The Era of Sarah with Sarah Rachel Lazarus

Wish We Could Feel Very Attacked (W/Laganja Estranja)

• Sarah & Vinny/ Laganja Estranja • Season 1 • Episode 8

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This week, we dish about bad celebrity impressions, Ru Paul's fart napkin, theatre camps and much more. We are joined by the iconic, Laganja Estranja. They are an incredible drag performer, dancer, choreographer, musician and cannabis advocate known for their iconic time on Ru Paul's Drag Race, choreography featured amongst many high profile musicians including Miley Cyrus, world renown dance school, and cannabis advocacy work.

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Sarah Lazarus:

Hello, Hello everyone. Welcome to Australians favorite podcast wish you were weird. It's me Nicole Kidman.

Vinny:

Yeah, that was fun. Ah, now do it normal.

Sarah Lazarus:

Hello. Hello, everyone. Welcome to Vish you were weird. That's actually that's German. So if I ever did that if I heard somebody doing that I would definitely be triggered.

Vinny:

Full Dracula. Dracula would be more Welcome to wish you were weird actually. Yeah,

Sarah Lazarus:

I should do it like where it will be Halloweenish. Okay, ready?

Vinny:

Hello. Hello

Sarah Lazarus:

everyone. A velcome to vish

Vinny:

Where we talk about everything you've always I don't know what I've tried to do with ghosts. I don't know how a couple will cut

Sarah Lazarus:

the bit. We'll cut the bit. All right. Hello. Hello, everyone. Welcome to wish you were weird, a show where we talk about everything you've always wanted to know more about. including, but not limited to drag,

Vinny:

dating,

Sarah Lazarus:

politics.

Vinny:

Special K cereal with ketamine

Sarah Lazarus:

losing a friendship over the movie Boyhood.

Vinny:

Creating a queer space for dogs

Sarah Lazarus:

Tomi Lahren's favorite anal beads. Wait did you fucking give me that one?

Vinny:

No.

Unknown:

-laughter-

Vinny:

You wrote that. I didn't fucking write that. I don't give a shit about Tomi Lahren's asshole.

Sarah Lazarus:

I guess I do.

Vinny:

17 insensitive COVID puns.

Sarah Lazarus:

best ways to avoid hearing Ed Sheeran in Brooklyn.

Vinny:

I'm drunk. You're Sarah Lazarus.

Sarah Lazarus:

And I'm Sarah Lazarus. know what this is really good. What's his name? Joe, Joe Seth Rogen. He has nothing on us like our podcast is clearly of another breed of genius than his ever could be.

Vinny:

also extremely intellectual.

Sarah Lazarus:

Exactly. I mean, we got a Mensa member over here.

Vinny:

You're in Mensa?I

Sarah Lazarus:

No. I'm in Kvelsa. Kvelling is like a Yiddish word for like, being proud of someone, " I'm kvelling". .

Vinny:

Oh. Are you kvelling over me?

Sarah Lazarus:

I Iam. Every single day of my life. Anyways, Lindsay Lohan just wond the presidency, which is cool.

Vinny:

Secretary of State Paris Hilton is doing great

Sarah Lazarus:

I know that bitch would be Secretary of Treasury. That's what that bitch would be.

Vinny:

Right. Wow. She would be good.

Sarah Lazarus:

I feel like she'd put her face on dollar signs you know, which I would be okay with.

Vinny:

Our dollar signs would be better for it. Who's on our dollar signs now?

Sarah Lazarus:

is it George Washington?

Vinny:

Probably. I don't know.

Sarah Lazarus:

George Washington's goin' (singing) Honestly, I listened to Hamilton so much and I hate myself for it. I just try to live my life not being a basic bitch and follows me everywhere I go.

Vinny:

It's a good one. Legally Blonde has been showing up a lot lately.

Sarah Lazarus:

Yes, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. We love Legally Blonde here.

Vinny:

Persons you honestly last week playing

Sarah Lazarus:

Back in the game(singing) Honestly. I just like I really want to live in Elle Woods life but I feel like going brunette recently has changed that mindset for me. And I'm learning to cope with that every day.

Vinny:

You're not really like an Elle Woods. You know you know who you'd be good in that show us?

Sarah Lazarus:

Courtney take your break.

Vinny:

I was gonna say the UPS guy.

Sarah Lazarus:

Paulette, I've got a package.

Vinny:

With you and like seven tube socks in your pants. Well, we're on Paulette, can you just give me a little little Jennifer. Can Jennifer Coolidge tell me about the fracking in Brooklyn.

Sarah Lazarus:

So there is fracking going on in Brooklyn.(In Jennifer Coolidge voice) And that's not good. Hold on. There is fracking in Brooklyn. (in Jennifer Coolidge voice)

Vinny:

and

Sarah Lazarus:

Dumb ass. There is fracking going on? Ru Paul. You better stop yourself. (In Jennifer Coolidge voice) That's not good. I can only say her lines and then I have to like train myself for like 20 minutes to just speaking like her. Let's, I want to I want to just hear an impression Can you give me

Vinny:

Whenever I do an impression, they're like, Wow, it's so interesting that you did the gay version of that person. I can't do impressions because I can't wipe the gay out of my voice. It's impossible.

