Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:00 Good morning, Fort McMurray, wood, Buffalo, and the rest of the world. You've tuned into the Mac CD morning show. I am your host, Elliot Pierre, and we're going to start the show off the same way we start every episode off with a moment of gratitude. I know you can be doing a million other things with your time. So the fact that you spend it with us truly does mean the world to me. So thank you on that note, Tanner hit him with the intro.
Speaker 1 00:00:19 Oh, she caught me loves you're listening to the next then the morning show.
Speaker 0 00:00:28 All right. And we're back. Okay. We've got an exciting guest today. I'm really excited to get the conversation started. Just, uh, you know, hang out and have a chat. So as everybody knows, I don't introduce my guests. I let them do that themselves. So on that note, sir, can you please introduce yourself and tell everybody at home what you're about?
Speaker 2 00:00:44 Hi, I'm Brandon, Brandon, former, um, also known as Stella Lamar in the community. I'm a drag performer here, part of the group called oil Royals.
Speaker 0 00:00:55 Okay. Yep. Okay. So let's get into this in regards to like, I'm really excited to learn about how to address, how to talk about pronouns. I like I'm, I'm fascinated about this
Speaker 2 00:01:07 And I'm still learning a lot myself and everybody's different. So there are some things that are always changing as well for
Speaker 0 00:01:16 That's. Right. So I learned earlier by Tanner, like, dude is okay. That's yes. I can say danger.
Speaker 2 00:01:24 And a lot of senses. Some people are still not specifically okay with it, but you know, I hear a lot of girls say due to each other, I say dudes, a lot of girls and they have no problem with it. And I have no problem being called dude as myself or my character
Speaker 0 00:01:40 Right now. You're not in character. And that's something else I got asked about. The character thing is fascinating. So right now, if I call you sir, or dude, or Hey man, we're cool. Yeah, I'm good. Okay. So this character, how did this come? How did you pick a name? How did you pick a look? Cause I've, I I've met you as Brandon numerous times. And like, I come to your establishment, we spoken. Yeah. I've never seen the character before until at the gala. And I was just like, okay, cool. So,
Speaker 2 00:02:16 Yeah, that's a very deep question. How, I mean, that's like every drag Queens. How, where did, when did it start? Well, when I was about seven in my mom's closet wearing her something about being a diva, but I mean, I never really thought about doing drag until I was in my twenties, actually very in the last few years, until I moved back to Fort McMurray is when I started doing drag. When I seen semah down perform with Ella Lamara and Billy goals. Um, and I was like, oh my gosh, I really want to do that. So I've, you know, I really asked, I asked, um, Ella, uh, and Mitch simmer, pardon me? So it helped me out along the way. And some it's really helped me a lot in a lot of ways. And so has Ella shape who Stella has become. Right. Um, and you said, how did they pick Stella's name?
Speaker 2 00:03:09 Um, well, I have, what's called in the drag community, a drag mother, if you will, who takes you under their wing? And it's like, here, this looks good. Do it like this. Do you look, busted, change it, right. All the things in between to like help shape who you are. And I feel like on a side note, I feel like Sigma for me is like my auntie for here. Cause she's helped me a lot. Ella lives in Colona. So she's not always around when we do drag here for every single show, but she's here for most of them out. Um, but going back to the name, um, the first time that I went out with the performance group oil Royals, we were in Edmonton for just like a shopping weekend and we went out and I was like, I want to go out and face.
Speaker 2 00:03:56 Like, I want to go out as this character and then we're going in or like, oh, what should we name? You were trying to figure out names on the way to the hotel to get ready and stuff. And my drag mother's name is Ella. And, um, she has another drag child called, uh, areola. So like we called me Stella because Stella Ella Ola. Oh, okay. Okay. So it was kind of funny whimsical, but now it's, it's really stuck and it's really become a staple of the personality that I embody when I turn into character, I feel like Stella kind, kinda, always there. Right. But when I put the makeup in the hair and the wig and the lashes, I think it's definitely more of a transformation. My voice even changes and things like that. Like the embodiment physically is something to, yeah. Something is definitely. You mentioned that. So how long have
Speaker 0 00:04:41 You had
Speaker 2 00:04:42 The character? Um, Stella was born, uh, March, 2018, first performance at an all ages show at the quality hotel in, uh, April. That was the first show that I ever did and it was freeing and so fun. And it's just become, I don't know. It's very expressive, like femininity is so, um, not necessarily shunned upon, but a lot of men don't embrace a lot of femininity because of negative connotations or perceptions of people that are like owning men. Can't be sissy men. Can't be, you know, pretty or what have you. They have to be masculine and strong and rough and tough and sharp and jokes on you. I'm real pretty. So that's what I'm saying. Like that's what I, that's what I like about it. Cause go women. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:05:28 Cool. So you said there's like, I I've never attended, I didn't know how many shows transpire take place in Fort McMurray? Like
Speaker 2 00:05:36 Um, well, I mean pre COVID, well, Royals tried to do every couple of months before. Um, and then, I mean, COVID delayed a lot of the things we didn't have stuff for a few months, but you know, every, every six months or so, something will definitely come up. We had pride this year, end of August, beginning of September. And then we had another weekend of drag and then another show the following weekend. So, I mean, we've had lots of drag Capitan this year and despite Colvin how's he really blessed
Speaker 0 00:06:06 On stuff like that.
