You’re Missing Out If You Haven’t Seen Drag Race Alum Shangela’s New HBO Show

To quote noted 21st century philosopher Chrissy Teigen, “Does anyone know if we will get through this together or not? Or if these times are certain or uncertain? No one is letting me know.” Times being what they are, we’re constantly being told by famous faces and brands that they’re the answer to all this uncertainty. The world of television isn’t immune to this promotional trap. It’s hard not to feel like everyone is angling their new series that just happened to drop during a pandemic as the One Thing To Soothe You In These Times. Occasionally, though, a series comes along that actually is exactly what we all need right now. The thing is, not many people are watching We’re Here on HBO — but it's slowly gaining a second life on streamers like HBO Now and YouTube.

The HBO docuseries, starring beloved RuPaul’s Drag Race alums Shangela, Bob The Drag Queen, and Eureka O’Hara, debuted in late April to a small audience and rave reviews. Each hour-long episode finds our main trio descending upon a small town in the United States, starting with Gettysburg, PA to put on a drag show. The queens each select people who’ve all had different experiences with drag — some are aspiring drag queens, others have never even seen a drag show — and put them through a week-long boot camp. While some drag daughters, as their apprentices are called, are members of the LGBTQ+ community seeking acceptance within their circles, others are allies — including one woman who successfully conquered her past homophobia. It’s the kind of show that leaves you smiling through tears by the time the third act rolls around — and you get to spend some time with your favorite Drag Race alums. Win-win. 

“We could've never anticipated that our show would be premiering during this particular time and this moment in history. But I couldn't ask to be part of a more meaningful project, especially in the moment that we're in right now, because people are being able to experience our show as a bright spot,” Shangela, aka Darius Jeremy Pierce, tells Refinery29 on a recent phone call. Shangela’s been busy promoting We’re Here, even weeks after its premiere, in hopes that audiences will find this “bright spot” amongst everything else. 

Shangela, along with Bob and Eureka, served as a consulting producer on the series, which added authenticity to the project, created by longtime couple Stephen Warren and Johnnie Ingram. And while Shangela is known largely for her comedic style and dance numbers — and co-starring in that little Oscar-nominated film A Star Is Born — she’s dead serious about her latest project. It’s more than a show — it’s something that’s stuck with her long after production wrapped back in 2019.

Take it away, Shangie. 

Shangela: “I stand by the fact that I feel like drag is for everyone. The bones that make up the essence of a drag queen are qualities or characteristics that every person should feel that they can attain. I wanted our drag daughters to know that the drag community is a very welcoming community. We're inviting them into our world. We want them to come and be a part of this. We want them to achieve this best version of themselves through the transformative power of drag. So we had to be open to and show them that it was okay to trust us, even in a short amount of time. And that's why I think Bob and Eureka and myself that you see on screen is the same Bob, and Eureka, and myself that you would meet on the street if we randomly ran into each other. We had to be.” 

“This show is a real- life docu-series, right? Keywords: real life. And we all know that in real life — especially as a drag entertainer, as a queer person, and a person of color or any marginalized person — there are great moments of acceptance and there are those challenging moments, whether it's discrimination, bigotry, or just difference of opinions. All of those things exist. And this show is not a scripted series where every episode has a happy ending. This is a slice of life that we are highlighting and showcasing to the world, so that they can realize hopefully that we're not all so different, no matter where we live or who we love. So when we're talking about the juxtaposition of showing what's happening in these slices, what you're seeing is a real life slice of what happens to these people every day in their lives. Sometimes they really embraced us and sometimes they called the police on us.” 

“I don't think it was much fear that we had, as much as it was a heightened sense of awareness. We want to be aware of our surroundings, aware of who was around us, aware of where we were going, and who was with us. Because as a drag entertainer and a gay person, a lot of times you just have to know before you go and just have an idea of is this going to be a safe space for me. ABAnd, but as a drag mom, I'm training you to learn that not all places are going to be welcoming, but you know what? I can't live my life just sitting in my house. I'm going to shamelessly hold my head up high shamelessly, but I'm going to be aware of what's around me and what I'm walking into. That's what we tried to be. 

“Also, we had to keep in mind this is an experience that people who live in this community deal with every day. It was a very sober reality that in some places, we realized, we have not made it as far as we thought we might have with progress and levels of acceptance. But in some places we were very surprised about the support that came out for the LGBTQ+ community. We all walk into a situation with our own idea of what it's going to be like, right? I'm going to Idaho, they're going to look at me strangely. They've never seen a drag queen. It's going to be the oddest thing and I'm not going to like it. And then we go down the street and some people are like, Oh my god it’s, Shangela! And I'm like, How do you know me?” 

