Shangela Spills the Tea… but Not the Kind Anyone Wants Right Now

Buy Me A Coffee

GET ON THE LIST - ICONICHIPSTER.COM

Subscribe to IconicHipster.com ~ Receive daily posts plus list-exclusive content straight to your inbox:

We never spam.

UPDATE: Shangela has twirled into the chat with a statement. (Stay tuned for the “Halleloo, not me!” press release.)

ORIGINAL STORY: Well, it’s another day, another headline that makes you do a double take while sipping your iced coffee. RuPaul’s Drag Race superstar Shangela—yes, the same queen who can death-drop with the best of them—is facing fresh sexual assault allegations. And no, these aren’t the kind of shocking plot twists we live for.

Court papers hit the New York legal runway on Monday (February 24), courtesy of adult film star Dakota Payne—legal name Eric Poff—who is not here for the drama unless it’s in a scripted scene. The suit names the 43-year-old drag icon along with an unnamed co-defendant in allegations of sexual assault from way back in 2017.

The lawsuit is asking for a jury trial and compensatory damages, because apparently, the justice system loves a legal battle with a side of pop culture chaos.

See also  'Drag Race' Star Alaska Slams Lea Michele, Says Lea Ignored Drag Queens at the Grammys

What in the Name of RuPaul’s Wigs Happened?
According to the docs, this all allegedly went down while Shangela was taking a break from filming Bianca Del Rio’s Hurricane Bianca movie in October 2017. (Which, side note, imagine taking a break from a drag comedy film and walking into this storyline.)

Dakota claims he was at a Manhattan bar, casually enjoying “one or two drinks” before things took a turn. He now suspects that his drink was, in reality, a sketchy cocktail with some unwanted additives. Next thing he knew, he woke up in a hotel room in a semi-conscious state.

And here’s where things go from bad to full-blown horror show: Dakota alleges that when he started to come to, he was already being assaulted by a man identified only as John Doe, with Shangela allegedly watching like some creepy background extra. Then, the lawsuit claims, Shangela joined in—without consent. And as a truly disturbing cherry on top, Dakota says he later received hush money via PayPal. (Ah yes, because if there’s one thing that screams “nothing shady happened,” it’s a random PayPal transfer.)

See also  The New Trailer For 'Grotesquerie' Features Travis Kelce's Acting Debut

Legal Drama, Drag Style
The lawsuit argues that the alleged assault violated New York’s Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law—a mouthful of a statute that basically means, “If you do shady things, New York will come for you.” This law was amended in 2022 to extend the statute of limitations, meaning past cases like this one could still be brought to court.

Now, for those keeping track, this isn’t the first time Shangela’s name has appeared in troubling allegations. Last year, Rolling Stone dropped a spicy exposé where five different people came forward with claims that Shangela had either assaulted or attempted to assault them between 2012 and 2018. Shangela, naturally, responded with a firm “Not today, Satan!” and denied everything, calling the claims “false” and “unsupported by evidence.”

See also  ‘Prison Break’ Reboot: Hulu Says “Hold My Orange Jumpsuit,” Orders Pilot Episode

Then in 2023, another lawsuit popped up—this one from a production assistant on We’re Here named Daniel McGarrigle, who alleged sexual assault and gender violence. That case, however, wrapped up with a settlement in February 2024.

And the Tea Continues to Boil…
So here we are, in yet another messy chapter of Drag Race meets Law & Order: SVU. Shangela, who once lip-synced for her life, may now have to do it in court. And while we wait for more details to unfold, one thing’s for sure: this drama is a lot less charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent—and a lot more yikes, awkward, concerning, and legal fees.

We’ll keep you updated on this legal lip-sync battle as it plays out. Stay tuned—and maybe keep your PayPal notifications on.

Comments area

Sidebar

Must Read

‘Wicked’ Movie Starring Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo To Arrive 5 Days Earlier

The magical world of Wicked is swooping into theaters...

How the Girls of ‘Friends’ Reacted After Learning of Matthew Perry’s Death

Jim Burrows, the maestro behind the camera who orchestrated...

Kourtney Kardashian Reacts To Her Son Mason Disick Joining Instagram

Kourtney Kardashian is having quite the emotional rollercoaster as...

Cher’s to Perform at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

Get ready to turn back time because the legendary...

Salma Hayek Honors the Late Matthew Perry

Salma Hayek is here to give you a glimpse...

Tom Holland And Zendaya Match In Maroon During A Dinner Date In NYC

Zendaya and Tom Holland just turned date night into...

Anne Hathaway Becomes Shanghai’s Golden Princess (Move Over, Mia Thermopolis)

Anne Hathaway, aka the OG Princess of Genovia, just...

Taylor Swift Refused to Perform at King Charles’ Coronation

Guess what! The queen of catchy tunes and sassy...

You Might Also Like

Adrien Brody Wins Second Oscar, Tosses Chewed Relic to Girlfriend Like a True Champion

It’s official—Adrien Brody’s gum is now the most iconic...

Amy Robach Says She And T.J. Holmes Are In No Rush To Get Married

Amy Robach and her beau T.J. Holmes are moving...

Joe Jonas and Stormi Bree Spotted Skiing Together in Aspen

The gossip mill is cranking up the heat on...

Selma Blair Still Re-Watches Her Own Movies, Including ‘Cruel Intentions’

Selma Blair, the 52-year-old star of Cruel Intentions and...

Kylie Jenner & Timothée Chalamet Just Shattered Breakup Rumors with Budapest Coffee Date

Stop everything: Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet are *very...

Lil Nas X Sings About His Sex Life In New Song ‘Trust Me’

Lil Nas X just dropped a bombshell! In his...