Alabama-based drag queen featured on season 17 of ‘RuPaul's Drag Race'
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Season 17 of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' premiered on Jan. 3, featuring a drag queen from Alabama.
On Dec. 4, the 'Drag Race' Instagram page posted a video of Birmingham-based drag queen Sam Star with the caption 'She's the supermodel of the south!'
Al's on 7th, self-proclaimed as 'Birmingham's premier LGBTQIA+ bar,' celebrated its 14th anniversary in January. The business has been hosting watch parties for local 'Drag Race' fans to view the new episodes as they air.
'We've been doing 'Drag Race' reviewing parties at least the last seven years for the regular seasons, as well as 'All Stars,' said Mark Cummings, owner of Al's on 7th. 'Obviously, it's a bigger deal now, with Sam being on the show and Sam being on cast here.'
Sam Star has been on the cast at Al's for four years.
'This is a huge deal for us,' Cummings said. 'Not only for Sam, but for Al's and for our entire community.'
Alabama's June Jam concert canceled for 2025
Julia Jones has known Sam Star since middle school, and she says that one of the first times she saw Sam Star in drag was as Ursula in a high school production of 'The Little Mermaid.'
'It's been a point of pride for, I think myself, and everybody else that's from Alabama, and even our small town of Leeds, which is where we went to middle school and high school together,' Jones said. 'And, I mean, all the credit goes to Sam, but the community does help raise the person to be who they are today, and it makes you feel like you have a little bit of the win too. Like, whenever Sam wins a challenge, it feels very awesome to have your town in Alabama be shown on national television.'
In December, Jones attended an event at Al's where the cast of 'Drag Race' was announced, celebrating Sam Star's accomplishment of making it onto the cast.
'It was incredible to see people from all walks of Sam's life, going back from middle school, high school, through after he graduated, and theater in Birmingham,' Jones said. 'Any way that you could know Sam, somebody was there supporting him that night.'
So far, seven episodes have aired in season 17 of 'Drag Race.'
'Friday's episode, the judges' critique was that Sam was basically doing 'too well.' Everything she's doing is perfectly polished and well thought out. There was only one time that Sam had a bad critique out of the seven episodes so far,' Jones said. 'I definitely think Sam's going to be competing in the finale, in my opinion. Sam is bringing all the funny jokes, the pageantry and just the southern class. It's great.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
30 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Becky G, Ivan Cornejo, Maná lead Latinx musicians' response to the ongoing L.A. ICE raids
A number of Latinx musicians have expressed their solidarity and support for immigrant communities via social media in the wake of immigration raids that have resulted in the arrest of 330 people in Southern California and the Central Coast. In a lengthy Instagram video posted Saturday, TV personality and two-time Grammy-nominated singer Chiquis held back tears as she addressed the raids and reminded her fans to 'treat people like you want to be treated.' 'United we stand, divided we fall apart, you guys,' she said. 'If all humans would to get together and be kinder and hold each other's hands and push people a little bit more in a positive way, uplift people, we would be so powerful.' Música Mexicana artist Ivan Cornejo shared in an Instagram post Tuesday that his father had been granted amnesty by the Reagan administration during the '80s. He punctuated his post by sharing the information for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights and added that he'll continue to raise funds for CHIRLA throughout his tour. 'Words cannot express the sorrow that I feel for my community,' the 'Estas Dañada' singer, a native of Riverside, said. 'I see my mom, my dad and myself in many of you. I am speechless at the inhumanity that is affecting our Mexican and Hispanic communities.' 'The people being attacked today are not 'illegal aliens,' they are human beings with RIGHTS,' pop star Becky G said Tuesday in an Instagram post that paid tribute to her immigrant grandparents. 'We must understand that an attack on them is an attack on OUR DEMOCRACY and an attack on what this country was made to stand for.' The 'Otro Capitulo' singer also shared information about what to do if confronted by immigration agents, and listed several advocacy organizations to support. Los Aptos, a first-generation música Mexicana act band from Indiana, posted a segment of their interview with YouTube podcaster Pepe Garza describing their origins, and called for 'a system that is untouchable no matter what a— is in office.' In the same post, Los Aptos provided information on what to do if ICE knocks on your door and an infographic with the rights a person has if they are arrested. Fuerza Regida, one of the most streamed Latin music acts, offered their 'love and strength' to the Latinx community in an Instagram post Tuesday. 