For the next interview in our “Road to All Stars Season 2” series, we were able to catch up with the lovely, talented, and hilarious Darienne Lake. The New York native shared her thoughts on the RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6 top 3, her life, as well as some interesting info on All Stars Season 2.
For the “Road to All Stars Season 2” series, we’re getting reacquainted with some Drag Race fan favorites who have a serious shot at a coveted spot in the RuPaul’s All Stars Drag Race Season 2 cast.
The Road to All Stars Season 2: Full Interview List
Related: Morgan McMichaels Reveals How to Make RuPaul’s All Stars Season 2 Happen
The Road to All Stars Season 2 Interview:
Darienne Lake
Alex Powers: How has travelling with the label and grouping of “top 4” been for you?
How about we take this to the next level?
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Darienne Lake: Well top 5 have the same management, so a lot of the clubs just put us together. I think if I was in some of the other places I would put together people I thought went well together, such as show “rivals,” “opposites,” even a mother-daughter thing – like with Alyssa and Laganja or me and Pandora – that would be great, but there will be time for that. I’m thrilled though, to be able to be touring with the top 5 girls, we have so much fun. We leave a path of destruction – and slight disease – wherever we go!
A: So you guys definitely have some good Chemistry going, right?
D: Oh yeah… there always was good chemistry! We’re all a bunch of dudes you know, we rag on each other, but it’s all in good fun. There are just some of us who are more sensitive than others, so you have to know when to pull back and to not be too harsh. It’s all with love!
A: Any tee on All Stars you’d like to share?
D: I did talk to one of the “producer people” about it. I think it’s crazy that people are going so nuts, saying ‘I want to be on All Stars! I want to be on All stars!’ it’s like calm down faggot, its not gonna be for another year or two! And this producer person kind confirmed that for me, saying it definitely won’t happen until after season 7, possibly 8.
A: Do you think they’ll do pairings again?
D: I don’t think they’ll do pairs again, mostly because they noticed how much the audience hated it. I think that, when they were filming All Stars, they probably just got the go-ahead for a certain number of episodes and thought ‘will this sell as much as the regular brand?’ and figured they’d try to pair them up.
A: If they were to do pairs, who would be your ideal partner?
D: (laughs) well I’d obviously be a dick if I didn’t say Pandora, but if the girls from seasons 1-4 were not on that list, I’d definitely pick somebody who can sew really well – I can sew, but I’m not a “quick” creative person, when it comes to that type of thing. I like to sleep on stuff and with Rupaul’s Drag Race you have no time to sleep or to even think about things through that much – maybe I would pick Bianca since I know her so well and we’d make a pretty good team. From season 5, maybe Roxxxy Andrews, she’s a great bitch but she also knows how to paint the house down, and is really good at styling and pageantry and things like that.
A: Is being cast on All Stars important to you?
D: I would definitely want to do it, just so that I could possibly have a chance to let them (the audience) see more of who I am as a person. I don’t think they really delved into my story at all. I personally don’t think that people got to know me and what I am about… they (the viewers) were just kind of like ‘oh she’s there, she’s bitchy’ and that’s it. No one knew anything about my history or life story.
A: Is there anything you’d like to let your fans know that they didn’t learn from watching the show?
D: (laughs) Well if I get cast on (All Stars) season 2 you’ll see! Also, that there have been so many challenges that I’ve completely overcome… I’ve been knocked down to my barest level – had a business with a friend who ran off with all of the money and the place ended up foreclosing – there’s been a lot of crazy things in my life in trying to juggle everything all at once. It wasn’t just the stuff about my family and my parents, there’s also all the personal issues I went through regarding myself and who I love, and how I came to be the confident person that I am today.
A: In having those experiences and taking that growth with you to the show, would you say that you’ve been able to grow even more since?
D: Oh yeah! You definitely find more ways of knowing your self worth and your power/abilities as long as you put your mind to it; that’s something you really come away with. I knew I probably wasn’t the greatest rapper, but in the end I did pull it out! As long as I work at it and believe in it I can do it.
One of the things they didn’t touch on too much in the last episode – the video challenge – was that for the rehearsal, I was struggling with the choreography… I just could NOT get it down and was in over my head. For that, we had a whole night to prepare and the next morning, I nailed every take. That’s why I think they (the judges) were all a bit stumped, they were like ‘she killed the last challenge, not only in the acting but in the dancing and lip syncing… but we have to find an excuse to send her home’ because I wasn’t their idea of of top 3. I’m totally cool with the top 3 though, I definitely see how all 3… they’re career queens, this is their entire life and that’s all they’re dreaming of… and I support them, because I think they are a better choice than myself, you know?
