Alaska Thunderfuck 5000

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Alaska Thunderfuck 5000

Alaska at Dayton Pride 2013
Born Justin Andrew Honard
(1985-03-06) March 6, 1985
Erie, Pennsylvania
Other names Alaska Thunderfuck
Occupation Drag performer
Website
AlaskaThunderfuck.com

Alaska Thunderfuck 5000,[1] known mononymously as Alaska on the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, is an American drag performer and recording artist.

Early life

Justin Andrew Honard was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Fort LeBoeuf High School in 2003.[2][3] He studied theater at the University of Pittsburgh.[4]

Career

Honard originally moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. Dissatisfied with the auditioning process, he turned to drag and got a job at the West Hollywood club Fubar.[5] He frequently performed in the Trannyshack shows in Los Angeles.[6] In 2009, he performed in Palm Springs Gay Pride with Tammie Brown and Jer Ber Jones.[7]

Honard met future boyfriend Sharon Needles through Myspace in December 2009 and eventually moved back to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to live with him in 2010.[2] Along with Sharon Needles and Cherri Baum, he formed the band the Haus of Haunt, which later evolved into a drag troupe based out of the bar the Blue Moon.[8] As part of the Haus of Haunt, he helped present the Pittsburgh debut of fellow drag queen and recording artist Christeene Vale in 2013.[9] Alaska later impersonated Christeene for the music video "RuPaulogize" by Willam Belli and Sharon Needles.[10]

In November 2012, Logo announced that Alaska Thunderfuck was among 14 drag queens who would be competing on the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, but would be known by the mononym Alaska.[2][11] He had previously auditioned every season for the show.[5] Alaska won the fragrance commercial-themed main challenge in the episode "Scent of a Drag Queen" and the main challenge for "Sugar Ball."[12][13] As part of the show, Alaska sang on the "We Are the World"-inspired song "Can I Get an Amen?" The song's proceeds helped benefit the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center.[14] In May 2013, Alaska, along with fellow competitor Roxxxy Andrews, was declared the Runner-Up of the season.

In October 2013, Alaska performed as Dr. Frank N. Furter in the Woodlawn Theatre's production of The Rocky Horror Show. RuPaul's Drag Race judge Michelle Visage and Season four contestant Willam Belli also starred in the musical.[15] Sharon Needles played the role the year prior.[16]

Artistry

Alaska Thunderfuck 5000 is Jer Ber Jones' drag daughter.[17] Jones is noted for pioneering "tranimal" drag, which originated in Los Angeles and emphasized nontraditional drag influences such as Leigh Bowery and the Cockettes.[18] Honard's drag name is derived from Alaskan Thunderfuck, a strain of marijuana. Alaska counts Divine, Britney Spears, and Marilyn Monroe as influences. His drag character's back story revolves around being an alien who crash-landed from the planet Glamtron.[1][19]

Personal life

Honard lives in Los Angeles.

Discography

Singles

Song Year Album
"Can I Get an Amen?" (RuPaul featuring the Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 5) 2013 Non-album single
"Let's Get Something Started" (Candy Apple Blue featuring Alaska Thunderfuck 5000) Let's Get Something Started
"Ru Girl" Non-album single

Music videos

Song Year Director
"Hooker Shoes" (Alaska Thunderfuck 5000 & Amy Vodkahaus) 2013 Michael David, Michael Quigley
"Let's Get Something Started" (Candy Apple Blue featuring Alaska Thunderfuck 5000) Fading Brunette
"Can I Get an Amen?" (RuPaul featuring the Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 5) N/A
"Ru Girl" Carly Usdin

Other appearances

Song Year Album
"Kai Kai" (Sharon Needles featuring Ana Matronic and Alaska Thunderfuck) 2013 PG-13

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2013 RuPaul's Drag Race Himself Runner-up
2013 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked Himself
2013 NewNowNext Awards Himself

