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This week, Louis is joined by Drag Race icon Symone to discuss Bad Bunny’s halftime show and Black-led films that should live on forever. Then, Monét X Change joins to discuss her run on The Traitors and her upcoming stand-up tour. As a special treat, Monét stays for the Keep It segment and the trio discuss fake Super Bowl outrage, The Pitt, and the Diane Warren documentary.

 

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TRANSCRIPT

Louis Virtel [AD]

 

Louis Virtel And we’re back with an all new episode of Keep It. I’m Louis Virtel, and I have to say, who cares? Because guess who is here today. When this name came down the pike, I already said this to our guest, I had to clutch the table, like I was gonna blast off. Guys, there’s nothing to say about this person. I mean, the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 13, but also just the winner.

 

Symone Yeah, I think I like that.

 

Louis Virtel Symone!

 

Symone I like that, I like the winner, the winner. The universal winner of everything. I love that.

 

Louis Virtel Look at her.

 

Symone Yes please, look at me, I spent two hours doing this. Oh my God.

 

Louis Virtel We brought you here to discuss football, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.

 

Symone It’s fine. You know what? I can sport. I can sports. You can sport with the best of them.

 

Louis Virtel Well, you’re from Arkansas, so maybe there’s some like football like conditioning there.

 

Symone There is. There’s a Razorback, the one up this northwest, and then we have the Wampus Cat down where I’m from. So I can get it. And the Bears, UCA Bears. Shout out to y’all. Purple.

 

Louis Virtel This could all be like Dr. Seuss material. I have no idea what you’re saying. I have no idea what you’re saying.

 

Symone I have not idea what I’m saying. It’s all going over your head.

 

Louis Virtel Oh my gosh.

 

Symone But okay, I mean, first of all, how are you? You just got back from Europe. I did just get back from Europe. I’m great. I’m rested. I’ve traveled. I’m the passport is stamped. It was a great time. I’m freshly 31, which most people would be scared to say that, but I’m not. Oh, well, I’m in my 30s. You’re a few 31s over. Yeah. OK, I like that, too. You matured. You’ve experienced life.

 

Louis Virtel I didn’t say that. Okay.

 

Symone I’m assuming, I’m sorry. But no, I went to Europe. I started in Paris, had my fun there. Then I went down and saw Chon Un So, the French, I hope I said that right, if I didn’t correct me. The castle, I’ve always wanted to see it. So I went and saw that. I went Bordeaux wine country. I sipped some wine, went to the wine museum. I was very bougie. They said Bordeux was for the posh people.

 

Louis Virtel Uh… And you said i elect myself

 

Symone And I liked myself. I said, I’m Miss Symone Posh. That’s me.

 

Louis Virtel What happened, Miss. Symone? She went to Paris.

 

Symone She went to Paris, absolutely.

 

Louis Virtel So you’re saying this was a solo trip, too?

 

Louis Virtel It was a Solo trip, yeah. Oh that’s so cool.

 

Symone I never traveled by myself. Yeah, and so and I wanted to see the places I wanted see yeah I wanted go for as long as I wanted To go do what I wanted To do wake up when I wanted To wake up go get breakfast at the hotel then walk around the city. I loved it. It’s great I recommend if you can do it

 

Louis Virtel I feel like that’s something you can do once you accept that eating by yourself is amazing.

 

Symone It’s amazing! Yes, you can have a plate full!

 

Louis Virtel No, you can do it at your own pace, like whatever, like have your New York Times crossword with you or whatever, you know, but it’s like I love eating by myself, I love doing movies by myself. Shows by myself.

 

Symone I do and I’m also a notoriously slow eater because I like to I like to digest. Yeah. You know eat and digest and talk. But no talking just you know scrolling on my phone. So from there and then I went to Amsterdam for two days.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, I’m gonna do that later this year.

 

Symone You should- Wait, were you doing- Are you doing more pride? Yes. Yes.

 

Louis Virtel I’ll be there. I’m having, shall we say, a momentous birthday and I’ll over there.

 

Symone Wait, it’s your birthday.

 

Louis Virtel Yes. Oh my god. I know. Are you excited? Yes. Well, get this. I’m an under-traveled person. I went to Berlin for the first time last year. Fine. And loved it. So now I… Did you do the tuky-tuky? I did as much as they would allow me. And as much I would allow myself. You were the hindrance to your own fun here. Yes. Oh, goodness. Well it’s also so weird. Like I go to Berlin and I see a bunch of people who look like my cousins, but they’re acting even gayer than I am. So it’s like, you know, wild.

 

Symone But also kind of like, mm. Or are you attracted to your cousins? It’s okay, I’m Southern. Um. Not sure.

 

Louis Virtel Not so far. I’m accepting auditions.

 

Symone Okay. Okay. I like that. Okay

 

Louis Virtel Okay, now we have to get to the point of the whole weekend, which was again football. But before we get to Bad Bunny, which we’ll get to later this episode, we must talk about the things surrounding the football that weren’t football, including Charlie Puth and Coco Jones who performed at the beginning of the ceremony. What did you think of those two and what they brought?

 

Symone So I re-watched everything this morning because I wanted to come in, you know, freshly on the dome. And Coco Jones is just, I thought she was sensational. I heard the voice is so beautiful. I-

 

Louis Virtel She’s saying lift every voice and sing.

 

Symone So there’s every voice that’s seen the Black National Anthem, if you don’t know. And it’s a honor, I feel like, when you get to do something like, for me, that particular song. So I could tell that she was like, I wouldn’t say nervous, but she was prepared. She came in, she looked as if she like, just commanded that song.

 

Louis Virtel Yes, there was a light tentativeness to her early on, but then as it went on, first of all, I could not stop looking at the very red dress, which was clearly an homage to Whitney Houston. Shout out to the team for that. And everybody, all the instrumentalists were dressed in a sort of Whitney-ish way too, so that was just fabulous.

 

Symone Right off the bat, she got me with that.

 

Louis Virtel But Charlie Puth, interesting choice to sing the National Anthem since he’s not a belter, but I support that. I’m a little anti-belter, unless you’re Whitney Houston or unless you are in a musical.

 

Symone That too, but also unless you can, you know, some people do it and we’re like, we know because we’ve heard and we’ve seen and we heard and seen with our eyes and our ears that this is not for you. So like, don’t just like sing it in your key, you now. And I am biased against a man singer. Yeah, oh no, please, why are they singing? Okay, yeah, okay, I’m just making sure I wasn’t alone.

 

Louis Virtel I’m on earth to stay on the, you know, the Karen Carpenter’s, the Diana Ross’s, et cetera.

 

Symone Et cetera. I want the glamor. I want the hair. I want the lights, the up here octave. You know what I’m saying? So I already have my cock-eyed looking at him. And so I didn’t know what to expect, but I actually was pleasantly surprised by him.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, well, it wasn’t try hard, you know what I mean? He did it in a sort of gentle, you almost had to lean in to listen to the anthem, which is an unusual take. And anytime somebody does the anthem in a way where it stands out, well, and not in a bad or egregious way, like there’s something novel and like smart about it.

 

Symone And like smart about it. You actually did it. Like you did a solid job.

 

Louis Virtel Yes, you know also he’s in the mold of like a John Mayer person like Berkeley School of Music kind of looks Acts a little douchey, but then he makes the music of Carly Rae Jepsen

 

Symone I like that. I like when two my two worlds collide, you know, well one of my worlds colliding with something else. Yes

 

Louis Virtel You come to my world that I wasn’t a-

 

Symone that I wasn’t expecting. Exactly. You go over here. You come knock over. But also when I saw an interview that he, I think it was Rolling Stone, and he said he’s always wanted to sing the national anthem. Like that’s something that he like, he recorded it before he even did it. So he was like, I’m going to do it. This is my chance. This is moment. So I thought that was actually really amazing because most people, it’s like a shock that they get asked. So he kind of, it was kind of like he manifested it. So I felt that was like a nice little tidbit for him. One point for you. One part for the poops.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, because he’s not in the mold of someone you expect ever to do that. Like the whole point of the national anthem, aside from maybe when people like formerly the Dixie Chicks did it or something, is to not just hit the hit the note, but like rock the stadium and you know, and there was.

 

Symone They’ll make us feel something.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, but there was almost something kind of contemplative about the way he did it too, which I’m going to say football doesn’t even deserve. No.

 

Symone I love that. Actually, you know, you kind of gave a little bit more than needed. Yeah. Deserve.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, deserved is the word. I hope it went appreciated is all I’m saying. But anyway, this episode, we’ll get into Bad Bunny’s performance. We’ll talk about it in relation to all the other halftime shows, which are basically like, that’s like gay Bible shit. I mean, like, if you’re sitting around with your friends, you can’t get through a night without watching at least a couple halftimes shows.

 

Symone We must and on the day of you have to do like your pre-ritual of watching halftime shows Please yeah, because we could do the maybe put the Madonna on you gotta put the Diana Ross on We got to put the prince on the Brittany one on but she comes in with other people men, right? But you know, we watch for her, but she does strut strut and we live the Janet. Obviously, it’s Janet Day Please so we got to see it. It’s what we as gay people are here for You know, you get the straights with the ball and the touching of the men. Well, that’s actually gay, too

 

Louis Virtel uh… Not the way they do and i don’t know if they do unfortunately

 

Symone But you get them with that and then you get us with the touching of the men in the halftime show. Precisely, precisely. So it’s the best of both worlds.

 

Louis Virtel And we have a hot man performing this year. So we’ll get into that. A hot man. Yes. Also this episode, we have the Fabulous Monet Exchange with us, all winners.

 

Symone All winners. All winners and winner I can talk to another royalty girl. Yeah, finally. I’m just kidding. I love all of you I love All of you. Don’t hate me

 

Louis Virtel Now, do you also have ambitions to go on traders?

 

Symone I would love, if anybody out there is listening to me at the sound of my voice, I would love to come on Traders, honey. Faithful or a Trader, but I think, I think I would be a good Trader.

 

Louis Virtel You are extremely trustworthy. There’s nothing about the way you’re even looking at me right now. Or I’m just, just believe her. Just believe her.

 

Symone Just believe me, that you feel safe. You know, you give me your social security number, your passport, all of it, honey. I got you, your bank account numbers and statements.

 

Louis Virtel So she will be here and what the hell we’re gonna have her around for the keep it segment too because we have the feeling She’ll have a really good one And then we’ll also talk about Black History Month and the movies we should be watching again this month So I’ll be bringing up a couple movies I’ve seen a number of times but some first time viewings will be offered as well But all that and more when we come back on Keep It.

 

Louis Virtel [AD].

 

Louis Virtel Fresh off his historic Grammys win, Bad Bunny absolutely rocked the Super Bowl with a halftime show that paid homage to his native Puerto Rico, featuring surprise appearances by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. People are already calling this one of the best halftimes shows ever. Symone, what was your initial reaction to the performance?

 

Symone Oh, like, I can’t believe we just saw that. Like, I was so happy it happened, you know? Like, like I wasn’t crying, but I was like a little teary-eyed. Because it’s like this, especially at this moment in time, not to get too deep, but just to see someone celebrate their culture so unapologetically and so, so beautifully. And the production of it all and like how there was meaning and symbolism, but it was still fun. Like, that’s a very hard line to teeter.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, right.

 

Symone So he did it, I thought, very beautifully, and it was fun and it was visually stunning because he was already in it. So, you know, that’s how the battle.

