Yes. Um, AIDS lifecycle last year, 2025, 585 miles from San Francisco to LA. Yeah. Oh, it was fantastic. It was fantastic.

SPEAKER_02 41:57

What's something else that people would be shocked at about learning about drag? And uh almost to the fact of how normal it is. Right? Like you're all backstage. Yes. Just like any backstage would be. Right. And you're helping each other get ready. Correct. You're listening to music, just like anything, like a like like any other theatrical event. Correct. The green room is a green room. The green room is the green room. What's something that would surprise people?

SPEAKER_01 42:25

Um I think what would how well a lot of us do get along. You know, I think there is a a perception of, you know, queens have this, they're shady. Yeah. But I think what people would be really, really surprised on how well. Now, not not everybody does. Yeah. Not everybody does. There's still some shitty, shady shit that does happen and goes down. Yeah. But how well a lot of us really get along, and the family unity is truly something that does exist.

SPEAKER_02 43:00

But I think they get that from watching Drag Race, right?

SPEAKER_01 43:04

They are catty. They are cad. Look, it's a reality TV show.

SPEAKER_00 43:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:09

Right. And if if anyone knows reality TV show, it is scripted to a point.

SPEAKER_00 43:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:13

So they will heighten what needs to be heightened. They want, they want the cattiness, they want the shadiness, they want the views, they want the you know, the little squabble squabbles and the confrontations. It makes it worth watching. It makes it worth watching, you know, because that's where you know people are, ooh bitch this and ooh bitch that, and ooh bitch this, and who bitch that. It's like that's that's it can be fun. Yeah, it can definitely be fun, you know. I mean, that's why I watch.

SPEAKER_02 43:39

Right, exactly. No, play playing kumbaya with a guitar. Exactly. Although that would really mess up the whole sh series if you started doing it.

SPEAKER_01 43:49

Oh, for sure, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 43:50

But there's also something really lovely about that as well. Yeah, I would just wish they would support each other more. I agree. Because I think then queens learn that, oh, I gotta be a caddy bitch. And they put that past, and I don't think they'll work as much. Right.

unknown 44:04

Right.

SPEAKER_01 44:04

Be yourself. You know, and some some some queens, let me tell you, I've I've they've put they have left me lost for words because they're so witty and so shady and so catty. I just laugh.

SPEAKER_00 44:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 44:19

You know, don't let that influence who you are. If you got some shadiness to bring it, bring it. Yeah. Because it makes it for fun. It makes it makes it fun, you know?

SPEAKER_02 44:27

Yeah, it's like I'm not gonna join your your caddy party.

SPEAKER_01 44:29

I'm gonna be correct. It's just be yourself and don't feel like you have to become what you see on RuPaul's Drag Race to be a unique um, you know, you don't want to be a stamped queen, you want to be a you queen.

SPEAKER_02 44:43

Yeah, you know. So give me your best drag experience in me. What's the best show you've ever felt? Like, what's your one that you always think back? Go, I killed that show. Tell me about that.

SPEAKER_01 44:56

Oh wow. I, you know, it it well, I'm gonna have to give you two of them. It was my very first show um at a place called Fantasies with two of my really, really dearest friends who I met at my first show in a bar. But I was invited to do a theater show in Riverside called Fantasies, and it was one of my favorite shows because you almost feel a sense of I made it to this stage. It was like 1,500 people, sold-out show in Riverside. Um, I was at the beginning stages of my direct, you know, experiences because it wasn't quite a career then, nor was it a job. It was definitely having fun with it and trying to get used to it. That's an I have arrived moment. Yes, it really was. And uh, you know, choreography, and there's there are things that you dream of doing and you don't know if you're really good at, and then you see the standing ovation at the very end, and you're like, oh, I think I just did something really well. And then fast forward after leaving drag for 10 years, I went back to that same exact stage with so many new queens, so many new queens, and I felt like the new kid on the block, even though I wasn't, just because drag has changed so much. And I, you know, it was, I don't know, what, 12, maybe 13 years later, and I was back on that stage with the same dancers from the 90s, and we came back to life, and family and friends, and so many people were there to almost welcome me back into doing what I'm doing today.

SPEAKER_02 46:36

So that was your conception on that stage, and then it was your rebirth.

SPEAKER_01 46:40

It was a rebirth, 100%, 100%, yeah. So that was that was one of my my amazing moments of it.

