“Cross-dressing for Christ!”
That’s how Lauren Banall describes her work, and somehow, it’s perfectly accurate. This year, the Los Angeles drag queen went viral as Erika Qwerk, her icy-eyed, blonde-wigged parody of MAGA mouthpiece Erika Kirk. What Banall thought might make a few dozen brunchgoers laugh exploded into millions of views — and something much bigger.
Banall created Turning Point U.S.GAY, a traveling right-wing parody drag show in which performers transform into conservative figures like Candace Owens, Kristi Noem, and Rudy Giuliani. The shows have sold out venues from Los Angeles to New York and raised more than $70,000 for the ACLU.
“I can’t believe that my passion for politics and passion for drag have collided to create my biggest success so far,” Banall says. “It all came from me pushing through my fears and leaning into the person I’ve always been. I feel uniquely built to meet this moment.”
For anyone feeling intimidated by the current political moment, Banall has some advice: “Do not comply in advance and do not walk in fear.” Or, more bluntly: “What we really need is a healthy dose of, ‘Fuck you, make me.’” @laurenbanall
