Drag Race triple-threat Shangela gives her take on season 12’s Sherry Pie drama
Shangela weighed in on Drag Race’s Sherry Pie drama. (WOW)
Drag Race royalty Shangela gave her two cents on the season 12 queens — including disqualified contestant Sherry Pie.
Although Shangela is currently busy with her own HBO show – We’re Here, a sort of draggy take on Queer Eye featuring herself, Bob the Drag Queen and Eureka – she’s still making time to keep up with the latest season of Drag Race.
“You know I always say that I’m a fan first and a contestant second,” the season two, three and All Stars queen told E! News.
“I’ve seen every season, every year. It’s like you’re getting a freshman class of sisters in a sorority. You want to, you know, see who’s gonna be in and check it out. And so I’ve been thrilled to watch this season.”
She named Jaida Essence Hall and Heidi N Closet and as favourites – calling the latter the “breakout star of the season”.
Shangela addresses Drag Race season 12 controversy.
It’s impossible to discuss Drag Race season 12 without bringing up the dark cloud hovering just out of frame in each episode: Sherry Pie’s shock disqualification.
Sherry, real name Joey Gugliemelli, was precluded from the series finale before her first episode had even aired after it was alleged she’d catfishes a number of young actors and had them send her explicit and “degrading videos”.
After she acknowledged the claims, VH1 announced she was not appear in the season finale, and she has since been largely edited out of the season (but is on course to make it to the top four).
When asked about the situation, Shangela said: “You know, I would just tell you this. I don’t know Sherry Pie.
(MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty)
“I’m not I’m probably as familiar with the situation as you are. But I will say that Drag Race is a show that’s about, you know, fun.
“And it’s sometimes, for some people, especially during this rough time that we’re all having, you know, where we’re all social distancing and staying in, we need some bright spots in our life. And Drag Race has always been, for me, at least, one of those bright spots.”
The All Stars 3 finalist commended the show’s producers and VH1 for doing “what they had to do to maintain the integrity of this show, and keeping it as light and fun and a bright spot as they could”.
