Hateful messages feed the delusion of fame

Wanda Starr is a horrible, selfish, sometimes evil drag queen who has made quite a stir with venomous blog posts on the travel site Guide to Iceland.

Wanda is Richard Chapman’s alter ego and he has received hateful messages aimed at Wanda. Still he can’t imagine his life without her.

Wanda Starr is the alter ego of Richard Chapman, who has been living in Iceland since 2014 and says that in reality he loves the country, the people, the culture and Reykjavík City. Unlike ms. Starr.

“Oh, she’s just horrible. A really nasty piece of work. I always try to temper the hate with a somewhat intelligent point, or to use it to make some sort of political commentary, as politics is one of my passions and what my degree is in. Sometimes, though, she just enjoys being evil,” says Guide To Iceland writer Richard Chapman about his alter ego, drag queen extraordinaire Wanda Starr.

Richard has been writing blog posts on Guide To Iceland’s website as Wanda Starr the last few weeks and they have made quite a stir. Wanda is outspoken and doesn’t seem to like Iceland very much. In fact, she wants to exploit the nature, thinks most of the main tourist attractions are overrated and basically hates Iceland – and Guide to Iceland. So, why on earth was Wanda asked to become a writer at one of the biggest travel websites in Iceland?

“My bosses asked me to, and I was very happy to accept. A few people from Guide to Iceland came to one of the Drag-Súgur shows I was doing stand-up at, and saw potential for a new direction and a way to appeal to queer people. What I’m writing is, in a way, clickbait, and designed to increase traffic on our site, but the company is very forward-thinking and definitely has a wider view of what the blogs can do,” says Richard, who hails from the UK and moved to Iceland in 2014, almost accidentally.

“Oh, she’s just horrible … I always try to temper the hate with a somewhat intelligent point, or to use it to make some sort of political commentary … Sometimes, though, she just enjoys being evil.”

“I had just qualified as a scuba instructor so was thinking I would be working in Australia or the Caribbean. When I saw the advert to work in Silfra, I literally laughed about who would be desperate enough to want to be a diving instructor in Iceland. Two weeks later, with no responses from anywhere sunny, I became the butt of my own joke and sent my application. Three years and four jobs later, and I’m still here,” says Richard with a laugh. He’s shared his life with Wanda since last year, having experimented with drag since he was eighteen.

Wanda Starr has made a name for herself as a writer on Guide to Iceland and as a member of the performing arts group Drag-Súgur.

“I’ve always found vile, selfish, evil women hilarious, like Jill from Nighty Night, Debbie from the Addams Family, and Sarah Silverman, so Wanda sort of formed naturally as an exaggerated form of them. I also wanted her to celebrate traits that most consider to be abhorrent, and for her rancid, unredeemable personality to contrast what society expects of women.”

Those who know Richard, also know that he is far from the persona of Wanda Starr. He says it’s a nice way to blow off some steam to put on Wanda’s clothes.

“Sometimes she just enjoys being evil. I try to be quite nice day-to-day, so it’s wonderful to have an outlet to let all that malevolence out. Besides, I don’t think anyone expects or really wants drag queens to be sweet,” says Richard.

But does he share Wanda’s views on Iceland?

“Not even a little. I have lived in Iceland for over three years now, and have had so many incredible things happen here. I love the country, the people, the culture and the city of Reykjavík. Can’t say I like the winters, but in summer there’s nowhere I’d rather be,” he says and adds that he 100 percent does not agree with Wanda when it comes to Guide to Iceland.

“It’s the best place I’ve ever worked. I would never have thought it possible to combine my passions for writing and drag, and get paid to do it, at least at this point in my career. I think it’s very telling of the company and its ethos that they are providing a platform for a drag queen; too many places use queer liberation and pride as a selling point to hook people in without paying dues, and it’s refreshing to receive such genuine, tangible support.”

Richard admits that Wanda is a lot of work, still he doesn’t want to part with her any time soon.

