Well, that didn’t take long!
Joey Gugliemelli, a.k.a. Sherry Pie, currently appears on Season 12 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. This week, he was accused of catfishing multiple young men by pretending to be a casting director and tricking them into sending him degrading videos of themselves.
One man, 23-year-old Josh Lillyman, told BuzzFeed News he was pressured by Gugliemelli to masturbate on camera as part of a fake audition process.
“I did everything he asked me to because at that point he had built up so much detail for the show that I was truly convinced it was real and associated with HBO,” he said. “It took a lot for me to break that delusion. I was willingly doing all the things he was asking me to.”
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Now, VH1 and production company World of Wonder have issued a statement saying Joey Gugliemelli/Sherry Pie has been officially disqualified from the show amid the disturbing allegations.
“In light of recent developments and Sherry Pie’s statement, Sherry Pie has been disqualified from RuPaul’s Drag Race,” the statement reads. “Out of respect for the hard work of the other queens, VH1 will air the season as planned. Sherry will not appear in the grand finale scheduled to be filmed later this spring.”
Yesterday, 28-year-old Gugliemelli took to Facebook to issue a blanket apology for his predatory behavior.
“I want to start by saying how sorry I am that I caused such trauma and pain and how horribly embarrassed and disgusted I am with myself,” he wrote. “I know that the pain and hurt that I have caused will never go away and I know that what I did was wrong and truly cruel.”
He went on to say that he has struggled with mental health issues and is currently seeking treatment in New York City.
“I truly apologize to everyone I have hurt with my actions,” Gugliemelli said. “I also want to say how sorry I am to my sisters of season 12 and honestly the whole network and production company. All I can do is change the behavior and that starts with me and doing that work.”
This is Joey, I want to start by saying how sorry I am that I caused such trauma and pain and how horribly embarrassed…
Posted by Sherry Pie on Thursday, March 5, 2020
Season 12 of RuPaul’s Drag Race will continue as scheduled tonight at 8 p.m. on VH1, although it remains to be seen how the show will address Gugliemelli’s disqualification in the upcoming episodes, which were pre-taped.
Related: “Drag Race” star Sherry Pie apologizes for catfishing young men
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Imjustsaying
Oh those poor “victims” if only they had sent in degrading videos of themselves and actually got the part!
Hdtex
What a DISGUSTING comment. Garbage human.
Cam
Translation: She deserved that rape because she wore that short skirt.
jayceecook
Well if the rumors are true that she made top 4 then what a freaking stupid way to implode not only the possibility of winning Drag Race but your entire drag career. He knew Shimkus personally, they were friends at one point, if you were interested why not just say something to him? And if you’re so hard up to see guys masturbate and do weird shite for you there are plenty of ways to do that in a healthier and consensual manner.
Catholicslutbox
Trololol. He had it coming.
He was too “old school” drag for my liking.
Polaro
So, his behavior would have been acceptable if you liked his drag better?
ggore
The proof in the pudding will be if Pie starts showing up on the Drag Race tour circuit. I’ll bet anything he does. Everyone knows that eliminated Drag Race contestants never really “sashay away”, no matter why they were eliminated, they are immediately hired by the RuPaul organization for touring, music videos, albums, appearances on Ru’s TV shows, etc etc.
Cam
You do realize there is a difference between “Eliminated” and “Disqualified” right? Even Willam was allowed to come back for the finale.
tf3.0
NEWS FLASH: Man Who Dresses Like A Freak Has Mental Health Issues
Kheft
It is horrible that this narcissistic predator has ruined so many lives as well as the future of RPDR. There were queens I was excited about for this season. I tried to watch last night but there’s just too much poison in that Sherry Pie. There are many survivors among us. I realize World of Wonder hasn’t had much time to do damage control but going ahead and airing the season as it stands is a betrayal of every survivor who has championed the show all these years. This is not the sort of sickening we want from RPDR. Boycotting the entire season. Hope World of Wonder sends their legal big guns after Sherry Pie for the damage she has done.
Cam
You know, I love the show and normally would argue against your point.
HOWEVER….I watched the show, and normally moments I would have thought were funny, or the scene where Sherry was complaining about the other contestant whining were ruined because all I could think about was “predator”.
I’m going to watch, but if she goes too far I might give up , and you’re right, it’s tainted, and sorry that it triggered enough revulsion in you that you can’t watch this season.
Oh, and sidenote. The producers were obviously pushing Sherry to make the finals. She wore a bad knockoff of the Jellyfish Dress that Detox was ripped apart for, yet they made her one of the top two. They need to be MUCH less obvious in their hypocrisy.
dhmonarch89
what she did was awful- but, sadly- it’s pretty common in the gay community. On several sites featuring celebs I read, posters are continually making comments about tricking this celeb or that into sending dick pics or videos…half the celeb leaks were gotten that way. So- if you look at leaked celeb dick pics and videos (Chris Mears, Tyler Posey, Noah Centineo, Peyton Meyers, etc, etc, etc…) and don’t condemn them- it’s pretty hypocritical to slam her for it.
Cam
Why are you comparing her to the victims? They were scammed, she was a scammer.
dhmonarch89
Not at all- just pointing out that many in gay community do this and people look at the leaked videos all the time- ask for them…if we’re not slamming the guys behind the Mears, Posey, Centineo video leaks- it’s kind of hypocritical to go after her.
boymikefl
Suggestion, if someone calls you and says you owe $10,000 back taxes of you go to jail uuuuuuh, you’re an idiot.