We Could All Be Renee Good (w. Yuhua Hamasaki)

A lot of people, you know, reach out to me. I've made a video actually recently about how to get involved if you're a lawyer, if you're a non lawyer. I have tried so hard to respond to everyone's messages. I got like two million messages. I made that video on Thursday, right after the shooting. If I don't get back to you, I'm still trying to sift through it all.

But there is an awesome organization that I have partnered with. I've worked with them before, Trusted verified. I do legal work with this group. It's the Acacia Center for Justice, and I do a lot of work with them with their children and undocumented miners Okay. But they have an unaccompanied children program, and if you're an attorney especially, you can get involved at Acacia Justice dot org slash defend Kids.

It's great. They strengthen and expand immigrant legal defense programs across the country.

So I was going to ask you that whereas also the country all.

Over the country. I think they're based in La Okay, but I'm here supporting. I have clients around the country. So it really is a great group. I've had a great experience with them. Welcome to brief recess. I'm Michael Foote. Sorry, fuck are you? Who is this? Get her out of here. Today we're going to be talking about Renee Good. We're going to talk about American citizens on ed Dray and now we're going to talk about the ships in the courtroom, the Uber eat driver who ran into the woman's home to avoid ice. We also have an interview to lighten things up a little bit with yu Juahamasaki, incredible drag race along awesome local drag queen here in New York City.

We're also going to talk about Mariah Carey because I am a fan.

I'm not not a fan. I am a fan. Don't see God, see what happens.

That is how you know there's a key in the door. That's how you know you have ADHD. Like they my key's in the door all the time. I'm like, oh, we don't need you don't need a diagnosis. You can just check the door to see if.

All the and I'm baby, I also can't find shit. And I don't know if I am just like that, but I think I think maybe yes, I always was. I also feel because when I was little.

You're so careless, like so that was always that's but but I'll and I hate to sort of always lean on perimenopause, but that bitch, well.

You weren't perimenopausal when you were a kid.

No, I wasn't. But I think whatever I had has now and it's coupled with fed upness and like violent tendencies because I want.

To to what's that we actually we got to the studio early and we've removed all blunts sharp objects.

That's good.

I think that's that's my heart building.

That's wise for everyone involved, including myself, because if I murdered death, kill you, you can't be my lawyer.

What are you in the partnership with Andre? Are you the one who's like, honey, where's the fill in the blank? No, you're the one who's got.

I'm the one. And so he'll say, like he'll go in the refrigerator and he'll say, where's the butter? And then I'm like, it's where it always is.

Where do you think the butter is?

Well, actually the butter's not in the refrigerator, but that's a whole other thing. But like whatever he was looking for, and he'll say, where is it and I'm like, it's where it always is. Well, I can't see it, and then I say, if I have to get up, this is this is you turn into like your mother, right if I have to get up, especially if whatever it is he's looking for from where I'm sitting, I could see it from there, and I'm.

Like, if I have to get up, where's Waldo and the house?

Because where if I'm working from home where I sit, I can see into the kitchen and I'm like, I can see the thing that you're looking for. And if I have to get.

Up, I'm not going to point it out, but I'm going to.

Be really mad and then he'll stop and he'll be like wait and then I hear like things moving around and he's doing stuff and he'll be like, oh found it, found it?

Yeah? Yeah.

I tell him all the time. I wish I had a wife. Are you Who's who's the who's the seekert, who's the.

F I know where everything is? I am I'm the person who knows where the thing. I'm the keeper of the keys and grounds at Hogwarts. I know where everything is. And it's always like, where is this, And it's the same thing. It's right where it always is, where it always is.

It's right in front of your face.

I'm strategically hard of hearing, is how I approach it? Where is that thing?

My grandmother?

Sorry, I didn't hear it?

My grandmother My whole life, My grandmother couldn't hear anything, right, not like actually deafth but like very hard of hearing. Okay, we grew up Gomele and she would like ignore us or whatever it was.

It turns out she could hear. She just hated you. Yes, she didn't want Well, it's.

So sort of so my entire life. And then and then my grandfather got it's not funny. When my grandfather got sick, he was at home in a hospital bed, and my cousins who lived in Haiti would take turns spending the night. And then one of my cousins like reached out there. She was like, good, I can hear. And I was like, what do you mean? And she said.

I was in the room with them, and I heard him say her name was Renee, and he said Renee, and she jumped up out of bed and she went over to him and she was like, what's the matter And he told her what she's like. This woman has been selectively ignoring all three of her grandkids hour, And in hindsight, I'm like, yoh, yeah, she was faking it.

She was faking it.

She did not want to hear what we had to say.

Bru It's like, oh, where where's that thing? No response, No, I don't. I didn't hear it. And then I like, you do I hear the wrestling. I hear them.

Yeah, yeah, when they do that.

This is why you have. I know I do have. I'm not a doctor, and I know I do.

I can't help it.

And then it's like and then he finds whatever it is and it's gone, and it's it's.

Is he quiet about finding it? Is he silently?

Oh?

Really?

He won't.

He won't be like, oh found it?

Nope? No, no, no, no, Well that was that was up and octave. That was your alphabet moment. That was your found it.

Isn't that what everybody does when they find something? They do.

They don't go falsetto No, they do.

I think they do.

You think they crescendo like that.

I do, as opposed to lost it, lost it.

It's different, it's different. Amuse you took musical classes.

No, I can't think I wish I could, though, No, I took you up.

What an open mic like you would tear it up. You would just be great. Just like if I could sing, I could totally see you taking over us.

Sure, if I could sing. But like that was a Mary Jay that was in the Dancer that was.

Good.

No, that was Mariah. Mariah does that, she holds her ear and then she does like a thing Mary j does something else. She's more of like.

A if there's something, if there's a Mariah clip that comes up on my feet, I stop every single time, every single one of them.

You know what, though I wonder like very talented woman, you can't take anything away from her. That voice is the voice to end all voice. However, if I were to pay money to go see Mariah or anybody in concert and she's like barely.

Walking, no, I would, I would.

I would be really upset.

I would be upset if she were walking. I want to see Mariah wheeled around the stage not moving. No, no, no, that's no. I don't want I don't I want you you want to see if I want the diva, I want that is much diva behavior. That's touching walking through this cor No, she's just so funny and.