Sarah Lazarus:

You've like barely seen Sex in the City right?

Vinny:

Barely. Hardly.

Sarah Lazarus:

I want you to do a Carrie Bradshaw impression knowing nothing about the show.

Vinny:

I'm Carrie Bradshaw. Here I am in New York City. I'm a columnist. (In a Carrie Bradshaw voice) I don't fucking know. What does she sound like? Literally? Not that

Sarah Lazarus:

She sounds like every every single other person that you didn't what you did?

Vinny:

I'm gay Carrie Bradshaw(In a Carrie Bradshaw voice). Like is that?

Sarah Lazarus:

Honestly she's just like a woman. Wait, so what is the fracking in Brooklyn? Back to that?

Vinny:

Oh, so yeah, there's fracking happening in Brooklyn. Well, there's also protests against that happening every single day. I'm I've been hearing about this literally from the citizen app, which is toxic.

Sarah Lazarus:

Oh, I can't handle that.

Vinny:

Yeah, it's so bad. But there's there's literally someone that is approving this pipeline being built through all of these neighborhoods in Brooklyn. And it's just really telling the fact that a big fat fucking pipeline would never get approved in an affluent white neighborhood without the expressed consent of the people that live there and like this, because it's going through Brooklyn, because it's going through poor communities and it's just they're just doing it without any input from the people that actually live there.

Sarah Lazarus:

Oh man. Well I guess you can sue the city if you get like cancer in 15 years.

Vinny:

Fuciking poisons the water.

Sarah Lazarus:

Just um, you know, just support amazon.com. They're a really small business that needs. They're not capitalist at all. They don't do anything bad. Like, oh my god and

Vinny:

Amazon.com

Sarah Lazarus:

it's a really great small business.

Vinny:

Have guys tried this really cool mom and pop shop Google?

Sarah Lazarus:

We are going to play a new game. It's the same game we've been playing two truths and a headline but it's about Disney Channel Original movies. We will be naming three facts about Disney Channel Original movies, and one of them will be false. Troy Bolton's iconic song "Bet on it" from High School Musical 2 took two months to film. Whitney Houston worked as a producer on the Cheetah Girls and the Cheetah Girls 2.

Vinny:

That's true.

Sarah Lazarus:

"The 13th Year" star Chez Starbuck was required to be scuba certified before filming began.

Vinny:

Troy Bolton song, "Bet on it" did not take two months. Yes.

Sarah Lazarus:

You're right. You're right.

Vinny:

You almost got me with that one. I almost said the scuba one.

Sarah Lazarus:

Two months to film, "Bet on it". (Laughing) Bet on it, Bet on it. (laughing and singing) by month two.

Vinny:

I don't know why I immediately didn't flag that.

Sarah Lazarus:

I think I made it sound more normal than it was. I do love the film "The 13th Year". That movie is ridiculous. I watched it like it's really good, but really bad.

Vinny:

Exactly. Okay, my turn. So first back in "Aquamarine" Jojo is gay. Just kidding. That's not

Sarah Lazarus:

In "Aquamarine", she's not actually a mermaid. She's just a dog.

Vinny:

Okay, Fact number one. Hillary Duff was cast in the that's so gay anti homophobia. PSA is because of a misconception that "Cadet Kelly" was a movie about young queer women. Very similar to the fact I said before. Fact number two. The technology featured in"Smart House" was inspired in part by a trip to the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Fact number three. In May of 2019, Ali and AJ revealed that they are working on a sequel for"Cowbells"

Sarah Lazarus:

I'm gonna say the Hillary Duff one is false.

Vinny:

Yeah, it's fake. I made it up. But wouldn't it be nice?

Sarah Lazarus:

I know people have that theory that it is about, um, young queer women but I don't think that's why they cast her. What?

Vinny:

I'm a supporter of that theory.

Sarah Lazarus:

Yeah. Christy Carlson Romano. Honestly, no one gives her enough credit. She was a fucking Broadway star.

Vinny:

To mark the passing of"Indigenous People's Day", me and Sarah have chosen an indigenous centered organization to shout out and donate to and that organization is "The Native American Rights Fund". The Native American rights fund helps provide legal assistance to tribal members according to its website. Donating to them in part helps fund legal advocacy to protect the rights of Native American tribes and their members. You can find them at narf.org.

Sarah Lazarus:

If any of you listening have an organization you think that we should mention and donate to please message us on any social media platforms. Me I'm at Theslaz that's the with two E's and Vinnie

Vinny:

I am at the Rosetta Stoned.