Speaker 2 00:06:07 Uh, it fluctuates, but we've had really, really good stuff like pride this year we had like four or 500 people in the shell place, um, stadium that we have booked. Oh, it was wonderful. It was emotional and it looks so good. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:06:21 Now you say you go out, like I saw you in public, like we got together and you said like you were out in Edmonton and wanted to be in face. How was that? How do you, how you received? Like I felt the night that we were hanging out, it was like, oh yeah, it was awesome.
Speaker 2 00:06:35 I mean, but for the most part, like we were just, we were mentioning before about how far McMurray's, you know, mostly tolerant. Most people don't say much about anything, but the people who do give you the nasty looks, I just do this. Yeah. Whatever did you catch my highlight on that hair? Flips. Sorry about your problems, but it's not mine. That's right. I look this good. You can't break me down. I'm not, not worried about it. And out of those moments. And I think, um, I don't know. That was the first time that I went to like a gala like that, that wasn't organized by, uh, the oil Royals. I was going to say Simba down specifically, but now Erica does some of the events as well. So like they both organize everything and I'm just like, Hey, yeah, I'll come up with a big, thank you so much. What do you need help with? I will help you with anything for hiring me.
Speaker 0 00:07:26 I feel like if you're an MTN in Calgary, like a major center, like the volume of individuals that you could, like, there's, there's more of a community. Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 00:07:36 Versus the population is also very much larger than five, six times. I population, they've got a few different bars. They've got a few different companies that do drag events, promotions, and, um, bars like this. So yeah.
Speaker 0 00:07:51 That's interesting. No, that's that's so you said something earlier that caught my attention. You said when you moved back from Fort McMurray, you from Fort?
Speaker 2 00:07:59 No, not originally. I'm from originally. I'm from, uh, prince Albert, Saskatchewan, actually outside of prince Albert, a small farm prince Albert yet. Oh, okay. It'll
Speaker 0 00:08:08 Be, yeah. It's
Speaker 2 00:08:09 Rough up in PA. Well, I mean, I grew up in the country, so that was rough for me, but, well, it wasn't really rough looking back. I thought it was rough, but it really wasn't. Okay. Hindsight is always 2020. So
Speaker 0 00:08:22 Your grew up on a farm? Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:08:24 What kind of farm? I grew up on a pig farm. Okay. Well, cattle farm, but my grandfather, my grandfather had a pig farm and I spent a lot of time right. With my grandparents. And
Speaker 0 00:08:35 So then what led you to Fort Macquarie?
Speaker 2 00:08:37 Uh, oh, geez. Um, originally the first time. So I guess like fast version is my mom married, a man moved to adminster. Yeah. And then, um, divorced, moved to Fort McMurray. Got married again. The love of her life. They're still married now. Nice. 15 years later. That's awesome. Um, and I was here for about 2010. I left in 2014, Edmonton for about two years. And then I moved back in 2016 after the fire. Why
Speaker 0 00:09:12 Fort Mac?
Speaker 2 00:09:13 Um, I was going through a lot of stuff. Uh, financially and Edmonton kind of drained me. I, um, had a job that I thought I liked and it didn't end up working out and it took a lot away from me. So I would like, you needed to cut and dry, clean slate and you know, form a grade, just going through the wildfire. There were a lot of construction jobs open and I was like, you know what? I quit. I moved up, moved up just like that. And then I've been here
Speaker 0 00:09:39 Ever since. Cause I like, I know you're a Bart. You work
Speaker 2 00:09:42 At a bar now. No, I did that for just about a year. And then, um, seasoned came around, everybody got laid off. Right. And then I just, I was picking up just jobs here and there and that's when I found performance art. Great. So I do something else as well to talk about my time instead of working three jobs, that sucks. That's right. You know what I mean? I'm not that doesn't pay the bills so to speak, but you know, it's, it's something on the side
Speaker 0 00:10:07 Just cause it does financially pay the bills. Like, like you said, internally, you're getting something
Speaker 2 00:10:12 That's exactly. It's gratifying experience for me. It's artistic and it's expressive and it's yeah.
Speaker 0 00:10:17 So obviously you're brave, like you don't mind doing something that's outside of the box, so, and you've traveled before. So what about this community? Has you staying here in regards to like, like what you're talking about? Like the volume isn't necessarily here. So what about Fort McMurray? Like just keeps you here.
