Alaska Thunderfuck 5000 was one of the standout stars of the fifth season of Rupaul’s Drag Race and she hasn’t looked back since. As she gets ready to perform in Dublin this week, she talks to Alan Finnegan about her favourite songs, TV shows, and ending up a bathtub last time she was here.

What was it about drag that got you into it?

I’ve always been drawn to pretty things. Women have better clothes than men.

How has your drag changed since appearing on Drag Race?

I’m prettier, now that I’ve seen what I look like on TV.

Who is your favourite queen of the bunch on this season of Drag Race?

I can’t pick a favourite this early in the game, but I’ve gotten to work with Miss Fame, and she’s lovely, and fun, and weird. I also love Ginger Minj and Trixie Mattel.

You were such a super-fan and tried multiple times to get on the show. How was the experience for you, compared to the way you envisioned it?

It was a magical, mystical wonderland. You can now see behind the scenes on the new Untucked on Youtube, but back then it was all a secret and a mystery. It is a time I will always cherish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iygtzrVVfLE

What is your favourite song to Lip Sync to?

Whitney Houston’s ‘It’s Not Right But It’s Okay – the remix’.

What shows do you binge watch when you get the chance?

I just binged on some The Walking Dead. And I just started Empire. I can feel a binge coming on…

Tell me something your fans would be surprised to know?

I love sour gummy worms.

What is your dream gig?

I’d really like to do music festivals like SXSW. I also really want to go on the bus trip to Mothership, Reno, hosted by Heklina and Peaches Christ.

How do you spend your free time when you’re not performing?

Eating Grubhub and watching Netflix.

What inspires you when you are coming up with music ideas?

I used to think that inspiration came from some magical, mystical place, or that it cane from doing drugs or having sex. The truth is, inspiration comes from the work. So when you’re pushing yourself to do the hard, gruelling, mundane work, that’s where the good shit comes from.

What do you like most about travelling around the world to perform?

I like hotel rooms. The bed is always made and the bathroom is always clean.

Have you had any crazy fans encounters?

I’ve had fans follow me to my hotel, which is usually fine. Luckily my fans are nice, and often cute.

Why do you think Drag Race has such a strong devoted fans?

I don’t know, but I love it. The viewing audience is a fraction of some other shows of its kind, but the devotion of our fans is unlike anything else on earth. I think people are sick of being spoonfed fake garbage. And drag is an art form that calls out the fakeness of show business, and makes fun of it, embracing every aspect of it and loving it.

Which of the other queens from the show do you see the most?

Jinkx and Detox. Jilaskatox.

You’ve performed in Ireland before – how was that experience for you?

I think I got really drunk and was sick for an entire day, but it was worth it. I did Paul Ryder’s Ringmaster’s Drag Race once, and I think it’s incredibly well done and a very fun thing to have gotten to be a part of. The girls all really did well and gave it their all, and I was honoured to have been asked to be a guest judge. I think I ended up in a bathtub with one of the contestants at the end of the night.

What do you think of the Dublin drag scene?

It’s great! Keep wearing nails, ladies.

What can Irish fans expect from you when you perform later in Break for The Border?

It’s a surprise, but I will say I’ve been teasing some of the new material from my album on tour. So there’ll be something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.

Alaska Thunderfuck 5000 will appear at Dragged Up at Break For The Border on May 1, tickets available here