The drag queen who Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called a “child predator” and a “monster” during a congressional hearing on Wednesday accused the firebrand congresswoman of “fascism” over her quest to defund NPR and PBS.
Lil Miss Hot Mess, the stage name of performer Harris Kornstein, told the Daily Beast in a statement that Greene’s “political bullying” amounted to censorship. Greene attacked PBS CEO Paula Kerger on Wednesday over a digital segment featuring Lil Miss Hot Mess reading her book The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish, though Kerger said the segment did not air on PBS.
“While she claims to promote liberty, in reality, she just wants to tell us all what to think and do,” the performer said in a statement. “That’s not freedom, that’s fascism.”
“Greene’s attempts to defund PBS and NPR are the worst form of censorship, reflecting both her own ignorance and the Republican party’s authoritarian impulses,” she said. “The reality is that communities all over the country – including in her own district – deserve access to educational public media that reflects the diversity and creativity that makes our world beautiful.”
Greene blasted the segment during Wednesday’s House DOGE subcommittee hearing, which largely focused on federal funding for NPR and PBS. She also claimed that parents were repulsed by drag content airing on public airwaves.
“As a mother, if I had walked in my living room or one of my children’s bedrooms and seen this child predator and this monster targeting my children, I would become unglued,” she said.
When approached by the Daily Beast Wednesday, Greene used the opportunity to lash out at her Democratic rival, Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
“I don’t learn lessons from drag queens, because they are mentally-ill men pretending to be women while sexually targeting children, but we all know Jasmine Crockett takes her make up lessons from drag queens,” Greene said. “Jasmine thinks a flawless face will get you far in this world, but that’s so shallow. She’s depended on private school, designer handbags, and DEI her entire life to become successful.”
Kerger told the committee’s Republicans that the program never aired on PBS. The clip was produced for PBS’ New York City affiliate WNET’s “Let’s Learn” series, in partnership with the New York City Department of Education. In the video, which has since been made private, the creators disclosed it was not “funded or distributed by PBS.”
“The drag queen was actually not on any of our kids’ shows,” Kerger said.
In her statement, Lil Miss Hot Mess said Greene’s “distracting transphobia and homophobia harms real LGBTQ children and adults, and teaches nothing but hate.”
“Frankly, I’d be horrified to watch her kid’s show. Americans can decide for themselves who the real monster is,” she said. “Ultimately, Greene should learn a lesson from drag performers: rather than spreading disinformation and hate, leading with kindness, love, and joy (plus a flawless face) will get you everywhere you need to go in life.”
