James Ross, the former drag queen who went by Tyra Sanchez and took home the crown on RuPaul’s Drag Race season two, has one final message for Tyra’s online audience: “Forget me.”
Ross has had a contentious relationship with the Drag Race fandom, which is known to behave horribly to some queens, sometimes going so far as to send racist messages and even threats of violence.
Of course, Ross has often escalated things, telling fans to kill themselves and threatening to attack DragCon, an action that got him banned from the massive event.
Ross posted one (possibly?) last Twitter thread on the topic, saying enough is enough:
How about we take this to the next level?
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When will you faggots learn I do what I want, not what you want me to do.
— James Ross (@creatoriv) June 8, 2020
You act as tho this comes from no where. Every morning I wake to your racist hate and I say nothing. I block you and keep moving. Today I have time. I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired of white people leaving comments on my page, inboxing me hate every single damn day.
— James Ross (@creatoriv) June 7, 2020
And don’t fucking tell me there are more important issues to discuss right now when I’ve been screaming those important issues for the last ten years while you continue to send your racists hate daily.
— James Ross (@creatoriv) June 7, 2020
And FYI RuPaul, RuPaul’s Drag Race and World of Wonder have been silent for years about black lives mattering. Don’t for a second think they care about you. It’s simply the trendy thing for them to do at this time. They are racist themselves.
— James Ross (@creatoriv) June 7, 2020
You don’t fucking get it. I WANT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR TOXIC COMMUNITY. STOP TAGGING ME IN YOUR POSTS, STOP INCLUDING ME WITH YOUR WINNERS. JUST FORGET ME. DAMN IS THAT SO FUCKING HARD TO DO?
— James Ross (@creatoriv) June 7, 2020
And pinned to Ross’ Twitter profile (all Trya accounts have been deactivated), is this request:
Ross, James Ross. You can call me Jay.
You may refer to me as he, him, your majesty or Zaddy pic.twitter.com/gOgEL8jvFk
— James Ross (@creatoriv) March 27, 2020
After the DragCon incident, Ross later apologized for his role in the conflict.
“I was on an extreme roller coaster of emotions. So many ups and too many downs. Exhausted, I was just ready to get off the ride. Last year I finally did just that. Exit the ride,” he wrote at the time.
“I learned that for years I’ve been unknowingly beating myself up. Never believing I was good enough, I looked for acceptance in the wrong places and accepted undeserving treatment … I allowed the negativity to consume me. Bottling it inside and smiling through tears I became rebellious; thought it empowered me.
“I know right from wrong and I for damn sure know the online behavior I displayed in recent years ain’t how my momma raised me!
“No more fighting wars with hearts and anger, instead I decided to lead by example with dignity, honesty and integrity. I am here to encourage others and to stand together in love.”
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Cam
For some reason Ru really favored Tyra that season and the audience did not. He did Tyra no favors by handing her a win the audience didn’t think she should get, especially against JuJuBee and Raven that season.
Tyra would have been much better off if she’d just made the finals. There wouldn’t have been such a backlash against her, which must have put a lot of pressure on her and she didn’t know how to respond to all of that and I don’t think she’s ever really recovered.
Charlie in Charge
I ca absolutely see your point but like… what does that say about the bizarre pettiness of fandoms? He won a drag pageant when others probably should have won – let it go, people.
valentino888
Tyra was more beautiful and the reversible outfits (which were very clever) seemed to have impressed him.
kathyjcostello69
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Cam
@valentino888
Agreed, the issue with Tyra was mostly that she wasn’t a great presenter, shy, quiet voice, maybe an introvert. She had the look and the runway, it was the other areas where Raven and JuJu killed it and Raven was good on the runway. So she just didn’t have the audience like Bebe, Raja, etc.
KerriLynn77
Tyra did not deserve that win. Raven was absolutely robbed.
LegionKeign
For someone who doesn’t want anything to do with the Drag Community, he sure does like to hear himself yap about it.
