'Avalon TV' star Symone: 'Drag Race' changed our lives

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- The House of Avalon drag collective has a sketch comedy show, Avalon TV, premiering Monday on World of Wonder Presents. Avalon members Symone and Gigi Goode said it is the natural next step after RuPaul's Drag Race.

Goode and Symone said they were developing projects with World of Wonder before their Drag Race seasons. However, Symone said when World of Wonder saw their work in the Drag Race challenges, it accelerated development.

"They got to see our talent and our art," Symone told UPI in a recent Zoom interview. "They were like, 'People have to see this. People need to see all of this.'"

Symone won Season 13 of Drag Race and Goode was a runner-up in the prior season. Symone said their post Drag Race lives continue to reap benefits.

"It changed our lives," Symone said of the drag competition. "We wouldn't have this show. We wouldn't have this house."

Goode already was living with the House of Avalon when house sister Hunter Crenshaw introduced her to Symone, who was joining the house. They were introduced at the West Hollywood gay bar Micky's ahead of their Drag Race seasons.

Even without the Drag Race bump, Goode was determined to bring House of Avalon to television.

"I just know how I want to live out my career," Goode said. "That's going to happen whether everybody likes it or not."

The House of Avalon formed in 2014 in Little Rock, Ark. It moved to Los Angeles three years later.

Original House of Avalon members Crenshaw, Marko Monroe, Grant Vanderbilt and Caleb still are in the house and on Avalon TV, along with newer member Rylie.

The variety show includes some documentary segments about the house preparing for drag shows behind the scenes. Crenshaw said the original idea was a straight reality show about the House of Avalon, but the sisters soon had other ideas.

"We started out basically doing a basic reality show, just filming our lives day-in, day-out," Crenshaw said. "Then we were like, 'Wait, this is really not true to us. We have to figure out how to bring the madness and chaos in a different way.'"

Now, Avalon TV includes comedy sketches, Jackass-inspired stunts called Dragass and interviews Symone conducts with celebrities. Vanderbilt said Avalon TV reflects that the House of Avalon is not limited to only one thing.

"We get bored really easily," Vanderbilt said. "So, we needed something that was going to keep us entertained and also challenge us besides just people following us around with a camera."

In the series premiere, Symone interviews Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller. Symone studied communication at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock before leaving to pursue drag full-time.

"I love The View and I love TV shows like that, so I have always wanted to be in that space," Symone said. "Now I have a better grasp on what it takes. Now I'm a little bit prepared for the next time."

One sketch is called Chosen Family Matters, in the style of a sitcom like ABC's old TGIF staple Family Matters. Rylie said Chosen Family Matters reflects the silliness the House of Avalon lives.

"We act ridiculous with each other on a day-to-day basis," Rylie said.

One of the sketch's jokes is that Rylie's breasts keep popping out of her dress, so the show must pixelate her nipples. Rylie blamed a tight dress for the wardrobe malfunctions.

"They're really feisty girls and the dress was really tight," Rylie said. "It was like putting my foot in a toddler shoe."

Symone has a double role in Chosen Family Matters. She plays herself and her own clone.

"To play my own clone, darling, it was also very fun because I was like, 'I can just act a fool, child,'" Symone said.

Monroe and Vanderbilt have recurring characters, Sam and Pat, in a series of sketches for Avalon TV.

"They're fashionista divas," Monroe said. "They get into mischief, trouble at different restaurants and life scenarios."

World of Wonder also has revealed additional celebrity guests including Big Brother Season 24 winner Taylor Hale, drag queen Trixie Mattel, Nicole Byer, actor Isis King and more.

"We have a lot of friends who we would never expect to have," Crenshaw said. "They come to our parties and they hang out with us. It's a very surreal moment."

Goode said Avalon TV represents the next step in her and her sisters' drag careers.

"We keep reaching these milestone points that all of us at one point had imagined we would be doing," Goode said.

New episodes of Avalon TV premiere Mondays on World of Wonder Presents.