Drag Race stars pull out of Kennedy Davenport gig over Shangela’s involvement
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A string of RuPaul’s Drag Race stars have pulled out of a birthday show for Kennedy Davenport after it emerged that Shangela was among the announced line-up.
The event, billed as “Kennedy Davenport: Birthday and 30th Anniversary Celebration”, is due to take place at Station 4 in Dallas on 9 September.
It had originally announced a large cast of Drag Race alumni, including Mrs Kasha Davis, Bosco, Latrice Royale, Jasmine Masters, Ra’Jah O’Hara, Morgan McMichaels, Alexis Mateo and Shangela, among others.
In the days since, several performers have announced they will no longer take part. While most did not name Shangela directly, the withdrawals followed the reveal of the full line-up.
“I want to address my decision to step away from an upcoming event,” Morgan McMichaels wrote on X. “When I agreed to participate, I was not aware of [the] casting of the event. Once I learned, the decision to step away was a natural and immediate one for me, as my participation no longer aligned with my values.”
Mrs Kasha Davis said: “I removed myself from the show. I will not be appearing in Dallas.”
Bosco also confirmed: “I’ll no longer be appearing in Dallas in September.”
Davenport’s niece, fellow Drag Race star A’Keria C. Davenport, indicated the situation had since been resolved.
“When I was asked by my aunt to be a part of her bday celebration that’s all I knew,” she wrote. “After further discussion she made the decision to remove the person from the line up.”
Shangela, whose real name is Darius Pierce, has faced multiple allegations of sexual assault in recent years.
A 2023 Rolling Stone investigation detailed accusations from several men, while separate civil lawsuits were filed in 2023 and 2025.
Pierce has consistently and strenuously denied all the allegations, describing them as “entirely meritless” and saying they “perpetuate damaging stereotypes”.
No criminal charges have been brought against him.
