Meet The Ten Incredible Contestants On The New Show ‘King of Drag’
Ten world-renowned kings will face off to be crowned “King of Drag” in Murray Hill’s new competition show, premiering June 22.
Good news for all drag fans out there—a brand new competition show dedicated to drag kings is headed your way! King of Drag, which is set to hit your screen on June 22, will feature ten world-renowned kings and a star-studded cast of judges in an all-out battle for the title of “King of Drag.” The cast has just been announced, and we’ve got everything you need to know.
What is King of Drag?
Coming to LGBTQ TV network Revry this summer is a first-of-its-kind drag competition show dedicated to drag kings. In the six-episode series premiering on June 22, 10 contestants will battle it out to receive the title of “King of Drag”. The show will feature contestants of diverse gender identities, including trans masculine people, cisgender women, and nonbinary folks who will all perform as drag kings.
While RuPaul’s Drag Race has held the television drag crown for over a decade, the competition show has yet to feature a drag king contestant. But King of Drag isn’t just RuPaul’s Drag Race for masculine performers, it aims to be much more than that. “The series’ producers will showcase drag kings’ unique talents, including comedy, unconventional performances, and timely commentary on masculinity, which has been part of the drag king subculture for decades,” read a press release for the show.
The show’s host, legendary drag king and actor Murray Hill, told Variety that it is long overdue that drag kings get their flowers. “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.”
Alongside Murray Hill will be an impressive panel of permanent judges—Drag Race stars Gottmik and Sasha Velour, drag kings Tenderoni and Wang Newton and Revry CEO and Co-Founder Damian Pelliccione. Joining the panel as guest judges are stars like Tony nominee Cole Escola, Real Housewives legend Lisa Rinna, WNBA star Layshia Clarendon, and Yellowjackets’ Liv Hewson, among others.
Meet the Contestants
King Perka $exx
This Atlanta-born but Charlotte-based king is bringing comedy, social commentary, and dad jokes to the competition. His performance style ranges from high-energy brunch numbers to political horror pieces, all while exploring the fluidity of gender expression.
Dick Von Dyke
Coming from Minnesota, this drag king, musician and emcee describes his vibe as “A band kid who discovered drag to win the star roles he was never allowed to play, he’s ready for his close-up… or a dick pic, if you will.”
Charles Galin King
Bringing the weird, the creepy, and the joy to the stage, this born and raised LA queen is ready to share their cartoonish facial expressions and wacky looks with the world.
Tuna Melt
What’s that smell? Oh, it’s just NYC’s own Tuna Melt! “Stanky and delicious,” Tuna Melt says that he is for “all of the altos who’ve known deep down they were tenors.”
King Molasses
DC’s reigning Best Drag King, King Molasses, brings drag that evokes “mindfulness, black surrealism, and heritage-based movements to the stage.” For them, drag is not about “looking like a man,” instead it’s about “feeling liberated from other people’s expectations and systems of oppression.”
Big D
Comedy king, teacher, and director, Big D, is here with “an avalanche of questionable makeup choices in the body of a middle-aged mom who fancies himself a jello artiste.” Since 2005, Big D has been “parodying the patriarchy” and says that “as a non-man, I’m in a great position to do that. I’ve had my nose pressed up against the patriarchy’s window for a long time now.”
Henlo Bullfrog
An expert at SFX, airbrush, and character lore with work appearing on Skin Wars and RuPaul’s Drag Race, Philly’s Henlo Bullfrog is ready to explore the “horrors and debauchery of queerness.”
Alexander the Great
Look out! Alexander the Great is on his way down from Austin, TX to conquer the (gender) binary and capture hearts through acrobatic, gravity-defying performances.
Pressure K
East Atlanta’s own self-proclaimed ‘King of the South’ is bringing “passion, good vibes, and pure Pressure every time.” The pressure is on, but K “doesn’t follow trends, he sets the tempo.”
Buck Wylde
This smooth Latin king is here to represent Dallas, TX. With “switchblade sharp teeth,” Wylde is “dedicated to bringing drag to a wider audience, one can of pomade at a time.”
