RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Detox is defending her decision to work at a circuit party held over Atlanta Pride weekend.
After receiving criticism for booking a gig at a gay bar called The District, Detox took to Twitter on Saturday to say she was sick and tired of having to defend herself for simply accepting work.
I am sick of feeling the need to defend myself because of the actions of others. I have been unemployed for 7 months, as many of us have, & have a lot of bills & have had ZERO government assistance. I would rather not be putting myself at risk in order to survive…
— Detox… (@TheOnlyDetox) October 10, 2020
…but, unfortunately, that’s where I’m at. All I can do personally in these circumstances is to make sure I’m doing everything within my own power to act responsibly, mask up, wash my hands, disinfect, & monitor my own health & body. Would I rather be in a bubble in my own home?
— Detox… (@TheOnlyDetox) October 10, 2020
ABSOLUTELY! Especially with my asthma?! OF COURSE! I do not have that luxury. What I do have is awareness and mindfulness of my own actions and behavior. How bout that.
— Detox… (@TheOnlyDetox) October 10, 2020
She followed that up with more tweets claiming that only a limited number of people would be allowed inside the venue and distancing would be enforced on the dance floor. She also said masks were being encouraged but “if you feel the need to take your mask off, that’s on you.”
All of that being said, to those attending tonight’s event at @DISTRICTatl: the event is at limited capacity, there are sectioned off areas to allow for distancing on the dance floor. Please utilize them. When at those areas with your parties, if you feel the need to take your
— Detox… (@TheOnlyDetox) October 11, 2020
mask off, that’s on you. However, while roaming the bar, ordering drinks, using the restrooms, or tipping your entertainers/asking us for pics, please be considerate & kindly put that mask on for a just a moment! It’s greatly appreciated! If approached too quickly without a mask,
— Detox… (@TheOnlyDetox) October 11, 2020
I may or MAY spray you in da mouth with hand sanitizer. And I thank you! Have fun, y’all!
— Detox… (@TheOnlyDetox) October 11, 2020
The response to Detox’s tweets were mixed. Some understood her need to continue earning a living despite the pandemic.
Listen. You gotta eat. Did any of those people offer to send you money so you can turn down gigs? I’m turning into an angry old woman lately. I’m so sick of keyboard warriors with all the answers.
— Angela Hall🧨🧜🏾 (@angelabeehall) October 11, 2020
This is so important to speak on, thank you. Many people dont have the luxury to stay home and quarantine & the general public largely has little respect for others and pretends the virus doesnt exist. Its scary walking into work every day & coming in contact w/ careless people
— nick🚨 (@dragmusiclove) October 10, 2020
I hope and pray for yours and Mayhem’s safety tonight. The videos from last night were a total shitshow of privileged gays flaunting every CDC recommendation known to man. We all have to do what we have to do to live. I’ve seen your videos. I know the precautions you’ve taken.
— “Boo” Wee T. Shane (@OohWeeTShane) October 10, 2020
Thank you for speaking up! I wish folks would realize they are only extending this for you/others actually doing the most to end this virus. Everyone seems just resigned to waiting for a vaccine and whatever happens until then you’re just supposed to handle 😭
— A.W. (@awildertyme) October 11, 2020
Others were less sympathetic and felt taking the gig was irresponsible.
as a fellow person who works in the entertainment industry and was furloughed, I understand it’s hard right now but this take is absolute clownery… involving yourself in a large public event period rn is going to just further delay any of us going back to work @TheOnlyDetox https://t.co/TfQcivvGDI
— Josh (@pizzashua) October 11, 2020
Performances like this is exactly what perpetuated the spread and indefinite closures of so many venues.
— 🔥😷KEMP KILLS😷🔥 (@saggykhakis) October 12, 2020
I think the situation you described is *most* performers. Just not sure how you took this gig and DIDNT expect some kind of backlash. It was irresponsible for all who hosted, created, performed and attended, period.
