{"id":187414,"date":"2026-04-06T18:27:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T18:27:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/187414\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T18:27:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T18:27:11","slug":"juicy-love-dion-says-hispanic-queens-deserve-better-on-drag-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/187414\/","title":{"rendered":"Juicy Love Dion Says Hispanic Queens Deserve Better on \u2018Drag Race\u2019\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Juicy Love Dion made her entrance into\u00a0RuPaul’s Drag Race\u00a0season 18 as the party princess of Miami and Mykonos, and she lived up to every bit of that energy. The drag daughter of season 16’s Morphine Love Dion and drag granddaughter of fellow season 18 competitor Athena Dion, Juicy brought a ferocity to the competition that was impossible to ignore, particularly when the music started. She lip synced for her life more times than most queens ever want to, and she won more than most queens ever do, sending home competitor after competitor with a physicality and presence that even RuPaul couldn’t help but acknowledge.\u00a0She was eliminated just before next week\u2019s\u00a0Lip Sync Lalaparuza Smackdown, leaving the competition just shy of the finale\u00a0but yet fortunately for us, we get another opportunity to see her lip sync.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It starts low, goes high, then goes back low, then goes like high, and then goes low,” she\u00a0said about\u00a0her track record. “Big peaks and big valleys.” She also had plenty to say about the show’s treatment of Hispanic queens, asking why Carmen Miranda remains the extent of their cultural references. Juicy spoke with\u00a0Newsweek\u00a0about her journey, her throat chakra, why Hispanic queens deserve better and what she’s taking away from one of the most memorable runs of the season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The following transcript was condensed and lightly edited for publication.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

So\u00a0nice to meet you. You should be\u00a0very proud\u00a0of yourself. How are you feeling today?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nice to meet you as well. Thank you so much. As I do more of these interviews and face this inevitable public execution, I think\u00a0I’m\u00a0starting to feel a little better about it.\u00a0It’s\u00a0something that I\u00a0have to\u00a0walk through instead of\u00a0walk\u00a0away from. I walked out of that left side after this moment completely torn up and\u00a0broken\u00a0about it. And all these months later,\u00a0almost a\u00a0year later,\u00a0I’m\u00a0still not completely healed\u00a0from\u00a0it. I think the last part\u00a0I’m\u00a0missing is the closure of it all just coming out, the world seeing it. And after that,\u00a0it’s\u00a0time to let go.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You did\u00a0a great job. Stunning lip syncs, incredible. You found yourself battling in lip syncs throughout the season and really proved yourself as a lip sync artist. Even Ru acknowledged that you come alive in these dance numbers. How do you feel about your\u00a0track record\u00a0on Drag Race?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Listen, I knew what was destined for me. Even the judges, I feel like, knew what was destined for me. Michelle\u00a0[Visage]\u00a0looked me straight in the face in episode three when I won and said, “Juicy, I hate to say this, but I can’t wait to watch you lip sync.” I knew in that moment that as much as I want to run from it, I also\u00a0have to\u00a0face the fact that I am this\u00a0performer\u00a0and this is my biggest strength and it is something that I shine in. It\u00a0wasn’t\u00a0until Alyssa\u00a0[Edwards]\u00a0came into\u00a0Untucked\u00a0and told us that the lip syncs are what made her famous and what people remember her for forever, so\u00a0don’t\u00a0take it as something bad, take it as a moment to show what\u00a0you’re\u00a0good at. That really stuck with me. In terms of my\u00a0track record, I obviously wish it could be different.\u00a0It’s\u00a0a bit of a rainbow, a roller coaster. It starts low, goes high, then goes back low, then goes high, then goes low. Big peaks and big valleys. There were things I\u00a0wish\u00a0I could change. I\u00a0don’t\u00a0think the musical was necessarily my moment to be\u00a0in\u00a0the bottom, but it is what it is.\u00a0It’s\u00a0all a learning experience and I know what mistakes I made and what to improve on. It was\u00a0my\u00a0first roast ever in my life. Trust me, my second roast was much better.\u00a0<\/p>\n

