Drag Star Trixie Mattel and NY Congressman George Santos Get Into It on Twitter Following ‘SNL’ Impersonation
New York Congressman George Santos has been a lightning rod of controversy since his election in November 2022, as many of his claims about his education and work history have been proven to be false. Santos’ repeated lies have earned him criticism as well as parody, as actors impersonate the New York congressman on various TV shows. Santos, for his part, wasn’t happy about the impersonations, and when RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars winner Trixie Mattel attempted to poke fun at the congressman, Santos responded with shade of his own.
Congressman George Santos has been impersonated on ‘SNL’ and ‘The Tonight Show’
George Santos made history with his election as the first openly gay non-incumbent Republican to be elected to Congress. But once his purported résumé began being revealed as filled with lies, Santos became the object of ridicule on shows such as The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live.
On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, comedian Jon Lovitz brought out his best George Santos impersonation as “Santos” was interviewed by Fallon. On Saturday Night Live, cast member Bowen Yang dressed up as Santos’ alleged drag persona, Kitara Ravache.
Santos, for his part, doesn’t find any of the impersonations funny. “I have now been enshrined in late night TV history with all these impersonations, but they are all TERRIBLE so far,” he said on Twitter. “Jon Lovitz is supposed to be one of the greatest comedians of all time and that was embarrassing — for him not me! These comedians need to step their game up.”
Trixie Mattel and George Santos’ Twitter exchange
Musician and business mogul Trixie Mattel chimed in with her opinion on Santos’ recent parody fame, replying to Santos’ frustration with his impersonations on Twitter, “Maybe the source material was weak.”
Rather than ignore Trixie’s tweet, Santos replied to the “C’mon Loretta” singer, saying, “Clearly you know all about weak acting skills,” pointing to an attached GIF from Mattel’s panned Snatch Game impersonation of RuPaul on season 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.
Trixie has laughed about her lackluster impersonation that landed her in the bottom that episode over the years, and she knew how to have fun with Santos about it. “I am not an actor!” she said. “I was young and I had fun at a festival!”
Santos replied, “It’s all good! I won my race against the fan favorite too,” noting Trixie’s All Stars win over fan-favorite queen Shangela.
Drag Race season 12 winner and Trixie’s Milwaukee sister Jaida Essence Hall shared her thoughts on the situation. “Girl the fact that she even knows the context of this!” she said, tweeting a photo of Trixie’s exchange with Santos over her Snatch Game impersonation. “I’m not saying limp wrist but I wouldn’t trust her holding my cocktail!”
Santos’ claims to drag fame
Trixie’s quote insisting she wasn’t an actor and was young and having fun at a festival is a reference to Santos’ own words when confronted by press if he performed as a drag queen named Kitara Ravache while living in Brazil. “No, I was not a drag queen in Brazil, guys,” Santos said, according to CNN. “I was young and I had fun at a festival. Sue me for having a life.”
Santos’ confirmation that Kitara Ravache in the surfaced photos was actually him is a reversal from his position just a few days prior. “The most recent obsession from the media claiming that I am a drag queen or ‘performed’ as a drag queen is categorically false,” Santos previously tweeted. “The media continues to make outrageous claims about my life while I am working to deliver results.”
Drag Race season 12 and All Stars season 6 contestant Jan Sport poked fun at Kitara Ravache, sharing a video on TikTok of her take on Santos’ drag look from over a decade ago.
