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The X Change Rate: "All Stars" Season 5 Queens (Part 1)

In "The X Change Rate," award-winning drag queen, entertainer and TV personality Monét X Change brings her signature wit, heart and style to BUILD Series. In a special three-part episode, Monét was joined by the season five cast of "RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars." This part includes queens Mariah Balenciaga, Miz Cacker and Alexis Mateo.

Video transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING]

MONET X CHANGE: Hey, y'all, it's your girl, Monét, and you're watching a special edition of "The X Change Rate," where we're chatting with the cast of "All Stars 5." Hey, ladies. [GIGGLES] As we all know, our nation is going through a very tough time, right now. We by no means want to make light of this, so before we start, I would like to have a moment of silence for protesters, organizers, and all those in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Yes let's jump right in with the cast of "All Stars 5." Ladies, how are y'all feeling today? Mariah?

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Amazing. Oh, refreshed. I had my morning mimosa, she's ready to go.

MONET X CHANGE: My morning mimosa. It is like 9 AM in LA, girl. Cracker?

MIZ CRACKER: Girl, it is so good to finally be able to talk about "All Stars" and to say that we have all done it and we are ready to get out there and show the world. But it's like, it's such a time of bitter sweetness because while we want to celebrate this, the entire world is shaking apart right now. And it just feels so conflicting.

MONET X CHANGE: Alexis, how is it for you, down in Florida?

ALEXIS MATEO: I'm in Vegas now.

MONET X CHANGE: Vegas?

ALEXIS MATEO: Yeah I'm in Vegas. Vegas has been a little bit calm but we are doing good. We're still here.

MONET X CHANGE: Yeah. So going into "All Stars 5," now. No tea. Like, the cast has been leaked on Twitter before literally a year, at this point.

ALEXIS MATEO: For 11 years, now.

MONET X CHANGE: 11 years, now. [LAUGHS] Before you actually got there, is there anyone that you were surprised by, or was the cast who you thought it was going to be?

MIZ CRACKER: I was most surprised to see India there.

MONET X CHANGE: Ah.

MIZ CRACKER: I was surprised to see India.

MONET X CHANGE: Yeah. Anybody else?

ALEXIS MATEO: I was surprised and excited to see Ongina back. I know she has been, always, a fan favorite, and the fans always ask for her, but she would never made it. So when she walked through the doors, I was like, oh shit, this girl is here.

[LAUGHTER]

MIZ CRACKER: I think we've been--

ALEXIS MATEO: It was very like, [INAUDIBLE].

MIZ CRACKER: I think we've been talking about that all day. Kind of like when Ongina came in, and her outfit jingle jangling, and all of that, it was just like, you're like, here comes, basically, just like the transformer of drag, just coming in like a machine. And it's like, as Alexis said, she's a fan favorite. You know she has this super power of charisma, and it just changed the whole feeling of the season. And she was the last one to walk in, so you're kind of like, OK, I know what's going on. And then she walks in, it's like, skirt! A whole different thing. Not skirt, body suit.

MONET X CHANGE: OK, this is our next question. In all honesty, whose entrance look were you most impressed by? Whose entrance look were you least impressed by?

MIZ CRACKER: Monét, you're so shady!

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Right?

[LAUGHTER]

Well, um-- I'll go-- I'll go first because y'all know a bitch is [INAUDIBLE]. I was-- I will have to start off with the least impressed look-- impressive look was Derrick Barry.

MONET X CHANGE: Girl.

ALEXIS MATEO: What?

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: I was a little underwhelmed. I was, OK. But she looked like she enjoyed her entrance look. As long as she enjoyed it--

ALEXIS MATEO: It was a production, girl.

MIZ CRACKER: OK, Mariah.

MONET X CHANGE: And most impressed, Mariah?

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Most impressed, Ongina takes the cake and the candles, bitch.

ALEXIS MATEO: Yes.

MONET X CHANGE: You were?

MIZ CRACKER: All right.

MONET X CHANGE: The cake and the candles.