 

Louis Virtel Right. Yeah, first of all, let me just say he wore head-to-toe ivory, which is a power move I usually reserve for Gwyneth Paltrow.

 

Symone Exactly, but he said, now let me hold..hold your beer.

 

Louis Virtel HOLD THE GOOP!

 

Symone Hold the goop. That’s what it is. You got me. Hold the goop, bitch.

 

Louis Virtel So he comes out looking stunning. But as you said, first of all, it really was pure joy. Most of it was centered around a kind of wedding vibe, but there was also like clear Puerto Rican homage, like the sugar cane, which by the way, all that sugar cane was attached to the backs of real people.

 

Symone Yes, and you see the videos of people getting into place. I would describe it as scary. It was kind of scary. It was like, this is what people think.

 

Louis Virtel The Wizard of Oz.

 

Symone This is what they think will happen when they’re on Mushrooms. Like, this it it. This is people see. And so, like, that was kind fun, though, because it’s an interesting way to change the set.

 

Louis Virtel No, I assume it was a brilliant choice, because it just meant that they could clear the field really quickly if everyone’s just attached to the entire set. Smart. Yeah, indeed, indeed. But yeah, not only was it celebratory, a lot of times when people do these halftime shows, they have to slide in subversive moments. And he did a couple of times, but honestly, for the most part, you know, the times he was really representing Porter, we go, it was loud and proud. You know what I mean? And that was. You know what I mean?

 

Symone And that was the subversive moment. And so that kind of gave him a little bit of a like, it helped him because he didn’t have, the whole point of him being there was that. So he could really have fun and do anything and have his moments, you know, but he could be the halftime show. So I think that kind helped, it actually ended up helping him in that way. I also…

 

Louis Virtel I also just think it’s awesome to see someone who is like, no doubt about it, like the number one entertainer right now. I mean, think about just the week he has had, the Grammy album of the year win into this. I mean there are only certain people at given points in like entertainment history. This is a name that comes to mind. In 1985, you ready? Symone, you know where you’re at now. Ten years before me, but yes, get talking to me mama. It was lightly before me. But like Michael J. Fox was in the number one and two movies of that year, Teen Wolf and Back to the Future, and was also on Family Ties. So it’s like, it so rarely happens that someone’s like the number at all at once.

 

Symone One, two, and three.

 

Louis Virtel But like Bad Bunny is that right now. You know, or like Tiana Taylor right now is like nominated for an Oscar, but she was also nominated for the R&B Grammy. And so when people are that dominating, you want to see them soaring so hard. It’s like they got a star in Mario World. You’re like, go, go. Go, go! Go, go, go.

 

Symone Go, get it, get, it, look great, look, great. Get it, give it to them all, all of it. Get it please. Because you know it’s going to be a.

 

Louis Virtel Because you know it’s going to be a little finite, right? Like, nobody can be that so hot for so long.

 

Symone For so long. And something will, this pendulum will always swing. So like, I choose to celebrate people when they need to be celebrated, even when they’re down, but especially when we’re celebrating them. Like give them all their love, give them all the accolades because they deserve it.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah. And it-

 

Symone And like, his numbers are insane. The numbers are INSANE.

 

Louis Virtel The idea that we pretend it’s at all controversial to pick this person from the Super Bowl when he is literally the number one Spotify artist for of the past seven years of this decade. I want to be clear the decade isn’t even is barely halfway through. We’re barely halfway through.

 

Symone We’re halfway through now. Barely halfway through!

 

Louis Virtel You know, it’s insane. So it would actually be more conspicuous if they didn’t have him do the Super Bowl. And by the way, there are also some notable cameos this time, and if you, the eagle-eyed viewers could see. First of all, Jessica Alba, who I was gonna say is dancing maybe three times slower than everyone around her.

 

Symone But everybody else, she’s very much side to side. I’m on beat. It’s getting very bad. But, and I’m like, girl, aren’t you honey? Yeah. Right. We elected you to be honey. Yeah, this is what we’re calling for. Bring her out. You’re the dark angel. Yes, absolutely, honey. Look, what are we doing? Yeah. But we also had-

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, but we also had we had some Carol G, Pedro Pascal, Cardi B.

 

Symone Cardi B! Whose man was in it and lost.

 

Louis Virtel Yes.

 

Symone So, which I, I have to point, it’s the truth, he lost. He did. What did they have like two, what are they called? Touchdowns? Yeah. Like, come on, they lost. Which apparently affected that. Did you see that they might not be together no more?

 

Louis Virtel Oh, those two?

 

Symone Yeah.

 

Louis Virtel Well, after that big day.

 

Symone I mean, honey, she got, she was on stage grinding, riding, having a good time with over there with bad money. He over there losing, so I would be mad too. It was supposed to be his day and we over there talking about her.

 

Louis Virtel I have been loving her recently though because of course you saw her hump on that robot and then the robot

 

Symone The robot fell on her, the robot became a man. And it was Pinocchio, A modern day Pinocchio, bitch. But no, she’s fun, I love her always. Pedro Pascal was also fun, who I love. I love you, Pedro Pascal.

 

Louis Virtel No, handsome man.

 

Symone Very, very, what do we call him? Is he our daddy or is our internet boyfriend? Which one do we do?

 

Louis Virtel You know what, I do think you can be both and it might only be him.

 

Symone And I think so too. Cause it’s like daddy who’s also boyfriend is hot. Right.

 

Louis Virtel If you’ve never experienced this yourself.

 

Symone Yes, it’s too gay men here. It’s hot.

 

Louis Virtel Indulge, indulge. We also did get a slightly aggressively gay moment and that it appeared that there were two men grinding on each other sort of on the other side of a car door.

 

Symone It looked like he opened up and was like, hey, nice to see you. That’s what it was giving.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, you know, a little warehouse club representation. Yeah, see you at DTLA on one of the darker streets.

 

Symone The dark ones in the, well not the dark room, it was broad daylight, but you know what I’m saying? Yeah, right. The vibe. Right. The vibe, which I was happy we got a gay moment, because I thought, like I said, I thought it was going to be Ricky and Bad Bunny, but no, we still got a moment.

 

Louis Virtel They got the talent they’re still

 

Symone They got the talent there, yeah.

 

Louis Virtel By the way, also shout out to the moment where Bad Bunny is performing on top of a truck and people are dancing in what looks kind of like desert-y gear around them. It reminded me of the Maya case of the X video. Oh! And also a fabulous bit of choreography. They had the utility poles where people were climbing on them, sort of shouting out the power outage.

 

Symone The power outages and power grids, yes, which I did not know about, so thank you for that. I knew about, you know, the storms and things, but I didn’t know it was like such a chronic problem. So art giving education, that’s a lesson in that.

 

Louis Virtel Because I just want to say there are very few things giving education, including education right now. Including education right now.

 

Symone Namely our government. We ain’t gonna go there, but thank you Bad Bunny for educating the children, okay?

 

Louis Virtel No, I please take actual facts where you can get them. Please watch Jeopardy. I’m not kidding

 

Symone Jeopardy! Celebrity Square! Something, my God!

 

Louis Virtel Oh my God, celebrity squares as aid to the people. I mean, at this point, honey, they need it. No, it’s tough. I will say about the Super Bowl halftime show, and I avidly watch them every year, we are kind of running out of superstars to do the job.

 

Symone I was thinking about this. It was gonna be kind of my keep it, but who is gonna do it? No, we’re down to like Taylor Swift.

 

Louis Virtel I’m with you. I was like, who am I sitting across? I don’t know. Okay. We’re on the same plane. I’m a Madonna person. I believe Superstar should be me.

 

Symone Okay, thank you. Yes. I want the girls to be bitchy. I want them to be shady and I want them to shade them all on the interviews. Let’s have it. No. And also give interviews. Tell her. Dang. As a Beyonce stan. Wow. Okay. Because I can call my girl out. I would like you to do an interview or two. Get on the podcast. You can come here if you want. You can’t tell me she wouldn’t be an amazing interview. I feel like she would have fun. I feel if you would just give her the chance. Leave the girl alone. Let her come sit at a mic and let her give her her story. She would be a good time. Yeah. Give her a little bit of it. What’s her liquor call? Sir Davis, give her some Sir Davis. Not me messing up there in black history, but Lord, give us some Sir Davis, honey, and let her have a good time. Yeah, I think she’ll be fabulous.

 

Louis Virtel No, she has a great sense of humor. She does, I hope. Yeah. I think she does. You’re right. Why would I presume? I think she does. You’re right. Why would I presume?

 

Symone Because she’s able to laugh at herself. Yeah. You know, she fell off that car almost. Yeah. Right. And she put that video up the next day. And she made, she talked about it. There’s something.

 

Louis Virtel In there. There’s something in there, girl. I just want to say, by the way, that video remains underrated. I mean, the car toppled in Mid-Eller. Toppled. And we could have lost her. No, and Pink was not there to swing by and

 

Symone No! And those people down there touching her, could you imagine her falling into the… We love you. Be hive. I know y’all would be so kind, you were so precious. But the thought of her falling down there, uh-uh.

 

Louis Virtel Also, no, you’re a real fan because you were mostly worried that the wrong people would get to touch her. Touch her, exactly.

 

Symone I don’t get like lovely would be so awful if you fell love you, but don’t let them people touch you girl. No, don’t

 

Louis Virtel So Taylor, Ariana Grande, and I can’t… Ariana Grande would be fabulous. I mean, maybe then you can get a little Cynthia Erivo type person in there, but who else is really gonna…

 

Symone Who else is really gonna do it? Maybe, who else is there? Okay, we honor Grande, we said, uh-huh. And also there’s the idea of more men. And I feel like we’ve just had so much of that. We’ve had enough. Bonito, we had Kendrick.

 

Louis Virtel At least, also that’s the new rule, if a man’s gonna do it, in my opinion, you have to give us dick print.

 

Symone Oh my god, it’s the least you can do. You’re up here invading my gay time. Yeah, you need to give me a dick friend. You need to get me a goddamn, some arms. I’m a sucker for an arm. I wanna see some arms, some abs. Please. You know what I’m saying? You gotta give me something. You gotta get me something to look at. I don’t wanna hear your man voice. It’s not a halftime show. It’s a gay time show. It’s like a time show, baby. That’s right. And the NFL knows that. Also another reason why he got the us spot. Thank you very much. Also shout out, I wanna give it to them. NFL shout out to y’all for not backing down and for standing ten toes down on it and letting him be there.

 

Louis Virtel Now, also speaking of people who actually were there, we had Lady Gaga and we had Ricky Martin. We’ll start with Ricky Martin. What did you think of his appearance?

 

Symone See, I figured he would be there. My gaydar said he’d be there, I thought, me and my friends thought that we was gonna get a little gay kiss. I thought we were really gonna set their head on fire. I’m literally clutching my-

 

Louis Virtel I’m literally clutching my heart like I’m watching a music

 

Symone Could you have imagined?

 

Louis Virtel Oh God, I saw a footage of them hanging out beforehand.

 

Symone They’re very touchy-feely. They are very touch-y-feeely. And he’s like, you know, Ricky’s touchy feely, he’s touch-e-feel-y. And he has, and I like that about both of them, about Bad Bunny, because he’s not afraid to show his emotions. He seems very empathetic, very like, I love him, I loved him. Pro gay too. Pro gay. Love it. Love to see it. And so when he was on stage, I, I liked that. And I think it’s also like him giving homage to like, person before him.

