You got some backlash aftereliminating Plasma, but you took it in stride and had some funny clapbacks online.
How are you handling that?
MHIYA IMAN LEPAIGE:I already prepared myself for getting backlash.
Mhi’ya Iman Le’Paige on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ season 16.MTV
People were trolling me, so I trolled them back and had fun with it.
Weve seen trolls come for queens in the past what message do you have for people who do that?
They should stop doing it to all the queens.
Mhi’ya Iman Le’Paige throws her dress on Morphine Love Dion on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’.MTV
You never know what anyone is going through.
This explains why [I] was shy or timid during the first couple of episodes.
Its a show, someone has to go home, someone has to win.
Be kind to each other.
Its what we need in this world.
For our listeners who didnt catch the Roscoes interview, can you like reiterate?
The week I left forDrag Race, I left the club and went to my mothers house.
Being atDrag Race, I dealt with that too, because it still bothered me.
Was this man going to rob me or kill me?
I called the [designer] that had [another] look… he didnt answer.
I laid down and said Im not going to go toDrag Raceanymore.
I ended up throwing things in my bag.
I used old things in my closet for the runways.
That bothered me the whole time.
I literally couldnt get over not having those looks.
You had beautiful looks this season, including the rose petal reveal under your wig during thePlasma lip-sync.
Did you intended that to be a tribute toSasha Velour?
I tried to find something that would make me stand out even more.
I didnt have time to put a wig under, so I just went with the flow.
There was also debate about what you wore under your wig.
Some said it was a beanie.
That was actually a snatch that I use to hold my wigs down.
That was supposed to come off as well, because I had my hair braided.
But, it didnt come off.
It still gave us a moment.
What was Morphines reaction the first time you were able to talk about it?
She said, Girl, you gagged me.
I wanted to kick your ass.
I had to set it off.
I already knew it was going to be a good lip-sync and battle.
I did it to throw her off her game!
I like that strategy, it was a good moment.
Did you anticipate it getting that heated?
I didnt think it would get like that.
But you dont regret doing that?
You also flipped in this lip-sync.
The queens seem to downplay your flipping because you did it a lot, but its still a skill.
Did you feel discredited for your talent?
Ive done more than backflips.
For Flowers I didnt flip not one time!
Thats one of the runways the [designer] had that I never received.
What were the other designs that you had to improvise?
Flowers, True Colors, the Mother Ball, Drag Excellence, and DragCon 1980s.
Another point of fan admiration for you this season was your braces.
If youre comfortable, what can you share about that journey?
I was surprised by that.
I didnt know I was the firstDrag Racegirl to be on with braces in their mouth.
In that category, your teeth have to be perfectly straight….
I havent walked a ball since, so its kind of like I got them for nothing.
But, Im happy that I got them.
When are they coming off?
Were waiting for one gap to close.
We had to pull four of my teeth [because of the braces.]
I think I have one or two more months.
Morphine held up your face on the paddle why did she say that?
[Laughs] Sometimes, I would… oh my gosh…
I cant believe Im saying it.
Thats what I would do, but a fart moment.
Thank you for revealing that.
Im getting a lot of pleasure imaging you doing a run-by farting.
Can you explain your headspace and why you looked away so much?
I shouldnt have gone in with the mindset of going to fail.
Ive always had a fear of speaking in front of people.
Thats why Id sometimes lose pageants, because Id get in my head for question and answer.
I tried not to look at the cards as much….
Looking off stage, I was looking at the judges faces to see what they were thinking.
It was just a disaster.
I felt like we had too much to read instead of having fun with it.
We went into an actual presentation.
Thats a sisterly thing to do, and it speaks to your character.
I wouldnt change anything about being onDrag Race.
The only thing I would change is the designers.
I had fun from the first day I walked into the Werk Room.
