“It was not the time for me to go,” says Megan Schoonbrood. “I can show the world more. A lot of the girls are more fashion, lip-syncing to Beyoncé and I’m a different kind of drag. This was not my time.” Although the entertainer is renowned in the Netherlands due to her numerous television appearances, 23 pageant wins and the “Dusty Tiara” honour for her continuous commitment towards the LGBTQ+ community, Megan was booted off Drag Race Holland this week in eighth place.
For their third maxi-challenge, the seven remaining contestants acted in a scene from the brand new series, Gooische Drags, before sashaying down the runway in their finest Miss Holland extravaganza. Sadly, Megan’s performance received harsh critiques from the judges, and her runway was singled out for being “too much”, leading to a showdown with Miss Abby OMG to Why Tell Me Why by Anita Meyer. “I was giving all my power, everything,” continues Megan.
“I felt the song inside me, and then Abby, she did all the death-drops. I was thinking, ‘You must show the world what you can do, and this is not a death-drop song!’ I don’t know what the judges were thinking. It was very strange lip-sync for me.” Shortly after her elimination, we spoke with Megan Schoonbrood about her time on the Dutch spin-off and her upcoming foray into fatherhood.
Hi Megan! How are you?
I’m fine. It’s been a heavy week for me, but I’m fine!
Why has it been a heavy week?
I have a lot of interviews, a lot of shows, people asking me a lot of questions… It never stops!
Three times in the bottom! I feel like the judges don’t know me, and that’s why they chose me.
How has it been, navigating this journey during a global pandemic?
Heavy! When you’re finished with Drag Race, then you go on stage and perform for a lot of people. Now, I do a lot of interviews online, with no people around me; sitting at home. It’s very strange! I perform in the south of the Netherlands in Belgium, and it’s like a campsite. Now, I’m a social media queen? It’s so different.
You were eliminated after lip-syncing against Miss Abby OMG. How did you feel after?
Strange. It was not the time for me to go, and it was a very hard week. It was very hot inside the building and I was a little bit tired. We did a lot in two days. When I was told this wasn’t my time, I thought, ‘Okay,’ but when I walked away I was thinking, ‘This is not my time!’ I can show the world more. A lot of the girls are more fashion, lip-syncing to Beyoncé and I’m a different kind of drag. This was not my time.
I agree. Last week, I thought you were the funniest in the challenge and you ended up in the bottom three. It seemed like the challenge wasn’t taken into consideration. I feel like the same thing happened this week. Were you surprised both times?
Yes. This week I thought, ‘I’m looking good. Okay, it’s too much – but that’s me!’ I love too much, jewels, and I love more flowers on my dress and everything. When Fred said I was in the bottom… I looked around me and thought, ‘One of these girls has a jacket with a cow face.’ It was nice, but not nice for Drag Race. The week before, I was melted ice cream. I made it myself and looked good! It was not for the bottom. Three times in the bottom! I feel like the judges don’t know me, and that’s why they chose me. That is me. I am the camp girl. I am the more funny girl. I’m not a fashion queen!
So you think Madame Madness should’ve been in the bottom this week?
Yes. Madame Madness and Abby. It was very strange for me, that Madness got through. My name over Madness? I don’t know what the judges were thinking. I know Abby, and she is very good, but at that point in the competition? You have flowers on and a white little jacket – it was not good. I thought, ‘Okay, Abby and Madness will lip-sync and Abby will win.’ But, it was me.
Well, you and Abby gave us a great lip-sync – what was going through your head at the time?
This number is a Dutch song and I love the girl who sings it, it’s my kind of song, it’s what I do in the Netherlands. I was giving all my power, everything. I felt the song inside me, and then Abby, she did all the death-drops and all the gym things. I was thinking, ‘You must show the world what you can do, and this is not a death-drop song!’ Abby did her tricks. I don’t know what the judges were thinking. It was very strange lip-sync for me.
It reminded me of Latrice Royale vs Kenya Michaels…
Yes, it was the same! Drag, I think, is when you give emotion from the song and you show the people what the song means. It’s not a death-drop.
Although you left this week, I feel like you showed the world exactly who you are in the challenge, the lip-sync and your outfit. It was “too much” like you said, but it was Megan.
[Laughs] Yes! I love it. I love “too much”. I’m a camp, theatre girl with lots of stuff on my outfits – but also classy. I’ve won 23 competitions with classic looks. Yeah, maybe it was too much. I will show everything on one dress!
It was very strange for me, that Madness got through. My name over Madness? I don’t know what the judges were thinking.
How did Drag Race compare to the world of pageants?
I did things that I will never do again in my life. Pageants, you show how beautiful and cute you are. You say something like, ‘Okay, I will change that in the world…’ but with this, I was in a water tank. It was so funny. It’s not about being pretty. It was very different to me. When you are in a competition in pageants, then I show my moves. I show my elegance. I give you more face and nice dresses. I am funny when I’m improvising, but with Drag Race, there’s not a lot of improvising. That is very difficult.
If you continued in the competition, what could we have expected from you?
I would’ve shown more of the pageant queen with glitter, feathers, jewels and big hair! I would’ve shown more of what I’m doing behind Drag Race, what I’m doing normally. Also, more of the funny stuff! The workout video, that is me! I was feeling that challenge. In the last episode, I wasn’t funny because it was too understated.
What do you think fans will learn about Holland through this spin-off?
We are very on point, on the top. We have very different kinds of girls, and we are very direct girls. What we’re thinking, we say.
I also wanted to say condragulations because you’re about to be a dad, right?
Thank you! Yes, in April. New chapter in my life. I’m practicing my English, and it’s a little bit better than before! I think that’s good for my child.
Will you show them Drag Race when they’re old enough?
[Laughs] Of course! I am proud to be a dad with a dress on. I do theatre, and it’s good for a child to know that everything is okay. I am proud of what I’m doing, and I will show him or her that.
Drag Race Holland continues weekly on Thursdays at 11pm on WOW Presents Plus, for more information visit WOW Presents Plus.
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