SPEAKER_02 46:46

So those are amazing moments, but not all the moments are like that. No, give me your drag horror story.

SPEAKER_01 46:56

Um at the beginning stages of doing drag, again back in the 90s, um, there was an experience that I had, and I just finished a competition show. I didn't win the competition, uh, but I got home and all my wigs that I had for that night and all my Janet Jackson impersonating costumes in my garment bag were cut to pieces. Same experience uh we talked about earlier. Correct. It was it was it was cut to pieces, and I just thought, well, maybe this isn't for me. Now, where was this garment at? This garment bag was at my home, but I discovered it when I went home and opened it up to put everything away and wash what I needed to wash, and I realized all my stuff was cut to pieces. Did you have an idea of who you thought might be? I couldn't even tell you. But I did call my best friend, one of my really good friends that's still still in my life today, told him what happened, and he encouraged me to pull my shit together and take me out. Didn't have the desire to. He showed up at my house anyways, took me out. And that night we were in LA and I met Janet Jackson out of drag. And she just held my hand and gave me a hug, and she goes, Look, life's gonna throw you some shit. Just know you're better than that and keep doing what you're doing. And I went home that night to sew my costumes back together and got on stage the next week, and I was like, Well, Janet Jackson said that life's gonna give you lemonade, so you gotta plug it, squeeze that shit, just keep on going, you know? Isn't that fake? Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's the universe saying, Don't give up on this path, you're on the right path. Oh, 100%. And you don't realize that at the time because you're you're you know, you're learning you as a drag queen, you as a uh a boy in a dress, getting out of that dress, still living your life, still getting back into that persona to be an entertainer. Yeah, and you're trying to discover where you where do you where do you fall? Like, where do you fall and what kind of identity do you really have through that? You know, so it was pretty awesome that I did I had that experience. Met her 25 years later after coming back into drag. I met her again and I was like, okay, you're doing something right. Yeah, you know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_02 49:16

Yeah, so that's the amazing part, and and the thing that that always boggles my mind is there's always this pushback, right? Oh, for sure, especially recently about the drag community. When drag has been around forever, forever Shakespeare, it was written in the notes, correct, dressed as a girl, absolutely, so because women weren't allowed to perform, right? And it was always perceived as an art form. Yes, yes, and in other cultures it's perceived as an art form. Correct. It it's funny to me that the pushback comes back every once in a while. Right. Because a couple years, I mean, how long has Drag Race been on? They're on season 19, so coming up to season 20. Yeah. So 20 years ago, people are like, okay, this is entertainment. Correct. And yet now, people are up in arms. Yeah. Yes. It boggles my mind sometimes to think about how people can close off their break.

SPEAKER_01 50:15

Well, they don't want to, you know, I think my experience and I'll, you know, my experiences with people that have been, I'll say family or people that have I've had the hardest time getting to accept what I do. It usually is always followed with, well, I just don't understand. And I think that is always the pushback because someone doesn't understand anything beyond what they know, yeah, and it becomes their problem. You know, and it's not, it's you have to ask the question, well, do you want to understand it? Do you care to understand it? Exactly it. You know, yeah, and some people just don't have the capacity to want to understand outside what they are comfortable with. Yeah, do you want to understand? That you want to understand. Because let me tell you, it's a fun thing to understand. Yeah. You know, it really truly is a fun thing to understand if you want to.

SPEAKER_02 51:07

Well, and this is what's funny about it, is it's it's a fear. And some of the most masculine acting people have the biggest fear. Yeah. I know this for 100%. Yeah. Because when I went and saw you when I was in Palm Springs, I was at the Saints convention, and I got I brought one guy. Yeah. I was the only one with the courage enough to come, and he was so excited about it. Right. And we have the time of our lives. No other, no other person there had that fun that night. Yeah. And sometimes if you just get out of your own way, yeah, and you get rid of uh all those preconceived notions you have, right, and go and enjoy it, you're gonna enjoy it. My father-in-law, we went to Porta Vallarta. Yes, and my father-in-law was like, hey, let's go see a drag show. Yes, see, and we saw one of the most amazing drag performers ever. Yes. Um, I swear I was at a Beyoncé concert. And the one you start pictures like. Yes, yes, oh, yeah. There are people that are naysayers and all that. What keeps you thriving? What drives you to keep your performance growing and getting better and better?

