Busy bees got nothin’ on the Busy Boulets. With their brand new Dragula spinoff The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans hitting Shudder with a two-episode premiere on October 25th and their annual iconic Halloween Ball closing out Halloween weekend, we caught up with our favorite ghouls to find out what fans can expect from Titans, chat about the expansion of the Dragula universe on its ultimate path to total world domination, and what the hell to wear to the ball.
The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans premiere is coming up, what made you want to make this?
Drac: We have four seasons of a show now and a spinoff with Resurrection. And I feel like we’ve taken these drag artists from obscurity, we’ve brought them here. We’ve let the world watch their stories unfold. We watched everyone’s watched them grow as artists, they watched them fight with people, grow as personalities, come into their own power and all these things. And then that’s it, right? They go home after their season and you don’t see them again. I feel like fans are so invested in them and they always have tons of questions like, “Well what happened with this one? And what do they do now? Where are they now? Or how’s their relationship with the person they were fighting with all season?” Or whatever it might be. And people always want to know what’s going on with them.
As fans of our own competitors, we’re like, “God, I really wish people could see them again and see how much they’ve grown.” Because a lot of times people will come on the show at one point in their career and they sort of face their fears and they grow as artists so much on a season, that by the time they’re done, I’m like, “I wish we could do another season with them so people could see them again.” So there, there’s a multitude of reasons on why we wanted to do Titans in the first place, but that’s the biggest reason, is to allow fans of these artists to see them they get on screen.
That was one of the really cool things that I loved about Resurrection because you get this sense that so much growth happens after the show and we don’t get to see all of that. Getting to bring them back and see the leaps and bounds they’ve made in their artistry is actually a really cool thing.
Drac: There are people that go home sometimes really early and you’re like, “Wow, we know how talented all the artists on the show are.” And sometimes the challenges just line up in this weird way that you could be an early out but be so talented and nobody would ever see that. Or in Saint’s situation, Saint came on as a relatively new artist on Season 3 and was just nervous and not seated in their power yet. And I think going through the exterminations, going through the experience, and then going home so early, you sort of sit with that and go, “Wow, that was an opportunity that I may never get again. And that’s what people will know me as.” And I think even that pressure makes you grow as an artist. We see that because we follow up with them after their season, so we’re like, “We have to find a way to bring them back and show people where they are now.” That’s what it’s all about.
It’s frustrating as an audience member to see someone go home so early, but it has to be extra frustrating for you two because you know exactly what they’re capable of and you’ve seen what they can do. And then to send them home a week or two into it must just be like, “Oh God!”
Swan: I mean it really is. From the inception of the show, Season 1, we set a couple of rules for ourselves. We’re not going to cast anybody we feel can’t win. There’s no such thing as a filler competitor. So everyone is going to be good at what they do, and a solid artist and represent the tenets of the show, and they could win the show. But there are some competitors where you’re like, “Oh, this person is going to go so far.” One of the other things we said to ourselves is, “We’re not going to overproduce either. We will show their natural stories and do the best we can to shape their stories and journey as it unfolds on the show.”
What we didn’t realize when we said those things, and we decided to follow those rules were some of the people that you thought were going to be heavy hitters and the powerhouses of the season — if they falter or they’re not at their best, they go home. I mean there’s this specific moment in Season 1 where I looked at Drac and I’m like, “Are we really about to do this?” We sent them home that episode, and that just sort of set the tone for the entire series. You can be awesome, and if you suck that day, that could be your last day.
That’s the terrifying thing. But I mean, I guess that’s reality, right? At any given moment, we show up to a situation, and you have to deliver in that moment.
Drac: I mean exactly. That’s show business, right? We all know that. And part of going through Dragula is training you for the future of your career. The truth is, sometimes one decision in the wrong moment can really define you. So, why shield that? I always feel like why shield them from that in this instance?
How did you decide who you wanted to invite back and was it pretty unanimous, or did you have to go to bat for some personal favorites?
Drac: I think we were all pretty much on the same page because we were looking for something really specific. We were looking for people that we felt had a lot of growth after their season, but didn’t get the opportunity to show that. And that’s not just in one area, right? Someone would look at Victoria and say, “Well God, Victoria’s been awesome from the beginning.” As a visual artist, sure, but as a character on TV, not so much. One of the things that she struggled with on her seasons was figuring out how to find her voice and represent herself on camera as a character. And we know that she’s grown a lot in that way since her season, but people at home don’t know that.
All of the people we feature, whether you see it or not, have grown a lot in some aspect of their career. So that was one of the big things that we were looking for. Also, we were looking for people whose stories have developed. What’s going on with them now? If you sort of left your season and you were exactly where you are now or when you left, there’s not much to update people with.
