Kamala Harris is set to appear in the season finale of the latest season of RuPaul’s Drag Race – it’s an appearance that’s already upset all the right people.
Harris, 59, has been backed by the Democrat Party to challenge Republican candidate Donald Trump in the November election after current President Joe Biden confirmed he wouldn’t be running.
The current vice president is bidding to become the first female President in the history of the United States, with the campaigns from both parties now really ramping up.
And part of Harris’ campaign is her upcoming appearance on the season nine finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.
The episode goes out on Friday night on Wow Presents Plus, and will begin with Harris dropping by to pay the likes of Michele Visage and NSYNC’s Lance Bass a visit.
In a short clip already doing the rounds on social media, the Presidential hopeful says: ‘Each day we are seeing our rights and freedoms under attack, including the right of everyone to be who they are, love who they love, openly and with pride.
‘So as we fight back against these attacks, let’s all remember no one is alone. We are all in this together, and your vote is your power. So please make sure your voice is heard this November, and register to vote.’
The clip was recorded several weeks ago, before President Biden revealed he was standing down after a single term, but will now play a part in Harris’ election campaign.
And, predictably, Harris’ decision to go on Drag Race has been something of a Bat-Signal for right-wing political commentators in America.
@RobbyStarbuck took to Twitter to say: ‘Kamala’s chose to begin her campaign with an appearance on Ru Paul’s Drag Race. These people are insane.’
Meanwhile, user @EttyD referred to those featured in the clip as ‘psychopaths’ and @TrilliaCelaeno called the move ‘unclassy’.
@WeTheBrandon suggested the appearance was the sign of a ‘dying empire’, saying: ‘At the end of an empire’s lifespan, things on the inside of the dying husk tend to get a little weird. See [the video] for more.’
On the other side of the political spectrum, the move has been seen as a positive, with Drag Race fans praising the Democrat candidate for speaking directly to the show’s audience.
@ChaoticLeftistW said, ‘God she’s good at speaking to young people! Her campaign is going to win,’ while @ProdNingNing said Harris’ campaign was ‘for the girls and the gays’.
Fans of the reality competition series also drew favourable comparisons between Harris and RuPaul Charles’ famous laughs, saying that ‘girls who IJBOL together stay together’.
‘IJBOL’ is internet slang for ‘I just burst out laughing’.
However, some on the left compared the Drag Race appearance to Hilary Clinton’s failed campaign in 2016, which saw her appeal to younger demographics in similar ways.
@JaseByJason asked: ‘Can anyone explain to me why this is any different to the viral culture chasing Clinton campaign? … What’s the push behind this as a strategy when it was a post-mortem point of embarrassment for the Clinton campaign?’