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Vegan activists have criticized popular TV series RuPaul’s Drag Race after live butterflies were used during last week’s finale – resulting in death for many of them.
The animals were part of a stage performance by Asia O’Hara in her lip sync showdown against Kameron Michaels. During the act, O’Hara planned to release the butterflies from her costume.
But instead of flying away many of the insects fell to the stage. Viewers have reportedly said they saw butterflies dying as the perfomance went on.
Apology
O’Hara took to Instagram to apologize for the stunt, saying: “I just want to let everyone know how sad and heartbroken I am that my lip sync performance during the finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race turned out.
“Despite months of research and rehearsing with a professional company, what I hoped would be an amazing and safe display of optimism and a surprise for everyone including production and the network, it did not go as planned. I would like to publicly offer the entire world my deepest apology.
“It’s important that everyone knows that I would never purposely hurt any living being and have the utmost respect for all animals.”
‘Literally killer’
PETA Senior Vice President, Lisa Lange, said: “When performers use live animals as props, nobody wins.
“Asia O’Hara has apologized for this misguided stunt, and PETA hopes the sad spectacle will sway the show to adopt a policy that bans all live animals and stops lip syncs from being literally killer.”
