Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert has been challenged to a debate by her Democratic opponent in the same Denver theater that she was asked to leave during a performance of the musical Beetlejuice last year following disruptive behavior.
Trisha Calvarese, who is running against Boebert in Colorado’s 4th congressional district, issued the challenge in a cinematic 53-second video posted on social media network X on Wednesday.
Newsweek contacted Representative Lauren Boebert and Trisha Calvarese’s congressional campaign for comment by email on Thursday outside of regular office hours.
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
Boebert currently represents Colorado’s 3rd congressional district in the House, but in December 2023 announced she would instead run in the state’s more conservative 4th district in 2024 after Representative Ken Buck, the GOP incumbent, announced he would not be seeking reelection. In June, Boebert decisively won the Republican primary for the district with a nearly 30-point lead over her nearest challenger.
In September 2023, Boebert and a male companion were asked to leave a showing of Beetlejuice at the city-owned Buell Theatre in Denver after reportedly repeatedly vaping, illegally recording and “causing a disturbance” during the performance. Subsequently released surveillance footage appeared to show Boebert groping and being groped by her date in the theater, and raising her middle finger while being escorted out. The Colorado Republican later issued an apology saying her behavior “fell short of my values” and was “unacceptable.”
On Wednesday, Calvarese released a video on X asking Boebert for “a televised debate.” She said “maybe the Buell Theatre would be a good venue” before jokingly adding: “Or have you been permanently banned from there?”
The video opens in the style of a movie trailer with a notice saying the preview is rated PG-13 and contains “vaping on pregnant women, abusing staff.” A small puff of smoke rises up from the bottom of the screen, after which a voice asks: “Is Lauren Boebert vaping?”
A dramatic movie trailer voice then says: “On November 5, your worst nightmare tries to claw her way back to Congress. Don’t say her name.” This is followed by TV news reports about Boebert being removed from the Beetlejuice performance and surveillance footage of her vaping in the theater.
Representative Lauren Boebert pictured on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, July 22, 2024. Boebert has been challenged to a debate in the same Denver theater she was asked to leave during a “Beetlejuice” performance in September 2023 following disruptive behavior.
CHRIS KLEPONIS/AFP/GETTY
Calvarese, sitting in theater-style seating and holding a popcorn bag, then says: “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.
“Lets get together for a debate on TV. I’ll tell you what keeps your new neighbors up at night. It shouldn’t be whatever this is.”
At this point, censored footage of Boebert appearing to raise her middle finger after being asked to leave the Beetlejuice performance is shown.
Calvarese continues: “I know the last time you were arguing in a theater it was with workers and hey, maybe you won’t get kicked out this time. You’re not scared, are you?”
The video went viral on X racking up over 500,000 views and 1,800 reposts as of 3:40 a.m. ET on Thursday.
