RuPaul has subtly reprimanded RuPaul’s Drag Race season 2 winner Tyra Sanchez following the latter’s controversial comments about the recent death of The Vivienne, the first crowned queen of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
On Wednesday, RuPaul shared a short clip from the 2010 season 2 finale, featuring a memorable scene in which she slapped Tyra during an acting challenge. The video post, which quickly went viral, comes after a wave of backlash against Tyra for mocking The Vivienne’s death. While numerous Drag Race contestants, including RuPaul, publicly mourned the 32-year-old queen’s passing, Tyra’s comments ignited an online firestorm.
Tyra’s remarks stemmed from a five-year-old social media post from The Vivienne that referenced her. In the post, The Vivienne wrote, “Bet Tyra was fuming when she realized Netflix Spoiled the win Too. Sorry gal. You Tried though.” After The Vivienne’s death, Tyra responded with a callous comment, writing, “Yet it doesn’t compare to the fumes of the crematorium.”
The response was met with swift and widespread condemnation from both fans and Tyra’s fellow Drag Race alums, including Kandy Muse, DeJa Skye, Tatianna, and new season 17 contestant Hormona Lisa, who all condemned Tyra’s actions as distasteful. Despite the outrage, Tyra remained unapologetic, continuing to taunt The Vivienne’s death with further posts across multiple social media platforms, including a direct response to RuPaul’s video clip.
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In the aftermath of RuPaul’s post, Tyra took to Instagram, sharing an illustration of the host with a caption reading, “Right back at ya. Puppet.” On her Instagram Story, she also expressed her gratitude to both her supporters and critics, writing: “I am immensely thankful to everyone visiting my page this week. Whether showing love or showing your ass, you increased my page’s reach TREMENDOUSLY. Welcome to all new followers!” Tyra also sent a pointed message to those critical of her, stating, “Two fingers in the sky to those who have left us. Special shoutouts to the ones who truly hate me yet hang around watching my every move. With you hanging around here you’ve increased the reach by 95%. Silly rabbits. You work for me. It is because of you that my name LIVES on.”
RuPaul’s post and Tyra’s continued provocations drew strong support for the host from several Drag Race alumni. Shea Couleé, the winner of All Stars 5, voiced her approval, writing, “GET HER AGAIN FOR ME MAMMA!!!” referencing RuPaul’s implied reprimand. Crystal, a Drag Race UK season 1 queen, also chimed in, commenting, “Mama’s had enough nonsense,” as other queens, including Kandy Muse, Jiggly Caliente, Jasmine Kennedie, Mrs. Kasha Davis, and Victoria Scone, echoed their support for RuPaul’s stance.
Tyra has a well-documented history of controversy within the Drag Race fandom. She previously faced backlash for falsely announcing the death of fellow season 2 queen Morgan McMichaels and was allegedly banned from DragCon for making threatening comments about the event. Tyra, however, has denied these claims, telling Entertainment Weekly in a statement, “I never threatened DragCon and I damn sure never apologized for it.”
In response to Tyra’s callous comments about The Vivienne, Kandy Muse, who competed on season 13 and All Stars 8, issued a strongly worded rebuke. “I’ve defended you for years but now you can absolutely go f— yourself and if our path were to ever cross it’s absolutely on sight, bitch, it’s not a threat, it’s a promise. You disgusting person,” Kandy wrote in a fiery Instagram post. DeJa Skye, who appeared on season 14, also condemned Tyra’s behavior, calling her a “rotted person” and expressing dismay at her actions.
In addition to the drama surrounding Tyra’s online posts, the season 2 queen’s name resurfaced in the news in 2023 when she was arrested in Starke, Florida. Tyra, whose real name is James Ross, was initially detained for allegedly resisting arrest after a car accident. The charges were later dropped after Ross filed a complaint against the department, but the incident further fueled the queen’s controversial reputation.
Following The Vivienne’s death, RuPaul shared a heartfelt statement on social media, expressing her grief over the loss of the late queen. “With a broken heart, I join the entire Drag Race universe in mourning the loss of The Vivienne—an incredibly talented queen and a lovely human being,” RuPaul wrote.