“She gets me into quite a lot of trouble quite regularly. I often wake up the morning after wishing she was a sweet maiden who would never even think of doing whatever she did the night before, but she isn’t, so I have to live with it.

Its safe to say that Richard is a man of many talents. He will be hosting Drag-Súgur’s new show Drag Lab on June 29th at Gaukurinn and is also working on the next Reykjavík Pride and Fringe Festival.

I can’t ever see myself getting rid of her, but I’m constantly trying to shape and improve her character, at very least to save me from the hangovers.”

On the subject of trouble, we turn our eyes back to the infamous blog posts of Wanda Starr, who have been quite ill received by some.

“It’s been really quite hysterical, some people take it incredibly seriously. You would think that the picture of a rather ropey crossdresser would let the audience know to take the blogs with a pinch of salt, but some people are determined to be offended. I have received a couple of hateful messages, but Wanda loves them as they feed into her delusions of fame,” says Richard and adds that not everybody is offended by the drag queen’s rants.

“Most people seem to understand the satire and really enjoy it. Icelanders in particular tend to be able to see through the sarcasm and just have a laugh.”

“Most people seem to understand the satire and really enjoy it … but some people are determined to be offended. I have received a couple of hateful messages, but Wanda loves them as they feed into her delusions of fame.”

Richard is a busy man, hosting Drag-Súgur’s new show Drag Lab on June 29th at bar Gaukurinn and involved in projects for the next Reykjavík Pride and Fringe Festival. He also has a show around Wanda in the making, an online video series and a novel. He will continue to write blogs for Guide to Iceland as well, but is that platform big enough for Wanda Starr?

“Wanda is planning on international stardom and world domination, so she absolutely will take any platform that she is offered. I know what side my bread is buttered, however, so will be sticking with Guide to Iceland for as long as they’ll have me! I love what Wanda is doing with the company, and we are looking at furthering her role; hopefully, there will be more than just the blogs in the near future. In any regard, however, I am sure she will continue to find new ways to spread her vitriol and hate to a larger audience.”

“She gets me into quite a lot of trouble quite regularly. I often wake up the morning after wishing she was a sweet maiden who would never even think of doing whatever she did the night before, but she isn’t, so I have to live with it,” says Richard about his alter ego.

Á. Óskarsson
Á. Óskarsson

Á. Óskarsson offers a variety of products and services to sports centers, swimming pools, schools, kindergartens, and the general public. The company specializes in sport-related products, activity-focused games, and a wide range of solutions for sports facilities.

Á. Óskarsson has been involved in numerous big projects related to building sports facilities and has made it their benchmark to offer good quality products and equipment since the company was founded.

See links to social media in the upper left-hand corner

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Á. Óskarsson selur fjölbreytt vöruúrval fyrir íþróttahús, sundlaugar, skóla og leikskóla og einnig ýmsar vörur til einkaafnota. Fyrirtækið selur vörur til íþróttaiðkunnar og leikja ásamt því að bjóða upp á ýmsar lausnir fyrir íþróttamannvirki.

Á. Óskarsson hefur komið að fjölda stórra verkefna við byggingu íþróttamannvirkja og hefur frá stofnun kappkostað að bjóða vandaðar og endingargóðar vörur.

Tenglar á samfélagsmiðla eru í efra horninu vinstra megin.

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Blush

    Blush was founded in 2011 when it started selling high quality sex products. The goal from the beginning was to change the market and take the discussion about sex products to a higher level. Today Blush provides professional services in a pleasant environment that fulfills different needs, both for individuals and couples. Blush respects diversity and wants to set a good example in all of its messaging to target audiences. Sexual health and equality in sex is important and Blush wants to focus on those issues through education and open discussion. Blush works in a socially responsible manner for society, their customers and the environment.

    Check out Blush’s website: https://blush.is/

    Omnom Chocolate
    - award-winning chocolate maker

      Omnom Chocolate is an Icelandic craft chocolate company based in Reykjavík. We produce handcrafted chocolate from organic cacao beans sourced ethically and sustainably. We’ve developed direct relationships to create premium chocolate with fine flavor cacao beans.

