Archie Bunker, Drag Queens, & All in the Family

Beverly LaSalle wasn’t the first female impersonator on television. But after years of TV treating drag performers as deranged psychopaths and literal punchlines, she was probably the first to be afforded dignity, love, and respect. Beverly was a recurring character on the show “All in the Family,” and she might embody the most remarkable drag transformation ever seen on TV. Support Culture Cruise: More videos about All in the Family: Edith’s Gay Cousin: How Sitcoms Handled Homos in the 70s and 80s: Get the full series of All in the Family: