Sharon Needles

Aaron Coady (born November 28, 1981), better known by his stage name Sharon Needles, is an American drag performer and recording artist. A self-described "stupid genius, reviled sweetheart, and PBR princess," Needles rose to prominence on the fourth season of the Logo reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race, where he quickly became a fan favorite and was subsequently crowned "America's Next Drag Superstar" in April 2012.

Early life

Needles was born Aaron Coady on November 28, 1981 in Newton, Iowa.^[1][2][3] He has been candid in discussing his childhood years growing up in Iowa as a difficult time when he faced anti-gay and anti-"outsider" harassment, which prompted him to drop out of school before he could complete his high school education.^[1][2][4][5] In 2004, Needles moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he began working as a professional drag performer in nightclubs and various other venues with the drag troupe "the Haus of Haunt",^[6] which Needles describes as "one punk rock, messy mash up of very talented, fucked up weirdos."^[3][4]

Career

In November 2011, it was announced that Needles had been selected to compete as a contestant on the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.^[7] The series premiered on January 30, 2012, and Needles was an instant stand-out for his "ghoulish" fashion sense and unconventional make-up choices.^{[3][4][8][9][10]} On the night of the premiere episode, Entertainment Weekly columnist Tanner Stransky hailed Needles' macabre style as "drop dead genius" and rhetorically asked "Is Sharon Needles the most 'sickening' (a drag term for 'fabulous') contestant ever?"^[9]

Throughout the fourth season of Drag Race, Needles endeared himself to audiences and became a favorite of the media, judges, and viewers alike for his quick wit, confidence, and humility, as well as for his "transgressive" aesthetic.^{[3][4][8][10][11]} On March 27, 2012, Lady Gaga tweeted – "Sharon Needles looks FABULOUS 2night on drag race. Very Born This Way outfit/fame monster wig. Any rentals for my tour? #needthatbodysuit."^[12][13] However, Needles himself admitted that he was ambivalent in believing that he could win stating, "(B)eing a comedic, campy, shtick queen and seeing how far those types of queens made it in past seasons, I would have been shocked if I made it past the first day."^[4]

In a departure from previous seasons of Drag Race, where rumors of previous winners had leaked before the final episodes could air, the decision was made not to pre-tape the finale episode announcing the season's winner.^[2][14] Instead, RuPaul decided to give fans an opportunity to voice their opinions as to who should win before taping of the final episode on April 25, 2012.^[2][14] For the taping, three outcomes were filmed announcing each of the "final 3" as the winner, with the true outcome only known to RuPaul and a select few involved in the editing.^[2][14] The finale episode aired on April 30, 2012, when it was announced that Needles had been crowned "America's Next Drag Superstar".^[2][15]

In June 2012, Needles won the Facebook vote to appear as a contestant on RuPaul's All Stars Drag Race, but declined, as the reigning champion, to participate in the competition.^[16] He also confirmed that his replacement in the competition would be fellow RuPaul's Drag U professor and the runner-up in the Facebook voting, Pandora Boxx.^[16]

Needles became a horror host in October 2012 when he began presenting horror and suspense films airing on the Logo network under the series title Fearce!^[17]

In April 2013, Needles was featured on the single "RuPaulogize," from Willam Belli's debut album The Wreckoning.^[18]

Personal life

Coady lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In June 2012, the Pittsburgh City Council issued an official proclamation declaring June 12, 2012, "Sharon Needles Day."^[19][20][21]

In October 2012, Needles became the face of an advertising campaign by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals promoting vegetarianism,^[22] appearing on billboards throughout the United States.

Coady had a relationship with fellow Rupaul's drag race contestant Alaska Thunderfuck, they broke up in 2013 after a four year relationship.

Controversy

In June 2012 Needles signed an autograph to an audience member, “Love you, Nigger” prompting a protest and calls for the LGBT community to withdraw its support of him. During an interview with The GA Voice Sharon and local protesters discussed his use of the n word, with Needles concluding “If it means anything I have taken it out of my repertoire of language. I can’t fight this one anymore. This is one I lost.”^[23]

In an August 2012 interview with out.com he is reported as using the word to end a phone call to his mother: “She’s been called out for her use of racist and transphobic epithets and at one point had an Atlanta performance protested because of her un-PC ways. She was unsparing in her use of similar language during our talks, at one point leaving a voicemail for her mother (she dialed the number on my phone with her tongue) and signing off with the N word.”^[24]

Discography

• PG-13 (2013)

Filmography

References

External links

• Official website
• Sharon Needles at the Internet Movie Database
• Sharon Needles Interview