The drag-off to decide the draggest of the drag? Multimedia tournament Tranny Academy will test the mettle of London’s drag queens in everything from dancing and lip-synching to costume and make-up. Franco Milazzo gets the straight dope from producer and performer Dusty “O” on the upcoming Trannyshack spin-off.

“No-one has done anything like this.”


Does the world need another talent show?

This is not a talent show, strictly speaking. Tranny Academy is a filmed journey where the girls have tasks to complete. It gives them a platform to show what they can do in a fun way. I don’t watch any talent shows. I don’t find them interesting on the whole. This is a club night and a filmed show. It does not fit into any category.

How did you come up with the idea for Tranny Academy?

I wanted to do something fun that used the talents around me. No one has done anything like this: it’s filmed over two days, with one day being a mentored task and the next a club appearance at Trannyshack where one of the eight participants has to leave. It will be quite exciting and get pulses racing. We have some surprises planned to keep it interesting. Each week at the club, the crowd gets to see the task on the screen before the girls hit the stage. It’s going onto YouTube too, in the official Trannyshack channel.

What are you looking for in possible contestants for this Friday?

I have to find eight people who reflect a whole spectrum of drag and tranny performance to take part. We want interesting and talented people. Looks are unimportant. Of course, they have to be free for filming for eight weeks, so we need keen people who are in it to win.

What’s your role on the evening?

I am the judge. It is all down to me. The mentors will coach participants, but it is I who will make the decision onstage each Wednesday. I am generally liked or loathed, so Tranny Academy will no doubt feed my reputation as a cunt. I am not at all bothered about that, however. I will be fair. It is all filmed. If I am not fair, it is I who will look bad, so it’s in my interest to be 100 percent down the line.

How did you go about choosing mentors?

The mentors are all professionals who are at the top of their
game. People like Mitzi Mackintosh for lip synching, she is the best I have ever seen. Photographer Gozra Lozano will mentor make-up. I am not saying too much, as I want the announcement of the task and the mentor to be a surprise each week. We’ve put a lot of thought into keeping it fresh and funny. You will have to watch or come to Trannyshack.

Give us a sneak peek: can you describe at least one of the tasks?

Let us just say one of them will involve getting creative with an afro wig and two yards of fabric. Contestants will have an hour. It will be tight.

Is there a demand for drag queens on video?

We’ve had interest from the mainstream press, oddly enough. So you might just see it on a certain Morning TV show. People seem genuinely interested, as it is the first of its kind over here. We recently won a legal dispute regarding our name. That is all sorted now: we won with bells on. I
had kept the Tranny Academy brand fairly quiet, until I knew what was happening regarding the case. Now we’re ready to go.

Is Drag Race a change of direction for Trannyshack?

The club is eight years old now, and as strong as ever. When I started it, I gave it a month. How wrong was I? I want to mix the club and online experiences together. Tranny Academy is a great way to do that and highlight some fabulous characters.

Tranny Academy kicks off on Friday, July 6th. See www.madamejojos.com for details and tickets.