 

Louis Virtel I was gonna have to use a dog-a-toy word. And also, there were a couple other references, too. Like you heard a bit of Daddy Yankee in the music, too, so I love little moments, little Easter eggs you can find in the performance. Now, Lady Gaga. Come on now. Okay, but here’s the thing. He is a huge fan of Lady Gaga, and I love him bringing her in because it’s like. On that stage, she’s a stone pro. She’s done it before. And by the way, if you haven’t watched the Lady Gaga halftime show recently, the woman is like a decathlete in that performance. Like we give her a lot of credit for like, singing, the vocals, the accents. And great concepts, but like, she is actually-

 

Symone marathon in that. But you know also in the I feel like in when she’s touring with like the recent show she’s also doing dancing and like getting to point A to point B, you know, like right. It’s I enjoy that I enjoy when a pop star is moving around

 

Louis Virtel And also by the way, it’s not, you know, Lady Gaga dancing is that like jerky, you like, I would be exhausted fast. Like this Zumba class is out of control.

 

Symone What is it? The Zumba and what’s one of the banks? Oh, yeah. Spin. Spin, yeah, a lot of that. She’s getting into it very deep, but I love it. I love when she yells. I love what she acts crazy. It’s my favorite. It’s My Favorite Gaga.

 

Louis Virtel And in this performance, she did a Spanish-tinged version of Die With a Smile. Now, when you’re gay, I think- It said salsa, right? Salsa, salsa, okay. I think when you are gay, Die With A Smile counts as a deep cut. But for the rest of America, it’s the Lady Gaga song, They Know. They Know, that’s right.

 

Symone That’s right. I didn’t even think about that because I am probably the minority of the gay that enjoys that song. Oh. I do. Uh, it’s okay. I do, I like when she sits at the piano and the lights are on at the tour, and they say, but they just, you know, I liked it. I like it. So I was definitely the minority when I heard the song and I screamed, obviously, because it was her. She’s there, you now, but then she did the little Spanish flave to it. Yeah. So I really was enjoying myself.

 

Louis Virtel I loved the dance break moment they had. I felt like the salsa version of Die With a Smile was a little bit either maybe she was behind the beat or something, it wasn’t exactly, it didn’t exactly flow.

 

Symone Well, yeah, it did feel like she maybe got the track, you know, maybe like a day or two before yes I did kind of feel like that I see your point, but I enjoyed it and she looked like and what I loved most is that she was so happy Oh good lord. It was a radiating

 

Louis Virtel The zeal that she expressed, the sheer energy, the look on her face, and it was very also deferential too. She’s like, I’m here for just for a second. Yeah. And I’m happy.

 

Symone Yeah. And I’m happy to see this part like this. Thank you so much for having me. And like also I love that you could tell it was kind of like his dream coming true, too. Like I’m on stage with Lady Gaga in this moment and I’m like dancing with Lady Gaga like I that’s the shit I love.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, and also they actually had something in common in that I love that like the camera will shoot to them and they’ll give a kind of nervy funny glance. You know, there’s like a comedy instinct in some of them. I was recently reacquainted with a clip of him on Carpool Karaoke. He’s telling James Corden like, he’s like, I don’t really like pop music or something. And then Break Free by Ariana Grande comes out and he like slams back. So funny.

 

Symone I love that. And he had the sense of humor, you know, we gotta have it. He knows the gravity of the situation, I’m sure, but he’s having fun. He’s not taking it too seriously and like I think in that moment you definitely saw that.

 

Louis Virtel Right. Also, didn’t seem nervous at all, either, by the way. Now, you’ve actually brought up a number of halftime shows I’m personally obsessed with. Weirdly, The Prince One doesn’t come up enough anymore.

 

Symone I don’t think so. And I think we need to talk about just simply it raining during purple rain. Like you can’t- God said I’m here. Even like begin to plan that, you know? It’s like water coming down from the sky during set fire to the rain for you. Like it’s that level.

 

Louis Virtel Also, I got some new board game where you scan a QR code and then it plays music and you have to guess who the artist is. Anyway, I just want to say that… What’s this game? That sounds fun. It’s… I’ll send it to you. Hitster, I think is the name of it. Hitster. H-I-T-S-T E-R. I’m going to look that up. I just wanted you to know that I was playing with people who were really versed in pop music and then none of them knew Little Red Corvette. What? And I said, I have to leave. Who are these people? No. I’m going to stay. I feel like Prince literacy is maybe going away a little bit. It’s going away.

 

Symone My mom is a huge French fan. So I think it’s kind of like a little bit of a generational thing. Yeah, right. But you know, it’s also a music taste thing. No, it not that. It’s music taste. We’re going back.

 

Louis Virtel It’s also like there’s rhythm and then there’s Prince rhythm. So what’s your favorite Super Bowl halftime show of all time?

 

Symone Oh, that’s hard. That’s hard! Can we do top five?

 

Louis Virtel You sure can.

 

Symone Okay I think we have honorable mention Diana Ross because I love her but also leaving on a helicopter. Oh amazing. With the what is it I don’t even know what that would be though guess a robe with the material just flying around the hair. Yes. You know how I love it. Love her, um, what was another one Madonna

 

Louis Virtel Madonna really set the tone for what it is now. Like I remember at the time being like, oh I didn’t. As she always does. Yeah, I mean just like the camera concept of that performance, like how it followed her around everywhere. That was totally different than the, here’s a camera in the crowd shooting this performance.

 

Symone You know, she definitely said this is a stage that will remember people this is stage is the concert We have cameras and they can move. Yeah, we’re gonna utilize

 

Louis Virtel And also the gayness of like being carried in by gladiators and stuff.

 

Symone Oh come on! Thousands of hot men, because you know she’s good at that. She will pick a hot man. Right. She got an eye. She’s been through it. What else? I love her. Beyoncé, the lemonade one. Yes. I prefer that one. The formation one. I do enjoy hers, but it always, I feel like she’s one of those people like when you see the print on the stage where she missed it. You know, I feel she’s one of the people that has it like printed on her wall. She like, Fuck, I messed that up. Like, she wakes up every day and she looks at it and she’s like…

 

Louis Virtel Well, even that one with the Black Panther regalia, she has that moment where she almost stumbles. I can’t get over it.

 

Symone She stumbled in time. In time. We forget about that, girls. Yeah. Okay. She stumbled, yes, but she got back up five, six, seven, eight.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, on time. Also that might be one of my favorite stage looks she’s ever put together, just unbelievable.

 

Symone It’s that and then all the renaissance it’s like you know you can’t put pick one you just say that renaisance, you know

 

Louis Virtel What did you think of JLo and Shakira?

 

Symone I feel like we have lovely moves, lovely dancing, great hair.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, the greatest, yeah.

 

Symone Great hair. It was bobbling up and down. When it moved, it moved. We went back in place. I enjoyed that. That’s a good drag queen.

 

Louis Virtel Places hair

 

Symone Places there, honey. That’s what we were getting loved it. Yeah loved it for that

 

Louis Virtel The energy I thought was exceptional. That’s actually one of my favorites to rewatch. Yeah, do you like that one? Yeah. Well, also something about Shakira is just actually goofy. Like don’t- What do you mean? Play tell. Well, it’s like, you know, like Kate Bush or something, like they look you in the eye while being weird? That’s her whole thing.

 

Symone Look you in the eye by being weird while you’re

 

Louis Virtel I’m a she-wolf. You know, it’s like she’s like frightening you.

 

Symone You know, and in the closet.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, I guess we all were, I remember. Same, god damn it. No, but I think Bad Bunny is the first male artist to enter my pantheon of all time best.

 

Symone I said it on the day I said I think you guys he’s the best male yeah I think I mean of course it’s Michael Jackson yeah but I feel like that’s unsaid like that’s like yeah right yeah he sort of exists outside of good and bad in terms of taste right now yes like we know water’s wet um so I agree with you yeah he’s in the Pantheon so I guess four on that one and then five just to round us out I’m trying to think Janet Jackson. Janet Jackson! Janet Jackson, sorry. I’m so sorry. Oh my god, Janet. Jesus. Well, the problem is people obviously talk about the…

 

Louis Virtel Controversy of that, but they don’t talk about what the actual songs we got.

 

Symone Mama, when she came down in that, I guess, elevator, I don’t know what that was. It was an elevator. It was engineering feet. And she came out and she comes out, you know the Janet walk. Oh, please. That day she was feeling it. Cause every time she would go from side to side, she would almost touch the ground, you know, with her head like, and going back up. I live. We always, of course we remember the incident, but we forget that she turned it. Oh yeah. She turned it out.

 

Louis Virtel While wearing that, you know, McDonald’s drive-through headpiece. Yes!

 

Symone Our favorite, which I love. You know some girls, some girls are Mike girls, some girls have McDonald’s headpiece wear. Yeah. Okay, and some girls need to figure out which one they are. No. Some girls are mic stands. True. That’s true. Some girls also mics with cords. Wow. Oh, we forget about that. They’re game show hosts in the 70s. With Miley Cyrus. She might use a mic with a microphone with a cord. You’re right, she is. Right. Yeah, Tina Turner, when she would have some songs in the set.

 

Louis Virtel Well, I want to say, Brittany and Janet are this, because if they hold the mic, you can’t see the apps.

 

Symone You can’t see the abs.

 

Louis Virtel And also, it also helps

 

Symone mystification. Yeah. Right. Who knows what’s being said or unsaid? And we don’t need to know. Yes. We don’t need to. We just need to see the day at five, six, seven, eight.

 

Louis Virtel Also, I’m talking to the queen of Janet Tributes. You’re one of the few celebrities I can think of. I remember where I was when I first saw you because when I was with my friends in Palm Springs, your season premiered, 13, and you did that Pleasure Principle lip sync. First of all, great song. But second of all we were literally, you were so good. My friends and I were deducing what you had done. We were like, she picked parts out of the music and illustrated it.

 

Symone Yes, I love lip syncing, obviously, and so when I do a song, I tend to like go in a more of a storytelling route when I lip sync. I’m not much of a shablock shablam girl, which I love that. I love it, but it’s not me. And so that song, there’s only two ways to do Janet, I feel, is either you give it the emotion it requires, or you five, six, seven, eight, which one of them is my strengths. So I was like, I’m gonna go balls deep. So that’s what I did. And so like watching back, I’m like, I really did, I really put my foot in that, didn’t I, girl? I don’t even know what, like, I don’t even know what, why, where I did that, why.

 

Louis Virtel No, I would say your choreography in that moment, it was like a telephone operator, like dun dun dun. Yeah, yeah.

 

Symone Um, and I’d been practicing that song in my head for so long, because I like to visualize what I’m doing. I’m not much more like, I’m like a choreographer, but I’ll visualize what do in my hand. So like, but you know, some things just go out the window when you’re on stage like that. So thank you for that. That’s one of my favorite. That’s one of my favorite. Oh, it was so inspired.

 

Louis Virtel Thank you. It was so good, we had to re-watch it. Thank you! It was like Bad Bunny. It’s like, I wanna find all the Easter eggs in this performance.

 

Symone And that’s also one of the gifts I get all the time is when I always get that one a lot

 

Louis Virtel But also, you can really whip that out.

 

Symone You really have, I would describe it as acting. It is acting, and I am an actress.

 

Louis Virtel I do both, darling.

 

Symone There is Symone and there’s Reggie.

