Drag Queen Spotlight: Pickle Talks Drag Queen Story Hour, Her Musical Background, & Vibing with Audiences

Hyellohhhh!! My Drag Queen Spotlight features Pickle! She’s been a staple in LA’s drag scene for years! Pickle is known for her live singing, comedy, and hosting abilities. She gave me my first paid gig way back when and has continued to host and perform all over Southern California. She is also the organizer of Drag Queen Story Hour in Los Angeles! Check out my interview with Pickle below!

How did you get your drag name?

When I was a kid, my In-N-Out order was a #2 no onions, extra pickles so I wanted to honor that.

How long have you been doing drag?

I have been doing drag on and off in various capacities (drag roles in plays and musicals and then drag shows at my college) since HS. I’ve been doing drag professionally as Pickle for 6 years.

 

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When is your birthday? How old are you?

I was born on the very day that Michelle and Barak Obama got married, so you can figure all that out on your own.

Relationship status?

I am single and available for dates or marriages. I am tall and can speak limited French.

What was your first time in drag like?

I was in HS in a musical called A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and I remember thinking, “uh oh this is amazing!”

 

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What made you want to start drag?

I was drawn to the creative control drag gives you, and now, as I continue in the art form, I’m attracted to the possibility of it. This is an exciting time to do drag; it’s coming more and more out of the shadows and spreading its wings!

Who inspires your drag (celebrities, other queens, etc.)?

I’m inspired certainly by trailblazers like RuPaul, Coco Peru, Danny La Rue. Celebrities that inspire me are Carrie Fisher, Vanessa Williams, Tyler Perry, and Gwen Verdon.

Favorite song/artist to lip sync to?

I sing live mostly and I love to do “Gimme Gimme” from Thoroughly Modern Millie, “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend,” “Whatever Lola Wants"—really current, popular stuff.

 

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Have you ever hooked up in drag?

No! It doesn’t appeal to me.

What’s your favorite thing about drag?

I love that drag, more than most other art forms, is really about connecting with your audience. When you act, you’re always in service of the story. When you sing, you’re in service of the song, etc. With drag, the priority tends to be connecting with the people watching; I think that’s why people always describe drag as being so personal because it really is a personal experience.

What are your hobbies outside of drag?

I love to volunteer, I love to participate in community organizing and public policy, I’m on the coalition for Safe West Hollywood, which is focused on addressing addiction in the LA community. I enjoy reading and discussing literature with my book club. I love to dance when I get the opportunity to take classes. I take French pretty regularly and love the language. I also enjoy keeping up with fashion and style, more and more as I get older interestingly.

 

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What’s the craziest thing you’ve witnessed in a dressing room?

I think watching Abhora put on her little tape nose was pretty intense. Also, watching the Boulet Brothers casually standing in the wings, making small talk in gigantic demon gowns is pretty surreal.

Biggest pet peeve about working with other drag queens?

I honestly love working with drag queens, particularly new drag queens. Drag queens can be so exciting and game to try new things and put themselves out there. I would say my pet peeve is when drag queens lose their sense of play, or don’t bring that attitude with them to their professional work. I’m not saying you need to be on all the time—I’m not talking about performing in conversation, I mean enthusiasm and respect for the work we’re doing and the people who have come to see us. Estelle Parsons once told me in a field in Italy: “Every time you’re on stage you’re f— lucky for the opportunity.”

 

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Biggest pet peeve about audiences in nightclubs?

I have no problem with audiences in nightclubs. I’m honestly a little tired of this complaint from queens. There are so many spaces you can perform in. Nightclubs are places where people go to party, have fun and be silly. So yeah, of course there’s a limit and sometimes people have to be respectfully (hopefully) asked to leave or move, but I don’t think it’s fair to expect people to behave the way they would in a formal theatre setting. People are going to be on their phones, people are going to be talking and drinking. If you want all eyes on you then A. You better make sure you’re doing something that deserves all eyes and B. You really should consider finding a venue where that is the understanding. Sometimes I hear performers complaining about the audience or their attention or the vibe and I go out there and have a completely different experience, so it’s important to remember that your perspective or feeling about how people are “vibing” is…not factual.

 

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Any advice for someone wanting to start drag?

Drag is such a personal journey. I don’t want to say “just be yourself” because I don’t think that’s actually good advice. I would say instead, consider what excites you, what work you’re passionate about doing and follow that— it may not be the immediately most lucrative option, but it will really inform your work and your attitude. I have found that there are all sorts of opportunities that have been more remarkable than I ever thought possible, just because I kept an open mind. Also learn how to talk on a mic without swearing, show up on time, and don’t forget to smile.

Follow Pickle on Instagram and YouTube. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Twitter!

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