1 00:00:02,033 --> 00:00:05,000 JOHN YANG: This year's Pride Month is D'Arcy Drollinger's first as San Francisco's official 2 00:00:07,466 --> 00:00:10,933 drag laureate, in her new position, believed to be the first of its kind. The artist and club 3 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,133 owner is an ambassador for the city's LGBTQ plus arts, nightlife and entertainment communities. 4 00:00:18,066 --> 00:00:21,533 The post was created by the mayor and Drollinger assumes that in a year that 5 00:00:21,533 --> 00:00:26,533 seen a record number of anti-LGBTQ plus legislation introduced around America, 6 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,200 Ali Rogin is back with a conversation with Drollinger about her new role. 7 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:36,200 ALI ROGI: D'Arcy Drollinger, thank you so much for joining us. First of all, I have to ask you, how 8 00:00:38,666 --> 00:00:42,466 did this opportunity come about? How did you learn that mere breed was establishing this position? 9 00:00:42,466 --> 00:00:47,433 D'ARCY DROLLINGER: Well, the city put out a press release that the position was open, and they were 10 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:54,366 accepting applicants and I applied. Now, some of my staff at work begged me not to that I was too 11 00:00:57,866 --> 00:01:02,833 busy. But it felt like, you know, it made a lot of sense, a lot of the things that were looking 12 00:01:04,933 --> 00:01:08,766 for were things that I was already doing. So I went ahead and applied. And the rest is history. 13 00:01:10,666 --> 00:01:12,733 ALI ROGIN: And what did you learn about the reasons why you were selected? 14 00:01:12,733 --> 00:01:17,033 D'ARCY DROLLINGER: I am an entrepreneur. I have a local business in San Francisco, 15 00:01:17,033 --> 00:01:22,033 I run a nightclub in Cabaret. And I've also started a nonprofit. I have, you know, 16 00:01:24,833 --> 00:01:27,033 a place in the community. So that made sense. 17 00:01:27,033 --> 00:01:29,866 But I think, you know, just talking to the mayor and 18 00:01:31,833 --> 00:01:35,400 having the panel review who I am and what I do made a lot of sense. But I think the 19 00:01:37,933 --> 00:01:42,000 bottom line the mayor said was that I was willing to throw my support behind anybody. And I think 20 00:01:43,966 --> 00:01:48,066 that sort of openness and willing to support the community was a linchpin in choosing me. 21 00:01:50,666 --> 00:01:53,300 ALI ROGIN: And talking about your support to the community. You mentioned, you're an entrepreneur, 22 00:01:53,300 --> 00:01:56,700 you have a business. And, I mean, entertainment in and of itself is I personally think a public 23 00:01:58,733 --> 00:02:02,733 service. But you really stepped that up to the next level during the pandemic. And I want to 24 00:02:02,733 --> 00:02:07,233 hear about what you did you had a program called Meals on Heels. Tell me about that. 25 00:02:07,233 --> 00:02:12,233 D'ARCY DROLLINGER: Yeah, well, you know, I really took stock and who I was in the community and who 26 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,900 the people around me are, and we're entertainers and when going gets tough our job is to entertain. 27 00:02:19,766 --> 00:02:23,133 And so we very quickly pivoted, and we created a program called Meals on Heels 28 00:02:23,133 --> 00:02:28,133 where we partnered with local restaurants and did a food delivery service by drag performers, 29 00:02:30,300 --> 00:02:35,266 which would get your food delivered and you get a curbside performance. 30 00:02:35,266 --> 00:02:39,166 And this was at a very dark time where people felt very isolated. 31 00:02:39,166 --> 00:02:43,966 And it was -- I was able to help the small businesses in my neighborhood, 32 00:02:43,966 --> 00:02:48,966 I was able to employ drag performers who suddenly were out of work and also, you know, 33 00:02:51,366 --> 00:02:55,333 create a little sparkle in people's lives who were struggling at the time. 34 00:02:55,333 --> 00:02:59,600 ALI ROGIN: Absolutely. Obviously, the LGBTQ plus community anywhere is not a 35 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:03,000 monolith. But I want to ask, what does it mean for you? What does it mean for 36 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,433 other members of this community to have recognition in this way? 37 00:03:06,433 --> 00:03:11,266 D'ARCY DROLLINGER: It's huge, really. I