SPEAKER_01 52:20

Two things. Um, when I got back in the drag about five years ago, right after COVID, I, you know, you I was struggling with the age thing. Like, how what direction do I go in with this? And um, I had one person tell me, she pulled me aside after the show was over, and she says, Look, I I've seen you years ago. It's great to see you back, but thank you for showing up and giving me your love and your energy because I just she was going through some life changes and she came up to me very emotional, and she just said, I wasn't gonna come tonight, but you really made me feel alive, so thank you. So, you know, her mom she lost her mom to cancer, and she started sharing a little bit of her story, and those are the moments that just keep me excited about being able to entertain. Um, and the other side of that is, you know, it's also coming back in a drag. I've really been able to fish these creative ideas out of my own mind and just have fun with it and and be more vulnerable to trying things I've never tried before and vulnerable to the idea of possibly making a mistake along the way. And I think that has kept me going, you know, coming into this new decade of being a you know, a 50-year-old drag queen, you know. So it's been because there's so there's still so much to do, there's still so much to give, there's still so much to create.

SPEAKER_02 53:45

By the way, go to the YouTube. There's no way this this bitch is 50. Just saying, just saying, go go check her out. It's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 53:55

I mean, you know, you take good care of your skin. It's my skincare. It's an occasion of tequila on the weekend.

SPEAKER_02 54:03

Well, I think it's true. It's like if I think people who age, and this is not to be mean to anyone in those flyover states or anything, but there are 30-year-old people in the Midwest that look nice. Yeah, yeah. And I don't think it's skincare. I don't think it's I think it's living in a state that's not happy. Yeah, I don't want to just say it's flyover states that's here too. If you're not living in your true self and you are, I think it ages you dramatically. Yeah, I agree. I agree. I think that's why we have people just like 30 years old looking at thousands.

SPEAKER_01 54:40

Yeah. And you know what learning who you're and just I think being open to understanding with yourself that we constantly are changing.

SPEAKER_00 54:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 54:50

And who you were at 90 in the 90s to the 2000s to 2010 to 2020s, it's gonna be a little bit different, but just you know, feel comfortable enough to explore that, yeah. Uh be comfortable enough to, you know, laugh about it, cry about it, because it's, you know, we're on this earth one time and no one's gonna do it for you but you. So live in your truth. Live in your truth. And you know, sometimes you might not you living in your truth is you're not always going to have the your favorite people, you know, picking up the pom-poms for you. Yeah. And and that's and that's really is okay. Sometimes you have to be that person. You have to be that person. Yeah, pick up that pom-poms, pick up that wig, pick up whatever you want to pick up, you know, and and have some fun with it.

SPEAKER_02 55:41

So we have some listeners all the way in like Alabama. We have listeners in Arkansas. Okay. What would you tell a person in that state that maybe has a feeling that they want to try this? They want to dip their toes into drag. How would they get started?

SPEAKER_01 55:58

Find your mother's highest heels. Start there. No, just don't break an ankle. Don't break an ankle. Do not break an ankle. You know, I would say, and I know I don't want to just say just do it, but just do it.

SPEAKER_00 56:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 56:19

I don't but you know, find find the community of people around you because they're there. That are there. Yes, that will, you know, social media has been it has it has changed so many different elements on how we connect with folks. And I guarantee you, if you found, if you start looking around for people within your community that um well, I think that's in every community. Like find your people. Find your people, find your tribe. I say it over and over again, and and don't feel that you the tribe that you find is gonna be your forever tribe. Yeah. Because, you know, it's really amazing to know that you know what, we met 15 years ago, and then we lived in the same neighborhood, but then we reconnected and started working together in the last three years. Yeah. Right? So, and let me tell you, it's it's even though I tried to work with you so many times. Right, right, but it's very, very, very true. So many times too important, too particular. She was a busy girl. She's busy doing her thing. She was a busy girl, you know. We we called periodically. Yes, we did. Yeah, but no, yeah, there was a social here and there. There definitely was a social here and there.

SPEAKER_02 57:30

Too busy being a butterfly doing your thing. Yes. So in your community, in our greater community, I always like to do this for those shows. What's next for you?

