New York Post
· collected 2026-10-08 · by Ella Morrison, Anthony Blair
A Pittsburgh gay bar, Blue Moon Bar, faced backlash and death threats after a drag performer appeared in blackface during a September 23 event, attempting to portray Hexxus from "FernGully: The Last Rainforest" as a tribute to Tim Curry. Critics denounced the performance as racist blackface, despite the performer’s intention to honor Curry. In response to public outcry and threats, Blue Moon Bar canceled subsequent events and issued an apology on September 29, expressing regret for allowing the incident to occur and emphasizing that such performances will not be tolerated in the future.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-08,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A drag performance at Blue Moon Bar in Pittsburgh on September 23 went awry when a performer used dark makeup resembling racist blackface to pay tribute to Tim Curry's character Hexxus from "FernGully: The Last Rainforest." The bar, known as the "Friendliest Gay Bar in Pittsburgh," faced backlash and death threats after images of the performance circulated online. Another drag artist criticized the bar for allowing such a portrayal, stating that it was disgusting and racist behavior. In response to the controversy, Blue Moon canceled subsequent performances, and management posted a sign in the performer’s dressing room prohibiting future acts based on race, ethnicity, or nationality unless they are their own. The original performer expressed intent to be held accountable and apologized for causing harm.
Written for “Blackface Drag Controversy Pennsylvan…” on 2026-10-08,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.65, but 2 quote(s) could not be found in the article and the other 2 are attributed speech rather than the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 66323: no verified evidence · logged 2026-10-08
The owners of a Pittsburgh gay bar received death threats after a drag performer went on stage in blackface in an attempt to pay tribute to the late actor Tim Curry that went horribly wrong.
asserted
that → receive → actor
Blue Moon Bar, the self-described “Friendliest Gay Bar in Pittsburgh,” canceled a slew of performances after posts went viral showing a drag queen donning what looked like racist blackface during a Sept. 23 stage event.
asserted
what → describe → event
The performer was reportedly trying to portray Hexxus from 1992’s animated movie “FernGully: The Last Rainforest” as a tribute to Curry, who voiced the character.
uncertain
who → try → character
But the performance caused an eruption of outrage when images of the act went viral and critics denounced the dark make up as far too similar to racist blackface that the bar should have banned.
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bar → cause → that
“How this person was even allowed to step on stage wearing this is beyond me,” fellow drag performer Pinapple Honeydew wrote in an Instagram post.
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Honeydew → allow → post
“This is actual disgusting, racist behavior being given a stage to perform and no one thinking twice about it.”
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one → give → it
Honeydew said it was a poor way to honor Curry, an icon to the LGBTQ+ community who died in August.
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who → say → August
“What happened to just wearing a black outfit,” the performer fumed.
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performer → happen → outfit
“Out of all of Tim Curry’s iconic characters, you HAD to do this one??
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you → have → one
“And you HAD to do blackface in order to portray a character no one was going to recognize anyway???,” the drag artist continued.
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artist → have → character
The bar issued a groveling apology on Facebook nearly a week later on Sept. 29, writing, “We were just made aware yesterday that this happened last week.”
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this → issue → Sept.
Blue Room Bar management said they were not on site to witness the performance, and rather two guest hosts who don’t usually man the open stage ran the event — but insisted they were “horrified” and “blindsided” by it.
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they → say → it
The post explained the two guest hosts “somehow didn’t realize at the time what was happening” while adding they “aren’t excusing their behavior.”
“Whatever the intent, blackface is racist and harmful and it is never acceptable.
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it → explain → behavior
We are sorry that it happened in our bar.”
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it → happen → bar
The bar also apologized to “anyone who has been offended or triggered by pictures shared of this performance or to anyone who unfortunately witnessed it.”
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who → apologize → it
Blue Moon Bar was forced to cancel last week’s open stage because “the bar and tonight’s host have received too many death threats for us to feel comfortable putting on the show this evening,” the bar wrote in a subsequent post on Facebook on Sept. 30.
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bar → force → Sept.
Management also hung a sign to the performer’s dressing room that read: “Absolutely NO Preformances Based on Race, Ethicity, or Nationality (that is not your own) Will Be TOLERATED!!!”
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that → hang → Race
The unidentified performer said, “My attempt for accuracy in a cosplay caused an egregious error that resulted in harm to a community I love and care for,” in a statement to QBurgh.
asserted
I → say → QBurgh
The drag artist added they “want to be held accountable” and “want to make good on my efforts to right this wrong” and apologized “for the harm caused to the community, the hosts, and the patrons.”
“Intent does not matter when it comes to the effects of what’s been done,” the performer told the publication.
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performer → add → publication
Management at the bar did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
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Management → respond → comment
It comes just weeks after an LGBT venue was at the center of another storm in a teacup, when Last Ditch, a lesbian bar in Greenfield, Massachusetts, briefly became the most notorious bar in America.
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Ditch → come → America
The struggling bar’s owners scrapped their longstanding COVID mask requirements for just one night in a week in an attempt to boost business, the Boston Globe reported.
asserted
Globe → struggle → business
The Aporia
