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Totally Desperate with Estee Longah

By Jovan Rocha

"Who is she? What is she about? Most importantly, where does she party?" Questions on everyone's mouth after drag queen Estee Longah was announced winner of the Miss Desperate Diva Pageant on Friday September 26. Unlike other candidates in the pageant almost no one at the event had ever heard of Estee Longah, much less partied with the girl who was now wearing the gorgeous crown 9 other drag queens desperately competed for. As the tranny fly that I am I decided to get to know a little about Estee Longah and after some text stalking we agreed to meet for coffee and an interview. Before I begin I just have to say that I got lost on my way to the coffee shop, luckily with the help of an angry and loud bus driver I found my way to the interview location. Once I arrived to the coffee shop she greeted me and asked me if I made it ok, which helped me relax as this my first gig on tobygo.com. Ok now onto the chitchat:

JR: Thank you so much for meeting me this early in the morning, I really appreciate it. So first off congratulations on your victory as Miss Desperate Diva 2009, you were great and you looked fierce. I was amazed by you because as the tragic partier that I am I had never seen you before and just like me a lot of people last Friday feel the same, so to begin, tell me about Estee Longah?

EL: She is just one of the girls in the Tenderloin, simple dreams of creating a make-up line for the up and coming Tenderloin woman. She grew up in tropical islands and moved to San Francisco is 1999. Estee is very down to earth, relates to people and likes to spend her time volunteering for soup kitchens and feeding the children. She is in constant growth and change.

JR: You mention you like to give and relate to people and spend time volunteering, is this the reason why you decided to enter the Miss Desperate Diva contest?

EL: It would be a lie for me to say that the calendar photoshoot wasn't part of the reason because it was a big portion of it, I mean who wouldn't want to be in it? Also the API (Asian Pacific Islanders) community's support led to the ultimate decision of entering the competition. If I had not had their support I probably wouldn't have done it.

JR: Do you think that the support from the community helped you win Miss Desperate Achiever?

EL: I was really surprised that I won Miss Desperate Achiever. I feel fortunate I have resources, and a big network, and working at the API Wellness Center helped spread the word. Most of the community already knew about the pageant because they supported Tita Aida last year so it was natural for them to want to go to the show and support it.

JR: Oh wow that's very cool, and trust me we all noticed the support and love from the API community at the show, it seems they've known you for a long time now, when did you start doing drag?

EL: I dressed in drag here and there but I seriously started doing drag in 2005 at a Drag4Cash competition held at NTouch. I performed "Hanky Panky" by Madonna. It was a drag amateur night contest hosted by Tita Aida, who became my drag mother. I work with her at the API Wellness Center and I heard about it so I decided to enter.

JR: Very nice! We all love a little hanky panky. Where do you party? At which parties can you be seen?

EL: You can find Estee partying with the API community, that's where she is. I don't really do mainstream events, I do more local events because I feel there really isn't a venue for API drag queens to do shows or perform, which is why I had a lot of dancers in my number for the talent portion of Miss Desperate Diva Pageant, to offer a space for my DesperAsians. The DesperAsians are other API drag queens. I also do the GAPA Fashion Show once a year, my DesperAsians and I can be found at Dragon, Saturdays at NTouch, or Shangri La at the End Up once a month.

JR: What is the funniest experience you've had?

EL: OH (laughs) well let me think… there's just so many. Estee is prone to wardrobe malfunctions, wigs flying out in the middle of performances. One Halloween I was dressed as a Geisha and I was crossing South Van Ness to my friend's car to get something and in the middle of crossing the street when suddenly the sash started to come undone and by the time I got to the sidewalk I was completely exposed. I also fall a lot, which you probably noticed, during my number when I lost balance.

JR: Oh girl trust me I know about losing your balance and eating dirt, but now let me ask you, what is the hardest thing about being Estee Longah?

EL: Something that is hard is getting recognized. A lot of people know me as Alex so when we are at parties or clubs they usually introduce me as Alex rather than Estee Longah. It is also challenging to gain credibility in this town, nowadays for a drag queen its about who you know, where you perform and how many times in order to be taken seriously. In the coming year the big challenge is going to be juggling the title and my personal life, or whatever is left of it (laughs).