“As a consulting producer, I was running my relationship and my production with my drag children; they gave me full creative license to create the moment, choose the songs. And in connecting with Brandon and McKayla after I heard their story, it really broke my heart. I don't know what it's like to have a wedding;. I'm not married;, I've never been married before. But we all dream about the perfect wedding and one thing I do know about is the importance of having someone show up for you. Sometimes you need that validation, even if it’s from friends. But a lot of times we look for it from our family. And knowing that McKayla's family was not in support of their wedding, that her dad didn't even walk her down the aisle, it just gave me this sense of urgency. I needed to do this; it felt like a requirement.. I felt a requirement, almost. I had to create this moment for them and wanted it to be perfect for them. TAnd they gave me such great commitments inand helping pull it together — learning everything that I threw at them in a very short amount of time. It just, it created such a beautiful moment for me. When Brandon says, ‘All I really wanted was a big wedding,’ I was like, Well, thank god I wore waterproof mascara.” 

“In our drag community and the drag world, and especially with me coming up in the ranks of drag, I work right alongside drag kings, drag queens, bio-queens —and honey, more trans drag queens than I can even count on both hands and toes. TAnd that needed to be represented here if we were going to really showcase our real world. I'm so thankful that it happens so early in the season so that people can continue that conversation about the importance of visibility for the trans community in relation to the art of drag. We wanted to create this art, this production that people can attach to.” 

“You can't ever forget your children, even if you're an absentee mother. Now, Shangela is a working girl and wheeled up to the next town andto the next project. That's how I've been my entire career — , just on the go. But it's been so wonderful to have these new drag children all across America. And I do keep in touch with a number of them. Hunter from the first episode and I DM and chat on Instagram; also Brandon Charles. All of my kids have a special place in my heart and it's nice to catch up with them. But they understand mama's got to go back to work. And this is what I tell everyone: Look, we're not fairy godmothers. We're not coming to this town to wave a magic wand above you and transform your entire life. We're here for this week to partner with you, to hopefully help you to see and realize the best version of yourself and give you tools you can utilize to get there. We're going to help build this moment for you on stage, and if you're committed, we're going to make it happen. TAnd then we got to go, and you keep walking in those shoes of confidence that you built for yourself. It's up to you to make whatever dream you have in your life become reality. We're here because we believe in you, but you have to believe in yourself. And they do that.”

Shangela: “Most drag queens are consulting producers in their daily lives every day with or without the title. I was so thrilled that HBO honored our contribution to the show, both on-camera as hosts, but also behind the scenes, in their effort to join us in making this the most authentic experience possible. I look at each of these episodes and feel so proud that we're going to share this with other drag queens and they’re going to look at this and go, Yep, they got it right. That’s what the experience is like. That's why we really wanted to have a true seat at the table and be consulting producers. People may listen to you sometimes and they may not, but sometimes a title helps you to be heard. And we were just very thankful that HBO was so on board with that.”

“We had a voice in bringing on people in our production crew that represented so many different walks of life. We wanted the show to be as authentic as possible, and HBO let us each bring in our own creative teams. I was able to bring in the designers that I've worked with my entire drag career like Diego Montoya, the guy who created my gown for the Oscars red carpet. I was able to bring him in, to bring in my makeup artist, to bring in the wig stylists that actually do drag hair — not just amazing hair stylists, but amazing drag wig stylists who were authentic to our culture. That's the biggest thing that I'm proud of: Helping to create jobs for more LGBTQ artists that specifically have worked with us drag queens for years, but who no one knows about in the mainstream just because they hadn't had that platform yet.” 

“The drag community was severely hit with the shutdown of nightlife and the livelihood of these queens that depend upon the support of fans’ tips and them showing up in the bars and nightclubs and events to support them in person. They’re heavily dependent upon that for their wages. It’s been hard being taken away from them for this moment, which is what we all have to do for the safety of our world. However, there are some great ways that people can support drag. 

See the power of a queen, honey, you can never hold them down. Drag queens are some of the most resourceful people in the world. They're creating online shows, performing them and making sure they include their Venmo, PayPal information, their cash app so that fans can come and support them. Fans who love drag, you can still get the excitement that you get from being in an in-person crowd. Find your local queens online: Go to their Instagrams, find out when they're doing local shows, give them a tip. Don't just show up to watch the show and then go on back to bed and wash your dishes. No, no, no. Make sure that you understand that that's their livelihood and the same entertainment they're bringing you right now. Just honor it and show them some appreciation, because I know that our community greatly needs it.”

“You ain't never seen that area quiet. But don't worry; I have every hope that we'll be back at some point. We will be back and, honey, when we come back we are going to celebrate.”