The heel are too high and she's like a baby calf, like holding.

Her up, holding her I know, I love that. Now I'm going that to me? Is that is pure camp? That is she's I think she's in on the joke of Mariah.

She's like she's checked out and I don't even care. Yeah, no, I paid a lot of money to see you sing perform.

Do you think she leaves her keys in the door?

No, because somebody somebody.

You think someone's opening the door.

You know, what's the matter.

I'm actually afraid that somehow she's going to see this and I'm going to get in trouble if.

I don't see why we said we said that she's amazing talents, she's an amazing I'm just well, I think I think we're afraid of like the whatever her people are.

Like, what's what's her her beehive? What is it? No, it's the people.

See No, now you're in trouble.

Now you're in trouble. Well no, I didn't say that they were the same, but I just equated it to swift.

Gaga has like her monsters mayhive and.

Who's I don't know. I don't know.

People who love Maria now.

We're probably in trouble for not knowing who they are. No, no, what's worse than a bad review? No review? Right?

No, no, no, no, this is not and this is not a dig about her or her fan base, but like the people who were like hardcore Mariah Carrey its. Do you guys have a name?

C J? Can you look it up? Who is it? Let's fact check this found it lost it?

Lambs? Yes, that's right. She calls them lambs, like like their soft sheepskin. Yeah, like that, like she likes about my obsession with and we go back to Melissa. All topics lead back to me.

It's this obsession with fur.

I'm not obsessed with fur. I'm not. I am obsessed with animal skins, quality vintage items that have been well loved and well cared for.

Yeah, not new first, not new fir. Let the record reflect.

Let the record reflect.

I don't have to call this segment us getting canceled, you know what. You know what, let's take a break before we even get into the first right, this is sidebar. We're going to talk about everything in the headlines. What's going on right now, what's hitting our feed, what's hitting our sources of news. Everything for me has been completely dominated by what's happening in Minneapolis. Of course, I mean, yeah, total tone change for going from Mariah Carey right to this.

But I oftentimes like wonder if I'm in a bubble, right, Anything immigration related that hits the stratosphere immediately comes to me through a text or a DM or something. So I do sometimes like end up in this echo chamber where I hear and see everything and that's all I'm hearing and seeing. But this one really feels like this is a nationwide, worldwide news. Everyone's really focused on it.

Sometimes this is like people's first entree into immigration law or ICE or DHS.

So what have you been kind, Well, I've seen everything I'm seeing, probably not exactly the same stuff as you, obviously, but a lot of that stuff. And it also, obviously it depends on am I engaging with that stuff? And I am obviously right. I've spent a lot of time looking at the shooting of Renee Good from all the angles that are available to you. Yeah, And as it relates to like ICE right, seeing other ICE members, like you know, there's you see the Ice the ICE officer or whatever it is he was running after somebody and he slipped and fell on the ice.

Yes, yeah, she's seen a super cut of that. You can scratch it on Melissa's story right now?

Did did I post it on my story?

She did? Super cut? I think it's the music. I will say, just to back up, like, there was a shooting of a woman at an ICE protest. She was in her car. There are many angles of footage. I have reviewed all of them, so is Melissa. I mean, I am sure. I am no expert in these types of things, but she was trying to leave a protest and she was shot multiple times in the face by an ICE officer.

Then after he killed her, yes, called her a fucking bit. And here's the thing, right, so, we know that they don't mind killing black and brown people. We know that, right, known that we've we've known that for a really long time, and they've gotten away with it. And I wondered what would happen if they started killing white women. And I'm surprised that there's not more outrage. But so, but while saying to a friend of mine is like, I wonder if what needs to happen is that it needs to be a white Christian, heterosexual man married to a white Christian, heterosexual woman and they have two point five kids, a dog.

Is that? Is that what it needs to be?

I would agree with you, But then I think about like school shootings. I think about Sandy Hook.

Right, like you would think that white children, right, you would.

Think that like white children in the small sleepy town in Connecticut would be the thing that happens. Or then we get gun.

Control offs, right, It just the the endgame. The goalpost keeps moving and it's getting further and further away, and I'm you know, I am having conversations because I'm from an immigrant family. I am having conversations with some real conversations with my family about what we should be doing. Way before my dad passed away. My when Trump got into office in last January, my dad said, you know what, maybe talking to he and my mom, he felt like maybe he should walk around with his passport. And I remember being so upset at that. Right, So, my father is an American citizen. My father is a was a Vietnam War veteran, and it bothered me to think of my parents, who have lived in this country for my lifetime,

of course over fifty years, and that that was something that they were talking about that, they were thinking about my mom. I can't remember what happened. And when Trump started talking about birthright citizenship, yes no longer being a thing. This upset my mother tremendously. She was, well, what's going to happen to you? Because when I was born, my mother wasn't a citizen yet and my dad was, but my mother wasn't. And I got to tell you. The reason why my father was an American citizen was that when the United States realized that they were losing the Vietnam War, they went into other nations and they poached mostly young men, young men of color, and they said, if you come over to our country and help us

out with this. And they weren't calling it or right, but they weren't calling it that. I forget what they were calling the Vietnam War. But anyway, the conflict, it'll be nothing will make you an American citizen on the spot. Wow, That's why my dad and my father is not the only one. And I will tell you my father had was exposed to agent Orange. He was a young man and battled health issues for his entire life, which contributed to his death. Right. So the idea that someone like that, and all the other someones who were like that had this idea in their heads that they needed to prove their worthiness to be here. I find insulting as fuck, of course, and it also really bothered me on behalf of my mother who now is thinking about me and

worried about me. And she said, well, you know, Andre's a citizen, he was born here, like maybe he and I just feel like so first, I was like, Mom, they're not paying attention to me right now, and she's like yeah, but she's always telling me to keep my mouth shut on social media, which I will not do.

But the idea that my mother is spending any time worrying about this is something that hits me in the heart. It really really does.

To live her life, her long, incredible life, mostly here in the States, raise her children to the age they are now, and then to just now have to start worrying about this so deeply disturbing it is.