mean, and I applaud San Francisco because this is a 38 00:03:11,266 --> 00:03:16,266 program that they've actually been rolling out for a couple years. And finally, we made it. You know, 39 00:03:18,266 --> 00:03:21,666 drag performers in San Francisco are really given a place in this community and we you know, 40 00:03:24,100 --> 00:03:29,033 we not only entertain but we do a lot of civic. We have a lot of civic contributions, and we do a lot 41 00:03:29,033 --> 00:03:34,033 of fundraising and, and I feel like San Francisco is leading the way, you know, while it is a drag 42 00:03:36,166 --> 00:03:41,166 laureate position, it really is recognizing the community, the LGBTQ plus community. 43 00:03:42,766 --> 00:03:44,566 ALI ROGIN: And let's talk about what are some 44 00:03:44,566 --> 00:03:47,466 of your responsibilities as the drag laureate of San Francisco. 45 00:03:47,466 --> 00:03:51,033 D'ARCY DROLLINGER: Oh my God. There are so many. I mean, there are 46 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:57,200 the more symbolic ones, like I, you know, helped raise the Pride flag with the mayor on the 47 00:03:59,233 --> 00:04:03,733 beginning of June, and I threw the first pitch the Giants game, which pretty epic thing to do. 48 00:04:05,666 --> 00:04:10,633 But it also the responsibilities are really about creating bridges through the different 49 00:04:12,700 --> 00:04:15,966 city organizations and the LGBTQ plus community. Also, elevating and celebrating the art of drag, 50 00:04:18,533 --> 00:04:23,400 I think is really important. And it's an art form that doesn't always get the 51 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:28,400 attention that it deserves, like a poet laureate, but taking dragon in that way. 52 00:04:30,466 --> 00:04:33,066 ALI ROGIN: Yeah, I want to ask you about some serious stuff, which is there are a number of 53 00:04:33,066 --> 00:04:37,400 states that have already passed anti-drag bans, there's more legislatures working on putting such 54 00:04:39,933 --> 00:04:43,866 bans in place. So what does it mean to have this position, elevating drag performance in this way? 55 00:04:45,900 --> 00:04:49,833 D'ARCY DROLLINGER: I think it's very important because it does have -- San Francisco has made a 56 00:04:51,866 --> 00:04:55,133 stand and that we actually value drag performers, trans people, LGBTQ plus community members. I 57 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:03,200 mean, really, it's been tough, because it has been so much -- there's been so much propaganda that is 58 00:05:05,333 --> 00:05:08,400 not true categorically. Not true. But it creates this level of hostility towards drag performers. 59 00:05:10,966 --> 00:05:14,800 I mean, wherever you have to up our security, I spent a lot more money on security now than 60 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:19,800 I used to, which is so sad and such a shame. And really, when it boils down to it, I mean, 61 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,933 it isn't really anti-drag, it's anti LGBTQ plus, right. That is what it is. 62 00:05:28,500 --> 00:05:31,133 We're just trying to live our lives and entertain people. You know, I've been asked this question a 63 00:05:31,133 --> 00:05:36,133 number of times, like why is drag important and why is anything important? Why is dance 64 00:05:38,633 --> 00:05:41,166 important? Why is theater important? Why is fine art important? You know, it's another art form. 65 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:46,333 And drag has been going on for over 400 years. I'm 66 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:51,900 sure longer than that. So it's nothing new it is part of our 67 00:05:54,166 --> 00:05:59,166 lives all around the world. And it's interesting to me that is become such a hot topic now. And 68 00:06:01,733 --> 00:06:06,733 really, it's -- it shouldn't be an issue and in all these people that's about personal freedom, 69 00:06:09,100 --> 00:06:13,333 right, and their First Amendment, Second Amendment rights. Well, like give me my rights, right. 70 00:06:15,366 --> 00:06:19,133 So I feel like drag is something beautiful and sparkly and fun. It doesn't make any sense to me. 71 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:27,600 ALI ROGIN: D'Arcy Drollinger, drag laureate of San Francisco, thank you so much for joining us. 72 00:06:28,733 --> 00:06:29,066 D'ARCY DROLLINGER: Thanks for having me.