On a Thursday night in Bushwick, a crowd of over 1,000 people gathered for what looked, at first glance, like your standard high-energy drag show. But Turning Point U.S. Gay NYC had other plans. Between the wigs, the lip-syncs, and a very committed sense of irony, the night pulled in over $25,000 for the American Civil Liberties Union—and made sure nobody left without something to think about on the way home.
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Because yes, it was funny. But it also knew exactly what it was doing.
A Ballad, A Lighter, and a Lot of Side-Eye
The evening opened with the melancholic “We Are Charlie Kirk”—which is not the kind of sentence you expect to read, but here we are. A waving American flag lit up the screen, and then came Lauren Banall, moving slowly, lighter in hand, serving grief with just enough exaggeration to make the point land.
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@kochead We ARE, though … QUEEN @Lauren Banall as ERIKA QWERK #turningpointUSGAY #erikaqwerk #eriKaKirK #weAREcharliekirk #dragshow #now #today #newyork #nyc #dragqueen #satire #progressive #liberal #Democrat #resistfascism #fightfascism #wethepeople #upvsdown #currentevents #foryou #fyp #kochead
Banall revisited her now-viral impersonation inspired by Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk. There were eye drops for tears, a handkerchief for dramatics, and a performance that walked a very specific line between satire and “did she really just do that?” (She did.)
Turning Point USA… But Make It Drag
The show’s target was clear: Turning Point USA, reimagined here as the punchline rather than the platform. And the cast didn’t hold back.
We’re talking a full lineup of political and cultural figures, all filtered through drag’s favorite tools—exaggeration, irony, and impeccable timing. Kristi Noem, Rudy Giuliani, Candace Owens, and Kid Rock all got the treatment.
At the center was Kiki Ball-Change as Melania Trump—poised, polished, and just detached enough to feel… accurate. Gogo boys in U.S. flag outfits kept the energy high, while queens lip-synced to speeches, mocked oversized hats, and turned headlines into material. It was chaotic in the best way—the kind of chaos that’s actually very well planned.
Not Everyone Got the Joke (Of Course)
As expected, not all reactions were applause. Banall’s performance drew online criticism, with commenters calling her “a heartless demon,” “mental,” and “disgusting.” Others went for the classic argument that drag is inherently misogynistic. Kiki Ball-Change wasn’t having it.
“Drag isn’t limited to men performing femininity,” she said. “It includes drag kings, AFAB [assigned female at birth] queens, and nonbinary performers, all engaging with gender in different ways. It’s a broad, expressive … queer art form rooted in self-expression, satire, and often a deep admiration for the figures being portrayed.”
And, more pointedly: “In this particular show, we weren’t targeting women. We were satirizing public figures, across genders, who hold power, specifically conservative politicians and cultural figures. Drag, like all satire and art, is about holding a mirror up to society. The goal isn’t to diminish women, it’s to challenge power, expose the blatant hypocrisy, and create space for audiences to laugh, think, and respond in their own way.”
So, yes—the joke has a target. That’s kind of the point.
When the Punchline Has Real Stakes
“Drag has always been political. We’re making it clear what’s at stake, [but] at the same time, the show wasn’t a downer,” Ball-Change said. “Ultimately, it’s about reminding people that the things we’re joking about have real-world consequences, and that queer people, especially, don’t have the luxury of separating politics from our everyday lives.”
@kikiballchange Can Santa see in the dark? 🎅🏻👀 #trump #melaniatrump #santa #brooklyn #nyc
That’s where the night lands differently. Beneath the humor is a very real backdrop—ongoing debates around civil rights, policy, and who gets to exist comfortably in public.
Even Donald Trump has taken aim at the ACLU, calling it a “group of beauties” and “hard left” activists who were “thorns in his side.” Which, depending on how you hear it, sounds less like criticism and more like a backhanded endorsement.
A Crowd, A Cause, and a Bit of Hope
For all its sharp edges, the night never lost its sense of joy. That balance—funny but focused, camp but intentional—is what made it stick.
“History shows us that when people come together, they can make monumental change. So, I want to remind people that there is still hope to be found, and still so much life to enjoy, despite the darkness around us,” Ball-Change said.
And maybe that’s the real takeaway. Not just that drag can parody politics—but that it can fundraise, build community, and still leave room for a good laugh in the middle of all of it.
“I hope audiences left with a sense of joy, but also a renewed feeling of hope,” she said. “We’re living in a moment where things can feel very heavy, and one of the most effective tools of authoritarian movements is convincing people that change is impossible… that there’s no way forward but their way, but that’s not true.”
In a Brooklyn backyard filled with wigs, satire, and very committed performances, that message didn’t feel subtle. It felt earned.
Source: LGBTQ Nation