And she's not the only person, you know, this is just an example, right, I think this is happening to a lot of families across this country. And I am deeply worried, and I mean, and I had been for a long time, but like the feeling of anxiety is getting much worse.

A lot it. US citizens reaching out to me right now asking what do I do? Not to help with protests, but hey, I'm a black or brown US citizen, what do I do? Should I be afraid? I have citizenship, I have status?

Yeah, you should be afraid.

It's like this new phenomenon. Like I've been practicing in rational eleven years. This is the first time I have people asking me.

What You've never had to think about that before.

I had to think about it before. But the notion that an American citizen we had one. It was brought up at a congressional hearing. He was deported back to career. He fought in the war, and christ know him on the record said, oh, we've never deported a US citizen, And the congress person was like actually zooming in from Korea where he was deported back to a country he hadn't been to since he was nine.

He is a combat veteran, a Purple Heart recipient.

He has sacrificed more for this country than most people ever have.

Did you see that clip? It was crazy, just totally caught in a compote lie like that in front of Congress.

Well, we know they don't care. These are people with no morals, no scruples, no nothing. We've heard other people say it lots of lots of times, but like cruelty seems to be the point. And what they are looking for is a white Christian nation. And you know, if you ever make the argument about Native American people who are indigenous to this country, those people don't count. Right.

It needs to be always starting.

Starting fourteen y correct, right when those people came home over seeking safety and shelter. So those are the people that count. But I don't know what we're going to do. I literally don't know what will become of us. And I hate to sound like that, but that is how I am feeling. I had this conversation with a friend of mine, and I wonder what you think she was saying That she is questioning whether or not they're going to be midterms.

Interesting.

I had thought about it.

I have not thought about that. I know it seems like a lot of this is in the lead up to the midterms. A lot of what's happening right now. I wouldn't say that, but I wouldn't not say that you, as citizen should be worried about being deported up until a couple of weeks ago.

It's the thing, right, it's like all the things that we never had to think about because we didn't think that it was possible. Now it feels like, well, is it really crazy for me to ask this.

It's like the word unprecedented. We keep having to redefine it lost all meaning now right to say something's und business like president since I had to put on a mask in twenty nineteen, right, like you said, the goalpost keep moving, and it feels as if we are I want a new word for unprecedented, Like we have to make it up of what it means to live in America right now because we keep doing this thing where we keep comparing what's happening right now to what's happened in the past. Oh, well in the past it was different and today and you know, would never happened because of well what happened in the past was the president was this or this is what happened four years ago, or this is what happened during the first Trump administration. Right,

we keep looking back to say what's going to happen in the future. But we can't do that anymore.

No, I mean, all that's us.

The response of what's happened in Minneapolis, right we have during I think the first Trump administration, I don't think we would have had the same response of it was her fault, she was fighting the officer, even though there's all this footage that proof otherwise. They're double triple quadrupling down on this narrative.

They have to, though, I mean, if they are trying to make this point that it was her fault and that if people just comply.

It sounds like such a cliche that the truth doesn't matter anymore, but it is more so now, and it doesn't. It's more so now about like what narrative gets out there and what one can we circulate the fastest, not the one that has the most evidence. And that's the hardest for me as a lawyer watching everything is like, well, this evidence shows this, and this evidence shows that. But like the evidence and the details, almost it doesn't matter to this administration. They just want narrative, send it out there.

Who cares what the video shows.

Rather, they're making it up as they go along.

Yeah, but what was heartening to me, at least was the public response. I have not been able to get away from it. Even when I'm in a social media or media setting that isn't one that is my own. Obviously, I'm not gonna be able to get away from it my own platforms. It's what people know me for. But when I am walking down the street or seeing that sort of like scrolling Marquee or looking at that news cycle, whatever it is, it is dominating it and it's still there.

And for me, I mean not to say that like that is hope for or I am feeling hopeful, but for me, it's like, Okay, people who weren't paying attention are now paying attention. And for me, that's always been like where I see changes occur. Not to be that person who then again like looks back and looks at the past and says, this is where we're going to go in the future. But for me at least, that's always been the inflection point is when I see people who like my yoga teacher, reached out to me of like what can I do, and I'm like, this is awesome, Like you and I haven't really ever talked about this before.

I've talked to a lot of people about this, but not certain people, right, And I mean I love that because I'm the eternal opt I'm always optimistic, like let's get more people involved, like let's do the thing. So that was like exciting for me.

It is exciting, I think, and I hate to sort of be this person, but I'm going to be is that. I think the part of it that is heart wrenching for me is that, yes, while it is great that there are people who are looking at this and paying attention, and that they are coming to you and they're asking you questions, what can I do? What can I do?

I hate that it took us to get to this place. Yes, yes, some woman you know, a woman who's a mother and had to get shot in the face multiple times for other people to be like I should let me reach out to the person that I know something's going on. What can I do about it?

Right, It's like the school shootings. It's like, right, it has to get to this place where we see for people to really start to pay attention.

I know, but Michael, think about the school shootings, so you know we can all, I mean most of us can remember when a school shooting it was so shocking, right, absolutely shocking, absolutely shocking. It is no longer.

Shocking, it's it's a footnote.

It's sad, it's sad, and people are sending thoughts in prayers, but we are devolving as a society, and I am again super concerned. Okay, so people are really excited about what happened to Renee Good now, but is it going? Are we going to get to a place where it's a footnote? Again?

Like you said earlier, there's only so much attention and energy people have towards the cause.

Yes, but we hear all the time, right like people, you know people, I believe that's another future, right, and people love kids and children are our most precious resource. And if you cannot make a decision to do something to protect children, but.

I think that's where, like, I mean, what you're describing is basically this idea of well, that could never happen to me, not like that, right, And I think that people are seeing in Renee Good a lot of what they see in themselves, right a like middle class, upper middle class maybe person attending a protest who is trying American citizen white trying to flex their democratic muscles, exercise their First Amendment.

Rights, and what she thought was her privilege.

