Stream It or Skip It: ‘Naked. Loud. Proud.’ on Max Asks, “What If Drag and Burlesque Kissed?”

Max kicks off Pride Month with the debut of Naked.Loud.Proud., a Polish docuseries that takes viewers into the world of draglesque — the combination of drag and burlesque. By focusing on a number of prominent figures in the nightlife scene, the series strives to show not only the difference between drag as an art form in America and Poland, but also how draglesque pushes boundaries in completely new directions.

NAKED.LOUD.PROUD.: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: We open on — where else? — a drag show in a queer bar, which sets the stage literally and figuratively for the stories about to be told on screen.

The Gist: The series starts off by explaining how burlesque and drag occupy a similar space and both are misunderstood to a degree. Burlesque is not stripping. It’s a stage performance that celebrates one’s body by showing it off. As one performer excitedly exclaims, “I use my body and, most importantly, I flash my tits!” Drag is not simply a man dressing up as a woman or vice versa. Drag, as defined here, involves embodying a character, no matter your or their gender. So combined, draglesque is where a performer uses their body to become a character — and then they show off and celebrate that character’s body. All of this is explained rather succinctly before the opening credits even roll.

The series itself follows a number of figures involved in Poland’s drag and burlesque scene. The first episode focuses on popular drag entertainer Kim Lee, burlesque star Betty Q, and Paweł, representing the draglesque curious. We get to see Kim and Betty perform a draglesque number on stage, and we also get to follow them offstage and see the work — both mental and physical — that goes into putting on these shows. Paweł, whose partner Gasiu is a drag queen and emcee, also shares his backstory, which involved turning to monasticism to try to avoid being homosexual. By the end of the episode, he’s ready to give draglesque a go.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? The combination of intimate profile and stage performance makes some stories, particularly that of Paweł’s, feel like HBO’s fantastic We’re Here. Similarly, the backstage portions have a similar vibe to Drag Race’s tour docuseries Werq the World.

Sex and Skin: The whole reason this series exists is to show some skin. While the profiles Naked.Loud.Proud. paints of its subjects are serious, the show still shows them having some cheeky fun onstage (literally, in the case of Betty Q).

Parting Shot: After having some of his nerves quelled, Paweł says, “From nine to five I can be a nice guy from the office, and then I can turn into a faun.” Cut to a scene from the next episode where Paweł puts on a leather thong and checks out his ass in a mirror.

Sleeper Star: Kim Lee gets a loving introduction in interviews with their peers, and it’s no wonder why. After spending a third of the episode with Kim, you’ll want to give them a big old hug — especially after hearing the completely perplexed and hesitant way Kim’s partner talks about their art. Here’s a tip to all the spouses out there: if your partner takes up an interest in drag, burlesque, anything, maybe talk to them about it? It’s okay, Kim. We understand you!

Our Take: Naked.Loud.Proud. is almost done a disservice by its title. I say that because I read “Naked.Loud.Proud.” and my mind automatically goes to survivalist reality shows like Naked and Afraid. This series is very much not that. It is naked, loud, and proud in a completely different way from a Discovery Channel series.

The series does a commendable job of showing the breadth of expression that falls under draglesque, too. There’s Betty Q’s vampy, tongue-in-cheek routine where she accentuates all of the parts of her body that culture would like her to change. And then there’s Kim Lee’s campy Star Wars number, where they go from getting down and dirty as a shirtless Darth Vader in glittering hosiery to putting on full Princess Leia costume and twirling lightsabers. There’s no one way to do drag, burlesque, or draglesque. On the other end of the tonal spectrum, the series takes a lot of care with the heavier moments, particularly when it comes to a story like Paweł’s.

Naked.Loud.Proud. is an insightful examination of not just the place that drag and burlesque have in human expression, but how that expression manifests itself across the world. There’s only so much one can learn about drag in other parts of the world by watching another country’s iteration of Drag Race, and Naked.Loud.Proud. is here to fill out the curiculuum.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Let Naked.Loud.Proud. open your mind up to different kinds of drag.