Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Puppeteer's Non-Apology For Offensive 'Sista Girl' Puppet Act Sparks Even More Backlash

screenshots of Jerry Halliday and his "Sista Girl" puppet
@CraftBeardMI/Twitter

Queer puppeteer Jerry Halliday sparked controversy with his act last week at Chicago leather bar Touché.

A White ventriloquist's non-apology for a performance many considered unfunny, racist and transphobic did not go over very well.

Jerry Halliday is a queer puppeteer who was hired to perform at the Chicago gay leather bar Touché for its 45th anniversary as part of Mr. International Rubber’s scheduled events.


His act featured a puppet that caricaturized a Black woman named "Sista Girl" who made jokes about loving watermelon, being on welfare and having five kids.

Halliday voiced the character by poorly imitating African-American Vernacular English (AAVE).

After causing outrage for his racist, misogynoir performance, Halliday declared he was retiring the racist part of his act and issued a non-apology. Halliday did not address his transphobia.

On Sunday, he told the online newsletter, Block Club Chicago:

“I have permanently retired the Black puppet, just like the Rolling Stones recently retired their song ‘Brown Sugar’ when they received similar criticism."
“I continue with my other puppets full speed ahead.”

He further claimed Sista Girl was part of his act for two decades and never received complaints until now.

Halliday then cried victim and skirted around taking responsibility for his choices.

"I have been doing my show for 20 years for thousands of people of all races to standing ovations and rave reviews in the press, then suddenly a handful of people at Touché attack me while the majority there were enjoying my show."
"The one-sided attacks on my act have been greatly exaggerated and with many total fabrications."



Some social media users called Halliday's act “minstrelsy and blackface.”

He frequently used expletives and told the audience members who were talking during the awkward performance to "shut the f'k up" and to leave for the bathroom to get hemorrhoids.

At one point, a White audience member shouted:

“Everyone in the crowd thinks this is a little weird for 2022.”

You can watch the confrontation in the video shared by audience member Philip Smith, here.

WARNING: racism, NSFW language.

Touché ventriloquist performanceyoutu.be

Disappointingly, when Halliday asked the crowd if they wanted the man who voiced his concern to "shut up" and clap in response some of the audience members obliged.

White, cisgender gay men have long been accused of racism, misogyny and transphobia and this performance didn't help dispute that reputation.



Some audience members got up and left before the act was over–including a bartender who allegedly left his post, mid-shift–as the puppet continued making jokes about race and skin color.

Twitter user crumb dumpster shared his thoughts as well as footage from the controversial show.





WARNING: NSFW language, racism


Touché bar managers issued a statement apologizing for not having vetted the performer before booking him and addressing both the racism and transphobia Halliday incorporated into another part of his act.

They wrote:

"We apologize for not reacting and stopping the show. Racism and transphobia are wrong."
"We need to do better."
"We have and will continue to work hard to make this space more welcoming to all people regardless of their racial, ethnic, sexual or gender identities."

@longostino/Twitter

@longostino/Twitter

The bar's leaders also hosted a town hall at the Leather Archives and Museum on Wednesday night, which allowed members of the community to express their concerns.

More from News

Jesse Watters
Fox News

Jesse Watters Dragged After Adding Another Mind-Boggling Rule For 'Real Men'

Fox News host Jesse Watters, who is apparently an authority of what it means to be a manly man, gave jazz hands to make a point about how "real men" should or shouldn't wave.

The target of his ridicule was Tim Walz, the enthusiastic Democratic Minnesota governor and vice presidential candidate who often greets the public by raising both hands in the air to wave.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of crowd at town hall and Rep. Mike Flood
@MorePerfectUS/X; KETV NewsWatch 7

GOP Rep. Goes Viral For His Response To Crowd Chanting 'Tax The Rich' At Town Hall

Nebraska Republican Representative Mike Flood was criticized following his incredulous response to a crowd that chanted "Tax the rich!" during a town hall meeting.

The Columbus High School auditorium hosted the town hall on Tuesday evening, drawing "nearly 380" attendees, according to local network KETV Omaha. The event was lively, with Flood facing both sharp criticism over Trump administration policies and some appreciation for showing up in person.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Awkward Typo In Elon Musk's Bizarre 'Education Department' Trump Meme Is A Total Self-Own

Billionaire Elon Musk was widely mocked after he celebrated President Donald Trump's executive order to begin to dismantle the Department of Education (DOE) by posting a meme of Trump at the department's grave, only for an awkward misspelling to get all the attention.

Polling indicates that eliminating the Education Department is largely unpopular, with 60% of registered voters opposing the move, according to a Quinnipiac University survey conducted March 6-10. Support stands at 33%, with opposition particularly strong among Democrats—98% oppose it, while just 1% support it.

Keep ReadingShow less
JB Pritzker; Donald Trump
Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Dem Governor Reveals Trump's Bonkers Demand In Exchange For Equipment During COVID

Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker revealed during a speech this week that he clashed with President Donald Trump during the first Trump administration after Trump promised necessary medical equipment during the COVID pandemic on the condition that Pritzker praise him publicly.

Five years ago, the United States was grappling with the initial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country had entered shutdowns that had severe economic consequences, leaving businesses and industries on the brink of collapse.

Keep ReadingShow less
Scrabble tiles spelling the word scam
Scam spelled with scrabbles on a wooden table

People Break Down How They Realized An Entire Industry Was A Total Scam

We unfortunately live in a world where scams are on the rise.

Thankfully, some of them are pretty easy to detect, such as an automated call from the IRS telling you a warrant is out for your arrest, or an email claiming to be from Amazon or the USPS asking for your credit card information, only to look closer and see the email address is a yahoo account.

Keep ReadingShow less