*For all of the diversity it celebrated during Sunday’s Emmy Awards, the Television Academy made a racial faux pas on the red carpet before the ceremony began, when it mixed up Emmy winner RuPaul with famed musical director Rickey Minor.
While live-tweeting photos from the red carpet ahead of the Emmy Awards, the TV Academy’s Twitter account posted a photo of Minor with the caption, “Shante, you stay, @RuPaul! @RuPaulsDragRace is nominated for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program!”
The tweet was quickly removed and replaced with a photo of RuPaul and the same caption, but not before social media had its say.
THAT IS RICKEY MINOR jesus h christ
— Globus Hystericus (@Prkan_708) September 17, 2017
That is Rickey Minor who looks NOTHING like RuPaul. Like literally not remotely and Ru is about a foot taller than Rickey! https://t.co/LCMtaCrAS3
— Medium Yachty (@pennystackhouse) September 18, 2017
So do you think ALL black people look the same or just some, that look nothing alike?
— J C (@yeahiheardthat) September 17, 2017
The mixup is even more vexing considering RuPaul starred in a sketch with Emmy host Stephen Colbert during the telecast, donning gold makeup to play the living personification of the Emmy statue.
In a statement to Variety, Minor said, “We might look similar with our bald heads but I could never pass for Ms. Emmy. RuPaul killed that scene with Stephen Colbert. I was laughing my face off. Besides, I don’t look that good in a dress.”
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