Sarah Lazarus:

So Vinny, and I went to this amazing restaurant by my house which I've been wanting to go to for years. It's an Ethiopian restaurant. It's right off of the A,D,B,C train on 145th Street. It's on 148th Street. It's called Seon cafe. It's owned by a lovely woman named Beezay Barhonee. And we had just such good food. It was a huge, the portions so you really don't have to order a lot and you get a huge portion. We had this like, delicious traditional Ethiopian chicken with rice. And what else did we get? We got Shakshuka. Literally, if you ever had

Vinny:

Oh, Shakshuka it's the best thing ever. It's like tomato sauce and eggs. It's so good at this place. It's in this huge bowl. We had honey wine. The honey wine was amazing. Oh my god.

Sarah Lazarus:

I honestly think it's like, like diet Manischewitz in a way which is like a kosher wine. But it's interesting, because I'm pretty sure I think the food might be kosher. I can't swear by this. But I know a lot of Ethiopian food is. So that might be a thing. So if you have that restriction, you can go there. And I know that they have a lot of vegetarian vegan options as well. It's a really good cute place. You can also take out there. I saw a lot of people doing that. But the the wine was so good. It was like and it got us drunk. It was like 13% alcohol and it was just one bottle and we like the three of us. Me Vinny and our friends split it. Delicious. So good.

Vinny:

Yeah so, so socially distant for a restaurant in Manhattan. Outdoor backspace. Oh, my God. I felt super, super isolated and super full by the time I left. It was so good.

Sarah Lazarus:

Yeah, highly recommend. Check it out. For this next part. We are welcoming an iconic guest. She is a world renowned female illusionist, choreographer, music artist, cannabis advocate and LGBTQ plus icon. She was featured on Season six of "Ru Paul's Drag Race".

Vinny:

In addition to being the founder of a dance school, her choreography credits include a range of commercial artists and companies including NYC cosmetic space awards, rapper Brooke Candy and superstar Miley Cyrus.

Sarah Lazarus:

She was featured on the cover of "New York Magazine's" June 2019 issue "The Most Powerful Drag Queens in

Vinny:

Laganja has also been f atured in "High Times Magazine" America" as well as "Dope Magazine", maki g her the first LGBTQ pl s entertainer to appear on t e cover of a cannabis magazin. Please welcome La Gonga Estra

Laganja Estranja:

Yay. Hi you guys. Okay, so I will correct you. You told me to correct you. Something's wrong. I'm actually the first female impersonator to be on the cover of a cannabis magazine. Dennis Peron was the first LGBTQ AI plus advocate to be on the cover of a cannabis magazine for his work that he did in the community. So yes, I'm the first female impersonator to be on the cover of magazine and I don't own my own dance school. I have a traveling masterclass known as the Laganja's Dance School, which is where you got thinking I have an actual school because it was all marketing. It just the master class that I've traveled the world with, where I invite my buds or my supporters to come and take a class in high heel technique. But it's really a class in confidence and how to feel, you know sickening. So those are the two corrections but other than that all that's true. She did all that.

Vinny:

What the name of the masterclass that you travel with?

Laganja Estranja:

It's called Laganja's Dance School.

Vinny:

Oh,

Laganja Estranja:

That's why you thought I had a school. See, it was marketing. It was on purpose. Eventually, I want my own Dance School.

Sarah Lazarus:

You should. You can be the Abby Lee Miller of Drag.

Laganja Estranja:

Well, I think I'm a little less ferocious than her. Fierce in different ways. But yes, I would love you know, to do something like that. Maybe not with children so much. I've taught children for the last 10 years of my life. And I do love it. It is a passion of mine. But I dream of having my own dance company of you know, professional dancers on a professional level. Already gone through adulthood, had sex you know. That's what I want to work with.

Sarah Lazarus:

I will say I'm babysat. And like, it's always hard to like filter yourself with like, cursing I find I'm like, I want to say fuck sometimes so bad. And then I realize oh my Wow, like, you know, when I'm talking to them, and I can't, which is a struggle, but I just feel like it's like a similar environment when you're around kids.

Laganja Estranja:

And I'm good with working with kids. So I don't really feel like I have to censor myself. I'm very much a chameleon. So whatever kind of environment in, that parts easy for me. It's more the fact that I want to work with more mature dancers. Like dancers who've gone through drama because you do dance differently, when you've experienced, you know, life in those capacities. And I think with a 14 year old, they may have the most amazing technique, but to really tell the story or to convey the message that I want as a choreographer is sometimes very difficult. So that's why I dream of, you know, just working with people more my age.

Sarah Lazarus:

Wow. That's so true. I like never I've like studied acting and like, that's something you think about when somebody wants to teach to teach acting like the stuff they've been through. So it's interesting to hear that through, like a dance perspective, as well. So we're gonna take it from the beginning of your whole life. So we want to know, where were you born and what was your childhood and upbringing, like?

