Tipsheet

How DeSantis Is Going After a Miami Hotel for Hosting a Drag Show With Children Present

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is looking to pull the liquor license from a luxury Miami hotel for hosting a sexually explicit drag show in the presence of minors. 

According to a statement from the governor’s office, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation warned the Hyatt Regency Miami, but the hotel moved forward with the show, "A Drag Queen Christmas," anyway.

During the event, performers showed their prosthetic breasts and genitals, rubbed their prosthetic female breasts on the faces and mouths of audience members, intentionally exposed their rears, were "simulating masturbation" and had "graphic depictions of childbirth and/or abortion," according to a complaint that the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation filed. 

"A Drag Queen Christmas" took place in late December and was initially promoted by the hotel with Christmas-themed materials that did not warn of sexually explicit content and included the words "all ages welcome," according [to] the complaint.

After the venue was warned against having children at the event, promotional materials were updated to include a disclaimer that the show was "recommended for audiences 18+," but the admission policies still allowed for children to attend if accompanied by an adult, the complaint states. […]

The department added that on the screens behind the performers, videos were displayed of "exposed female breasts with less than a fully opaque covering, portrayals of simulated masturbation, and other sexually explicit content."

"[P]erverted versions of popular children’s Christmas songs" were also played at the event, including an adaption of "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth," the complaint states. The song contained a "portrayal of oral fellatio" and the lyric "I’ll sit on his lap, he can put his milk and cookies all between my gap." (Fox News)

"Therefore, the Department is revoking the venue’s license for the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages," the statement from the governor’s office adds. "Sexually explicit content is not appropriate to display to children and doing so violates Florida law. Governor DeSantis stands up for the innocence of children in the classroom and throughout Florida."

The hotel can continue selling alcohol until a final decision has been made, after which it has 21 days to request a hearing.