 

Louis Virtel I can’t believe I’m sitting with this person. That’s so amazing. So amazing. Thank you. Okay, so now that we’re done talking about the Superbowl, let’s get to the actual topic of the millennium.

 

Symone Okay. Which is…

 

Louis Virtel The Oscars and your choices for them. Have you seen any of the movies this year? I have seen most of these. Okay.

 

Symone Are there some still going that I need to do? I’m definitely gonna have to go see Hamnet. I have to, I feel like it’s the sensation.

 

Louis Virtel You wanna weep at something, don’t you?

 

Symone I wanna weep at something and something that’s like I’m meant to weep out. So yes, please

 

Louis Virtel Alright, so let’s start up top. What is your best picture choice?

 

Symone Oh from I have to do from what I’ve seen. Yeah, go right not from what i’ve heard. I really like begonia. Oh, yeah thinners shit Shit, it’s oh shit. Okay I’m, um, tell us what’s going through your head. I see because I love both of them. Yeah. I love them begonia I feel like If they don’t get awards, they should make an award. Okay, because I feel everyone in that film was phenomenal the monologs alone. I don’t know, if you haven’t seen it, I’m so sorry it’s been out for a minute. How she got that man to kill his own mother. Like, come on. Like, and I believed her. By the end, I was like, no, these people are crazy. They are actually crazy. I can’t spoil it. Anyways, I, great film. Sinners, just the storytelling of that. Obviously, I am connected to that film. The acting, Michael B. Jordan playing two characters. Hot in two different ways hot in two different ways and they were two different characters. Let us not don’t play the game He did two different Characters and just that story in them and the symbolism of that movie. I can’t that’s hard Oh what you can pick. Oh Jesus Christ. All right for my final thought I’m going to go with sinners

 

Louis Virtel Alright, let’s look at the acting categories. What do you think for best actress?

 

Symone Actress, okay, because I seen this movie and I haven’t seen Hamnet yet, now I gotta go see Hamnet. Now I gotta, when I come back, I’ll tell you about it. By the way, Emma Stone and Bergogne as a-

 

Louis Virtel is a perfectly qualified choice.

 

Symone Yeah, okay, Emma Stone is a quote. I have to give it to her. Yeah, I have two

 

Louis Virtel Safe bet. She’s never, she’s never bad. She has been fabulous in every movie.

 

Symone Alright, best actor, we have Timothee, Leonardo, Ethan, Michael B. Jordan, and Wagner? Mm-hmm, that’s correct. Really? Oh, wow, I’m abroad. Um, let’s see, um, oh the boy, Michael B Jordan.

 

Louis Virtel Okay, very good. That’s not hard for me. Michael B. Also, if he won, I mean, like, we rarely get the dual performance win, so that’d be really cool. Yeah, that would be really fucking cool. What’s next? Okay, let’s see. Best supporting actor and supporting actress.

 

Symone Actor, best supporting actor, um, Stellan won the Golden Globe-

 

Louis Virtel That’s right.

 

Symone But I love Jacob Elordi.

 

Louis Virtel I you know what another performance where if it won it would be pretty rad Yeah, it’s just it’s it’s so not what he typically does. They’d be almost strange to give Jacob Elordi on this eve of Withering Heights.

 

Symone Yeah. Which are you not excited for that? I cannot wait to see it. Did you read the book in high school? I’m a human being on this earth. I love soaps. And so when I was reading that book, we had to read it for English class, can’t remember what grade. But I was like, I’m reading a soap opera. This is my shit. And so it was like one of the few books that I really, really enjoyed. So I’m very excited for it. But yes, this is before Wutherings Heights. So he also has a chance to get nominated for that, which I feel he could happen. Handsome man. Um, okay, simply because I’ve seen those and I haven’t seen, is it emotional support?

 

Louis Virtel Uh, uh, uh. Sentinel value. Sentinel value! Good guess.

 

Symone I was on there, girl! I was the line, girl, I was slow! Title. I feel like that was title too. I’ve seen the other films so I’m gonna go with Delroy.

 

Louis Virtel Okay, yes. And a long time coming, first nomination at 73, fabulous.

 

Symone That would be a lovely rounding. Okay, supporting actress, Woon Mi. I wanted to go to Woon Me. Okay, yeah. That’s what I’m gonna give it to. Not me over here giving these answers, honey. I am intrigued. Okay, Paul Thomas Anderson, Ryan Coogler. Oh, yep, sinners. I mean, come on. Josh Safdie. Yep, that’s Marty Supreme. Marty Supreme, Jochem Trier. Oh, yeah, he did sentimental value, AKA emotional support. Emotional support. And Chloe’s out. Yes. Hemnit. Okay, so Chloe’s won before. Yep, you got it. Ryan. Never nominated before. Never nominated. I think it would be the perfect ending to the story of how it was underestimated, how it was singularly kind of like, I don’t want to say attacked, but it was picked upon in an interesting way. And I also think just it being an original screenplay and the story of it and the symbolism behind everything that’s happening and how it like how, you know, it may not repeat what it rhymes. This is the history moment. I think we have Give it to Ryan.

 

Louis Virtel I think that’s a great end.

 

Symone I think we have to give it a try and I think as people who you know say they celebrate black history you know right in this great thing for you to do academy okay best casting which I’m casting okay I feel like that’s the one Sanders

 

Louis Virtel They will win

 

Symone Well, yeah, I think it’s gonna be one battle after another in between that and center. I would say that’s also sort of the Sinners had a diverse cast, you know, and everyone did their part lovely. Okay, I’m gonna, just because I feel like it was a stronger story and it was stronger, it was acted stronger. To me, I am gonna go with Sinners.

 

Louis Virtel You have an amazing ballot. I think you made amazing choices. I think I did too. I get to ask you my favorite request. Okay. Please stuff my box.

 

Symone Oh my God! I’ll get this off your box!

 

Louis Virtel Yes

 

Symone I haven’t come to that in so long, and it’s our f-

 

Louis Virtel And it’s our first time. I know. And in front of all our friends. And in front of all our friends.

 

Symone And in all of our friends, thank you and you’re welcome. Oh my God, it’s happening, let me do it right now.

 

Louis Virtel Get in there!

 

Symone Ugh. God, it’s so warm.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, I knew you were coming

 

Symone Preheat!

 

Louis Virtel Okay, make sure to tell us what you think is going to win the Oscars, what you’re rooting for, what your voting for, and when we’re back, more Keep It.

 

Louis Virtel [AD].

 

Louis Virtel Keep it listeners, it’s Black History Month, and while Trump has decided to celebrate with racist posts, we’re taking a page out of Bad Bunny’s book and fighting hate with love, which we always do. Always. Specifically love for black films. So, Symone and I are going to discuss the black-led films that we’d like to enshrine as pieces of black history. Okay, so what’s your first movie you’d like to enshine?

 

Symone As my first nomination, I would like to give it to the color purple.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, please. You know what I’m saying? I mean, truly a film where even though there are a bunch of powerhouse performances, it’s rude to pick a favorite.

 

Symone They are all so good. It’s really good. We have Oprah, Whoopi Goldberg. Margaret Avery. Margaret Avey. Yes. Who plays who plays Mr. Oh, and then you’ve got Danny Glover. Danny Glove. I mean, come on. Stacked already. And then it was I mean coming from the book. Stunning film. Love it. And I also always think about this, two actually scenes of when she comes, she finally speaks up because this is very I was never in this harsh situation, but like just finally speaking up for herself. Having that courage as a black woman in the south that was married off and she gets she gets that knife and puts it on his Between his motherfucking fingers and let them have to ask you for anything. Have I ever asked you for any thing? That’s how I feel. Yeah, you know my knife That’s all I feel so I love that film and just it’s just like it’s a classic It’s like you grow up you’re black and you watch the color purple. That’s I will happen

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, well also it’s like Whoopi’s performance and Oprah’s performance are so touching and interesting and like they never did performances really like that again. You know, I mean Oprah-

 

Symone And it was Oprah’s first. Yeah, Oprah’s.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, Oprah’s first film, and Whoopi’s first. And Whoopis, yeah. That’s crazy. And Whoopee did all sorts of movies right after that from crazy comedies to interesting dramas, but still, the confidence she had to be in that starring role and belong in that movie when she, and it’s a Steven Spielberg movie. I mean, imagine. Imagine, at the time.

 

Symone Like imagine, I sometimes like to think like what would I’ve thought if I got to see it in theaters, you know, and really experience it at the time. And I was like I couldn’t have imagined like seeing such a powerful film at its time, you know? Like you have to give context to the when it happened, when it was coming out. So like seeing those two powerhouse women, first films and like acting in a way that’s like you would have thought they went to like school for it. Like you know that’s the real shit. Like these are actresses that we’re seeing.

 

Louis Virtel No, it’s weird that like Oprah was just being like a talk show host and then like wandered into this and it’s like and clear and I think the best performance should have won that year. My my girl Angelica Houston won that year. Ain’t nothing wrong with her. And I’m from her. We love it.

 

Symone We love Angelica.

 

Louis Virtel You know, but no, I mean, like Oprah is just like the wallop of that emotional arc in that movie because she’s so up at the beginning and then so down and then finds her way back to the middle. Yeah, like having

 

Symone I think right in the middle of like she found her, she was able to live with what happened to her and like still find joy in life. And I think that’s kind of like, kind of a little bit of lesson for now. You know, you gotta find the little things and like make life work for you and where you’re at. You know? And that was such a good testament to her character.

 

Louis Virtel And I want to give a shout out to Danielle Brooks in the remakes.

 

Symone Who was lovely and fabulous. Oh my god. Yeah. Sensational. I think she was the best. I mean, Fantasia was absolutely amazing, but I loved her rendition of Sofia. Oh, she’s fabulous. Fabulous. What’s your next one? I think this is a fun one for me, but we have to give it to Norbit. And I know that it’s a controversial. We have to. Yeah. Because listen, let me tell you something that is a funny fucking film. Okay, and I know it’s controversial to some people and that’s okay That’s why it’s in here because you have to talk about it I know It’s a little it was a fat phobic and we’re making fun of all the things I get it But on it’s merits and on its face. That is a bunny fucking movie. Can we talk about the duality of Symone?

 

Louis Virtel The color purple, Norbert, as a diptych. That is you.

 

Symone Yeah, absolutely. That’s me. That is me. That is as a character, that’s me as a person. Literally, that is me, I can’t believe that. We summed it up, girls.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, and which famously came out the year that he was in Dreamgirls and people worried that it sabotaged his Oscar chances or whatever.

 

Symone Which is so sad because if it’s such a brilliant film in my opinion and I think as black people Watching that film. I always am like I know someone in that film I can relate to someone in that film or like I Know someone who can relate someone in a film and it’s just it’s just a funny Funny movie. The writing is good. The absurdity is absurd. Like, Rasputia, I mean, come on. Like, him playing that character and bringing that character to life, like, we know everyone knows who that is, girl. We all know her, or we know someone like her. So, like, I just think it is a great film that should be acknowledged more.

 

Louis Virtel I will add to this pantheon by saying, waiting to exhale, I love sort of picking a different character to root for or be on the team with every single, I mean, honestly, it’s like Sex and the City. I choose to be this person this time. I choose this person to, ooh, I’m gonna go with, oh, Angela Bass.