SPEAKER_01 57:44

What's well right now I am in I'm dual city living right now, if you would, because I Which is wrong. Which is wrong. We've talked about it we should just be I uh you know went from Long Beach to Palm Springs, and there were so many wonderful creative things happening right now in Palm Springs. Um, I have some things in the works right now. I'm working on a couple different productions um in Palm Springs. I am a one of the hosts for Seguero Drag Brunch, and it's a fantastic brunch if you don't know what you guys are you're in residency there. I'm a resident, yeah, I'm a resident host there and entertainer there. Um and I'm working on some new projects with yet to be announced. Oh, oh. But uh some new projects in Palm Springs as well. And I think I would like to get dip my toes into design. Okay. Costume design.

SPEAKER_00 58:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 58:45

Uh, you know, it's it's always been something I ran away from. I'm not a designer. I I'm afraid of the sewing machine. I love it, but I'm afraid of it. Yeah. Uh so you know, start working on some of my own projects. But you know, I like to just keep my my my um options open. You know, I'm really, really happy to be able to be partnering up with so many people in Long Beach right now and in Palm Springs. Giving back to the community is always something that I really, really enjoy. So I I really have made it a point to go into this new decade of my life to be able to do that.

SPEAKER_02 59:23

How do you give back to the community?

SPEAKER_01 59:26

Um, right now I'm partnered up with Janelle from Lofty Dreams, and we are doing um some things here with the center, the Gay Lesbian Center. That's gonna be coming up in July. And you know, we do our direct book readings. Yeah, and now in Palm Springs, I'm also working with a couple different other queens to do stuff at the senior citizens' homes.

SPEAKER_02 59:48

Oh, that's awesome. So I think I think the senior citizens are forgotten about it. You know, look, everyone does stuff for kids, everyone does stuff, you know, but I think that's an important market.

SPEAKER_01 59:59

And just get out there and just show face. Yeah. Because I guarantee you, especially in Bone Springs, a lot of the people that are living in the citizen homes came from our gay community. Yeah. And they want to feel like they want to they I know for a fact they definitely want to come to life in some kind of some way, shape, or form. Yeah, and they want to feel and feel supported, they want to feel like supported, they want to feel worthy. I think that's important. So that that's kind of what that was a lot in a nutshell, but that's I love that.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:27

I love that. So staying in who you are, staying in your perspectives, keeping everything positive. Give me three businesses like to shout out and support. And that can be in Palm Springs or it can be here in Long Beach. What are some good businesses that you feel are worth the drive?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:48

Well, you know, I being being a part of Fate Studios is I I'm always a big, you're always gonna be in one of my shout outs. I talk about Fate Studios, I talk about you, I talk about the collaborative and the unity and the diversity that you bring together in this community, and that's why it's somewhere I'm always gonna keep coming back to. Um, so I have to shout you out for that. Um, you know, one of the things that I've always held dear to my heart is being able to have collaborations with what I would say people would call a typical straight man, looking, right? Who is one of the most diverse, most supported, supporting people I've ever met. So I just I have to shut you up for that.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:38

So with great beard comes great responsibility.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:40

Let me tell you, with great beard comes with great responsibility, you just you're just fantastic. Uh and I tell people in Bomb Springs all the time, you know, I'm trying to get my girls out here so we can do a shoot with you here in Long Beach.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:51

Um, I have to say that is one of my favorite things is people look at me um and they think one thing. Correct. Um, and that that does work in my favor sometimes, but it also does get me in uh fist bites other times. Right. Because something to be said about the cis white male community and their nudge nudge know what I mean. Right. When you're amongst people who look like you, they will tell you. And then I have to correct them very quickly. Very quickly. And I'd like to say that should be every man's goal is to put a homophobe, to put a bigot, a racist in their place. Yes. And I am lucky enough to be born 6'1, 250 power. And I can totally do that.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:36

We make a good match, don't we?

