West Hollywood’s first drag king laureate, Odious Ari, gives us their city highlights
West Hollywood recently made history by selecting its first drag king laureate.
Mark
Did you know West Hollywood has a Drag Laureate? The city council elected its first individual to the role in June 2023. It followed San Francisco, which elected its first Drag Laureate (D’Arcy Dollinger) a few months earlier.
West Hollywood’s City Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission was involved in the selection process, and the city chose drag queen Pickle in 2023. The Drag Laureate works with City staff to serve as an ambassador for West Hollywood and raise awareness of drag culture.
Pickle was initially selected for a two-year term. This was later expanded to three years.
In June, the city council convened to choose a successor. Again, the selection panel included members of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission, representatives from the city’s Transgender Advisory Board and LGBTQ+ Commission, and Pickle.
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According to the WeHo Times, “Panelists evaluated candidates based on their connection to West Hollywood, quality of application materials, artistic portfolio and potential community impact.”
They decided Odious Ari, a local drag king, was the best candidate. This makes Ari the first drag king laureate anywhere in the world.
“I have been performing as my drag character at various events produced by the City of West Hollywood for about 15 years,” Ari told GayCities. “They have an absolutely amazing arts department, and I am a grateful recipient of many opportunities and resources to perform. They are known as the Creative City, and it is no joke; they really invest in their local artists and culture.”
Here they are talking more about their drag background and career.
What does the Drag Laureate position entail?
“I get to perform up to 15 times a year at West Hollywood events, and I also can propose projects and events,” Ari told GayCities. “My drag persona is a 103-year-old Vaudevillian, and he is like a mascot of West Hollywood, representing their support of drag culture, playing songs, emceeing, and advocating for Vaudevillian rights.”
How did you feel when you realized the honor was passing to you?
“I couldn’t believe it. I am not a usual suspect, maybe, as I don’t perform traditional drag numbers—I don’t lipsync and dance. I write songs and music, so most of my performances have some element of original music. I was more than happily surprised the city decided to pick me. I felt so humbled and grateful.”
Can Odious Ari recommend three places for people to enjoy local cabaret performers or drag in WeHo?
“I like the more offbeat places and local drag performers. I would recommend checking out The Bayou. I’ve seen some raw drag there that was really fun. Revolver is another one that is smaller, and you never know what you’re going to get in a good way. If you want bigger names, then try Beaches Tropicana.”
What about places to eat?
For the best tacos, go to Guisado’s. It’s small and not fancy, but delicious and affordable. Madre is another favorite: Oaxacan food and all the mezcal choices you could imagine. They have a great happy hour.
Go to Irv’s Burgers for a burger, shake, or hot dog. It is a walk-up restaurant with an interesting history that goes back to 1946. It was the best when Sonia Hong and her family owned it. She was the friendliest, funniest, and kindest person and would draw a custom portrait of you on your bag or paper plate with “Just for You” written on it. But you can see some of her drawings in the newest location, as they are part of the overall design.
Finally, what about three places you always recommend to out-of-town visitors?
I recommend seeing the art at One Gallery, which is about LGBTQ+ history. Also, the AIDS Monument and the June Mazor Lesbian Archives.
If you’re in the West Hollywood area, catch Odious Ari performing at the WeHo Halloween Youth Carnival on October 17, 2026, in Plummer Park. They’re also part of the line-up at the LA LGBT Center’s Cabaret Macabre on October 23, 2026.
Related
Brooklyn queer bar ANIMAL opens a second venue in Los Angeles
The Arts District in Los Angeles now has its own ANIMAL location.The Abbey in West Hollywood hosted a celebrity-studded party for National PrEP Day
Dua Lipa, Cardi B, Matt Bomer and Tom Daley were among those to attend.
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