Tamron Hall Show Gives Disgraced Drag Race Contestant A Platform

Disqualified Drag Race contestant Joey Gugliemelli (aka Sherry Pie) made his first appearance on the Tamron Hall Show since the catfishing allegations made against him last year.

During his interview with Tamron Hall Mr Gugliemelli said he was sorry for his “horrible behaviour” and  that he was not sure if more allegations would be made against him after this interview. 

Gugliemelli said he has been doing cognitive behavioural therapy over the last year.

Days before his debut on Season 12 of RuPaul’s Drag Race Gugliemelli was accused of catfishing multiple actors by posing as a fake casting director called Alison Mossey. Gugliemelli then tricked the actors into sending fetish videos as audition tapes.

Gugliemelli confirmed he did indeed do what he was accused of in a Facebook status last year and has not been heard from since appearing on the Tamron Hall Show.

 In the lead up to the segment with Gugliemelli the Tamron Hall Show was heavily criticised by many people within the LGBTQI community on social media.

One of the victims of Mr Gugliemelli, Ben Shimkus, said on Twitter he “spoke with producers at @TamronHallShow and told them that I and the 20 victims that I spoke to today DO NOT want them to air a segment with Sherry Pie.” 

https://twitter.com/BenShimkus/status/1361417639185113089?s=20

Rupaul’s Drag Race Season 12 contestant, Jackie Cox said she had consulted some of the victims as well and tweeted that the Tamron Hall Show should reconsider giving Sherry Pie a platform.

I am publicly calling on @TamronHallShow to reconsider giving Sherry Pie access to the platform of national television to tell their side of the story without first speaking with the victims of her abuses and allowing them to weigh in on their own trauma. (1/4)

— Jackie Cox (@JackieCoxNYC) February 15, 2021

“Giving Sherry a spotlight without the forethought to reach out to the victims is irresponsible, immoral and wrong,” Jackie Cox said. “Sherry manipulated these men into filming live sexual acts, putting their bodies in physical danger by coercing them to use steroids, and finacially controlled them by encouraging these men to turn down paying jobs in lieu of the fake film project Sherry created.”

 Following Gugliemelli’s interview, Tamron Hall also spoke with culture commentator and on-air personality Ryan Mitchell about the ethics of having Gugliemelli on her show.

Mitchell said it is important to consider how interviewing a predator like Gugliemelli will impact the victims.

“It is a privilege to have this platform and to bring someone on like a Joey to come on and basically rebrand themselves,” Mr Mitchell said. “I think you can (have someone like Joey on the show) but having an awareness of what the nuances are and what the context are and listening to the people online about maybe this might not be the right time.”

Hall said she did invite David Mack from Buzzfeed who broke the original story about the allegations against Gugliemelli, to come on the show but he declined.