Sweet as pie and sharp as cheddar, the Terminally Delightful BenDeLaCreme is known for combining her background in the performing and visual arts with a love of spectacle, glamour, and Saturday morning cartoons – dazzling crowds near and far.
She has toured throughout the world, premiered three critically-acclaimed solo shows off-Broadway, as well as written, directed and produced a myriad of narrative works and variety spectaculars that have played to sold-out audiences for over a decade.
BenDeLaCreme has appeared on two seasons of the Emmy award winning “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” her first go-round securing her a spot among the show’s “15 fan favorites of all time.” After being crowned “Miss Congeniality” on season six, she returned to compete on the third season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” on VH1 where she garnered more challenge wins than any other competitor in the show’s history, among other series records.
“BenDeLaCreme is…Ready To Be Committed” plays the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center on Friday, May 20 and is the fourth solo show written, directed, and produced by BenDeLaCreme and showcases the multifaceted superstar at her best.
It was a pleasure to sit down with BenDeLaCreme once again for this exclusive Hotspots interview.
Q. Now that many years have passed, do you regret taking yourself out of All-Stars or do you stand by that decision and why?
Absolutely I stand by it. Winners can be remembered or forgotten, but my name has now become part of the drag race history that will never die. Its also one of the most powerful moves I have ever made. I had the privilege to make a move that was great reality tv.
Q. Since your stint on All-Stars, you have travelled the world many times, what is your favorite city or venue and why?
There are quite a few really. I love my long-time hometown of Seattle, where audiences have been supporting me and I have gathered a following long before Drag Race. LA and New York have great crowds, but I am constantly going to new places, and they are so welcoming. Every city is different and it makes it a different performance every time.
Q: Speaking of traveling, what is the funniest story that has happened to you while traveling?
There are so many it becomes a wash. But during our holiday tour Jinkx and I got caught in an airport in Toronto as someone printed the wrong tickets and our flight left the day prior. We were stuck there with like 20 suitcases, but we became creative and wrote a sitcom.
Q: Since coming into fame, what has been the best thing you purchased for yourself or for others?
I really tend to put so much of the money I make back into the art. During the pandemic I produced and co-wrote the Jinkx and Dela Holiday special. We made the project out of a need to be creative when we couldn’t be on the road. That was an amazing gift I invested in. That was a gift to myself and the rest of the crew. It cost a lot of money but was well worth the investment.
Q: Other than Jinkx, who are you closest with from your seasons or any other season of “Drag Race”?
Willam and Alaska are both people I connected to very strongly. Trixie and I are very close as well. A lot of my closest drag friends haven’t been on “Drag Race,” such as Peaches Christ, and Varla Jean Merman.
Q: What’s your marital status?
I have been with my partner for almost eight years now, and a lot of things about our relationship inspired this tour.
Q. Is it hard being away from your partner while touring?
Gus travels with me. We run my production company together. It’s a full-time job for both of us. It’s grueling and we are both constantly working, but we get to share that passion.
Q: Describe Dela in three words?
Optimistic, naïve and surreal.
Q: What do you do for fun?
Lately I am on tour so there is not a lot of free time. However, if you love what you for a living, like I do, you don’t work a day in your life
Q: What’s ahead for Ben and for Dela?
Dela is on this tour through the end of July, so that’s the foreseeable future. After that I will be remounting one of Peaches Christ production in San Francisco for her parody on “Death Becomes Her” where I play the Goldie Hawn role. After that Jinkx and I will create our new holiday tour.
Q: Tell our readers about your show “BenDeLaCreme is Ready To Be Committed,” and why they should buy tickets before it sells out?
It’s based on personal experience, and I get to explore bigger topics that are not necessarily autobiographical to Ben. She decides at the top of the show that she needs to relay race to the alter, but she only has a cake. I play 15 characters, and it’s a surrealist Alice In Wonderland….in Love. It’s a comedy but there are many relatable subjects. The challenges of Intimacy and loneliness, and many more! It’s a must see, so get your tickets!
For tickets to “BenDeLaCreme is Ready To Be Committed,” Which start at $35, go to Browardcenter.org.
