People gathered to enjoy a sexually charged drag show in Dallas over the weekend, where they were encouraged to participate.
The show was held at Mr. Misster on Saturday. Drag performer Nicole O’Hara Munro hosted it. Scheduled to start at 2 p.m., the performances began about 40 minutes in as guests were treated to themed alcoholic beverages and food while a DJ blasted music.
Three drag performers danced erotically, later stripping down to lingerie. Attendees offered tips to the performers, usually in the form of $1 bills, however, some threw them twenties. Some performances were holiday-themed, set to altered versions of famous Christmas songs.
Attendees were also called on to participate in competitions, one of which was called, “I name a sexual position, and you do it.” Multiple guests complied, acting out different types of sex positions.
Toward the end of the show, guests were invited to participate in a twerking competition. People twerked in the middle of the room to the apparent delight of cheering onlookers. Bartenders and staff joined in themselves, twerking on the bar counter.
The Dallas Express attempted to speak to attendees about the show and drag in general but no one wanted to provide comment on the record.
Last year, Mr. Misster got a lot of attention for hosting an all-ages drag show with multiple children in attendance. When protesters began targeting the venue for allowing underage individuals to be present during such a show, the bar backtracked and began implementing a 21-and-up policy.
Saturday’s drag show was 21 and up. No minors were present on the premises.
Mr. Misster is located in Oak Lawn. It has been described by co-owner Trey Stewart as similar to a “crafty cocktail lounge, which will be more upscale in the early evening and flip to a younger vibe as the night progresses,” per D Magazine.
Stewart opened Mr. Misster in 2019 with co-owner Meghan Allen, wife of former Dallas Mavericks player Devin Harris.
Drag performances more generally have caused some contention elsewhere in Texas, even absent the presence of children. West Texas A&M University President Walter Wendler canceled a drag event scheduled on the campus, arguing such performances amount to a form of anti-woman blackface.
“Drag shows stereotype women in cartoon-like extremes for the amusement of others and discriminate against womanhood,” Wendler wrote in an email to university stakeholders, reported NBC News. “Drag shows are derisive, divisive and demoralizing misogyny, no matter the stated intent.”
Miss Kitty Litter, an Austin-based drag performer, countered, claiming that drag performers are not “trying to show respect or not show respect for women, to be honest.”
“Drag is a show. It is to take your mind off whatever is bothering you that day or in your life. We don’t take ourselves too serious, so neither should you. We are not trying to convert anyone to be gay, we are trying to make you laugh,” the performer said, speaking with The Dallas Express in a previous interview.
