'...and DON'T *bleep* IT UP!' -- the RuPaul's Drag Race thread

Yeah I thought that too. Olivia is the unintentional (?) leftovers look queen of the season.

They’re setting something up for her via the edit (eg Tina calling her out for being a diva)

Dont get why she doesnt get called out on her lumpy padding & wrinkled clothes. She’s pretty & charming & talented so maybe they let the other stuff slide? but she has a janky rookie vibe to me that i can’t really get with yet

the judges assessment of the challenge was def relative and not objective, like Kandy showed surprising range in being able to pass off a slightly-above-so-so performance w/o resorting to her typical shtick, but she was clearly not one of the top 3 funniest performers. Given the show's penchant for this though I wasn't really all that miffed and thought she did a decent job considering.

Tina and Rose strike me as the type of seasoned queens who come in with lots of talent and skate through the first half of the season but aren't able to display any growth or range or anything.

I feel like at this point things are starting to get a little clearer in terms of who's going to last how long. My guess is that Utica, Elliott, and Kandy will go home next, then maybe Gottmik/Tina/Rose, with the top 3 or 4 being Symone, Olivia, Denali, and then idk... Gottmik? Rose?

I dunno if Denali will go that far

I have a sneaking suspicion she'll be the black horse who turns it tf out but who knows

Symone, Tina and Gotmikk feels like the likely top 3 at this point

Meantime, a joy of course:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z70aJRq9pp0

breakout star

TUESDAY on “Tamron Hall,” one of the breakout stars of “RuPaul's Drag Race” @sherrypienyc booted from the show after being hit with lewd accusations of catfishing men. For the first time Sherry Pie comes clean. Don’t miss it. pic.twitter.com/6OlCViyoSt

— Tamron Hall Show (@TamronHallShow) February 15, 2021

oh dear

Yeah that's garbage.

Not garbage: Trixie/Katya's latest podcast episode, where Priyanka is the guest. Near wall to wall hilarity (and a rude title, which was Priyanka's original drag name idea)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vbZp-tY1_w

So delayed but I was sad to see yesterday's UK contestant go, one of the better 'season narrators' -- but given who she was up against, no way was said other person leaving!

Meantime I see our own VG has been busy in her secret political life uh wait do I have that right

So last year @RuPaulsDragRace had to move production of Drag Race Down Under to NZ. Turns out the NSW Govt. did NOTHING to keep production in Sydney! For shame! #dragrace #rupaul #dragracedownunder #NSW #nswpol pic.twitter.com/I58co4IwyB

— Rose Jackson (@RoseBJackson) February 17, 2021

So, THAT was a fakeout ending, especially since the winner clearly won.

Also they’re going on pause next week for a production dealing with COVID special episode? Or is this just going to be one crazy long night?

I've railed against commandant Ru enough at this point to rail against this softening of the "heart."

Also, I want to seek Gotmikk fail on the runway just one to know that she's now massively bankrolled.

but given who she was up against, no way was said other person leaving!

Yet more proof that, unlike Bakeoff, this is not all down to the performance on the day. Although when the eventual sashay-awayer came out in a totally shoddy outfit for the runway, I did think they were almost trying to tank their chances.

UK: she was one of my favorites but it felt very clear to me that this was "her time", that she was pushing herself to her limits and the best that she could deliver was great but not winner-of-Drag-Race great. I was SO delighted w Bimini this week, I had not thought much about the top 3 or 4 besides Lawrence Cheney but she seems like a shoo-in and I think she's my favorite now. OTOH I really despise post-lockdown Sister Sister, she seems so much more cocky and mean. I also thought Jessie Ware was a surprisingly good judge in that she gave legit critiques instead of just fawning praise, also also I love Gemma Collins and I thought she was v funny.

US: that was really unexpected, I didn't think the lip sync was like super neck and neck and I didn't think the saved contestant going home would have been much of a shock, she's had a great run but is clearly towards the bottom of the remaining pack, why a double-save for someone who's almost certainly just going to go home in the next episode or two anyway??? idgi. Rose killed it this week, I could def see her in the top 3/4, Tina I am so bored with and want to go, Gottmik I genuinely love but have come to really resent the $$$ thing, like okay she clearly has taste and skill when it comes to these runway looks but she is so obviously by on having tons of money to spend on this shit, and she absolutely should have been read for the similarity to the anal beads outfit. I don't think this concept has ever really occurred to me, who else on Drag Race has had like conspicuously expensive costumes?

