Iconic drag queen Sherry Vine returns to TV screens across the globe with the third season of The Sherry Vine Variety Show, streaming on OUTtv. Inspired by the great variety show legends of the 1970’s like Cher and Carol Burnett, Sherry and director John Mark update the format with raucous comedy, show-stopping musical numbers, hilarious sketches and more. Watch HERE!
The new season features 6 episodes packed with exciting and side-splitting comedy, including a new continuing sketch, “Touched By An Asshole” that has Sherry trying to earn her angel wings; a 60 Minutes parody called “Sissy Minutes”, commercial parodies of GOOP, Social Media posts from some of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, “The Exorcist in Drag”, and the fan favorite “Lady Cops”. Each episode also includes a new, original song from a variety of genres, kicking off with the Vegas-themed “Showgirl”. Season three also offers up a bevy of drag superstars including Alaska, Latrice Royale, Bianca Del Rio, Jackie Beat, Peppermint, Monet X Change, Laganja Estranja, Nina West, Salina Estitties, Ben DeLa Creme and more.
We had the pleasure of chatting with Sherry about the new season, her music, busy touring schedule and lots more in our exclusive interview.
I got to see the first three episodes of the new season and they are amazing. I expected no less.
Thank you.
How did the third season come about? Did you really have to manifest it like you did in the first episode?
Actually, it came about a lot sooner than I thought, which was amazing, but a little like, oh, I’ve got to work. Usually there's a year in between but when season two just premiered, [OUTtv] said “We don't want to wait another year. Can you do season three now?” And I was like, oh my God, I’ve got to really buckle down and get to work. So, it came along as a surprise, but it was amazing because sometimes if you have too much time, you can't get anything done but when you have a real strict deadline, I work a lot better.
We were supposed to film last fall and the strike happened. So, we couldn’t do anything scripted, so it gave me more time to write. But also, we got to shoot the music videos first instead of last and I think there's a big jump in the quality of the music videos because we got to really focus on them.
I was going to ask you about that because I had seen the “Showgirl” video before I saw the series and I love “Pink”. Where did you get the inspiration for doing all these original songs?
Well, that makes me very happy to hear about “Pink”, so thank you. The inspiration really comes from I don't like to repeat myself and I know a lot of people call me out, like, um… queen, you have 34 years of singing about the same theme. And so… true. (Laughs)
But when we were doing these original songs, I worked with Markaholic, who's the music producer. He's done all 15 songs. He's a genius. I'm like, okay, Mark, what have we not done? And I knew I really wanted to do a big Las Vegas showgirl number that literally goes back to the very roots of Sherry Vine, like the whole character was created to be this kind of ex-Las Vegas, down on her luck kind of showgirl.
I love this song so much that it's going to open my new show next year around the world. And then with “Pink”, I was listening to a lot of Peaches and Little Boots and I was like, we haven't done anything electro. Let's do something like that. We did a country song, Jackie and I do a heavy metal song, which is a total Lita Ford, early Heart, rocker chick number. I'm kind of proud of the fact that we are able to do 15 songs over three seasons that are all kind of different.
You and Jackie are so great together on your show and Dr. Jackie. What is your relationship like?
It's horrible. (Laughs) No, I'm kidding. Jackie and I are cut from the same cloth and when we met in 1991 in West Hollywood, in the first 10 minutes, this spark was lit where we were like, oh, I’ve been waiting for you. We have worked together for over 30 years and we're able to work together without communicating on stage. I can tell five steps ahead of where she is, where she's going. I'm like, okay, I know exactly where she's going. We're on this train now and the same for with me and when we're on set together, we just laugh so much and there's an unspoken sense of where we're going. Working together, we know each other so well. And that definitely comes across on screen. Someone once called us “the Laurel and Hardy of drag” and I thought that was perfect.
Now, one thing that I was kind of surprised was that you did that, the “Sissy Minutes” sketch out of drag. Are you going to pull a Divine and start acting in non-drag roles?
No, ma'am. I mean, I would never rule it out, but I don't really pursue it the same way that I pursue performing in drag. I mean, would I do something? Of course. I mean, I thought the funny thing was we filmed that for season two and it got cut because there wasn't time and something had to go.
