HBO Max announced on Tuesday that Jameela Jamil will MC and judge a new voguing competition series called Legendary, despite, as a number of people pointed out, having very little apparent background in ballroom.
Deadline reports that Jamil joins fellow judges Megan Thee Stallion, Law Roach and Leiomy Maldonado. And yet, the Los Angeles Times says Maldonado, known as the “Wonder Woman of Vogue,” is the only judge with experience in ballroom, a longstanding subculture comprised mainly of young LGBTQ people of color that’s entered mainstream consciousness thanks to shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race and Pose.
Deadline says Legendary will have rotating guest judges and commentary by Dashaun Wesley and DJ MikeQ, both of whom are big in the ballroom world. Still, it does seem, uh, pretty! strange! that HBO Max picked Jamil to headline a show about voguing, since she is neither a member of the LGBTQ community or nor someone connected to voguing culture.
Meanwhile, Trace Lysette says she auditioned for the gig and didn’t get it:
Huh!