Puerto Rican drag performer and make-up artist
Madame Cassandra Uzumaki LaQueer (formerly Madame LaQueer ) is the stage name of Cassie Melendez ,[ 1] [ 2] a Puerto Rican drag performer and make-up artist who competed on season 4 of RuPaul's Drag Race . Originally from Carolina , Melendez moved to Orange County, California , where she works in the cosmetic industry , performs in drag shows , and livestreams on Twitch .
Madame LaQueer has continued to participate in Drag Race -related projects, appearing in a music video by fellow contestant Morgan McMichaels and attending RuPaul's DragCon LA as well as season finale tapings.
Early life and education
Melendez was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico ,[ 2] on October 5, 1981.[ 3] [ 4] She started doing drag on one of her birthdays as a teenager.[ 5] She has a degree in computer programming .[ 6] [ 7]
Career
Melendez is a drag performer who competed as Madame LaQueer on season 4 (2012) of the American television series RuPaul's Drag Race .[ 8] She won the WWE -inspired drag wrestling challenge (tied with Chad Michaels ) on the second episode ,[ 9] and placed tenth overall.[ 10] She was eliminated from the competition in the fourth episode ("Queens Behind Bars "), after placing in the bottom two and losing a lip sync battle against Milan to "Trouble " (2003) by Pink .[ 11] Sarah Martindale included Madame LaQueer in Bustle 's 2015 list of twelve "plus size drag queens giving us all life".[ 12] Thrillist 's Brian Moylan ranked her number 102 out of the show's 113 contestants in 2017,[ 13] and Instinct 's Ryan Shea ranked her 95 out of Drag Race 's 126 competitors in 2018.[ 14]
Madame LaQueer at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2022
In 2017, Madame LaQueer participated in a drag show to raise funds for Puerto Rico residents impacted by the destructive Hurricane Maria .[ 15] [ 16] She has continued to participate in Drag Race -related projects. In 2020, she appeared in the music video for fellow contestant Morgan McMichaels 's single "Ass Like Mine" (2020).[ 17] Madame LaQueer has featured at Drag Race conventions, including RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2022,[ 18] and appeared in season finale tapings of the show.[ 19] That year, she was the grand marshal of Bell 's inaugural Southeast LA Pride Festival, in which she also performed.[ 20]
Outside of drag, Melendez has managed the beauty department of a drug store in Southern California .[ 6] As of 2017, she was a make-up artist in Santa Ana and continued to perform at VLVT Lounge.[ 2]
Personal life
Melendez relocated to Orange County, California , on April 20, 2013, after competing in Drag Race .[ 5] [ 6] In January 2024, she came out as a trans woman on social media , and revealed her new names in and out of drag as Madame Cassandra Uzumaki LaQueer and Cassie, respectively.[ 1] She streams a variety of PlayStation games on Twitch .[ 21]
Madame LaQueer has had as many as seventeen "drag daughters" (or mentees),[ 22] including Lineysha Sparx , who competed on season 5 of Drag Race .[ 6] [ 10]
Filmography
Television
Web series
References
^ a b Nolfi, Joey (2024-01-23). " 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 4 star Madame LaQueer comes out as trans" . Entertainment Weekly . Dotdash Meredith . ISSN 1049-0434 . OCLC 21114137 . Archived from the original on 2024-01-24. Retrieved 2024-01-24 .
^ a b c Coker, Matt (2017-11-06). "She's Here, She's LaQueer: RuPaul's Madame Helps Puerto Rico, Rips Trump" . OC Weekly . Duncan McIntosh Company . Archived from the original on 2019-12-05. Retrieved 2023-12-01 .
^ "The Most Powerful Drag Queens in America, Ranked" . Vulture . Vox Media . June 10, 2019. Archived from the original on June 10, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2023 .
^ "Madame LaQueer" . madamelaqueer.godaddysites.com . Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2024 .
^ a b Tenreyro, Tatiana (2017-11-02). "Puerto Rican 'Drag Race' Alumni Talk Show's Impact on the Island Ahead of Benefit Concert" . Billboard . Eldridge Industries . ISSN 0006-2510 . Archived from the original on 2021-12-29. Retrieved 2023-12-01 .
