Orchestrating a Mess with Hillary Yaas

Photo by Blake Morrow

As a drag artist, Hillary Yaas wears many wigs. She’s a stand-up comedian, improviser, sketch performer, parody song artist, podcaster and show producer. But, to paraphrase a joke in her act, a modern queen just isn’t valid until she’s been on reality TV. Enter Camp Wannakiki, a competition designed for campy drag performers like Hillary. 

“As soon as I saw it, I knew it was for me,” says Hillary, who was attracted to the show based on its fun-loving approach and focus on unconventional performers.

“I think being a fierce queen is totally legitimate, like putting on the makeup and feeling your fantasy... But sometimes you put on the fantasy, and it's because you just wanted to be a goofball.” Besides, she notes, goofballery is a liberating space to play in. 

“[Camp performers are] not necessarily always confined by the fashion of the day,” she says. “So what if we don't have the Va-va-voom, hourglass shape? What else can we do? What else do we want to look like?... camp is such a large genre, you can take it many different ways”

In short, if there is a camp drag umbrella, it’s a comically large one. For Hillary Yaas, performing as a camp queen is about finding new and exciting ways to be an “orchestrated mess.” She talks about the bravery of failing on purpose, removing formalities and acknowledging what we tend to keep behind the curtain.

“I think being fierce is showing your excellence, which is amazing to be shooting for,” she says. “[But] can you be excellent at being bad? Can you be excellent at like, showing off your gut?”

But Hillary isn’t smashing expectations for its own sake. There’s a method to her messiness. After seeing her perform, Hillary hopes audience members walk away with two things:

1. Don’t take life so seriously. 
   “It’s so important. I’m not trying to bring people down. But just remember the fun, you know?”

2. Multiply the Positive.
   “Despite my incredible knocking people off their pedestals and being shady and being a drag queen who bullies people in the audience, I'm actually all about bringing love and light and happiness into the world. I want people to feel good about themselves. I use the sandwich approach. Whenever I insult someone, I’ll say ‘you look beautiful. That dress… but honestly I’m sure you got it on sale!’”

For those looking to experience the love, light, and light bullying in person, Hillary’s many shows in Toronto include weekly Camp Wannakiki viewing parties. Watch the show (with behind-the-scenes tidbits from Hillary) on Thursdays at C.C. 's Bar and Grill. “Which is this cute little bar on the east end. They’re very new, they opened in February, run by an amazing lesbian couple,” she says. “And I want to bring attention to C.C ’s. I want them to be successful. So it fits into my philosophy.”

Thursdays at C.C. ’s will also be a chance to highlight the local community who got Hillary ready for Camp Wannakiki, including the designers behind her looks and drag daughter Messy Margaret. You may even see the odd zoom call from one of Hillary’s fellow campers… but we’re not giving away any spoilers.

Camp Wannakiki Season Four streams Thursdays on OutTV.
Visit campwannakiki.com and hillaryyaas.com for more info.