Princess Poppy responds to backlash after ‘faking negative Covid test’ to get on Drag Race

Princess Poppy sashayed away from the latest episode of season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race this weekend, but things have started to go sour for her in the fandom already after she had to respond to backlash following a story she told at a viewing party at Roscoe’s Tavern about her faking a negative Covid test to leave for filming.

She put chapstick up her nose

Princess Poppy was on the panel with Irene Dubois and the Roscoe’s hosts, and during a discussion around filming their season post-pandemic Poppy said that she caught Covid two weeks before filming, and although she no longer had it the test was still showing positive.

Princess Poppy said “I actually had Covid two weeks before I left. I almost didn’t go. I was desperate, I was a week away and I didn’t have Covid anymore but my test kept coming up positive. It wasn’t the rapid test, it was the PCR. My lovely partner Leo, he Googled that if you put chapstick up your nose it will come up negative.

“So before the thing I was like a crazy person shoving chapstick up my nose.” Irene Dubois then joked that Poppy got everybody on set sick.

After getting backlash for her comments at the Drag Race viewing party, Princess Poppy tweeted “I’ve gotten a few comments abut what I said at Roscoe’s about my Covid test. Can’t believe I have to clarify what I thought was a funny story but I was NOT positive with Covid. We were required to take PCR tests to go on the show but they can show Covid in your system for months.”

“And taking my PCR test was showing that was I was positive even though every single other test I took was coming up negative. I hadn’t been sick in weeks but was terrified that this PCR test wouldn’t allow me on the show so I shoved chapstick up my nose to try to bypass it.

“Obviously it still came up positive because chapstick in your nose doesn’t work, but I consulted with the show and MANY doctors to prove I had no Covid at all and it was just still in my system from a previous infection. The producers take great precautions in the safety and health of the contestants and would never endanger anyone with Covid or bring someone on set who was sick.

“It was just a funny story to tell about my desperation to be on the show and how I went to great measures to try and be there. So no I was NOT positive with Covid.”

Fans online are not happy

After Princess Poppy discussed her Covid test story at the Drag Race viewing party, fans have condemned it widely. One wrote “Did Princess Poppy seriously fake her Covid test? What if one of the contestants has chronic illness? This is so disgustingly irresponsible.”

The Tab has approached World of Wonder for comment. 

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