^ a b c d Allen, Timothy (2015-05-01). "10 Things You Never Knew About Madame LaQueer" . Queerty . Archived from the original on 2022-07-04. Retrieved 2023-12-01 .
^ "RuPaul's Drag Race – Madame LaQueer" . Hotspots! Magazine . 2012-02-23. Archived from the original on 2023-06-02. Retrieved 2023-12-01 .
^ Keyes, Jeffrey James (2011-12-22). "A Drag Race Christmas: Madame LaQueer" . Queerty . Archived from the original on 2022-12-09. Retrieved 2023-12-01 .
^ Stransky, Tanner (2012-02-07). " 'RuPaul's Drag Race' week 2 query: Was 'WTF' one of the most outrageous challenges ever?" . Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on 2021-10-10. Retrieved 2023-12-01 .
^ a b Hurley, Sam (2022-02-23). "RuPaul's Drag Race: Drag Mothers and Daughters Who Have Competed for the Crown" . Screen Rant . Archived from the original on 2023-10-29. Retrieved 2023-12-01 .
^ Sim, Bernardo (2019-10-20). "RuPaul's Drag Race: 5 Most Memorable Lip Sync Performances (& 5 That Fans Completely Forgot About)" . Screen Rant . Archived from the original on 2023-04-15. Retrieved 2023-12-01 .
^ Martindale, Sarah (2015-05-18). "12 Plus Size Drag Queens Who Are Giving Us Life and Killing Those Body Positive Vibes" . Bustle . Archived from the original on 2023-02-02. Retrieved 2023-12-01 .
^ Moylan, Brian (2017-03-24). "Every Single 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Contestant, Ranked" . Thrillist . Archived from the original on 2019-07-11. Retrieved 2023-12-11 .
^ Shea, Ryan (2018-07-11). "The Definitive List: Ranking All The 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Queens From 1 to 126" . Instinct . Archived from the original on 2020-11-26. Retrieved 2023-12-22 .
^ Aguilar, Azahar (2017-10-06). "Katya, Bob the Drag Queen & More Join Lineup for Puerto Rico Benefit Drag Show" . Billboard . Archived from the original on 2022-12-09. Retrieved 2023-12-01 .
^ Tormoen, Erik (2017-11-04). "Drag Queens Fill First Ave for Puerto Rico" . Minnesota Monthly . Greenspring Media . Archived from the original on 2022-11-27. Retrieved 2023-12-01 .
^ Cook, Michael (2020-02-29). "Instinct Exclusive: Morgan McMichaels Is Doing Just Fine in Her New Video "Ass Like Mine" " . Instinct . ISSN 1096-0058 . Archived from the original on 2022-12-03. Retrieved 2023-12-11 .
^ Lecaro, Lina (2022-05-10). "What Not to Miss at DragCon 2022" . LA Weekly . ISSN 0192-1940 . Archived from the original on 2023-12-28. Retrieved 2023-12-28 .
^ Sim, Bernardo (2020-05-17). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4 Queens: Where Are They Now?" . Screen Rant . Archived from the original on 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2023-12-11 .
^ Merino, Christina (2022-06-25). "Bell hosts inaugural Southeast LA Pride Festival" . Press-Telegram . Digital First Media . Archived from the original on 2022-08-15. Retrieved 2023-12-11 .
^ Szelinski, Cailyn (2022-12-22). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4: Where Are They Now?" . Screen Rant . Archived from the original on 2022-12-23. Retrieved 2023-12-01 .
^ Gohl, Cody (2012-05-06). "12 "Drag Race" Drag Mothers And Their Drag Daughters" . Logo TV . Archived from the original on 2022-09-29. Retrieved 2023-12-11 .
^ Fashion Photo RuView: Two Peas in a Pod with Raven & Madame LaQueer (Video). World of Wonder . October 25, 2017. Retrieved March 13, 2024 – via YouTube .
External links