When life gives you Erika Kirk, a conservative widow in a sparkly suit, you turn it into a viral sensation for the greater good. Enter Lauren Banall, the drag queen with a heart of gold — and a wig of platinum blonde ambition — who raised thousands for the ACLU by channeling the glamorous grief of Kirk, widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
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A Widow in a Sparkly Suit? Enter Erika Qwerk
After the untimely death of her husband, Erika Kirk — who is now the CEO of his conservative organization — made waves for stepping onto stage in a sparkly suit with pyrotechnics lighting up behind her. While some found it unfathomably tacky (hello, timing), Banall found it fabulously funny.
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@laurenbanall 🎇🧿👄🧿🎇 I’m on @Cameo ! Get your personalized Erika Qwerk video now!
Cue the birth of Erika Qwerk, a high-camp caricature of the conservative leader, who lip-syncs to Kirk’s questionable misquotes from the Bible and delivers comedy gold about how everyone is lying about her husband’s murder. Banall, with her red blazer and shiny, reflective undershirt (because why not?), injected her own brand of humor into Kirk’s chaotic persona — and the gays ate it up.
Viral Fame with a Purpose: Turning Sparkle Into Support
10.5 million views later, Banall didn’t just go viral. She did what any self-respecting queen would do with all that attention: she made it count. Instead of running off to the nearest bottle of champagne, Banall took her viral moment and turned it into a fundraising powerhouse. What did she do? She reignited her GoFundMe Fund Rager for the ACLU, of course. Because why would you sell your soul for a brand deal when you could sell it for the rights of LGBTQ+ folks?
Monetizing for the Right Reasons: A Queen With a Cause
In a thank you to her followers, Banall couldn’t help but have a little side-eye moment about what conservative orgs like Turning Point USA would do in her shoes: “Monetize.” But instead of lining her pockets, Banall sent her proceeds straight to the ACLU, which works tirelessly to defend queer civil rights, fight against anti-drag laws, and represent the rights of people living with HIV. It’s a wholesome moment… if by “wholesome” you mean sparkly, campy, and extremely shady.
@laurenbanall STOP 🧿👄🧿 tip me on Venmo or Cashapp @laurenbanall and donate to the gofundme at the link in my bio!
Making a Difference, One Lip-Sync at a Time
As of Wednesday, Banall had raised over $3,000 for the cause. But this isn’t just about the cash — it’s about showing the world that drag queens aren’t just here to sashay and slay; they’re also here to kick ass, take names, and protect civil rights one fabulous lip-sync at a time.
Erika Qwerk’s Legacy: Sparkle, Justice, and Heart
So, to all the doubters who think viral videos are just for getting clout — take notes. Erika Kirk might be bringing the drama, but Erika Qwerk is bringing the justice — and doing it with a smile, a sparkly blazer, and a whole lot of heart. You go, queen. Keep serving up that charity tea.