Photo: Tommaso Boddi/WireImage/Getty Images
If youre confused about why the actress Jameela Jamil has found herself at the center of controversy again, then youve come to a good place. At the beginning of this week, HBO announced Jamil would MC and host a forthcoming show called Legendary, a nine-episode unscripted ballroom-style competition series. By Thursday, the story has drifted quite far: In the face of criticism over her lack of ties to the ballroom scene and, seemingly, to the LGBT community as a whole Jamil revealed that she is queer. In between, there was some messy press coverage, making the story fertile ground for a social-media dustup. Heres what you need to know.
The controversy began on Monday, when HBO announced that Jamil would star in the networks new reality voguing competition, in a press release headlined HBO Maxs Ballroom Vogueing Competition Series Legendary Taps Jameela Jamil to MC and Judge. Ballroom-style competitions, in which contestants vogue, walk, and pose for prizes, have flourished for decades in queer POC scenes. Out reported that Jamil initially tweeted (and subsequently deleted) of her new gig Im *so* excited to be a tiny part of bringing ballroom further into the mainstream where it belongs.
The decision to castJamil, who has no obvious connection to LGBT culture or voguing in particular, incited an instant backlash.
The pivotal moment in this conversation came when trans actress Trace Lysette tweeted that she had been interviewed for Jamils job and lost out. This is no shade towards Jameela, I love all that she stands for. If anything I question the decision makers, Lysette tweeted.
Twelve hours after the initial announcement, the story had changed. Jamil clarified in a tweet, Deadline says I am the MC of this show! I am not. I am just one of the judges. The brilliant Dashaun Wesley is. But Out notes that the original press release from HBO which Jamil linked to in her now-deleted tweet had said simply, commentary by Dashaun Wesley. As of Wednesday, the HBO release still stated that Jamil would MC the show. On Wednesday night, HBO issued a statement confirming that Jamil will not MC the show. For clarity, Dashaun is the series MC/Commentator, and Jameela heads up the panel of judges alongside Leiomy, Law, and Megan, the statement reads.
At this point Jamil responded to Lysette, tweeting, I think you auditioned to be one of the house mothers, referring to senior members of the ballroom scene, which is organized into intentional communities or families called houses. Im just one of the judges. Not a house mother. We werent up for the same thing. To which Lysette responded, I dont have to audition to be a house mother I am one, and disputed Jamils account, adding, I send you love too. But I will always speak my truth.
On Wednesday, Jamil further responded to the brewing controversy by revealing that she is queer. This is why I never officially came out as queer, she wrote, I was scared of the pain of being accused of performative bandwagon jumping, over something that caused me a lot of confusion. She went on to explain that the lack of out family members and pressures of being a POC actress in her 30s in Hollywood have contributed to her reticence to officially come out, but that shes always answered honestly if ever straight-up asked about it on Twitter. The actress conceded that my being queer doesnt qualify me as ballroom.
The reaction has been mixed, with some of Jamils critics taking issue with the timing and apparent defensiveness of her announcement.
Lysette pointed out on Wednesday evening that, while Jamil might not be MC-ing, she is still Executive Producer along with two cis white guys who produced Queer Eye.
This isnt the first time the narrative has gotten the better of Jamil. In December the actress was criticized after expressing her opinion that airbrushing is disgusting and a crime against women, and that it should be banned. Some people felt the way she was going about the conversation was unproductive, to say the least, especially considering that shes a conventionally attractive woman. Jamil stood firm, saying that while her approach might be extra, shes more concerned about the teen surgery, eating disorders, and self harm, that unattainable beauty standards inspire. Jamil also came under fire for tweeting her support of Ellen DeGeneres getting chummy with George W. Bush at a recent Dallas Cowboys game. The actress later apologized, writing that she was just learning today about the full extent of Bushs heinous presidency.
This post has been updated.
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Unpacking the Latest Jameela Jamil Controversy - The Cut
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