Peppermint has made a name for herself as an actress, singer, songwriter, television personality, drag queen, and advocate. And while she is widely known for her time on RuPaul’s Drag Race, she is now making a significant impact on a different competition: The Traitors.
Hosted by the acclaimed actor Alan Cumming, the second season of the reality game show is currently underway. In a captivating game of deceit set in the stunning Scottish Highlands, contestants embark on exhilarating missions, aiming to accumulate a prize fund of up to $250,000. Amidst the group of contestants are two types of players – “Faithful” contestants, and hidden “Traitors.” Operating under the cloak of darkness, the Traitors will systematically “murder” the Faithful one by one, while the remaining players strive to expose and expel the Traitors from the game. If the Faithful contestants successfully identify and remove all the Traitors, they will share the prize fund. Conversely, if a Traitor manages to survive until the end, they will abscond with the entire sum of money.
GLAAD’s VP of Communications & Talent Anthony Allen Ramos recently had the opportunity to interview some of the well-known contestants, discussing their experiences in the game and the shocking elimination of beloved competitor Peppermint. Numerous participants recount their experiences with Peppermint during the competition, expressing their affection for her and acknowledging the significance of having representation for the LGBTQ community within the game.
Former Housewife of Atlanta Phaedra Parks expresses “I love Peppermint. We got dressed, you know, in the same quarters and so, you know, she’s a girly girl much like myself. We love our hair, our nails, [our] fashion. And so, you know, I just hated that she didn’t get to stay longer, but I think she represented the community well. I think this opens up, you know, new doors. I mean, I think it will start a conversation about opportunities on shows like this. So I think hands down even though she didn’t stay long, she was voted the most popular day one. So that in itself speaks volumes about who she is as a woman and you know how she affected people just by merely meeting them one time.”
Johnny Bananas, known as the champion of reality series competitions, also reflects the impact of her presence: “I’ve met Peppermint. So we’ve actually filmed in the past. I hosted a travel show called First Look on NBC. … She’s just such a breath of fresh air and anyone that’s gonna bring flavor to the house and like entertainment, that’s what you want. We’re there to make TV. [So] whatever your brand is, let’s do it.”
Sheree Whitfield, a cast member of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, also emphasizes the significance of LGBTQ representation and shares her feelings on Peppermint’s elimination, “Yeah, absolutely. I think that, you know, we’re all equal. I think that, you know, being supportive of LGBTQ, Peppermint being there, I think it was amazing and I felt like, like, everything max everybody. I’m sorry. That hurt me though. That really hurt me when Peppermint because we formed a bond in that car. And I don’t, I don’t know if they show that part. Because we haven’t seen the first three episodes, but we actually made a pact, the four of us in the car. And yeah, we did. And like that was devastating. I feel really horrible. But at the end of the day, it is a game and I don’t want to put a target on my back, you know,”
John Simon Bercow, former British politician, shared his thoughts on the elimination and admiration for Peppermints advocacy work. “I wish we hadn’t got her wrong. I must say. … Actually, she’s a wonderful person. I had told her 1 to 1, I think in reality, I’m pretty sure it was filmed that I had the highest respect for her work as a trans advocate. I’d been an advocate for the LGBTQ plus community myself in the British Parliament as a matter of record. So, you know, I was sorry to vote to banish her, but we worked on the basis of scraps. No very clear evidence. She made one or two slips that made us think she was a traitor. Do I regret that We got rid of her? I do. I think she’s a fantastic person. Yes. You heard it here. We got it wrong. We got it wrong! We owe her an apology.”
Catch new episodes of The Traitor on Peacock on Thursdays at 9pm ET.