SPEAKER_02 1:02:37

Yes, yes, yes. Um so that's one Fate Studios. Thank you. I appreciate that.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:42

Yes, and everything that comes with it. So if you don't know Fate Studios, look it up. There's there's amazing, amazing businesses within Fate Studios. So yes, we're great, great um community together. Um number two, I will have to shout out I'd have to shout out Siguero Drag Brunch from Tom Springs. Yeah. Um they are somebody that saw something in me, and I was going through a lot of like changes at the time. And I went out there was a guest spot, and now I am very much involved with them. I'm part of the Siguero Drag Brunch family. And uh it's huge. It's huge. We have shows there every single Saturday and Sunday. We have drag bingo on Fridays, and uh, we have just started to network and just go down different avenues just to involve more of the community. And um so if you're in Palm Springs, stop by Meet Envy, you can meet Envy, you can meet the entire cast. They're just a wonderful, wonderful cast of entertainers, and we have rotating uh cast members come in on a regular basis, so you get an opportunity to see entertainers from all over the world, honestly. Yeah, all over the US, but there's a couple that come in from um You can even see some people from Ruot Ball's Rag Race. Rupa's Rag Race this upcoming weekend. Mayhem Miller's gonna be there. Yeah, and uh Jasmine Masters as well, so it's gonna be a lot of fun. That's awesome. And number three. Number three! Oh my goodness, who would it be? Who would it be? You know, I I don't know if it would be a business per se, like a brick and mortar, but I just I do want to give a shout-out to Jules of Long Beach. Yes, I love Jules. You know, uh she is somebody I was mentioning earlier, uh and she is someone I I I met when I first started doing drag, has become a huge, huge success. I admire everything she does for the community of Long Beach.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:35

A pillar in the community here, in the business community in the LBGTQ community. Amazing human being.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:43

Amazing human being. And you know what? She is literally when I first moved to Long Beach, I would go to her shows and I would run around town, get acclimated with living here, not just coming here for a visit. And every time I saw her, she was always open arms, always a big hug. Yeah, and she was one of the people that would always tell me, You need to come back to drag. Yeah, you need to come back to drag, and I have to admire that.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:09

I have to say this. When I see Jules out of drag, I I now understand how people, when they randomly see someone in drag. Right. Because I was like, wait, is that Jules? Right, is that Jules, right?

SPEAKER_01 1:05:22

They said, Who's that girl?

SPEAKER_02 1:05:24

Exactly, exactly. Because, you know, it's it's it's it's funny. That's how that works out. So great businesses, and I think they have a common goal, they're all supportive of our community. And I think I think that's important. We have to support businesses and people that support the things we need supported. Yes, right, 100%. I will not support a business that is anti anything. I haven't shopped at Target in three years now because of their I'm supportive, I'm not supportive. Right. It's it's like a You're with us or you're against us. Correct. And don't just become an ally and an advocate during one month of the year. We see that. Correct. We see you changing immediately. Um, be supportive throughout. People are humans, treat them like humans, be a good person.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:17

Be a good person. And look, and always this. I am this with every single show that I do. Be kind to yourself and be kind to those around you. Yes. You don't have to be an asshole. You know, some people, I see it over and over again. It's like the more ignorant we can be, the more likes we're gonna have. That just let that go.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:34

Yeah, it takes energy being an asshole.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:36

It really does.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:37

Stop, stop taking it.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:38

Try shifting that energy and being kind to yourself and kind to those around you. Yes! And see how much better you feel.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:43

Guess what? I guarantee you'll love it not being an asshole. I appreciate that. Well, thank you for being on Envy and make sure to tell Vinny I hate you. I mean, uh, I love you. And uh thanks for joining us. Thank you for opening up the eyes. And I think a lot of people, maybe you know, that haven't experienced an incredible human like yourself will get a lot out of this. And that's my goal with these is to help the community expand in a way that maybe they wouldn't know. Because you got a six foot one, 250-pound bearded white guy talking about things that maybe you're not used to that person talking about.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:19

Right.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:19

And it'll expand.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:21

Five, three and a half, thirty-four, twenty-four, thirty-six. Five, five, three, five, three and a half.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:28

Wait, are you wait? Because maybe she wouldn't lie about her height, but but Vinny would. Yeah, she he would totally lie.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:34

Vinny would say he's five five. My license says I'm five five. He's lying, bitch. And it was a misfit that I never corrected. Oh, oh, yeah, yeah, that's true. But I never corrected. No, there's not it's not humanly possible. Let me tell you, she stands tall, okay? That's what it is. How tall is Envy in the heels? Oh shit. Well, still still the shortest one. I'm the shortest one that wears the highest hills that is still the shortest one next to all the girls. So I'm gonna say maybe I could pull maybe 5'10.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:01

5'10. I like it.

unknown 1:08:03

She's gonna be able to do that.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:04

She's she's tiny, she stands tall though. She definitely does. Well, thanks for being on. I appreciate it. This is amazing.