Christmas is here and despite the pandemic, we’re feeling festive after catching up with one of L.A.’s most colorful and uproarious drag queens. Kay Sedia, best known for the Charlie’s Angels-inspired stage shows Chicos Angels at the Cavern Club in Silver Lake, has also made a name for herself hawking the home-essential kitchen products known as Tupperware, and during last year’s lockdown, her live-streams brought container-crazed joy to the world online. But she’s been selling the ‘ware in person for decades before that.
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After discovering the plastic food storage items and nostalgic home events via L.A. punk folk legend Phranc, she had the idea to do her own drag version. Twenty years later Sedia is still touting the brand’s colorful retro vibes and stay-fresh seals. In addition to Chico’s (which is over, for now) she’s starred in a one woman show called The Taco Chronicles and has been seen in TV programs such as RuPaul’s AJ and the Queen on Netflix, The Real Housewives franchises in Orange County and Atlanta, and on the local news circuit for the holidays. She gave us some cheesy goodness this year! 
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LA WEEKLY: Thanks for chatting Ms. Sedia. As Mexicanas we celebrate a little differently, don’t we?
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KAY SEDIA: Mexican Christmas is so special because it’s celebrated over two days! We we start Christmas Eve also known as “noche buena” at a big party with lots of booze and plenty of tamales. And once it hits midnight you would think it was a New Year’s party celebration! Then we open gifts and all the drunk people pass out and those who didn’t get gifts because they were on Santa‘s naughty list– at least they get to open tamales, so there’s always something for everyone to unwrap.
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Speaking of the culture, what do you think about the controversy over labels– Latinx, Latino, Latina, Hispanic, etc.– these days? Which do you prefer and why?
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For me, I prefer to be called Latina. But when you are referring to a group of people, I believe Latinx is appropriate. People don’t realize how masculinized the Spanish language is. When you refer to women or non-binary as Latino you make them secondary. I’m surprised we haven’t thought of this sooner! It just shows how conditioned we are. But please don’t ever call me Hispanic! I don’t like to be described with any word that has “panic” in it!
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Kay Sedilla 1

(Courtesy Kay Sedia)

What makes Latin drag queens and the drag scene in L.A. so especiale?

The Latino culture in itself is filled with so much tradition and heritage, that there is a fish out of water element. That just lends itsself to pure comedy. Making people laugh and feel good is a given when Latin queens tap into their truth. I would never be so bold to claim we are the best.  I’m just humble, let me tell you all about it.

Los Angeles is a melting pot of all types of cultures and a magnet to young queens all over the country. You have queens from all walks of life: the funny queens, pageant queens, club queens all way down to the tragic queens!! I mean, come to L..A we have it all.

We loved the Chico’s Angels shows. Tell our readers how those came about and why they were so successful?

Chico’s Angels is a take on Charlie’s Angels with three latin drag queens. It was created in 2003 after performing in The Plush Life, which was a Drag Improv Soap Opera performed at Casita Del Campo for over 10 years.  In one of the skits the main character;s granddaughter was kidnapped and she hired Charlie’s Angels. This sparked an idea of what if there was a Latina Charlie’s Angels? Soon after we parodied one of Charlie’s Angels episodes called “Pretty Angels All in a Row” where the Angels go under cover in a Beauty Pageant. The charm of Chico’s Angels was we always played these characters as women and not necessarily as Drag Queens. Mind you, exaggerated over the top women.  After 18 years and with six two-act show/musicals, two variety shows, a Christmas Special, and three online episodes.  It looks like the hiatus has become permanent. Fortunately or unfortunately some of us have moved on. But one can always watch our online episodes on YouTube. And we would never say no to a producer wanting to take us to Broadway or on to the silver screen.

Other shows?

So, I have just come off a successful run of my one-woman cho ‘The Taco Chronicles’ which is a sequel to my other one-women show starring three people called ‘Taco Kisses.’  Looking forward to doing it somewhere soon and creating another ensemble piece.

Kay Sedilla Tupperware

(Courtesy Kay Sedia)

Let’s talk Tupperware. How did you get into it?

In 2001, after performing in clubs for a couple of years. I found myself wanting a different outlet. A friend and fellow Drag Queen invited me to his roommate’s Tupperware party. It was 80’s punk rocker turned folk singer Pranc. She gave this amazing nostalgic funny Tupperware demonstration. She called herself the ‘All American Jewish Lesbian Folk Singing Surfing Tupperware Lady.’  I was so entertained by the end of her demonstration, I looked at my friend and said I want to sell Tupperware as Kay Sedia. He said, “I’ll do it, If you do it.”  That night, Kay Sedia and Dixi Longate became Tupperware Consultants.

You’ve made kitchen food storage your livelihood. Why is it so great to give and get?

Tupperware is the best holiday gift because it serves many purposes. It could be a gift for that friend that you know is a horrible cook and will have plenty of leftovers. So if you have that enemy that you’re looking to get a gift for “because you have to” you can insult them without them even realizing it. But it can also show someone how much you really care because Tupperware is the Gucci of plastics! Not to mention it’s really pretty. Everyone knows Tupperware!  Or they know of any kind of kitchen ware [and call it] Tupperware, even if isn’t.

The product sells itself. Lucky for me I love to be in front of an audience and I saw this as an opportunity to put on a comedy show while selling a well known product. It’s a modern twist on an old fashion product.  Literally a comedy show in your living room. Ninety-five percent of my clients are soccer moms and housewives. It’s literary like having a unicorn in their living room. A big part of my sales is what I call ‘the shock and laughter factor.’  they are having too much fun they can’t help but make a purchase.

What are your tips for a feliz navidad?
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Remember Christmas is a time for family friends and drunken fights! It’s usually a time when people are very vulnerable because holiday seasons bring out the best and the worst in everybody. So always be sure to wear comfortable shoes because you never know when you’re going to need to dance with that drunk uncle or throw a punch at your your third cousin for flirting with your husband! Also, always remember to buy extra socks for gifts because you know you’re going to have that aunt who’ll bring that stranger from the bar and you don’t want them to feel left out.
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Watch Kay Sedia on You Tube, order her Tupperware, or book her at www.kaysedia.com

 

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