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a14 people & arts
Monday 9 January 2023
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ cast push back against hate, threats

By JOHN CARUCCI “Two of them were arrest-
Associated Press ed. A third was arrested for
NEW YORK (AP) — As the assaulting one of my neigh-
cast of “RuPaul’s Drag bors,” he told the AP at the
Race” celebrated the new premiere. “This is all an at-
season, they credited the tempt to intimidate those
show’s creator with popu- of us supporting drag story
larizing drag and expressed hour.”
concern about the protests Contestant Irene Dubois
and threats to the perfor- has a theory about what’s
mance style at the heart of behind the vitriol aimed at
the long-running series. drag performers.
“RuPaul really brought drag “I think a man in women’s
into the mainstream, truly clothing is inherently hilari-
made people aware that ous just because we’re like,
it’s an art form more than (gasps) ‘That’s not sup-
anything” contestant Mar- posed to happen!’” Du-
cia Marcia Marcia told The bois hypothesized. “And it’s
Associated Press at Thurs- when the men in women’s
day’s season 15 premiere clothing stop sort of doing
in New York. The new sea- the nudge, nudge, wink,
son starts Friday on MTV.”I wink and start actually en-
think everyone was like fine joying the way they look in
with drag for a little bit,” the women’s clothing that
said the drag queen with people start to sort of say,
the “Brady Bunch”-inspired Drag performer Loosey LaDuca arrives at the season 15 premiere of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in New ‘Wait, hold on, hold on,
name. “And now history is York on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. hold on. You’re supposed
repeating itself and people Associated Press to be laughing at yourself.
are speaking out against it, floated. In late November, Jax added. “We always Meeting threats with cau- And if you’re not laughing
which I think is so silly.” a shooter at a Colorado prevail and we’re always tion is fine, LaDuca said, but at yourself, we don’t like
With a long and rich history, Springs nightclub turned a going to come out on top “we’ll never be scared.” it.’”
drag — the art of dressing as drag queen’s birthday par- because we’re on the right Last month, New York City “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
another gender, often for ty into a massacre and was side of history and we love Councilman Erik Bottcher judge Ross Mathews paints
performance — has been charged with hate crimes what we do and we’re not attended a drag story hour the progress and regression
attacked by right-wing pol- and murder. doing anything to harm in his district. He filmed and as “a pendulum swinging.”
iticians and activists who Another contestant, Jax, anybody. We’re just trying posted video of “dozens “The further we advance
have falsely associated it said the threats, protests to bring love to everything.” of homophobic protesters and the more that we are
with the “sexualization” and and hate were “disheart- To contestant Loosey La- outside with the most dis- embraced, accepted, cel-
“grooming” of children. In ening” but not surprising: Duca, as well, this is nothing gusting signs verbally at- ebrated that pendulum
recent months, protesters “Just like being a person new: “It is really unfortunate tacking the families and — they’re going to try to
— sometimes bearing guns of color, being a minority, that during this time, drag the drag queen.” Two days swing it back, to move our
— have besieged drag growing up in certain com- queens have become the later, he said, anti-drag ac- movement back,” he says
story hours, during which munities, it’s something that new target. But LGBT peo- tivists vandalized the hall- of anti-drag activists. “But
performers read books to I’ve had to undergo my en- ple are no stranger to be- way outside his office and you cannot put this genie
children. Bans on children tire life.” ing the, you know, the pub- gained entry to his apart- back in the bottle. Darling,
at drag events have been “But we always prevail,” lic enemy.” ment building. we are fabulous.” q

Sarah Cooper memoir ‘Foolish’

scheduled for October release

Tales of Assimilation, Deter- sensible ones, including try- come out in October.
mination and Humiliation.” ing to find a man on Match. Cooper’s previous books in-
The comedian, author and com, working at Google, clude “How to Be Success-
actor said in a statement buying a house and trying ful Without Hurting Men’s
Thursday that she hoped to have kids,” she said. Feelings: Non-threatening
to “inspire everyone to risk “But the path I was trying to Leadership Strategies for
embarrassing themselves.” follow made me miserable. Women” and “100 Tricks
“I’m excited to share the As hard as I’ve tried all my to Appear Smart in Meet-
story of what it’s like being life to fit in, to look smart, to ings: How to Get by Without
a Jamaican immigrant try- assimilate, I’m learning now Even Trying.” She is known
ing to succeed in this coun- to embrace my inability to to many fans for her paro-
Sarah Cooper poses for a portrait in the Brooklyn borough of try and how that can often fit into any box. I’ve always dy videos in which she lip-
New York, on Monday, Nov. 9, 2020.
Associated Press mean rejecting the things been terrified of looking like synced comments by then-
about you that make you, a fool but I’ve found the President Donald Trump.
By HILLEL ITALIE hint that she doesn’t plan you. It’s about how I real- most power in being fool- She is expected to appear
AP National Writer to flatter herself. Cooper ized I wanted to be an ac- ish and I can’t wait to take with Hugh Grant and Amy
NEW YORK (AP) — The title has a deal with Dutton, a tress as soon as I was told I readers on this very foolish Schumer among others in
alone of Sarah Cooper’s Penguin Random House couldn’t sing, and how I re- journey.” Jerry Seinfeld’s new movie,
upcoming memoir is a imprint, to write “Foolish: jected that dream for more “Foolish” is scheduled to “Unfrosted.”q