ALEXIS MATEO: Same to me. I was very excited to see Ongina's look. It was my favorite. Oh my god, the least one has to be a tie between Mariah and Mayhem. [LAUGHS]

MONET X CHANGE: Oh, girls, internet lit Mayhem up about this body suit, girl.

ALEXIS MATEO: Oh, yes! I'm just fucking with Mariah. I like her super Power Ranger look.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: It was a nod to Booberella.

ALEXIS MATEO: Uh-huh.

MONET X CHANGE: Booberella. Yes.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: And that was the only challenge I won, and I was the team captain.

MONET X CHANGE: She's like, I'mma so bring Miss Booberella, today!

ALEXIS MATEO: Oh, no, the internet was letting Mayhem have it for the girl being on budget, and getting in a [INAUDIBLE] crime. There are hating on her. She's an all-star. She know how to handle her money.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Right.

MIZ CRACKER: She knows how to handle her rhinestones, girl.

ALEXIS MATEO: For real.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: But you know what the--

ALEXIS MATEO: You know she was at home saying, oh, if I put a gross of stones here, nobody's going to know [INAUDIBLE].

[LAUGHTER]

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: But you know what--

MONET X CHANGE: Absolutely!

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: But y'all know what? There's so many people who complain about Drag Race girls having money and being able to afford nice things. And it's just like, we're always telling them, no, you can still look fabulous on a frugal budget, and she did exactly that. And the girl's still [INAUDIBLE].

MONET X CHANGE: Yeah.

MIZ CRACKER: Fuck yeah.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: 'Cause no stay, it might've been an Amazon body suit, but the bitch still looks sick in it.

MONET X CHANGE: Yeah.

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

MIZ CRACKER: Absolutely.

ALEXIS MATEO: And she mastered it, too. It was good.

MONET X CHANGE: Cracker, who's your most impressed by, least impressed by?

MIZ CRACKER: The one that I was the least happy to see was India, because I really thought I was going to change the world with my mint. I was like, oh, here she goes, she's pastel, she has feathers. And then, India comes in, wearing the exact same color, looking like a pistachio cake. I said, OK, no thank you! But most impressed by was God damn Blair, in her bare legs, giving you nothing but a tailored coat and a smile. I was like, who is this woman walking into here? And yeah, I was really impressed by that. She accessorized and she wanted you to know, right away, she was not the little girl you used to know.

MONET X CHANGE: Yeah.

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

Say it again. Sorry.

ALEXIS MATEO: She didn't have time to dry her hair. It was wet, baby.

MIZ CRACKER: Yeah, fresh out the shower. Chapstick and Vaseline, that's all.

MONET X CHANGE: Is there any-- going into "All Stars--" because I know, as someone who's been there, you always feel like you have that one thing to prove. Is there anything that you feel like you need to prove in this "All Star" season, that you came in with that in mind.

MIZ CRACKER: That I like drag. You know? Because I feel like, in season 10, all I showed was that I was suffering. [LAUGHS] And I wanted to show people, like, yeah remember that time I did that transformation and had a really good time with Chester See and made Miz Cookie, like, I can do that feeling all the time. Maybe. We'll find out when this shit airs.

MONET X CHANGE: Word. Mariah?

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: I went to it more with not trying to prove anything to the fan base, but just exposing my-- not exposing myself--

ALEXIS MATEO: [LAUGHS]

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: --but just reintroducing myself to a newer audience. And also, what I wanted to prove was to myself, that I could relax and actually enjoy this experience more, and be in the moment. Season 3, I was so intense in competition mode, I didn't get a chance to actually enjoy it and relax. And this time, I wholeheartedly did.

MONET X CHANGE: Hmm. Alexis?

ALEXIS MATEO: I was so excited to be back in my own skin. For the longest, I have issues with my body image, period. And it took a chunk out of my happiness, for the longest. And going back to this time, on "All Stars," trying to just be myself and be healthy and be happy. It was just something that I really wanted to do for my own self. So going into the workroom that day, I was like, it does not matter what they said. You are beautiful, you are complete, and you are enough to win. So that was good for me.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: [INAUDIBLE] yeah?

