Can you imagineDrag Raceculture without Shangela’s alleged sugar daddy?Mimi Imfurst acting “a fool, girl?
SAN HENG (SHOWRUNNER):The thing is making the queens feel comfortable.
HENG:TheUntuckedset is really the backstage where we put things.
The queens of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race Untucked’ season 13.VH1
KANDY MUSE (SEASON 13 QUEEN):People were like, “You talkedso muchinUntucked.”
I’m just directing the mood.
Sometimes there must be one person who directs it, going, “How are we feeling?”
Kandy Muse in her Bag Ball Eleganza look during a heated ‘Untucked.'.VH1
You don’t want to be part of the boring season.
You want to be part of a dope season that gives meme-able content.
You want to give what you want to watch.
No one can blame the edit; you gave yourself to those cameras.
Know you’re filming a TV show and have a good time!
Essentially, they have to ensure they’re capturing emotional lightning in a bottle each time.
KANDY:When you’re coming off stage, you’re either being critiqued or told you’re safe.
You’re feeling good or like s— because you might be in the bottom two!
Everyone’s emotions come out because…. you’re sitting there knowing someone is going to go home.
It’s like, “Wait a second, did anybody hear what she just said?
What do you guys think about that?”
It’s letting them lead, but making sure they’re hearing each other.
Every girl knew going intoUntuckedthatUntuckedwas myUntucked.
This isThe Kandy Show!
Or, I might be on the chopping block and I need to get my s— together!
We let it out about how we’re feeling.
HENG:We encourage them that this is their time.
In a true docu-style, we’re letting them lead the action.
As producers, it’s important to be a good listener.
you gotta be.
For me, it’s about making sure there aren’t any missed opportunities.
Shooting emotional volcanoes: Be (motherf—ing) ready to do so!
HENG:We have no agenda inUntucked, other than capturing whatever we can.
The big highlight of the past season is the confrontation between Tamisha and Kandy, which was unexpected.
In the way that it happened, I don’t think Kandy expected it.
It came out, it was a flame that ignited that had to see itself and fizzle out.
We had to let it play and have its own resolve.
KANDY:It really shows what’s happening in the room.
The way that fight happened is the exact way it happened in real life.
It did happen out of nowhere.
HENG:It’s satisfying because it was unexpected.
And because two people were speaking their truth.
When we have people owning what they feel and think, there’s satisfaction in that.
KANDY:In that moment, people got to see the raw emotions of how we were feeling.
We get stressed out, we fight, we argue.
Cutting queens in post isn’t a matter of splicing, but proportionizing(!)
It helps you connect a lot more to each queen.
HENG:It’s our responsibility to confirm that we don’t short-change the queens.
I believe that what we don’t put into the show is as important as what we do.
That’s what editing is.
For us to focus only on that moment, youhaveto focus on the beginning middle and end.
Could we have made the whole episode about [the Kandy and Tamisha fight] and it be amazing?
Yes, but that’s not what happened.
CASEY:There’s no guidebook.
It’s showing them as [genuinely] as it’s possible for you to!
HENG:I came up in reality TV before social media was the way that it is.
The fandom aside, that’s what we think about.
Good story is about beginning, middle, and end.
If you’re not doing that, you’re not telling a good story.
