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Pearl says ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ producers banned her from ‘All Stars’

The season seven contestant says the interaction with Ru ‘broke my spirit’

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Pearl, gay news, Washington Blade
Pearl, gay news, Washington Blade

Pearl (Photo courtesy Project Publicity)

Season seven “RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestant Pearl claims the show’s producers banned her from appearing on an “All Stars” season because of a revealing interview she did about RuPaul.

On “Hey Qween,” Pearl says her interaction with Ru “broke my spirit.”

“We were filming a segment, just kind of chatting, bantering together,” Pearl says. “Then the camera went down for a moment, and I turned to RuPaul and said, ‘Oh my god, I just wanna say thank you so much, like, it’s such an honor to be here, such a pleasure to meet you,’ just giving her everything I ever wanted to say. She turned to me and said, ‘Nothing you say matters unless that camera is rolling.’”

“That broke my spirit, and that is the reason why I had one foot in, one foot out the entire time I was on that show. Maybe that was me being petty, maybe that was me thinking it should’ve been something I never should’ve expected it to be, but in that moment, it was so heartbreaking because I idolized her, I worshipped her, and I felt like it was so disrespectful… so Hollywood, rotted and gross. How could you say that to someone who’s just, like, obsessed with you?” she continued.

Pearl followed up that interview with a video claiming that “RuPaul’s Drag Race” producers informed her she would not be invited onto an “All Stars” season because of the comments.

“If you wanna know the real T, I had a producer from ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ call me after the interview aired and guaranteed me that I would never come back and do ‘All Stars.’ Now, I was never dumb enough to think I would be invited back for ‘All Stars,’ and I was definitely not gunning for it at all, but to openly punish me for being honest about a situation that happened with me after four years of silence is disgusting and shameful. This narrative about how we, Drag Race contestants, owe our lives to ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ that needs to completely change. I’m very sorry to inform you, but I’m finally at the place in my life where I am confident enough to know that I would have been somebody with or without ‘Drag Race,’” Pearl says.

According to Pearl, other queens told her they had similar experiences with RuPaul.

She also urged her supporters not to send hate to RuPaul and praised her for having a “wealth of knowledge.”

Watch below.

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PHOTOS: The Audacity Brunch

2026 Capital Pride Honors presented at ‘Full Fuchsia’ ceremony

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The 2026 Capital Pride Honors were presented at The Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia on Sunday, June 7. (Washington Blade photo by Landon Shackelford)

The Capital Pride Alliance presented the 2026 Capital Pride Honors at “The Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia” at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C. on Sunday, June 7.

(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)

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Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves

Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community

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(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.

The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.

This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.

For more details, visit the cemetery’s website

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Baltimore Pride is here

Parade, block party, festival planned for Maryland city

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A scene from last year’s Baltimore Pride. This year’s main events take place on Saturday and Sunday. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.

The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.

There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events. 

For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website

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