Portland drag queen crowned world’s oldest drag performer

PORTLAND – An 85-year-old drag queen in Portland has been crowned the world’s oldest performing drag queen by Guinness World Records.

Guinness awarded Darcelle XV the designation this week.

Oregon Public Broadcasting repored Darcelle’s friend Doyle Stiles worked on the application and said the quest began last year when a female impersonator who is younger than Darcelle was listed as the world’s oldest.

Walter “Darcelle XV” Cole will turn 86 in November. Cole is the owner and operator of Darcelle XV Showplace in the Chinatown area of Portland.

Guinness reports Darcelle XV Showplace is home to the West Coast’s longest running drag show.

Darcelle performs there at least four times a week.

She told OPB the designation is an honor and she doesn’t even mind being called old.