Drag Race star Tyra Sanchez hits back at ‘very racist’ critics over alleged threats to DragCon
The winner of second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Tyra Sanchez (Astrid Stawiarz/Getty for SPI Marketing)
Former RuPaul’s Drag Race star Tyra Sanchez has spoken out – after facing a police investigation over alleged threats to RuPaul’s DragCon.
Tyra Sanchez, real name James Ross, won the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2010, but has become alienated from much of the drag community over extreme online conduct.
The performer fell out with fellow queens after telling fans to “kill themselves” on Twitter, manufacturing a hoax about the death of contestant Morgan McMichaels, and posts threatening the show’s annual convention, DragCon.
The drag queen was reported to the FBI over messages posted about DragCon after getting banned from the event, having written: “Fair warning: DO NOT attend RuPaul’s DragCon on May 12, 2018. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
The winner of the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Tyra Sanchez (Astrid Stawiarz/Getty for SPI Marketing)
The comments were interpreted as a threat of violence by many concerned fans.
In a lengthy Facebook post this week, Ross – now going by the drag name Tyra 007 – branded critics, production company World of Wonder and several Drag Race contestants racist.
The performer wrote of the DragCon drama: “This very racist community has turned into BBQ Becky. World of Wonder Productions called the FBI and bomb squad because I warned people not to go to DragCon.
“Charges were brought up against me by the head of World of Wonder. All of sudden I’m a threat. I’m threatening lives. I’m gonna blow up the convention center. I’m going to shoot up the place.
“NEVER ONCE DID I SAY I WAS GOING TO BOMB OR SHOOT ANYTHING OR ANYONE. NEVER ONCE DID I THREATEN ANYONE (…) ME WARNING PEOPLE TO NOT ATTEND AN EVENT BECAUSE OF THE RACISM I’VE EXPERIENCED WITH ITS PRODUCTION COMPANY DOES NOT EQUATE TO ME THREATENING SOMEONE’S LIFE OR THE LIVES OF THE EVENT’S ATTENDEES.
“Again, classic case of white people calling the cops on black people because they aren’t getting their way. Bomb squad shows up to my house. Trying to inflict fear, again I do not back down.
“Have I done anything illegal? No. Am I being arrested? No. So why are you here. They leave. Again I receive and email with a warrant to invade my privacy. Facebook, Twitter, my hosting company all forced to turn over my records only to find nothing. Time wasted. Black queen’s rep damaged.
“Hope they enjoy this lawsuit for defamation, wrongful accusations and emotional distress. Fight back their way. Legally.”
Executive Vice President and General Manager for Logo Network, Lisa Sherman, the winner of second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Tyra Sanchez and Director of Public Relations for Absolut, Jeffrey Moran attend Logo’s RuPaul’s Drag Race Finale (Astrid Stawiarz/Getty for SPI Marketing)
Ross also insisted that people who had condemned the ‘kill yourself’ messages were racist.
The drag queen wrote: “Blogs, comments and posts are still being made to shame me for this. Tyra’s attacking fans. Tyra’s telling fans to kill themselves. Tyra’s not a good role model. THESE ARE NOT FANS. Stop trying to paint me as a villain in a situation in which I was defending myself.
“Maybe mention this person tweeted me with three gun emojis. Maybe mention it was a reply to hate that had been received. But you won’t, because it’s not the image you want to paint.
“Why? It’s simple. You’re racist.”
The winner of the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Tyra Sanchez performs during Logo’s RuPaul’s Drag Race Finale at Therapy Bar on April 26, 2010 in New York City. (Astrid Stawiarz/Getty for SPI Marketing)
Ross also blamed “this very racist community” for calling out the hoax about the death of Morgan McMichaels.
The performer wrote: “Morgan McMichaels [tried] to get my gig cancelled (…) so I killed her. Released an audio tape with the cover reading RIP Morgan.
“No different in a battle between Nicki or Kim, Nicki or Remy, Tupac or Biggie (if you don’t understand my culture, stop appropriating it).
“Again, this very racist community attacked me. So much hate, racial slurs and death threats.”
