Madame LaQueer

Madame Cassandra Uzumaki LaQueer
Photograph of a drag performer
Madame LaQueer at RuPaul's DragCon LA, 2023
Born (1981-10-05) October 5, 1981 (age 43)
Carolina, Puerto Rico
Other names
  • Cassie Melendez
  • Madame LaQueer
Occupations
TelevisionRuPaul's Drag Race (season 4)
Websitemadamelaqueer.godaddysites.com

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

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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

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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]

Photograph of a drag performer posing with her hands on her hips
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

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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

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Television

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Web series

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References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "Madame LaQueer". madamelaqueer.godaddysites.com. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race – Madame LaQueer". Hotspots! Magazine. 2012-02-23. Archived from the original on 2023-06-02. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ 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.
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ 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.
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