We had so much content for season two that we were like, oh, crap. How do we cut eight minutes? So anyway, I knew I had to put that on the shelf. So, it's season three, I was watching it – and part of it was I hate watching myself out of drag. And I was like, okay. Is it funny? Is it not? In the end I think it's really funny. I think “Sandy Looney” is actually the funniest part. And Pete is hilarious. So, we're like, let's put it in season three and it did make the cut this season.
Another sketch I'm glad made it into season three is “Lady Cops”. That could literally be a spinoff on its own. Is that something that you've thought about doing?
We did pitch that as a standalone spinoff and they didn't go for that. They were like, well, we love it and we would love to see it again in season three, but it didn't get a green light for its own spinoff.
The co-stars you’ve had on your show, it’s like kind of a who's who of Drag Race alumni. You have had Bianca, Alaska and Monét and you've introduced Salina and Nina into the fold this season. Are there any other queens that you're seeing these up-and-coming queens that you'd want to work with on future seasons?
Yeah. I mean, the funny thing is every single person that we've worked with. So far, they are mostly people that I knew before Drag Race. Peppermint's one of my dearest friends 20 years, and I've known Nina for 20 years. She booked me at a club she worked at in Ohio when my Lady Gaga parody came out. And so, I've known her for like 16 or 17 years. I've been friends with Bianca before Drag Race but then there's Salina who I knew a little bit before she was on Drag Race and we did some brunches together in LA and stuff. And Laganja [Estranga], just like an example, she's on this new season. I didn't know who she was until Drag Race. And then we became friends more recently where I was like, she's really funny. I really wanted her to be on this season and she's hilarious and she’s on episode six. So, yeah, there's a whole bunch. I've watched the most recent season of Drag Race, which in my opinion, I liked it more than I have other seasons recently. And I mean, any number of those queens, I was like, oh, I would love to work with her. I would love to work with Plane Jane.
On the show you do original songs, but you’ve done a lot of song parodies. Has any artist ever like come to you and said, “I loved your parody” or conversely said “I can't stand that parody?”
I haven't heard anyone say I can't stand it. I haven't gotten any cease and desist, though. I mean, Lady Gaga. What I love about her is that she really is a big supporter of drag and she loves it. She was super supportive. So, when my video parodies came out, she would put them on her website. She would tweet about them. She would give me shout outs. She was super cool. And, she sent me a note once saying, “Hey, we’ve got to have a beer.” And I'm like, I'll buy you a beer. And I was told by other people that Katy Perry liked the “Firework” one but I'm not sure about anybody else. I think Adele probably has a really great sense of humor and she would appreciate it, because you know, at the end of the day, I'm not making fun of the artist. I'm just using the song as a platform to do these silly parodies. So, it's not like I'm making fun of anybody.
Tell me about your show Smoke and Mirrors.
Well, Smoke and Mirrors was the big, okay, I'm going to embrace my age this year and celebrate turning 60 instead of being embarrassed or ashamed or whatever about it. I'm like, I made it. I should be celebrating that I'm 60 and still doing what I love. So that's what Smoke and Mirrors is all about.
And is that show going to be going on tour across the country?
Oh yes. I've done it a lot. I've done it all over the west coast and a lot in the east coast. I just did a big tour in Europe of it, but this month I'm doing it in San Diego. And then in September, I'm doing it in Montreal and a couple of other places so people can check my website or Instagram, Miss Sherry Vine and see, but yes, I'll be doing that show for the rest of this year.
I saw that you're also doing a show with Jackie called Battle of the Bitches.
Yeah, it's a lot, but yeah, I mean, we do the Golden Girlz in LA every August. So that's coming up the end of this month. And then in September we are performing together in Palm Springs, Battle the Bitches. And then we do that show also in December in Poughkeepsie and next year, we're doing Battle of the Bitches in Michigan. That's already on the books, but there's luckily always something going on. And between Smoke and Mirrors, Golden Girlz, Battle of the Bitches, and Jurassic Drag, which is the big show with me, Jackie, Coco, Peru, and Varla Jean Merman, her plate is full.
Well, I'm so happy that your plate is full, and I'm so glad that the new season is here, and if they asked you for season four, would you say yes?
Honey, I am ready. I've already started a list of ideas in anticipation and fingers crossed that they asked for season four. It would make me sorry because I already literally am already full of ideas!
Catch season three of The Sherry Vine Variety Show on OUTtv. Follow Sherry on Instagram, YouTube and her website, check out one of her upcoming live shows and listen to her music on Spotify.
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