 

Symone Yeah, you’re Angela. Yeah, I think the pure power. Yeah and the anger. I love Layla Roshan in the movie, though Yeah, yeah, I’d think I’m Whitney. Yeah. I think I mean, yeah

 

Louis Virtel But also it must be said in general when like people late into their singing career or a few years into the singing career Decide to do acting it can almost feel obligatory. Yeah, but such a singular fun I mean because she was so funny anyway Yeah, and then and then like as a person she had such rich vulnerability too You know i’m just saying like they don’t always make it. They don’t i’m gonna say like aliya You were talented, but just not like that Yes, well the makeup artist went off not the makeup artists

 

Symone She had a little something to do with that. You know, she came in, she came into the little, what is it, the bar, she did this with her hand. They came up, you know, that was, that’s acting. Shout out to Akasha, yes. Shout out. Rest up, Akasha. No, I agree. I agree, like, I think, first of all, lovely character. And I think she was acting in that moment, you know, sometimes, to add on to your point that sometimes musicians go into acting and they are themselves. Not my name, I’m not my name. But you know who they are. But I feel like she was that character. Yeah. And I believed her in like that vulnerability of like wanting a man, but also loving yourself and like loving your job and like not settling and like… Having that issue with your parents who like just don’t want you to be alone, you know? Precisely. Rather be alone than not, than be with someone that’s dogging you, you know?

 

Louis Virtel And by the way, we should have gotten way more of Director Forrest Whitaker. We should have! Bizarre. Bizarro. Shout out to that honorable mention. Very good point. What’s next on your list? Oh, I feel like we’re going to match on one of these. I have a name in my head and I want to see if it comes out.

 

Symone I want to we have to my waiting to excel is on mine, but um

 

Louis Virtel I thought you were about to say the word I was expecting, mahogany.

 

Symone Oh, come on! Mahogany! Which we have to give it out to this lovely fact that she designed all of those costumes that she wears in that. Which I feel like people don’t know that, and if you don’t now you do. By the way…

 

Louis Virtel By the way, also just a lesson that any movie, any movie can have a fashion show in it. Just like start it.

 

Symone Give us the montage, we want the looks. Yeah, right. Us as gay people and people who love black women, we want to look.

 

Louis Virtel We’ll get back to the story in a second. Yeah, in a moment. But what’s going on dresses? Yes.

 

Symone Do you know where you’re going to? Do you like the thing that life is so good for? You know what I’m saying? Like you go, like that, you know what i’m saying. I live. I love it. But it’s such a fabulous film and I love the story of like the woman coming. She was always wanted to be a designer. She fulfilled her dream. She went crazy. What is it? What she does? What does she do in the mirror with the lipstick? She looks at it and then she does

 

Louis Virtel Oh, yeah, right, yeah. You know? A big going crazy movie. Yeah. And also the white person who bedevils her in it is a total queen. Yeah, please. Anthony Perkins. Please, come on.

 

Symone Cuz I can’t even come out of you

 

Louis Virtel We can grow. Can we, he just-

 

Symone You wanted to hang out, you wanted the clothes. It’s fine. It’s fun. We’re here for you now. It is 2026. You got your girl.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, of course. Well, you know what’s interesting about that as a Best Actress win is that it’s one of these movies that has like three characters and she’s like kind of lead, kind of not. Yeah. So, but she gets her big emotional wallop at the beginning of the movie, which is what’s surprising. You know?

 

Symone And usually, yeah, usually we build up to it, but it happened to her at the beginning and then we see her like in shambles. And then, you know, usually I don’t feel sorry for a racist white man, but they got me to do it. They got me to do.

 

Louis Virtel In this Black History Month, feel bad for the racist white people in movies.

 

Symone No, I didn’t say that. Take that out. Well, I mean, it’s a, especially now, I think, it is a good story that we need. It’s like, we all experience these things. And we all experienced grief, we experienced love, we experienced the spectrum of emotions, and we’re all one. So, like, nothing really separates us. And so, like them finding love with each other through grief is, you know… But it’s good. And also, like that speech, I’m one of those people that will watch acceptance speeches in bed. Symone, who do you think you’re talking to? I was just making sure I didn’t know we were strangers. I don’t know if we were still here. Please, no. And so, that one I go back to. Her just sobbing, weeping, and not being able to get it out. And like, her forcing them to give her her time. Yeah, right.

 

Louis Virtel And also, the maybe greatest Oscar dress ever, Elie Saab.

 

Symone She wore it. Did she not? Or did someone else wear it? Oh, that? Somebody else must have worn it. Yeah, she would never do that. I hope not. Silas, get it together. Throw us one more. Oh, God. Okay. Jesus. Don’t get mad at me. I had a list. I promise. Please. Let’s do a fun one. Cinderella. Brandy. Oh, of course. I’m Whitney again. With a little Bernadette in it. Bernadettes. Yes. As a stepmother, we have We have Whippy Goldberg as the queen.

 

Louis Virtel Victor Garber’s in it.

 

Symone Um, I’m missing, she died. Natalie. Natalie Tess. Yes. Beautiful cast. First of all, I did not know that Cinderella could be black until I saw that film. So that was very life-changing for me. I love the songs from that Rodgers& Hummers line too. The songs are so good. In my own little corner. In my little corner, my own old chair. Yes. Girl, I was, we did, we were doing a stream one time and I was uh, you know, they give you money to do things. I was it was not that kind of stream. I think you could have made it that way. I could have make it that kind of stream, but it was not. And I was like, if you give me some money, I’ll lip-sync for you. And I did that song, and I was sitting there singing this song, I said, wait a minute, am I Cinderella? It was like an aha moment. I was just like, oh, I’m Cinderella. I’m on the corner of my own little chair. I can be whoever I want to be. That was me at 16, bitch. That’s me. But then when she got in the carriage, that’s me now. When she got the crown, finally, that was me now.” But no, I love that song and Impossible, come on.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, please. Oh, and of course the rehearsal footage of her with Brandy. With Brandy and they’re doing it together. Why are you down here?

 

Symone That’s me and Grant shout out to you, my drag mom, anytime, I’m like, that’s us, girl. I’m Brandy, he’s Whitney.

 

Louis Virtel Really, why was Whitney that funny? Why?

 

Symone Why? Because listen, when you are our national treasure like that and you come from New Jersey and you have, and you’ve come from Cece, you know, you’ve got to have a little something in you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And she comes from the church. You know, black women in the church, honey. We all know who you is, girl, there’s always, you’re always funny. And Dionne Warwick. Oh yeah. Her. Yeah, still to this day. Yeah.

 

Louis Virtel And on Twitter, don’t ever get off Twitter. I’m going to say, no, if you get on Twitter Dion may find you. Just know that.

 

Symone Yeah, actually, she may find you. Oh my God. All right, one more for the road? One more. Oh God. Okay, I’m gonna do three. I’m doing fast. Oh, let’s do it. Okay, Deliver Us from Eva, Honorable mention for Gabrielle Union, who I think that’s a movie that we don’t talk about enough in my personal opinion.

 

Louis Virtel She’s great at everything and also every interview she does she’s sensational including here on

 

Symone Including here on Keep It, too. Yes. Oh! Hey, girl! I want to meet you again. Set it off. Oh, of course. Come on. The whole cast. The whole casts, everyone. No notes. Cleo, specifically Cleo’s dying scene. Amazing. And we see Jada Pickett’s character looking at her dying and having to stay in the van and let it go because somebody got to spend the money, girl. Okay? We can do all that and everybody go spend the money. We got to go to Mexico and spend money. Love that film. And… Two more, sorry, The Wiz and Baby Boy.

 

Louis Virtel Well, let’s talk about the whiz for a second. He’s on Down the Road, a fabulous performance. I want to say about the Whiz, though. That subway scene is scary. It’s spooky. First of all, a garbage can moving on its own already is scary, let alone hobbling at you like that.

 

Symone Yeah, and those fucking pillars moving around like that and it’s oh, I’m guessing it’s supposed to be New York or they’re yeah So, you know, it’s already spooky down there. Yeah, okay, and they try to get me go down there when I’m in New York I’m like girl. You don’t want to the cab. Yeah Okay, you don’t okay fine

 

Louis Virtel The kids don’t know Nipsey Russell either. We used to have entertainers who were like this.

 

Symone Hahaha! Jazz hand.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah.

 

Symone Bring that back! Just bring back the jazz hand, you know, very fair. So that and I love the, um, the, uh, Home. Oh, of course. I think that song, that’s like one of my go-to’s when I lip-sync, I just don’t know what to do. And I just feel like being emotional and making everyone cry. I do Home.

 

Louis Virtel Also, there are so many fantastic versions of that. Whitney Houston, when she debuted on the Merv Griffin show, saying home. And the mother went back, she said, y’all going too slow, let’s speed this up. And then further, I love the In the Wiz Live, that actress, Shanice Williams, I believe her name was, she was great. And then of course, Stephanie Mills, who did the original version, yes. Who did the original version, yes.

 

Symone Oh, have you ever heard Jazmine Sullivan sing it? Yes, yes! Come on. And she’s such a bad singer, it’s crazy that it was good. It’s insane that she was so good at doing it, it was crazy. And wow, she was young when she was doing that. Like, should not have had that kind of knowledge of know how to sing that song like that. Right, right.

 

Louis Virtel And now she’s adults and giving us hotels.

 

Symone But yes, that’s all of mine. Well, not all of them, but like…

 

Louis Virtel Those were fabulous choices.

 

Symone Thank you very much.

 

Louis Virtel Great starting block for this month.

 

Symone I thought I really turned my pussy on that.

 

Louis Virtel Yes, please. Please. What are your faves? Please offer them up to us when we are back. Monét X Change joins us.

 

Louis Virtel [AD].

 

Louis Virtel This week’s guest is the most fabulous faithful the Traders have ever seen. She’s a winner of Drag Race All-Stars. Again, it’s an all-winners episode here. A star in RuPaul’s upcoming film, Stop That Train, a stand-up comic set to hit the road on February 21st, and the host of the hilarious podcast, Monét Talks and Sibling Rivalry. Please welcome to keep it, the raddest Monét X Change.

 

Monét X Change Yay! This is so nice, thank you for having me! You have two winners and two stars! We’re both in the fifth!

 

Symone Those are two different things!

 

Monét X Change You can win Drag Race, but that does not make you a star!

 

Louis Virtel It’s a Venn diagram situation.

 

Monét X Change It is, it is.

 

Louis Virtel It’s not a both.

 

Monét X Change We’re in the middle

 

Louis Virtel For sure. Oh my God. Okay, well, first of all, I had to start with the traders who were just discussing this, Symone and I. Were you thrilled to be on it? Like, was it a dream show for you? Because a part of me, if I get cast on a show like that is, but then they can just fucking get rid of you. Unceremoniously.

 

Monét X Change So I love games like that, like strategy, like deception, all that shit. I love, sorry, all of that stuff. No, by all means, swear.

 

Symone You seem like you like to lie.

 

Monét X Change Just a little. Just a lil’ bit. I like bending the truth if I am doing a bit. Like, I love that stuff. I mean, my best friend is Bob. We literally, I learned to gaslight in our first six months of friendship. You know what I mean? To survive. To survive, I needed to. Absolutely. So going on Traders was a dream. I’ve been watching it since season one. I’ve watched all the seasons. You watched all of the iterations? All the iterations, all the UK seasons, all the American ones. I even watched Australia. Australia one was good. Australia one one was was good, then I watched the New Zealand one, which was awful. They were in like an Airbnb. Oh, they didn’t put him in a castle? No, it wasn’t a castle. It was like somebody’s house.

