'Die Tollie and Manila Show': Q&A with Parton

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As Showmax dropped the trailer for Die Tollie & Manila Show, Tollie Parton has answered some burning questions.

TOLLIE PARTON STARS ON ‘DIE TOLLIE AND MANILA SHOW’

Die Tollie & Manila Show sees South African celebs join drag queens Tollie Parton and Manila von Teez for an evening of conversation and games… in drag.

The all-star guests include Helen Zille, Chairperson of the Federal Council of the Democratic Alliance, actors Celeste Loots, Francois Jacobs, Frank Opperman, Jarrid Geduld, and Rob van Vuuren; television personality Soli Philander, and musicians Craig Lucas, Jack Parow, Loki Rothman, and Valiant Swart, as well as online personalities Aletta Francina de Kock and Rynhardt Schoeman.

Tollie Parton is the alter ego of famed TikTokker WynVirDiePyn, while Manila von Teez is a former SA’s Got Talent runner-up who recently starred in the MIPAfrica Inclusive Lens winner Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap.

The show premiers on Monday 4 November 2024.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE TRAILER

Q&A WITH TOLLIE PARTON

What does hosting a talk show mean to you?

It means everything to me. Ever since I was a little boy in Vanrhynsdorp, I’d pretend to host talk shows in my room, interviewing everyone – even imagining Nelson Mandela as a guest on my silly little show. Living this childhood dream at 31 feels surreal; it truly feels like I’ve manifested my dreams into existence.

How long have you been a drag artist?

I’ve been doing drag for three years now, and it’s been a transformative journey. Recently, I started doing my own make-up, which has helped me discover Tollie from the inside out. It may sound strange, but I’ve grown less scared over time. Ironically, I never thought she was scared to begin with, but she definitely was. The longer I perform, the freer I become.

Which transformation has inspired you the most?

The transformation that inspired me the most was Helen Zille’s. Given some of her past anti-woke statements, we were all a bit apprehensive about how she would handle this opportunity. But let me tell you, everyone on set was pleasantly surprised.

The fact that she had an engaging conversation in drag with other queens was fascinating – she was so much fun! Jack Parow was also surprisingly delightful to kiki with but honestly every guest brought something unique and special to the table.

How did you prepare yourself before each episode?

Before each episode, I focused on staying calm while doing enough research to feel comfortable playing and having fun! I reached out to friends of the guests for insider info to make the interviews feel personal.

But the best part of drag is embracing surprises and running with them. It’s all about knowing the rules and then breaking them.