OTOH I really despise post-lockdown Sister Sister, she seems so much more cocky and mean. I also thought Jessie Ware was a surprisingly good judge in that she gave legit critiques instead of just fawning praise, also also I love Gemma Collins and I thought she was v funny.

Yeah agreed on all this -- Sister Sister really seems like chum at this point, could see her going next episode. Jessie was pretty great for sure! I've seen more than one "WTF she's right there and the lipsync wasn't a What's Your Pleasure cut?" take but I thought what they did choose was fun!

Gottmik I genuinely love but have come to really resent the $$$ thing, like okay she clearly has taste and skill when it comes to these runway looks but she is so obviously by on having tons of money to spend on this shit, and she absolutely should have been read for the similarity to the anal beads outfit. I don't think this concept has ever really occurred to me, who else on Drag Race has had like conspicuously expensive costumes?

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't Gigi Goode pretty well off as well? Also is Gottmik's family like crazy stinking rich or just well-off Arizona UMC?

The actual minor surprise to me so far -- both the UK and US Rusicals this season were...good? (I'm not saying GREAT, I'm just saying "Huh I actually didn't mind that.")

Yes! Gigi Goode also v talented but also rich af

oh man it didn't even occur to me to be annoyed that they did not lipsync to a JW song but now I am VERY annoyed abt it

Yes, though at least they sold the "I made this all from scraps" sewing angle with Gigi in a way they're either not able or not bothering to with Gotmikk.

I really want Rosé to make it to the top

I really want Tina Burner to go. I liked her in the rusical kinda bc you get to see what she’s good at but i am just so fucking over literally everything about her

Unless Denali like fully works her shit out I think the chip on her shoulder is going to get the better of her. She’s v talented but ffs girl the world doesnt owe you a goddamn thing.

The save was super annoying. They spent like 3 weeks not sending anyone home! Why deny us our right for bitches to be eliminated lol
I reckon Saved Soul will go next week in a double elimination. Hopefully with Elliotttttt

*mutual lipsync danceoff murder via high kick and/or backstab*

"Thank you ladies. You may sashay away, or your corpses can."

BEEEP BEEEP BEEP street sweeper truck rolls out onto the stage

"7 queens remain...alive."

vg otm, my love for Denali has waned over the past week or two bcz they have become such a temper tantrum baby!! like good god get a grip girl

oh I also want to say I loved how graceful the most recent UK elim was, like how she was cracking jokes abt it and Ru and Michelle actually laughed at them, there was an ease and levity abt it that does not seem to exist over here, like can you imagine ANYONE in the history of RPDR US saying any of that shit after an elimination and it not being super awkward???

Yeah, well money's at stake in the U.S.

oh also

Trixie said it on Pit Stop & i agree: can Denali please just cinch her waist ~a little~? I think she would look so right if she did

it drives me a little crazy that she brings these great looks that scream for an hourglass shape (the bird! the lamp! even the snake!) & doesnt give it.

i know there’s all types of drag but it’s like she’s doing really femme drag but holding back the thing that could really sell it

The doc was good, I thought. An interesting document of the year from a different perspective. It also confirmed for me that Joey Jay might not be the world's greatest queen, but he is a cute and funny boy.

Yeah I was surprised at how well that worked. I do almost wish they had gone into more about the two people who they dedicated the episode to, though — there’s clearly a story there.

Snatch Game next week!

Meantime UK dispatched who it felt like they needed to dispatch. I’m still amazed we’re almost done with that season.

Also Drag Race Spain got announced?

I watched the very first episode of UK -- Ru was mostly remote for it and not on set, right? Which made the green screen mini challenge apropos?

No I think Ru was on set the whole time, both before and after the extended break.

https://variety.com/2021/politics/news/china-morality-guidelines-outlaw-lip-syncing-1234905700/

so, no Drag Race China then?

Perhaps I shouldn't read too much into this, but then again, timing?

