If Darlene Mitchell didn’t already steal your heart on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18 with her down-home charm, signature mullet wigs, and gloriously clunky heels, prepare to fall even harder. The Top 3 queen saddles up for the latest episode of The Kelly Mantle Show, and it’s a hilarious, heartfelt conversation that proves she’s just as lovable off the runway.
The pair cover everything from county fairs, church, butter churning, and Steel Magnolias to the surprisingly emotional moments behind Darlene’s Drag Race journey. She reflects on auditioning multiple times before finally making it onto the show, reveals why the comedy and acting challenges had her shaking in her chunky shoes, and opens up about that unforgettable roast, her touching conversation with RuPaul, and learning to embrace the goofy, improvisational side of herself that fans came to adore.
Darlene also shares how earning her cosmetology license during the pandemic helped reshape her life, explains how makeup became a form of therapy, and dishes on building her ever-growing “clunky shoe empire.” Along the way, Kelly and Darlene swap stories about everyone from Trixie Mattel, Thorgy Thor, Bianca Del Rio, Discord Addams, Michelle Visage, Law Roach, Plane Jane, and Myki Meeks, while Darlene reveals which queens became her closest friends during Season 18.
Whether you’re curious about the origin of the famous bag of mullet wigs, Kelly’s dream salon “The Hair Port,” or which reality competition Darlene wants to tackle next, this episode is packed with laughs, behind-the-scenes stories, and loads of Southern charm.
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