Exactly, and now we're in a place where I think people are seeing themselves in that victim and saying okay, and then now getting involved, which like it's awful, it had to happen that way. I am focusing on the latter half of the statements, which is people are now getting involved, Like I am just throwing my weight and energy into that. I will say I have seen the judiciary shift a bit. I've gone to court twice since the shooting's the judges have been so I'm trying to equate it to someone who's like explained to someone's neverment to court. They have been riding. Have you ever been ridden at work? Where someone is on your ass about something?

The judges are like that to DHS right now, the DHS attorneys, Well, where's the how come you don't have this client produced? We gave you the A number. Did you not have noticed? How come this wasn't filed in a timely fashion? Why was this appeal dropped? F four oh one? Right?

And what are they without talking about anything specific? But like what what is the excuse?

Like or it's always you know, the basket of excuses. I think, you know, I think people assume when they're imagining court that we are there being held accountable by the judge, which we often are. DHS and defense attorneys. We are a guest in someone else's courtroom. I don't work for the judge, and neither does DHS. So I think that people think it's like, oh, getting your hand slapped at the principal's office. No, when the principal's office, the paradynamic is different. You are like reporting into the principle.

We are not reporting into judges. Judges are separate from us. Oftentimes I have to do or say something that's going to piss off a judge on behalf of my client, and DHS does the same thing. So, okay, what I'm witnessing are these like adversarial situations where judges and dhs are kind of beefing right now. But it doesn't necessarily it's it is it's nice for you to watch from the defense table. Yeah, yeah, did you see this Uber eats video?

Ida video, ma'am, I'm so sorry. I don't want to do this.

Basically, this Uber eats driver ran into this woman's home because they were being chased by a nice officer, and the woman made this video of like, I don't know what to do. This woman, she was like someone just recently got shot in the face for you know.

Also in Minneapolis, and I think so was it in Minneapolis.

Also people have reached out to me like what do I do? Like, what do I do in this situation?

I was actually saving it.

I was going to feel like and I will say, Okay, So I've been like thinking about this, ride my bike around the city, thinking about these hypotheticals all the time, and it's like, I can tell you whatlegally you can do. Legally, you can have someone in your home and you can bar ICE from entering and ask them for a sign judicial warrant. It has to have a signature. It should have the migrants name on there. Like you do not have to give an ICE officer access to your home. Right, that is your Fourth Amendment, right, my favorite, my best day of the Fourth Amendment.

But I do remember that you had said you can't open your door and assure the person.

So if you can be accused of interfering if you are like, hey, guys, get in here, I see you being chased.

By But if somebody is so uber struve.

You open the door for the restress, that person runs in what that woman in that video wasn't like get in here right, person runs in now what right? So that's what happens legally, But huge butt that assumes ICE is following the law, which based off people who've been shot in the face recently, they are not following the law.

They're fine law.

So I can tell you what legally your rights are and what can happen, but it doesn't mean that the laws and the Constitution and the amendments are being followed right now. Like that is just not necessarily true. So we have trials, we have you know, juries who decide capital punishment, not ice officers. That's the big differentiator here.

Someone was executed yep and called a fucking bitch. So it doesn't matter if she was interfering, if she was committing a crime. The law states, you have a trial, you have a jury that determines the punishment, not an ice officer who received forty three days of training, less training than someone who works at the cheesecake factory. Yeah. Literally, yes, that is a fact. So that is what can happen under the law. That's not necessarily what Whether the laws are being followed right now really remains to be seen based off the videos we're getting. But doing something versus not doing something like that's the law. It really is up to you. For me, I live my life by the mirror test, which is will I be able to

look at myself in the mirror tomorrow. I remember hearing a story about World War Two Japanese people were being put in intermity camps on NPR. They interviewed this woman and she was like, I was a secretary. I was a clerk at this police station in I think the Pacific Northwest, and they brought in a family of Japanese people.

The mother was distraught, streaming and crying. She said, I haven't had water in two days. She said, I just need a glass of water. All I need is water. I'm not asking to be let go, just in tears, distressed. She was like, not even for me. Can someone just give my kids water? It's been two days without water.

And at that point you're starting to kind of hall loose. And the woman was being interviewed recently, and after all of these years, she remembers and still cannot live with herself that she did not get this mother a glass of water because she was afraid that she would get in trouble. She was afraid her boss would say something.

She was afraid, she was afraid, she was afraid, and she didn't do something. That shit still fucking haunts her. Sure, I think about that all the time as I'm watching these videos, as I'm in court, as someone reaches out to me, Hey, I need help with this, Hey, I need you to handle this case for my kid. That is my gut check. I think about that story, and that is when I decide whether or not I do something.

Is Will I be on MPR in fifty years talking about that time in my life where I didn't do something when and it still haunts me? So that is my mirror test. Can I look at myself in the mirror tomorrow and be able to live with the choice I made yesterday holding myself accountable? Can I live with it? And That's how I decide. Welcome back to Brief Recess.

I'm Michael Foot, I'm Melissa Albrew, and we are here with Juhuahamasaki, the Iconic, the Diva, the Boots, the House Down, the Grand Dam of New York City, local New York drag artists, and also Repulse Drag Race Season ten alum and also a recent season right Slater Royal, Slasian Royale, drag Queen Extraordinaire Johahamasaki, thank you for joining us, Thank you.

Welcome to brief Recess. Have you.

I'm excited to be here.

Journalistic disclosure. I am a regular at UA's Friday and night shows at Pieces in New York City. It is so much fun. Please come, I'll be there this Friday, so come Hi.

Drunk fun charismatics that supports h throwing dollars, honey are fulfilled.

We love that.

Yeah, yeah, why don't you tell us a little bit about your Friday night show because it is. It really is so fun. And I think people hear like drag club, New York City gay bar, they think it's going to be like ninety nine point nine nine percent alcohol white muscle. Yes, the drinks are very strong, so lose and vibe with care.

But also I think people think it's going to be like a muscled up like cruisy scene. This is not that. It's so different, and that's why I go because those days are.

Long gone, oh right, Because.

Because as Melissa says, I'm a little bit too long in the tooth to be going out all that.

How dare you dare that person?

But you're right. I remember asking you that question maybe I think two years ago. I was like, why do you come to Pieces Bar for the viewing party? And he mentioned that it's less cruisy. Excuse my language. People, don't you know grope us? Yeah, people are like looking for your body.

