Their Brooklyn monster drag competition is coming to its grand finale just in time for Seasonal Spookiness: DropDead Joe! [Cover photo: Jeff Eason]
Thotyssey: Yo Joe! Happy Spooky Season! Is October your favorite month?
DropDead Joe: Hey! Spooky season is the best season. Being a Libra, the fall is always a good season for me. My birthday leading into the swing of Halloween definitely would make October my favorite month!
Happy Horror Birthday! September was an interesting month for you as well–you were a Mx. Rockbar contestant! How did you enjoy that experience?
Running a competition myself, I forgot how it feels to lose! I definitely was in my feelings about it, because I always get “I don’t get how you didn’t win.” Same here!
I certainly know the feeling as well! But it probably makes you a better and more mindful competition producer in some ways.
Absolutely. Being a producer definitely comes with lots of challenges and new aspects I haven’t thought of until creating a show myself.
We will get to a discussion of your own competition’s upcoming finale in a bit, but first order of business: the origin story! Where are you from originally, and did you always have ghoulish pursuits pre-drag?
I’m originally from New York , a little up the Hudson River from a town called Stony Point. I think my style in drag comes from my “scene kid” aesthetic I had for many years, and probably still have. I always have been into things that fall into “spooky” or “gothic.”
When did you come to the City, and how did you become Joe?
I’ve been in the city for two years now. I moved here after living in Las Vegas from 2021-2022, after living in the city for nine months during Covid while finishing my degree in Communications. I actually used to go by a different drag name for years, until last year when I changed my name to DropDead Joe. It’s what I wanted to do in the beginning, but eventually I realized that drag can be whatever you want it to be.
How would you describe yourself as a drag performer now?
Today, I’m not scared to get messy with my drag. If anything, I look for that reaction of “WTF did I just watch,” as well as the metal and punk inspiration I have. I usually have some sorta of alternative song in my mixes.
You’ve been hosting “Witches & Stiches,” a monster drag monthly competition at Dromedary: Coming Out that concludes in a final showdown on October 26!
“Witches & Stitches” was really an idea I had since I started drag: to create a space where alternative drag could be celebrated, instead of being seen as the outcast of the show. I felt there wasn’t a space where there was a competition that was accepting of all drag and skill levels. You can expect the finale to have some crazy looks and performances… from what I’ve seen from the finalists, I can only expect something amazing.
But first up, on Saturday, October 12 you’ll be at Dromedary hosting an open stage!
I’m happy that Dromedary has giving me a space to be my authentic self with my drag, and supporting the vision of creating a space for alternative performers to compete. For October 12th, this is the first open call outside of the competition… and I’m ready to let my hair down. I can finally just come to have no pressure of the competition aspects until the finale the 26th of October.
What else is coming up for you?
So I have a few gigs coming up… like on the 19th I’m in a Halloween show at Trevi Lounge in Connecticut, as well as launching my sewing business as a side job (soon to come).
Have monstrous shows! To conclude, what’s your favorite horror movie?
My all time favorite horror movie was The Blair Witch Project. That movie would keep me up for days as a kid when I would sneakily watch it.
Thanks, Joe!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for DropDead Joe’s upcoming appearances, and follow them on Instagram and Twitter.
Thotyssey 