clowning around

Sherry Pie returns to drag 2 years after scandal and people are pissed

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Joey Gugliemelli, better known as  Sherry Pie, the drag queen who was disqualified from RuPaul’s Drag Race amid reports of fraud and sexual misconduct, appears to be angling for a comeback.

Over a ten-year period, Gugliemelli posed as a casting assistant or casting director advising other young actors on their careers. That also often involved convincing actors to film audition scenes at least partially nude and recite a sexually suggestive monologue. Just after the premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12, a number of victims came forward with their stories of Guglamielli’s coercion and manipulation. The producers of the show fired Gugliemelli in response to the allegations. [A more detailed telling of the story can be found here, as a Queerty exclusive.]

“Coming back to socials has me gagging,” Gugliemelli wrote on a post Friday. In it, Pie appears in clown drag with hashtags like #camp, #rebirth, #mentalhealth and #bpdawareness (aka ‘Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness’). She also described her look as being “April Fool’s day” inspired on her Instagram Story.

 

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A post shared by Sherry Pie (@sherrypienyc)

“Hey all,” Gugliemelli wrote. “I want to say thanks so much for the positivity. Returning to social medias is a large step in my mental health journey and this decision was not made lightly. It has been made easier by those who have stood by me as I learn and grow.

“I really appreciate your patience and the opportunity to share my art,” Gugliemelli added. “I am doing this for myself and for those who appreciate this. I understand that this will make some upset or angry. It’s ok to be upset and feel what you feel. I can only say I am a flawed human being doing my best to be a better person.

“I’m a work in progress,” the post concluded. “Thank you.”

Just shy of a year after the disqualification, Gugliemelli appeared on The Tamron Hall Show to address his sexual harassment scandal.

The interview featured Gugliemelli telling his side of the story: that he suffers from borderline personality disorder and had given up performing in the wake of the catfishing scandal. The Tamron Hall Show also ran the interview over the public objections of Gugliemelli’s victims, including those of Ben Shimkus, the actor who first came forward about Gugliemelli’s misconduct.

It was later revealed by Entertainment Weekly that Sherry Pie performed in shows in Beacon, New York throughout the year.

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