Sporting some killing terror / fantasy looks, slaying dance moves and a truly witchy pedigree, this Goblin Queen will have you under her spell in no time. From a brush with Reality TV child stardom to the Pridefest Stage, here is the West End’s bewitching Miz Diamond Wigfall!
Thotyssey: Hello, Diamond! How was your Pride?
Miz Diamond Wigfall: It was so amazing, but now I’m exhausted like every queen! I’m glad it happened, but so happy it’s OVAH!
It was indeed a crazy weekend. Did you hear that Rise Bar in Hell’s Kitchen was closed by the police due to overcrowding on Sunday?
No way! Well, the city was a madhouse–gays everywhere you turn. Being downtown for Pridefest, you could barely walk on the street. Makes it even harder when everyone’s costumes are so huge.
Performing on the Pridefest stage must’ve been fun, though. Do you know if you were on TV at all?
I’m not exactly sure what footage is being used. I know that the whole event was filmed, so we will see if that footage ever makes the light of day. I hope so. I wanted to bring 2001 Britney Spears back to life!
So how long have you been a queen now?
I’ve been doing drag for about two years. Once I moved to NYC, I had a friend (JanSport) ask me to compete at Lady Liberty when it was still at Boots & Saddle. After making it to the top that night I realized, why be afraid in investing in something that makes me so happy?
Werk! Before drag, did you study the performing arts?
Yeah. I went to Boston Conservatory for Musical Theater, so I have a theater background. I ran the drag show for the school, which was a charity show for the Trevor Project; back then, I was focused on the performance much less the looks. So I had planted the little drag seeds back then. She’s blossomed into a full grown, puffy, pastel monster!
Are you a Massachusetts native?
Salem, Massachusetts, baby. A true Witch of Salem. They just hosted their own Pride this past Saturday.
Is that where your witchy aesthetics come from?
Totally! Growing up in Salem, Halloween is such a big deal. I watched tons of horror movies, way too young. It totally developed the spoopy parts of Diamond. I’m either full on pastel peep, or a spoopy witch.
You’re certainly a dancing queen. How else would you describe what one might see in a Wigfall performance?
Well, I’m much more than just a dancing queen. I sing, and I’m definitely not half bad. The thing about my numbers is, they’re usually ridiculous. I’m a clown, to be honest: actor first, no matter what. You’ll get my velociraptor lip syncs, and definitely something to sit there and reflect about. I do numbers about feminism, all the way to recreating All That skits. You get a full package every time.
And how did you drag name yourself?
It’s actually my friends real name from Salem: Aries Diamond Wigfall. Her name is pretty dope. Yes, her sign is Aries.
I understand that when you were a kid, you had a Reality TV moment!
So when I was 11, I was on this show called VH1’s I Know My Kid’s A Star, hosted by Danny Bonaduce. I was chubby and super gay, and tap danced FOR MY LIFE. There used to be a video of the first episode on VH1.com, but they took it down years ago. Here is the ONLY clip I’ve been able to find.
[In the car ride home while on camera] my dad tried comforting me, and I snapped at him and said “stop talking!” LMAO. Also In the car, I gave a tiny emotional speech about how I did my best, and it’s the best I could do.
If only Danny could see you now.
I’m sure he’d have no idea who I am. Boy Me or Diamond. The whole time he was fed everything through an ear piece. Reality TV is fake, believe it or not.
But 11 year-old dreams being crushed, that’s real.
How sad!
I’m sure it was sad at the time. But you otta have a sense of humor, ‘cause this McDonald’s meme is a pretty result of my sadness:
So, what brought you to New York?
Well, originally I wanted to do theater, or be involved in the business. I found an amazing job teaching. A lot of my friends from school move here. I also knew the city well, and wanted in on the hustle. Within the hustle, I found drag.
And eventually, you slayed a cycle of The Ultimate Drag Pageant at the West End. How did that competition first get on your radar?
I had seen it on Facebook a bunch, and I had always wanted to to compete. Eventually they changed the night, and I could finally squeeze it into my work schedule. I work a lot, so it’s hard to develop when you can’t do drag all the time. It was a weekly scheduled time, to be seen every week. Gotta take that opportunity!
It was such a great experience, to push myself in many ways. I had just started doing hair, and really getting my makeup down. I charted out every look, every week, and made promotion for it. For me, it was a full evolution. like Pokémon style.
I’m so happy to have done it. There were so many amazing girls, too. Also, [hosts] Marti and Nedra are the best! I love them.
Congrats on winning your season! As a result, you know host a monthly show at the West End called “Sure Did, Sure Did.” How would you describe this show to the uninitiated?
My show is defiantly a variety show! I have queens, singers, and sometimes performance artists. I have my sidekick Bobo the Pug, who does circus tricks between acts. I’ll lip sync while girls sing live next to me. I’ll lip sync while someone’s playing the cello. I try my best to always have the show flow, to keep things moving. Different types of art, back to back.
Usually the show is monthly first Wednesdays at 11pm, but not this July.
The West End is going dark on the fourth, so my show was moved to the 7th at 9:30. This is the first time I’ve ever had my own show this early. I’m so pumped. This month my special guest is Muffy Queen, who is honestly EVERYTHING. Also joining me are my UDP sisters Chola Spears and Edie James! We will also be celebrating Edie’s birthday!
We should discuss (that is, SPOIL) last night’s RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10 finale. Poor Asia O’Hara’s attempt at a gimmicky costume reveal in her final lip sync was an epic disaster.
That butterfly moment… I had to look away.
It was deadly. But on a brighter note, the Drag Race crown remains in New York for the third year running!
YASSS, I’m so happy Aquaria won; she inspires me like crazy. I’ve followed her for a while, and I’m so happy to see her take the crown. Also, her lip sync last night was legendary.
And congrats also to another New York queen, Miss Congeniality Monet X Change!
I love her so much! She really had the best attitude, and she’s such an incredible performer. She totally deserves it, and I think it means a lot more coming from her Season 10 sisters than from a poll.
What else is occurring in the Realm of Wigfall?
I also have my own monthly show in Salem called Gagged Saturdays, so for any MA people, there is a party out there for you.
Interstate sorcery!
Final question: things are pretty shitty in the country, and the world, today… especially for marginalized people. What is a drag queen’s role in these troubled times?
I take being a drag queen seriously. I come from town where femmephobia is still a part of the culture. People will say “I’m gay, but I’m not into drag queens…..that’s not the kinda ‘gay’ I am.” To be honest, I see it as fear.
I’ve made it my mission to expose people to, and create art that speaks to, everyone. The only way for people to get it is for things to be relatable. NYC is really a bubble; you forget how brave you are doing this transformation.
I’m currently working on a few video projects. One of them is an interview series for queens. I really love hearing people’s opinions, and what inspirations they may give to me. That’s why I love Marti so much, because she really uses all her star power for good, and to just expose the world to drag.
At my work, I run the Drag Queen Story Hour: they’re all kids under 5. You have to start to make things normal. The more we can connect with others as queens, the more light we can bring to the world.
Beautiful! Thank you Diamond, and happy post-Pride!
Miz Diamond Wigfall hosts the monthly show “Sure Did, Sure Did” usually first Wednesdays (11pm) at the West End. Check Thotyssey’s calendar for all scheduled local appearances, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Thotyssey 