An interview with Nancy Nogood, sober drag queen in New York City
The first time I heard about Nancy Nogood was on the Sober Sallies podcast in early 2023, and I was so excited about the idea of a sober drag queen, I immediately followed her and attended one of her Sunday drag brunches in Bushwick. When I met Nancy in person, I was not only stunned by her height, her immaculate makeup, and the amazing outfit, but also just moved by how warmly she welcomed me - and we instantly said we should host an event together.
And so we did. In June 2023 - Pride Month - we held our first ever Sober Drag Brunch at Dromedary Bar in Bushwick, featuring Nancy Nogood and the equally wonderful Emi Grate. As someone who knows only little about drag culture, I am continuously impressed by Nancy’s creativity, her incredible performances, her sense of humor, her work ethos, and her kindness. I’m so grateful I got to meet Nancy (or Nance, as I call her) and follow her adventures as a sober drag queen in NYC, I absolutely had to interview her for this blog.
Sam: Hey Nance! How are you doing today?
Nancy: I’m doing well, and grateful for the rainy weather! It’s been truly a blazing hot NYC summer and I’m craving for fall weather.
Could you tell me a little bit about yourself?
Nancy: Of course! I’m a Brooklyn-based Drag Queen based out of Coney Island, having moved to Coney in Winter 2021. My partner and I made the move out here because A) it was less expensive for more space, and B) we wanted to take advantage of being so close to the beach. It’s been marvelous!!
To go way back (pre-Nancy), I was born and raised in South Carolina. From there I moved to NYC after college in fall 2013.
How did you get into drag?
Nancy: I originally moved to NYC, like many other twink transplants, to pursue a career in acting. Stage, screen, whatever! I just wanted to act. And about a year into auditioning I realized I hated it! Not the acting part, but the grind of cattle call auditions, and trying to fit what I’m not into casting calls and “audition coaches” telling me what I should be.
So when I finally said “screw it, I’m done with auditioning” what’s next? That’s when I fell into drag. I met a queen who worked at a gay bar in the West Village that I frequented, Dusty Ray Bottoms at Pieces. Long story short, she helped me get my start, finding a way to perform the way I wanted to perform. I debuted November 25, 2015.
Your drag queen persona Nancy Nogood has strong 80s rock chick vibes. What inspired her?
Nancy: Thank you! That’s her gig, yeah! So, it’s funny. The double virgo (sun and rising, thank you very much) in me LOVES creating characters. And when I started drag that’s what I did! I dove into the minute details of who Nancy is and what she loves and is inspired by. And very little of it is actually who I am now.
As an artist, my work has really shown me what I’m inspired by and what I want to perform. I pull from what inspired me to create and have fun as a kid, and what as a kid I wanted to be when I was older. And apparently that 80’s glam rocker with an affinity for Southern divas.
You recently mentioned that you were one year sober! Congratulations! Can you talk a little bit about what made you decide to quit drinking?
Nancy: Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! I’m about a year and change now and very grateful for it. So it began for health reasons, and it wasn’t until I finally decided to quit that I realized how hard it would be, if that makes sense.
I was diagnosed epileptic when I was 11. It became a part of my life, so by the time I was 21 I never gave it too much thought. And for the record, alcohol and epilepsy do. not. mix. But, for me, I was like meh I don’t care I won’t let it get in the way with my social life.
Was that the best idea? Not at all! Did I pay for it? Certainly. But I still wanted to be in that world. I was in the arts as a theatre-maker. And drinking and the arts almost always go hand in hand.
So by the time I moved to NYC and pursued drag, that was the icing on the cake.
Eventually, during the pandemic, my epilepsy that had waned was starting to rear its ugly head again. I was facing weekly debilitating migraines and starting to see a neurologist again. I knew quitting drinking would help end it. As soon as I stopped drinking, my epileptic symptoms went away.
And then right before I hit the one year mark (about three weeks away) I received another life-changing diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Yes, I did feel relief because of the symptoms I had for the past few months, but being thrown into a new medical landscape like that felt like the final push to make it to the one year mark. But I did it!
Emi Grate, Sam of Third Place Bar, and Nancy Nogood at the Sober Drag Brunch
What is the general situation like in the drag performer scene when it comes to alcohol? Do you think it encourages drinking?
Nancy: Of course! Particularly in gay bars. Because we’re seeing drag everywhere now, but gay bars in particular have a certain m.o.
When I was starting drag in the mid-2010’s, the general scene saw drag as the easiest way to drink for free in bars. And for me, I was a kid in my early 20’s with no spending cash. It was perfect! But that is a very slippery slope.
Nowadays I’ve seen bars tighten their purse strings a bit more and give out less drinks for free, or stick to drink tickets more, and I think that’s good!
What is it like being a sober queen? How does it impact your performances and your drag career in general? Have there been any challenges?
Nancy: For me I originally quit drinking for health reasons, but the actual act of quitting and staying sober was tough and took me a while. How could I stay sober and also perform? Will it impact my performance?
I always had at least one/two drinks in me before the show began and kept drinking throughout. Until one gig a bit before I stopped drinking where I didn’t drink at all that night, out of necessity. I had multiple gigs to get to and just didn’t have time to get to the bar and grab a whiskey! And after I did my gigs that night I realized I still hadn’t had a drink and did fine. That was a huge turning point for me.
Post-going sober I would say I still have felt the pressure to drink. Another night of diet cokes with lime can get boring! But when bars I’ve worked at had non-alcoholic options (two of my mainstays have great NA beer selections! Editor’s note: Nancy performed at our sober drag brunch at Dromedary Bar in Bushwick, which has great non-alcoholic drinks options) it’s made a huge difference.
Also, drinking is so intertwined with queer scenes. Gay bars are where we as queer people congregate, and at one point this was the only place we could safely get together! It’s part of our history. And in the present it doesn’t need to be that way. We, as queer people, deserve to have safe spaces to be ourselves that aren’t revolving around alcohol.
“We, as queer people, deserve to have safe spaces to be ourselves that aren’t revolving around alcohol. ”
The only other time I had challenges was when people offered to buy me a shot. I always make sure to clearly communicate with the bartender so I can take a water shot or make a diet coke look like a cocktail. That’s also been a huge help.
What would you say to other people in the drag scene or the performing arts when it comes to drinking?
Nancy: Don’t feel pressured to drink! Easier said than done, but if you don’t want to drink you absolutely do not need to! And if you choose to not drink at a gig, communicate this to the bartender. They will help you in those moments and ensure that you will still be able to do your job and have a great time.
Drinking is all around us, but it doesn’t need to be. Grab a diet coke and dance, diva!