      Our creative flavors are carefully crafted by meticulous chocolate makers. The cacao beans are roasted, winnowed, ground, and refined into melty-smooth chocolate.

      Omnom’s process is one of constant exploration, invention, and experimentation. If it doesn’t please us, if something isn’t absolutely delicious, there’s no reason to be doing it. So, we always start with our taste buds and follow our instincts. Our team searches for the finest ingredients in the world and new ways to improve chocolate. This obsession with knowing where our ingredients come from has led us around the corner to dairy farms in the Icelandic countryside and all the way to rainforest cacao farms of Nicaragua.

      In only a few short years, we’ve grown from our 50 sq. m. petrol station space and become an award-winning chocolate maker. Now, with our headquarters in 101 Reykjavík, our chocolate is sent out around Iceland and all over the world.

      At the end of the day, our goal is to make chocolate.

       

      Nasdaq

         

        Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a global technology company serving the capital markets and other industries. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software and services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence.

        With over 4,300 employees in 39 offices around the world, at Nasdaq we all contribute to the success of the company and its culture, and each one of us has the ability to make a difference. When it comes to our core mission and values, we embrace the role of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) as a fundamental driver of our corporate growth, workplace culture and market development. We strive to create a culture that embraces the power of different perspectives—a culture where people’s unique backgrounds and different experiences helps us fuel innovation and support our clients around the world.

        Our unique position at the center of the capital markets allows us to see firsthand how these values have redefined corporate culture and success, deepening and accelerating our own commitment to champion inclusive growth and prosperity, as we strive to create more equitable opportunities to help people of all backgrounds reach their full potential. Most notably, we published our diversity statistics for the first time in 2020. These metrics serve as a quantitative assessment of where we are today and help determine what strategies we need to adopt to enhance diversity in the workplace. We recognize that we have much work to do, but we are steadfast in our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive culture—one that reflects the communities in which we live, allows all employees to be their true, authentic selves and fosters individual growth and achievement.

        As we move forward together, we will continue advancing diverse ideas and perspectives that help fulfill the promise of a more inclusive and prosperous world. We aim to set the pace for rethinking capital markets and economies anywhere and everywhere. To learn more about the company, technology solutions and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on Twitter @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

        Blue Lagoon
        - One of the 25 Wonders of the World

        Named by National Geographic as one of the 25 Wonders of the World, the Blue Lagoon is a shimmering expanse of warmth, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Its unique geothermal seawater
        comes from 2.000 meters within the earth where seawater and freshwater converge in a tectonic realm of porous lava and searing heat. Propelled by extreme pressure, the water ascends to the earth’s surface, emerging enriched with silica, algae, and minerals—the elements that endow Blue Lagoon geothermal seawater with its radiant, healing properties.

        From its humble beginnings in the shadows of a geothermal power plant, Blue Lagoon has evolved into a world of wonder, now encompassing two hotels, three restaurants, three
        geothermal lagoons, a subterranean spa, a renowned line of skin care, a thriving research center, and a wealth of spa and refreshment facilities.

        Achieving harmony with the volcanic landscape, the lagoon and its surrounding architecture embody the unification of the man-made and the natural, and adhere to the highest principles of sustainability.

        The Blue Lagoon. A wonder of the world. A world of wonder.

        Landsbankinn
        - leading financial institution
        Landsbankinn

        Landsbankinn is a leading Icelandic financial institution. It offers a full range of financial services and is the market leader in the Icelandic financial service sector with the largest branch network.

        The present bank was established on 7 October 2008 but the history of its predecessor dates back to 1886. The bank is owned by the National Treasury of Iceland, which holds 98.2% of its share capital, and other shareholders who own 1.8%.

        Landsbankinn’s strategy is to provide comprehensive financial services that meet customer’s needs. It emphasizes providing exemplary service to customers, developing e-banking for their convenience, increasing the efficiency of support functions, modernizing its technology and ensuring effective utilization of its balance sheet.

