On Saturday, the lovely Darienne Lake graced the University’s Yellowjacket Weekend with amazing performances and lively bingo games. Campus Times had the amazing opportunity to interview Lake before the event began on the fourth floor of Douglass Commons in her dressing room.
When did you start drag and what pushed you to start?
I was a middle child of five and I’m a Gen Xer, the ignored generation. And being the middle child, I was also very ignored. I would always entertain myself. I would create little worlds and fantasies through comic books and things. I was always drawn to the dual identity of superheroes. And then also being a self-conscious, chubby kid, I never felt attractive or desirable or anything like that. I just felt like a weirdo. Eventually through my senior year of high school, I had a gay friend of mine — but we weren’t really coming out to each other that we were gay. First we saw a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” and I was so enamored with Frankenfutter. So then we went to see it in the theater and for one of the performers, who was Frankenfutter, I was like, “She’s actually kind of pretty for a Frankenfutter.” He’s like, “That’s a famous drag queen in Rochester named Aggie Dune and he had the show at this gay bar.” So we went to the gay bar, saw the show, and I was like, “This is so amazing that a man could turn into a beautiful woman or drag queen or whatever.” So I thought that was so cool.
I was like, I want to do that, so I started hanging out where the drag queens would hang out, and then they were like, “You need to be in drag because you’ve got that face.” And then I was all excited to do that. I was pretty much right out of highschool. I graduated in ’89, and then, let’s see, the whole summer of “Rocky Horror,” so then the following summer in 1990. So that’s when I first started doing drag, Aug. 3 of 1990. Yeah, so a long time ago. Longer than any of y’all were alive, you know. Which is cool that I can still be in this business for that many years.
They thought I looked like Ricki Lake from the movie “Hairspray,” so they’re like, “Be Ricki Lake.” I didn’t want to take somebody else’s name, so they’re like, “Be Two Tons of Fun, Twisted Steel and Sex Appeal, Darien Lake, like the amusement park.” And I was like “No, I’m going to be an eyeshadow color, like Dusty Rose or Heather Sky.” Instead, everytime I’d call them, “Can you put me in drag?”, they’re like “What’s up Darien?” I was like, “Oh I guess it stuck.” So I changed the spelling so I wouldn’t get sued or anything.
Looking back to the beginning of your career, what would you say to your younger self with the knowledge you now have?
I was fortunate that I was always doing my own thing. I loved comedy and being ridiculous, and I would say keep at it, and keep doing you, and being you. Other advice, I would probably say eat more fiber — that’s always a good one. And great things will happen if you keep at it. Also growing up a fat kid, I was never looking through fashion magazines because I never felt represented in that way. I would say, learn those things you’re not strong in, so you become strong in them. And enjoy fashion, because fashion is for everybody.
Was there a moment in your career where you were like “Oh wow, this is it, I made it”?
There have been many of those sorts of things, one of them was in 1994. Pandora [Boxx] and I were living together, we had just graduated hair school and everything, and there was a topic on the “Ricki Lake Talk Show,” and it was called “Get a Grip Girl, You’re Too Fat to be a Drag Queen.” And she’s like, “You know I don’t think this about you cause I love you, but I think it’d be cool that we could get on the show, and we’ll be famous.” So we were on national TV on the “Ricki Lake” show, and it was funny ’cause then we did get recognized. We would go to places, and it was the Olive Garden or something, and people are like, “How are you?” So we felt like we made it.
And then a few years later, VH1 was doing a search for drag acts up and down the East Coast, and they came to Rochester and they picked us, and it’s called “Boys Will Be Girls.” And that was a VH1 special, and we thought, “Oh my God we made it.” Then a few years later, Pandora got on “Drag Race,” it was season two that she was on. So, you know, it’s like you have these moments of like, “I really made it.” But then you also have those dark moments in between. So in between Pandora getting on and me getting on, two of my really good friends and sort of like drag sisters dies. One from cancer, and the other one from complications with HIV. And I stopped doing drag, and I was putting on weight, and I didn’t feel good about myself. I felt like, I think I’m done with drag, you know, I’m at a certain age now. I auditioned for season 4 and season 5 of “Drag Race,” and I didn’t get on. It’s weird how you get to such a dark, low moment, and then you get cast, and something amazing happens. There’s always something around the corner. There’s always a brand new day.
What is your favorite aspect of drag?
My favorite aspect of drag is just really entertaining people. It’s just fun. Especially when you’re performing, and you connect with a certain moment of a song, and people hear it, and they just laugh or smile. And the money is fun too. Also the whole transformation of it. Like you’re made in a certain way, but then you have the opportunity to become the human being you want to be.
What is your favorite RuPaul phrase?
I’m trying to think, what I use on a daily basis, there’s so many that I used over the years. “Don’t fuck it up” is always good. And that’s good for life, just don’t fuck it up. But then also, if you do fuck it up, is it that serious? Who cares?
What message would you like to share to the students at UR?
Be true to yourself, and loving yourself is not about loving your body, loving how much money you have, loving your looks, and all that stuff. It’s about how other people describe you and how you want them to describe you. Try and be that version. Don’t worry about your ancestors, be a good ancestor to your future generations if you decide to have kids. Also you’re still finding out who you are. The sort of thing that will carry you through that is friendships and people around you. Your friends are really your soulmates in a way. They make you a better person. Cherish those people in your life.
Would it be okay if we take a picture with you?
Yeah, yeah. Regular or nude?