We get it. You couldn’t handle the exposure, responsibilities and all that encompasses being RuPaul’s winner.
SO MOVE ON.
I will give it to James, when he burns his bridges, he does so spectacularly!
And another thing…Is it really only white folks sending you racist hate? You don’t like anyone so maybe some black folks are sending hate your way, too, I mean you attack EVERYONE!
TMBisAOK
Oh, so now he can’t even “yap” about his being racistly mentally abused!? I suppose you’d be upset if a victim of rape kept “yapping” about it too. ? And he is MOVING ON from the abuse, just not on YOUR timeline. Get back to us when you have had to deal with the bigotry and racism he has.
justgeo
Get your snatch in treatment for a VERY LONG TIME. Guirl!
AxelDC
Complaining about racism while dropping the F-word. Nice.
Kangol2
True but he is gay, girl, or did you miss that?
pharaon.em.joe
The crown and title should be passed to Raven, seriously.
jsmu
What a B*TCH-*SS F*GGOT C*NT!
RFD
Your wish is fine with me. You are forgotten. And you should have never won that year. Raven should have. Rupaul made a bad choice as she has several times.
azjeff17
We forgot about that nitwit years ago.
IanHunter
Bye Bye. Don’t come back, wish granted. Give Raven the crown and Sashay, Away.
ScottOnEarth
I think he wants to be left alone. Being a public person in the gay community is brutal. It’s the most unwelcoming, unkind, judgmental and hateful so-call “community” out there.
valentino888
True.
Josh in OR
Good for him, I guess. He’s been a toxic mess for years, and clearly age has not mellowed him. I wish him well in his life moving forward, and hope to never hear from him again.
Of course, I hoped for that after he won his season (Tyra, while lovely to look at, was boring, bland, haughty and generally unpleasant) and almost seemed like I was getting what I hoped for…
Jake123
She’s Coo Coo and not in a Tammie Brown sort of way ?
toddlicious
Undeserving win anyway.., let her go.
barryaksarben
It is always the toxic person who screams others are toxic. Good luck maybe you can be the next batchlor
Large Marge
Here’s a thought Tyra…. instead of telling other people what to do, why don’t you just not go online and shut the heck up?
missvamp
well bitch- just go away then. raven or jujubee should have won that year. your fake ass should have taken 3rd place to them & you always will in my eyes. your attitude is terrible & always was.
SFMike
Bye bye bitch. You won’t be missed. You take your position in the world way to seriously.
kookookachoo
I rarely know many of these people that are supposed to be famous.
mwhill
This queen NEVER should have won to start out with . She was beautiful but if there was a Miss Non-Congeniality Award , she would have won. Good riddance to bad trash and “her son”!
barryaksarben
DUDE< I DID FORGET ABOUT YOU BUT YOU DONT REALLY SEEM TO GO AWAY
barryaksarben
RU Paul screwed up with you as she did when she chose that one queen over Bendala
Terrycloth
Sigh….Drama Queen
Roan
Oh, please. He was cancelled long ago.
zealot
…..and you are….?
hotshot70
So give the Runnerup from Season 2 the crown and prize $. I erased Tyra from all my archives
SeanBateman
You know, usually I wouldn’t even bother with leaving a comment on the topics I come across on this site… But, I felt moved to point out how damn ridiculous some of these comments are. It’s bitch this, toxic that, even going as far as to bring up the man’s child. You people are the one he’s complaining about! He started at a deficit (people not feeling he deserved the win, even though in the grand scheme of things your opinions mean nothing, the race is not name after you and you can’t rewrite history. Some of y’all need to let it go more than he does.) and maybe he didn’t handle being blamed for a win that was beyond his control so well, but sometimes when people are backed into a corner they overreact. This “fandom” has a long and storied history being toxic and destructive when it comes to certain queens, especially queens of color. If you’re really not bothered then why even comment on the story in the first place?
latinorican
Bravo I support your comments
MusicBoi74
Who?