A Jersey girl who keeps it cute and captivating no matter the situation, Jada Honey Diamondz is making our Pride Month all sweet and shiny. [Cover photo: Photochase]
Thotyssey: Jada, hello! Happy Pride! You were actually just performing at Toms River Pride the other night, how did that go?
Jada Honey Diamondz: It was amazing. I truly enjoyed being around my community. The Bible thumpers were irate, but that’s to be expected.
Are those folks generally a problem when you do drag shows outside of queer hubs like Asbury Park, or was this a special occasional for them?
I am normally performing in a red town, where my posters will get a lot of heat from the very conservative. But I’m used to it. It may have been special for them, but that’s just an average Tuesday for me,
She’s the warrior that Pride Season needs! Are you originally from that part of town?
No I’m born and raised in Trenton… but my drag self will always be from Brooklyn at heart (I grew my notability in Brooklyn)
Tell us a bit, if you will, about some of your skills and interests that may have put you on the drag path, and how you ultimately became Jada!
I’m trained in ballet, contemporary and hip-hop. I originally wanted to be a dancer. Then I realized I don’t like a being background character, and that’s when I learned I can be pretty and dance and be front stage… and a diva was born. It led me to try to lean more circusy acts and contortion, and I added it into some of my numbers. I’m just a really pretty clown, to be honest.
The secret to drag success! What’s your favorite part about the art and business of drag today?
My favorite part is how it’s ever changing–how you can never truly get comfortable, because there’s always something new to learn. I love that about drag. I’m not that big of a fan of the business part, but I love the community.
I first saw you performing a few years at a bar on down on Stone Street in the Financial District with some other girls, which is an unlikely spot to find drag. But it was a fun show!
Yes, The Girls Show! I literally miss those girls… it’s been some time since I’ve been with all of them. Yeah, I remember you coming… it was a really fun gig.
I know that later, you had bad experiences working for the Lucky Chengs brunches. I’m not sure if you’d be up for speaking on that in general, in depth or at all.
I’m okay with answering questions about them because I loved the show, and I love the girls. It was the management that was the problem. I found the management to be very racist; they were booking people based off of how they looked rather than their talent. I was being told on multiple occasions that I was “the black girl” and I needed to be more black.
Awful. I’m sorry you endured that. How might you advise someone today on how to handle a situation like that?
What I would say to anyone else in that situation: if they are able to financially walk away, speak up and walk away. If you notice now, I personally don’t continue to talk on my experience with them as much because it’s not something that customers would see or understand… only the people who are working.
It’s such an inspiration to many that you were able to walk away from that!
Do you have a particularly favorite number to do today?
As of recently, it’s either my Janet mix or “Round We Go.” Sorry, I’m an indecisive girl.
Have you ever seen Janet live? I can’t quite recall the last time she toured!
I have not. I’m gonna be so honest–I have only been to one concert in my whole life, and it was The Wiggles.
The Wiggles serve! At this rate with the way tickets are being overpriced and undersold, we all may never be going to concerts again.
Yeah, prices got ridiculous.
Well, you’re certainly not done with Pride gigs this month. You’ll be doing Merchantville Pride on Saturday, with another great cast of drag folks!
Yesss! Merchantville pride gonna be so fun!
And then you and Hunty Hex have a recurring show coming up next.
Yeah, I’m even more excited about the show on the 26th at Underground in Somerville. This is my third time working with Underground. We’re gonna be doing a circus, so my contortion will finally be back out. It’s gonna be a full immersive experience; we’re gonna have a magician and a balloon animal artist… and maybe even a little fire! We’re ready to have the biggest show in Somerville ever, as if we’re actually under a big top!
What else is coming up for you?
There’s not much coming up soon other than the shows that I can speak on. But what I can go into is that I may be looking to get another crown sooner rather than later.
Very exciting! What’s your history with pageants?
I won Miss DR Mundo Latina Newcomer 2025, and I’ve placed second runner up in the Miss Mundo Latina Newcomer USA.
Amazing… looking forward to seeing what’s next on the shelf! Okay, lastly: what’s the most essential item in your drag bag, cosmetic or otherwise?
I always need my Super Stay glitter in the shade clear; I’ve been gatekeeping this for years, but I’ll give it up for the interview.
A much appreciated scoop! Thanks Jada, and Happy Pride!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Jada Honey Diamondz’s upcoming appearances, and follow her on Instagram and TikTok.
Thotyssey 