Speaker 2 00:10:35 It's the people that I've met. I think it's like as much as I want to say, Fort McMurray has, well, it doesn't have a really bad history and a lot of in a lot of senses, but like, you know, not everybody's had the same experience that I have had and not everybody has had the same experience as others. Like some people have had wonderful time from the time that they're born and then every time that they moved here and we've gone on and it's right. And I just, I didn't have that same experience when I first moved here. I didn't really like it. And I also moved here under aggravating circumstances. So of course I was going to be bored against the grain for what I was needed to do. Yeah. But I, um, I learned to accept it. I met some really good people and I think that when you surround yourself with the people that really push you forward, it's really important. And um, the small group of people that I actually hang out with the few of them that they are is, you know, I love them dearly. And I think they're keeping him on my mom's here too. And mum and dad and family members and you know, that's also something to keep me here.
Speaker 0 00:11:38 I have another question about a drag. Yeah. Now you have like a crew that you have. What's the name again? The oil
Speaker 2 00:11:45 Royals
Speaker 0 00:11:46 Oil Royals. Okay. Now, is this something that you can go and like travel, go into different people's shows or is this like just your, how does that work?
Speaker 2 00:11:58 I mean, we've only done shows here as the oil Royals group as a, just as a group performance, individual artists, Billy gold and Selma and ELA. They've all performed across like different provinces as well as some as performed in like BC, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Toronto, like she's been everywhere. It's same thing with Ella has also been a lot on the west coast. She's been in many, many different cities across British Columbia, Alberta and things like this. I've only ever been. I've only ever performed here in Fort McMurray.
Speaker 0 00:12:30 Okay. Okay. Sweet. Well, I just got a, I got so many questions, man, but all right. Tanner just gave me the cue though. He has got his questions ready for the Mac CD minutes. So Tanner is going to ask you a few quick questions. I don't know what he's going to ask. I wish you nothing but the best of luck Tanner, let's hear the max 30 minutes.
Speaker 3 00:12:47 Alrighty. Question. Number one. What is your favorite part of being known by two different identities within the community?
Speaker 2 00:12:54 Some people don't recognize the other. And I think that's flattering.
Speaker 3 00:12:59 Question number two. What is your favorite part of being a performer?
Speaker 2 00:13:05 Um, potentially inspiring others to want to be more true to themselves because that's honestly what made me want to do it and it helps me be more true to myself.
Speaker 3 00:13:16 Question number three. What is one thing that you and your character don't share?
Speaker 2 00:13:24 Uh, uh, makeup,
Speaker 3 00:13:29 Uh, question number four. What is your dream venue to perform that?
Speaker 2 00:13:35 Oh my goodness. Um, I'm going to say Vegas, some scale show, like Vegas would be like dream, dream dream one day, if ever I ever become like famous.
Speaker 3 00:13:47 And your final question, what is your favorite event that you've gotten to attend in character?
Speaker 2 00:13:55 Um, well, I mean the diamond gala was the first event that I've attended outside of events organized by the arrivals or comedy. So, I mean, I guess they can say that's my favorite event.
Speaker 3 00:14:07 Okay. And those have been your five questions
Speaker 0 00:14:09 Supernatural out there though, like for your first time outside of like a organized event?
Speaker 2 00:14:16 Yeah. Well, I I've wor he's just chilling. Yeah. That's I mean, that's comes with practice though, too, like wearing heels for that long. It does hurt if I got you fooled, then I win.
Speaker 0 00:14:28 Yeah. Okay. So I have never attended any drag events. So like w like, what is it? Is it singing? Is it dancing? Like you guys, your it's performing, what is the performance or is it just like a hodgepodge?
Speaker 2 00:14:45 We, yeah, we lip sync. Um, but we've also had other performers come in as well, but don't, they're like burlesque style performances. Um, we've done. Um, yeah, we've just tried to keep comedy and comedy. A lot of shows, Erica Moscow. Okay. No church as well. Um, they do a lot of shows. They do a lot of comedy and they also perform, uh, lip sync. Okay. That's what I do as well. I lip sync.
Speaker 0 00:15:11 No. Do you have to lip sync look. So you're a singer. You can just
Speaker 2 00:15:13 Ask, please. I mean, if you're a performer and you want to get into drag. Okay. Interesting. I am M oil Royals on Instagram, Facebook page oil Royals. There you go. Private message. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:15:24 Okay. Very interesting. Yeah. I see, um, the Ru Paul's drag. I don't know the title of the show, but
Speaker 2 00:15:32 RuPaul's drag race.
