Brooke Lynn Hytes Has High Praise For The Queens on Season 3 of CANADA’S DRAG RACE: ‘They Threw Their Inhibitions Out The Window’

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede Reaching the “Hytes” of excitement for the third consecutive season, Brooke Lynn Hytes is back as a judge on CANADA’S DRAG RACE. But what has changed over three glamorous campaigns? What has stayed the same? And what drama can devoted fans anticipate? As Season 3 begins, Thursday, July 14 only on Crave, the so-called Queen of the North – who is joined on the judging panel by celebrity stylist Brad Goreski and ETALK senior correspondent Traci Melchor – yakked about everything from casual clothes to activism in an interview with The Lede. Q: This is a phone interview, so it’s probably the first time I’ve ever talked to you that I don’t feel woefully underdressed. BROOKE LYNN HYTES: “Oh really? Well, that makes sense!” Q: You’ve probably never felt underdressed in your life, right? BROOKE LYNN HYTES: “No, that’s not true. There definitely have been moments.” Q: After spending so much time in the spotlight, is it a burden to have to look so fabulous all the time? BROOKE LYNN HYTES: “Absolutely! It’s the worst, are you kidding me? Like, when I’m not working, I am in sweatpants and T-shirts. I’m as comfortable as I possibly can be, because my job is so uncomfortable. Since I have to look so good in my job all the time, I’ve definitely tried to balance that out.” Q: Do you get recognized primarily for being a CANADA’S DRAG RACE judge these days? BROOKE LYNN HYTES: “Yeah, I think so, since we’re going into our third season now. But I also still get recognized for Season 11 of RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE, and also for 1 QUEEN 5 QUEERS, my other show.” Q: Are the queens on CANADA’S DRAG RACE more savvy now than the queens were in Season 1, or even in Season 2? BROOKE LYNN HYTES: “A little bit – there’s always a queen or two who tries to self-produce, and really kind of put on a show, and not be natural. But the best stuff, the best TV, happens when you’re just being yourself. That’s why these queens are here in the first place, because we fell in love with their personalities in casting. I’ve also seen some other queens who kind of shy away from confrontation and the drama side of it, because they’re worried about fan reaction if they do something mean, or say something bitchy. They can really psyche themselves out. But the great thing about Season 3 is that the queens kind of threw caution to the wind, and threw their inhibitions out the window. They were very present, and being themselves, and they made some incredible TV.” Q: It must be nice to be part of a show that is both important on the one hand, and also incredibly fun on the other. You don’t get that combination too often on TV. BROOKE LYNN HYTES: “The show’s very existence is a form of activism. I mean, drag is a form of protest. So even just by putting this content out into the world, we’re showing people that these are our lives, this is what we do, and we deserve to be here. And you’re right, the show is very fun, but it also has some incredibly vulnerable moments, where people are allowed to bare their souls. Little queer kids watching at home might relate, and be like, ‘oh, I don’t feel so alone anymore.’ ” Q: What’s the worst part and the best part of being a judge on CANADA’S DRAG RACE? BROOKE LYNN HYTES: “Obviously the hardest part is sending someone home, especially for me, because I’ve been through it. I know how stressful this competition is firsthand. So not to be overly dramatic, but having to crush someone’s dreams is not a great feeling. But my favourite part about being a judge is seeing the queens go on to do really cool things, and see people just kind of fall in love with them. Because this is such an amazing opportunity for drag performers – it’s the best opportunity, as far as I’m concerned, because it can really change the trajectory of your life and career. I mean, it happened for me, and I’ve seen it happen for these other queens as well. Besides that, I also love all the beautiful clothes I get. I’m not mad about that!” Q: Last thing, tell me a secret about one of your fellow judges. BROOKE LYNN HYTES: “Hmmm, a secret about one of my fellow judges … Brad Goreski is very gassy. He has terrible gas.” billharristv@gmail.com