Arts & Entertainment
Wendy Williams facing criticism – again – for ‘dismissive’ treatment of catfish victims
Talk show host Wendy Williams is under fire again, this time for a program about the recent “catfishing” scam perpetrated by a former contestant on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
Sherry Pie (whose non-drag name is Joey Gugliemelli) was exposed on Facebook earlier this month by an aspiring performer, Ben Shimkus, who posted what he called “a weird story” about the competitor on the popular reality show’s current season. Several other young male actors came forward soon afterward with similar tales, with Gugliemelli issuing an apology a few days later.
Gugliemelli was disqualified from “Drag Race” as a result of the incident, although the majority of the season had already been filmed and episodes featuring the disgraced contestant continue to air – despite the subsequent revelation of Gugliemelli’s long history of fraudulence and sexual misconduct allegations, who for years had used false identities to pressure people into performing sexual acts on video in hopes of a non-existent casting opportunity.
The talk show host enters the picture because of a recent episode of “The Wendy Williams Show” on which she discussed the controversy with comedian and personality Michael Yo during a segment called “Inside Scoop.”
During the conversation, Yo summed up the story as follows:
“So this Ben guy, said that Sherry Pie catfished him, said she was a casting director, would send emails to him, back and forth, getting him to do lewd things…like masturbating on audition tapes. Is that lewd enough for you?”
He then went on:
“I mean, why didn’t these people do research? I’m not blaming them, but they’re young, the guys are young – they’re 23, 24 years old, trying to get their big break…so, man, but you have to do the research.”
Williams and Yo’s glib treatment of the controversy went so far as giggling over the fake name Gugliemelli had used for one of non-existent movies he had enticed his victims with – “Bulk.”
Shimkus wrote about the experience of watching the segment, which he described as “dismissive and vapid,” in an article penned for GayCities:
“When I watched this video clip of Michael Yo getting an audience to laugh at my story, I immediately became angry. With time to reflect, I am attempting to maintain moral integrity while not becoming bitter about this situation that has put me on national television, I’ve found other ways to interpret this moment.
“The nine of us who came forward told flagrant accusations of sexual harassment, and when we spoke out together, it was the queer and queer ally community who believed us, and supported us. I have received messages directly from hundreds of people, who have been so generous and shared their stories.
“We have a lot of work to do to advance our conversations around how we treat people who speak out against sexual harassment and coercion.”
Following the article, many voices in the LGBTQ community called for Williams’ syndicated talk show to be cancelled, spreading the hashtag #cancelwendywilliams on social media.
The incident is the latest in a string of tone deaf missteps that have plagued up for the host, who last month was pressured to apologize for comments she made that were seen as anti-LGBTQ.
“The Wendy Williams Show,” which is on temporary hiatus due to the coronavirus outbreak, could not be reached for comment.
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The Freddie’s Follies drag show was held at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va. on Saturday, Jan. 3. Performers included Monet Dupree, Michelle Livigne, Shirley Naytch, Gigi Paris Couture and Shenandoah.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more
Amy Madigan’s win in the supporting actress category puts her in serious contention to win the Oscar for ‘Weapons’
From Chelsea Handler shouting out Heated Rivalry in her opening monologue to Amy Madigan proving that horror performances can (and should) be taken seriously, the Critics Choice Awards provided plenty of iconic moments for queer movie fans to celebrate on the long road to Oscar night.
Handler kicked off the ceremony by recapping the biggest moments in pop culture last year, from Wicked: For Good to Sinners. She also made room to joke about the surprise hit TV sensation on everyone’s minds: “Shoutout to Heated Rivalry. Everyone loves it! Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it!”
The back-to-back wins for Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein and Amy Madigan in Weapons are notable, given the horror bias that awards voters typically have. Aunt Gladys instantly became a pop culture phenomenon within the LGBTQ+ community when Zach Cregger’s hit horror comedy released in August, but the thought that Madigan could be a serious awards contender for such a fun, out-there performance seemed improbable to most months ago. Now, considering the sheer amount of critics’ attention she’s received over the past month, there’s no denying she’s in the running for the Oscar.
“I really wasn’t expecting all of this because I thought people would like the movie, and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys! I mean, it’s crazy,” Madigan said during her acceptance speech. “I get [sent] makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she’s a sex icon also, which I didn’t go too deep into that one.”
Over on the TV side, Rhea Seehorn won in the incredibly competitive best actress in a drama series category for her acclaimed performance as Carol in Pluribus, beating out the likes of Emmy winner Britt Lower for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Pluribus, which was created by Breaking Bad’s showrunner Vince Gilligan, has been celebrated by audiences for its rich exploration of queer trauma and conversion therapy.
Jean Smart was Hack’s only win of the night, as Hannah Einbinder couldn’t repeat her Emmy victory in the supporting actress in a comedy series category against Janelle James, who nabbed a trophy for Abbott Elementary. Hacks lost the best comedy series award to The Studio, as it did at the Emmys in September. And in the limited series category, Erin Doherty repeated her Emmy success in supporting actress, joining in yet another Adolescence awards sweep.
As Oscar fans speculate on what these Critics Choice wins mean for future ceremonies, we have next week’s Golden Globes ceremony to look forward to on Jan. 11.
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