Drag Race Down Under, part of the popular RuPaul’s Drag Race franchise, is filming in New Zealand. In their own words, local drag talent share what drag means to them and how it might be impacted by the show. RuPaul’s Drag Race is, quite simply, a television phenomenon. Love it or hate it, it has … Read more
At 2pm every day this week, The Spinoff will be counting down 100 local television moments of the decade. Today, moments 100-81. 100) Kiwi Steve makes it through to Conan, 2017 Not strictly local television, but this moment had about a one in a bajillion chance of ever happening, and yet somehow… it did. In … Read more
Season 11 of RuPaul’s Drag Race comes to an end tonight, leaving a void in the souls of its massive fandom. But don’t put away your merch money yet – there are plenty of local acts waiting to steal your heart. In the immortal words of Jasmine Masters, RuPaul has fucked up drag. With the … Read more
House of Drag winner Hugo Grrrl says his Wellington events company has had over 100 events disappear from Facebook. Wellington events organiser and drag king George Fowler has been left “devastated” after a targetted attack on Facebook caused the entirety of his companies’ events to be removed. Winning TVNZ’s House of Drag as drag king … Read more
We have a winner – and it’s a gamechanger. Sam Brooks power-ranks the last episode of House of Drag, and assesses the season in general. It’s over, ladies and gentlemen, and we have a winner. But before we get to that history-making winner, a few thoughts! House of Drag has had a rocky first season, to put … Read more
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in New Zealand pop culture and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s. THIS EPISODE CONTAINS MAJOR REALITY TV SPOILERS, TAKE HEED It’s our last proper episode of The Real Pod for the year, nicely timed with the end of every reality TV show ever. Join us as … Read more
House of Drag breaks out of the Drag Race mould with an all rap-challenge, with mixed results. Look. It’s not racist to do a rap challenge with an all-white cast, but it’s something that I might give a little pause to before continuing on with it, just for the sake of optics. I would also give a little … Read more
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in New Zealand pop culture and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s. This week on the Real Pod, we suck back an ice cold taurine fizz and tackle another week of reality television. Both Project Runway and Bake Off are in their semi-finals, MKRNZ has finally come … Read more
Alex Casey talks to Medulla Oblongata following their shock elimination from House of Drag. Medulla Oblongata is the name of the stem that connects the spinal cord to the brain. It’s also the part that controls the gag reflex. It’s also the name of the recently-eliminated contestant from House of Drag, a non-binary former refugee … Read more
It’s taken five episodes – but we’ve finally gotten to a choreography challenge. Sam Brooks power ranks the fifth episode of House of Drag. It feels strange that it’s taken until halfway through the season until we get to a choreography challenge — nay, any music challenge at all. As a performative artform, drag is more aligned … Read more
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in New Zealand pop culture and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s. This week on the Real Pod, the gang is back together to recap another thrilling week on reality TV and in real life. Duncan brings all the inside gossip from the Mediaworks launch, Jane provides … Read more
It’s our first shock elimination – and one that genuinely leaves the show worse off. Sam Brooks power-ranks episode four of House of Drag. “Skits are for scouts.” is one of the many pearls of wisdom that my mother gave me. Skits are sketches that weren’t good enough to be sketches, so they’re called skits. … Read more
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in New Zealand pop culture and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s. This week on the Real Pod, Duncan phones in on the way to the Mediaworks launch, and delivers breaking news updates that are now definitely old news. There’s also a lot of hard-hitting news about big … Read more
It’s costume chaos week on House of Drag – but who surfs the waves and who gets washed ashore? Sam Brooks power-ranks episode three of House of Drag. After a shaky beginning, it seems that House of Drag is beginning to find its feet on the catwalk. Episode three is an altogether tighter ship, with clear narratives for the … Read more
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in New Zealand pop culture and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s. This week on the Real Pod, we power through a delicious week on Bake Off, a bridesmaids scuffle on Project Runway NZ and a huge showdown on House of Drag. Jane and Duncan share their … Read more
New Zealand has its own drag reality show now, House of Drag – but how does it fare under the mighty shadow of RuPaul’s Drag Race? Sam Brooks tunes in. Once in a generation, a piece of work comes along that is so much of landmark, so much of a game-changer, that everything that comes along after … Read more
Alex Casey visits the chaotic House of Drag mansion, and meets the dragstars changing the face of local reality TV. At the end of the winding driveway of the House of Drag mansion, we are met with two drag queens luxuriating in nude underwear, eating cheeseburgers and dangling their feet in the enormous fountain. It … Read more