— craig (@CMMSQUARED) October 11, 2020
I lost my job in the entertainment industry and shit like this is what’s perpetuating it
— Sally Hackel (@sallyhackel) October 11, 2020
On Saturday, video taken inside a crowded Atlanta gay bar the night before began circulating on Twitter, racking up nearly 1 million views.
Andy Herren, best known for winning Season 15 of Big Brother, shared the clip, tweeting: “Taken last night at Atlanta Pride. And publicly posted to Instagram. In the middle of a pandemic. People can be so sh*tty and selfish. Please don’t be like these people. This is appallingly gross.”
Taken last night at Atlanta Pride. And publicly posted to Instagram. In the middle of a pandemic. People can be so shitty and selfish. Please don’t be like these people. This is appallingly gross. pic.twitter.com/SDafZ0HXfC
— Andy Herren (@AndyHerren) October 10, 2020
And on Sunday, a man tragically died at a circuit party held at another Atlanta gay bar after allegedly taking ecstasy.
Atlanta Pride issued a statement saying any in-person events were not sanctioned by the organization and noting that all of its official events were being held virtually.
“We’d like to make clear that ALL our events during Atlanta Pride are virtual,” the organization tweeted. “We’ve seen videos of large parties; those are not official Atlanta Pride events. Stay home and safe!”
Hi APC family. We'd like to make clear that ALL our events during Atlanta Pride are virtual. We've seen videos of large parties; those are not official Atlanta Pride events. Stay home and safe! pic.twitter.com/VU9hcdgcuh
— Atlanta Pride (@atlantapride) October 10, 2020
Related: Man dies inside Atlanta gay club, igniting outrage over jam-packed Pride parties
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Cam
A girl’s gotta eat.
LegionKeign
It will be kinda difficult if she has a tracheal tube down her throat.
succubus
you are such a fool….. go to the basement and slit your wrists
Jake123
@succubus really Queerty this comment wasn’t moderated. Really!!!
Cam
@succubus
No matter what screename the right wing troll uses, it’s rage at the people here who call it out is always apparent.
Sorry that Putin doesn’t give you a bonus when the all of the smart people on the #LGBTQ blogs don’t fall for your B.S. Maybe try over on one of the Trump fan sites. Those people fall for anything.
Cam
@LegionKeign
The same could be said for all of the people working in grocery stories, restaurants, food delivery, etc. Some people don’t have the luxury of not working. D-Tox said she hadn’t worked in 7 months. That’ a long time to pay a mortgage out of your savings account for many people.
ShiningSex
Detox is stupid. She knew people would risk going just to see her. SO she is partially responsible for it. I hope it affects her career. She can go out and get a f*cking job like others do. I hope the club and others get sued for this event. Hold them all responsible.
Maybe vote blue on election to get the orange maggot out because he’s the biggest problem with this pandemic.
1898
as do the rest of us
she can apply for unemployment and rent assistance like so many of us have had to do, and if that’s not enough she can go to a food pantry like so many of us have had to do
the more people ignore the rules, the longer the virus will carry on and the harder it will be for the rest of us
succubus
trash
Cam
Nothing a right wing troll account hates more than an out of the closet LGBTQ person.
jonsir
Dat asthma hasn’t stopped her from smoking tho……… ?
WashDrySpin
Ms. Thing is a LIAR but she can live with her lies but it will not change that she is irresponsible…
Oh yeah, you want to work…Amazon is HIRING in the Atlanta area…so there is that…get creative with your employment so you won’t have to defend the POOR choices that you have made
Annaronimo
WashDrySpin – Bezos can rot. He doesn’t pay a fair wage and the weakest argument is telling people to become drudges for billionaires.
Jake123
It’s not just her life though it’s everyone she knows, some of which I imagine are in the high risk category. How are we going to beat this if people keep taking the piss!!
