Will there be a Philippine edition of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’? Manila Luzon says, ‘If I can help, I’d be glad to’
Now that she is a part of a Philippine talent agency, will Filipino-American drag queen Manila Luzon finally work on a Philippine version of the reality competition show RuPaul's Drag Race?
On Wednesday, June 16, it was announced that Manila Luzon, who garnered worldwide fans as a contestant on the popular reality show, is now a Cornerstone Entertainment talent. This means that she would be doing projects in the Philippines and even visit the country soon.
"Wait for me because I am coming sooner than you think," she said in the video presented to members of the press during the "Welcome Address of Manila Luzon" online press conference today.
"The quarantine and the pandemic really did stop me from what I really wanted to accomplish last year. So we're picking up the pieces and moving forward," Manila said during the press conference. "It's really a dream of mine to come back to the Philippines in a bigger way and do some bigger projects with Philippine media at a local level as well."
Manila said she's using her new local "connections" in the entertainment industry to record music. "I'm Filipina, so that means I love to sing even if I can't," she quipped. "We have the technology to make me sound like Whitney Houston, maybe."
Manila added she's excited to do some shows that deal with local drag as well. "I'm a drag queen so I think I'm fabulous. But how much more fabulous would it be if I surround myself with some of the most beautiful and most talented queens in the Philippines."
Asked if her being involved with the local entertainment scene means that they are thinking of getting a local franchise of RuPaul's Drag Race, Manila joked: "You know, I don't call the shots on that. But I will text Ms. Ru Paul (the host and one of the judges and executive producers of RuPaul's Drag Race) and see if she'll maybe answer one of my DMs. And then I'll let you know if I have that inform."
Turning serious, she said: "But definitely, since RuPaul's Drag Race has become very popular in the United States, it is now becoming common for other countries to take up their own franchise of the show."
"I won't be surprised if the Philippines makes their own version. Let's cross our fingers."
Manila added, "And hey, if I can help, I'd be glad to."
So far, RuPaul's Drag Race, a US reality show featuring drag queens, has had local editions aired in Thailand, Canada, United Kingdom, Spain, and Holland.
There is also a rumored international edition of the show. The franchise's producer World of Wonder is yet to confirm this, but many fans of the show hope it’strue as it could potentially pit former contestants from all over the world with one another.
Is Manila open to joining the competition again for the fourth time? She was first a contestant in the show's third season, and the first and fourth seasons of its All Stars spin-off.
"You know, I really enjoyed competing in RuPaul's Drag Race all three times. So, I mean, hey, never say never."
"I'll go back for a fifth time, for a sixth time, they can unfreeze my body from crynogenic freezing and then i will compete in All Stars 2000."
Asked if she'd be willing to join a "robbed" queens season, or a season for contestants whom fans think should have won in their respective seasons, she quipped: "I will be dressed in my burglar couture, grabbing my crown back."
Banner photo from Instagram/Manila Luzon