MONET X CHANGE: Which actually brings me to a question for you, Alexis. So this is your third time back into the competition. What do you think is-- like, what were you lacking the first two times, that you're bringing in "All Stars 5?"

ALEXIS MATEO: I think when you go to "Drag Race," you are very complete. You think you are complete. And it's a competition, you know. Sometimes you can excel in something, and sometimes you don't. I don't think I was lacking in anything. I think my first time on "All Stars 1" was just a team effort, and trying to compromise with a team member is kind of difficult, because then, you're not in your element, anymore. So going back into now, the new season, is like, oh my god, finally, I get to be alone, and I get to show who I am, for real. So it's a very intimidating moment, but it got to happen, for me. So I'm very excited about that.

MONET X CHANGE: And Mariah, you are a queen from an earlier season. You guys, you and Alexis, same season. Kind of the same thing to you, what is going to be-- like, are you are you intimidated by this younger, newer audience that "Drag Race" has curated.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Not intimidated. Just knowing that there's a different set of challenges. With the social media and the fan base, not just with our show but across the board, they equate talent and longevity with Instagram numbers and social media numbers. And this is a chance for me to just illustrate that just because you don't have the highest numbers, don't mean that you're not sickening, or you're not worthy to be on a stage, and that you can't turn the party out. Because bitch, I'mma prove otherwise.

MONET X CHANGE: Oh!

ALEXIS MATEO: Right. Me and Mariah started on "Drag Race" when it was MySpace you know.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Yes.

MONET X CHANGE: Dag! Oh, time out. Time out. For all of the children at home, MySpace was an older form of communication on social media. MySpace and Adam for Adam, girl. Yeah.

MIZ CRACKER: Yeah, it was an early form of Friendster, and uh--

ALEXIS MATEO: It was! I remember how excited we were to update our profile picture on MySpace, when I would--

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Your top eight friends.

ALEXIS MATEO: Yes! We'd move our top friends around, and put new music in there.

MIZ CRACKER: Oh my god, yes.

ALEXIS MATEO: It was like that. So yeah. Literally , like step by step, we literally walking into the social media era. And going back to "All Stars," right now, it's just like a big deal for us. Because normally, we're not as great on social media and the newest girls, you know. And this is going to be super exciting thing for me and Mariah, especially.

MONET X CHANGE: Yeah. So now, in the trailer they have announced this new twist. When they announced the new twist to y'all, were you shook, relieved, or were you bothered by the new rules in the twist?

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: I must say, Ru did get a big eye-roll from me. I was just like, OK. 'Cause you know, going on "All Stars," you do your homework. You go and study "All Stars 1" all the way to "All Stars 4," and you try to anticipate the trajectory of what Ru's going to do next. And so I was like, oh, bitch, I did all that homework for nothing.

ALEXIS MATEO: I was kind of relieved when I find out the whole Lip Sync Assassin situation. Going back to my Season 3, I was a Lip Sync Assassin. So I was like, this is what I do for a living every day, in every bar in the entire nation. So I can do this and just be good at it. So I was kind of relieved of it and I was just trying to figure out who the girls were.

MONET X CHANGE: Got it. Cracker?

MIZ CRACKER: Well, my big mistake was thinking that the twist was going to be a big deal. I thought that the assassins were going to be what I should be afraid of, but what I didn't know was that all the girls in this cast are emotions and drama and feelings, and we were gonna just eclipse that twist. The judges are like, here's a twist. We're like, oh, really? Here's five more twists, bitch.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Watch this.

MIZ CRACKER: So let's just say that the assassins were the least of our worries.

MONET X CHANGE: Well, you know, word on the street is that when you're in the top, they bring back the person that sent you home, for you to lip sync against. Can y'all confirm or deny any of those things?

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Is that what they're saying?

MIZ CRACKER: [ZIPPING SOUND]

MONET X CHANGE: Uh-huh!

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: I wouldn't know. I don't listen to the gossip rags.

