The season premiere of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” had several memorable guest judges: Lady Gaga in Season 9, Christina Aguilera in Season 10, Nicki Minaj in Season 12 and Ariana Grande in the currently airing Season 15, to name a few.
But Britney Spears — whose discography has been a mainstay of lip syncing on the reality competition series (four times in Season 13 alone!) — has yet to appear on the show, despite several attempts.
“Of course,” said “Drag Race” creator and executive producer Fenton Bailey when asked if Spears has been invited to judge. “Several Stars Have Been Approached for ‘Drag Race'”. And it just hasn’t been possible – whether it’s her schedule or people or her own desires, you know?
Bayley has a special relationship with Spears. Prior to “Drag Race” and its many iterations, Bailey and business partner (and co-founder of World of Wonder) Randy Barbato directed the 2013 documentary “I Am Britney Jean”, which chronicled Spears and He promoted “Piece of Me”. “Touring in Las Vegas.
Bailey’s experience bringing “I Am Britney Jean” and “Drag Race” to the screen are just two chapters in her new autobiography, “ScreenEdge,” which she calls “a personal odyssey and cultural journey.” In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone with such an in-depth knowledge of these pop culture phenomena. (Other chapters in Bailey’s 500+ page book, for example, dive into his experiences with Tammy Faye and Monica Lewinsky.)
TheWrap caught up with Bailey before “ScreenEdge” hits the U.S. to talk about Britney, “Drag Race” and their similarities.
TheWrap: In your book, you talk about this concept of “play” and putting on a persona. With Britney, she put on this sexy singer persona when really, she’s just a sweet girl.
Fenton Bailey: Britney was once asked, “What’s one thing people don’t know about you?” And she was like, “I’m just a boring person.” And of course, she understood it in a self-deprecating way. But I think he also meant that he is a simple person. I love the term normcore, because I really think that describes Britney really well. And she’s a sexed-up sex kitten No Britney.
Yet there’s something about that sex kitten persona, that ultra-sexual, ultra-feminine persona that appeals to audiences — and a good number of drag queen copycats.
I would say that the thing about being hypersexual is that it’s not really sexual. It’s like a cartoon or an exaggeration. It’s not really sexual.
Sometimes it can be too literal. Whether we think Britney is a sex-crazy person or a drag queen is a hyper-sexist, babies are at risk, and neither of those things are true. There is no connection between these things. It’s just a kind of puritanical approach that would demand that there is an affair.
The whole idea of drag, and I think pop music, including Britney Spears, has always been about creating an image, creating a persona, and carrying it out. David Bowie was one of the first shapeshifters and the epitome of all glam rock that I grew up with. It was all about the show. Or Liberace! This is a spectacle. This is an excuse.
And I think that’s where the culture war came from; To some extent, a Puritan mindset can’t handle that idea. They don’t like the idea of putting on someone’s clothes and pretending to be someone else and failing to understand that it is not real.
Have you contacted Britney to be a guest judge?
Absolutely. Several stars have been approached for “Drag Race”. And it just hasn’t been possible – whether it’s her schedule or people and their own desires, you know?
She’s been through a lot in recent years, her conservatism going public. And despite the support of fans, it could be a lot.
i think car [Cunningham] To put it best, you know, the one formerly known as Chris Crocker.
“leave Britney Alone.” I felt this was probably the most accurate of all the commentary and all the coverage. Because, you know, if you free someone from something that protects them, are you really freeing them? Or are you actually harming them? I guess that’s where we are now.
Bailey’s “ScreenEdge” is now available for sale. “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 15 is currently airing Fridays on MTV.
This interview was lightly edited for clarity and length.