1) You’re at a magazine rack and can only pick three titles. Which ones do you choose?
I can’t lie to you, I’d choose Bark, because I subscribe. I’m a big animal lover. The magazines that I subscribe to are O, The Oprah Magazine, I bet you would never think that of me. I might dip into a gossip mag, like OK! And then Bark. It’s a dog mag. Or Rolling Stone.
2) If your TV carried just three shows or Networks, what would they be?
Lifetime, duh. Every morning I watch CNN, I like catching up on the news. And I’m a big Bachelorette fan, on ABC.
3) What are three things you have to have in your fridge or pantry?
This should be on my rider: Low-fat Triscuits, I can’t even explain to you how much I love them. I also love Chester’s Hot Fries; I can eat an entire bag by myself. And I’m a big veggie tray fan. I just became a vegetarian full-time. My mother is a vegetarian and it’s funny because in the first episode, beyond any of my language or vocabulary, my mom lectured me on saying that I wanted to eat Chicken and Waffles.
4) What’s a movie you can watch over and over again?
It’s a tie between This is the End and Hot Fuzz. Hot Fuzz is a British film it has Simon Pegg in it. It is so good. If you liked Shaun of the Dead, you’ll love Hot Fuzz. And I love This Is The End. It was made by the same guys who made Pineapple Express and Knocked Up.
5) What has been your strangest fan encounter?
Because I’ve been in this industry so long, I’ve had so many weird experiences. I’ll tell you the most intense for me. I hate being picked up — It’s my biggest pet peeve — I don’t want anyone to ever ask me to pick me up. People ask me, “Can I pick you up and take a photo with you?” No you may not. I am a human being and I’m not 5 years-old. It’s so rude!
When I first started impersonating, I did a job in Mexico. A guy picked me up and started heading for the door with me and he didn’t speak a work of English. So I was telling him “cojones, no mas,” because I was going to kick him in the balls. I was so scared. So I kicked him as hard as I could and we both fell to the ground and he started cussing at me in Spanish and I stated cussing at him in English.
Since them, I always say at every single job I’ve done, “Feel free to come up and take photos with me, but if you pick me up, I will kick you in the balls.” As a little person, sometimes, people come up to you and they don’t even ask and they pick you up. Would you go up to a random stranger and pick them up? Why is it okay to pick me up because I’m little? Personal space!
6) Tell us about a time you were star struck.
I got to sing for Elton John’s partner for his birthday. I sang as Mini Cher. I was so excited and I knew it was going to happen for about a week and I was freaking out because, what do you say to Elton John?
I don’t get freaked out in front of celebrities, but there’s maybe five where I’d really freak out, and Elton is one of them. I find him extremely talented. He’s a legend, he’s completely a legend. So I came up with the best line ever. After I finished performing, I went up to him and his partner, and I said, “Thank you so much for having me, I’m really honored to be a part of this.” And I spoke with Elton on the side and he said, “you were wonderfully entertaining. That was wonderfully entertaining.” In my head I was thinking, “Note that. Put that quote in your quote journal. Elton John said I was wonderfully entertaining.”
But then I told him, “If you ever need a tiny dancer, I’m your girl.” And I’d thought about this line for a week. And he looked at me like I was an alien, turned the opposite direction and started talking to someone else. It was a train wreck!
7) Who is your personal hero?
My personal hero is my mom. She is the reason I save dogs, she’s the reason I’m an animal lover. Maybe everyone loves their mother, maybe it’s cliché and I don’t care if it is. I love my mom. She’s the smartest, most put-together super-woman I’ve ever met in my life.
image © 2014 Zach Dilgard/Lifetime