Yesterday we shared RuPaul’s Drag Race season 8 winner Bob the Drag Queen’s reaction to the rush to attack RuPaul over some insensitive comments about gender. Today, Bob has sparked a whole new debate over how Drag Race fans interact when they meet a famous queen.
While we’re assuming this first tweet relates to the RuPaul/gender debacle, it could really be applied to either situation:
Sometimes I think this community will kill itself. The conservatives won't have to do it.
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 6, 2018
Things got heated (again) when Bob wrote this soon after:
If you meet a person from TV in person, who's work you admire, and they don't seem excited to meet you, try and understand that they probably aren't excited to meet you. You can't expect them to be as happy in that moment as you are.
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
Seems fairly reasonable to us, but it didn’t sit quite as well with some fans.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
And those fans went in, and Bob went in deeper.
Here are some examples of the back-and-forth:
Except you’re being paid by these people to be professional and interested as any service or retail worker will tell you. And they get minimum wage. Other queens can do it. You went around the UK dismantling any reputation of activism, care or friendliness.
— Paul Aleksandr (@PaulAleksandr) March 7, 2018
Activism, and care don’t stem from smiling at people on yr streets of London.
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
What were the rude things I did?
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
You assume i didn’t want to be there. But what were the rude things I did? Did I yell at anyone, say something rude, speak in a disrespectful tone, call someone out of their name. Because you think I don’t look nice I was rude.
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
Oh bloody hell. Yes, you spoke and acted rudely to people. Couple that with no smiles, no warmth. You’re a nightmare. Look at your replies to people on here! Professionalism Bob. People paid your bills and you failed to do anything near what others queen achieved.
— Paul Aleksandr (@PaulAleksandr) March 7, 2018
But what were the rude things? I’m genuinely interested
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
Also I’ll happily chat in DMs if you wanted, as dragging things out publicly is symbolic of all that’s problematic with social media and you’re an artist on a pedestal of our making, but also a human. There’s things to learn, and ways to learn.
— Paul Aleksandr (@PaulAleksandr) March 7, 2018
Another thread was much more positive, but even still, someone found a way to be upset about it:
Both times I met you, you made me feel important & that you appreciated my time. It wasn’t “excited,” but it felt far more genuine and valuable than to me. Thank you for that.
— Amy ? (@amyowst) March 7, 2018
I didn’t make you feel important. You decided to feel important in that moment. You gave yourself permission to feel good about yourself. That’s the true gift.
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
I didn’t make you feel important. You decided to feel important in that moment. You gave yourself permission to feel good about yourself. That’s the true gift.
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
That was the most disheartening thing I’ve ever read omg Bob I get your point but don’t try and upset someone who is actively thanking you for your impact on them pic.twitter.com/XxVabfHzjP
— james (@JamesVol2) March 7, 2018
I feel like you all are reading a different tweet. It’s not mean AT ALL. It says. “I can’t claim that victory. That was yours. I was just standing there.” But for some reason you want it to sound mean. So it does in your head.
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
For the record, that’s exactly how I – the person you said it to – took it. I didn’t feel that it was mean at all.
Not sure how it got misinterpreted, tbh.
— Amy ? (@amyowst) March 7, 2018
And it didn’t end there:
explains a lot ?? pic.twitter.com/7EHri8w75y
— lil’ teapot (@ihsaisha) March 7, 2018
So let me get this straight? You saw me on the street. Asked for a picture, I said yes, more than likely said “thank you” as you walked away, and your upset about it?
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
You are coming off a bit entitled. It’s a gift to be able to impact the lives of many people. Not everyone has that opportunity. It’s understandable that as a human u don’t always feel like being “on” but every encounter with a fan shouldn’t be dry. calm down u aren’t Beyoncé.
— JP (@everybdylovesjp) March 7, 2018
This may shock you, but I am entitled. I’m entitled to what I have. That’s why I have it.
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
And it can all be snatched away from you. Far more successful people have lost it all. Be humble.
— JP (@everybdylovesjp) March 7, 2018
Snatch what away? Do you think I’m rich, do you think I live in a mansion. I live in Washington Heights above Harlem, and what I have is because I worked hard and create quality content. Not because I fake smiled at people.
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
ok but if a celebrity isn’t excited to meet fans then is it even worth meeting them??
— bri (@dinkbri) March 7, 2018
That’s for you to decide. Do you only l want to interact with people of they do what you want then to do?
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
If I’m meeting a celebrity when they aren’t obviously doing something else taking up their attention, or at a designated meet up, I would want them to be happy to meet me. That’s more the circumstance I was referring to lol
— bri (@dinkbri) March 7, 2018
considering and respecting others wants is necessary, no argument there
— bri (@dinkbri) March 7, 2018
The thread goes on for longer than we care to embed, but here are two quick interactions that distill it all down.
1. Nice isn’t listed on Bob’s resume:
I guess grace wasn’t on the list with charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.
— Denj (@denjmusic) March 7, 2018
Once again for the record: I’m not graceful, and I’m not nice. I’ve never claimed to be.
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
2. If dropping the fake smiles means fewer fans, he’s perfectly OK with that:
Hmmmm u should probably pretend to be excited since entertainers need fans or they wouldn’t have anyone to entertain. ?????
— JP (@everybdylovesjp) March 7, 2018
I’d rather be true with fewer fans, than fake with tons of them.
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
We’re much more interested in the talents Bob brings to his career than we are in holding him to the unreasonable expectation that success requires living life with a constant demand for selfies.