Laganja Estranja:

Sure. So I grew up in Dallas, Texas, I feel very fortunate now that I live in Los Angeles that I did grow up in a smaller town as much as I love the big city here. I feel really grateful for a lot of the morals and things I learned just as a young adult in a smaller town like Texas, or specifically Dallas is where I went to the arts magnet school, but I actually grew up in Carrollton, which is a suburb. So I wasn't riding horses by any means. But I definitely you know, grew up with a, you know, a safe neighborhood where we could go outside and play with our friends and you know, come home after dark and our parents didn't worry. And I definitely grew up with more of an idyllic childhood, I would say. So I think that really informs the informed the person that I am today. And from there, basically, yeah, I went to Arts High School, which moved me into Dallas. So I finally moved into the city and went to a school that you know, white people wasn't the predominant, you know, mine wasn't the predominant race of the school. So that was awesome for me, because as someone who grew up around mostly white people, I love being in an environment with different cultures, learning new things, listening to different types of music. I mean, I grew up on straight musical theater, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, so when I went to high school, it was like, you know, I got introduced to Missy Elliott and rap music. And, you know, which is a huge passion of mine now. So I feel like that was the first big transition in my life where I was like, Okay, I definitely love Texas, but I need to explore my options. And that's when I moved to California for college. And that's where I really feel like I found myself, you know, being out from underneath my parents. Of course, that was a huge, huge part in my growth. But I went to an amazing school, the California Institute of the Arts, I went for dance and choreography. So by that point, I'd figured out that as much as I loved musical theater, I most likely was not going to be the leading man in a Broadway show. So I focused mostly on dance in college and that's also where I discovered my love of cannabis, which, you know, then led to Lagonja. And now here we are seven, eight years later. But But basically, yeah, that's been my whole life. I've done art and dance and theater since I was a little kid. I didn't fit in with the soccer team and the boys. I was much more comfortable in the dance studio with the girls and in air conditioning, you know? So yes, that's that's kind of how I got to where I am today.

Vinny:

Awesome. So when were you first introduced to Drag and how did that happen?

Laganja Estranja:

Oh, gosh. I mean, I started playing around with Drag when I was probably around 11 or 12. My sister, who is also gay and older introduced me to all the coolest things there are so Hedwig and the Angry and Rocky Horror Picture Show. I was probably Yeah, around 11, 12 when she started introducing me to these kinds of things. So to me, I never saw it as Drag. I just saw it as like musical theater. It was just a character. It's just something that someone played. So it wasn't until I really met Alyssa Edwards, Justin Johnson, whose studio I worked at beyond belief for 10 years, that I really discovered and understood what it meant to be a Drag Queen. Now at the time, you know, Alyssa kept everything very separate. You know, she didn't talk about her Drag with the students. So even as a teacher, I didn't really know. I heard the rumors, but I didn't know, know. It wasn't until Ru Paul's Drag Race where, you know, that came out and she had to be open with her students. And luckily, you know, her students and parents, so supportive and loved it. And you know, that's when Drag I think really started to take over my life

Sarah Lazarus:

Talk, I want to know more about like the House of Alyssa Edwards. What was that like? And like, what was the environmen? Of when you were, were you did you perform with Alyssa at first and like, do gigs with her? Is that how it started? Or did she like introduce you to it in a specific, like a specific venue or something? How did you really meld with that group?

Laganja Estranja:

I think it just happened really naturally over time. There wasn't some big announcement. You're a part of the house. We're gonna do some big grand show like it just happened. You know, I worked with Justin for 10 years at the dance studio. So when Drag became such a big part of his life, it was natural that me as someone who worked with him all the time, that became a big part of my life too. So it just, it just sort of happened, you know, and then the next thing, you know, I was on the TV show and people, you know, didn't really in America have the greatest perception of me. And that's when Alyssa and Shangela we e like, okay, we're gonna go n tour the three of us, and y u know, road, we're going o really help change t e perception of who you are. o that was that was, you know, t e most amazing time Truly, I mea, we had some crazy, wil, unbelievable, you know, ju t unforgettable times that I thi k all three of us will be o grateful for for the rest of o r life. I mean, they weren t always easy. Of course, we're a family. And we've struggled wi h our differences. But I thin, you know, the House of Edwar s is legendary among t e community. And I am so proud f that. And I'm so thankful that I got to be a part of it. And, y u know, who knows, you just nev r know, maybe one day there wi l be a reunion, if they can g t the budge

Sarah Lazarus:

Um, I will say I was such a fan of yours on Drag Race. You created some of the best reality television moments, like ever, in my opinion. I mean, I like I think it's funny when people like to hate like, I don't know, the like, villain reality show, like characters that they like, create. It's just funny to me, because, I mean, we all know, it's edited and like, they're especially Drag Race, it's, like, dramatize a lot. And I always, I think those are like, literally the best characters like to me like, yeah, I loved your time, on Drag Race. And I would love to know more about that. What was that like filming? And like? What, what is the process like to get in, and then once you're there,

Laganja Estranja:

The process has changed over the years, you know, it's gotten a lot more extensive. When I was doing it, the videos were like, 12 minutes, I hear now the videos are up to like, 20 to 30 minutes. So you know, it's gotten a lot more intense. But when I did it, you know, you just had to sit in a video, you had to do your Snatch Game, you had to do, you know, some runway looks, you had to lip sync the song and do a little interview portion. So my best friend and manager at the time, Kristin Lovell, and I made that together. And that was so much fun really to make. We had a great time making it. And then yeah, I sent in my tape. And I really do believe because I had the tie with Alyssa Edwards. And I also had quite a following at that time, especially for you know, a Drag Queen on Instagram, it just made sense to put me on the next season. And then yeah, that was crazy. Because I've never been on television before. As I said, I grew up in musical theater. And then I went to a conservatory, you know, for dance. So being put in, you know, reality television, very different. Very, very different. But, uh, you know, it was it was a fun experience. I did, I had a good time, I tried to view it as like a musical theater camp. And yeah, what I mean by that is when I would go to musical theater camp, I was a ham, I put on shows during lunch, and I was the center of attention. And I turned up and that's exactly how I viewed that TV show. I felt like there's no point in going in here and being safe and being boring. We're here to make television I too gravitate towards more eccentric reality stars, you know, Tiffany Pollard, aka New York My favorite reality Stars of All Time, she can be really annoying, and over the top. So, you know, I just at that age was so young. And I didn't realize that I was being directed to be extra. I really felt like the producers thought I was genuinely hysterical. And I'm sure many of them did. But you know, of course, they egged on the persona type of things. And then of course, waited until that episode, towards the end to have everyone tell me the persona I was doing and I was being, was not cool. So you know, when I look back on my time, I'm just really thankful that I was so, just brave. I really think I had so much courage to be myself and to walk into the rec room and start the whole entrances of everyday. I mean, you look at episodes now and it's like, there's so many things that I really did influence and I feel good about that I feel good that I had elevate and then I got kids to be more fabulous because it's like, there's no point of being on that show and your boring clothes like wear something cool in the workroom be interesting, be over the top, do something fun, you know, and I still really stand by all my choices. I don't think I'd be here today. If I didn't, you know, do everything I did. And you know people say it's fake, but I don't, I disagree. It came from me and even if it was a forced choice in the moment, it's something that I chose that came from within like, I knew I was gonna sit underneath the table. I knew that that would be a shtick I would do one day when I was feeling it, you know, and I don't think that makes me fake. I just think that makes me a planner and someone who rehearses and thinks ahead of time and that's again coming from my musical theater background we would rehearse for a month before we put on a production. So I like to be prepared. I had a binder of every makeup look I was going to do, I had my nails all organized by challenge, I mean, you know, I really went in to play a good game. And then just unfortunately, you know, the way it came out. Many people didn't like the game that I was playing. They felt like it was, you know, disingenuine and annoying and victimizing and all of that. So, hey, it is what it is. I know that I went in and was myself and had a good time and was just being crazy and extra, like I always am. And I think finally, most people have come around to that conclusion that the television show, like you said, is edited and that you know, it is directed, and that these people that we're seeing in one 40 minute episode aren't necessarily who they are in their life.

Sarah Lazarus:

Right, right. I loved you on the show. You're iconic, and so fun to watch. And those moments are the ones we like think about too. Also, isn't it like weirdly like weren't they doing quarantine before everyone else? Like when you're on the show can't you like not see anyone and you're like, in your rooms? And you're like guided everywhere? Isn't that another thing is I'm sure that adds to like, the emotional, high emotional, high stakes of the process? Because you're like in isolation for most the time, right?

Laganja Estranja:

Yeah, it was three days. We were in isolation for three days before we started filming, which I did, because we weren't used to quarantine felt like three years. And you know, you weren't allowed to leave your room. Luckily, I am a cigarette smoker. So I was able to leave and go outside for cigarettes. But yeah, it's very much like a lockdown situation. They they say ice, which means you're not allowed to talk. So when they cut the cameras, they say ice which means everyone has to stay silent because they don't want to miss any drama or anything like that. So these were all things like I said I'd never been exposed to. This was all brand new to me. So it was very nerve wracking at the time. Now it's like a piece of cake. I get it. I know what I'm doing. But at the time at 23. Yeah, I was a nervous wreck and drinking like three Red Bulls a day and not eating and not sleeping. And it was intense.

Sarah Lazarus:

Yeah, yeah. I can imagine. Would you ever go on All Stars? Or is that not really something you're into?

Laganja Estranja:

You know, I go back and forth with this one. But I think I finally come to the conclusion that that's not really how I'd like to participate with the show. You know, I'd love to go back and be a choreographer or, you know, be a lip sync assassin or be involved with the brand in some other way than being a contestant. I just don't think that's conducive to the art making that I do. So I answer your question in short terms. No, I wouldn't go back.

Vinny:

I think we wanted to talk a little bit about your career as a choreographer because it's storied and incredible. So we'd love to hear out what's going on there with you.

