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Can Bob the Drag Queen's Charm Land a Season 3 Win on The Traitors? What to Know
The comedian, entertainer, and drag queen extraordinaire is well-positioned to slay the Scottish castle.
When it comes to knowing who rules the castle on The Traitors, there's no question that it's host Alan Cumming. Whether assessing unexpected drama or simply laying down some snarky wit, there's no question he can read any room and bend it to his will.
However, Season 3 of The Traitors — which premieres on Peacock on January 9, 2025 — may give Cumming a run for his money in the form of contestant Bob the Drag Queen. Also a multi-hyphenate talent, Bob the Drag Queen knows how to work a comedy crowd, a stage, a camera, and a fine fabric warehouse like a pro. Bob also oozes confidence, which sets him up as a potentially formidable player this season.
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If you're not Bob knowledgable, NBC Insider is here for you with our overview of his impressive career thus far.
From Caldwell Tidicue to Bob the Drag Queen
In 1986, Christopher Delmar Caldwell (now professionally known as Caldwell Tidicue) was born in Columbus, Georgia, and drag quickly became a norm in his life, as his mother owned a drag bar. Little Christopher learned showmanship and style from the performers but didn't start to cultivate his own persona until he attended college.
In 2023, Bob told AnOther Magazine that his first go at major makeup was for a class taught by Professor Steven Graver.
"We did what he was calling ‘opposite sex makeup.’ I had long hair that I did half-up-half-down, this big feather boa – I think I might have been 19 years old – that was my first time," he said.
But it was not be the last. He moved to New York City at the age of 22 where he pursued acting, stand-up comedy, and even children's theater work. But it was while watching RuPaul's Drag Race that a new goal was born. He mastered stage makeup and honed his own look and stage character: Kittin Withawhip, inspired by an Ann-Margret role. After that came years of competition as he worked to gain a following, but it wasn't until 2013 when he tried out a new character, Bob the Drag Queen, that everything changed.
Bob the Drag Queen's moment on RuPaul's Drag Race
In 2016, Bob the Drag Queen was revealed as a contestant on Season 8 of RuPaul's Drag Race. Using his comedy chops and lip-synching for all he was worth, Bob won three season challenges and was ultimately crowned winner of the $100,000 cash prize. It catapulted Bob into a new realm of notoriety and fame.
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By 2020, Bob was cast alongside fellow Drag Race contestants Eureka O'Hara and Shangela in the HBO reality show We're Here, in which the trio traveled around the United States to recruit locals to be part of their one-night drag shows. The same year, Bob told Rolling Stone that the unscripted series, “Isn’t about changing perceptions, but [rather] about amplifying queer voices in times where people don’t acknowledge things...It’s really hard to hate someone and continue with your hate rhetoric once you actually learn about who they are or what they’re going through."
A Multi-Hyphenate Queen
While Bob the Drag Queen's star was boosted mightily by his reality series stints, there were plenty of other jobs that elevated the entertainer into a whole other realm of fame. As the first Black drag queen to achieve 1 million followers on Instagram, Bob has diversified his talents into so many lanes that it's no wonder his fandom has eclipsed so many others.
On the music scene, he's appeared in music videos and had his own single, "Purse First," featuring DJ Mitch Ferrino. He co-hosted the podcast Sibling Rivalry with Monét X Change. The Traitors fans may even know Bob already from his appearances with Season 2 contestant Peppermint at the activist event Black Queer Town Hall.
On the stage, Bob has been part of numerous live drag shows, was the emcee for Madonna's Celebration Tour, and even acted in the seminal LGBTQ+ play Angels in America.
RELATED: Alan Cumming Accepts The Traitors' Emmy for Outstanding Reality Competition Program
In his everyday life, Tidicue exists without the iconic makeup and identifies as polyamorous, pansexual, and non-binary, and goes by he/him or she/her pronouns. He's also an avid activist and was famously arrested for protesting for LGBTQ+ marriage rights in New York City on 42nd Street. (A photo of the arrest dons the cover of his EP.)
The sheer diversity of Bob the Drag Queen's skills and his comedic abilities — which might as well be a superpower when it comes to diffusing big personalities and real-life hecklers — make him one of the most formidable contestants this year. We can't wait to see how he navigates an ornery Real Housewife or even an actual Lord.
The Traitors will return for its third outing starting on January 9, with the recently renewed Seasons 4 and 5 coming down the line.
Catch up on Seasons 1 and 2 of The Traitors, now available on Peacock.