'We've been deeply moved by the events of this past week,' the band wrote in the statement. 'These are our people, our fans, the very communities that inspire our music.' Fher Olvera, the lead singer of legendary rock en español band Maná, posted a video on the group's official Instagram on Wednesday expressing his support for the immigrant community in L.A., and asked protesters to remain peaceful. 'That's how you are going to win,' Olvera said in Spanish. Eight-time platinum artist Junior H also chimed in Wednesday, sharing a photo captioned with 'No one is illegal in stolen land.' The 'Rockstar' singer also shared a post from his fashion brand, Sad Boyz Clothing, announcing that a portion of its sales would be donated to 'help cover the legal fees for families impacted by ICE Raids.' 'It's a small gesture, but one we believe matters— because when one of us hurts, we all do,' read the company's statement. The normally tight-lipped Texas band Grupo Frontera also chimed in, writing in an Instagram Story on Wednesday that they 'send strength and resilience to our migrant community.' 'We stand with you. As immigrants, we understand the pain, uncertainty and fear that many are experiencing,' the group said. 'It hurts to see our people go through this and that's why we want to speak out. We support you and we will never stop fighting for our community.'
Los Angeles Times
36 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
‘Agushto Papá' challenges música Mexicana artists to speak up on immigration raids
As looming fear over ongoing ICE raids in the greater Los Angeles area continues, one group of music enthusiasts is using their platform to call out for more visibility and support from famed artists — underscoring tense conversations about influence in the Latino music scene. Since 2021, the 'Agushto Papá' podcast — founded and hosted by Jason Nuñez, Diego Mondragon and Angel Lopez— has played a key role in chronicling the rise of música Mexicana by giving up-and-coming artists a platform to showcase their talent and personalities. Popular genre acts like Xavi, Eslabon Armado, Becky G, DannyLux, Ivan Cornejo and more have appeared on their YouTube channel, which has amassed over 635,000 subscribers to date. However, on Monday, the trio strayed away from their standard entertainment content, uploading an Instagram reel reflecting disappointment over ICE sweeps, which have targeted communities of Paramount, Huntington Park, Santa Ana and other predominantly Latino communities. 'It's super unfortunate to see what's happening within our Latino community,' Nuñez states in the clip. 'I think it's very important that we stay united and spread as much awareness as possible.' The video initially highlighted efforts by Del Records, who are providing free legal assistance to members of the community who are facing deportation orders; earlier this year, the Bell Gardens label was caught in a web of guilty court verdicts due to their links to cartels. Still, the label is one of the few Latino-led music entities outspoken about providing resources for affected individuals, 'but I definitely think they shouldn't be the only ones,' added Nuñez in the video. Podcast co-host Lopez prompted viewers to tag their favorite artist in the comment section if they would like for them to speak up, he said, 'I think it's fair and just that [artists] show some of that love back to the community that's in need and that is hurting.' 'I think that [artists] do play a big role because I think we see them as role models or leaders in our community,' said Lopez in a Tuesday interview with The Times. 'These are times when we need those leaders to speak up and for us and people that maybe can't speak up as well.' The topic of immigration hits close to home for two of the members; Nuñez and Mondragon are both DACA recipients and openly discuss their unique experience on the podcast. The Obama-era program, which provides temporary relief from deportation and work authorization, has also come under attack in recent years by Trump-appointed judges and is currently recognized as unlawful by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, although application renewals remain. 'I feel betrayed because with ['Agushto Papá'], we have a lot of artists and companies and labels reach out to us to promote albums, tours,' said Mondragon. 