Fay Slift and Fluffy Soufflé are a Canadian drag queen duo based in Toronto who are most well known for their drag queen story times which were adapted into the Family Jr. children's television show The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy in 2022.[1] They were also profiled in the third season of Canada's a Drag in 2020.[2]
Members
editFay Slift is the drag persona of Jean Paul "JP" Kane, who also works as a kindergarten teacher with the Toronto District School Board.[1][3]
Fluffy Soufflé is the drag persona of Kaleb Robertson, who also works as an independent cultural producer and child care provider, including as a nanny and formerly running a home daycare.[1][3]
History
editIn 2015 Fay Slift was inspired by Michelle Tea, a San Francisco based author and activist, and the launch of Drag Queen Story Time in the city.[4] The duo began working together on drag queen story times in Toronto in June 2016 as part of Toronto Pride, later expanding to other parts on Ontario and Quebec.[4][2] In 2016 two show creators from Lopii Productions, a children's media boutique based in Toronto, met with Fay and Fluffy at one of their story times where they were inspired to create their TV series.[5] The show, titled The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy premiered in 2022 on Family Jr. in Canada.[1] The variety cabaret preschool show features their stories, puppets, animated segments, and songs. It was well received critically and was nominated for four Canadian Screen Awards in 2023 and won a Youth Media Alliance Award.
In 2023 the series published in first book in a planned series, The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy Presents: The Fabulous Book About Families.[6] The book is published by Mango Publishing Group.[7] A second season of the series was ordered in 2023 and is set to premiere in fall 2024.[8]
In 2018 they appeared on the morning television series Breakfast Television.[9]
In 2019 they ended the relationship "Fay and Fluffy's Storytime" had with the Toronto Public Library over the library hosting a talk by Meghan Murphy. Fluffy stated that he could not "continue a relationship with a space that will host someone who is actively fighting to take away my legal rights as a human."[10]
In 2020 the duo were profiled in the third season of the CBC Gem docu-series Canada's a Drag.[2]
In 2022 and 2024 they appeared at the Toronto International Festival of Authors.[11][12]
In 2023 they were featured in a Kids Help Phone advertisement.[13] They also faced protest at a Mississauga storytime event with similar cases happening at other drag story times across Canada.[14] They also served as the hosts of the 2023 Kidscreen Awards at the Kidscreen Summit in Miami.[6]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Breakfast Television | Themselves | 1 episode segment |
| 2020 | Canada's a Drag | Themselves | 1 episode |
| 2022-present | The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy | Hosts |
Awards and nominations
edit| Award | Date of Ceremony | Category | Nominees | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario Library Association | 2020 | President's Award for Exceptional Achievement | Themselves | Won | [15] |
| Rose d'Or Awards | November 2022 | Children and Youth | The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy | Nominated | [16] |
| Canadian Screen Awards | April 2023 | Best Pre-School Program or Series | Nominated | [17][18] | |
| Shaw Rocket Fund Kids' Choice Award | Won | ||||
| Best Photography in a Lifestyle or Reality Program or Series | "I Love Where I Come From" - The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy (for Alysha Galbreath) | Nominated | |||
| Best Writing in a Pre-School Series | "I Love Being Different" - The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy (for Victoria Gallant) | Nominated | |||
| "I Love My Family" - The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy (for Tyra Sweet) | Nominated | ||||
| Youth Media Alliance Awards | June 2023 | Excellence in Preschool Live Action | The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy | Won | [19] |
| Japan Prize | November 2023 | Audiovisual Works - Pre-school Division | "I Love My Family" - The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy | Nominated | [20] |
References
edit- ^ a b c d Aslam, Yasmeen (February 18, 2022). "There's a new Canadian kids' show starring drag performers and we love it". Today's Parent. Archived from the original on February 9, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
- ^ a b c Knegt, Peter (7 February 2020). "Toronto drag duo Fay and Fluffy are a beacon of light for young hearts and minds". CBC Arts. Archived from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
- ^ a b "About Us". Fay & Fluffy's Storytime. 3 July 2017. Archived from the original on 2024-08-07. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ a b Brend, Yvette (December 15, 2022). "Drag storytimes have become a target of hate. Why some families love them anyway". CBC News. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
- ^ Mcneely, Jen (2022-06-27). "From Babies To Adults, Everyone Adores 'The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy'". Shedoesthecity. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ a b "The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy expands into publishing". Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ "The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy Presents: The Fabulous Book Abou". Mango Publishing. Archived from the original on 2024-08-09. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ Media, aNb (2023-12-14). "WildBrain Television Greenlights Season 2 of 'The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy'". aNb Media, Inc. Archived from the original on 2024-08-09. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ Breakfast Television (2018-06-22). Fay and Fluffy's Storytime. Retrieved 2024-08-07 – via YouTube.
- ^ Burman, Dilshad (2019-10-29). "Fay and Fluffy's Storytime ends Toronto Public Library affiliation over Meghan Murphy talk". CityNews Toronto. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ "Storytime with Fay & Fluffy". TIFA. Archived from the original on 2024-08-07. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ "Storytime with Fay and Fluffy". Toronto International Festival of Authors. Archived from the original on 2024-03-04. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ Ashton, Mia. "Trudeau-funded Kids Help Phone releases ad featuring drag performers 'Fay' and 'Fluffy'". The Post Millennial. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ Zoledziowski, Anya; Sheldon, Mia (September 16, 2023). "These drag performers say protests, threats won't stop them from reading to kids at storytime events". CBC News. Archived from the original on August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
- ^ Rumack, Leah (2020-08-11). "Fay the drag queen lets inclusivity take centre stage". Broadview Magazine. Archived from the original on 2024-05-18. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ "Rose d'Or 2022 Shortlist Announced – Rose d'Or Awards". Archived from the original on 2022-10-12. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ Television, Academy of Canadian Cinema &. "Nominees Announced for the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards". www.newswire.ca. Archived from the original on 2024-08-07. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ "Award-Winning Drag Queens Fay and Fluffy to Host Sistema Toronto's Spirit Gala". ADDICTED. 2023-04-18. Archived from the original on 2024-08-09. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
- ^ Bharanidharan, Sadhana (June 1, 2023). "Youth Media Alliance 2023 Winners". Kidscreen.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Corporation), NHK (Japan Broadcasting. "Results | Judging". Japan Prize. Archived from the original on 2024-08-07. Retrieved 2024-08-07.