Drag queen talk show sparks fierce debate over public service value

The online talk show "Chi Chi on the Couch" became the subject of a sharp discussion at the Czech Television (ČT) Council meeting on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, following a wave of controversy and hateful reactions on social media. The program, available on the public broadcaster's iVysílání streaming service and YouTube, is hosted by the first Czech drag queen, Chi Chi Tornado, whose civil name is Petr Vostárek. The debate has raised fundamental questions about the role of public service broadcasting in covering subcultures and the quality control of its online content.

For an international audience, it is important to note that Czech Television is the public television broadcaster in the Czech Republic, funded by license fees and overseen by the ČT Council, whose members are elected by the Parliament.

The show's creators intended it as an entertaining format to demystify the art of drag. "Chi Chi na gauči is an entertaining talk show that aims not only to amuse the audience but also to bring it closer to a still controversial art form that is a global phenomenon today," Chi Chi Tornado stated before the first of the seven episodes was released. The show's writer and director, Petra Chaloupková, added, "Queer rights and coming-out topics are often invisible or negatively distorted in the Czech media. That's why we wanted to create a show where everyone can feel safe and free." Topics discussed with guests included coming out, bullying, and mental health.

However, several members of the ČT Council heavily criticized the program for a perceived lack of public service value and poor quality. Council member Ivana Chmel Denčevová initiated the debate, questioning how the show fulfilled its public service mandate. She argued it lacked deeper historical or sociological context and was mere entertainment, describing one episode as "particularly 'rich' when it discusses how to simulate genitalia as part of a costume."

Her criticism was strongly echoed by council member Lubomír "Xaver" Veselý, a moderator known from the internet television station XTV. He claimed the show failed on all professional levels and ultimately harmed the community it was meant to represent. "There is nothing more damaging to the LGBT community than a man smeared up as a woman who cannot ask a coherent question," Veselý stated.

In response, ČT's management admitted partial failings. The new Director General, Hynek Chudárek, who took office in July, stated that while he does not personally identify with the show's format, he believes it has a place on the platform. Program Director Milan Fridrich clarified that the show was approved two years ago as a low-cost online format, with each episode costing 33,000 Czech crowns (approximately €1,350), and was never intended for linear television broadcast. Its release was timed to coincide with the annual Prague Pride festival in August.

Fridrich acknowledged dramaturgical weaknesses and promised significant systemic changes. Starting in September, the Program, Digital Services, and Content divisions will be integrated to ensure uniform quality control and dramaturgical supervision over all content, including online-only formats. "I will not defend the show. I think much of what Mr. Veselý and Mrs. Chmel Denčevová said is true," Fridrich conceded. "But we cannot turn back history. I can only guarantee that similar things will not happen in the future."

The controversy was preceded by a wave of online hate speech targeting the host and guests. In an interview, Petr Vostárek confirmed he was taken aback by the "profound hatred and attacks beyond the pale of humanity," which led him to consider ending his Chi Chi Tornado persona. Following the online backlash, musician Ondřej Gregor Brzobohatý also announced he would stop publicly performing as his drag alter ego. On August 13, ČT had issued a statement condemning the attacks and defending the need for civilized discussion. This response was later praised by council member David Brabec as excellent crisis communication against a "digital lynching."

Other council members took a more moderate view. Petr Šafařík acknowledged that it is ČT's role to cover marginal cultural areas, while Tomáš Řehák called the planned oversight for online content a "great piece of news" and an important moment for the broadcaster's future digital strategy.