RuPaul broke her silence after Tyra Sanchez posted a controversial tweet about her recently deceased fellow drag star, The Vivienne.
Vivienne, also known as James Lee Williams, who won the first series of reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019, was found dead last weekend aged 32.
Sanchez, also known as James Ross, fell out with The Vivienne almost five years ago and reacted to news of the shocking death with a scathing dig at the late artist.
On Monday, Sanchez reposted a tweet from The Vivienne from July 2020, in which the latter wrote: ‘Bet Tyra was furious when she realized Netflix ruined the win too. Sorry girl. But you tried. Quoting the tweet, Sánchez replied: “However, it doesn’t compare to the fumes from the crematorium.”
Sánchez, another Drag Race alum, received strong backlash on social media from The Vivienne fans who were outraged by the post.
Amid the furor, RuPaul posted a video on Instagram on Wednesday, showing him pretending to slap Sanchez during an acting challenge on Drag Race.
RuPaul (pictured) broke his silence after Tyra Sanchez posted a controversial tweet about her recently deceased fellow drag star, The Vivienne.
Many fans in the comments interpreted the post as a response to Sanchez’s tweet, with one writing: ‘MOTHER LMFAOOO’ and another exclaiming: ‘Do it again!!’
A third fan wrote: ‘YASSSS mom has spoken’, while a fourth wrote: ‘She knows what she did. She. KNOW!!’ and a fifth commented approvingly: “As you should, mum.”
While the news of The Vivienne’s death caused widespread grief among fans, Sanchez, winner of the US version of the show in 2010, took to social media to reignite a nearly five-year-old social media feud with The Vivienne. earlier when posting his tweet about the crematorium. .
Faced with opprobrium from fans and other drag stars, Sánchez was unrepentant and wrote on social media the next day: ‘She’s dead. Rotten. Sending me all the hate in the world won’t bring her back. But do what you must.
‘Thanks to you, the tweet has reached more than 25,000 people. Thank you for the much needed attention.’
And despite fresh criticism, with : “Songs I would play if I had a crematorium.” .’
The soundtrack for the release was Alicia Keys’ hit Girl on Fire.
Social media users responded once again with fury, calling Sánchez “disgusting,” “despicable” and “sad.”
Vivienne, who won the first series of the reality show RuPaul ‘s Drag Race UK in 2019, died at the weekend aged 32
Amid the furor, RuPaul posted a video on Instagram on Wednesday, showing him pretending to slap Sanchez during an acting challenge on Drag Race.
A third fan wrote: ‘YASSSS mom has spoken’, while a fourth wrote: ‘She knows what she did. She. KNOW!!’ and a fifth commented approvingly: ‘As you should mom’
Sánchez’s latest tweet was met with fury from X users, who called Sánchez “disgusting,” “despicable” and “sad” in response to the post.
Sanchez’s social media post is the latest in a series of insensitive comments the drag star (pictured) has made since the death of her colleague The Vivienne over the weekend.
“You are so fucking disgusting,” one user wrote beneath the post.
‘How sad that you once had queen status and now you’re just a despicable tramp hungry for a pitiful spectacle, laaaaaame,’ wrote another.
A third added: “Girl, were you too scared to respond when Vivienne was alive and you had to clap after they had passed?” You’re sad, get a life.’
RuPaul led a wave of tributes to The Vivienne after the artist’s publicist, Simon Jones, announced her death on Sunday.
“She will be greatly missed, but her legacy will live on as a beacon of creativity and authenticity – she embodies what it means to be a true champion,” he wrote on X. “Our hearts go out to her family and fans during this difficult time.”
In an update on Monday, a Cheshire Police spokesperson said officers were called to an address in Chorlton-by-Backford at 12.22pm on Sunday following reports of a sudden death.
“Police attended, investigated the circumstances of the 32-year-old man’s death and concluded there were no suspicious circumstances,” a police spokesperson said. A file will be prepared for the coroner.
Williams, whose drag name The Vivienne originated from a love for fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, first came to attention in 2015 as a British drag ambassador for the US version of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Four years later, Williams won the first UK edition of the show and then appeared in the seventh series of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. The drag performer also finished third in the finals of Dancing on Ice in 2023.
Other career highlights came with appearances in a touring production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and a role as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.
“I love Vivienne Westwood and when I moved to Liverpool everyone used to call me Vivienne because I was head to toe in Westwood,” Vivienne explained in 2019.
“My style is like a Scouse wife who got money, moved to LA and ruined everything and then had to move back to Liverpool.”
Jones announced Vivienne’s death on Sunday.
“It is with immense sadness that we inform you that our beloved James Lee Williams, The Vivienne, passed away this weekend,” Jones wrote.
‘James was an incredibly loved, kind-hearted and amazing person. His family is heartbroken over the loss of their son, brother and uncle. They are very proud of the wonderful things James accomplished in his life and career.
‘We will not reveal any further details. “Please ask that James’ family be given the time and privacy they now need to process and grieve.”