Drag queen accused of dragging Ukraine through the mud

Posted By Henry Bowles Tuesday, April 3, 2007 - 1:02 PM Share

Currently smarting from their country's political implosion, the last thing Ukrainian partisans need is an entry in the Eurovision Song Contest that promises national humiliation in a form that only a drag queen named Verka Serduchka can deliver. And yet, that is precisely what they are getting:

Angry Ukrainian nationalists held demonstrations across the country Sunday, demanding that Ukraine pull out of Eurovision this year. [They] are furious about their country's entry for this year's Eurovision song contest, a drag queen who some feel denigrates their national character. Protestors have taken to the streets to demand the motherland withdraw from the contest."

Surprisingly, their objection to Ukraine's overwhelming vote in favor of Ms. Serduchka has less to do with the gender-bending and more to do with Serduchka's particular schtick:

Their beef with Serduchka, whose real name is Andei Danilko, is that she represents a stereotype of a stupid Ukrainian villager and her performance will damage Ukraine's reputation abroad."

In the end, though, the Ukrainian right may be able to find comfort in an odd place: The Russians are just as outraged! Why? Because the chorus to "Dancing," Ms. Serduchka's nominated song—which you can watch here—commands Ukraine to sing "Russia goodbye!"

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