Trisha Calvarese, the Democratic challenger against Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, has invited Boebert to a televised debate at Denver’s Buell Theatre—the location of Boebert’s infamous Beetlejuice scandal.
Calvarese’s invitation comes in the wake of Boebert’s widely publicized behavior last September at the Buell Theatre, where she was ejected during the Beetlejuice musical for vaping, singing loudly, taking flash photos, and groping her date.
To promote her challenge, Calvarese released a provocative ad on X (formerly Twitter) styled like a Beetlejuice 2 movie trailer. The video starts with a dramatic question: “Is Lauren Boebert vaping?” before transitioning into a parody of the cult film. The ad warns: “On November 5, your worst nightmare tries to crawl back to Congress. Don’t say her name,” with repeated mentions of “Boebert” by newscasters.
“Congresswoman Boebert, I know you’re new to the district, and you clearly don’t know how to act in a theater—or in Congress. I think I can help,” Calvarese says in the ad, holding a bag of popcorn. “Let’s get together for a debate on TV.”
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Calvarese’s ad comes after Boebert’s controversial behavior in the theater drew significant backlash. Although Boebert initially denied the incident, she later issued an apology following the release of surveillance footage. Her actions have continued to be a source of embarrassment, with protestors chanting “Beetlejuice” at her during a visit to George Washington University in May.
Despite the controversies, Boebert won the GOP primary in June for Colorado’s new fourth district, succeeding Rep. Ken Buck. Calvarese’s debate invitation underscores her strategy to leverage Boebert’s troubled theater reputation against her in the upcoming election.
It remains unclear whether Boebert will accept Calvarese’s invitation.
Watch the ad below:
Hey Lauren Boebert. Let’s get together for a televised debate. Maybe the Buell Theatre would be a good venue? Or have you been permanently banned from there…? pic.twitter.com/30UGlFeppT
— Trisha Calvarese for Colorado (@trisha4colorado) August 28, 2024
