‘Drag enabled me to carve out a career’
Aussie entertainer Courtney Act on the rocky road to stardom, writing her “cathartic” memoir and clashing with her Celebrity Big Brother housemate Ann Widdecombe
Courtney Act is signing copies of her memoir, Caught In The Act, when she answers the phone. She says she has just personalised one to send to former Tory MP Ann Widdecombe, who she famously clashed with on
Celebrity Big Brother in 2018.
“I hope she’s wearing pearls so she can clutch them while reading about my sex stories,” she laughs.
While it does contain details of 40-year-old Courtney’s wild nights out on the gay scene, her memoir also gives an insight into the making of the drag star – real name Shane Jenek – who was runner-up on RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2014.
The star first found fame in 2003 when she auditioned for the first season of Australian Idol as Shane, being turned away and returning the next day as Courtney, then sailing through to the semi-finals.
She then signed a record deal and was labelled “the third Hilton sister” after striking up friendships with Paris and Nicky Hilton.
But when her debut single crashed out of the Aussie charts, plans for an album were shelved.
“As you get older you look back on the different experiences in your life and think, ‘My story didn’t end there, it kept going and actually it got better,’”she says, as she reflects on her decision to move to the US and compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Here, Courtney lifts the lid on writing her life story, opens up about CBB flirt Andrew Brady and reveals what she thinks of RuPaul.
Hi, Courtney! How did you find writing your memoir?
It was definitely cathartic. It was the most deep childhood regression therapy of my life. For example, my first kiss with a boy is like a cute little happy memory. But as I was writing about it, I just started breaking down sobbing because for the 18 years that came before that I didn’t understand anything about queer identity.
What would your life look like without drag?
I can’t even imagine. I was just so naturally drawn to drag. It was fun and it was expressive and it was glamour and it was all of the things that I grew up loving. Drag enabled me to create opportunities and carve out a career for myself.
In your book you say you didn’t feel you had a connection with RuPaul. He has since blocked you on Twitter. Is there a feud?
He is an icon, he doesn’t have to be friends with me. I was on his show and I have got this amazing career that jumped off from that, but I think there is some hypocrisy. Every episode he says,“Everybody say love,” “I am your family,” but that is something that I didn’t feel.
We loved you on CBB. How was it living with Ann Widdecombe?
We were as diametrically opposed as you could be, but we were able to have moderate conversations and discussions about issues.
You had a close relationship with Andrew Brady on CBB. Do you carry a torch for him?
At the time there was definitely an attraction and excitement, but ultimately there is no flame. But I wish him well.
Caught In The Act by Shane Jenek aka Courtney Act (Pantera Press, £19.99) is out now