ALEXIS MATEO: I do not do English, so we can move on, because I never understood that one.

MIZ CRACKER: The question.

MONET X CHANGE: Cracker, so going into "All Stars 5," what has changed with the way that you dealt with the pressures of Season 10, for "All Stars?"

MIZ CRACKER: I just learned to let go. Because in Season 10, I was so clenched and I thought that there was only one way to be. Perfect. And other than that, you were invisible. What I realized is that I am a steaming hot mess and that people-- [LAUGHS] people actually related to that, and that was OK. So I just let go of my expectations and just allowed myself to be myself.

And I think that's the big change. I don't think anyone's going to be screaming on the internet about any glow up, girl. The eyebrows are what they are at the end of the day. It's like those changes on the surface, where they're-- OK, she put 25 more cents into each outfit. But it's like, what really changed was on the inside. And I'm hoping that that's what matters, girl, because that's where I put all the investment.

MONET X CHANGE: Work. Work, work, work. Well, speaking of change, I think that we all know what the world is looking like, in the past two, three months. It has completely changed, especially in the past week. How do you think-- how is it going to affect the way that you behaved during the season, on social media? How does that translate to social media, this season, with posting looks and all that kind of stuff?

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Well, first, I'm not going to be doing a whole bunch of outfit photo shoots, by myself for myself, so I'll probably just put it up on a hanger. Because you know the girls, they'll do little photo shoots of outfits for each outfit. They might not get that. But my concentration is going to be pretty much celebrating "Drag Race" and celebrating drag, but also, putting more informative material that is relevant to like protests, and what we're all going through, and the fact that drag is a protest and it's a statement in itself, I think they go hand in hand. And I think I might use my platform to make sure that more materials get out there, so people can't keep having the excuse of they didn't know what's happening.

MONET X CHANGE: Got it. Right.

ALEXIS MATEO: And I think it's so important because at this time, we have become more than just a drag queen. I mean, with the whole COVID-19 situation, we have become directors, entertainment directors, and publicists and photographers and editors.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Set design.

ALEXIS MATEO: Literally. We have--

MONET X CHANGE: Lighting techs, grip handlers, audio engineers.

ALEXIS MATEO: For real, for real. Look at Mariah today.

[LAUGHTER]

But--

MIZ CRACKER: Wait, she's gone.

ALEXIS MATEO: Yeah, it has been very, very educational for us. Not everything has been negative in our moments, right now. And people go like, oh, Alexis, you didn't get to do a promo picture or a cast release or nothing, it didn't matter. It's more things important in the world, right now, to pay attention on. And I think that's what we're doing with our platform, right now.

MIZ CRACKER: Yeah, and you, Monét-- and Bob-- talk a lot about racism in the fandom. And I think if you look at this cast and the diversity of the cast, there is a huge opportunity to celebrate people of color, to celebrate black people, and to amplify black voices and to use this as an opportunity. Instead of thinking of "Drag Race" as a break, or something that's frivolous or silly, we can take this moment, celebrate black excellence, celebrate the diversity of the cast, and do something that's really, really good and activist out of it. And yeah, outfits are a lot of fun. But I mean, how many fishtail dresses do I need to post? I just think there's more stuff that we can do. And I actually think it's a beautiful thing, much more beautiful than a garment.

MONET X CHANGE: Yeah. I think that what it is, is that you guys are-- your season, obviously, and Seasons 12-- are going to live in the zeitgeist in a very specific way, because of the circumstances around your season. So I think that, yeah, you guys have this like really good amalgamation of something really devastating, something really dark, but also infusing it with the beauty-ness that is drag, to make this really amazing thing. Speaking of amazing things, in the trailer, we saw a lot of good looks. And we all know, from past seasons, that's the beginning of the end of it. Are there going to be more good looks than what we saw in the trailer?

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Miss Monét, did you even have to ask that question, bitch? You already know. First of all, all the girls, all the girls on our season of "All Stars 5" already have their own distinctive style but it's been elevated to the hundredth power.

MIZ CRACKER: Yes.

