A âfunny, poignant, dishy, and even enlighteningâ adventure through a tight-knit world of drag performers making art, mayhem, and dreaming of making it big, this book is âthe story of America nowâ (Alexander Chee, The New York Times).
In How You Get Famous, journalist Nicole Pasulka raucously documents the rebirth of the New York drag scene, following a group of iconoclastic performers with undeniable charisma, talent, and a hell of a lot to prove. In the past decade, drag has become a place where edgy, competitive showoffs can find security in a callous and over priced city, a shot at real money, and a level of recognition queer people rarely achieve. But can drag keep its edge as it travels from the backroom to the main stage?
A âjoyful and scrappyâ (Esquire) portrait of the 21st-century search for celebrity and community, How You Get Famous is âdripping in plush detail and dramaâ (Mother Jones) and âstitched together with great respect and loveâ (The Guardian). Itâs the story of an aimless coat check worker who sweet-talked his way into hosting a drag show at a Brooklyn dive bar, a pair of teenagers sneaking into clubs and pocketing tips to help support their families, and eclectic performers who have managed to land a spot on TV and millions of followersâŚall colliding in an unprecedented account of a subculture on the brink of becoming a cultural phenomenon.
âIf you like to have a good time, you want to read this book!ââBuzzFeed