RuPaul’s Drag Race and We’re Here star Shangela accused of rape in civil lawsuit

RuPaul’s Drag Race and We’re Here star Shangela has been accused of rape in a civil lawsuit.

Filed in Los Angeles, it alleges that Darius Jeremy ‘DJ’ Pierce, who goes by the stage title Shangela, raped a former We’re Here manufacturing assistant whereas filming the primary season of the hit HBO present.

Daniel McGarrigle, 39, alleges the encounter occurred in a lodge room following an after-work celebration in Monroe, Louisiana in February 2020.

Pierce, 42, has denied the allegations characterising them as “entirely meritless”.

McGarrigle is looking for unspecified damages from Pierce and the present’s manufacturing firm, Buckingham Television.

Pierce competed in seasons two and three of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

The lawsuit says Pierce bought and handed McGarrigle 5 pictures of alcohol and two combined drinks on the celebration, and requested McGarrigle to return again to Pierce’s lodge to assist him pack for an early flight.

It states that McGarrigle “immediately threw up in the toilet” on the lodge room and Pierce then allegedly instructed McGarrigle spend the night time in his room, saying: “If you want to lay down in my bed until you feel better, you can do that.”

Suit says McGarrigle was ‘petrified of dropping his job’

The lawsuit mentioned McGarrigle agreed and handed out on Pierce’s mattress totally clothed.

McGarrigle alleges that he awakened along with his pants pulled down and poppers being poured on the aspect of his face.

The lawsuit says McGarrigle then “felt Pierce on the lower half of his body, rubbing his penis against his buttocks, attempting to insert himself into his anus”.

McGarrigle claims he screamed “No!” and tried to battle Pierce off. The swimsuit says that after the encounter, McGarrigle was “fearful of losing his job” and “did not immediately report the sexual assault to the authorities or to Buckingham TV” and tried to take care of a “cordial relationship with Pierce”.

McGarrigle resigned in the summertime of 2021, it added.

Pierce says allegations ‘perpetuate damaging stereotypes’

In an announcement, Pierce mentioned the allegations “perpetuate damaging stereotypes that are harmful not only to me but also to my entire community”.

“This newest filing is nothing but an attempt to shake down both me and a well-regarded television company.

“No one needs to be fooled: it has no foundation in actual fact or in regulation, and it’ll not succeed.”

According to his lawyer Daniel Gilleon, McGarrigle has been in contact with the Ruston Police Department in Louisiana regarding the alleged incident since December but no charges have yet been filed.

A representative for We’re Here said the network and Buckingham Television received a complaint from McGarrigle in July 2021 regarding an incident that allegedly occurred “in early 2020” and added that Buckingham and HBO “take the protection and well-being of personnel on our reveals very critically”.

It added that Buckingham “instantly launched an investigation” which concluded that there was “inadequate proof to help these allegations”.

We’re Here stars former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara and Shangela, who journey to small cities and cities throughout the US, reworking locals into drag queens.