Drag Race winner Tyra Sanchez has sparked a furious backlash after posting horrific tweets saying that tragic The Vivienne is now "rotting".
The Vivienne, real name James Lee Williams, was confirmed to have died aged 32 at the weekend, leaving the show's fans and the community shocked. But Tyra appeared to be anything but saddened by the terrible news and within hours took to social media.
First, the drag artist - birth name James Ross - quote-tweeted The Vivienne's 2020 post, taking a stab at her. The original tweet read: "Bet Tyra was fuming when she Realised Netflix Spoiled the win Too. Sorry gal. You Tried though". Tyra's response to James' death read: "Yet it doesn’t compare to the fumes of the crematorium."
She didn't stop there, and returned to write: "She’s dead. Rotting. Sending me all the hate in the world won’t bring her back. But do as you must. Because of you the tweet has reached over 25k individuals. Thanks for the much needed attention that I oh so desperately needed."
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Getty Images)Fellow drag queen Kandy Muse, real name Kevin Gabriel Candalario, responded and wrote, “I’ve defended you for years but now you can absolutely go f*** yourself and if our path were to ever cross it’s absolutely on sight bitch, it’s not a threat it’s a promise. you disgusting person.”
Other users waded in and slammed the former winner. "You’re mentally unstable and need help. How dare you be so vile and disgusting after a queen passing, your heart is stone cold," one put, while someone else said: "You can only dream about having as many people adore you as she had. You won’t be missed like she will be."
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X)Another demanded: On behalf of the #DragRace and#rupaulsdragrace fans, I would like to formally request @RuPaulsDragRace and @RuPaul officially rescind the title of RPDR Winner from one Tyra Sanchez, and give it to someone more deserving! Are y’all in agreement?"
A third X user put: "Yeah, enjoy the negative attention, that’s all you’ll ever have hehe, no career, no bookings, no money, no respect, no fame, NO CUSTODY OF YOUR OWN SON, just negative attention. Now that’s something to not be envious about lol."
The Vivienne's death was confirmed on Sunday and shared by publicist and pal Simon Jones. He took to Twitter/X to share a statement that read: "It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams - The Vivienne, has passed this weekend.
"James was an incredibly loved, warm- hearted and amazing person. Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle. They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career. We will not be releasing any further details. We please ask that James's family are given the time and privacy they now need to process and grieve."
In a follow-up post, Simon revealed how "proud" he was of The Vivienne and gave an insight into their close bond. He added: "These are words I never ever wanted to write. Viv was a close friend, a client and someone I loved very much. From the moment I met them in 2019 I knew we could create magic together and I became their manager. Their talent was immense and the light they brought to every room was astonishing. No one has ever made me laugh in my life as much as Viv did. Their comic genius and quick wit was like no other.
"I'm so proud and lucky that Viv was such a big part of my life every day for the last 5 years. It's tragic that their career was only just beginning. In musical theatre Viv had found a space and career they loved, excelled and thrived in. I am heartbroken and devastated at this news. RIP my wonderful friend. You left us way too soon."
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