 

Symone They got no castle.

 

Monét X Change It was somebody’s house in the valley.

 

Symone They got a castles in New Zealand, girl.

 

Monét X Change I was like, what is this? I’m not watching. I watch one episode. I’m like, I’m watching this mess. New Zealand’s getting a little cocky. Yes. Yeah. You know? So I love traitors. I love it. But that’s the thing. When you are a faithful, you’re just completely left to the devices of the traitors, like they know all the information.

 

Symone And you know nothing.

 

Monét X Change Yeah, you know, nothing.

 

Symone I hate that.

 

Monét X Change It is so easy for the people to watch the show and be like, well, girl, obviously, I’m like, yeah, it’s obvious to you because you know who the traders are, like. You know what the camera wants you to know so it’s easier for ya’ll.

 

Symone So when you go in, you really have like zero inkling. They tell you nothing, it’s like they drop you in and say, hit it.

 

Monét X Change Girl, exactly, literally that. And I think what I love about that show so much is that production, they care so much about the integrity of the game. Like they are making sure everything is secret, like you know nothing, which like feeds this thing that you really feel like people are getting murdered. Oh, yeah. You really do. No, I mean people cry on the show all the time. I know because it gets so real so fast. Like you get to the first day, you’re like, oh my God, whatever, and by the time you’re at the first round table, that’s when it’s intense because you go into the first-round table, They play, uh, The Hanging Tree from, um…

 

Louis Virtel Oh, Hunger Games?

 

Monét X Change From Hunger Games. You’re kidding!

 

Louis Virtel Excuse me?

 

Monét X Change No! You get to the table and they play that because they want to get you in the mood. And then you do it in silence, you listen to that, and then it is to the discussion. And like…

 

Symone How long do you get for that usually?

 

Monét X Change So on camera it’s like 10, 12 minutes. Maybe in real time it’s about an hour. And it goes on and people are going at it. Like Tiffany’s management was so intense. It was… And like, because people were, everyone was going at her. And like when she made this plea, she was like, y’all, I’m doing this. I need this money. I’m here for my son. My son is going to college in the fall, and I need this money. But if y’all think I’m a traitor, then fucking send me home, then write my name down. It got so real, you’re like, God, do I write her name down now? Like, I don’t think, but we’ve all agreed to, and I don’t want to be the one outlier, because if I’m the one who didn’t, then I look like a traitor.

 

Symone And then you look like the traitor? Yes.

 

Monét X Change It’s like all these things constantly in your brain.

 

Symone When you’re at the roundtable and is it really like you go in with your thoughts, do you ever feel swayed? Do you ever like come out of it like, eh, maybe, maybe I will. Well, you do at the end you find out. But like, are you swayed ever?

 

Monét X Change Yeah, sometimes. I mean, for me, I didn’t get swayed. I was like, I was only there for four episodes.

 

Symone No, listen, you were there the whole time.

 

Monét X Change But before I was there, who I went in going to vote, I voted. Like, that first night, when we were all, like, the first round table, we all went in. The sentiment around the entire cast was, we’re going to go vote for Donna Kelsey. Donna Kelsey is the one we’re sending home today. We’re going be the first cast to ever get a trade on the first night. We’re like, we’re doing it. Then Ron came in, dropped the evidence about Portia. And then he flipped, like, everyone to Portia. And I was so mad, I was, because I knew, I don’t know what it was. How did you know? How did I know? I’m just saying, I didn’t know. I don’t think they showed us that really. Because I knew Portia was a faithful because after, no shade, I love Portia, but Portia is, you know, Portia thought the Underground Railroad was a real thing, okay?

 

Symone So many people said that online and I’m like I’m also as a housewife viewer. I was like she’s not the house I love you, Portia. I love Portia, but also same. Yeah

 

Monét X Change Yeah, Portia’s not this, like, masterful strategist that was coming through the cat, like… She’s here for looks. She’s there for looks, has to have a good time. So I just genuinely thought that she was faithful. I knew that. So when everyone was… So, like Ron made his case and I was like, okay, it’s convincing, but I don’t think people are gonna really turn. And then as the things got revealed, I was, like oh my God, he really convinced the whole table that this girl was a traitor. And she went and she stood in that circle and she said her thing with her big old juicy booty. And I was like, oh my God, me and Candice, we sat next to each other, afterwards we were like, I cannot believe. I was, I knew, I was I knew. And then that’s when Candice and I, I said to her, I said, Candice look. This was me and her, we were in the bar, no one else was in there. I was just like, I don’t know if you’re a faithful, I don’t know if your a traitor. You didn’t know if I’m a faithful, you didn’t if I was a traitor. She did because she was a trader. But I was like, let me tell you something. I was, like, I’m promising you right now, if I am a traitor, I will never say your name in a turret. If I’m faithful, I’ll never bring you up at the wrong table and I will defend you. Girls and gays doing what’s supposed to be done. Because I just feel you’re 100% faithful and I want to have this back with you. And cut to five episodes later, she told Lisa I said her name, but I think that was one of her fatal flaws in the game because as a traitor… You have to have fatefuls as allies too. Right, right. Which is which Rob R is in a good job of. He has like three- And that’s why I think he’s like.

 

Symone It’s giving like top three.

 

Monét X Change Girl, he has three people who are faithfuls who are loyal to him because he’s so like… And he knows it, bitch. Exactly. And he know it. He has Maura, he as Colton, it was gone out, Natalie, and someone else. But these people, they’re defending him outside, and he, you know what I mean? So he’s playing a really good dream. If you saw…

 

Louis Virtel If you saw, I think it’s UK too or something, this one trader, yes, he like, that’s how he wins. He keeps three people specifically who for reasons unbeknownst to us are obsessed with defending him. Yeah, I mean, well, we know why.

 

Symone Oh, you know what? I’m Defending Rob! I’m defending Rob, bitch!

 

Monét X Change It’s my last breath, I ain’t even in the game. No, I love Rob. Rob was so quiet. Like, Candice brings up a good point in this past episode. Like, for when I was there, Rob was really quiet, right? And like, at the very beginning, I was like, maybe this guy’s, because I know nothing about La Violina. I’ve never seen the show. Girl, you should watch it. So I know I heard it’s really good. And I was, like, I think this guy is the thing. So I was I would, like ask Maura, like Maura like, tell us about Rob. She’s like, I don’t know. I’m like, bitch, you’re the only one who knows anything about Rob? Like y’all are from the same thing like you don’t know anything and then cut to she was like I should have told you guys more about Rob but like you had more you think? Also you had the time. Like you had that time you know what I mean? But also Maura y’al, Maura went into that show, Maure had never seen an episode of Traders. What? She had no idea banishments were happening. She did not know murders were there. Maura knew nothing about the game. She said, I’m here for the fun. Girl, she was just like, I just want to show my looks, I would just want a wig. And the wigs. And the wig. She got the wig thing. Thank you, I can see so much. All these white people watching, people like. Wow, Maura is so good with her hair. How does she get all, I’m like, she’s wearing a wig. Maura came with a suit and a wig!

 

Symone Exactly! I was like, why have you-

 

Monét X Change People wake up with their wings!

 

Symone Ha ha ha!

 

Monét X Change Maury’s not cutting her hair and it’s growing ten feet in an overnight-

 

Louis Virtel Her, like, Rapunzel hair, yeah.

 

Symone Yeah, imagine. What are some things though? The chia, the chia pet, the chia pet, whatever they are. They ain’t going back every goddamn day.

 

Louis Virtel I just feel like the hard thing about that show is like you don’t you have no information to go off of when you’re Making these accusations but except I would be thinking like a producer like what would a producer pick to be the traders But you can’t talk about that on camera. I’m sure

 

Monét X Change I’m sure you can’t and also but like but like anybody you can be that and you can also be completely wrong because Yeah, I would think that it would have been a three women of one guy like I wouldn’t have thought to housewives exactly. I thought Rob exactly and they might do all guys Like you just never know and then you’d be like, oh, well, there’s definitely a like a woman here Like then that you could be right. So that’s why this game I’m like, it’s really hard to say I would have did this I should have done that because You’re going in a game with information you have and you have to trust people. You cannot play this game and not trust anyone. And I just made the mistake of trusting the wrong person.

 

Symone And especially at the beginning, you have absolutely nothing. So you have to go on the little crumbs that you have. And it’s kind of weird for you not to be in consensus because that puts you like, why aren’t you voting with everybody? So it’s the worst. It’s the fucking worst. It really is. And then to be wrong. And then you’re like, fuck. And then in your case, having the Donna pill and then the motherfuckers didn’t listen. I know. They got flipped. And then that’s why Ron went home. Exactly.

 

Monét X Change You know what I mean? So it’s just like all these little things, like the smaller decision can lead to big consequences to traders. But I think that’s what makes it fun.

 

Louis Virtel I think certain people who are unceremoniously eliminated like that though should get a call back. Like you should be on another season of Traitors.

 

Monét X Change Absolutely. When Alan Daines is so, I will appear in that cast again. Honestly, I want to come with more fashion. People are like, well, why did you only do drag the first time? I was like, girl, let me tell you something. I thought there was no time. There’s no time! And like, let’s say I got in drag for every episode. After we got back from the missions, I would have to redo my whole makeup, and that’s taken me from time to play the game. And like a lot of strategizing happens like right after the missions. People are like, okay, what’s the deal? And it happens really fast. So you have to… You have to be in it. You can’t be like going out because then that also…

 

Symone That kind of also would make you look little. Exactly!

 

Monét X Change You have to go do your make-up. Literally. But that, like, 100 percent, that’s how the game works. And we’re like, hmm, Symone drank her water really quickly. And I think that she was nervous. And I’m like, oh my God, I’m just thirsty. Please. I’m parched. Can I not be parched?

 

Louis Virtel My defense is I’m parched. Okay, so you were fabulous on traitors. I’m sorry to have seen you go. We have to talk about stand-up for a second. First of all, how long have you done stand- up?

 

Monét X Change Okay, so I’ve been doing stand-up professionally, calling myself a stand- up comedian for the past four years. But, so how it happened was four years ago, Comedy Dynamics, who was one of the biggest stand-ups producers in the world, they came to my management and they were like, we want four girls to do these specials. They’re gonna pay for them, whatever. And so my agent came to me, he was like, I think you should do it. I was like… I don’t do stand-up though. He’s like, what do you do? I’m like, I don’t He’s, like, I’ve seen your shows in New York before you’re on Drag Race. I’ve see you like host these shows. I was like, you’re doing stand- up, we’re just not calling it that. And I was, like I don’t know. So he was like do me a favor. Just sit down, give yourself some time, write some material and let’s see where you get. So I sat down, I took like a week off of work. I just like worked on like writing material, writing jokes, whatever it was. And then I did a show at Debray Improv. He came out, he was, you see, I told you, you do the stand-ups. And I’m was like. AH! I got-

 

Louis Virtel Was that weird to realize? Were you like, okay, I guess I am. I mean, yeah, I I mean, yeah.

 

Symone I guess it’s also because like that’s such a heavy thing. Like, you know, to say you’re a stand-up comedian and like stepping into that. So like realizing it is fun.

 

Monét X Change Yeah, it really was.

 

Symone Well bitch I am.

