Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka, and Shangela ushered in new ways in which drag can uplift folks in small town USA in Max’s We’re Here. Now, a new cast of drag artists are picking where left off in the show’s new season.
As reported in Variety, We’re Here season 4 sees drag artists Sasha Velour, Priyanka, and Jaida Essence Hall bringing queer joy, love, and hope to rural America as the new hosts of the queer-focused reality tv series. The three will continue Bob, Eureka, and Shangela’s legacy as they traverse through two U.S. towns over 6 episodes as they get an inside look at local political systems, rural communities, and the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that continues to impact queer people across the nation.
Bob, Eureka, and Shangela were the original hosts of We’re Here’s first three seasons, bringing their fierce drag and open hearts to the series. With their involvement, the series has gone one to earn two Primetime Emmy Awards, two GLAAD Media Awards, and a Peabody Award. The trio shared their well wishes to their fellow Drag Race alums in a statement, while expressing their gratitude for being a part of We’re Here’s impact.
“We are extremely grateful for the opportunity we had the past three seasons to travel across the country, share our experiences and connect with all of the courageous individuals who entrusted us with their stories,” said the trio in their statement. “Our journey has inspired hope and sparked important conversations while empowering unique voices and opening new doors. As we move forward with our exciting individual projects, we welcome Sasha Velour, Priyanka and Jaida Essence Hall, and wish them the best on continuing this work during an increasingly difficult time for the LGBTQ+ community.”
Sasha, Priyanka, and Jaida are all winners of the Drag Race franchise. From the drag reality series, RuPaul’s Drag Race, that started the immensely international franchise, Sasha and Jaida came out as season 9 and season 12 winners respectively. Whereas Priyanka is the inaugural winner of Canada’s Drag Race. So, these drag performers know how to bring their A-game to whatever they do and have dynamic personalities to match that will surely play a pivotal role in hosting the upcoming fourth season of We’re Here.
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The reality series was created by husbands Stephen Warren and Johnnie Ingram and directed by Peter LoGreco. What started off as an idea on a rainy vacation day morphed into a hit series for the updated streaming service Max and is a popular feel good watch in the same vein as Netflix’s Queer Eye. And this joy that the show cultivates is a necessity in the midst of increasing anti-LGBTQ+, something Warren and Ingram shared for Variety.
“In this increasingly hostile political climate, we are grateful to HBO for their dedication to telling LGBTQ+ stories that meet the moment and document our history,” said Ingram and Warren for Variety. “We are thrilled to expand our drag family and give much needed love to the people on the front lines of hate.”
To date, The ACLU has tracked 491 anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across the nation, with many of the states that Bob, Eureka, and Shangela toured being creators of these bills impacting LGBTQ+ youth and drag performers. Still, the show must go on and its mission of spreading love will continue with a new trio of drag performers. While we don’t know when season 4 will debut with the updated trio, Sasha, Priyanka, and Jaida shared their own excitement towards picking up the baton that their fellow drag artists passed to them.
“We have been so inspired by the stories and important work that has been done over the last three seasons of We’re Here,” shared Sasha, Priyanka, and Jaida for Variety. “We look forward to continuing this journey throughout the country to uplift voices, spread love and showcase new stories through the art of drag. We thank the entire We’re Here team for choosing us to join this life-changing experience.”