Jameela Jamil Responded To The Backlash Over HBO Max’s Vogueing Competition Show
Deadline reported that The Good Place‘s Jameela Jamil was going to host of a new voguing competition show and things went left immediately. Members of the predominately LGBTQ ballroom community wondered, “What is this cis straight woman doing hosting our gay-ass ballroom show?” Well, she’s not hosting it, and she’s taken to Twitter to let us all know she in no way wants to ruffle feathers. But trans actress and ball veteran Trace Lysette has some opinions and she is not ready to let Jameela off the hook. Feathers: ruffled!
Deadline first reported that HBO Max had tapped Jameela as host of its ball culture competition show called Legendary (working title: Paris Is Meh-ing). The ten-episode series will focus on battles between Houses of the ballroom scene with each competing to win a cash prize. It’s basically Pose: The Reality Show. There will be fashion and dance challenges and ultimately one House will become “Legendary”. There will be ten Houses with five performers and a House Mother each. Teams will rotate in a round-robin format during a themed ball. If you’ve ever seen Pose you already know everything about this (except what round-robin means).
Trace, who was in Transparent, Hustlers, and Pose, got on Twitter and let us know how she felt about the show
The appropriation of ball culture continues. If you’re not from the scene, just stop. Pls
— Trace Lysette (@tracelysette) February 4, 2020
Lol.. I interviewed for this gig. As the mother of a house for nearly a decade it’s kind of kind blowing when ppl with no connection to our culture gets the gig. This is not shade towards Jameela, I love all that she stands for. If anything I question the decision makers https://t.co/kJleDihn02
— Trace Lysette (@tracelysette) February 4, 2020
Deadline later updated their story to say that Jameela is a judge and a host, and revealed that Megan Thee Stallion, Law Roach, and Leiomy Maldonado will also be judges. Jameela also got on Twitter to let us all know that she’s ONLY a judge, and not the host. The host is Dashaun Wesley:
Reading an inaccurate press release about our new show yesterday was upsetting, and it triggered a lot of incorrect news articles about it. To be very clear, it’s @DashaunWesley who has worked on this show for 2 years is (and always has been) the MC of #Legendary. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/agcQhZbgS4
— Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) February 5, 2020
I’m so excited for you to meet the contestants from best houses from the ballroom world, their extraordinary stories, talent, grace, humor and beauty. It’s a huge honour to be invited in by @leiomy @DashaunWesley and @TheOnlyMikeQ ❤️ #legendary pic.twitter.com/T8SSHfiDe7
— Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) February 5, 2020
Jameela also told Trace that she did not steal her gig because they were not up for the same thing:
Hey trace. I think you auditioned to be one of the house mothers. I’m just one of the judges. Not a house mother. We weren’t up for the same thing. @deadline are wrong. I’m NOT the MC. The brilliant @DashaunWesley is. I think you’re fucking amazing, in every way. And send you ❤️
— Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) February 5, 2020
Trace checked Jameela, letting her know she already is a House Mother:
I don’t have audition to be a house mother… I am one. I remember the convo well. It was a convo in regards to be a host/producer. At least that’s what my manager at the time worked out. I never heard back. I send you love too. But I will always speak my truth.
— Trace Lysette (@tracelysette) February 5, 2020
That’s great, that’s my brother. Happy for him and Lei and Mike Q. But if you think we need a majority of celebs mixed in on a judges panel to make us valid you are wrong. Ballroom has our own celebrities.
— Trace Lysette (@tracelysette) February 5, 2020
Honestly, if I wanted to hear a straight cis woman scream, “WERK THE HOUSE DOWN KWEEN SLAY YASSS WERK!”, I’d just go to a bachelorette party at a gay bar.
Pic: Wenn.com