Speaker 0 00:15:33 Thank you. Yeah. It's a competition show of some sort. Yeah. And so I'm just like, what, what is the win? And I, like, I have some friends who are like, Ellie, do you really got to start watching a show? It's super entertaining. So like, what do what's, what's the pull? What, what do they, when you said, like Vegas to be a performer. So like, what could you actually, like, people make a career out of this, but that's what
Speaker 2 00:15:56 Rudy, if you win RuPaul's drag race, you get a cash prize of a hundred thousand dollars. Not only is that going to set you yourself up to invest back into your drag, right. And back into yourself that can to your family, or, you know, your support and have you, um, to make your aesthetic, your essentially your business is what becomes when they can make them that large of risk. When, excuse me, artists become that large of a scale. It's like a business. It's like a branded business. You've got to make sure you're feeding that business otherwise, you know, what do you have? Um, what's the question? That's it? You just answered it.
Speaker 0 00:16:32 Yeah. I've got a question about YouTube. Um, as a platform has ad, like, how beneficial is that in regards to, because you can see and learn everything. So I have
Speaker 2 00:16:44 To assume everything
Speaker 0 00:16:46 From like, learning to do your hair or makeup or all the there's there's tutorials for everything. So, oh, I missed what you said. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:16:55 Yeah. It was crazy for that. So is that,
Speaker 0 00:16:58 Has that must be beneficial to the community to be able to like, actually see that, like how big of an influence is YouTube in as the
Speaker 2 00:17:07 Oh, excellent YouTube tutorials on how to do I makeup? Yeah. I've watched a thousand of them. I know how to put Ikea furniture together. How do you know? Oh yeah. I'm an avid user of that. So I can only speak for what I would assume that the people, I hear people I at Google it too bit. My dad's always adamant on that too. Like, you got something wrong with your car. He's like, Google it YouTube. It that's how I fix your car. And I'm like, cool, beautiful.
Speaker 0 00:17:35 When it comes to your shopping. I love shopping personally. I wear the same thing everyday on the show and actually my wardrobe is getting pretty dialed in. Um, how do you shop?
Speaker 2 00:17:47 Oh, it's funny. I'm, that's one thing that I'm not a very good shopper. I don't like being in, um, malls and, and clothing places for long and gives me anxiety looking through this stuff. Like, what am I want from this pile? Like going through this arbitrary section of 15 items. And there is 19 of each item, right. Incrementing sizes. And it just, it gets to me. And then the people stimulation also. And I'm just like, I can't do it for very long. So I do either online shopping and my friends. So graciously go, Hey, I don't want this or I don't fit this. You want this one? I go, yes, please. What can I do for you in return? Right.
Speaker 0 00:18:27 And is alteration a big thing? Like I have to
Speaker 2 00:18:29 Assume in ways. Yeah. Some of, some of the stuff I've had to take out and put in and yeah, but that's, I mean, that comes with carbons as well with costumes. That's really in general, you're gonna have to add stuff to it and you add elements, change elements. I'm still learning that art right then has got that down. I got, I could learn something from her on that one, but yeah. Got a sewing machine. Like, all it takes is practice. Honestly just takes practice and confidence in yourself. What is the
Speaker 0 00:18:52 Next, uh, show
Speaker 2 00:18:53 You guys are good. Our next show is January 29th. We actually have a big show coming up. We have, um, Priyanka from Canada's drag race season one. She's the winner. Isn't one. So yeah, she's coming to perform here in Fort McMurray. So yep. Tickets will be going on sale very, very soon. Make sure you follow us on social media. So we'll announce it. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:19:13 Well that was a plug by mistake, but we're at the part of the show where we are done. So at the end of the episode, everybody gets a shameless shout out or plug. And so the cameras are on you. The Mike's on you.
Speaker 2 00:19:22 How fun? Oh, good. I'm Stella Lamar of the oil Royals. Um, followed the oil Royals on Facebook. Um, yeah, January 29th. We have a show coming. Priyanka. We'll be here and keep your eyes out for tickets. Make sure you get them.
Speaker 0 00:19:38 There we go. Cool. Thank you very much for coming on the
Speaker 2 00:19:41 Shelf. Yeah. Thank you for having me. This has been awesome. Just got to Blab.
Speaker 0 00:19:44 Yeah. That's that's all the show is. And so come back as many times as you want, especially if like there's promotion going on and we would love to have you back as your character. You drop some names in regards to other individuals I should have on a show. So let's try to, let's try to link that up. Yes, absolutely. Cool. Awesome. All right. Well for Memorial wood, Buffalo, the rest of the world, that's been another episode of the Mac city morning show. Thank you so much for tuning in. It does mean the world to me. I hope you're having a great day and we'll see you tomorrow. Peace.
Speaker 1 00:20:12 I just dies that desk. Another max, any morning show Dawn.
Speaker 5 00:20:29 Yeah. Talk about quenching your ugly thirst.
