UPDATED: In a quickly-deleted tweet, the Television Academy misidentified RuPaul, mixing up the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Emmy-winning host with Emmy-winning 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 removed and replaced with a photo of RuPaul and the same caption.
Many Twitter uses noticed the mistake and have commented on the TV Academy’s correct RuPaul tweet. However, the Academy has yet to tweet a response. Variety has reached out to the Television Academy for comment, in addition to reps for RuPaul.
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.”
This is not the first time the Academy has made a similar mistake on social media. Last year, they confused Terrence Howard for Cuba Gooding Jr. in a tweet during the Emmys red carpet.
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Last week at the Creative Arts Emmys, RuPaul won his second consecutive Emmy for best host for “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” and Minor nabbed his first Emmy for outstanding music direction for ABC’s “Taking the Stage: African American Music and Stories That Changed America.”
During tonight’s broadcast, RuPaul was dressed as the Emmy Award in one of the night’s memorable sketches with Stephen Colbert.