I was.

Just not as once once I was groped once.

Okay, once it's yours? Joe want or do you want to be like me? Ungrouped all these last sixteen years? You know what I mean? Like you don't want that? Yeah, But the crowd is like very diverse, it's very eclectic. Everybody's there just for queer safe space, celebration joy, regardless of your gender, race, sexuality, how you look like, different colors, whatever you are, just be there as long as you bring joy and that's what we care about. It's a celebration of who you are.

How long have you been doing it a piece of pieces?

Oh now you're encyclopedia eight years? Eight years? But up in the West Village for about oh lord? Oh lord?

No? Yeah, by quick?

It flies by, time flies back when you're like really enjoying what you're doing.

You know, I get this feeling when I'm in Gabar sometimes that it's like the people who have gone there the longest, are the most regular, are the ones who you know, Queen's talk to or get attention or whatever. You are such a great host of this show because no matter who is there, even if they are a Taurus from the Midwest. I think there was like someone from Iceland ones you pulled them up like you really get in there with everyone. It doesn't matter who you are.

So that inclusivity, I really do attest it to you.

And oh, thank you so much. Yeah, You're going to make sure that everyone is welcomed at the space of their Actcause I've been to places before where are you just like an outsider a guest and you don't know where to like churn Tore, you don't know where you fit in. But I've been in that position before, so I don't want anyone to feel like in that position anymore.

And so I know what it feels like. So yeah, inclusivity.

I know it was a minute ago, but I have to touch on drag Race. He's such a fan. I love post drag Race. Tell us a little bit about the experience you want to give us like an anecdote in the top moment from that experience. Maybe people who have known nothing about drag Race. Maybe my mother's watching, what would you want her to her take away from experience.

I think for me, for drag Race, the most memorable moment from season ten was walking through the entrance because for many years I've watched Queen's walk through the entrance. It's like a recognition of like, Okay, you've made it, You're here, welcome to the sisterhood of a sorority. And I felt like I walked through those doors, and I felt like I made a mark on what I did.

But I think, like looking back at now, it's not about like recognition or what others say. It's about what you bring to the table. Is what you think.

Of yourself that matters.

So I think that at that time it was walking through the entrance doors, but I think I'm looking back now, it's the whole experience of it all. What I've walked away with, Like those lessons I cannot get in real life, like because you get such a big lesson you learn this question, whereas in real life gets okay, a little hic up here a little listen here girl like that on Dragon?

What would you say if you had to think about it, like give us like one or two big takeaways that.

Okay, So I guess I miss the question. I wanted the other direction to take away of drag race, fun celebration. Don't take life too seriously. I know that's a direct quote from your PAULA. Seriously, don't take life too seriously because we are all walking around. Everybody in this room don't know what the f is going on, No shade, We're all just trying to get by. They're all just trying to wing it. We all have a reference of what we had done in the past, experience that know that works, and then we try to pass on the advice for somebody else, or we're gonna do it again for today. But we're all just trying to wing it.

Because I love this so much, because of pitomizes. What is this moment? A year ago, I'm at your show. I think you were like thirty minutes late. I were stuck on a train. Do you remember this? Your train got stuck and you couldn't get in Dragon time, so you stopped at the guy who sells hats and T shirts on the street and you bought a hoodie and sunglasses and a hat and you showed up to the barroom.

My god, so funny photo, so funny. I have photos so you don't remember this. Slightly It means it's happened a couple of times.

Just slightly.

But I think, you know, like reposals, don't take life to seriously. There's resource everywhere. As long as you make it work, you know.

That was That was the best show everyone. Everyone lost their ship. It was hilarious and it was great.

Thank you, thank you. Just make it work in life.

Oh do you want to tell us a little bit about Slavery Royale.

We did Slaver Royal over last year. It was such a quick turnaround. I felt it was such a long project because it was like never and because we we got the I guess, like the filter of like who's interested in who they kind of want like an early like of the year, and then we got the official cast of who's going to be on there a few months later, and then we started working on the costumes, like preparing for the show, and then we filmed it, and then we came back and we started preparing like our videos and photos and then they aired it and then afterwards we have to starty the performance. This is like a whole long ass project. Okay that does not sound nice, but you know, to fill the words for PRS,

you know. Protection. I'm very grateful with the experience, but yeah, you know, like it's work. You know, everything was just like so fast.

It's a machine.

Yeah, it's a machine.

It's a whole They tell you who's going to be on the show beforehand. O.

Hell no, it's a whole surprise.

I was going to say, because then you can get your reads ready.

Oh yeah, but I think, like, I mean, there's always gonna be.

Like the moment read is such a good, Like it's so good.

Yeah, because you never know who's going to be on there. Like, yeah, you can read someone for their like clothes or their makeup or like that's so generic. You can pluck any name in for anybody, but like a specific moment or a specific thing that they're known for. That's when it's like bam, funny, it pokes you. Doesn't make sense, Like, that's when it really gets you. For the read, Yeah, for the moment read, yeah, very right to less up. Yeah, but yeah, it was hot there.

Well, your film in the Philippines, Hot.

Hot, hot hot.

The humidity, Yeah, we had.

The air conditioning brought down really low today for you because we know drag queens have to be on ice. It have to be. We did a full HVAC review before you heard the job.

But like Michael, Michael is a cold blooded creature. He needs to be kept cool.

I know I'm the same way I if I if I'm interviewing someone and it gets even a little bit hot, it's over. It is done. Like if I start sweating, I get in my head and I'm like, oh my god, now I'm sweating. Okay now, and I'm in a suit and the lights ahirt, We've got a lot of lights on and it's really quickly.

Why do we have a lot of lights on? Michael makeup this one? No, this one, especially though he he he won't perform.

Unless there's I love good. It's got to have good lighting. It's got to have that good that's soft filter, dazzling over the lens. You impost you know who I'm talking.

To, lawyer or or what's going on?

Star?

What's going on?

Where's the ring light?

Let me ask you would y'all prefer a hot temperature or cold temperature. I always get half and half from people. They always like, I prefer hot, but I'm like, let it be freezing. At least can throw a coat on. Yes, if you're hot, what the we're gonna do, take up your skin, your bones?

