It’s the holidays and music is in the air. Let’s be honest, all we want for Christmas is new holiday music that we actually like. Sorry, Mariah. Cue the music! Drag superstar Miz Cracker is gifting us with not one, but two holiday anthems that are sure to become gay classics. While the rest of us have been eating our weight in gingerbread, funny girl and star of Drag Race Season 10 and All Stars 5 has been kicking it into overdrive. Last week, she released her hot off the press single, with RuPaul Drag Race alum Jujubee, “Eight Days of You (feat. Jujubee)” single & video, celebrating friendship and the holidays. Later this week, she releases a candid take on the holiday season with “Get Me The F%#$ Out Of Here” celebrating the Miz-ery that can often be had when stuck with relatives around the menorah or Christmas tree.
In addition to her music releases, she has been hard at work on her new podcast, She’s A Woman. Inspired by the women in her own life, particularly her mom and sister, she will be talking with incredible women from around the world about their achievements. Featuring interviews with detectives, pilots, bookstore owners, comics, and more. Each show asks a new guest: What is it like to be a woman in your field? In the world? And what are some life lessons that every listener should hear? The podcast show includes some very much needed good news for the week, an interview with her special guest, and information about the upcoming “She’s a Woman” 2021 Tour (currently postponed due to COVID). Her music video for “She’s A Woman” has already reached over 1 million downloads.
We chatted with Miz Cracker over some egg nog and latkes:
You are getting us Holiday READY, girl! This season you are bringing us some new, Holiday hits…from the Jewish perspective. Did Hanukkah play second fiddle to Christmas growing up?
For me, Chanukah never played second fiddle to Christmas. My mother made it into an eight-day festival of gifts, handmade decorations, homemade food and, you know, anxiety. So it had everything Christmas had. I mean, I could have done without my classmates telling me I was “Going to hell” for celebrating it but…
What is one of the worst Hanukah gifts you’ve ever received?
My grandmother used to give me neckties from second-hand stores every year. I didn’t know back then that I was destined to be a queen, but I would always look at the neckties and think… if and when I ever “dress up” for an occasion, I probably won’t be wearing these.
Eight Days of You is really a celebration of friendship during the holiday season. What is it about Jujubee that attracted you to start such a close friendship?
I fell in love with Juju when we were filming the All Stars Five sewing challenge. Everyone was stressing out and running around except for Juju, who worked for like 30 minutes before taking an hour-long taco lunch break, followed by a six-hour nap. I thought to myself, “I need to learn from this person.”
Which one of you is the Romi, who is the Michelle?
It’s more of a Ren and Stimpy situation I think? I’ll let you decide who’s who.
Get Me The F%#$ Out Of Here is the complete opposite of Eight Days, celebrating the complete fuckery that can occur with being stuck with family. No doubt, political talk at the holiday table will be very heated this year. What would you say to a family member that mentions they voted for Trump while asking you to pass the dinner rolls?
I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU, WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU. HOW DARE YOU? ALSO, CAN I HAVE AN EXTENSION ON THAT LOAN?
What Christmas customs, if any, do you love and incorporate into your own holiday celebration?
Listen, if it sparkles, I’m into it. I join my extended family for a massive Christmas Eve dinner every year, followed by a sleepover at my Grandmother’s. We love the noise, we love the gifts—but most of all we love the opportunity to look each other up and down and see who’s doing better than who.
What are the essentials for putting together the perfect Hanukkah look?
Personally, I like to wear a flaming Chanukah (Menorah) on my head. But anything in blue, white, or gold will do fine. Just remember, it has to be super ill-fitting and unflattering because you don’t want to break with traditiooooooooooon!
The holidays are all about family. In all of your interviews, you really talk about your fellow Drag Race girls in a supportive and loving way – as your family. Some of the girls can get catty towards each other with social media attacks, jealousies, and such. How do you stay so grounded in the positive energy of it all?
Honestly, the best way to maintain a positive relationship is to keep things off social media. Connect sister to sister with a nice phone call, or a text message. That’s what The Vixen and I have been doing for two years now, and it’s one of my biggest joys.
Not only are you showering us with new music, you are also debuting your premiere podcast in celebration of women. Very timely as we welcome the first female Vice President. What were your first thoughts as you listened to Kamala’s first speech as Vice President-Elect?
Seeing Kamala’s ascent has been so incredible. She’s a human being, she’s not perfect. But her position as Vice President-Elect sends a message to young women, particularly young women of color, that progress is possible, that boundaries can be broken. And it was wonderful to hear her talk about that so passionately.
The women in your life have served as your main inspiration. Tell me a great story about your mom. Tell me a great story about your sister.
My mother is an incredible painter who made art part of my life—but my favorite story about her is when she took a wrong turn on the highway, flipped out, and screamed every profanity known to man. I remember thinking, “I want to be just like her when I grow up.” As for my sister, one time when I was a kid she got an ugly haircut. I was like, “That haircut was a mistake.” And she said, “Our parents married in December and you were born in April. Do the math. You were a mistake.” Shablam. That’s where I learned to read bitches.
Why is it so important for gay men to become involved in the women’s movement?
I could give you a million reasons – Gaga – but let’s put it this way: women took us to prom, listened to us come out, showed up for our first Pride march, pretended our 2-week relationships were valid—they’ve been there for us, let’s be there for them.
What was your biggest obstacle in producing your podcast?
My screaming. I think you’re supposed to keep a level, noble tone while recording a podcast so that it’s, like, enjoyable for the listener. But thus far I haven’t been able to do that. So the whole show is basically just gonna be me blowing the AirPods out of people’s ears.
What do you want your podcast audience to gain the most from listening to your show?
I want people to walk away from She’s a Woman realizing that there are no limits on what a woman can be or do. And that if you want to hear from an incredible woman, you don’t have to go searching for a celebrity. We all know incredible women.
Being a podcast host is much different than being on the interviewee side of the microphone. What makes a good podcast host?
A good podcast host puts the guest first. It’s always tempting to tell stories about your own ideas and experiences and whimsical fantasies, but instead, just shut up for a second. You don’t want to miss out on an opportunity to listen. I know that sounds simple, but it’s something that a lot of people miss, including myself.
When COVID settles down, you will embark on your US tour. What can we expect?
My show “She’s a Woman” is an all-singing, all-dancing, all comedy spectacular SPECTACULAR. It’s unlike any of my other shows because the music is all mine. But as always there’s brand new standup, brand new video content, brand new choreo. I’m, like, terrified to launch the tour because it’s so MUCH, but that’s what makes it great.
When you are on the road, do you get up to any shenanigans or are you very conservative with your travel?
Oh, she’s a nun on the road. After every show, I go straight to bed. Then I get up early, get into drag, and go meet fans on the street. Honestly, that’s my favorite part of the tour—getting to see the cities and people along the way. The show is just the icing on the cake.
What is your personal ritual after a performance?
I always walk up to my co-pilot Katelyn and say, “That was good right?” And she’s always like, “Yeah it was good.” Whether it was a good show or not, this little ritual makes me feel like I did something for the kids that day.
Do you have any good luck totems that you take to every dressing room?
It’s sitting right next to me—my Nicole Kidman themed coffee mug.
Final question, where do you keep your pickle costume?
Oh, she’s in my work studio now, and she always will be.
You can catch her new single “Eight Days Of You – feat. Jujubee here
And listen to She’s A Woman Podcast at: https://bit.ly/ShesAWomanPodcast
Last modified: December 8, 2020
