It’s time to hear from the last of season 18’s top three, Denver’s own Nini Coco. Nini sits down with Michelle Visage on “Whatcha Packin?”. She talks about growing up in the Texas Bible Belt and discovering drag. (Fun fact: she has a degree in chemical engineering).
She shares how she started as a toddler in heels and eventually allowed her artistic self to bloom, how she’s often mistaken for Alyssa Edwards and how she ended up in Denver. A (now former) engineer by day with a 401K and drag icon by night reveals how she came to do her winning Snatch Game impersonation of David Attenborough (horny old man version) and how she developed her aesthetic and love of headpieces and structure.
We also get to revisit some of her best looks from the season, including her pink “cerebral” look – compete with brain hat, the “shake shake shake” gown she describes as an “acid trip Teletubby” (one she didn’t create) and the one look she really couldn’t lip sync in (which she did after the improv challenge – but the one where she took out Juicy.)
And on “Hello Hello Hello”, we discover that the second time was the charm for Nini and we get to see what got her cast in her audition video, including her sewing prowess (the tape offers a sneak peek of some of her show looks) – like many of us who discovered new things to occupy our time, Nini learned to sew and apply makeup during COVID.
This Denver queen also discusses going viral with her praying mantis performance and some audition fashions that should be – including a purple rusched villain fantasy gown, a circus ensemble serving big top energy, and a recreation of Sasha Colby’s season 16 promo look, emphasizing the importance of making a good first impression. We also see her audition version of her David Attenborough Snatch Game and some cringe-inducing reads of Tina Burner and Plane Jane.
As I wrote this, I have no idea who will take the crown, but I wouldn’t be disappointed with any one of these queens – and I hope Onya Nurve returns with more “Hello Hello Hello” next season.
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