People are wondering what has happened to Sherry Pie, one of the contenders for season 12 of RuPaul's Drag Race after being disqualified. The Internet has a few conjectures and possible photo evidence of the whereabouts. With that said, Sherry Pie hasn't updated any social media or given news reporters or photographers any details on where she is.
Season 12 of the show has been quite contentious, even with the show's previous history. The drag queen contestants get salty with each other on Zoom, which is unusual for Drag Race standards. Sherry Pie, real name Joey Gugliemelli, was cut from the show after the allegations and evidence of her catfishing men came to light, despite making it to the top 4. Viewers did not like this, but there is only so much editing that producers can do when a scandal derails filming. Not even a sexy Freddy Krueger could be scarier than the real-life drama behind the scenes.
Since the scandal, Sherry Pie's presence has disappeared from the Internet, with social media accounts not updating since March after Gugliemelli posted an apology. The show made her an un-person after minimizing her screen time, so they are trying not to discuss the scandal. Twitter has reportedly gotten pictures of Sherry Pie at protest marches this past weekend. The photo shows a figure in black wearing a fedora, sunglasses, mask and suit. While the distance and clothing hides who the person really is, it may be Gugliemelli under all of the private eye ensembles. We cannot confirm or deny if it is the same contestant or a random passerby.
We have to admit, Sherry Pie has shown that it is possible to completely disappear from the world after a major disgrace. It is impressive and terrifying; impressive in the sense that no, the Internet cannot find everyone it seems and terrifying that someone who conducts misconduct can blend back into the crowds. Gugliemelli apologized and said he was getting help, but we've heard that cookie-cutter statement for several years. More than likely, they are looking for a plan B as to how to revive their career and seek a fresh start.
The other terrifying part is how easily Sherry Pie was able to lie to actors in need of work. A simple name change, talking about contracts and locations, and then she allegedly convinced one candidate to masturbate on camera. While the actors were uncomfortable, they didn't spot the red flags until after they sent in tapes. Someone took advantage of their desire to find good-paying roles, leaving them with the trauma forever. And yet that someone can just take on another persona if caught. The person who catfishes men and lies to them about hiring them for shows can march in a crowd as a nameless face.
If you have been catfished, however, it is not your fault. Someone had an intention to deceive you, for malevolent intentions. While it's good to know the signs of a catfisher, it's not the first time someone has lied about their identity for an ulterior motive. The difference is that the Internet adds more connection and distance. Anyone who has been catfished deserves happiness, comfort about what is real, and recovery.
RuPaul's Drag Race did not deserve this, especially with how the entire season had to be overhauled. We could argue about the better screening of candidates, management of drama, and a show having the flexibility to manage a crisis. The show, however, is meant to bring joy to the viewers and add layers of queer representation to media. It did not deserve an upset of a candidate being a liar, manipulator, and potentially a sexual predator. Let us hope that Sherry Pie's victims will recover in due course, and that the show can as well.
Source: Twitter