We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mario Diaz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mario below.

Hi Mario, thanks for joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

My job is to play and have fun. To facilitate connection and to spread queer joy. I could not imagine a more satisfying path than the one I’m on. The fact that the queer events that I produce fulfill my own personal social needs and my own creative urges as well is the cherry on the cake. When I am at one of my parties looking out onto a sea of gorgeous creatures dancing, laughing, showing off and enjoying their lives it gives me great pride. To receive messages from people thanking me because they met their spouse at one of my events or to say that I helped them feel more comfortable with their sexuality brings me great joy. It’s why I do what I do. My entire mission in my adult life is to help people feel more comfortable with their sexuality and to help dissipate the shame they might cary around with them. Growing up in a homophobic world can mess with our self worth and this path can be dangerous. I’ve been creating sex positive spaces with the goal of helping spread the message that we are all good. That our sexuality is natural, healthy and should be celebrated and joyful. Quite simply fun. This shame we carry around is a poison and I hope my good vibe romps can be kind of an antidote. We’re here to have fun, be silly and treat each other with kindness. There is no judgement at my events. We don’t go for that.

Mario, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started dancing and acting at a very young age. I can still remember the first musical I did as a kid and making all the moms in the theater cry with my song. Those are the moments where performers are made. I have never stopped pursuing my acting jobs and have had some amazing gigs in tv and film. I’ve also been throwing queer parties for over 30 years, since my high school days. My first party came about because I was kind of bored with what was happening at the time. I had some interesting and silly ideas so I thought I’d take a stab at it. I wanted to throw a party for me and all my Queerdo friends to show off at. It quickly proved to be such a fun and creative way to make decent money in a short amount of time. This would also give me the time to pursue my work as a performer. Which has always been my favorite thing to do. Producing parties was always sort of my “day job” if you will…but at night. And it turned out being the best job I could have imagined. What I’ve come to notice about nightlife is that it only takes one person to create something inspired and fresh but at the end of the day it’s the people that make a night. Of course music, aesthetic and lighting are part of the impact but the crowd will always take center stage. I feel the LA scene has proven to be quite a force. When I started here over 20 years ago there were very few of us promoters. Now there are many. And I see many of my peers putting unlimited energy and creativity into their events… it’s really exciting. It has been an honor to be in the company of so many interesting characters. The parties I’ve been throwing here in LA are not huge leap from the type of events I brought to NYC in the 90’s. I always try and infuse fresh ideas but they are basically my tried and true formula. A Retro Porn inspired night. Dark, loud and always sex positive but with a sense of humor and a lot of style. It’s been my mission since my early days to make sexuality joyful and fun and free of shame. I always try and keep things a bit tongue and cheek. BFD was the longest running weekly queer party in the country. I threw it every Thursday night for 19 years until the pandemic shut down the bar. People often came to BIG FAT DICK (BFD) and when they hear I’m the promoter they say “Oh my god…this place is SO New York…it really reminds me of The Cock!” My instinct is to inform them that I created and opened The Cock but I usually just say thank you.
Inclusivity has always been at the core of what I produce. As my events have always been predominantly queer everyone is always welcome. No VIP’s, no dress codes, no bottle service. I find these constructs tacky and uninviting. Ultimately non-inclusive. Obviously It’s a matter of who responds to your aesthetic, the name of the party and where the party is at. These are all factors that will define your crowd on some level. My go-go dancers are a staple at my events. I’ve always styled my dancers from head to toe and they are top notch. I make sure there’s always female representation as well. My girlfriends love coming to my events and always have a blast with the boys. Brutus lended itself to a more mature Butch aesthetic. And it was at the Faultline which was an old school Leather Bar in Silverlake thus bringing in the hot daddies of all shapes and sizes. And Full Frontal Disco was a truly mixed dance crowd. I’ll use fierce avant-garde imagery of men and women both to attract all kinds to this. There is nothing better than a mixed crowd. Since lock down I’ve been producing HOT DOG SUNDAYS at El Cid and it has been a dream come true.
I have, or should say had, a job where I’ve been surrounded by talent and beauty. It’s my dream job. Sometimes I can’t believe I get paid to help facilitate such brilliance and creativity. I’ve literally made a career out of having fun. Not many can say that. But seeing all of the amazing art and performance come to life is quite a sight. Whether it be one of the monthly inspired choreographed dance pieces at Full Frontal Disco or getting to work on gorgeous costumes with my designers, it’s always a blast. But the thing that gives me the most joy is looking out on a big crowd of people with giant smiles on their faces really LIVING their lives. Nightlife can get a bad wrap but what I do is a noble and wonderful gift. I bring people together, to connect, to dance, to love and have a laugh with their friends. Perhaps the most important thing if you ask me. Connection and the opportunity to spread Queer Joy.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I’ve been producing queer events for over 30 years until pandemic shut us all down. This was a devastation to our community. Everything that we do involves bringing large groups of people shoulder to shoulder together in sweaty spaces. The opposite of social distancing. All of my work, like so many others, was brought to a screeching hault. As scary as this moment was it was also a gift of time and an opportunity to reflect. Many of us were able to bring some of those lessons to our lives on the other side of lock down. I know I did. But I remember questioning whether anyone would return to my events once we were able to congregate again. I began to produce my first post lock down event which was Hot Dog Sundays at El Cid. I was anxious about whether it would succeed. Was it BFD that they loved or were my production choices what continued to bring people to my events? We all carry fear when it comes to starting a new venture. Imposter Syndrome can seep into our minds…it is the human condition. But I try to always remember that sometimes the best things in life are on the other side of fear. And this was the case with Hot Dog. It’s been over 2 years of the most incredible and joyful event I think I have ever thrown. I’m so grateful I walked through that fear because it was a gift. We must be bold. And without failure there is no success so go for it. Your greatest love could be on the other side.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Our lives are short and we deserve to feel loved and seen. We should live with adventure and have a series of exciting experiences behind us. We are like children on the playground questioning if we are enough. Good enough, pretty enough, sexy enough, smart enough…a vicious cycle of insecurity and anxiety for many. At my events I want you to feel special. At Hot Dog you are welcomed 3 times before you even get into the patio. I want it to be clear that we are here to be silly and be kind to each other. No attitude. no bullshit. This is my goal. For a space where people smile at everyone. Not just the guys they want to sleep with or the famous person who shows up. I instruct my crew, security and everyone on staff to be welcoming. Please and Thank You are essential. I ask them to compliment whenever possible. It can make someones day. This world is volatile and dangerous. This country is corrupt and exhausting. I want to create safe space for us all to feel welcome and wanted. A judgement free space to be our authentic selves. That is my mission.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mariodiazpresents.com/links
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gayunclemario2/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariodiazevents/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariodiaz
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2qkN2R4CCA-LW6VmsWZvIA