How does it feel to be the first real Punk Rock winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race?

Fucking stupid. Embarrassing. If I can remind gay kids out there that there is more to music than Lady Gaga and Britney, then I consider myself doing a good service for the GLBTQIA community.

What was the audition process like to get onto the show?

The audition process is Hell. It’s psychological evaluations, endless Skype interviews, tons of contracts, eating glass, walking on coals, and basically selling your soul to the devil. Fortunately I already sold my soul to the devil long ago for a dirty thirty of PBR.

For our readers who don’t know much about you can you can you tell us a bit us about your background?

For the last 10 years I’ve devoted my life to the Haus of Haunt , a transgressional art collective of downtown clowns portraying the excess of youth culture. Too much make up. Too much hair. Too much boo’s. Devoting our services to freaking out Pittsburgh, making a mess, and getting paid for it. Now I get to do that on an international level.

Did you know about the band Betty Blowtorch when you took your stage name?

I was aware of Betty Blowtorch, I was unaware of their guitarist being Sharon Needles. When doing play with word names you tend to run into these situations. I consider Sharon Needles to be like a governor, there’s one in every state. Will the real Sharon Needles please stand up? I’m standing.

In some of your interviews you mention a columnist for Punk Globe, Jayne County, as an influence who else has influenced you and your style.

Punk rock in the seventies was challenging society, music and culture. What Jayne County did was challenge punk rock in itself. Until Jayne hit the scene, punk rock was an all boys club. And you tell me what’s punker than a transsexual in 1974 ramming a microphone stand into the face of the Dictators’ lead singer screaming “If You Don’t Wanna Fuck Me Baby, Baby Fuck Off”. Like me, she’s a creature of the night, and now I have the privilege of making drunken phone calls to her on a weekly basis at 2 in the morning. Her book, Man Enough To Be A Woman, is my Bible.

Who are your favorite bands and performers?

I have a huge spectrum of favorites. My taste in music is broad, ranging from Soul, to Surf Rock, to Punk Rock, Disco, Glam Rock, shit I even like Britney Spears’ new album. But since we’re talking punk, The Dead Boys, The Cramps, Sex Pistols, The Damned, GG Allin, Jayne County & the Electric Chairs. My favorite album ever is Gary Glitter’s “Glitter”.

Now that you have won the competition what do you plan to do with your title, money and new fame?

I don’t even think about the money. It’s just a really big number on a bank statement. I plan on continuing to push buttons, push barriers, and push that mother fucking camera out of my damn face.

Do you have anything to say about being told to go back to Party City?

Any city that I am in is a Party City, and everyone is fucking invited.

Where will you be appearing in the next couple of months?

Everywhere. No city is safe.

Do you have any upcoming projects or causes you would like to shamelessly plug?

The great drag performer Peaches Christ and I are doing a parody play called The Silence of the Trans at the Castro Theater in San Francisco this July. I’m also doing a photo shoot about the past and future of Punk Rock Drag with the legendary Jayne County. Though still early in the works, I’m working on creating a club track with Amanda Lepore. I’m playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter for a live theatre run of Rocky Horror Picture Show in San Antonio, Texas during the month of October. I’m creating exaggerated plastic surgery prosthetics. Now you tell me who the hardest working bitch in the game is. I’ve been given an opportunity, and like some, it won’t be wasted.

Your boyfriend Alaska has been a big support for you, will he be travelling with you?

At times he does travel with me. But Alaska has not attached herself to my fame. She’s got her own shit going on.

Do you have anything you would like to say to the readers of Punk Globe?

I wish there was a stronger alliance between the punk community and the gay community. I find a lot of similarities and struggles shared between them, and I live for our love of excess. Hail Satan and Happy Halloween!

Punk Globe would like to thank Sharon Needles for the fun interview!!