'We've actually reached out to some of these companies [and] they've been ignoring us.' While Mondragon won't disclose names, he says that many individuals have not spoken out because, 'their artists are not born in the U.S.' To that he quips, 'We don't have papers as well, and we're still using our platform.' There's a sense of betrayal, the group says, especially given how various artists and labels came out to support Californians during the January wildfires, 'but now when it comes down to bringing awareness to things that are happening to their people, it's just unfair that they're keeping quiet,' says Nuñez. Still, the 'Agushto Papá' podcast is not alone in this sentiment; if you scroll across the comment sections of trending música Mexicana acts, you'll likely come across comments asking them why they're staying silent about recent sweeps, which immigration-leaders say have totaled at least 300 people. 'I think my big let down is that these companies/artists are vocal about their culture, their heritage, their ethnicity every chance they get, but now I feel like they're picking and choosing only when it matters,' said Lopez. In days following public demonstrations and protests, several Mexican American artists have vocalized their support of the immigrant communities including big acts like Ivan Cornejo, Becky G, and Chiquis. On Tuesday, the boisterous San Bernardino band Fuerza Regida, uploaded a statement to their 9.1 million followers, sharing support for the Latino community. The podcast trio later thanked in a follow-up video. 'There's still a lot of artists that are staying silent and we hope by this week they speak out about what's going on,' states Mondragon in the video, urging artists to spread awareness, or perhaps, if they're bold, front a portion of their millions to the community, even if it means opting for first class instead of their private jet, he says.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Travel influencer slammed over ‘not nice' hack for getting comfy when flying: ‘Very inconsiderate'
That's how to make your foot fall asleep. Airplane passengers are constantly devising ways to make cramped coach seats more comfortable, from the controversial 'seatbelt sleep method' to using a seat cloth to make a hands-free phone holder. However, one enterprising flyer has faced backlash after demonstrating how to make a makeshift hammock for her feet — with critics dubbing this hack inconsiderate to other passengers. 'I've never tried keeping my feet up like this before while traveling, but it really helped!' gushed globetrotter Nicole Lazo in the viral clip's caption. 'I was super comfortable and slept great!' Lazo frequently shares travel tips on her Instagram, posting about everything from the best neck pillows for long flights to converting currencies via the calculator app. For her latest tutorial, the content creator explained how weary travelers could use the complimentary blanket to MacGyver a cot for their trotters. Lazo showed how passengers can simply roll up the blanket — although this can be done with a scarf or other thin fabric in a pinch, per the influencer — and knot it in the middle. They then pull the tray table out partway and loop the blankie around it, making sure to stretch out the bottom so it forms a stirrup shape. Lazo demonstrated how easy it is to rest one's feet in the makeshift footrest per the clip. However, she ran afoul of the ever-merciless Instagram critics, who claimed she was sacrificing other passengers' comfort for her own. 'That's a disturbance to the person sitting on that seat. Not nice,' accused one, while another wrote, 'The flight attendant should stop this kind of inconsiderate act. Unless they are paying for the front seat too . Very inconsiderate.' Even industry insiders criticized Lazo. 'The person sitting in front definitely feels that,' said one former crew member. 'As a previous flight attendant, I'd not allow — I'd say that's not cool.' Others expressed concerns that the sling could put an unnecessary strain on the tray table. 'You can break the table with your weight/pull,' declared one. However, others felt that commenters were overreacting to a savvy hack. 'This is genius!! I'm short and this would be so comfy instead of barely touching the floor,' gushed one fan. This isn't the first time passengers have come under fire for attempting to make their coach seat more like first class. Flight attendants have been sounding alarm bells over the seatbelt sleep hack, in which flyers curl their legs up onto the seat and then fasten the seatbelt around their legs to prevent them from slipping off the seat once they nod off. 'If it's attached to your ankles, this could put you in a life-threatening situation as you take extra time to first unbuckle and rebuckle your seatbelt,' warned Michael Wallace, travel expert and CEO of Greenback Expat Tax Services. 'If the plane hits turbulence that causes you to lean forward at an increased rate, colliding with the seat in front of you and your knees can lead to two very different outcomes.' He added that a sudden jolt could even cause the passenger to knee themself in the face, potentially causing a concussion.
