About Shangela
Shangela Laquifa Wadley (Born D.J. Pierce) is a Drag Queen, Actor, Comedian and star of RuPaul's Drag Race Seasons 2 and 3.
Drag Name Originality
RPDR Season 2
Shangela first started on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 2. Unfortunately for Shangela, she was sent home first. The reasons for her elimination was mainly because she didn't have enough experience. Prior to the 2nd Season, Shangela was only doing drag for 5 months. Shangela didn't know how to sew and needed Pandora Boxx's help sewing her outfit. RuPaul quoted during deliberation "This is RuPaul's Drag Race, NOT RuPaul's School for Girls!"
Shangela fell into the bottom two in the "Gone With the Window" Challenge alongside her best friend,Sahara Davenport and was sent home.
RPDR Season 3
In a surprise twist on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 3, Shangela returned into the competition in a giant Christmas Box in the 2nd episode "The Queen who Mopped XMas". Shangela is the first queen to ever return to a new season from a past season
Shangela felt that she was ready to compete and has gained enough experience to rejoin the competition, and proved it for the world to see. Since her elimination of Season 2, Shangela has gained a full year of experience.
Shangela survived 10 episodes of RuPaul's drag race, and made it to the Top Five.
Sewing however was still not her strongpoint in the third season. When it came down to the 2nd episode, when she returned, she fell in the bottom two alongside Venus D-Lite, but survived.
When it came to Episode 11 - RuPaul's Hair Extravaganza, Shangela had to sew three different outfits, and was seen as the weekest according to the judges. So, Shangela ended up lip-synching for her life in the bottom two, with her good friend Alexis Mateo in Season 3. Alexis Mateo won the lip-synch battle against Shangela, and Shangela ended up Sashaying Away.
Although Shangela did not win the competition, she made it to the top five and it has changed her life ever since the show's end. Not just in the performing and traveling, but it also gained her more experience.
Memorable Quotes
- During the Show
- "HALLELU!"
- '"Some of the other queens are probably looking down on me for doing this for only five months... it just makes me feel more determined to show them that I can do it." '- From the 1st episode of Season 2.
- "LAQUIFA!?! I say WHAT!?!" - (As her gimmick, "Laquifa the Post Modern Pimp Ho" on the 7th episode - Ru Ha Ha in Season 3)
- "I am WHAT? SICKENING!" - (In a fight with Mimi Imfurst on the 2nd episode's Untucked on Season 3)
Fun Facts
- Shangela is the only contestant to compete in more than one season.
- In technicality, she is one of two contestants to be brought back for a second chance, the other being Carmen Carrera.