ShiningSex
There’s NO excuse for her stupidity. Many people are having financial issues due to the stupid GOP run government that won’t help and an idiot president that could have stop the number of infected if he had acted earlier. Detox is supporting the stupid of those who think they’re immune to such infections. Why is our gay community so stupid when it comes to this crap? They all should be sued for having such an event including Detox. Shame on them all.
WashDrySpin
But what if her default setting is STUPID…she just reset herself to her factory settings…
RandomGuy
Why are so many gay men so genuinely stupid is dry humping shirtless strangers in a club while high on every drug known to science just to show how pretty and popular you are worth the chance of dying a slow agonizing death or being left with permanent organ damage?!… I would have added brain damage but these plastic bags of dumbass don’t seem to have any to be damaged.
jayceecook
I understand that people need to work and eat. I understand that as a gig worker Detox has lost a lot of bookings. And honestly I can’t blame somebody for being desperate to get back to working. Detox isn’t as popular as she used to be as new queens keep being pumped out by Drag Race to take their place. So benefit of the doubt and all that.
However other queens have found ways to make money virtually (outside of doing OF) or in very limited capacities. Sure it doesn’t pay as much but it’s something. If she wanted to get back on the stage then she should have done it in a way that was…well NOT THIS. From the videos this wasn’t about a drag show, this was a bunch of drugged up, boozed up horny queens looking to PNP (Detox included). They probably weren’t even aware she was there. Most likely just considered her a “fever dream”. So spare me the Jean Valjean sob story.
Though as a final thought I want to just add that the woman who made the comment about the people or “fans” casting judgements and shaming her whilst not financially contributing to Detox’s bank account is spot on. I see so many people get on their soap boxes and condem others but don’t give a dime, literally, to support out of work, underemployed, or low income workers. Like Rupaul said, “Unless they paying your bills pay them b*****s no mind.”
Fname Optional Lname
Sorry, not paying someone to do the right thing. There are many queens in the same situation who have done things on the side or gotten a day job. It’s not just drag queens in this position.
MISTERJETT
Detox may be dying as we speak. so was drag the only job she could do? there are jobs out there where safety precautions are enforced. i don’t see any being enforced at the Atlanta pride party. actually, all of them may be dying as we speak.
Wentz
I’ve been staying home since the beginning and not going anywhere unless crucial. Though, even I understand this can’t last much longer. The shaming, at this point, is not helping anyone. Unfortunately, it is what it is now.
gaypalmsprings
Detox must be feeling guilty, having to come up with so many lame excuses.
LumpyPillows
Looks exactly like a super spreader event. Detox had a tough choice and made the wrong decision, in my opinion. That said, I’m not sure she had any way to know how the boys would misbehave either. I think the focus should be on the people who ran the event, the idiot boys, and not the entertainers.
masterwill7
Seriously, doesn’t Atlanta have a government who could just close clubs? Or set a maximum of people per m2? It isn’t that hard, now these things happen because people can’t take responsibility…. In every country in the World clubs are closed by the government during this pandemic, but this is not possible in the US???
ElPillo
Government’s and each others’ support cold make this unnecessary.
kfitzpost
My husband and I unfortunately ran into Detox at the Robyn concert last year in LA. She had a group of people with her, and she and them would regularly leave the front row that they took up so they could go smoke. She had a tall male friend that threatened to beat the shit out of us if we moved up since they left their spots. This was annoying because the pit was SRO & GA, so they had no right to claim territory, especially with violence. She was really uncool and the overall experience made my husband and I not fans in any way.
So this atlanta story makes sense because she ironically seems rather toxic
Cozmo2
Leave her alone she needs money so she can get more injections.
MusicBoi74
Here’s a thought…if you want to “help” stop these things from happening, don’t agree to be the entertainment. If these sorry, sloppy queens don’t have something to attract them to these events, perhaps they won’t happen. Detox…the state paid unemployment to gig workers. There is no excuse. My job was shut down for six weeks, and I did not try to resurrect my nightclub days, I stayed at home. In fact, now that things are reopening, I still have not gone to a club. You screwed up big time. Take responsibility for it.