One of the things I think is so brave about you being on\u00a0Drag Race\u00a0is that you openly talked in this past episode about how you struggle to sort of be the personality, because you are a performer who excels in the lip syncs. As someone who makes a living talking, I think it’s actually\u00a0brave\u00a0to step in and stand among the likes of a Jane\u00a0Don\u2019t\u00a0or\u00a0Myki Meeks, people who are really good on the mic. What did you learn about yourself and your personality over the course of\u00a0Drag Race?\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It’s\u00a0personality, but\u00a0it’s\u00a0also\u00a0experience. When I walked into that room and realized I was standing among girls with BFAs and queens who have been hosting for 14-plus years,\u00a0i.e.\u00a0Athena, I had to realize, okay, fake it till you make it.\u00a0That’s\u00a0one thing you learn as a dancer: if\u00a0I’m\u00a0not a hip-hop dancer,\u00a0I’m\u00a0going to fake that hip-hop until I look like one. I had to really step up to the plate and try to match these girls who have been on the microphone for years prior to me. I did have a Reiki healing once in 2022 in Mykonos, and the healer told me my throat chakra was blocked. I\u00a0didn’t\u00a0really pay attention\u00a0in\u00a0the moment, but years later\u00a0it’s\u00a0still coming up.\u00a0It’s\u00a0something I struggle with in communicating with anybody, even when\u00a0I’m\u00a0frustrated, when\u00a0I’m\u00a0angry.\u00a0That’s\u00a0something\u00a0I’m\u00a0just learning to deal with now. I guess that’s why dance has been such an escape for\u00a0me, because\u00a0you\u00a0don’t\u00a0need words. You just need your movement, to let it out and express, and\u00a0that’s\u00a0been my therapy, where my life and my love\u00a0has\u00a0landed. Even just walking out of those doors, I felt my voice coming to me\u00a0more and more.\u00a0I’m\u00a0finally facing it and realizing it. Unfortunately,\u00a0I’m\u00a0just a person who\u00a0has to\u00a0fall on their face to learn. I feel like I fell on my face and now\u00a0I’m\u00a0learning, so.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I\u00a0don’t\u00a0think you fell on your face. You made it\u00a0very far, literally\u00a0almost to\u00a0the very end, among massive personalities. You\u00a0stood\u00a0your ground, and that says a lot about your talent.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Thank you. I appreciate that.\u00a0I definitely have to be kinder in the way that I talk about myself.\u00a0But\u00a0you’re\u00a0right. This is something to really look back and be proud of, and to even just get that\u00a0far\u00a0and that close is an honor.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As an older homosexual, though, I have to say: your pop culture references are something you need to work on. That was the funniest part of this season, you not knowing things that every homosexual feels like they should know.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Okay, listen.\u00a0It’s\u00a0not my fault I\u00a0don’t\u00a0like\u00a0The Golden\u00a0Girls. I mean, I know their names now, I guess, I think.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I have a tattoo of the\u00a0Golden Girls\u00a0on me.\u00a0I’m\u00a0just saying.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Okay, well, you and Athena must have gotten along. But I know other things. I know other references. I may not know all the gay immediate pop culture references, but I know a little bit about a lot of other things. And in that same breath, yes, there is a lot to say about knowing your references, knowing your\u00a0culture\u00a0and knowing what Ru likes, because at the end of the day she has the namesake and she is the host of the show. Will I say the other girls were pandering? No. But I came there wholeheartedly myself, with my own interests and my own likes and dislikes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And if you ever go back\u00a0on\u00a0All Stars, come over and\u00a0we’ll\u00a0spend an\u00a0afternoon\u00a0and\u00a0I’ll\u00a0get you up to speed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I just know different things. I taught RuPaul who\u00a0Niurka Marcos\u00a0was. She\u00a0didn’t\u00a0know who\u00a0Niurka Marcos\u00a0was. She\u00a0didn’t\u00a0know\u00a0Rica, Famosa, Latina.\u00a0She\u00a0doesn’t\u00a0know what\u00a0that program\u00a0is. You\u00a0probably\u00a0don’t\u00a0either.\u00a0There are\u00a0just different\u00a0interests for different people.\u00a0It’s\u00a0not my fault.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fair enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And\u00a0let’s\u00a0talk about why Hispanic queens never do well on the show.\u00a0Because Jessica Wilde is absolutely hilarious.\u00a0But\u00a0what’s\u00a0the funniest reference? Carmen Miranda?\u00a0That’s\u00a0what\u00a0we’re\u00a0limited to,\u00a0what’s\u00a0on Americanized TV.\u00a0Let’s\u00a0wake it\u00a0up.\u00a0<\/p>\n

