AJ Cicco as Mr. Cheeks

Q: What is your Mr. East name and what is the significance of it?
A: “So my Mr. East name is Mr. Cheeks and my last name is Cicco. It’s kinda just like a branch off from my last name. I’ve been called ‘Cheeks’ before by my friends, it’s kinda just like a nickname that gets thrown around every once in a while. There’s not a lot of significance to it other than just that it’s connected to me and my last name.”

Q: What pop star did you choose to represent and why?
A: “I chose Freddie Mercury. I think everyone is kinda like a big fan of Queen, but I think Freddie Mercury could be fun in a way that’s like… wearing latex pants is just going to make it a lot better for me on stage than if I chose anyone else.”

Q: How have you prepared for the competition so far?
A: “I mean, I wrote my script, I read my script, I’m improving my script, and that’s really all I can say for right now.”

Q: What are you most looking forward to in the competition?
A: “I mean like honestly, first and foremost, I’m excited to see everyone else’s acts— or I guess talents. I love seeing stuff like that, so that’s definitely going to be fun just seeing what other people bring to the table. But if I had to choose a specific part of Mr. East, it’s probably going to be when we’re walking down the aisle with the escort and seeing us all in the suits that we picked out.”

Q: Who do you feel is your biggest competition and why?
A: “I mean, not to slight anyone else, but Mr. Chris is by far probably the biggest threat on anyone’s board right now. Probably because we know him, we know he’s funny, and he’s a force to be reckoned with.”