Latest news with #Revry
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Watch: World's first drag king competition series unveils cast in fierce new teaser
The world's first drag king competition series, King of Drag, has unveiled the cast taking part in the inaugural season. In a brand new teaser shared on Thursday, May 29, viewers are introduced to the 10 contestants who will be battling it out for the coveted crown. 'Bring in the kings!' host Murray Hill announces at the start of the clip. From there, we meet Perka Sexx, who knows how to be 'wildly inappropriate'; Dick Von Dyke, who is 'desperately looking to stand out'; Charles Galin King who is just happy to be seen; Tuna Melt, who is 'going to give it to you raw'; the king himself King Molasses; the oldest person in the competition Big D; Henlo Bulfrog, who 'desperately' wants this; Alexander The Great, who finds 'ultimate freedom' in drag; the energetic Pressure K; and Buck Wylde, who wants 'every bit of it'. Joining the cast of drag acts will be a star-studded panel of judges, also known as the King's Court. Among the names are Bridget Everett, Jeff Hiller, Tenderon, Sasha Velour, Paul Feig, Gottmik and many more. The show is set to be a celebration of masculinity in all its forms, serving bold, brilliant and unapologetic talent like never before. Get ready for swagger to meet sequins as the 10 kings take centre stage for this groundbreaking competition. According to Christopher J. Rodriguez, Co-Founder of Revry, King of Drag is one of the streaming platform's most ambitious programmes to date. He promised that the show will follow a new and exciting format, explaining, 'In each episode, we will learn more about the individual king's backstory, what motivates them, and their goals.' Rodriguez added: 'We're going to give the drag competition format a run for its money and give audiences something fresh and original.' In a press release, Revry also stated that the show will incorporate challenges that emphasise comedy, unconventional performances and 'timely commentary on masculinity, which has been part of the drag king subculture for decades.' Don't miss King of Drag, streaming June 22, only on Revry. The post Watch: World's first drag king competition series unveils cast in fierce new teaser appeared first on GCN.
Forbes
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘King Of Drag' Becomes The First Reality Show Centered On Drag Kings
For the first time TV history, a show with an exciting new premise titled 'King of Drag,' will showcase drag kings exclusively in a reality competition show. Airing on Revry, a free LGBT+ streaming app. The trailer for the show was released earlier this month, and it's entertaining and ambitious. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 11: Murray Hill (L) and Tenderoni attend the 13th annual Queerties ... More Awards at AVALON Hollywood on March 11, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by) For years, fans of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' have argued, outside of their usual arguments concerning who they want to win the title of 'America's next drag superstar,' about one question when it comes to contestants, and that's whether Drag Kings should be featured on Drag Race. Some fans have argued that as the show's host, RuPaul, is exclusively judging contestants from his expertise as one of, if not the, most powerful drag queens on the planet and that, while there are drag competitions outside of the show that include both drag queens and kings, the premise of Drag Race is for drag queens to compete against one another. On the other side of the debate, fans in favor of drag kings competing on Drag Race have argued that if Drag Race has been called the 'Olympics of drag' by judges and fans alike, then drag kings should be included. Some contestants, like Victoria Scone, a non-binary drag queen who identifies as female, have even performed as drag kings for lip-syncs as a nod to drag kings. Even outside of Drag Race, drag competitions like 'Dragula,' hosted by the Boulet Brothers, have had drag kings and queens competing alongside one another for years. Gottmik at the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards held at the New York Hilton Midtown on May 11, 2024 in ... More New York City. (Photo by Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images) Instead of waiting for fans to figure out what they want out of the show, drag kings have built their platform, with Murray Hill, who starred as Fred Rococo on HBO's 'Somebody Somewhere,' acting as the host of King of Drag. To aid him, Drag race contestants and drag kings alike have signed on to act as guest judges, like Gottmik, from season 13 and 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars' season 9, and Tenderoni, a drag king and household name in the Chicago drag scene, are only two names that were featured in the star studded trailer. Even with the introduction of a new show and platform for drag kings on the King of Drag, the question still remains about what this may mean for the future of Drag Race. It can be argued that RuPaul helped open doors for many queer and gender non-conforming drag artists, and while his name may not be part of it, King of Drag does benefit from Drag Race already existing as a platform. Still, one of the main draws for contestants on Drag Race is the opportunities and platform it offers. On Drag Race, you don't even have to win to become a household name. A queen only needs to get their name out into the public sphere and build upon their brand once they get onto the show and they're set, even for contestants that go home on the first episode, opportunities that previously weren't available. No matter what happens, King of Drag is sure to be another interesting gateway into the world of drag and, hopefully, it propels drag kings forward into success the same way that shows like Drag Race does for its contestants.