Drag queen bingo night at Connecticut church received 'extraordinary' response from community, reverend says
A Connecticut church sparked controversy after hosting a drag queen bingo night to raise money for an annual youth mission trip to rebuild homes in Appalachia.
Actress Melissa McCarthy, who starred in the movie "Bridesmaids," set off a debate on Instagram after she made a viral post defending drag queens and claimed that drag has been a staple in entertainment for years.
"You've been entertained by drag queens your whole life," the post read.
"Don't pretend it's a problem now."
McCarthy’s post, which went viral online and picked up more than 228,000 likes in under 24 hours, attracted mixed responses from her fans.
The post included pictures of celebrities like deceased actor Robin Williams, Monty Python star John Cleese, a character from the cartoon "Looney Tunes" and others who were dressed in drag for comedic or entertainment purposes.
McCarthy’s post follows closely on news that Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, signed legislation this month to restrict drag shows and ban gender transition treatment for minors.
Tennessee previously had restrictions in place against "adult-oriented businesses" in the state.
TENNESSEE BECOMES FIRST STATE TO BAN DRAG SHOWS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, NEAR SCHOOLS
A number of high-profile drag stars supported McCarthy's post on Instagram.
Benjamin H. Putnam, who goes by the stage name BenDeLaCreme, praised McCarthy for her post.
Melissa McCarthy arrives at the world premiere of "The Kitchen" at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Monday, Aug. 5, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
"THANK YOU," the drag star and former contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race, wrote.
"It’s been disheartening to see how few allies are bringing attention to what is happening. These drag bans are only the tip of the iceberg. A way to slowly desensitize the American public to increasingly dangerous anti-queer rhetoric. I hope to continue to see celebrities and public figures speak up as more and more LGBTQ+ lives are endangered."
Another "RuPaul’s Drag Race" star who goes by the stage name Pandora Boxx, also supported McCarthy.
"Thank you! Drag queens are not the problem."
RuPaul, host of "RuPaul's Drag Race," a popular show that is currently in its 15th season. (VH1)
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The battle over drag shows raged on in the comment section of McCarthy’s post, with users arguing over whether such shows were good for children.
One Instagram user, who said that they were a fan of McCarthy’s, wrote that the post was disingenuous.
"I love ya Melissa, but now I have to cancel you if you really think the above examples represent what is happening now with children."
Another user claimed that drag shows were all about love and music.
"There are so many people in the comments who have never seen a children's drag storytime and seem very concerned about the content. I have been to many with my children and there is nothing but love, music, and beautiful performers who are, yes, in drag."
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Fox News’ Julia Musto contributed to this report.