Florida revokes liquor license from hotel that hosted drag show welcoming minors

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has moved to revoke a Miami hotel’s liquor license after it ignored warnings from the governor’s office not to allow children at a drag show on its premises.

“Sexually explicit content is not appropriate to display to children and doing so violates Florida law,” read a statement from the governor’s office. “Governor DeSantis stands up for the innocence of children in the classroom and throughout Florida.”

In December, the Hyatt Regency in Miami hosted the show, “A Drag Queen Christmas,” advertising for “all ages.” 

However, the show was anything but family friendly. 

The performance contained “exposed female breasts with less than a fully opaque covering, portrayals of simulated masturbation, and other sexually explicit content,” according to the complaint filed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. 

Performers flashed prosthetic breasts and rubbed them on the faces and mouths of audience members. There were also graphic depictions of childbirth and abortion in the show. 

One major schtick of the show was the perversion of children’s Christmas songs, such as “All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth,” with depictions of oral sex, and “Screwdolph the Red-Nippled Reindeer.” 

“Exposing genitals in a lewd or lascivious manner and simulated sexual activity are inconsistent with the prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material for children under the age of 16,” the complaint states. “The nature of the show’s performances, particularly when conducted in the presence of young children, corrupts the public morals and outrages the sense of public decency.” 

Prior to the event, DeSantis’ office cautioned the hotel not to host a “sexually explicit show with children present,” but the hotel proceeded anyway. 

“There has been a lot of controversy surrounding us, but b—- we don’t give a f—,” one of the performers said during the event. 

The state leveled a similar complaint against R House in Miami for drag show material involving children in August, also revoking its liquor license.