Fiesta’s Cornyation — a drag comedy known for its biting political satire — took a surprising pass on San Antonio’s fast-approaching mayoral race, citing a crowded, confusing contest that just didn’t feel very funny.
“No mayoral skit this year, because no mames” — Spanish slang used to express disbelief — “it’s already a f****** mess,” co-master of ceremonies Suzi Ingram announced in the opening remarks of Tuesday night’s first show.
The decision comes as last year’s Cornyation cast alluded to all of the fun they planned to have with San Antonio’s 2025 municipal election.
“We can’t wait to see all of you next year… for the biennial, completely nonpartisan San Antonio Shi*tty Council Hunger Games,” 2024 co-host Payton Kane said at the end of the set.
But when it came time to assemble this year’s acts, a 27-candidate mayoral race with few clear frontrunners didn’t rise to the top of anyone’s list.
“Each designer picks their own topic, and I don’t think that any designer felt any kind of enthusiasm about the election at all or interest in covering it,” said show writer Jesse Mata, who has been involved with the event since 2003.
To his point, early voting for the May 3 election ended this week with in-person early turnout down about 30% from 2015. It’s almost certain that no one will take 50% of the vote, leading to a June 7 runoff between the top two finishers.
Nevertheless, this year’s co-hosts, Ingram and Mindy Miller Hill, managed to sneak in a few digs in their opening remarks.
“Here’s a question, which of those one score and seven solicitous suitors would you trust to be your designated driver?” Hill asked the audience of the mayoral field — a reference to the wave of DWIs coming out of City Hall.
And in a nod to the more national politics driven skits to come, Ingram replied that the mayoral hopefuls were plenty worth roasting, just not compared to everything else going on.
“Whoever emerges the victor among this vainglorious volume is your last line of defense against a deteriorating Don, drunk with dictatorial disdain,” she said to the audience at the packed Charline McCombs Empire Theatre. “Guide your behavior accordingly.”
The rest of the night featured actors roasting President Donald Trump and his Cabinet.
A giant diaper-wearing Trump shoveled Greenland, the Gulf of Mexico and Canada into his mouth and then pooped them into his diaper, which was spread like manure over farmland. Audience members stood and cheered when dancers dressed as flowers bloomed out from underneath it to Jackie DeShannon’s “What the world needs now is love.”
Another skit featured U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. guzzling raw milk.
The adults-only show will perform twice nightly on Wednesday and Thursday this week, but tickets are largely sold out.
The annual performances have raised over $3 million for charities such as the San Antonio AIDS Foundation, BEAT AIDS, the Thrive Youth Center and scholarships.