Another I would have put in the top 3 is BenDeLaCreme because she is so focused – she’s all about drag and this is her life – and for me I’m like, this is fun this is enjoyable, and I LOVE doing it. I’m just not taking it seriously to the point where I’m like ‘oh no, I didn’t make it onto the charts yet!’ I don’t fucking care about that! Maybe it’s coming from a place of being an adult, where I’m like ‘just enjoy it as it is.’ It could also be because ‘’m a Sagittarius, and I believe it’s all about the journey rather than the destination. Just have fun, “Party!” (laughs).
A: You were in the music video with the top 3, which hasn’t been done before. Do you still feel any sense of separation between you and them?
D: Well they needed someone to save it! (laughs) But I will say no, not at all – me, Courtney, Adore and Bianca are currently in a group text message that we’ve had since we got back from the show! We still talk all the time… It’s one of those things where, when we get together it’s like we’re back hanging out… we pick up where we left off. It doesn’t even matter if there’s someone from earlier in the mix there. Last time we were in Chicago, me, Courtney, Shangela, April Carrion and Milk all went to see a movie together. We were all just hanging out, being buds and having a good time… dinner and a movie… then some violent sex later… Just kidding!
A: Has touring with all of these different types of queens – especially with the younger ones, who haven’t been in the business as long – been an adjustment for you?
D: The thing is, I’ve been doing drag for 24 years. I’m used to performing with different types of people and travelling to different cities. For me, living in Rochester – Buffalo’s an hour away and Syracuse is an hour and a half away – I’m always performing with queens who are like ‘Hi I’m Pickles,’ and you’re like’ or ‘Hi I’m Velveeta’ and its like ‘Hey you’re great!’ In Rochester, whenever some queen would come into town asking to perform I would be like’Oh hey sure, here’s a spot for you!’ We’re a city that’s really supportive of the arts, were not catty and bitchy like ‘Oh I won’t help you,’ cause I’ve been to other cities where that’s exactly what they’re like.
A: Going back to All Stars, with all you’ve taken from your experience will you be ready and “in it to win it” for All Stars?
D: Oh completely! I was in “it to win it” in season 6! You always have to be that way, you can’t just be like ‘I want to get to the snatch game at least’ or whatever. You have to have your heart and soul in it. If people think you’re being too competitive it’s like, well this isn’t a documentary about drag queens, were in a competition! You’d have to be a fool not to utilize your personal talents.
A: Who do you think will or should get cast?
D: I think Alyssa would definitely be on All Stars. I think Roxxxy would have a good chance – if she wanted to do it – and Alaska for sure would be there. I think they’d throw in a few other people, people who need a second chance… like Jade Jolie – I think she’s a cute queen – Coco as well… as long as Coco and Alyssa weren’t both in there together because of the whole “Coco and Alyssa” rivalry… I think people were sick of that… at least I was! April Carrion and Milk should also get that second chance, and even Trinity. I think Courtney should be on it too, and if Courtney and me were on there together and they did teams she’d better pick me! (laughs)
A: Anyone you wouldn’t want to see on the show?
D: I think Adore is OK where she is… I don’t think she necessarily “needs” All Stars. I think she’ll be “above” where that is by the time they film it. It would also depend on who I thought was the producers’ ‘favorite’…. Everyone loves Alaska and she has so much to offer, she’s had a huge presence – with her videos and stuff, she’s really funny – I think her style has improved, as well as her versatility, but I think she’d be so fierce that it would be hard to go up against her!
D: I couldn’t even guess! It’s one of those things where no matter what you think, they surprise you with something else. Maybe make it more live and interactive? It would become a popularity contest, but then again you have to give people what they want… because seriously, if they had put me in the top 3, people would have bled out the eyes and been like ‘WHAT?!’
A: Aw, I don’t think that would have happened…
D: Oh, they would have foamed at the mouth and been like ‘oh she was a bitch the whole time!’ (laughs)
A: Have you come across any online hate such as that ? How do you handle it?
D: Not since after DeLa left… It’s funny because sometimes when people come up to me they’re a little apprehensive, but within 30 seconds they know a little more about who I am and what I’m about. They’re like ‘oh I like you… I didn’t like you on the show’ and I’m just like yeah, well, neither did I… it’s funny though because I get to travel all over the world and have people from all over call me a bitch! It’s not what you’re called it’s how you respond to it… fuck ’em if they don’t like it… fuck ’em twice if they do!
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