How You Get Famous

Ten Years of Drag Madness in Brooklyn

By: Nicole Pasulka

Narrated by: Nicky Endres

A “funny, poignant, dishy, and even enlightening” adventure through a tight-knit world of drag performers making art, mayhem, and dreaming of making it big, this book is “the story of America now” (Alexander Chee, The New York Times).

In How You Get Famous, journalist Nicole Pasulka raucously documents the rebirth of the New York drag scene, following a group of iconoclastic performers with undeniable charisma, talent, and a hell of a lot to prove. In the past decade, drag has become a place where edgy, competitive showoffs can find security in a callous and over priced city, a shot at real money, and a level of recognition queer people rarely achieve. But can drag keep its edge as it travels from the backroom to the main stage?

A “joyful and scrappy” (Esquire) portrait of the 21st-century search for celebrity and community, How You Get Famous is “dripping in plush detail and drama” (Mother Jones) and “stitched together with great respect and love” (The Guardian). It’s the story of an aimless coat check worker who sweet-talked his way into hosting a drag show at a Brooklyn dive bar, a pair of teenagers sneaking into clubs and pocketing tips to help support their families, and eclectic performers who have managed to land a spot on TV and millions of followers…all colliding in an unprecedented account of a subculture on the brink of becoming a cultural phenomenon.

“If you like to have a good time, you want to read this book!”—BuzzFeed

©2022 Nicole Pasulka. All rights reserved. (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved

Critic reviews

“Nicole Pasulka brings the underground world of Brooklyn drag to fabulous life, exploring the triumphs, heartaches, compromises, and catastrophes of trying to achieve fame in a fishbowl—all reality, no television.”—Hugh Ryan, author of When Brooklyn Was Queer"

“This first book by journalist Pasulka is a national treasure… authentically, sensitively, and expansively recording the personal and sociopolitical realities of drag in Brooklyn from 2011 to 2021.”—Booklist (starred review)

“Adventurously intelligent. The skilled reporting and storytelling that characterize the narrative make for an engaging book that will appeal to scholars of gender as well as anyone with an interest in queer culture.”—Kirkus Reviews

interesting and tough

you really gotta tip your wig to these brave souls who put it all out there on the line to be part of the drag scene/world. i was exhausted just listening to what they have to do and go through to stay relevant in their profession. it's no wonder many turn to cocaine and alcohol just to get through their shifts...so, is it worth it to sell your soul to chase drag fame?...not sure but this book offers some real insight into the reality just beyond the illusion.

Narration brings the content to life

Reading the hardback at the same time, the narrator is really helping bring the scene alive, as the writing is not great but the subject matter is very interesting.

Fascinating

This is an interestingly drawn portrait of a community of Brooklyn drag queens and their circle. Very readable and full of carefully observed details. I enjoyed it!

Well Done!!

I’d recommend this book for anyone looking to learn more about drag history and culture in a well- researched, thorough, and informative way. But don’t let those adjectives scare you- it was a really fun listen and kept me entertained through every chapter. What a beautiful look inside a beautiful community.