Bob the Drag Queen talks The Traitors, Madonna & that time she hosted the 2025 Queerties Awards
As we countdown to the 2026 Queerties Awards, let's revisit our interview with 2025 Queerties Awards host Bob the Drag Queen.
Mark
“I don’t really know how to tone it down. That’s not really my vibe,” Bob the Drag Queen tells Queerty in an exclusive interview ahead of 13th Annual Queerties Award Show.
Whether he’s breaking the internet by flaunting his most fashionable ensembles on social media or providing Grade-A entertainment via his recent stint on The Traitors, it’s impossible not to love the Georgia native. Which is why we’re particularly excited to welcome him on stage as the host of the 2025 Queerties Awards on March 11 in Hollywood, California.
In addition to Bob as emcee, highlights of the night will include the Badass Award, honoring the year’s most influential LGBTQ+ newsmaker, and Coming Out for Good, celebrating those whose courageous coming-out stories made waves in mainstream culture.
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Among the evening’s honorees, Cole Escola will receive the prestigious Icon Award, while Marissa Bode will be recognized with the Groundbreaker Award.
Murray Hill will be celebrated as this year’s Trailblazer. And in honor of the 30th anniversary of My So-Called Life, A.J. Langer will present her former co-star from the iconic ’90s series, Wilson Cruz, with the Catalyst Award.
The night will also feature electrifying live performances by rising music stars Bentley Robles and Madison Rose.
As we wait in anticipation (or gleeful impatience!) for our favorite night of the year, we caught up with Bob to discuss next week’s Queerties Awards ceremony, plus The Traitors, Madonna, and his new book, and more. Check out what he had to say…
QUEERTY: We’re so excited that you’ll be hosting the Queerties on March 11 in Hollywood. As one of our favorite fashion icons, I gotta ask… What are you wearing?! Can we get the details on the fit?
BOB THE DRAG QUEEN: Well, you know, the truth is, I don’t know what I’m wearing yet. But I do know that I’m going to look fan-f*cking-tastic. That’s one thing I do know!
Since you’re big into fashion, are you drawing inspiration from any particular cultural moments or trends?
Culture has always been a big inspiration to me. Also, memes are a big part of my inspiration. What I’m going through at the moment can shape my fashion choices.
I have a team now. I don’t make my own clothes anymore—not that I was ever great at it, to be honest. But I always give notes to designers who are more skilled than I am, and they create something remarkable.
My team and I go over ideas, and we bring to life whatever inspires me at the moment. For example, when I was on We’re Here, I’d tell the designer, “Hey, this is my vision,” and they would turn it into a realized piece of art.
There are so many incredible nominees in this year’s Queerties Awards. We’ve got Megan Thee Stallion, Chappell Roan, Roxxxy Andrews, and more. Who are you personally cheering for and why?
Well, I’m always cheering for Megan Thee Stallion! She’s such an icon. She shows how to really meet adversity with grace, dignity, and a fat ass. The cream rises to the top for her, and I just love that.
I’m obviously a big fan of Chappell Roan. I think she’s just drag royalty, in my opinion. I’m rooting for Mikey Angelo. He’s had a really big year, and he’s a friend of mine. I have so many people that I’m rooting for, but I can’t play favorites— that would be horrible! Then, if my people win, they’re going to think I did something, like rigged the election.
Everyone’s been talking about your appearance on The Traitors. At one point, you and Boston Rob had an intense fallout that shocked viewers. Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?
In terms of the one with Boston Rob, no. I mean, he bested me for sure, kudos to him. He’s a prolific reality TV gamer, and my reality TV experience doesn’t really revolve around strategy as much as it revolves around talent.
There are talent-based or performance-based shows like American Idol, RuPaul’s Drag Race, and America’s Next Top Model. There are also strategy-based shows like Big Brother, Survivor, and The Traitors. This is my first time ever doing a strategy-based show, and I found out there that sometimes, being a big personality is a bad strategy.
I have such a big personality that I don’t really know how to tone it down. That’s not really my vibe.
As always, this season of The Traitors had a lot of twists and turns. What’s one move you saw another player make that made you side-eye them?
I’m thinking of when Crishell went up to Boston Rob and asked him to help her get rid of Nikki Garcia. That really gagged me because, why would you go to Boston Rob and ask him to help you get rid of your ally? That’s crazy!
Yeah, I see what you mean. And with contestants from different backgrounds—The Real Housewives, Survivor, Drag Race—how do their strategies differ?
Well, the Housewives have the numbers. There’s always a lot of Housewives in the show, and they are usually more unified because they don’t have any bad blood. For contestants from other shows like Survivor or Big Brother, all they see is their worst enemy. They see the person who stopped them from winning a million dollars. Meanwhile, with the Housewives, all you see is a girl who maybe threw a drink at you once, and you already made up. They tend to vote in a pack, which is why people always go after them because they are so unified, and you can’t have a Super PAC up in the The Traitors’ castle. So, I understand why someone would want to break up that group, which was one of my goals for sure.
Looking back, what was your favorite moment from the show?
I enjoyed every moment I had with Danielle Reyes. I want to say right now I’m a Danielle Reyes stan and I’m a Danielle Reyes apologist. I think she’s one of the most iconic people in the history of competition reality TV. She has literally changed the game for so many of us who do it after her. We stand on her shoulders. My favorite moment from the show was when I realized we were both traitors. In that moment, it was pure bliss and joy.
Your novel, “Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert,” comes out later this spring. It’s yet another thing you’re adding to your list of many accomplishments. Seriously, Bob, you are too talented for one person! So, what’s one thing that you’re terrible at?
Oh, I’m a horrible cook! I can’t cook for sh*t. You don’t want to eat my cooking. No one wants to eat my food. On top of that, I have a horrible palate. I don’t have good taste in food. So, even if you make good food, I usually can’t tell if it’s good or not because I eat garbage.
You joined Madonna on her Celebration Tour last year, and it was a lot of fun to see you on stage with her. She just announced that she’s working on new music and suggested it might be a sequel to her album 2005 Confessions on a Dance Floor, which is a fan favorite. What other Madonna album do you think deserves a sequel and why?
Oh my God! That would be the one, if I were going to pick a Madonna album to double up. But I would say Ray of Light part two could be really good, and also Music that came out when I was in high school. So this is when I really became aware of Madonna, around the time she kissed Britney Spears. That was my Madonna awakening.
If you had to choose a Mount Rushmore of artists, who would be on it?
Well, the truth is, my Mount Rushmore of artists would usually be mostly comedians. It would be Whoopi Goldberg, Sommore, Monique, and Carol Channing.
The 13th Queerties Awards will take place live in Hollywood on Tuesday, March 11. The show will be available to stream on Tuesday, March 18 beginning at 3pm PT on Wow Presents Plus
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