Why Reigning RuPaul’s Drag Race Champ Bob the Drag Queen Isn’t Giving the New Winner Any Advice

Author: Dave Quinn / Source: PEOPLE.com

It’s been a busy year for Bob the Drag Queen.

Ever since the 30-year-old comedian took home the crown on the season 8 finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race, he’s been on a race of his own — traveling across the world (purse first, of course) for appearances, producing his own hour-long standup special (Suspiciously Large Woman, premiering at Outfest Los Angeles in July), and filming roles in movies (including the Scarlett Johansson-led Rough Night, out now, and the new comedy Cherry Pop, alongside Drag Race alums Latrice Royale, Detox and Tempest DuJour).

But one thing you won’t find Bob doing this is giving advice to the top four queens left coming for his crown on Drag Race season 9.

“You have to just experience the vibe on your own,” Bob told PEOPLE ahead of Cherry Pop‘s premiere this week at New York City’s SVA Theater, which kicked off NewFest and NYC Pride. “I didn’t really have expectations. I didn’t have anything to compare this too. I wasn’t thinking, ‘Oh this will be like this.’ Because there is nothing like being the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race. I was just open to whatever happened.”

“Everyone gets a different thing from it,” he adds. “I don’t have advice. I just hope they get whatever it is they want from it and enjoy the ride.”

That doesn’t mean there’s still not lessons one can learn from Bob’s long career in drag, especially when it comes to traveling. “If you can avoid traveling alone, do that,” he urges. “And get nice luggage.”

It’s that sort of quick wit that won Bob (né Caldwell Tidicue) the hearts of fans (and RuPaul) during his season of Drag Race.

Snatching the top title was a dream come true for the Big Apple-based queen. Among the many things that changed post-win? The types of crowds that would come to see him.