My boyfriend and I still quote Jessica Wilde from\u00a0All Stars.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Yes. But you see, people come\u00a0at\u00a0me for not knowing who George Michael was. Okay, fine. Answer me:\u00a0who\u00a0was\u00a0Niurka Marcos? Name me the whole cast of\u00a0Rica, Famosa, Latina.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

You’re\u00a0very right, and\u00a0that’s\u00a0something special that you bring. How are you feeling going forward, and of the remaining girls, who are you rooting for this season?\u00a0<\/p>\n

I absolutely want all of them to\u00a0win\u00a0and I have love for all three of them.\u00a0It’s\u00a0a toss-up. I can give you reasons why I want each to win. I cannot give you reasons why I\u00a0don’t\u00a0want them to.\u00a0I think each one\u00a0brings something so different to drag, to\u00a0Drag Race, and whoever goes to the final ring will be special and different.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Is there someone you were surprised to connect with this season?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jane\u00a0Don\u2019t.\u00a0I was surprised at how much we had in common, even though sometimes when Jane would talk, I\u00a0wouldn’t\u00a0understand half the words she would say. Her vocabulary is just so extensive. She has a perfect reading SAT score. Like, who has that?\u00a0That’s\u00a0insane. But we got along so well. She genuinely, just in the way that we would speak, had a lot of kindness and, I guess, irreverence to everybody.\u00a0She was very sweet and kind and forthcoming and not pretentious in her knowledge.\u00a0If there was something I just\u00a0didn’t\u00a0understand, she would laugh at me first, but she would explain it to me. And I really appreciate a person like that.\u00a0We’re\u00a0also like a day apart. She was\u00a0born\u00a0March\u00a016th,\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0the 15th.\u00a0We’re\u00a0both Pisces, crazy people.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Juicy, you were fantastic, beautiful to watch, and you should be\u00a0very proud\u00a0of yourself.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Thank you so, so much. It was lovely to speak with you. I really appreciate you taking the time to hear me out.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Subscribe to the\u00a0Parting Shot Podcast with H. Alan Scott<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0For the Culture newsletter<\/a>\u00a0for the latest in entertainment and pop culture and follow\u00a0@HAlanScott<\/a>\u00a0everywhere.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Juicy Love Dion made her entrance into\u00a0RuPaul’s Drag Race\u00a0season 18 as the party princess of Miami and Mykonos,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":187415,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[4942,9,24,63,75124,75125,122,124,123,29049,28795,4943],"class_list":{"0":"post-187414","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-queens","8":"tag-drag-race","9":"tag-new-york","10":"tag-new-york-city","11":"tag-nyc","12":"tag-parting-shot","13":"tag-parting-shot-podcast","14":"tag-queens","15":"tag-queens-headlines","16":"tag-queens-news","17":"tag-rupaul","18":"tag-rupaul-charles","19":"tag-rupauls-drag-race"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187414","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=187414"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187414\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/187415"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=187414"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=187414"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=187414"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}