New merch and prints dropping tonight

— Ellie Diamond (@elliediamond101) March 4, 2021

As it turns out, no you didn't have to read too much into it.

Indeed! It must have been the filth that sealed the doomed queen’s fate.

Parts of the doomed queen's routine were bleeped out on the BBC broadcast, but evidently shown uncensored in other territories, so for any UK viewers who were wondering what was said, there's a clip here.

Some very shrewd gameplay as regards the running order; last night, I couldn't quite work out why everyone was banging on about it so much, but in the clear light of day, the tactic makes total sense.

I didn't agree with Dawn French's assessment of who was the most natural comedian, but given who they were, it was a kind thing to say.

Who did she say was? I can never remember anything about DR as soon as it's finished. I had to look up who left last night and I only watched it 12 hours ago.

She said it to Lawrence.

I mostly agree with her. He's naturally funny but, it seems, not capable of being funny when it's required.

they bleeped it out on the Wow Presents Plus app too, wtf

I could not believe how butthurt A'whora and Lawrence got about it!! I mean it was v clear that they were feeling vulnerable and insecure in general, and that this put them at a further disadvantage, and they took their own feelings out on Ellie, but like, wtf??? You cannot ever convince me that the running order has any real effect on anything but the participants' psyches, those performances could have been rearranged any which way and would have still gotten the same critiques. It's ridiculous to blame your own performance on someone else putting you in a certain order???? Also, how disingenuous to suddenly pretend that this isn't a competition and to hold relatively harmless competitive behavior against ppl.

I also felt so bad for Ellie and wish she could have been more confident in her decision and pushed back on them a bit.

At this point I am rooting hard for a Bimini win

Totally agree with everything you say. But I feel like Lawrence wouldn't have been so angry if Ellie hadn't kept wanting reassurance that everything was fine between them. Like, you can't fuck me over and then say "oh, don't be mad at me". You have to let me be mad for a bit.

I totally thought Ellie should have owned her decision more. In any other season, the girls would have called her a shady bitch and laughed it off and that would've been the end of it.

Also it felt weird how the critiques didn't match the performances or the rankings. From the challenge, Ellie seemed high, then got bad reviews but ended up safe. Tayce wasn't bad and got nice enough reviews but ended up in the bottom. Probably bad editing, but it was confusing as a viewer.

Lawrence deleted their Twitter overnight... sounds like things got rough.

re: Ellie/Lawrence, I do agree that it was disingenous for Ellie to keep asking people if they were OK with their places, and was 100% on Lawrence's side when she read her for filth about it. Though Lawrence should have gotten over it, and did not.

re: the critiques, I figured A'Whora would be in the bottom two, but couldn't decide if the other one would be Tayce, who did not-that-great but exceeded everyone's expectations and showed the most "improvement", or Ellie, who was marginally better than Tayce but was perhaps a bit more disappointing overall.

I really really wanted this to be Ellie's week but it was clear from early on in the ep that this was not going to be her episode :(

if Alan Carr was trying to coach me on how to be funny I would probably have to leave the set.

Loads of this episode made me uncomfortable - the inference that drag comedy should stick to tasteful things because it's the BBC, it is close to "you can be gay, but not too gay" territory. It's the same as how Graham Norton was much funnier on his Channel 4 shows.

I also wondered if there was a gender component. Like, A'Whora may be a drag queen, but to the BBC that is still a man saying pretty crude stuff about his grandmother. I wonder if a cis woman would be censured for the same material? Don't they bleep it when the queens call each other c*nts, too? I don't think they do that after 10pm on the Beeb when women do it.

Anyway, it seemed like an overreaction to bleep the material. I am a fairly prudish person when it comes to what I find funny (which is distinct from what I think you ought to be allowed to say on telly) and I thought it was weird that that was considered too tasteless to even broadcast.

Okay how the hell had the series got to this point *without* using Company B’s “Fascination” in a lip sync?

maybe they had that realization and came up with the runway as reason for song
agree with decision but would have had a different top 3

in re UK - really don't get the anger with Ellie D for how she did placing, um, its what you do and really wasn't that shady anyway, complaining queens came off as very petty to me (and didn't find laurence funny at all)

I don't think Lawrence is that funny, I think they're just Scottish