Drag Race Star Shangela Denies Rape Allegations

Forty-two-year-old RuPaul’s Drag Race star Darius Jeremy “DJ” Pierce, better known by their drag persona Shangela, is facing multiple allegations of rape by a former assistant, 39-year-old Daniel McGarrigle, on HBO docuseries We’re Here.

Pierce has publicly responded, claiming that the lawsuit’s accusations are “meritless” and that he is “hurt and disgusted by these totally untrue allegations.”

Trigger Warning: This story discusses sexual assault, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.

Accusations of Sexual Assault and Gender Violence

The civil lawsuit was filed last Wednesday in the Los Angeles Superior Court by McGarrigle, naming Pierce ‘Shangela’ and Buckingham Television, the production company behind We’re Here, as defendants in the suit. The court documents, obtained by Deadline, are seeking unspecified damages for allegations of sexual assault, gender violence and false imprisonment. In regard to Buckingham, the claims of action include a hostile work environment and failure to prevent sexual harassment.

McGarrigle claims in the suit that Pierce, who was his supervisor, raped him in February 2020 following a wrap party for the HBO show, We’re Here.

The court documents allege that during the wrap party, in Monroe, Louisiana, Pierce supplied McGarrigle with five shots and two mix drinks before inviting McGarrigle back to his hotel room to help him pack for the flight the following day.

The suit alleges that on the way to the hotel room, Pierce began “touching” McGarrigle on his “hand and face”. McGarrigle was inebriated and when they reached the room, they “immediately threw up in the toilet,” after which Pierce offered for him to lay down in the bed.

The lawsuit continues that McGarrigle woke up during the evening to “cold liquid being poured down the side of his face” which he recognised as “a type of poppers- a liquid commonly inhaled by gay men during anal sex.”

The court documents detail the graphic sexual assault that allegedly took place in the hotel room. McGarrigle says in the suit that he did not initially report the incident to the authorities or to Buckingham for fear of losing his job and thus he, “tried to maintain a cordial relationship with Pierce,” until he resigned from his position in mid-2021.

‘No Basis In Fact’

“Pierce has completely denied the allegations, responding to the lawsuit in a public statement to Page Six where he expresses, “I can’t begin to explain how hurt and disgusted I am by these accusations.” The drag queen stated that the accusations are merely an attempt to “shake down” both himself and the Buckingham company and declared that the lawsuit, “has no basis in fact or in law, and it will not succeed.”

Rejecting the claims made against him, Pierce argued that the filing of this complaint was influenced by “ignorance, bigotry and prejudice.” He continued to state, “I will fight this entirely meritless lawsuit and not allow it to destroy me and those I love, or harm the causes we all stand for.”

Buckingham Television has also responded to the lawsuit, stating that they, “immediately launched an investigation,” when McGarrigle initially reported the incident in July 2021. They concluded their investigation by reporting that “there was insufficient evidence to support these allegations.” There has been no further public commentary from the involved parties at this time.

Shangela initially came to fame after starring in season two of Ru Paul’s Drag Race in 2010. Aside from their HBO docuseries, We’re Here, Shangela has made multiple television appearances including a cameo in Glee and as a finalist in last year’s Dancing with the Stars competition.