 

Monét X Change I was like okkkay, yeah, I am! And it’s over the past four. I mean, I love my first special what the mistake I made though Is that I like wrote the material like on a Friday and I recorded the recorded my special the next that’s fucking Which is not the way to do it Which is not the way you do a special, right? You work that material for like a year. Yeah. Two years and then you do it special. Change it up. Did you have to do it that way or? I had to do that way because it was so fast when it happened. But it was kind of like trial by fire. I did it. And then after I recorded a special I went and I did that material for like, a year, two years. And I was like, I should record a new special with that one material. But as you know, I burned it, it’s done. So now this new hour, High Heels, Bad Knees, I’ve been working this material for about two years and it is so. It’s freaking funny. I’m so proud of this material. People come to my shows. Because, you know, Dragon’s fans, they come and they… Yes, they’re coming to a show at the Comedy Club, but sometimes they don’t know what to expect. Like, they think they’re going to get… I don’t they’re gonna get some numbers or, you, know… They think it’s going to be Alyssa Edwards standing on stage talking about herself for an hour with the board of jokes. I was like, no! Read her! Read her. No, I love Alyssa. I love her. I do too. That’s my girl. I’m just… These bookers, and they come after the show, they’re like… Wow, that was like really funny. I’m like, what were you expecting?

 

Symone You thought I was gonna come up here and do it like… It’s almost like, did you expect me to fail? To fail? Like, what is that supposed to mean? It’s a backhand accomplice. It really is!

 

Monét X Change It really is. They’re like, you’re like a bona fide comedian. This was so good. When can we have you back? And I’m like, thank you. Like, that feels really nice to hear. So I feel really validated. Sometimes I do feel like, I didn’t go through, like, Mattelian is our stickler about doing it the right way. Like, going, working in New York, going to five comedy clubs in a night, and da-da-da, but you know, so, but I kind of did that. I worked as a drag queen in New york city for seven years. I was doing seven shows over five days. And it was typically my solo, all except for two, were solo shows where it was myself on stage for two hours entertaining three, sometimes three, gay people in the room, or 30, you know what I mean? So I did it just not in the traditional stand-up comedian. No, I think…

 

Louis Virtel Of it as overlapping with stand-up, which is what surprises me is that more drag queens don’t do just stand-ups sometimes.

 

Symone VDD. And also, like, New York is so set up for that. Yeah, it’s very bad. Because of how you have to do shows, that is kind of trouble. It really is. It is a trouble. It really it.

 

Monét X Change It really is. It really really is, like that’s what a lot of New York shows are. It’s a queen. Well, I don’t know what it is now. I know back in my day with like myself, Bob, Peppermint, Bianca, when we were, you know, in New York City, it was like they were all solo or sometimes duo shows. And you are on stage, you’re tasked with doing the show, keeping these people in the bar for two hours. And that’s what I did. At therapy, at industry, at hardware bar, like that’s the thing was. It’s not cabaret style, huh? Yeah, very cabaret-style. That’s what pretty much all the shows were I was drawing on.

 

Louis Virtel Are there any queens who don’t currently do stand up who you think should?

 

Monét X Change Boom. Send it to media. And also anyway.

 

Louis Virtel And also any ones who actually do stand up and you want them to stop. And you want them to stop.

 

Monét X Change Yeah, yeah. Bianca, it’s time. We’ve had it. She’s coming out with one too, so this is your time. She didn’t go towards it. Save some warning. No, Bianca is incredible. Bob is incredible, who? I don’t know. Who does? I don’t know who would, who’s like, I mean, Ginger Minge has a lot of stories to tell. She could be fun. I mean does she have stories? The stories.

 

Symone Wait, no, that’s my co-star. I was at a party over the weekend.

 

Louis Virtel I was at a party over the weekend where I overheard somebody saying, and I’m sure they were well-meaning, they’re like, I’ve started to write down the jokes I say in conversation and they want to turn it into stand-up. I’m like, not the same thing. Nope. Not the same. Not the thing. It’s so weird what people think translates into professional funny. Actual on stage.

 

Monét X Change As you know, it’s an art, it is a skill set that you have to like, it really is a language. It’s like a language you speak, really.

 

Symone It really is a language, it really is. And you have to cultivate it for yourself, you have figure out what style works for you, who your audience is, it is not, it scares me, honestly. Really? Oh my God, like when we did the roast on the thing, that was the scariest challenge for me. And over snatch game, like all of it. But killed? No. I left things, bitch! Oh yeah, that was you in your gold outfit. My hats are off always to the girls.

 

Monét X Change Yeah, and it’s fun, you know what I mean? And again, there have been times when I, and I think that’s, I love like jokes where I work on, I’m like, what’s this gonna kill? And in the room it goes. And like, but that’s fine. It’s such a weird feeling. It feels like it’s intuitive, like you’re about, you’re speaking to somebody and it gonna hit. Yeah.

 

Symone How have you navigated that?

 

Monét X Change When that happens, I just think of, like, in the moment, in the art, I think of a punch-off for it right there, or I make a joke about the joke bombing. You know what I mean? It’s just working. The thing is that a lot of these stand-up audiences, they are big fans of you and they’re there to support you. They love you. And if a joke isn’t as funny, you just move on, you acknowledge it, or you don’t, and just move onto the next joke…

 

Symone Do you have like a line in your head you’re like this is what I’m gonna say if the bomb jokes.

 

Monét X Change Ha ha ha ha!

 

Symone Haa

 

Monét X Change Yeah, so not off the cuff, but it just it comes to you in a moment. I don’t know. Your brain just does it you know.

 

Louis Virtel Um. Now, we have to talk about Stop That Train.

 

Symone Oooohhhh.

 

Monét X Change Woooo

 

Louis Virtel Okay, now I have a couple of friends in this movie, my friend Matt Rogers is in it. But Adam Shankman’s the director, great gay director and choreographer. Yeah, don’t forget. So you think you can dance Judge, by the way. Wait, Adam Shankmen, a judge on So You Think You Dance? Yes, it was him, Nigel Lithgow, and Mary Murphy, yeah. Oh wow, I didn’t know that.

 

Monét X Change Yeah, you know what I’m thinking about? I’m thinkin’ about America’s next best dance group.

 

Louis Virtel Oh Mario Lopez.

 

Monét X Change I was like, so Adam Shankman was next to Lil Mama judging people, judging like, oh, Naomi.

 

Symone The MTV one, oh my God.

 

Monét X Change I was, like, Adam Shankman was on there. I was just like, that doesn’t sound right. Lil Mama was good on that show. Yeah, she was, she good.

 

Symone That don’t sound right.

 

Louis Virtel Lil Mama was good on that show.

 

Monét X Change Yes, she was. She was good. She was, yeah.

 

Symone And her lipgloss was popping.

 

Louis Virtel It still is.

 

Symone And it still is, yeah, yeah.

 

Louis Virtel My favorite song because she rhymes lipglossing with Miss McLarson.

 

Symone Which only a real artist can do.

 

Louis Virtel That’s right. Dr. Seuss and Little Mama.

 

Symone Artistry, baby.

 

Monét X Change Poet Laureate Little mama.

 

Louis Virtel She’s also really good as Left Eye in that one movie.

 

Oh wait, she played Left Eye In a movie?

 

Louis Virtel Yeah.

 

Symone I did not know this either.

 

Louis Virtel It was the TV movie about TLC.

 

Symone Is it Lifetime?

 

Louis Virtel Ish.

 

Monét X Change Ish, we’re not even doing it yeah.

 

Louis Virtel VH1. Yeah. Something like that. What was it like making this movie? Because it feels, RuPaul’s like the president or something?

 

Yeah, President Gagwell.

 

Monét X Change President Gagwell. I mean, I was just a day player. I was there for a day. Symone was there.

 

Symone I was there for most of the shooting.

 

Monét X Change For most of shooting. And it was like, I mean… Well, the thing that gagged me the most was that Adeshekma was like you know what? You guys are playing real women.

 

Symone Real women.

 

Louis Virtel Help me.

 

Symone So makeup, very…

 

Monét X Change Girl.

 

Symone Very pulled back. No, we’re… We’re girls.

 

Monét X Change We’re girl, but you’re way more girl than me, honey. Symone is very soft and gorgeous and beautiful. I have a hard, sometimes canvas. And girl, they put that makeup on me and I was looked in the mirror, I said, oh my God. I’m my character. Girl. You’re not even, you’re not Monet, this is my character, Butch Queen, first time up in drag, honey, it’s giving 1980s, LaVegia, La Vagia. I look interesting in this makeup. When I see it on screen, I’m like, they need to throw some filters on that.

 

Symone There’s definitely putting filters.. Hello? Yeah. Ya’ll putting filters on mine.

 

Monét X Change They need to, because…

 

Symone But Rupaul’s in it so we’re just yeah yeah yeah

 

Monét X Change Yeah, yeah. The one scene I did, I’m like, RuPaul’s addressing, it’s like a White House press briefing. And which I love it. RuPaul does this on set, too. He comes out on set and he’s getting his mark to the podium. And he goes, the lightning here is on.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, he’s one of those people. Oh, Billy Eichner. Notorious. Is he like that?

 

Monét X Change Oh, yeah, Ru’s like, uh-uh, we need to fix the key light. And they’re like, Ru, he’s like… And we’ll leave. Yeah, he’ll leave! He’s like no, it’s not. He’s, like, do y’all motherfuckers need more money for the lights up in here? He’s saying, I’m paying for all this shit! One of my favorite RuPaul moments was the season 10 reunion. Okay. We are, this one we did it, we do it in the auditorium. Did them do reunions anymore? They don’t do them anymore, no.

 

Symone Anywhere now in the theaters the theaters yeah

 

Monét X Change And we’re all there in high horror drags. Season 10, Adria O’Hara, Monique Harmon, everyone was sitting there. And our chorus is in our looks. And we’ve been sitting there for like 10, 15 minutes. Then they invite Ru to set, Ru’s on set. And he sits down in the middle here and we’re all, you know, flying ducks, a flying V looking at RuPaul. And then, so they’re like fishing with the lions and doing a thing. And he’s like, are we gonna be ready anytime soon? They’re like, yeah, Ru, almost there. Last looks, last looks. And they’re going around like five minutes past. He goes… These fucking bitches are sitting here in their drag, in their corsets, in their high heels. Get these cameras rolling. Do not torture these girls. We need to go now. And in 1.2 seconds, cameras rolling and RuPaul’s doing his intro. Hello and welcome back to- Fuck yeah. Oh yeah. One more second. Oh, I love that. You know, back in my- Because it takes one person. It takes one percent. And back in like season 10, let me tell you something. We used to stand on stage and we used to be in our heels. And, cause on TV the judging is what, five minutes? In real time it’s about four minutes.

 

Symone It’s like 40 minutes per person. Yeah, it’s like-

 

Monét X Change Yeah, it’s like 40 minutes per girl. And you’re standing there, and that’s when I had an accident on stage. Oh, were you pee-pee yourself? Girl, it was the Design Challenge, episode four of season 10, when I was in that red thing, my first time I lip synced. And they were going down, I was the first one to get critiqued. They critiquing me, and I’m like, so I’m sad as hell. Because I know I’m in the bottom. They go to the next girl. And they get to, like, Ms. Cracker, who was, like the fourth person. So, right now, we’re at, what, an hour, almost two hours in. Yeah, we had to be at least two hours, yeah. And I was like, but y’all gotta pee. I was, okay. At that time, they didn’t let you… They didn’t… Oh my God. And I said, I have to pee. I don’t see it to myself. I was just like, you know what? You can hold him on it. You got this. You got it. So, they finish that girl to get to the final person. I think it was Aquaria. And I’m like, I don’t know where. You can’t. You can. So, in the middle of Aquaria’s critiques, I’m, like… Excuse me. Rupaul, I have to go to the bathroom now. And then I turn upstage and I’m shuffling and I just start peeing. No! We have a snail trail on the main stage going to my thing. And then, I run upstage, the VHS come help me, I take off my tides, change my tide to everything. I come back to set like 20 minutes later and Rupaull and Tisha Campbell-Martin stand up and they go…

 

Speaker 5 Oh my god.