Like lately, lately, I prefer to be cold.

Okay, okay, okay, So you shifted.

I shifted because the heat is coming from inside the house.

I loved.

It's coming, you know, coming from inside. What about I.

Love a good like sweater overcoat, alphaba fierro moment with the big card again. That's that's where I live. That's what I love and like, I don't know. That's what I love about New York is the winters in New York can be great. Like the snow. You're walking around, you're all bundled snow.

I'm very anti snow, and I am very anti grown ass adult. It was just like, yay, it's gonna snow, right. I don't have time. It's just I don't care. Come for me if you want to, Guys, I can't with the snow.

You know what, As a kid, I say the same thing too now as an adults. Okay, the first date, beautiful, second third day wreathing.

When wreathing, it's pretty.

First and is taking a ship on the snow's.

Dogs like walking around like, yeah.

You've been involved in some great organizations around sorry, just like.

What a great transition y'all hating the winter, so you've been great.

So anyway, speaking of freezing cold.

Y'all want to hear funny stories. So I know this about the Philippines, right, So when going back in the winter in October November is, I was like trying to find like places to stay at the house, like a heater because I thought, you know, because I thought, like, you know, winter warm. You know. No, No, I'm a personally easily writing a lot of the places I was looking at, okay, they only had like acy. I'm like a mother efforts. Yeah, we're going to find a place that has a heater for me during the winter. Place after place after place after place. I was messaging, messaging hotel, and then someone finally had the bravery and re Punny said, ma'am, this is the Philippines. We don't have winter, right.

I was, you know, there's a Filipino restaurant right across from my apartment. They have the craziest karaoke on Saturday nights, all night long. I love it. It's so funny.

Do you sing?

No, Okay, I'm not gonna it's so funny.

It's in their bloody.

It's so great.

They love it, pageantry, karaoke, it's all in them. They love that they do. And here what do we love? Drag honey or no?

Yeah? How long have you been doing track?

Since two thousand and nine? I would say you no, two thousand and eight, But then for fun, I would say two thousand and four or five ish.

When you were doing it for fun, what were you doing for real?

I would say, like, because people were like playing sports or Barbie, or playing with makeup or figuring out like dating and whatnot. Like I didn't really have any of those things that apply to me. So for me, it was drack, it was makeup, it was wigs, it was costumes, it was sowing. I'm going to look great back then, But it was like a way of expressing myself like some people turn into like painting, collecting stamps.

Or pating yourself.

Yeah, I was using myself as a canvas as an expression.

Yeah.

Yeah, looking back, at it now. It was always almost like a way of healing myself and finding myself and like solving any trauma that I had as a kid. But it really propelled me into ways of finding confidence, accepting myself as who I am, and learning about other people that are different from me to because yes I'm different, but so are other people, and let's all learn about each other and respect each other for who they are and we can all share this beautiful earth together.

Was there anyone sort of like guiding you as you were figuring out drag or like, I know that like drag motherhood is a big part of the drag community, especially in the US, But was did you have a community around you as you were sort of figuring that out or was it really on your own.

I wish there was a community, I'm gonna be honest, I wish there was a community. But back in the day, they were like no YouTube videos, no tiktoks help you with makeup or a reference point for costumes, like well, I'm gonna put out the obvious, and nobody was really Asian doing drag in your city at a time, so all my reference points were for doing makeup where whoever was like sitting next to me, the way I did my makeup did not match my face or like my complexion, my eyes and whatnot.

Like.

It wasn't until years later I found out they were doing and shaping their faces with them make up and conjuring highlighting the makeup and stuff for their face and their complexion.

And you can't just copy paste it on.

Right. And it wasn't until Manola lous On from Season three and other Asian drag artist she put up a makeup video and I was like, oh, that's how I was supposed to do it, for my cheekbones, my lips, my eyes. That all makes sense from then on.

And did you feel that shifting yourself once you sort of learned from her, Like, did you feel like, oh, okay, because you had obviously been loving it this whole time, but just maybe not necessarily feeling like you were doing it right right?

Yeah? Why why every time I say you're.

Because it's Melissa? Why nobody it's fine?

What? Nobody correct it?

Mine? It's mine? We just did we just did. It's Melissa. No Melissa.

So instead of corrected me, he just breaks out laughing. Okay, melessa, I am so I am so sorry. I'm so sorry, Melissa. What was the question? Again?

Now I can't remember what.

Was the question, Michael, what was the question?

I think I was asking you if after found this other person who was doing it, because you had always loved makeup, but maybe you were feeling like it wasn't Actually you weren't doing it in a way that you felt highlighted your face until you saw somebody else with similar features who also did its right.

That's where the saying representation matters get help so much when.

You see yourself like you know me for a quick a second, but like I remember growing up feeling very much like I had to have hair as straight as possible, and I would spend hours blow drying my hair and getting relaxers because I didn't see anybody with hair like mine. And then finally one day I was just like fuck this and I did it. But like people who are coming up behind me have no idea what it was like when they didn't know how to do their hair right.

So when I hear you say, you know, when you were coming up, there were no like YouTube tutorials for you, so you were out there sort of like blindly bumping into things trying to figure it out. But the people who are coming now they have you to look for as an example, right, and other ones like you yeah, yeah, yeah, No, it's true though, but you are leading the way and it makes it so that anyone who wants to do what you do who looks similarly to you, that could be like, oh, mother is here, right and like looking at you and knowing that it makes all the difference.

That's when you say representation matters.

Ah, yeah, you know, because like a lot of people wouldn't know how to take care of their natural hair because, like you mentioned, like string their hair, they wouldn't know all the products came to take care of their hair that are currently in their natural forms.

Same thing with like makeup or complexion or finding the actual correct shade for yourself. Yeah, So, like representation really matters because if you don't see yourself, how are you gonna feel about not being accepted in the world because you're not on you know, the billboards on TV and whatnot and are having like a reference point, you know, and having that as like an example also allows other people to know that there are different ways too to do the things that you want to do to express yourself.

There's not one way to do things.

And the standard beauty is different for everybody, right, Like, I know, there's no reason that those of us who are people of color should ascribe to the standard of beauty that is for white people. It's not the same and that's okay, And it's just you just need to sort of find what is your niche right, right, and if there is a niche, blow one out, like you make one for yourself, right.

