Slay! Kansas City drag performer Widow Von’Du will be sashaying into the work room for the 12th season of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Fans have been wondering for months now whether Drag Race was the reason for the uncharacteristic social media silence of Widow (aka Ray Fry) during the fall and for her abrupt and mysterious exit from her weekly Drag Survivor hosting gig at Hamburger Mary’s. Now the speculation is over.
Widow has been a stand-out in Kansas City for years with her performances at Missie B’s and Hamburger Mary’s. Her stage-diving death drops and flexible back bends are central to her essence. Her countless renditions of Beyonce’s “Formation” were epic to witness, complete with the camp factor of revealing a bottle of hot sauce from her bag-swag. Her energy and passion for her craft make her a top contender for the competition, and she’s an instant fan favorite for Kansas Citians.
In her “Meet the Queens” video, Widow reveals how she chose her drag name persona: “I couldn’t find a remote to my TV, and they were talking about black widow spiders, and how they are big, black and dangerous, and I was like, ‘oh, that’s me, bitch!’”
Widow’s hometown pride is highlighted multiple times in her introduction video. “Kansas City is the home of Royals, Chiefs, barbecue and jazz… and my black ass,” she says.
“Widow is That Girl, she is the reason for the season. She is the reason why you come to Kansas City. If you’re looking for a good time, you come see me. That is who I am.”
Whether she’s on stage performing or competing in the local pageant scene, Widow takes drag seriously. She most recently won Miss Gay Kansas City USofA 2019 and in years past won multiple local pageant titles.
“I’m America’s next drag superstar, ’cause bitch, why not? It’s time for a big girl to reign, honey, it’s time! I didn’t come all the way from Kansas City to fucking lose,” says Widow.
Widow is representing the big girls and has no qualms about it.
“Don’t let the size fool you. Momma gets down, she does all types of things. Performing is my life, it’s the only thing I do. It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do,” says Widow. “I feel that what I contribute to drag is confidence, because a lot of entertainers see me and are like ‘I want to do that, I want to be like you.’ And I’m like, ‘well, fucking go and do it.’”
Her confidence in her performances – and in drag itself – runs deep.
“Drag has the power to change everything. Drag has the power to open up doors, shut doors. It has the power to free you from any chains and bonds that you are in, and it goes all the way back to Stonewall. Like, look at what drag has done for us! Get into it, bitch!” she says.
Fans are about to go nuts over the upcoming season of Drag Race. “Let’s put it this way, you’d better not blink this season, ’cause if you blink, bitch, you going to miss something real fun.
“Season 12 is ’bout to be the mother fucking ticket. Like, get your popcorn ready, sit your asses down, fill up them cocktails, the show is about to fucking begin.”
You can catch the Season 12 premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race on Feb. 28 on VH1.