SPECIAL THANKS TO AOIFE KILBANE FROM BBC

Facts are facts, absolutely everybody in the whole wide world RuPaul’s Drag Race fandom is reeling over this week’s Down Under elimination. Maxi Shields – the Australasian spin-off’s old school queen with “two big melons and a rump to boot” – became the latest Ozzie to hear the dreaded “sashay away” from Mama Ru following her performance in this week’s maxi-challenge; which saw the remaining six competitors makeover a squad of macho rugby players.

Although she served one of the most iconic lip-syncs this season against Etcetera Etcetera (no, we’re still not over that microphone stunt), Maxi was unable to replicate its viral success in her smackdown with Scarlet Adams to the beat of Kylie Minogue’s Better the Devil You Know. But as we’ve seen in the past, winning isn’t everything (listen to Losing is the New Winning now on all streaming platforms!). Over the past six weeks, Maxi has cemented her status as Down Under’s fan-favourite as she blessed viewers with some much-needed positivity (and breast-ivity) in a season chock-full of drama and scandals.

“I think that the one thing that my grandmother imparted on me was to just be kind. Just be kind to people,” Maxi tells GAY TIMES over Zoom following her elimination. “Be a smart ass. She was an absolute smart ass, she would tell people to fuck off. But, she always led with kindness first. In general, we should be kind, but especially after 2020. It was shit house, wasn’t it?” 

Read ahead for our full interview with Maxi, where she discusses her makeover with the fabulous Cilla Wet, her instantly iconic lip-sync against Etcetera and how she wants to see the drag scene evolve in Australia. She also spills the T on her legendary stint as Madonna’s VIP hostess for her record-breaking Rebel Heart Tour.

Maxi, you look absolutely gorgeous today. I’m loving this pink theme!
Oh thank you, I’m making sure you can’t see my bra. You might send me home for that!

Your elimination… hurt. It doesn’t make sense with my fantasy, I’m not here for it, I demand a recount…
So do I! Actually, do you know what? Once I was eliminated, there was a weight off my shoulders, so I’m fine actually. 

When RuPaul told you to sashay away, how did you feel?
I don’t usually do makeup on other people. But, I went into the challenge and I just wanted to impart the joy of drag onto someone who may not have had the opportunity before. As wobbly as Cilla Wet was in the bloody high heels, I looked across at her and she was absolutely beaming. It was just this great big smile. She loved it and I thought, ‘Do you know what? If I go home on this challenge, and I’ve given that gift of something I love, then it’s in the stars. It is what it is and I could go home, see my partner and my dogs!’

I had such a fun time watching you both on the main stage.
That was the brief that I said to him, ‘Just have fun.’ I try to live by being a silly bugger. Everyone’s so serious. We’ve got COVID and unemployment, let’s just be a couple of dickheads in bright coloured dresses and we’ll swish around and hopefully make someone laugh. 

At one point, I was convinced you were going to paint a beard so Cilla didn’t have to shave his…
That would’ve been good, wouldn’t it? I do understand, especially with the gay scene, when you find your tribe – especially the bear tribe – it is really quite important. Asking someone to shave their beard is like cutting a foot off. It’s not so much that he used it as a shield, he was accepted in a group that he found love, or had sex, these big parts of gay people’s lives. He said, ‘I’ll think about it’ and I said, ‘Look, it’s up to you. If you decide no, don’t worry. It is fine. You are going to go down that runway with the best fucking glittery beard you’ve ever seen in your life.’ I said on the show, which didn’t make the cut, is that me and Dan are basically twins. We share a birthday, 1st June. I said, ‘We’re born on the same day, we’re twins anyway!’ 

I think I speak on behalf of every Drag Race viewer in the world when I say it’s been such a pleasure watching you this season. I don’t think there’s ever been a more obvious contender for Miss Congeniality?!
That would be great, wouldn’t it? But, do they give that out in internationals? I was trying to remember if they did for the UK…

They handed it out to Blu Hydrangea and Bimini Bon Boulash, but I think it was done unofficially after their seasons came to an end…
Oh… Well I bloody hope so! Jesus. Because I’ve been doing it for so long, I think that the one thing that my grandmother imparted on me was to just be kind. Just be kind to people. Be a smart ass, she was an absolute smart ass, she would tell people to fuck off. But, she always led with kindness first. In general, we should be kind, but especially after 2020. It was shit house, wasn’t it?