And I always feel like it's shifting too. I mean, we're all just things thrown together, different shapes of eyes, and then if you're lucky enough, someone will find you attractive. We're just a bunch of things thrown together. And I feel like there's beauty in however you look. However you look, someone's gonna find you attractive.

And there's nothing like having Sorry no, I'm but like finding your there's like confidence in yourself that'll do it. Every time.

I was just going to say, every time I go shopping with Melissa, we are stopped multiple times by people telling her how beautiful her hair is. Because everyone stops her on the street in the store. It is, I mean, it really is incredible. It's getting to be exhausting. I love it as the bald friend. I'm really mad. Such a nice.

I know, but it is beautiful, you know, like if you wear it with pride, with confidence.

And it's it is not only is it beautiful, but it's the way she wears it, like she styles it, but also like moves with confidence in the world. And I do think that that is a huge part of it.

And it takes it takes time, right, you don't. I mean I think you don't always sort of come out of the womb that way, right, And I think there's a lot of people who were just like normal, be like who you're supposed to be, but you figure that out for your.

Is there a type of person who stops you about your hair? It's like I think from what I've seen, it's usually women who are thinking about going gray. Yeah, that is like what I always always say.

They always say I could never, And I used to once upon a time. I used to be like, of course you can. But now I feel like, oh, then don't because it because because not get lost, but like because you get there when you get there, right, Anything that I can say to anybody to make them do it. And I feel like I never say no, you can't, but I always say, well, you know you will when you're ready, when you're ready, and then and maybe and maybe you're never ready, and that's that's okay, And that's okay too, right, Like I mean, I think you owe it to yourself to be your authentic self and if you can do it, then go for you. And if you can't, that's okay too.

Yeah. You live the life that you want to at the time you want to, and it's your journey, you know.

And I'll say this sort of selfishly. You can't bring everybody with you.

Not everybody.

Not everybody wants to be here.

With you, you know what I mean. She's about to tell me to get lost, yea said, I'm just saying, not everybody.

Not everybody is in the same place.

It's true.

I've learned that to you, like you are doing this much amount and they're just there for the ride, or just like they're do you want to be in a better place in your life, you gotta work for it, you do. You have to work for it.

As we're moving into the new year, I've seen a lot of people talking about, you know, what they're bringing with them into the New Year or what they're leaving behind. And I've seen people talk about I'm not going to call the friends who don't call me. No, I'm not going to text time ago, And it is such great advice because they either figure it out and they start calling or they don't, and you're fine, Baby, you were doing them as service.

Baby, you always aren't you yourself? And I always say this, I am never lonely. I am never lonely because I have myself and the friends or people that you don't call it on text like or that you don't hear from, they're not meant to be in your life. There's maybe something that's like bringing y'all together. Maybe it's the partying, the I don't know.

The strong drinks at pieces.

I was gonna say since but but you know what I'm saying, like things that y'all do that bring y'all together. But besides that, what's there do y'all share common believes? Do y'all want to move forward in life? Do y'all want to make the world a better place? What do y'all want to do in life together? Besides doing all those other stuff?

Or like are you trauma bonding? Like what's going on? Like why is this person in your life? And sometimes, I mean, this is such a cliche, but like sometimes people are just in your life for a season, right, and that's okay, And that's okay. Like your best friend from the sixth grade does not have to be your best friend today exactly.

And that doesn't mean that what you had with them when they were in your life is any less valuable. If anything, you're like honoring it by moving on and being like, I'm not going to dilute the value of what that once was for that season of my life by dragging it into this new season and making it this shitty experience.

Right right, like or like a chore, like a drudgery?

Who needs that?

Like there isn't there are enough things that we have to do in this life that the people that you choose to spend time with that should be a joy, you know what I mean? It should be a joy like that, I gotta pay bills, I got to be on the subway. The people that I surround myself with by choice, it needs to give me something. It needs to be yes, absolutely, And time is short. Time is short.

Maybe, like you have to make sure that people you allowing your life, are actually bringing in something that is just not there for like, okay, you know tick tic tic wasting your time. No, they're there to enjoy the rye with you.

Yeah. I used to always tell my stepdaughter when she was growing up. I'm like, you know what you deserve to be choosy about who you allow your right right, who you allow to be your friends, who you allowed to be sexual partners, like you need to you get to pick and the minute somebody makes you feel like shit about yourself or tries to get you to do something that is again sort of like your inner moral compass.

Yeah, because this is your life, you should always do things that make you happy.

Where is the joy?

You should always do things that make you happy and things that you only want to do because imagine like I don't want to hear I'm like, and I have to say through here, How torturous would that be for me? But I want to be here. I want to do this and this makes me happy to be with y'all. So that's why I'm doing it. And if I'm doing it and being tortures and don't want to be here, oh my god, can you imagine this whole experience.

Let me ask it would be off.

It would be off. I'll be like rolling my eyes and it wouldn't flow, and it was caught.

Yeah. Absolutely. Do you imagine that there would ever be a moment for you where Dragon no longer gives you what it was giving? And if that's true, do you think that it'll just be like cut and dry, I'm done, or do you think that it'll look a different way.

I love these questions because Michael's asking, like I was like having a fun that's not that You're like, so, so let's figure out together and then you send me an invoice from my thirty sessions. The question was do I think I've utilized rack to its most potential end for you?

For me, like we're talking about leaving friends behind and bringing friends with you. Is DRAG that friend you leave and take with you? What is that like for Like, do you feel like there might be a day where you're like, maybe this is the friend that I leave behind or it becomes or revolves into something different.

For me, I feel like a lot of folks when they did Drag in the beginning is for PTSD, it's for trauma, it's for solving from yes, it's it's healing. It's like solving all those issues that you didn't understand, or like a way to vocalize how you're feeling without being too rude for using the wrong worst. You're doing it through performance like and the looks and whatnot. So I think that's a lot where it comes from. And I think that after years, maybe almost like two decades, now, I feel like I've done that a while ago. For me.