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cole Escola, Lisa Rinna, Paul Feig and More Revealed as ‘King of Drag' Guest Judges in First Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Newly-minted Tony nominee Cole Escola, Lisa Rinna and 'Another Simple Favor' director Paul Feig are among the guest judges for 'King of Drag.' The bold-faced names were revealed in the show's first trailer, released exclusively to Variety Thursday morning (watch above). More from Variety 'King of Drag,' premiering June 22 on LGBTQ+ streaming platform Revry and presented by e.l.f. cosmetics, is the first-ever drag king reality competition show. Hosted by 'Somebody Somewhere' star Murray Hill, the series follows eight drag kings as the compete for the title King of Drag. The line-up of guest judges also includes Bridget Everett, Layshia Clarendon, Jeff Hiller, Landon Cider, Vico Ortiz, Liv Hewson, Mo B. Dick, Brian Michael Smith, Carmen Carrera, Jackie Beat, Aubrey Shea, Kathleen Hanna, Cameron Esposito and Kylie Sonique Love. ''King of Drag' is one of the most ambitious original programs we've ever developed,' Revry co-founder and chief content officer Christopher J. Rodriguez said Thursday. 'We're going to give the drag competition format a run for its money and give audiences something fresh and original.' The regular judging panel consists of Sasha Velour, Gottmik and Revry co-founder and CEO Damian Pelliccione. 'The groundbreaking new series, exclusively featuring drag king performers, will expansively represent drag while promoting inclusion, authentic self-expression, and diverse gender identities including trans masc, cisgender women, non-binary and more,' reads a press release about the show. Hill previously told Variety, 'I'm so excited to be working with Revry as the host of 'King of Drag.' I started performing in 1995, so it's long overdue for the kings to take center stage. This vibrant community deserves to be in the spotlight, and I'll be their biggest hype man. I can't wait to work with the kings and introduce them to the biggest audience possible, thanks to Revry. That's showbiz.' Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The 'King of Drag' teaser trailer is here — and we are royally impressed
While fans of drag have celebrated the popularity of the art form, they have also long lamented the lack of drag king representation on TV. This week, Drag Race season 17 star Lana Lana Ja'Rae tweeted, 'I really want to see a king on drag race.' The Boulet Brothers have not only featured kings on Dragula, but have given us a king winner in Landon Cider (but we'll get back to him shortly) and runner-up in Throb Zombie. But here's the thing: kings deserve their own space and spotlight! They deserve the opportunity to highlight how king drag has its own identity and is a unique art form in its own right. That's where King of Drag comes in. And baby, it looks to be worth the wait. The Revry original series is set to premiere on the streaming service June 22. Today, we got our first teaser trailer, which introduces the incredible panel of judges and all-star guest judges. Taking on the role of the host is the iconic Murray Hill and joining him as regular judges are drag king extraordinaires Tenderoni and Wang Newton, Drag Race icons Sasha Velour and Gottmik, as well as Revry co-founder Damian Pelliccione. And that esteemed panel of judges will be welcoming an A-list cast of celebrity guest judges including Cole Escola, Landon Cider, Vico Ortiz, Liv Hewson, Kathleen Hanna, Cameron Esposito, Paul Feig, Lisa Rinna, Bridget Everett, and more. This deep bench of who's whos will be assisting in deciding which of the kings will rise to the top and take the title of King of Drag — long may they reign. - YouTube
Los Angeles Times
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
With Kit Williamson's ‘Unconventional,' Revry aims to cement its place in media
Befitting its title, Kit Williamson's new indie TV show, 'Unconventional,' centers two queer couples building out lives and families that don't quite fit the mold. Williamson plays Noah, a grad student feeling adrift in his life in sunny Palm Springs. When his husband, Dan (James Bland), tees them up to bring a third into their bedroom (a go-go dancer played by the sexy Constantine Rousouli) and another kind of third into their home (Dan hopes the two will adopt a kid they'll raise together), Noah's own insecurities and anxieties flare up. And that's on top of learning he's finally helped his sister Margot (Aubrey Shea) and her wife, Eliza (Briana Venskus), get pregnant. This may be a modern family, but it is not a conventional one. 'I'm not personally very interested in conformity, in making myself palatable to straight people,' Williamson says over the phone from Joshua Tree. 'I grew up in Mississippi, and when I left home at 16 and moved to New York and found my partner [now husband], we set out to live our lives on our own terms. That's something that's very important to me. I don't think we should water down our experiences in order to be relatable.' Williamson's follow-up to his YouTube-turned-Netflix series, 'Eastsiders' (a queer cult classic of the early streaming era), had as unconventional journey as the messy queer characters it centers. So it's fitting that 'Unconventional,' premiering Tuesday, will be Revry's first full-length scripted series. And if you're wondering what Revry is, the team behind this self-styled global streaming network for LGBTQ+ content knows you're not alone. 'We're not insulted at all to know that a lot of folks within our community are still not super aware of us,' says Revry's co-founder and Chief Content Officer Christopher Rodriguez over Zoom. 'That's totally fine. I think that's changing very rapidly, which is really exciting. I think it's the right moment and 'Unconventional' is the right entry point for a lot of these audiences.' Founded in 2015 by Rodriguez, Damian Pelliccione, Alia J. Daniels and LaShawn McGhee, Revry offers ad-supported channels and apps on major streaming platforms and devices. 'We built it like a tech company, essentially, but for media,' says Pelliccione, the network's chief executive. 