“‘Drag Race France’ has changed my life”, assures Lolita Banana. She’s right. The drag queen embodied by Esteban Inzúa, 37, placed fourth in the competition broadcast on France Télévisions last summer and has established itself as one of the favorites of the public. Her notoriety is in good shape and the shows in which she performs in Paris or elsewhere are always full. Since Thursday, she has changed dimension: she co-presents “Drag Race Mexico”, with Valentina, ex-candidate of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in the United States. The time of the broadcast, Lolita Banana has also settled in Mexico, her native country, to fully live the experience. It is therefore by telephone, with an eight-hour time difference that 20 minutes joined her to talk about her experience as a presenter, her strongest memories of the French season but also the impact of her testimony on her HIV status.
Presenting “Drag Race Mexico”, what does it mean to you?
It’s like a perfect circle. It’s been fifteen years since I left Mexico for Paris. I’ve always wanted to get to know France, to live from my art and dance abroad. Now, I return to my native land through the front door. It is an honour, it is an extremely joyful and gratifying experience.
So you will now be dividing your time between France and Mexico?
With my companion, we don’t really know what it’s going to be like, it’s a bit of a test year to see how we organize ourselves. Yes, I am Mexican but my boyfriend is in France, my friends are in France… and my work is in France but also in Mexico. There, for example, I will stay three months in Mexico during the entire broadcast of “Drag Race Mexico”. I want to live the experience here and be available for work opportunities that arise.
Did the Mexican public hear about you before the show? He followed your career in “Drag Race France”?
It is especially the most fans, who watch all the franchises of “Drag Race” [l’émission est déclinée dans une quinzaine de pays], who know me. The other day, I went to the theater and spectators recognized me, came to talk to me to take selfies. But let’s say I’m still pretty anonymous here. In the street, I can walk around without people recognizing me, which is not the case in France.
You co-host “Drag Race Mexico” with Valentina. Was the balance between you two difficult to find?
No. The production helped us. Everything is shared. In the first episode, Valentina had the lead. In the second, which will be available on Thursday, it will be me. We alternate. We are always together in the work room [l’atelier]on the hand stage [la scène principale]… We are tied. The production established that from the beginning and it suits us. We help each other. There is no jealousy.
A year ago, “Drag Race France” was launched and you have become a familiar drag queen to the public. What memories do you have of this launch?
I was doing parties bananight [au Who’s, à Paris] during which the episode of the day was projected. The public reaction was crazy. It looked like a live performance: people were giving their all, they were shouting, they were crying, it was very moving. These evenings are the only time I watched the episodes. It’s very weird, I can’t see them again.
What is your strongest memory?
THE lip sync [l’épreuve finale] with Bertha, of course! I felt deep sadness. Just before, Nicky Doll [l’animatrice] asked the girls which one they thought should be eliminated that night. They all said my first name. Already my impostor syndrome didn’t leave me alone, it made it tenfold worse. I felt like I was not part of the family, taking someone else’s place, not deserving my place because I was Mexican. I had no references and I was ashamed of not knowing French culture better when I had lived in Paris for so long. I was very frustrated. When I shaved my head on stage, it was an act of madness.
Since then, things have settled down with the other drag queens from season 1, haven’t they?
Yes ! We’ve been texting each other every day for over a year, supporting each other. We know each other so well, we have become very close. I can say now that I’m lucky to have a chosen family [lire l’encadré]. I, who am an immigrant, have been looking for this for a long time: to feel that I am part of something, here, in France.
You also marked “Drag Race France” by mentioning your HIV status and the fact that “undetectable = intransmissible”, that is to say that when the viral load of an HIV-positive person is undetectable thanks to their treatment, then it is not there is no risk of HIV transmission. Was it important to speak out on this subject?
Our stories, the queens of “Drag Race”, help people identify themselves. At some point, we no longer talk about us as individuals, but about what we represent, because our stories are also those of several people. I was afraid to talk about my HIV status because I feared the reaction of people. My boyfriend told me it was important to talk. I really liked the way the production approached the subject, without drama, in a respectful and natural way because that’s exactly what I wanted to express. Today, one can be HIV-positive and live very well, love, make love, have a fulfilling sexuality thanks to treatment because, it must be remembered, being undetectable means that the virus is intransmissible.
Have you received any messages from the public about this?
A teenager contacted me on Instagram to tell me that while watching “Drag Race France” his grandmother spoke to him and revealed to him that she was HIV positive. I often tell this story because it touched me a lot. This is one of many messages from people who tell me that seeing me has helped them gain confidence or have courage. It is important. “Drag Race” is not all about glitz, glamor and competition. It is something deeper.
Season 2 of “Drag Race France” begins on Friday. What do you feel ?
I don’t give a fuck! (laughs) I’m very happy for the girls, I see season 2 as a continuation of our success. The fact that it exists means that we have done our job well and I hope it will continue for years and years. I know the whole cast. I met Moon at the press conference in early June and I’m a fan of her, she’s amazing, so kind, beautiful… She’s the Elips of season 2. Otherwise, I’ve worked a thousand times with Piche and Ginger Bitch. cookies [Kunty] is my sister, I started dragging with her – she lived in the Dominican Republic so we speak a lot of Spanish between us. I will follow their season here. I have French friends in Mexico, we will meet every Friday morning to watch the episodes.