Laganja Estranja:

Sure, well, quarantine definitely put a little damper on that one. I'll be honest, because obviously being choreographer, you need to work with lots of not lots, but I like to work with lots of individuals. So that's been difficult. Of course, I'm choreographing all of my own shows that I've been putting on here, in my backyard for quarantine. And, you know, I've been working on a lot of new music. That's a new direction, I'm really focusing on, not a new direction, I've been doing music, but I'm really focused on it now. So obviously, you're going to see more of my choreography in that realm. But it's definitely been hard, you know, during quarantine to keep that particular side of my art making going. I miss it, I miss it a lot. You know, I miss teaching dance, I miss being able to be in the dance studio, which is where I grew up. But I've also learned to just like, be grateful for the jobs that I am getting during this time. And knowing that those skills of mine are will always be there. And when we are done with this, I will be back to choreographing and you know, working with other artists, because yeah, I love working with pop stars and rap stars and, you know, making them into who they are. I think that's what I was born to do. You know, I can really teach anybody to dance. I believe that. It just takes a lot of confidence. And I think that's why I say in my masterclass, that's what I teach. I teach people how to be confident in themselves.

Sarah Lazarus:

So what was it you choreographed for Miley Cyrus right?What was that like?

Laganja Estranja:

Yeah, it was incredible, you know, such a legendary star and I was in her backyard. You know, it was crazy. It was amazing. And then to you know, be able to bring on 30 other Drag Queens and friends of mine to be in the performance and to organize all of that. It was amazing. I'm very thankful and grateful for that opportunity.

Sarah Lazarus:

So what is the future look like for you? What is the next decade hold for your career and for Lagonja Estranja and what are your like, goals and aspirations?

Laganja Estranja:

Well, I have many goals. We'd have to have a whole other podcast just to hear all my goals. But I can say that the main focus, like I said right now is my music. I've dropped a single, every single year for the last four or five years. And I've just learned that that unfortunately, is not consistent enough, much like Instagram or Tiktok, or any of these social media platforms. If you want to be successful, you have to be constantly creating content and uploading. So I have decided that I really want to focus on the music. And this is the direction I want to go. Because I feel like music is going to open all these other doors and lanes for me that I've had trouble getting into, because I'm seen as a Drag Queen. Whereas if I'm seen as a musician, who's also a Drag Queen, then all of a sudden people take you more seriously. Now you're able to have your own products. Now you're able to get more interviews, get more press, yada, yada, yada. So the reason why I've never done this is because it's very expensive. It's very expensive. I spent$15,000 on my "Look at me" music video, which only has half a million views and really did nothing for me. So you have to really love it, and you have to really want it and I'm finally at that point. You know, quarantine made me look within and it made me go Okay, well, when you close your eyes at night, what is it that you want to do? And it's like, well, I want to be the Missy Elliott of Drag. So I've always said that's what I want to do. So how do you do that? Well, you have to make music. So I'm really focused on that right now. I am dropping my first single "Daddy" on November 30. So I'm super excited for that. The second single "Hype Man" will be coming in January. The third single "Daily Basis" will be coming sometime in February, March. And then hopefully "Highconic" my official album, which will be all new songs will be dropping somewhere. Yeah, it may be 4/20 maybe 7/10, one of those two dates. So that's definitely something to keep looking out for. I've also been working a lot on my YouTube during quarantine because that's one of the tools that we can use while being at home, a regular Thursday series called"Transformation Thursdays", which is with my dear friend just Josetti Hurtado, who's from Peru. She's an incredible international star. And so we do all different types of transformations. And that comes out every Thursday on my YouTube channel at 420. And I'm hopefully going to have another Monday show. I did have a Monday show. We already completed it. It was 10 episodes. Season one"Amuse me" with my dear friend Robert Heyman. So yeah, there's lots of like, original content that I'm working on. You know, a podcast, a cartoon, all things that are mine. I've learned over the years that no one's going to have your back quite like yourself. So if you want to have something, you have to really do it yourself, which means producing it yourself and figuring out how to go about doing that. So that's what I'm working on. All things that will be me, so I can finally make some money. Yes.

Sarah Lazarus:

Speaking of 420 Vinny, do you want to segue into that

Vinny:

We wanted to ask you because you know, you are a cannabis activist. We wanted to ask how your relationship to cannabis has evolved since your platform really exploded post Drag Race?

Laganja Estranja:

Well, exactly. It did. It exploded. I mean, you know, when I chose the name, Lagonja Estranja, I had no idea that people would one day like be bringing weed to me, you know, I wish I was that smart and had thought of that. But I'm glad that it did. And, you know, I I just have learned so much more about cannabis. I always came at it from a very simple standpoint. It worked for me. I didn't need to know the background and I just knew when I smoked, I felt better. I was more creative. I ate regularly. I slept regularly. I wasn't a bitch. So that was what I went off of. That's why I chose the name Lagonja because it was just I just made sense to me. I don't know. I didn't think about what it meant to be an activist or that one day I would be you know, standing in a Cannabis Cup performing and people would be booing me. So those are things I didn't I didn't you know, but that have come along with the territory. And now Yeah, I'm very well educated on the plant on the different properties, how it works, the different types of techniques. You know, I've spoken at colleges about why we should legalize, why this is medicinal. You know, I've had my own products I've collabed with other companies, you know, so my relationship has just gotten very close. I always say I'm in a monogamous relationship with Mary Jane. I really am. Love each other. She helps me get through my day. And you know, if it wasn't for my cannabis activists advocacy, I don't think that I really would have survived quarantine. Most of the companies that have paid me during quarantine have been cannabis related. And I think that's just really amazing. I mean, not to poopoo the LGBTQ community, but I think you know, we are so saturated with Drag Queens now and the LGBTQ community so there's so many more options. So naturally, companies are going to gravitate towards the least problematic, the most famous, you know, and so unfortunately I'm not on that list. She's a little problematic and famous but you know, for cannabis and that industry I am I am the most I'm the only one really I mean not I'm not the only one but I'm the only one with a platform that's able to you know really provide exposure and advocacy in that lane. So I'm very grateful. I really am you know. I I love the plant with all my heart and the fact that it gets to be my manifesto and and thing that I talked about is is really powerful. I feel like I'm doing a lot to destigmatize, you know what people think of cannabis users because people think that it makes you lazy. And it's like, well, if you take even three seconds out of your day to look at what I do, you'll know that that there's no way I'm the least laziest person you'll ever meet. I'm so active. I do six things in every day and cannabis helps me go. It helps me do all of those things. So I think just by being myself and showing people that on my fucking Snapchat, I am changing people's minds. I really am.

Sarah Lazarus:

You're so interesting. You're like a multi hyphenate and like, beyond just a performer too, which is really cool. Like, I really think you're just such an interesting person, basically.

Laganja Estranja:

Thank you. I mean, it's come with its difficulty because people want to pigeonhole you. Like I said, as a Drag Queen, as a musician, as a choreographer, as a hair stylist, as a designer, but it's like I am all of that well, not a hairstylist, but I am all of those items. I o my hair now. I picked up the Marcel technique during quarantine, one of the new things I learned how to do so but yeah, I try to be as multifaceted as possible. Because what I believe is that art shouldn't be limited to one thing, you know, when you go back and you look at the Greats of history, it's they were multifaceted. Even if they were Martha Graham and starting a dance company. She still knew how to play music. She still knew how to, you know, read music and work with music and articulate to lighting designers how to create, you know, different fields with different gobos. And I mean, these were well rounded artists. Nowadays, you're pretty. And you can say something in 15 seconds, you're hired. And that, to me is really sad. And I don't want to be that and that's what people try to pigeonhole me as is the ochre girl, the girl who dips? And yes, those are two things I do. And yes, I'm so grateful for them because they are iconic. And it did get me where I am. But I'm so much more than that. And I like just met with an agency who was looking to represent me and she was like, well, I wouldn't feel comfortable pitching you to mainstream people. And I'm just like, you idiot. Look at Rhianna. Look at her.Pot smoking sexual cut bitch whore, you know, and she is mainstream. So I just think, like, it kind of goes back to what I was saying before. But in order to change people's perceptions, we just have to be it and be unapologetically who we are and show people that you know, we are good people, regardless of being a Drag Queen or smoking pot.

Sarah Lazarus:

I'm just curious, where did you go to theater camp because I also I went to I don't know if he went to one of those sleepaway camps that I didn't know about. Which one?

Laganja Estranja:

I went to Broadway Theater Project in Florida.

Sarah Lazarus:

Okay. I'm from Florida, actually, is that I think I was that like the one in Tampa that people,

Laganja Estranja:

I believe it was in Tampa, it was run by Debbie McWatters, who studied under Ann Reinking who studied under Bob Fosse. But that's why I went that program because I was and I'm still obsessed with Bob Fosse as a choreographer. He's definitely on my top three. So I wanted to work with basically his lineage. And it was amazing. I loved it. I really did. I also really wanted to go, there's the movie camp. Have you ever seen this?

Sarah Lazarus:

I went to that camp.

Unknown:

Okay, so what is that Camp called?

Sarah Lazarus:

Stagedoor Manor,

Laganja Estranja:

Stagedoor! I wish I'd gone there. I really wanted to go. After I saw that movie. I was like, ah, I missed it.

Sarah Lazarus:

It was honestly, here's the thing. It's like disheveled, the camp and they charge way too much for it. There's no air conditioning. There's no mikes. Kids are screaming on stage and it's like, really rich kids. Like they're all like sons and daughters of SNL producers fucking Kurt Cobain's daughter went there. Like it's like the place is literally is Camp like the camp is what Stagedoor is. You didn't miss much. Probably just other than the stories. I would will say like the stories are really interesting and like.

Laganja Estranja:

Well, then I'm glad I din't go because Project was very legitimate. It was very rigorous. There was lots of air conditioning we were well taken care of.

Sarah Lazarus:

These are like kids sweating like and they're all like wearing like their Bloomingdale's outfits and like doing in the dance studio. They're like it's like such a weird place because yeah, I mean, it was like intense because it was like you know, all day you're doing rehearsal and stuff, but it was like really low budget the place itself with a really rich people. It was really weird.

Vinny:

So we have created a Madlib out of your iconic "I feel very attacked" monologue. If if you're into it, if it's not going to bring up old trauma, I would love to get into it.