ALEXIS MATEO: Yes. And everybody's unique, and everybody's important. I mean, this has been a super fun, super fun adventure. I can't wait. I have been waiting for too long. Can we just do it now? This is crazy.

MONET X CHANGE: If you could Ru do any of your looks from the previous seasons, do you have one that you would? Or are you like, no, all of mine were dope. I don't need to redo nothing.

MIZ CRACKER: I would redo that hair swimsuit, because I swear to god, that concept has relevance, and she could make it happen. You watch me. I may not have the body I had in Season 10, girl, but I will give you a whole different body, darling. I'm here! I'm queer! Get used to it. Oh, yeah.

ALEXIS MATEO: I would do my cheesecake look. It was not cheesecake worthy, though, and I love dessert.

[LAUGHTER]

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: I would actually redo my Christmas queen, from the very first episode.

MONET X CHANGE: Oh!

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Yeah, I would redo that one. I would have wanted a better pant, and just had-- I would have shoved them bitches out of the way in the thrift store. I was being too nice, in the thrift store.

MONET X CHANGE: Wow, got you. Yeah. In the beginning you were like, let me not be a fucking stone-cold bitch. Let me just play nice. Uh-huh, I feel you.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Right.

ALEXIS MATEO: Mariah brought that in her suitcase. That's a lie. She did not [INAUDIBLE] to all of you. I saw her pull it out of her suitcase.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Oh, right. Yeah, I brought some.

MONET X CHANGE: Before we're done, I want to read a few fan questions for y'all. OK? This is @ageofMario. He says, knowing that there's no Miss Congeniality in "All Stars," who would you vote for, if there was one?

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Oh.

MONET X CHANGE: Cracker just [INAUDIBLE].

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Girl.

MONET X CHANGE: She's like, none of nobody.

MIZ CRACKER: I'm like, I don't see-- I like these girls, but that doesn't mean that they're nice.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: I vote for world peace.

ALEXIS MATEO: I vote for Ross.

MONET X CHANGE: Who?

MIZ CRACKER: Oh, Ross Matthews.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Ross Matthews.

ALEXIS MATEO: Yes, Ross is my boat.

MIZ CRACKER: Yeah, girl.

MONET X CHANGE: Damn! Y'all are not--

MIZ CRACKER: For Miss Congeniality. Yeah, girl. I don't think-- we are a lot of things, but we were not nice. OK. Season 12 said it was best friends raised well. That buck stops at Season 12.

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Yes. Miss Congeniality is not something the women in my family aspire to.

MIZ CRACKER: Yes!

[LAUGHTER]

MONET X CHANGE: Well, before we go, are there any last minute word anyone wants to say?

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Y'all better tune in and buckle up, because we're just about to get crazy.

ALEXIS MATEO: For real, honey.

MIZ CRACKER: Yeah, and-- go ahead.

ALEXIS MATEO: Yeah. We're so excited about it is, this was a super fun mix of individuals and we're going to celebrate our diversity of the culture, right now, in this Pride Month. So I'm so excited about being part just of "All Stars 5." So it's going to be super fun.

MIZ CRACKER: And we are trying to bring some beauty into the world, so that people have the charge and the positivity to wake up and do what they need to do, in the world. We are not doing this frivolously, just for entertainment. We are trying to give people the love that they need to get out there and change the world. So I hope that's what we end up doing.

MONET X CHANGE: Thank you so much, ladies. This is good. I have to tell you, y'all made me very excited about "All Stars," now. Because I've had enough of that Season 12 kumbaya shit. I want some good TV. Thank you ladies, so much.

ALEXIS MATEO: No kumbaya here.

MONET X CHANGE: And we're all looking forward to seeing y'all on our TVs.

ALEXIS MATEO: Yay!

MARIAH BALENCIAGA: Thank you, Monét.

MIZ CRACKER: Thank you, Monét.

MONET X CHANGE: And that was the cast of "All Stars 5." We're super excited for this season, and can't wait to see y'all bitches be shady. Until next time. Thank you.