While the world got to know the fierce and fabulous Florida-born Vegas showgirl Coco Montrese when she competed on the fifth season of “Rupaul’s Drag Race” back in 2013, she had already made her mark in the competitive and glamorous world of pageantry and on drag stages everywhere. Coco keeps the party going to this day, with a NYC Pride Month appearance coming this week, a vital online venture. and more exciting things on the way.
Thotyssey: Coco, hello! Thank you so much for finding time in your busy schedule to chat with us today! I understand you just returned from Brazil… how did it go?
Coco Montrese: Let me just say… I was there for the very first RuPaul’s DragCon Brazil, and I will say any time I’m in Brazil it’s always a pleasure. It was an absolute honor to be invited to represent the USA in the very first DragCon Brazil, so I was on Cloud Nine!
You are a well-traveled queen at this point… is there an all time favorite out of town gig you’ve done, or a place you often look forward to returning to?
Funny that you would ask that question, and I have to honestly say… yes, it’s Brazil! Anywhere in Brazil, to be exact: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte… I haven’t had a bad time in Brazil anywhere.
What’s performing in Las Vegas like these days? That’s where queens who do spot on impersonations often thrive, much like you with Janet Jackson!
Las Vegas these days Is very different from back in the day, when it was extremely hard to break into the scene. Only the elite of elite could perform there, and it was not only for celebrities with residencies. But this also went for the drag scene as well, and it wasn’t that long ago–fifteen years ago–when I got offered the job in Las Vegas. It was still a very complicated place to get into.
Now it’s like it’s been simplified and made to have easier access for those who haven’t really earned the title of Las Vegas showgirl. I love both of these artists, so don’t take this the wrong way, but… it’s like having a Diana Ross residency right next door to Ariana Grande’s residency nightly. Vegas was somewhere you went to see the greats who had careers spanning 20 plus years. But now, anybody’s told that they can be a showgirl and given the opportunity to do so. In the words of Gia Gunn, “I guess there’s room for everyone.”
Are there any other Vegas-based drag shows you like to see when you’re off duty?
I don’t really go out when I’m home in Las Vegas. For business reasons, I only show up in spaces where I’m being paid to be there, or promotional reasons, because I come from the old school Vegas where they value you based on accessibility.
You’re known for your flawless Janet Jackson impersonations, and you’ve met her a few times! Janet seems like such a difficult person to impersonate given her challenging choreography, groundsbreaking fashions and a sort of hard-to-lock-down personality. Do you think there’s a certain key to doing a great Janet?
Janet is a very complex character to impersonate, if it’s going to be done correctly. She’s very in depth, and there’s a lot of character to unpack there. If you don’t study her well enough, you will just be a good dancer or you will just look a lot like her. But to impersonate her correctly, it takes a lot more than just those two things. You have to be able to embody her aura on and off stage, because they are actually two different personalities.
Were you surprised Janet didn’t want to be involved in the Michael biopic?
I was not shocked. Janet is all about accuracy, and if she felt in any way that there was not gonna be an accurate depiction of her brother… I definitely could see her opting out. And I respect that.
You must have had a lot of interesting experiences interacting with celebrities and fellow performers, both in Vegas and beyond! Does any encounter stick out as something you’ll cherish?
I’ll just say that the very first time meeting Mariah was definitely an interesting moment. That was back in my Disney days, in Disney entertainment–the best experience I’ve ever had. I would probably have to say that’s hard, because there have been so many really great experiences with so many artists. I don’t like the name drop, but the most down to earth was Miley Cyrus.
Drag Race was still fairly new when you appeared on Season 5, and a lot of time passed when you returned to All Stars 2. Did it all seem like a well-oiled machine and completely different when you returned, or did it feel like no time had passed?
Not that much [change] really, at that time. However, now? It’s way different in every aspect.
Have you been watching the current Drag Race All-Stars season? I was wondering if you like the whole “brackets and badges” system, and if that’s something that might make a choice of returning to a future All-Stars season more or less desirable for you.
If I’m being honest, I haven’t really watched much of All-Stars with the bracket format. I don’t know how you can really form an accurate winner from that, because you’re really not competing with everybody all at once. But if it works, it works.
I would consider going back to All-Stars again simply because I don’t feel I got a fair shake back in All-Stars 2. But no grudge–it is what it is, and I’ve had such an amazing life and so much success since then. Maybe it’s what the universe wanted at that time.
Honestly, I would prefer an All-Stars with teams. Maybe team a non-winner up with a cast of winners, and make it a competition without elimination where you get to see the entire cast of teams through the whole competition… all the way until they crowned a winner.
Your onscreen feud with fellow pageant queen Alyssa Edwards made for some compelling TV, and it was also fun to see how you patched things up by All-Stars. I wonder if Season 5 was before that toxic element of the fanbase–who want to weigh in on everything online–was a major factor. Do you feel bad for these girls today that get on the show and immediately have to deal with that extreme fan negativity?