Swan: I’d say there’s another aspect of that too. We chose people that we found were really excited about being part of the Dragula family and really inspired by being included in our brand of drag-filled horror and glamour. And they show that through their own actions and words when they were on the show, and after the show. It was a natural decision to invite them back because it’s an automatic boost for them too. It puts them in front of a much larger audience again and allows people to celebrate them more. And that’s a pleasure for us to do.
Is there anyone that you would’ve liked to have back that isn’t on this show? Obviously it’s your show, so you can choose how many people you invite back, but also you can’t have 40 competitors.
Drac: I would say no. It’s not like we asked someone and they said “No.” Everyone wanted to do it. But it’s more like we’re expanding the whole universe of Dragula, so there are a bunch of opportunities coming up and ways in which we can feature people, but I think these are the people we wanted for this project. Now there are other drag artists from the show that we want to work with on other projects, but they weren’t right for this one.
Do we get to know a little bit about what some of those other projects might be?
Drac: No.
Damn it, Drac, come on. You’re not going to give me any exclusives on this, huh? All right.
Drac: Oh, I will-
Swan: There will be. People that have followed the show closely might recognize because we’re so involved from moment one to moment done, and being our own production company and everything, we were putting out seasons every other year basically. This year, we’re part of the AMC+ family and Shudder, we had a full season last Halloween. We will have a full season this Halloween, even though it’s Titans. You will be getting another piece of content from us halfway to Halloween. So there will be something new from the Boulet Brothers world coming out in April.
Drac: You’re the first person that knows that, so…
You did give me one, thank you! What I really love is coming in from the first season and it’s this very scrappy, “Fuck it, we’re going to make it ourselves because no one else is going to do it. We’ve just got to make it happen” vibe. Now you’re part of the AMC and Shudder family. So what has that journey been like and what are the main differences now? I mean budget obviously, and…?
Drac: I would say when we first made it, we had this goal in mind. I remember going in and speaking with someone at YouTube and being like, “Look, we are making a pilot for this show, we’re making it ourselves. We’re going to put it on YouTube.” Just to show it like you do at a film festival. It was never to be like, “Hey, it’s going to live on YouTube.” That was never anybody’s goal. And when we were there, we said, “We want this to live on a specific network. We have a goal in mind, we want to hit that goal.” And we literally did that within three years. So it was kind of crazy.
But ultimately, we had this in mind. This was sort of what we were working towards the whole time, finding the right network that appreciated the show. It didn’t have to be the biggest network on earth, but one of the requirements we were looking for in a network partner is someone that had a long-term vision in mind, who saw what we saw and saw the potential of where we thought it could go, and that was on the same page with us.
Swan: Yeah, because what that also does is allow us to maintain a lot of … I don’t know if ‘control’ is the right word, but I’ll say creative control. Because this world is so specific to our history as artists and nightlife creators and just queer people and all of the stuff that sort of lives under the Dragula umbrella, it really comes from our hearts. So it was important for us not to have, “Okay, now there’s a network, and there’s going to be a team of executives that are going to tell us what is too filthy, or what isn’t glamorous.” We can’t have that, because then the spirit of the show will get sucked out. And I’m so grateful that we were able to maintain all of that integrity and just celebrate it for what it is. People love it and we’re very happy.
Drac: We were sort of able to test that out with Shudder and AMC because of Resurrection which was a spinoff of the regular show and we’re like, “Let’s see how this goes.” They were so supportive of it and literally not a no. They said, “We’ve already watched it.” I asked, “Well, do you have feedback? Do you want us to change?” They’re like, “No, we love what you do and we want you to just do you.”
That kind of support, you don’t always feel that from all networks. A lot of people like to get their hands in it and feel like they have some ownership over it. They didn’t do that. So that was part of it to be like, “Hey, I think this might be the place for us.”
That is so absolutely the dream scenario. I mean anyone who creates anything, that is the dream scenario to have a true partner in a supporting partnership.
Drac: Remember, the show has been on Netflix, so we have had the experience of working with different networks who are great in their own ways, but everyone likes to have their influence over things. We’ve just felt like for this particular project, this was the right place.
I feel like you found the home it was meant to have. So you have two nights of the Dragula Ball coming up because one would simply not be enough. It’s becoming this legendary thing for the uninitiated as well as your longtime party-goers. Through the show and your live events you’ve kind of introduced this sub-sub-culture. Maybe not to the mainstream, but it’s definitely coming more into the light. Has that changed the dynamic of your live events at all?
