Exclusive Interview: Come Party with the Legend Himself, the One & Only, Mario Diaz

August 27, 2023
AJ SLOAN

A great party is like the perfect cocktail—equal parts music, magic, and just the right amount of mischief. It's a kaleidoscope of good vibes, with the right blend of tits and tea. Although it may seem simple to some, throwing the perfect bash is not as easy as it may seem. It is an art form and the marvelous Mario Diaz is one of the masters. For decades, Mario has been crafting events from sea to shining sea establishing a career in making people happy. Come meet the man, the myth, the legend, Mario Diaz.

: photo by JOHN ARSENAULT

Take us back to your humble start. How did you first find yourself getting your foot in the door of nightlife?

My first sexy queerdo romps started back in my high school days in Seattle. When you’re a wee homo, your chosen family becomes essential in your survival and our meeting grounds were the queer bars and clubs, which were my home away from home…still are actually. I just remember going out a lot and thinking I could throw a better party than what was out there, so I did.

Mario’s Beer Bath was the name of my first event. I drew the illustration for the flyer myself and I pulled out all the stops. I had body-painted go-go dancers (men and women). There was a Drag Queen fortune teller, Madame Fortuna, which was my friend in the corner with a crystal ball talking $hit to everyone all night. I had what I called ‘The Fashion Police,’ which were two hot buddies of mine dressed as cops giving out tickets. If someone wore bad shoes or their fit wasn’t working, they would write you a ticket. I had a couple of girlfriends of mine with little trays swung over their necks like the cigarette girls of the '40s giving out ‘CandyGrams.’ They were flirty little messages tied to candy you could have delivered to any hottie you had your eye on. And I had my friends doing pop-up performances in all corners of the club with no warnings. It was a total blast and had a very decadent circus feel to it all. The bar owner handed me the biggest wad of cash at the end of the night. I never even thought about the money but quickly realized this could be a career. The rest is history. I’ve made a career out of having fun with my friends. It’s kind of brilliant really.

What were some of the obstacles you faced when starting The Cock?

At that time in my life, I never thought about why not to do something. I was young and fearless and had the confidence to just do whatever interested me. If I wasted my time worrying about why things could fail, I wouldn’t have taken as many risks as I have over the years. And it’s paid off. I’ve had a really solid track record with my work as a queer event producer. It wasn’t until after I opened The Cock that we started getting raided and harassed by the city cops. That’s when we started facing obstacles. They really had it out for us and The Cock was everything they hated. They would come in and make everyone leave so they could give us some lame ticket. Like once they gave us a ticket for having a candle on the table. We needed a permit for that. The most famous antiquated, lame law was the “cabaret license.” You needed one to have “3 or more people moving rhythmically”…i.e. dancing. This was a law that dickhead Giuliani was really pushing to execute his ‘quality of life’ campaign. Which was just a way to harass and target the POC, queer, and adult-themed businesses. Sex workers and queers were all victims in his mission to “clean up” NYC. He’s a pig. I think everyone gets it now. He helped suck so much of the culture out of NYC. He wants the city to be white and rich. What a bore. Our queer spaces mean everything to us and I was willing to do whatever it takes to keep my home intact. I wasn’t gonna stand by and watch NYC turn into Disneyland so we said fuck you to Giuliani and his “quality of life.” It wasn’t my life he was protecting.

: Photo courtesy of Mario Diaz.

How did you find your way to the West Coast?

I always knew I’d end up here. I love the sun and I’m an actor so it’s only natural. Then when my bestie Jackie Beat came out it really pushed me to make the move. Change is invigorating and it was time for a new chapter. I figured I’d come here, throw some parties, get on TV, and maybe buy a house. And that’s what I did. I absolutely love LA.

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A post shared by Mario Diaz (@gayunclemario2)

Burning question: What are the main differences between East and West Coast nightlife scenes?