        The bank’s vision is to be exemplary and its role is to be a trusted financial partner.

        Special emphasis is placed on promoting a performance-oriented culture in the bank. To follow up on the implementation of this strategy, the bank has defined key goals which are measured regularly to determine progress. These goals include, for example, customer satisfaction and loyalty, profitability, cost efficiency and the correlation between risk appetite and employee satisfaction.

        Landsbankinn wishes to lead the development of a sustainable society in Iceland by integrating economic, social and environmental concerns in its operations. The Bank aims to ensure that both its owners and society at large benefit from its activities.

        It intends to achieve this aim by building solid infrastructure and a strong team of 1.100 employees, by listening to its customers and by respecting and encouraging its employees to actively participate in their community. Landsbankinn was a founding member of Festa, a Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility, and is a member of the UN Global Compact.

        Landsbankinn has been a proud sponsor of the Reykjavik Pride since it was first celebrated in Iceland.

        Dohop
        - get inspired
        Dohop

        Dohop allows people to find the cheapest flights available with just one click. Founded in Reykjavik in 2004, it is the only Icelandic company of its kind and quickly became the go-to tool for finding cheap flights among the locals. Dohop finds the best deals among hundreds of different airlines and online travel agencies, to make sure that the user is getting the cheapest price. Dohop also offers hotel and car rental search engines, so users can make all of their travel bookings from a single website.

        Dohop‘s specialty is finding so-called “self-connect” flight options, which can save travelers money by booking a ticket through two or more different airlines. The ability to look for these self-connect option is what sets Dohop apart from its competition, as it can save people hundreds of dollars on certain routes.

        More recently, Dohop has developed a unique product called Dohop Go!, which allows users to check for the cheapest available flights from their home airport. This tool is perfect for those who are looking for travel inspiration but are not willing to overpay for their flight ticket. Dohop Go! is now available in the Dohop Flights App, both for Android and iOS, along with its traditional flight, hotel, and car search engines. “

        VSÓ Ráðgjöf

           

          VSÓ Ráðgjöf er alhliða ráðgjafar- og verkfræðifyrirtæki sem leggur áherslu á trausta og faglega þjónustu sem tryggir viðskiptavinum hagkvæmustu lausnir hverju sinni, skilar raunverulegum árangri og stuðlar að samkeppnisforskoti.  Á skrifstofum VSÓ í Reykjavík og í Noregi starfar yfir 80 manna samhentur hópur verkfræðinga og annarra tæknimenntaðra starfsmanna.

          Macland
          - for all your Apple needs
          Macland

          From starting out as a proper startup with only a good idea and the need to change things, to becoming an established company with 6 employees. Starting from scratch and expanding organically has allowed us to love our expansion and take our customers on the ride with us.

          Macland is located at Laugavegur 23 (101, Downtown Reykjavik)
          For all your Apple needs. We are here.

          Ísey skyr
          - once tasted never forgotten

          Our Story
          Once upon a time, 1,100 years ago in fact, Nordic settlers began arriving in Iceland. They brought with them the skills and knowledge for producing skyr. As time passed, the know-how and recipe for this nutritious food slowly faded out elsewhere in the Nordic region. Luckily, the Icelandic skyr-making tradition continued.

          For centuries, Icelandic skyr formed a cornerstone of the national diet, helping to keep people strong in living conditions that were often harsh. On family farms countrywide, it was the women who nurtured this dairy and passing on both the recipe and the original Icelandic skyr cultures from mother to daughter.

          Ísey skyr builds on this remarkable legacy. It was some of those very same women, the recipients of their mothers’ expertise, who, around 90 years ago, taught Icelandic dairy scientists the art of skyr-making. The production process is more high-tech these days, and the quality standards more rigorous. However, the basic recipe and the use of original cultures to ferment the skimmed milk remain the same. Protein rich, fat-free, creamy and delicious – Ísey skyr is as relevant to consumers now as it was all those centuries ago.
          This is our secret and you are in on it

          You can read more about Ísey skyr on our website.

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