March 07--Just getting on "RuPaul's Drag Race" was a challenge for Boystown entertainer Naysha Lopez.
Lopez, whose birth name is Fabian Rodriguez, said she auditioned four times for the Logo show.
"I just grew and evolved and grew comfortable in my own skin and drag aesthetic and this time I think (producers) just saw that," said Lopez, who lives on the Northwest Side and has been performing for more than 10 years.
Lopez and Andersonville resident Kim Chi are two of 12 entertainers set to compete in the eighth season of "RuPaul's Drag Race," which premieres 8 p.m Monday. Contestants undergo a series of challenges for the $100,000 prize.
Kim Chi, who declined to share her birth name, said she's been watching the show since the first season in 2009.
She has a love for anime, which she translated into 40 to 50 outfits packed in five suitcases for the competition.
She moved to Chicago about eight years ago, briefly attended Columbia College and calls herself the first Korean drag queen on television.
"It feels cool to represent my culture," the 28-year-old Boystown entertainer said.
Lopez, 31, called the show a "huge stepping stone" and promised a lot of drama this season.
"There's a queen for everyone, no matter what your drag aesthetic is," said Lopez, who draws inspiration from pageant queens. "Everyone is so amazingly talented."