Laganja Estranja:

Okay, so what's gonna happen? You're gonna be saying something and then you'll say a blank and I fill it in.

Vinny:

Yeah, I'm gonna just ask you to give me some verbs and things and then we're going to read it back. You ready?

Laganja Estranja:

Yeah.

Vinny:

Awesome. First I need a verb in past tense,

Laganja Estranja:

Fucked

Vinny:

Then I need just any old verb. High Kick. Now a dirty body part.

Laganja Estranja:

High kick Behind the ears.

Vinny:

Now a noun

Laganja Estranja:

person place or thing. Bette Midler.

Vinny:

Now a verb

Laganja Estranja:

Hiking.

Vinny:

Okay now a bodily fluid.

Laganja Estranja:

Snot.

Vinny:

And an adjective.

Laganja Estranja:

Fierce.

Vinny:

Now two verbs.

Laganja Estranja:

Split and dip.

Vinny:

Yes. And then finally one more body part.

Laganja Estranja:

Lips.

Vinny:

Okay, ready? Here it is. I feel very fucked. I'm probably gonna high kick. And they're gonna send my behind the ears home. And you can all have a good Bette Midler and hike about it. This is just too fucking much. You broke me down. I feel like snot. I look fierce. God, this fucking sucks. I'd like to quit. I love to dip. You now get my lips that fell off because I'm such a disaster. Send me fucking home. I'm done. Wow, that was incredible. That really was.

Laganja Estranja:

That really was I need to make an app with all my stuff. That's good.

Vinny:

So fun. Oh my God.

Laganja Estranja:

Now, I feel very fucked!

Sarah Lazarus:

You know what,Tony Kushner's Shakespeare has nothing on Lagonja Estranja

Laganja Estranja:

.That was funny guys. I loved that.

Sarah Lazarus:

We have another game for you. A classic: Marry, Fuck, Kill and these are all specifically tailored for you. So our first Marry, fuck, kill, I'm sure you know how to play this one.

Laganja Estranja:

Of course.

Sarah Lazarus:

We have Shangela, Alyssa Edwards and plastique tiara.

Laganja Estranja:

Okay, I'm going to marry Shangela. I'm going to fuck plastique. Ah, yeah, I have to kill Alyssa, damn.

Vinny:

The next Marry, Fuck, Kill is Ambien, cannabis and Zoloft

Unknown:

Marry cannabis. Fuck zoloft. Kill ambien. Huh? Yeah, ambiens crazy gives me weird dreams. I don't like her. Oh,

Sarah Lazarus:

I literally take I take Ambien like every night because I'm literally an insomniac.

Laganja Estranja:

Yeah, but see, they can do that too. That's how my mother is too and she can't sleep without her Ambien. I'm like hmmm, get back to bed. That stuff is crazy. It makes me dream weird. I don't like it. I need a strong pharmaceutical.

Sarah Lazarus:

My brain is like running like a mouse on a like one of those. hamster on a hamster wheel.

Vinny:

We have a few rounds of Would you rather? Are you familiar?

Laganja Estranja:

Yeah. I'd rather do this or that. Yeah,

Vinny:

Awesome. Okay, so round one. Would you rather Would you rather burglarize Jeffree Star or eat Ru Paul's fart napki

Laganja Estranja:

Well, who would only gross people would pick the second option? Of course I'm going to burglarize the rich person house who has everything I want. Yeah.

Vinny:

We didn't think that one through we just we thought of fart napkin. Yeah. It was over.

Sarah Lazarus:

We thought that was

Laganja Estranja:

Sounds like you guys would have picked option two.

Sarah Lazarus:

We're psychopaths.

Laganja Estranja:

I didn't know that people had fart napkins. I'm like what is that?

Sarah Lazarus:

Ru Paul I'm sure does and he sells them on eBay.

Laganja Estranja:

Hey, don't knock the hustle. If you can make some money off fart napkins. I'm for it.

Sarah Lazarus:

Oil rigging, fart napkins. We love all of it.Okay, this next one. Would you rather smoke a laced blunt with Seth Rogen or appoint any person to have kidney stones forever?

Laganja Estranja:

These are weird kids. I'm gonna go with the first option, of course.

Sarah Lazarus:

Okay. Good choice. Good choice. Good Choice.Well, this has been so much fun. Thank you!

Laganja Estranja:

I love that that was the game by the way. That was hysterical. Okay! Y'all are kooky.

Vinny:

Thank you.

Sarah Lazarus:

Thank you. Yes, yes.

Laganja Estranja:

Of course you guys. This was fun.

Sarah Lazarus:

We want to send you off with a little piece of advice. Always remember as a child, Tilda Swinton once planned to kill her brother. But they're okay now. From Tilda Swinton trivia, Useless daily.com 2016

Vinny:

Follow us on Twitter at wish U were weird one. That is the letter U, not the word you, and if you come across that bitch ass Twitter that has wish you were weird, report them.

Sarah Lazarus:

This episode of"Wish U Were Weird" was sponsored by nobody. Please sponsor us. Thanks.