Touring the country, Ginger Minj has her hands in everything, from stage performances, music projects, cooking, and even writing a book. She reminds us she can do anything and everything! And although she’s been busy making us laugh, cry, and everything in between, she still made time to answer some questions we’ve had since her RuPaul’s Drag Race days!
We know, we can’t believe we got to talk with her either!
Read our exclusive interview below to hear all about Ginger Minj’s time on the Golden Gals Live! Tour, her new book, ‘Southern Fried Sass,’ and what she’s been up to since RuPaul’s Drag Race!
You recently wrapped up your National Tour of Golden Gals, a parody of the iconic sitcom Golden Girls, so we have to ask. If you had the chance to replace a Golden Girl in any episode, what episode would it be, and who would you step in as?
Oh, that’s a hard question! I think selfishly I would want to replace Blanche in “Journey to the Center of Attention. She is so vulnerable, so sexy, and so incredibly funny in that episode! Her performance of ‘I Wanna’ Be Loved by You’ is iconic.
Just when we thought the Golden Girls couldn’t get any funnier, we have the Golden Gal’s interpretation of the show. What other sitcom do you think would work great as a parody, and what role could you envision for yourself?
Funny you should ask! Our company was founded because we wanted to take all of these iconic shows we grew up with and kind of look at them through a queer lens. You know, just to show how universal the stories actually are. We have done Gilligan‘z Island, The Munsterz, and I even won a Best Actress award for playing the title character in Rozeanne! We are toying with a few ideas for our next undertaking, with Dezinin’ Women and I Luv Lucy at the top of the list.
We’d love to hear some stories from being a part of this production! What were your favorite parts of performing with the Golden Gals? Any super re-memorable moments or stories that will stick with you from this role?
There’s really too many to count! When you have the opportunity to spend time with four of your best friends, doing what you love, it’s never not fun! My favorite part of any show that we do is making each other laugh onstage and seeing who the first to break character will be. Spoiler Alert: it’s usually Divine Grace!
We loved your debut country album, Double Wide Diva. Can fans expect new music any time soon?
Absolutely! Music just runs through my veins, particularly country music. I’ve always had the motto that if you can’t say it you should sing it! With everything going on in the world, I’ve got a lot of thoughts and feelings that are creating some really relatable music.
You collaborated with Brandon Stansell on ‘Sunshine State,’ can you tell us how that collab came about?
Brandon is like a brother to me! Our backgrounds are pretty similar, and not only do we share a love for country music and that whole world, we also share some kind of weird trauma from the things that we’ve gone through. We understand each other on such a deep level that it’s really easy to write together. He, Jeffrey James and I wrote the Double Wide Diva album together and it was one of the best experiences of my life!
Who would be your dream collaboration music-wise?
I’ve gotten to meet and work with Dolly Parton on a few filming projects, but we’ve never gotten the opportunity to sing together, which I think would be a real thrill! I love all of those amazing, strong women of country music: Reba, Martina, Wynonna, Trisha, Shania … the list goes on and on. Right now I’m obsessed with Yola and Mickey Guyton. I hope I get to sing with them all at some point!
Your cover of ‘I Put A Spell On You’ is perfect for getting into a spooky mood. We literally had it on repeat all of last fall. Do you have any more fun covers in the works you can tell us about? Or are you planning on doing any more holiday-themed ones this year?
Gidget and I consider ourselves to be the queens of Christmas! We have released a few Holiday singles over the past few years, and I’m sure this year will be no exception! We have been toying around with a few ideas, but I’m sure whatever we land on will be super fun. Being a part of Hocus Pocus 2 was absolutely incredible and I’m so glad I could honor that legacy with my own version of the song. Our music video, directed by my husband, has even won a handful of awards, which is pretty cool!
We’ve seen you excel in many styles of entertainment, from on-stage shows to reality television, movies, and even music! Is there a performance type or genre you have yet to try but would like to?
My motto has always been throw it up against the wall and see what sticks! I like to try everything just to kind of figure out what suits my talents. I even wrote a book that is coming out later this year that is part memoir, part cookbook, part tell-all. Everything in this book is juicy … from the chicken to the gossip! It’s called Southern Fried Sass and I’m hoping it’s going to help a lot of people laugh, cry, cook, and realize they are good enough.
We are huge theater enthusiasts, and you have quite the background of roles under your belt! If you had to pick one role to play for the rest of your life, which would it be and why?
100%, hands down, absolutely Albin/ZaZa in La Cage aux Folles. Not only is it a beautifully written show with some great songs, it’s even more timely today than it was 40 years ago!
Acting on stage and in front of an audience can be much different than acting on camera. What lesson has stayed with you from your theater background that you constantly use in all aspects of your career now?
As much as I enjoy film work, there’s nothing like stepping in front of a live crowd and having a shared experience of storytelling. There’s something so immediate and ephemeral about being on the stage. I’ve always felt that life is mostly about the experiences you share with other people.
Anything you’d like to add?
Sure! Follow me on social media, stream my music, come see us at Golden con, and pre-order my book now! Ha ha! Seriously, stay safe, and know that I love each and every one of you.
If you haven’t pre-ordered Ginger Minj’s book, what even are you doing? A memoir, cookbook, and a lil gossip, all wrapped in a beautiful book cover! We don’t think we need to purchase anything else from this year literary rise, this book has it all!
What Golden Girls episode do you think Ginger Minj would be perfect in? Did you learn anything about her that you’ve been dying to know? Let us know in the comments below if you’ve already pre-ordered your copy of Southern Fried Sass or send us a tweet @TheHoneyPOP! You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram.
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