I’ve been asked this question quite a bit and never know how to answer. Because at the core people are all the same. We need community and we crave connection, excitement, and joy. I’ve also noticed that so much of what happens in nightlife is a product of the event producers themselves. Who’s creating the experience makes quite the difference. There are inspired event producers on both coasts. I see boundless creativity and incredible artistry on both coasts as well but, when I think about the '90s, there was a certain type of being that only NYC had. A different breed of queen found their way to the big city. Glamour Goddesses and Super Chicks like no other frolicked in NYC. It is the greatest city in the world. It has changed a lot but it will always hold a special place in my heart.

How has the business changed over the years?

Well, there are a lot more promoters now. Back in the day, there were only a handful of us but today you can’t fling a jockstrap without hitting a queer event producer. More drag queens, more promoters, and fewer gay bars. But at the end of the day, it’s still the same scene. Adorable homos gather to get drunk, show off, dance, and get laid. I love it.

Which party or project of yours do you find yourself most proud of?

Opening The Cock was one of my greatest achievements. It really helped define a moment in the history of the East Village. We had sort of a renaissance and The Cock was on the forefront of that. A sex-positive movement that was essential to our growth. I am proud of that.

: Photo courtesy of Mario Diaz.

What do you look for in your go-go folks?

Firstly, I have to find them attractive. And that’s more than just the shell. Sexy is something you can’t teach. You can have a perfect physique and not be sexy. Then they have to be nice and someone I want to hang out with because we’ll be spending a lot of time together. And they also have to be down for anything. I've been styling my dancers for over 30 years and some of my looks can be wild. At this stage in my life, I have no patience for bad attitudes, complaining, or diva behavior. Like I always say to my team. “Whether there are 5 or 5,000 people in the room, our job is to make people happy, make them smile, and forget about their difficult lives. So there is no complaining. We all have problems but when we are here we put that aside and fake it til we make it. Let’s show them what it means to have fun and experience some real queer joy.” I have assembled a team at Hot Dog that is diverse, lovely, and professional. I’m thrilled with this crew.

Fuck. Marry. Ghost: Mario Lopez, Guillermo Díaz, Mario (the Mario Bros one, Luigi not included).

Well, I’m gonna marry Guillermo because he’s my friend and I already love him. Plus, if we’re married we can fuck whenever we want. He’s so damn cute. And let’s face it Mario Lopez is meat so I’m gonna fuck him. Top him to be specific. And I’m fine ghosting Mario bro. All through growing up, people called out to me, “Where’s Luigi?” so thinking about him already triggers me. Fuck that guy.

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A post shared by Mario Diaz (@gayunclemario2)

What do you think it is about your Hot Dog Sunday Party in LA that has made it as successful as it is?

I couldn’t be happier with Hot Dog Sundays. It’s my dream come true. I think people appreciate the overall feel-good inclusive vibe I’m trying to create. You are welcomed 3 times before you even walk down the stairs to the patio. It’s clear we’re there to be kind, be silly, and enjoy each other with no attitude. If you come in with your arms crossed too cool for school, you’re in the wrong place. And it’s so social. I look out onto the patio and there is a sea of people really talking to each other. Not on their phones but really socializing. It’s a beautiful thing to see. Also, we start at 4 PM every Sunday. It’s the perfect T-dance moment. You can enjoy a spacious, gorgeous patio to socialize or you can take it indoors to the dark and smokey dance floor and lose yourself. Whatever you need from a party, you can find it here. And the DJs are everything.

: Photo courtesy of Mario Diaz.

What is next for the one and only Mario Diaz?

I’ve been hustling non-stop for many years and I will continue creating and expressing myself. I’m writing a show, working on releasing an EP with my band Dirty Sanchez. But more importantly, I’m growing and my work is coming from a different place these days. I’m really learning to be present, focus on my gifts and really enjoy the beauty that’s around me. The rat race doesn’t interest me much. I see the desperation for MORE around me. More attention, more fame, more money…more followers. It doesn’t really matter. And it truly can all be taken away at any moment. The truth is all that matters is what’s in your heart and the connections in your life. The people. That is my focus. I have a beautiful dog named Diego, my friends are amazing and I’m happy to be alive and surrounded by all this beauty. And what’s next for me is more of just that.