He’s set to appear in Tony Kushner’s Angels In America at the Berkeley Rep this year:
He later shared two final thoughts:
This Reddit person gets it. pic.twitter.com/tycy92XMmB
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
Final thoughts: Not only am I grateful for fans, I'm grateful for discourse. I'm grateful for every person that has ever supported me on my professional journey, I'm just not a sociable person in public. I'm a people person, just not a stranger person.
— Bob The Drag Queen (@thatonequeen) March 7, 2018
What’s your take?
Discover more
whatsaywhat
I like Bob even more now.
Lacuevaman
I prefer the blue lipstick rather that the pig-nose-ring….. it makes him look much more respectable
DCguy
If people think that a celebrity walking down the street that you stop to ask for a picture should be JUST as they are to have met, then they are delusional.
The same people that rudely brush off somebody wanting them to sign a petition, or a salesperson at the door will now bitch that a celeb didn’t act like getting stopped and asked for an autograph was a huge moment in their lives.
People need to chill out. The only thing Bob is doing is saying truthfully what other celebs think.
Well, Except for Ryan Seacrest, I’m sure he’d be happy if ANYBODY stopped to talk to him at this point.
Charlie in Charge
This exactly, if I was bothered everywhere I went by people demanding my time and attention I would scream. People are so very strange. Why are we entitled to a celebrity’s time if we meet them out and about?
Lacuevaman
shut up fool
Ummmm Yeah
So he’s rude and unprofessional. Anyone booking entertainment should remember that and cross him off the list.
Brian
When he’s walking down the street he’s off the clock. This has nothing to do with professionalism.
Plus, he took the picture and was polite. People are giving him crap because he wasn’t effusive enough for their liking.
Ummmm Yeah
He’s on the clock when he is tweeting and disrespecting one fan after another.
Polaro
Funny how they crave the spotlight on their terms. That isn’t how it works; never has. Soon no one will care who Bob is and let’s see how his story changes. Bob who? P.S. he was wrong on drag queens too, so he is zero for two this week.
whatsaywhat
“They” WTF are you talking about, Sergei?
this is an article about one person.
Polaro
Huh? Who’s Sergei? If you can’t figure out who they are, then you need some help from someone who gives a crapp.
Caprice Goldberg
Am I the only one who lost a ridiculous amount of respect for Bob due to his confusing “who’s” with “whose”?
Really this whole kerfuffle was of his own doing and I can’t really feign interest… #unbebothered
Polaro
That’s the most important thing to you about what he tweeted? LOL. No.
djmcgamester
I’ve known Bob sort of casually for several years now, including when he used his original drag name. He’s actually a nice person but if you’re looking for lots of warmth and smiles I can tell you that you won’t get that from him. It’s just not how he’s wired and in no way means he feels any particular way about you. Now, if you’re relying on another person (especially a single person) to make you feel good about yourself, nothing is going to make you feel happy. Build connections with people around you and it’ll make a difference.
Prax07
I didn’t like Bob much before, I like him a lot more now after reading his tweets.
tnguy222
A couple of years ago, as an adult, I randomly met Randy Harrison (Justin from Queer as Folk) in the street of NYC.
It was a halcyon experience to meet that first boy who I had loved from afar when I was prepubescent boy myself.
Lacuevaman
shut up fool
tham
I’m starting to care, less and less.
judysdad
Drags and Trans. Who gives a shit?
DCguy
Ummmm, the guy who clicked on the article and then commented on it?
CarlIsle
People often forget that “fan” is short for “fanatic”. Well adjusted adults don’t obsess over celebrities and they certainly don’t demand their time and attention when they see them in the street. I’m so glad Bob didn’t go into “fake apology damage control mode” the way RuPaul did over the transgender issues. These people desperately needed a reality check.
bobbyjoe
Hmmm. Bob may have a point about when celebrities are in public, but after seeing him during the Hater’s Roast tour, where– unlike the other RuPaul queens on the stage– he was extremely low energy, obviously bored, and phoning it in, I wonder if there’s more “there” here than it seems. You don’t have to be jumping for joy when meeting fans, but if you’re genuinely projecting that you wish you were somewhere else, you’re just being a jerk. And if you’re doing that on stage, when you’re being paid to perform, it’s inexcusable. After the show, which was otherwise lots of fun, many of us were like “what was up with Bob?” If I hadn’t have seen the filmed Bob show from Georgia they showed on Logo a little while afterward I would have thought that Bob only cared about the tv show and didn’t give a damn about being a good stage performer. But obviously he does– sometimes. Maybe he was ill or something the night we saw him (though it sure didn’t seem like it) but hearing these other stories, I’m starting to wonder if he’s just flat out unprofessional.
Brian
I saw him on the Drag Queens of Comedy tour last year and he was definitely a standout among a sea of meh queens, including Alaska and Willam (who was obviously drunk as hell). You may have just caught him on a bad day.
Brian
I had 5 minutes of celebrity in my hometown after a tv appearance in the 80’s. It was really weird having strangers stop me when I was out and about. I’m sure you get used to it after awhile, but if you’re not wired to want that kind of attention, it can’t be easy to flip the switch and fake it every time.
tnguy222
I’m sure you wouldn’t mind if you found the person attractive.
I’m pleased to note that Randy aka “Sunshine” and me engaged in the few-seconds-long “I want see you naked” eyes before I actually said something to him; we talked for probably two minutes. He encouraged me to see his play, and we left it at that.
Hand on the Bible.
Lacuevaman
leaving your phone number in gas station’s men’s room can sure come back and bite your in your future! I hate when that happens.
Lacuevaman
leaving your phone number in gas station’s men’s room can sure come back and bite your in your future! I hate when that happens.
Lacuevaman
sorry but I’ve had just a touch too much wine…