Take a Slaycation with Kerri Colby and Lawrence Chaney

Slaycation
Photo courtesy of World of Wonder

If you are still experiencing wanderlust after your holiday travels the new, six-episode Crave Original series, Slaycation, is coming to send you on a virtual vacation with some of your Drag Race favorites. The series premieres on WOW Presents Plus on Tuesday, December 31.

Slaycation follows six larger-than-life queens from across the international Drag Race family – BOA, Jada Shada Hudson, Kandy Muse, Kerri Colby, Lawrence Chaney, and Luxx Noir London – as they vacation together at a Canadian winter cabin. With fun activities, frivolity, and a hint of drama, their fish-out-of-water escapades culminate in a show-stopping performance for the local community. 

Season 14 alum, the stunning Kerri Colby is self-described as southern-raised and LA-glazed She is a proud multi-cultural transgender woman who constantly breaks down barriers. Hailing from the Legendary House of Colby, with her flawless aesthetic, this queen will always tell it like it is, showing the world she came to play and she’s here to slay. 

Lawrence Chaney was crowned winner of Season 2 of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Largely known for their comedy and stand-up shows, they serve as host of the WOW Presents Plus series House of Laughs, showcasing the funniest and fiercest LGBTQ2S+ up-and-coming comedians and drag queens. Additionally, Lawrence has hosted RuPaul’s Drag Race Live on the Las Vegas Strip.

We had a few moments to chat with Kerri and Lawrence about the series and working with such a diverse cast in our exclusive interview.

Slaycation
Photo courtesy of World of Wonder

How did you get involved with the show and what was your reaction to being invited? 

Kerri: Oh my gosh. I think we all got different calls at different times. I can’t speak for Lawrence’s process, but for me, you know, whenever you get a call from World of Wonder, you always are wondering what it’s about. You really never know, so I’m someone who always will answer the phone. I’m like what’s going on, what’s cooking? And they’re like, we have this idea. It’s very different. It’s very cold. And we’re putting it all together, but it’s basically going to be like a Real Housewives kind of Big Brother-esque, very reality driven based television show. And that was all I needed to hear – and I was in, I didn’t know what to expect, but I was in. 

Lawrence: For me, it’s the same as Kerri, but for me, the selling point to me was you’re only going to be in drag for this small amount of time, and you’re only required to bring two outfits. I was like, inject that into my veins, because listen, I’m a workaholic and Kerri loves working. We’re busy people and being offered this amazing vacation, but it’s still technically work, but it’s not, and it’s in a new place we’ve never been to before. It just seemed like an obvious yes, you know? 

Slaycation Kerri Colby
Photo courtesy of World of Wonder

What was it like being in a house with all of these big personalities?

Kerri: It was so much fun for me. I mean, I feel like the personalities that meshed, meshed very easily and meshed the whole time. I mean, at the end of the day, it, we weren’t filming for like a whole year straight, so it’s kind of like buckle up, do what you need to do. I think we’ve been waiting to see people from our franchises really bring the energy, the drama, the fun. It’s all TV at the end of the day. So, if there is like a little natural feuding energy, it’s not like that’s unwelcome. It’s better to just use that and channel that because it’s going to be more entertaining as you watch it back. So that was a lot of fun.

Lawrence: I also think the really cool thing about this is this is the first time you’re really seeing us you’re seeing sort of the wizard behind the curtain, right? You’re seeing us kind of unfiltered, quite raw, and you know it’s very different from anything that’s ever been done with drag queens before.

And you know, yeah, personalities meshed together. I will say it’s got drama. There is definitely a lot of drama. But it’s never mean spirited. It’s light, I feel – at least when we were there. 

Kerri: It was a lot of volleyballing and back and forth and it was also fun. I feel like another very different and kind of fun thing, at least for me, is that we really kind of got to self-produce, we didn’t have a whole team of people telling us how to behave or what the story is or what the itinerary is. It was just “be ready at this time and whatever happens on camera happens.” It was so different, but also so fun, just kind of being able to let our freak flag fly in front of the camera and see what happens. 

Lawrence: Yeah, it’s like, we’re doing this activity, and you can either take it seriously and be competitive or be like Jada and just be along for the ride.

Kerri: Go sit in the corner, girl!

Slaycation Lawrence Chaney
Photo courtesy of World of Wonder

It did look like you had a lot of fun. What was your favorite part of doing the show? 

Kerri: For me it really is like, I think like we’ve been saying, to be able to kind of mix work and play is such a bucket list item. You know, I feel like everyone in the industry wants to have that opportunity to be able to have fun – to kind of rejuvenate, reinvigorate yourself, but also be working, but also be creating something for our fans and for our community to enjoy, especially because I think we need so much of that in the world. So, that really was the most fun part – knowing that we’re participating in the real moment, letting loose, kind of detoxing and letting go and getting really comfortable in a new environment.

Lawrence: My favorite part has to be the first-class plane ticket. That was lovely….and the salmon they serve in first class. Amazing! No, for me, it was just nice to spend time with people. If I was asked who I would want to be in this house with I don’t think I would have chosen such a diverse range of people. I think I learned a lot and took away quite a lot from everyone, be we best friends or not. I think learning to live with people, especially we were six of us in that house. It was a big house.  But we’re big drag queens, so it was a lot. But, you know, I really learned a lot about how I am to live with and how others are to live with, you know? 

Slaycation premieres on December 31 exclusively on WOW Presents Plus. Follow Kerri and Lawrence on Instagram. 


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