As fans of drag and fans of a fabulous dinner party alike tune into Drag Me to Dinner, Hulu’s new tongue-in-cheek competition show from Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka premiering May 31, many will be paying tribute to the late drag legend Heklina. The famed San Francisco performer, who died on April 3, makes her final TV appearance on Drag Me to Dinner, competing alongside longtime friend Peaches Christ to throw the “best dinner party” and be awarded the Glorious Golden Grater by head judges Harris, Bianca Del Rio and Haneefah Wood.
Prior to Drag Me to Dinner‘s premiere, the show’s cast opened up to PopCulture.com about filming Heklina’s final episode. “All I remember is that day that we were cackling,” Del Rio remembered. “I mean, Heklina and I are problems. When we get together, nothing really gets accomplished … the thing with Heklina was we rehearse one thing, but whatever happened on stage was a completely another story. The same thing happened this particular day.”
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The RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6 winner recalled “laughing our asses off that day,” continuing, “She brought the fun, she brought the humor, and I’m so glad that the episode is being aired. She would love it, trust me, because it shows her sick, demented, rotted, hysterical self and I’m just glad that everybody gets to see it.” While “sadly,” Heklina won’t be able to see the response to her episode, Del Rio knows people who do tune in will think, “Alright, she was a good b-h and highly f-king entertaining.”
Drag Me to Dinner‘s host, famed New York City drag king Murray Hill, is also happy to be paying tribute to the “legend” Heklina was not only as a performer but as an activist. “The thing that is so beautiful about Heklina is she’s always championed everyone – every queen, king, non-binary [performer] – they’re always saying, ‘Oh, Heklina is the first person to book me in San Francisco…’ so she really is the matriarch,” Hill told PopCulture. “And I think this episode, we’re going to see her in her light and her funniness and also the icon that she is.”
Hill added, “What I really like about this show, especially coming from me who’s in an underrepresented category within the drag community and within society, is that this show specifically went out and honored the giants that we stand on today, and no show has done that before. … I think that’s great that we honor the history of drag and celebrate the new kids and then also celebrate the superstars. So it’s a very inclusive show within the community.”
Also competing in Drag Me to Dinner are Alaska, Alexis Mateo, Bebe Zahara Benet, BenDeLaCreme, Chelsea Piers, Darienne Lake, Detox, Gigi Goode, Ginger Minj, Heidi N Closet, Jaida Essence Hall, Jinkx Monsoon, Kiki Ball-Change, Kim Chi, Latrice Royale, Manila Luzon, Marti Gould Cummings, Mayhem Miller, Meatball, Merrie Cherry, Morgan McMichaels, Mrs. Kasha Davis, Naomi Smalls, Nina West, Peachez Iman Cummings, Pixie Aventura, Raja, Rhea Litré, Selma Nilla, Symone, Thorgy Thor, Trinity the Tuck, Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, and Willam. Drag Me to Dinner premieres May 31 on Hulu.