'And there were a lot of strikes against us being in — I don't like using the word 'niche,' but, you know, specialized media. Or, as Tracy Gilchrist says, 'queer media.' It's very obviously hard for mainstream investors to really wrap their heads around what viability and opportunity really looks like.' With just over 15 million monthly active viewers (75% of whom are under the age of 45, according to the network), Revry prides itself on being free. The hope is to keep the barrier to entry low and welcome as big of an audience as possible — something that has been key to its growth over the last decade. 'Free advertising-supported streaming televisionwasn't even really a thing at that time,' recalls Daniels, who is Revry's chief operating officer. 'But, we've grown with this industry in a really beautiful way that's allowed us to be incredibly nimble. And we were doing things that I think a lot of the big studios and distributors still haven't really figured out.' The Revry founders are as happy to talk about, as Pelliccione stresses, 'the power of the pink dollar' and collaborations, with brands like McDonald's, Nike and Lexus, as they are the creative core focus of their endeavor. 'We have a lot to offer in terms of entertainment,' Rodriguez says. 'That's what we're trying to do, and that's what we want to be associated with. Not education. Not finger wagging. We really just want to be ourselves. Be bright. Be colorful. Be entertaining. Hopefully everyone will kind of get that message.' Offering fan favorite shows like 'Absolutely Fabulous' and the OG 'Queer as Folk' alongside original series like 'Drag Latina,' a competition series hosted by 'RuPaul's Drag Race' alum Carmen Carrera, and 'Halloween Ball 2024,' a vogue sports competition shot in downtown L.A. featuring ballroom legends Dashaun Wesley and Leiomy Maldonado, Revry is pitching itself as a one-stop shop for vibrant and unapologetic queer content. And with 'Unconventional,' it may have found a banner series that can help further cement its place in the media landscape. 'We come from the perspective of we're queer as a network,' Rodriguez says. 'We're queer, but you don't have to be. But what we're going to be is very authentic to our community.' That authenticity is what Williamson has long been searching for in his work. Noah, when we first meet him, is in crisis. He's in a shouting match with Dan, and their life together seems to be coming to an end. Through a flashback, we see how a meeting with his thesis supervisor (played by Kathy Griffin) prompted Noah to reassess his entire life. 'Unconventional' focuses on the thorny aspects of contemporary queer millennial life. It's not just the promise and perils of polyamory or the societal pressures and logistical problems of starting a family whether through adoption or surrogacy, but also the relatable way that Noah and Margot tackle their mental health and mommy issues alike — with prescribed substances that drown out a world that encourages them to remain in arrested development. The nine-episode series is informed not just by Williamson's experiences but that of his fellow writers, including Bland and the show's editor, Larissa James. 'Dating back to the first season of 'Eastsiders,' my goal was to create queer characters that were flawed and complicated and allowed to f— up their own lives,' Williamson says. 'We make mistakes. We're human. That's an important part of the human experience. A story about role models is just not really that narratively interesting to me. I'm more interested in the ways in which people make mistakes and grow from them.' 'Unconventional,' set in Palm Springs/Joshua Tree, revels in the messiness of 21st century queer relationships and the challenges of starting nontraditional families. Noah, Dan, Margot and Eliza keep secrets and nurse resentments. Even as they hope to start families, they sometimes behave quite childishly, seducing strangers and finding solace in one too many drinks. 'I've been calling this show a chosen family drama,' Williamson says. 'But so often when we hear about 'chosen family,' it's kind of corny. It's done in a way that's like all sunshine and pride parades. Unicorns and rainbows or whatever. I just find reality to be so much more interesting.' It's not lost on Williamson why a show like 'Unconventional' had to be produced outside the traditional development pipeline. At a time when LGBTQ+ visibility often comes wrapped with a demand for positive representation, for stories that uplift and thus implicitly rest on respectability and assimilation, Williamson's tales of open relationships, challenging adoption processes and messy marriages question well-worn narratives about couples and family units. 'I've sold a lot of development with queer characters over the years,' he says. 'But I think having a story center the queer experience the way that this story does, that is something that I think there's an obvious hesitance around from the industry at large. Sometimes you need to do it independently in order to allow a project to find its voice without adding a bunch of cooks in the kitchen.' And although the show began production in 2020 (it was first curtailed by COVID-19 lockdowns), its arrival in 2025 still feels timely. 'We're seeing even major companies announce proudly that they're canceling their DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] initiatives,' Williamson says. 'But our existence is not a DEI initiative. Our existence is not 'woke' or whatever word of the week we're using right now to hide brazen homophobia.' Revry's founders hope to have their brand associated with 'queer joy.' But they understand that at a time when the LGBTQ+ community is targeted with discriminatory executive orders and driven to worry about losing hard-fought civil rights, loud and proud visibility will undoubtedly feel like a political act. 'I'm really excited to see Revry step up and get behind and champion stories like ours,' Williamson says. 'We're incredibly excited to be their first long-form scripted original series. It feels like we're at the beginning of something really amazing.'
