We LOVE us some Rocky Horror Picture Show! So when we saw someone was besmirching the name of one of the stars of the midnight movie, we naturally weren’t amused. But the actress in question? She was straight up INCENSED!
The infraction took place on last Friday’s episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, when contestant Aiden Zhane chose to impersonate Patricia Quinn for the Snatch Game. For some reason.
Related: James Charles’ Messy Fight With Trinity ‘The Tuck’ Taylor
Patricia is iconic in her role as Magenta in the 1975 sexual liberation celebration/B movie throwback, so normally we’d be all about the choice. However, Aiden failed to make a single Rocky Horror joke — not even so much as a Time Warp reference, not to mention sounding nothing like the Irish actress, who has a distinctively posh accent!
We mean… just watch this interview from 2017 to see all the replicable mannerisms that were missed.
Instead Aiden performed Patricia as some kind of drugged out woman with dementia. Shockingly, according to Zhane, the choice to portray the actress was made because they’d met — which did NOT come across AT ALL.
Some even called the performance the worst Snatch Game effort in the show’s history, which… WOW.
But the controversy didn’t end there; in fact it only really began after Patricia saw the show! She posted on Facebook that she was “disgusted beyond belief,” calling Zhane a “liar” for claiming they had met, further writing:
“I do not know this utterly untalented person s**te”
Dayum!
After her comment started getting around, Patricia (now Stephens) wrote a lengthier official statement excoriating not just the queen who made a mockery of her but the show in general. She wrote:
“Well Dammit Janet! I have been an actress since I came over on the boat from Northern Ireland to London nearly 60 years ago without a penny because I wanted to act. I have never been interested in drugs, and with regards to my memory, I was recently applauded onstage for my sharp recollections of filming The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
She continued:
“I am disgusted beyond belief at how I was portrayed on Ru Paul’s Drag Race. I was flattered that a young person wanted to portray me on a popular TV show but unfortunately this is where the flattery ends. I did not respect being described as a “old cookie woman” or being depicted as a washed-up actress who has taken too many drugs. I am actually filming a new movie later this year and look forward to that and there will be no drugs on set! Well not from me anyway! I wish Aiden had given me the common courtesy of a “heads up” and maybe I could have given him a few lines etc., to say on the show.”
She then said:
“I hope I am not associated with this TV show again. From my portrayal to making fun of Katherine Hepburn’s neurological disorder I found the show tasteless.”
Yeah, can’t blame her there. She finished by taking the high road re: Aiden, saying:
“I want to thank my Rocky Horror fans who have been amazing and shown overwhelming support. I couldn’t ask for a better fan base. I do not know Aiden, but I do not wish him the upset or distress that I have felt in the past few days.”
Perhaps it’s cold comfort, but Aiden Zhane was indeed the queen RuPaul told to sashay away at the end of the episode.
We don’t recommend any future contestants try again, but if you must — maybe do your homework first??
[Image via 20th Century Fox/VH1/YouTube.]
Related Posts