A lot of these girls that are on the show now grew up watching the show–and honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them as fans participated in some of the toxicity of the fanbase, lol. So I wouldn’t say I don’t feel bad for them, but I will say that it comes with the territory. Although back then, the fanbase was still toxic–even though social media was just beginning. Remember, I was considered a lip sync assassin on that season. I sent a lot of girls home, and it was very common for me to receive death threats and get called a monkey and other racial slurs daily. So that’s an unfortunate part of the business of reality TV.
What’s an important thing you think folks at home really need to understand about your time on Drag Race, or just something about Drag Race in general?
Just remember when you’re watching Drag Race, everyone thinks, “oh wow, these girls are lucky they got to be on the show.” Many of [those girls] are still experiencing real life experiences just like everyday people. For example, when I left to go film Drag Race was the same day that my husband started chemo for stage four cancer. So to put it in perspective, the grass is not always greener on the other side. Sometimes the grass is artificial. Take that for what it’s worth.
Do you think you’ve changed a great deal as a performer since you first appeared on Drag Race, or is there much about you that’s remained the same?
A lot has changed–but I feel like my values, my morals and my integrity for being an entertainer have not changed. I think that’s what gave me longevity in the business. A lot of people will see you on Drag Race and think that your career started there, but mine started longer than a decade and a half before that. So I will say I’ve changed a lot, but I’ve remained the same as well.
Are you concerned about the hostility that more conservative communities seem to be hurling at drag performers and queer folks in general, or do you think this is just more of the same grumblings that have always been there?
I think that’s always been there, but I think it is more dangerous now because we are in a situation where someone who fuels that is in the highest office in the land–although [he is also] the most corrupt person in the land. That emboldened people to push those views, and it can become dangerous.
Is your drag daughter Kahanna Montrese in Vegas as well these days?
Yes, my daughter is still in Vegas and she’s doing absolutely amazing. She is really one of my proud accomplishments, and being her mother helped me grow as a person. She’s one of my biggest supporters. This year when I got ready to open my own residency show in Mexico, she not only turned out in emotional support but financial support as well, and I wasn’t expecting that–not because I didn’t think she would, but because I don’t look for that in return. What I look for a return is your growth, and watching you succeed and go beyond what I have accomplished. And I honestly think she’s on the track to do just that, so I am majorly proud of my baby girl!
Is there space in the nursery for more Montreses?
Honestly, I think at a certain age I probably shouldn’t have any more kids… but you never know!
You are known for your talent as well as your professionalism! Do you think brand new girls can have the same drive and focus as you do, or is it more of a generational trait?
There were a lot of distractions when I started back in the 90s, but I do think there’s a lot of distractions nowadays that can really take someone off their path. I think if they apply themselves and really pay attention to their career and not all the chatter, they can become successful–and not a one hit wonder, but have longevity in the business.
I remember something RuPaul said to us while filming Season 5. We were down to the Top Five, and he said something in the room that really stuck with me. He said, “never believe your own hype.” That stuck with me, and to me it simply meant stay grounded. People admire you, but never let it get to your head. Keep striving for perfection… and perfection is not measured by other people‘s expectations, but by your own expectations of you.
Is there something completely different career-wise or art-wise that you’d like to try to take a crack at doing someday?
I’m actually doing that right now, and I’m really enjoying it. My minor in college was education. I was considering retiring from performing, and I was asking myself, “what did I want my legacy to be?” And I wanted my legacy to not just be. I was a great Miss Gay America, and I was a great reality TV star. I wanted to actually give back to the drag community–to those who seek out the knowledge and want the knowledge. I didn’t wanna force it on anyone–so I started my online entertainment school, which has been doing very well. I’m honored to give back all the knowledge I’ve gained over these 33 years to performers who want the best for their career. So academics, the Drag Academy, is my answer to that question.
Do you still closely follow pageants? Might you re-enter that world someday?
I love pageantry, but I honestly feel my pageant days are over, I enjoyed it. I still enjoy watching pageantry. And honestly, my highest goal was not to collect titles, but to be a great Miss Gay America–and that happened for me. So I don’t see pageantry in that way in my future.
Maybe you can create your own pageantry system!
Coaching yes, owning no, participating again no. But always a supporter and spectator.
You’ll be in town for the 8th Annual Bronx Expo at La Central YMCA on Thursday, June 18th! Do you have any fond memories of performing in NYC, or any favorite girls to twirl with when you’re here?
My favorite time in New York City was actually during our premiere of Season 5… that was pretty awesome and cool. Bianca Del Rio was the host, and it was incredible. And then to return there for All-Stars premiere was great. We did the MTV Awards. It was a lot of fun!
The girl I love to hang out with in New York is no longer with us, and she was my homie. I loved being with Jiggly Caliente in Times Square–we had a lot of fun. I miss her a lot.
What else is coming up for you?
Project-wise, I’m always working on a lot. I learned earlier on you don’t reveal it until it’s ready to be revealed… so just stay tuned. Coco is not done.
Finally: what is the most essential item in your drag bag, cosmetic or otherwise?
The most essential product in my make up case has to be primer, of course. If you don’t prep the skin, what do you expect everything else to look like? lol!
Thanks so much, Coco!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for CoCo Montrese’s upcoming area appearances, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkTree and her website.
Thotyssey 