No Regrets Over Portraying Bindi Irwin In ‘Snatch Game’, Says Art Simone
“It was years in the making, I have been championing Australian drag for so many years and trying to bring an international spotlight to it and now that’s finally happened, it’s just so exciting, ” Geelong’s very own Art Simone told Star Observer, the Monday morning after she was abruptly told to sashay away just two episode into RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under.
Art Simone discussed her Drag origin story and her shock exit from the show.
The Power Of Make Up
Simone said she “started Drag during high school and came into Drag through the world of makeup.”
“Because I didn’t like myself as a teenager, having the power to take makeup and transform myself into someone different was really exciting to me and really invigorating. I was really obsessed with horror movies and scary things, that was the gateway to mum allowing me to buy make up. I was like “mum I really need this eyeliner for the skull I’m going to do”, but meanwhile I’m putting on big cat eyes.”
Nothing like re-living your trauma through a 12 hour press day. Major Groundhog vibes.. But looking at the positives, I’m only in drag from the tits up and have my support animal with me 🥳 hope everyone’s having a wonderful Monday! pic.twitter.com/owEU85glpx
— Art Simone (@ArtSimone) May 10, 2021
Simone doesn’t mince words about her time in the competition: “It’s cutthroat, it is intense, it is long days, it is drag and it is really, really difficult. I think that’s portrayed across the show, everything is very real and raw and stressful.”
There Is No Filter On Drag Race
“There is no filter with us. I think the Drag Race audience has been trained to think if you have said something sassy you are being mean, but in our world if you call someone the C word, its endearing, it’s a positive thing. It’s like looking into a Drag dressing room, it is fun and it is love.”
Ultimately, it was Simone’s Snatch Game that sent the veteran performer home, but as she told Star Observer, she still has no regrets over choosing Bindi Irwin as her character.
BINDI GOES BUSH pic.twitter.com/Az2Fhkl1gy
— Art Simone (@ArtSimone) May 8, 2021
“I chose Bindi because I wanted to use her as a vessel rather than an impersonation, and that’s something Ru has said many times before that she enjoys.”
Simone explained that she “was using the façade of Bindi Irwin to also use the humour of Steve Irwin as well as my own humour and Australian culture and idioms. I refused to do someone like Steve, I didn’t want to even touch that because I didn’t want to be disrespectful, so that’s where she came from, it was the perfect way to bridge my humour with the challenge that is Snatch Game.”
A One-Woman Show
So, what’s next in the world of Art Simone?
TIMELINE CLEANSE: Here’s a throwback of Pickles supervising me as I stoned my “Sea Sickening” runway dress.
Thanks so much for the outpouring of love and support, it means the world.
And don’t worry, he’s right by my side tonight watching over me 💙 pic.twitter.com/ggI1RqIeQc— Art Simone (@ArtSimone) May 8, 2021
“I’ve been working on my one-woman show where I work through my trauma on stage, but due to COVID restrictions for now, it’s a one-woman show for one woman at a time”.
“I didn’t have a time to write a book, and I can’t read, but I’m releasing a book cover, which you can just put around another book and put it on your shelf so it looks like I’ve written something, look no one reads the books anyway… but it will look amazing.”
— Art Simone (@ArtSimone) May 9, 2021
“I’m so glad this (Drag Race) is finally happening, and I just want the world to love and accept and have open arms and open eyes when they are getting to know these queens.”
Check the video interview with Art Simone, after her exit from RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under.
Check out our profiles of RuPaul Race Down Under Queens