Right now, I feel like I don't want to say, like you know, like you know, I don't want to get in dragged, like there's like money involves. I feel like I'm doing that now, but like I'm still loving drag and I feel like it's more special for me now. It's more special for me now because I don't do it for PTSD or heal. I do it for me, but also makes it extra special. Does that make sense? Yeah, I'm doing it not because of what I happened for as a kid. Now I'm doing it as like a two point oh version as an adult, as an adult two point o version, and whenever this is over, I don't know what three point version, you know.

And it's nice you get to like sort of like you get to me, drag where it is for you, right and like it and going through it. And it can it can be two things.

Right.

It can be the thing that helps you get through that traumatic experience like discovering your gender expression or do you like surviving that you know, queer lived experience that wasn't positive. But it can also be a business. It can be something that you turn into a career exactly so.

And I think really anything is possible. I mean, like we have to you know, just on social media, like I don't know, like selling, like I don't know souper arts on like soup.

I just started following a lady who makes broth and oh.

Yeah, I love it. I'm like, I'm this guy who makes toffee. Yeah.

I was like, I'm sad. I am watching every single broth video. Yeah, like I've got I've got things soaking ready to make broth later it's gonna happen.

Ye the broth example.

Yeah, are you using chicken feet?

I'm using chicken feet and I'm clipping them nails.

Yeah, you got a clip clip and nails.

And my broth girl, last, come at me in the comments. Okay, sorry I interrupted you.

Oh yeah, but anything it's like possible. You can make anything up a business if there's a demand for it. There's a service. Get your money, honey, get.

Your money at Pieces on Friends every Friday.

Every Friday, every preda what I say this every week as a joke because I need a job. I'm not your pickup.

I want to I need a j LB.

You all got bills, ye, bills?

So anything else you want to plug pieces Friday?

Okay, Melissa.

So what's your closet like my closet, Like I'm out of the closet.

I don't know, Melis, this is the most selfish question.

Closet my drag closet were like what do you mean?

Like there's so many, like like how many closets?

There's so many like I guess like references for that term. So which is funny?

What what how do you store your clothing? Melissa means a quite.

Like your closets not kidding best like custom like Ika, Like I'm not kidding, Like you can pick like the sizes you want, the shelves that you want.

To like with the drawers, yes, yes, the billion closet.

Wow oh yeah yeah yah yeah they're cheap and look into it because I was like, yeah, home deeper. I was like, how much is the customized one? They were like, that's like six thousand dollars for that little like yeah, six eight. I was like, you can know, and I can't pack it less than two thousand dollars. Get all done, oh beautiful, easy shop done. Yeah, but that's what I used for my closet. Was that your question?

Yes, I Kia sponsored by Ikea.

Yes, no more, thank you for joining us, thank you for the show.

Anything huh definly by five, have a great time.

We do that. Yeah, yeah, anything you want to plug, anything you want to promote, follow you socials at this handle that she's about to read off.

Yes, there's a lot of different ones because some got taken a to like, but you look for the one that's like a drag queen on the promo like handle.

Yeah, y u h. You ate these fake accounts too. I've got real Michael foot private underscore, and they're messaging people asking people for money as me. They do that, I mean I do to it, nodding.

Behind it, you behind it?

Okay, Oh that's just my you know I message you asked for money? It was me?

Yeah, yeah yeah and I'll ask you back to you.

You know, I'll see I'll see you have Friday on at Pieces in the West Villge of New York City. Eight o'clock. I'll see them.

Nine o'clock.

No, it's eight o'clock.

It's your show for viewingclock viewing. Okay, there's two times. Okay, eight o'clock for viewing when there's drag race, nine o'clock when there's no viewing. Yeah, two times. Oh that's why you said eight o'clock.

It's only been eight years. So thank you for coming on the show. I'm so glad you got to meet the audience. They got to meet you.

And what's my name, Melissa?

What honey?

This has been Brayer. We'll be right back. You was so great. I'm so glad she came me too. I was worried she wouldn't be on time, but she was right on time.

She was right on time.

Love it. She was ten minutes late to her own show last week. But I mean I would say that to her face. That's not a really well you did? I did? I you did?

You were like, oh, we were so happy that you are.

I'm the type of friend not only do I forget what I say, I spilled my water everywhere during our breath.

No, you're a mess. I can't take you.

I'm so glad she came though.

Yeah. No, it a good time. I really And this is maybe your opportunity to say to me, Melissa, Melissa, would you like to.

Come with me to name oh Pieces on Friday?

Friday?

Do you want to do it? She would do the Michael Foot and Melissa Alburne meet and greet at the Johoahamasaki show at Pieces on Friday night at eight. Okay, let's do it.

Okay, I'm committing.

It's going to be like two people. No, no, no, that's you know what. That's great.

No, no, no, no, that's all right. But I am to being out after nine pm.

Diva, you're not supposed to go up houst nine pm. You're gonna be a little long in the truth, miss Curly.

Someone watch occasion.

Someone walked up to me at Pieces and said, do the police horses mean anything to you?

Police horses?

Because I make these videos, I always say something about police horses, like as a joke. Yeah, that was his opener of like, hey, I recognize you're from the Internet. I thought that was so clever. I loved it.

People you know, and people will pick up on like one particular thing I love.

It ayah, and sometimes it's something I forget I said. Anyway, thank you for watching Brief Recess. I will see you in court. This has been an Exactly Right production recorded at iHeart Studios, hosted by Me, Michael Foot and.

Me Melissa Malbrant. Our producer is CJ. Ferroni.

This episode was edited by Nicholas Galucci.

Our associate producer is Christina Chamberlain and our guest booker is Patria Cottner.

Our theme song was composed by Tom bride Vogel with artwork from Charlotte Delarue MNSA Lilac with photography by Brad Obono.

Brief Recess is executive produced by Karen Kilgareff, Georgia hart Stark and Danielle Kramer.

You can find me on Instagram at Department of Redundancy Department or on TikTok at Michael Foot.

And I'm on both Instagram and TikTok as Melissa Malbranch got.

Legal questions, reach out at Brief Recess at Exactlyrightmedia dot Com. Listen to Brief Recess on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts, and of course we're a podcasts with video. Search for Brief Recess on YouTube

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