Week 11 of Season 6 brought us the puppet challenge and although everyone had some good digs, the winner was BenDeLaCreme. The main challenge was the Glitter Ball where each contestant had to have three different looks. Adore was the winner and Bianca and Courtney were safe. That left Darienne and BenDeLaCreme in the bottom two. Whereas I agree that Darienne had a slightly better lip sync, I think Ru Paul made a HUGE mistake (I believe that’s the first time I ever said that) by sending home Ben as not only was Darienne by far the worst in all three looks, she was also the one that all the other contestants picked to go home. However, I am not worried as I know BenDeLaCreme has a long career ahead of her.
At what age did drag become an interest and how did you pick your name?
It was really always an interest, even as I was a kid wrapping a bath towel around myself and trying on my mom’s heels. I was born into it.
I was working at a cabaret in Seattle with a different drag name. I did so many things in that cabaret so I changed my name to Ben (boy name) DeLaCreme, meaning the best of Ben.
How many times did you apply to be on RPDR and how did it feel when you found out you were chosen?
It was actually my first time applying and it felt really good. Before this year it never felt like the right moment. This year I decided I really wanted it and worked very hard at it and it was very satisfying to get cast on my first try.
Tell me about your RuPaul’s Drag Race experience.
It was insane. It is unlike anything else one would encounter in life and kind of impossible to sum up. It’s like being thrown in to a crazy drag jail with a bunch of other weird personalities. After a bit it becomes a summer camp where we all love each other.
How are you going to leverage your time on Drag Race?
I feel like I am going to continue to do the things I have been doing — writing my own shows, etc. I have been doing drag full time for six years and now I get to do it on a national level.
Who do you want to win?
I really don’t have a strong feeling about this as everyone is really talented and skilled and yet they are all incredibly different.
Tell me about the man behind Ben.
I am pretty introverted and I tend to spend a lot of my time doing the opposite stuff that Ben DeLaCreme does.
Tell me something people would be surprised to know about you.
I feel like I have bared it all at this point. I am an open book.
What’s ahead for Ben?
Right now I am finishing up my solo show that is going on at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York on May 21 for four days, but it may get extended. I am also continuing to work with my production company and also working with my burlesque troupe in Provincetown in August. In the fall, I am working with Jinkx Monsoon on Hocus Pocus in San Fran. I am also looking forward to many more projects.
For more information on Ben, you can reach her at BenDeLaCreme.com or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at: BenDeLaCreme.
