Quick Hit:
Vice President Kamala Harris made a cringeworthy appearance on "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" Thursday, delivering a get-out-the-vote message that was widely mocked online.
Key Details:
Kamala Harris became the first sitting Vice President to appear on "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars," a reality competition show for drag queens, sharing a tone-deaf message about voting and defending rights in a clip released on Thursday.
Her cameo, filmed before President Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race, featured LGBTQ+ celebrities and was met with a wave of ridicule on social media.
Harris' appearance continues the trend of political figures using the show to pander to voters, following the likes of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Diving Deeper:
According to a report by the New York Post, Vice President Kamala Harris made a questionable appearance on "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" this Thursday, delivering a get-out-the-vote message that many found painfully awkward. In her segment, Harris emphasized the importance of defending rights and freedoms, including the right to be oneself and love openly. "Each day, we are seeing our rights and freedoms under attack, including the right of everyone to be who they are, love who they love, openly and with pride," Harris stated. She continued, "So as we fight back against these attacks, let's all remember, no one is alone."
Harris was joined by RuPaul regulars Michelle Visage and Jamal Sims, as well as LGBTQ+ celebrities like Lance Bass, Leslie Jones, and Cheyenne Jackson. "We are all in this together and your vote is your power. So please make sure your voice is heard this November and register to vote at vote.gov," she urged, with an enthusiasm that many found out of place.
The reaction on social media was overwhelmingly negative. Some praised Harris' appearance as a bold move, but the majority found it painfully out of touch. "This might have broken the cringe-o-meter … Wow," one user on X commented. Another user criticized Harris' message, writing, "I'm not saying give blind loyalty to Republicans but I hope my Black folks get a good look at who she's aligning herself with. She's not coming to save you."
While Harris is the first sitting Vice President and presidential candidate to appear in the "werkroom" of "RuPaul's Drag Race," she is not the first political figure to do so. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi appeared on the show in 2018 and 2022, and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sat on the judges' panel in 2020, both urging viewers to vote.