Tamron Hall isn’t batting an eye at the cries of the drag community!
The popular journalist got heat from fans and multiple RuPaul’s Drag Race stars over her interview with disgraced contestant and admitted sexual predator Sherry Pie on Tuesday, with critics arguing that the televised chat gave the villain access to a huge platform.
Well, Tamron is apparently unbothered. The daytime TV host defended her decision to invite Sherry (real name Joey Gugliemelli) on her set, arguing the segment should not be interpreted as promoting the embattled performer.
Related: Tamron’s Crew Members Say Show Is ‘Putting Lives In Danger’ Amid Coronavirus Shutdowns!
Hall told her critics:
“I’ve been a reporter for 30 years, and I’ve conducted and watched interviews with people who have done bad things. I’ve interviewed rapists, I’ve interviewed murderers … it’s not giving away your platform; it’s called an interview. And people who do bad things are interviewed.”
That’s not wrong! People who do bad things are interviewed. Like how Gayle King interviewed convicted sexual predator R. Kelly to get his side of the story about the slew of sexual abuse allegations that came out against him. Same slice of pie, right? Not exactly…
Because Gayle did something in her interview that Tamron didn’t do: the very thing the latter’s critics are so riled up about. Tamron only interviewed Miz Pie, NOT his victims!
For those who don’t know, Sherry competed on season 12 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, but was disqualified from the reality competition after multiple men publicly accused him of posing as a casting director online to coerce them into sexually compromising positions. The reality star later admitted to and apologized for his actions. So you can imagine the victims’ surprise when they found out their predator was to be interviewed on network television. Ben Shimkus, the first victim to come forward, said on Twitter:
“Just so we are all clear on this, I spoke with producers at @TamronHallShow and told them that I and the 20 victims that I spoke to today DO NOT want them to air a segment with Sherry Pie. They’re going to air it despite the all of our requests.”
It’s not just Sherry’s victims who are up in arms: his former Drag Race co-stars are, too. Drag queen Jackie Cox, another contestant on Sherry Pie’s season, wrote:
“I am publicly calling on @TamronHallShow to reconsider giving Sherry Pie access to the platform of national television to tell their side of the story without first speaking with the victims of her abuses and allowing them to weigh in on their own trauma.”
Meanwhile, season 11 contestant Yuhua Hamasaki tweeted:
“Shame on the production team.”
After the segment aired, season 12 winner Yvie Oddly wrote:
“I am a survivor of sexual abuse. I watched the @TamronHallShow because I don’t believe ignoring trauma makes it go away. I do believe in addressing it, however, and feel that AT LEAST some of the victims should have been given the same platform.”
In her statement, Hall said she and the production team “believe the men who’ve gone on record about Sherry Pie,” adding:
“We believe in being fair, and we don’t give free passes– I don’t give free passes.”
But the broadcaster thinks she should get a free pass on this interview because the show didn’t offer to promote anything Sherry was up to. Noting that she and her producers accepted “no conditions” on the interview, TH explained:
“We’ve offered no opportunity to promote a book, a podcast, anything that could be seen as profiting.”
That may be! But what do YOU think, Perezcious readers? Is having Sherry on her show giving the disgraced drag queen publicity while leaving his victims voiceless? Do you think if Tamron really wanted to shine light on this story, she should make sure she’s getting the whole story?? Critics certainly think so.
For what it’s worth, though, the host discussed the controversy more in depth later in the episode. Watch the clip of that discussion (below) and sound off in the comments.
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