JR: How do you manage life between Alex and Estee Longah?

EL: Estee Longah is a part time character. One of the biggest boundaries I have is sticking to performing rather than just getting in face just to socialize because it's a lot of work just to do appearances. It's been hard being the GAPA Princess because you do all the work without the crown. When it comes to partying as Alex, Estee Longah is all work, and it's hard to have fun in all that padding and make-up. I envy drag queens who can have fun in drag (laughs).

JR: Tell me a little bit about your plans now that you are Miss Desperate Diva?

EL: Besides getting more main -stream, focus on issues the community is dealing with and holding this title will be a great platform to do good for the community. I want to focus on HIV/AIDS work and housing situation. The housing situation is very hard for everyone in this city, especially for people with HIV/AIDS and I'm glad there are entities that help. I also want to continue the work within my own community because there are a lot of issues with gender identity, HIV/AIDS, visibility and I believe this is due to the fact there are no role models for this girls to look up to. Tita Aida has been of great inspiration to us all and I want more drag queens to step up.

JR: Do you consider yourself to be a role model for your community?

EL: I don't know if I'm a great role model. I don't know if you should look up to me. If you do that's nice. I want people to know me and what I am about and then take what they want in terms of inspiration or meaning but not my shoes or wigs. I already have enough problems keeping them on my own head.

JR: What are some events and organizations you have worked with on fund raisers?

EL: I've worked a lot for the API Wellness Center, GAPA, Aids Housing Alliance, and the Transgender Law Center. Back in April I worked with GAPA and The AIDS Housing Alliance in a drag show called Acts of DesperAsians. Also every Halloween, along side with GAPA we throw a party called Scared Stiff and the money fundraised last year was for the API Equality group that has been, and continues working on No on Prop 8. Shangri La every now and then lets throw a party, and last month we threw an underwear fashion show and a percentage of the sales were donated to GAPA and the API Wellness Center.

JR: Tell us what some of you favorites, some fun facts are

Song? EL: it varies, at the present moment "Point of View" by Mcfly

Movie? EL: To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newman its my favorite movie of all time.

Drag Queen? EL: Don't want to name any in the city for protection purposes but Ru Paul, I remember her since I was a kid and being impressed by her style and work.

Drink? EL: Gin and Tonic, clean and simple, like me

Dish? EL: What are you talking about? Estee doesn't eat, she dishes the dirt but that's about it.

Position? EL: The power position.

JR: Tell me about your relationship with Tita Aida, how you met? How did she become your drag mother?

EL: I met her at NTouch, the only Asian bar in the city. I used to hang out there every night back in 1999. Since I met her I loved her, she was funny, she had great presence and I had seen her at Asia SF. After I started volunteering at the API Wellness Center I got to know her better and after the Drag4Cash show she took me under her wing and showed me the ropes. Even though she's my drag mother, Estee's drag education is different from Tita Aida. She is more about shows; I am more about giving to the community, volunteering, and being a community icon, or trying to be. Tita Aida is definitely a community icon that has been a great role model for all of us API drag queens. We have a close relationship, she's my surrogate mother and other times she is an aunt, Tita means aunt in Tagalog. I also admire her because she can pad and I can barely do my eyes.

JR: if you were to be a role model, what advice do you give to aspiring drag queens?

EL: First of all have fun with it, if its not fun its going to be hard to get in those shoes. Don't be afraid to ask for advice and tips because most queens have lots to share. Definitely spat that make-up on, no one likes that 5 o'clock shadow unless it's your thing. If you can avoid it don't come out in daylight because the sun is not your friend.

JR: That's hilarious. Well Estee Longah thank you very much again for taking time out of your busy schedule for this interview. It's been a pleasure.

EL: The pleasure was mine, good luck.

There you have it folks, a little bit of Miss Desperate Diva 2009 Estee Longah. I hope this satisfied a your curiosity as it did mine. It goes without saying, but this girl is a sweetheart. Let's see what great things she accomplishes in the following year. You can catch Estee Longah at this year's Scared Stiff Halloween Party on October 25th 2008, for more info go to www.GAPA.org or www.shangrilasf.com and if you'd like to leave Estee Longah some online love check out her Myspace profile www.myspace.com/estee_longah