From a young age, Nikki Exotika knew she was destined to be a performer. She would use a microphone she got from her mom on Christmas and sing to Madonna, RuPaul, and Janet Jackson. Being in the public eye wasn’t something she was uncomfortable with. But as a trans woman, the societal perception thought differently.
The “90 Day Fiancé” star, formerly known as Nicole Sanders, debuted in the 10th season of the franchise and has since built quite a following. She recently posted a throwback to another television appearance. This time, at the age of 19, when she was a guest on “The Geraldo Rivera Show.”
‘The Geraldo Rivera Show’ Appearance
“I was 19 years old here, and on the panel for [The Geraldo Rivera Show] talking about transsexuals in relationships with my 1st Puerto Rican boyfriend ‘Mike.’ This is where I got to meet Jahna Steele in 1995 before working with her in the documentary, ‘Transtasia.’ Enjoy the footage!”
GettyRivera starts the opening by talking about Nikki’s transition to becoming a woman. She was sporting a very ’90s hairdo with bangs and big hair. (She said she realized she looked like “Blossom.”)
“Mike” was then introduced and asked about his partner. He gave the perfect and most adorable response to some of Rivera’s questions. Mainly asking if he was “freaked out.”
“No Geraldo,” he said. “I’m going to keep it real with you — the first time I saw Nikki, I knew what she was because I know the kind of place where I was at. I’ve been in this world and around them since I was 13. So I’m not ashamed, you know what I’m saying?”
“This is my baby. Her name is Nicole,” he continued.
He got a great response from the crowd as Nikki looked over at him and smiled.
In part two, Mike talked about how the two met at a gay bar because that’s where the girls hang out.
“Not like animals, not like beasts, girls. I’m talking about real girls,” Mike answered. Then a member of the audience shouted, “Women!” And he nodded his head and agreed.
Then, Nikki was asked by Rivera about her transition process.
‘You Were So Mature for 19’
“I began to transform when I moved to the city last June,” she said. “I graduated from high school and I knew what I wanted to be all my life, and I didn’t know how to go about it.”
Nikki talked about meeting this woman and was surprised to find out she actually wasn’t a woman. She was asked how she did it. Seven months later … here she is. That’s the short version, one would assume.
The comments adored it.
“Man he LOVED her. I wonder why they broke up:(.”
“Mike was such a real one and ahead of his time for accepting and also advocating proudly for the trans women he was around. Super chill.”
“You were so mature for 19.”
Nikki writes in the caption: “I wanted to show the world that it was possible to find true love as a trans person. Mike and I were the real like ‘Angel and Papi’ from POSE.”
Nikki also posted in her caption that Mike’s children found her through the video and they talked on the phone. Unfortunately, Mike had passed away 15 years ago. “News I didn’t want to hear,” she wrote.
The 50-year-old’s season on the TLC show had her traveling to Moldova to meet her former partner, Justin Shutencov.
It’s good to see Nikki in good spirits. She was hospitalized in May after undergoing a heart procedure following complications.