Web series

Year Title Role Notes
2013 Pure Camp[20] Himself Produced by World of Wonder

Music video appearances

Year Song Director
2013 "RuPaulogize" (Willam Belli featuring Sharon Needles) Michael Serrato

Theatre

Year Title Role Theatre
2013 The Rocky Horror Show[15] Dr. Frank N. Furter Woodlawn Theatre

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "ALASKA THUNDERFUCK". AlaskaThunderfuck.com. Retrieved 23 March 2013. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Nunn, Jerry (18 April 2013). "Alaska from RuPaul’s Drag Race dishes with Jerry Nunn". ChicagoPride.com. Retrieved 19 April 2013. 
  3. ↑ McCracken, Sean (13 March 2013). "High school friend on national reality competition". Erie Times-News. Retrieved 20 March 2013. 
  4. ↑ Sciullo, Maria (28 January 2013). "Pittsburgh's 'Alaska' takes a turn on 'Drag Race'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 20 March 2013. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Middleton, Josh (29 March 2013). "Interview: Alaska From RuPaul's Drag Race Talks About Life Post-Show and Her Love Affair with Sharon Needles". Philadelphia. Retrieved 19 April 2013. 
  6. ↑ Lucid, Michael (23 July 2009). "DAILY FREAK SHOW: JAMES GOES TO TRANNYSHACK". World of Wonder. Retrieved 20 April 2013. 
  7. ↑ Lucid, Michael (18 November 2009). "JAMES ST JAMES GOES TO THE ACE HOTEL". World of Wonder. Retrieved 20 April 2013. 
  8. ↑ Thunderfuck, Alaska (15 October 2012). "Just who did create the Haus of Haunt?". Facebook. Retrieved 19 April 2013. 
  9. ↑ "Tickets for CHRISTEENE @ 6119 in Pittsburg from ShowClix". ShowClix. Retrieved 20 April 2013. 
  10. ↑ Higbee, Jonathan (22 April 2013). "Willam's Back With Brand New Video, "RuPaulogize"". IInstinct. Retrieved 27 April 2013. 
  11. ↑ Coughlan, Maggie (19 November 2012). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 5 Contestants Announced". People. Retrieved 23 March 2013. 
  12. ↑ Sava, Oliver (19 March 2013). "Scent of a Drag Queen". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 23 March 2013. 
  13. ↑ Sava, Oliver (16 April 2013). "Sugar Ball". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 19 April 2013. 
  14. ↑ Parker, Lyndsey (5 March 2013). "Great Musical Moments In Reality TV: RuPaul’s "Can I Get An Amen"". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved 23 March 2013. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Shorey, Eric (8 October 2013). "Willam, Alaska And Michelle Visage Get Ready To Rock "Rocky Horror Show": PHOTOS". New Now Next. Retrieved 11 November 2013. 
  16. ↑ Spargo, Chris (17 September 2012). "Sharon Needles To Play Frank-N-Furter In ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’". New Now Next. Retrieved 19 April 2013. 
  17. ↑ Thunderfuck, Alaska (15 April 2013). "Twitter / Alaska5000: @yazzzy666 PB5K is one of my". Twitter. Retrieved 23 April 2013. 
  18. ↑ Shellhammer, Bradford. "jer ber jones (Bradford Shellhammer : Interviews)". BradfordShellhammer.com. Retrieved 23 April 2013. 
  19. ↑ Slice, Kymbo. "The Alaska Thunderfuck Interview". Nak You Out. Retrieved 20 March 2013. 
  20. ↑ Asea, Adam (22 August 2013). "The Premiere of Sharon Needles and Alaska: Pure Camp". World of Wonder. Retrieved 7 December 2013. 

External links

Seasons
Judges
Pit crew
  • Current: Jason Carter
  • Shawn Morales
    Former: Max "The Body" Philisaire
  • Emanuel Palmer
Winners
Runners-up
Miss Congeniality Award
Related articles
  • A complete list of contestants can be found here.
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