Swan: It hasn’t changed the dynamic in the way we approach the event or the essence of why we do it. Because particularly with Los Angeles’ Halloween Ball, we’ve been doing it forever. We just fucking love Halloween and we always have, we’ve always made it the biggest deal. We’ve always gone all out to the nines. Even when we were in the smallest venue, we were like, “We’re going to deck this out from top to bottom and make this the most fabulous and memorable Halloween experience for anyone who decides to come out and party with us.” We’ve just maintained that, and it’s gotten bigger and crazier and more fabulous.
We promised to deliver across the board in that arena. But the one way it really has changed as far as the show and just kind of like you said, coming into the light, is that our personal experience is very different. Because we have to stay hidden in the rafters up in the cloisters of the castle, and we can only come out at certain times. We can’t really roam the party and experience what the people are experiencing because we get totally mobbed —boohoo, I know, sad us. But it would be nice to see that, I want to watch people experiencing what we’ve created., because I think that’s why Drac and I do what we do, period. How it affects and touches other people.
Drac: Yeah, I mean we would be wearing next to nothing because we would have to change really fast. But I could have put on a bloody apron and a weird pig mask and started a chainsaw, and go climb up in the rafters and jump down at people and scare them. And then I would run over to the main stage and change and get ready for a show. I’d kind of be in the party a little more. Whereas now, you definitely cannot do that.
Do you miss that aspect of it?
Swan: I totally do. I do.
Drac: I do, but I wouldn’t trade it, let’s put it that way.
I was going to say, it’s a trade-off. I mean it’s a good trade. But also, I know you said, “Oh, boohoo” but I also understand that people tend to think, “Oh, if only I was famous,” maybe without realizing there are aspects of things that you lose with that as well. You can’t just roam the party.
Drac: Sure. It’s a little restricting. It’s like you have to be you. You have to show up as the Boulet Brothers, and that’s what people want. That’s what they’re coming to see. And I’m happy to deliver that to them. Things change. I got to experience those other things before, and I’m glad I did, and now it’s time to move on.
I am going to bring you some pig masks, though, just in case you have time to throw one on if it fits over the fabulous hair. And you can maybe have five minutes of anonymity running around the party with chainsaws.
Swan: You want to know something? I still have those bloody pig masks.
Yes! Okay. Bring them. Just so you can experience the party for five minutes as not you. Amazing. Is there anything else you would like to tell us before we go?
Drac: I would just like to warn people now to expect the unexpected from the show. I think fans are going to be so excited and they’re going to be on an emotional high after the first episode in a lot of different ways. So I just want them to prepare themselves and not have too many expectations coming in. And as far as what they think is going to happen, let’s just put it that way.
Swan: When it comes to the Halloween Ball, I don’t need a crystal ball to see this future. Saturday is going to sell out, and Friday may too. But Saturday is always kind of faster and bigger in the sellout. So if they want tickets, they need to move and move soon.
Move those asses, get those tickets in hand. Get your pig masks and jockstraps ready to go.
Swan: If anyone wants to wear a pig mask and a jock strap to the party, we’re all for it.
Yeah. Oh my god. It’s going to be, “oops, all pig masks and jock straps!” You’re just going to look out from the rafters into the sea of jock straps and pig masks. Not the worst-case scenario, I guess.
Get your tickets to the Boulets’ Los Angeles Halloween Ball right here. Taking place over two nights, October 28th and 29th.
FRIDAY HEADLINERS:
-TWIN TEMPLE (Grand Judges)
-FULL CAST OF THE BOULET BROTHERS’ DRAGULA: TITANS
-JAMARI & The House of Jacobs (Legendary / HBO Max)
-SEX CELLS (Dungeon Party in the Basement)
-$1000 GRAND PRIZE (Costume Contest)
-DJ MATEO SEGADE (Main Ballroom)
-SURPRISE GUEST HEADLINER
_______________________________________________________________
SATURDAY HEADLINERS:
-TRIXIE MATTEL (DJ)
-DAHLI (Boulet Brothers’ Dragula S4 Winner)
-SYMONE (Rupaul’s Drag Race S13 Winner)
-DOLORES NINJA & The House of Ninja (Legendary / HBO Max)
-DJ MATEO SEGADE (Main Ballroom)
-DJ BARBEAU & BANJELA (Basement Haunted House Party)
_______________________________________________________________ENTERTAINMENT BOTH NIGHTS:
-Halloween Stageshow Spectacular
-Two dancefloors across three levels
-Immersive Puppet Theater
Horny Halloween Harem Dancers
Interactive Horror rooms & live performance stages
-Pumpkin Carving Beer Garden
-Seance Room
-Fortune Tellers & Psychics
-Halloween Themed Carnival Games
-Exclusive VIP Level, Private Booths W/ Private Bar
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