 

Monét X Change Tisha Campbell’s a good audience. I know! I cannot believe I just pissed myself in front of Gina for Martin.

 

Louis Virtel I don’t tell you how to do your career if you had saved it for the lip-sync

 

Speaker 5 Every stunt’s been done except that one!

 

Symone They were like, yes, she peed!

 

Louis Virtel For the gag. She is here to live speed. Oh my God. That would have made the papers. I loved it. I’ve seen you in the Huffington Post. Monet, thank you so much for being here. This was just quick already. I know. I could do three hours of you. Oh my gosh. This was so fun. Thank you all for having me. Oh my god. And you were fabulous in the Traders. I’m sorry we didn’t get more of you, but we will get more of you on tour. Yeah.

 

Monét X Change Where are you headed? I’m headed to Spokane. I’m heading to Chicago. I’m going to Palm Springs and a lot of theater. Those are three different brands of lesbian. Yeah.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah

 

Monét X Change Popspring? Woo! Popsspring! Oh, death becomes her, okay. Beats out there, all over Seattle, Portland, every, just go to monacchian.com to get tickets. Oh my God. Oh, we will be there. Are you coming to LA, yes? Yes, I’m doing a show, yeah, yeah in LA. I will come see you. Yes, oh girl, please, I’ll get y’all tickets. Okay, yay, y’already here, didn’t you?

 

Louis Virtel It’s on the record. Save it. Thank you to Monet Exchange. The Traders is streaming now on Peacock and you can get tickets to High Heels, Bad Knees, Stand Up Tour at MonetExchange.com. We’ll be right back with more keeping. And we’re back with the sauciest part of the episode. It’s Keep It. Symone, I guess we’ll start with you. What are you saying Keep It to? And by the way, we’re having Monet with us because why wouldn’t we? Why wouldn’t he? Come on. They asked me to leave and I said no. That’s the real truth. The truth.

 

Symone It’s an Airbnb squatter situation. L-L-L, L-A-L. Whoa. That was a stroke. Did y’all see that? Did yall feel that? That was an audible stroke, girls. Wow. Anyways, I would like to say keep it to this fake outrage. Oh yes, fake outrage from this fabulous halftime show moment. Like, it’s a mess. You all know you had a great time. You enjoyed it. And if you didn’t enjoy it, there’s no more Cinco de Mayo for you. And also by the way

 

Louis Virtel And also, by the way, does that mean you enjoyed Kid Rock? Because I watched two seconds of that performance. And first of all, the Lip Sync track was off. Oh yeah. So Hillbilly Minnelli was already falling off. Not Hillbillie Minnellie, I love that. He was wearing skin-tight jean shorts like he just got back from Help Me A Picnic.

 

Monét X Change Yeah, yeah, at that at that turning point Gala, not a single chin was to be found. And it was at very event. Skin down here. By every picture. Right, right. Skin on the ground. Awful. Whereas the entire delegation of the Bad Wedding before wedding.

 

Symone Yes! Plop!

 

Monét X Change You’re cute together, honey. Custom outfit.

 

Louis Virtel I’m moving stats, stats!

 

Symone That’s the ass-shaking honey

 

Louis Virtel No, the girls were doing deadlifts on stage. Absolutely. God, I mean, come on.

 

Symone You can tell us to have fun, it’s way too big, get into the dance.

 

Louis Virtel No, I mean again, you’re right. There’s nothing to object to. There’s something to object too, darling. Like pretending like the Spanish language was somehow an onslaught to your being. It’s like, it makes no sense. It makes no sense.

 

Symone It makes absolutely no sense, you watch it, you hear more of that down the street than you did in that 15 minutes. Hello, please. You’re fine.

 

Louis Virtel Uh… Mona

 

Monét X Change Hey, what is rankling you? Keep it for the ridiculously gory scenes from The Pit. I am watching The Pit… We already described the dick from a couple weeks ago. Oh my god, yeah, draining the blood out of the dick. It’s just too much. Sometimes I feel like the punishment does not match the crime.

 

Symone Wait, hold on! Penis dick!

 

Monét X Change Please. Yes. Somebody walked in taking a little too much Trimax, you know what I mean?

 

Symone Isn’t that the answer? The injectable, uh-huh. The injectible to.

 

Monét X Change The port of IR-

 

Louis Virtel special

 

Symone That sounds gay that sounds gay. Yeah, that sounds good. I have to drain the penis of blood and by the way

 

Louis Virtel And by the way, you won’t believe how much draining occurs. Really? It was like bucket? It was red soup. Yeah. Oh my god. It was Nosferatu’s cauldron. I’m scared of…

 

Speaker 5 I’m not.

 

Monét X Change Yeah, so, yeah, I always feel like the punishment that does not match a crime, because someone will, like, walk in with, like a paper cut, and then there’s a hacksaw. They’re like slicing them open. I’m like, it’s a paper, a Band-Aid, would’ve worked. Would’ve worked? Like, what are we doing here? I changed all what a Band Aid would do. Yeah, and I’m, like sometimes, and you just, and do not, do not dare try to eat a meal and wash the pit, because you’ll be wearing your meal afterwards. All right, it is too much, so I just watch it with like this all the time. Is this some experience? Is this your experience? You got an RB sandwich in there? No, that’s Andy’s. Andy did that shit, girl. Andy, Andy, excuse me. So I watch it like this. I love it. But the scenes tick me out sometimes.

 

Louis Virtel No, I feel like there’s gonna be a whole Kalshi betting bracket about what bodily fluids will appear in any given episode because it’s always a collage Yeah, you never know and it’s like fucking vile

 

Symone I tried watching it. I’m not good with the medical drama. The drama is good. It’s so good though. Is it? Yeah, it’s good. And it all happens over a day? One shift. One shift

 

Louis Virtel It’s surprisingly not soapy, which I really appreciate. It’s not soap-y.

 

Symone I mean, even though I do like a soap, but I like them.

 

Louis Virtel But I like them kind of separate from the medical drama. Yes, I agree, I know. Yes, I agree.

 

Symone So it’s not too like who loves her and da-da-da? No. It’s not that at all.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, it’s not that at all. It’s about the work. It’s the drama. Yeah, about the drama, yeah. People being good at their jobs, which unfortunately, I love to say.

 

Symone It’s so scar- it’s so scarce in our media.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah. My keep it this week is to an age-old drama. So there’s a new documentary about Diane Warren the songwriter Okay, nominated for 25,000 Oscars and she’s written things like I don’t want to miss a thing by Aerosmith Nothing’s gonna stop us now if I could turn back time by share

 

Monét X Change Also, Bitch on Heels by The Vivienne.

 

Louis Virtel Okay? Yes. You wrote that. Oh my God. What should be her primary head?

 

Symone Come on, Monet. Come on now.

 

Louis Virtel I was revisiting a Grammy battle that happened once over the weekend, and I’m still upset, which is two people were nominated for having sang How Do I Live, which is a Diane Warren song. You know, LeAnn Rimes versus Trisha Yearwood. And we gave it to Trisha yearwood. That’s crazy. Excuse me. That is crazy. I mean, this sounds so basic, but her vibe singing this song is you got my Starbucks order wrong. Whereas LeAnn rhymes at 14 years old, fresh off Star Search. Yeah. She’s like, I’m gonna sing this like a sexy adult, and it was an amazing record. I think it’s one of the most replayable, best records in Diane Warren’s catalog. Anyway, and then I looked into it. The year before, Lee Ann Rimes had beaten Trisha Yearwood. They just didn’t want to give it to a kid twice. Kids are the future. Kids are in the future! Teach them well and let them lead the way! I’m upset! But this woman has, this documentary, by the way, is really good. And she. Is constantly nominated for Oscars, nominated for an Oscar again, for a song from her own documentary, which is like fabulous, fabulous. It was so wild. Work, honey. But she did so many of my favorite songs. I Get Weak by Belinda Carlisle. She did Blame It on the Rain by Millie Vanille. Oh. The original.

 

Monét X Change Some people really have the sauce, like, like her, Max Martin, like they know how to like make hits. I’m like, they have us, they know the secret.

 

Symone No, no, no Something is a David

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, he just he was worked on every single thing literally

 

Symone Everyone.

 

Louis Virtel It’s like Ang Lee, you just make every kind of movie for everybody. It makes no sense, what’s wrong with you?

 

Monét X Change Well, if any of y’all write songs for an almost middle-aged drag queen…

 

Louis Virtel Hit me up, girl.

 

Monét X Change Hit her up, MondayXGames.

 

Louis Virtel Wait, who’s the best vocalist in the history of Drag Race? Ooh. Best vocalist?

 

Monét X Change I’m gonna say.

 

Louis Virtel Like Jan. Oh, maybe Jan. Jan is a really good singer. Beautiful voice. I’m a big Madonna fan and Jan during the Madonna episode was also good. Yeah, she killed it. Yeah. Yeah, she killed it.

 

Symone Jenna’s a good singer. I think so, yeah. Because I’m sorry, my mind went to Courtney and Adore, but yeah, I forget, yeah, of course Adore.

 

Monét X Change Adore’s song, she had a song from I Adore You, and the video plays and it reverbs, right? Yes, it’s so good. Adore is a man, Adore, yes. She’s great. Well, that song’s been kind of.

 

Louis Virtel Well, that show has been kind of swept under the rug. I’m glad you brought that up. I had forgotten about that.

 

Symone I adore.

 

Louis Virtel Monet, Symone, thank you so much for being here. My god, I had a blast.

 

Symone Thank you for having me. This has been really fun. It was worth getting up at 5.30.

 

Monét X Change This was great. I had a blast.

 

Louis Virtel Any final thoughts on Bad Bunny? Didn’t get to hear yours.

 

Symone Oh, yes.

 

Monét X Change Hola papi. Um.

 

Symone Oh.

 

Monét X Change Papi Benito. Es la mujer more exchange. Te amo mucho. En felicitaciones. Adios Papi.

 

Symone Oh Oh, that was good.

 

Louis Virtel Your Spanish is not as good as mine or Lady Gaga’s, bye.

 

Monét X Change La mujer de Gagasita. She killed it,honey. Yes

 

Louis Virtel Thank you guys for being here, thank you to these fabulous people and we’ll see you next week on Keep It. Don’t forget to follow Crooked Media on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. You can also subscribe to Keep It on YouTube for access to full episodes and other exclusive content. And if you’re as opinionated as we are, consider dropping us a review. Keep It is a Crooked media production. Our producer is Bill McGrath. Our associate producer is Kennedy Hill. And our executive producers are Louis Virtel, Ira Madison III, and Kendra James. Our digital team is Delon Villanueva, Claudia Sheng, and Rachel Gaeski. This episode was recorded and mixed by Jerik Centeno. Thank you to David Toles, Kyle Seglin, and Charlotte Landes for production support every week. Our head of production is Matt DeGroot. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East.