Chi Chi LaRue Hits Denver for Pride

Chi Chi LaRue, a drag queen legend, deejay, and porn director, is coming to Denver for Pride for the second year in a row. We chatted with about her beginnings, her sobriety, and the porn industry. You can catch her at Phoenix Multisport’s Sober Dance on Saturday, June 17. Trust us, it’ll be a party.

For those that don’t know, how would you describe Chi Chi?

Chi Chi is a bigger-than-life drag queen who directs porn, deejays, emcees, does shoes, and finds gorgeous boys to entertain you.

I started doing drag — oh god — like 40 years ago. I’ve always wanted to be on stage, and I entered this contest in Minnesota at a straight bar called First Avenue, where they filmed the music video for Purple Rain. Which is crazy because I actually got asked to be in the video by Prince himself. That was just amazing, and honestly it was one of the best moments in my life because I was a Prince junkie. I’m not kidding, he told me to get my haircut one day and I went out and got it instantly cut. My life was to go out to clubs and see Prince and perform in drag.

I started deejaying because I have always been a music lover in every shape and form. So about seven years ago, I started really diving into deejaying. I wanted to hear the music that I wanted to hear, and clubs were playing this music that didn’t have any words — it was just kind of like beats that would melt your face off. That music has its place at certain times, but I like to play happy gay music with words. I play a lot of pop dance, with some ‘80s thrown in like Xanadu. I love seeing the people get excited about the songs I play.

When I first started, it was kind of hard to get gigs as a deejay. My drag persona helped me get the deejay shows — I wouldn’t get the gigs if I wasn’t in drag. I’m not the typical master mix deejay who wears the headphones and stands behind the booth. I party with the crowd when I’m up there playing music.

I’m really lucky to have established myself as a good deejay. But I almost destroyed that reputation by letting myself become an alcoholic. But I took care of that and went to rehab.

You went to rehab in 2015. Can you tell me a bit about that?

On July 1 I will be one year sober. By the grace of goddess I will make it to one year.

I realized that I needed help about four months before I went. But I had a few friends really push me into it with an intervention. At the time of the intervention I was ready to go — there was no coaxing me into it.

It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. I wouldn’t change anything for the world. I had been trying to get sober for five years, but every time I was dry I was always on my way to the next drink.

Was it hard after treatment to dive back into a job that is surrounded by alcohol?

It wasn’t, because that is what I do.

I couldn’t switch what I do midstream. As a drag queen deejay who also directs porn, I get to travel the world and entertain people. If I can help people with my story of sobriety, that’s a definite plus.

We are everywhere — it’s not a secret club anymore.

I feel really strong and connected right now. I don’t believe that I’m going to slip, but the chance is always there. What they say is to “Play the tape through and realize that at the end of it, it’s going to be bad.” Make a different movie with a good ending.

Talk to me about porn.

I’ve been directing porn for 30 years. I moved to LA in 1985 and started working in the industry right away. It was something I really wanted to do, and I pushed and pushed until I was able to do that.

It’s like my deejaying, where I decided I wanted to do it and I made it happen. I’m blessed to be able to accomplish the things I am able to.

I’ve won many awards: I just won the Best Sex Scene at the last awards show for Rocco Steele and Casey Everett. I’ve won best director many times and best movie. I’ve met so many great people who have helped me come out of my insecurity shell a little bit. It helped me realize how to not be so hung up on sex.

I use these videos to bring my fantasies to life and help people live out their fantasies and not go out and have unsafe sex.

You’ve been very vocal about not shooting bareback scenes. Can you elaborate on that?

I left Vivid Video, where I had been shooting a lot of Jenna Jameson videos and a lot more, but when they decided to go condom optional, I just couldn’t stay there out of my own beliefs.

I’m very vocal about condom use, and I tried to police the entire industry, but now I just police myself. I have to take care of myself. I understand that the industry is veering more and more towards condom-less scenes, and I get it, but I don’t love it. But I can only take care of the people who work for me, and I’m okay.

I would never want someone to weld steel without a mask and gloves, so I don’t ask my actors to put their health at risk for a porno scene. They can go out and do it in their personal lives, but they won’t do it around me.

We are very excited to have you back in Denver for Pride.

The people in Denver are great. I’m hoping there will be some snow while I am there!

Do not jinx us — we are just now getting into the summer weather. Is there anything else you want to tell our readers?

I’m currently directing for a few companies, and I’m always on the lookout for hot men. If anybody is looking to be in the gay adult film industry, I’m looking for gay, gay for pay, and bisexual guys that want to work for
great companies.