In the latest episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the reality TV show created to produce the next drag superstar, one of the contestants, Ongina, tearfully revealed she was HIV positive.

Today we’re talking to Ongina, also known as Ryan Palao, about what it was like to boldly share this intimate detail with millions of viewers and how it’s affected his life.

Ongina also clarifies some common misconceptions people have about drag queens, gay men and Filipinos and brings some sass and class into our discussion on how costumes help us be the people we want to be.

Ongina shares with us her behind-the-scenes insight into whether Rebbecca Glasscock was trying to manipulate the outcome of the challenge in her favor by having an emotional breakdown which forced the judges to keep her on the show and get rid of Chicago’s gal, Jade.

How could the show kick someone off after they cried about having a friend with AIDS without appearing to be heartless jerks?

One thing’s for sure, after winning half of the challenges on the show so far, Ongina is the girl to lick!

Ongina Ongina Ongina Ongina

I’ve asked several drag queens why they didn’t try to be on the Drag Race, since obviously it would have been great publicity and opened a lot of doors. They said they feared that drag queens would be negatively represented on the show and decided to steer clear of it.

It doesn’t make any sense to me. If RuPaul told me to jump on an airplane, fly to Los Angeles and walk the runway in drag, I’d do it in second. And so should you.

What makes these types of TV shows so fascinating to watch is how they illustrate the obstacles we all place in front of ourselves because we fear being rejected. We put those roadblocks in our way because we’re afraid to look at where we’ve failed. We feel that we aren’t good enough.

What’s probably the most uncomfortable for the contestants is how the program asks them to take the wig and makeup off, and look in a mirror. The show asks us to embrace our strength and our flaws. In that sense, RuPaul’s Drag Race and the contestants are all winners.

Listen as we also talk about Ioana Cioanac, the 71 year old Romanian woman who’s knitted an entire wardrobe out of her own hair.

Irish police struggle after they confused the Polish words for Drivers License for 50 different driver’s names- Pradow Jazdy.

Dustin Lance Black at the Oscars.

Talk about giving mixed signals! The City of New York is now offering classes on how to be a better hooker in order to rehabilitate people who’ve been arrested for cruising for sex in a dirty book store.

A big thanks to Iris for hooking us up with Ongina.