Rhys Nicholson, a well-known Australian comedian, is set to headline the closing night of the LGBTQ Stand Up Comedy Festival on Sunday. Nicholson expressed their excitement for the gig, stating that it was their “dream” to perform at the festival. The sell-out performances have been well-received by audiences, and Nicholson believes that the funniest people they know are queer people.
Following the festival, Nicholson will embark on their debut UK comedy tour on June 13. Nicholson shared their excitement about travelling all around the UK and experiencing the different cultures and accents that the country has to offer.
Outside of comedy, Nicholson is also a permanent judge on the Australian version of Drag Race. They revealed that the upcoming third series was “haunting” to know the cast list and top three, as well as the guest judges that would be joining the panel. This series is the first to have all the judges there in-person, as opposed to over Zoom. Nicholson also talked about their relationship with the show’s host, RuPaul, stating that it took them almost four years to feel comfortable sitting next to RuPaul for four hours a day.
In addition to their professional life, Nicholson is also busy planning a wedding to their long-time partner, Kyran Wheatley. Nicholson came out as non-binary last year, reflecting on their journey of discovery. They explained that with COVID-19, they spent a lot of time indoors looking inside themselves, and that being non-binary was always going to happen.
Nicholson shared that while it wasn’t eating them up, it feels nice to be able to talk about their non-binary identity comfortably. They hope to be an inspiration to others who may not be as comfortable. As for the wedding, it has undergone a lot of rejigging due to the pandemic. Nicholson shared that there were some interesting politics in replanning a wedding, but they are excited about it nonetheless.
In a set full of drag queens, Nicholson joked about creating their own “secret challenges” where they could easily get their suits refitted. “That’s not a bad idea,” they smiled. “Starting my own drag competition within Drag Race.”
To find out more about the LGBTQ Stand Up Comedy Festival, visit their website.
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