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

And yesterday’s Holland episode was really great too (family makeover)

oh that reaction video <3
how sweet when she leaps into Eureka’s arms

UK in a couple of weeks, Canada in a month...

Are you ready for more sugar? Meet the new queens of Canada's Drag Race, coming to @CraveCrave October 14. 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/0tcqK2ib9c

— Canada's Drag Race (@canadasdragrace) September 14, 2021

So, anyone watch the UK season 3 opening episode? I liked the additional factor at the end -- that's a good idea! I wonder if they're road testing it here first and we'll see it over here next season. (The ultimate loser I was a little sad to see go out of the gate but admittedly the looks weren't AS sharp...)

It was a great episode. Choriza May is already a favorite. She had one of the best entrance line of all time. And when she said "My favorite thing from Newcastle is my boyfriend's dick" I almost choked laughing. Her workroom moment was genuinely touching. Hope she'll go far.

*Spoilers*
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Veronica Green not being in the bottom is Rigga Morris. Her cotton balls look should've been read for filth and I don't even think her second outfit qualifies as a look. Even her entrance look was busted.

Indeed, let's see how things go for her, especially since we have a second musical theater queen for dramaaaaaaa etc

Now that I know what Charity Kase actually looks like I'm all "Oh...oh I get it, you KNOW you're beautiful and you don't want to use that." Which I can already see leading to issues, thus the midrange placing and her being a bit narked about that, but on the flip I figure the panel noted her two separate looks were both grotesques and thought "Mmm, skilled but this all you got?"

I also do like the various international connections we've got going here -- Choriza as mentioned (talk about someone absolutely knowing what and how stereotypes work in TWO completely different contexts), but when Vanity Milan busted out the Estonia look I was all "WTF" until the explanation and then I was all "That rules!"

Victoria Scone's run is absolutely going to be a big takeaway from all this.

(Anyway will come back to this thread later when I've seen the Holland finale. Been a good season, looking forward to the next!)

I laughed so much at River Medway's statue impression on the runway, and at Elektra Fence saying she was serving "little shit realness". The whole thing was really great.

Vanessa winning Holland was well deserved, and that makes two openly trans winners in the overall franchise this year. (Three total due to Thailand season 2.)

yeah, I lived for River Medway's pointy performance, very charming. Charity clearly stung by the lack of recognition for her complex horror looks. She was not expecting the judgement to be all 'stop relying on that (dead) body, ghoul friend so soon in the competition

And boy River's story about losing her mom to COVID right before she got the call! Horrible to think about, but that type of background element is going to be a grim factor in a lot of things going forward, sadly.

Vanessa winning Holland was well deserved, and that makes two openly trans winners in the overall franchise this year. (Three total due to Thailand season 2.)

Vanessa was definitely the best winner of the 3, but Kita Mean being eliminated right before the finale was some bs. I felt bad for her having to watch the 3 finalists make their speeches and lipsynch on set.

Yeah Vivaldi got in via connections, obv.

That was a bit of a full episode! The elimination day 'serious talk' segment was actually one of the best ones, even with a bit of show self-critique snuck in thanks to Vanity. Crossed fingers for Victoria for next week obv.

I really dislike Victoria, she reminds me of Miranda. Krystal Versace seems very good at playing RPDR, which is not the same as being a good drag queen, but I expect that they'll do exceptionally well and I think it goes to the heart of what bothers me about the UK version of the franchise: the tradition and heritage of British drag is not the same as it is Stateside. A Lily Savage-type would never do well on this show.

I mean, Victoriyawn...I think, despite everything that went against her. That's what the ru and Michelle thought, Ru's stern announcement of the medical, with no mention of the offer of a return to the competition next year ( which must be offered next or behind the scenes, surely??!)...was like a savage read for her boring medical diary updates, lol..

is charity case a needles clone? and will that count for or against them? I did laugh at her evil clown prosthetic face reacting to other queens, I need to watch the untucked if she wore that there.

Yeah Victoria's departure announcement was...odd. Almost an implication though she'd be back later in the season? Hm.

I rather like Charity and I certainly didn't expect that personal bomb being dropped. Different energy than Sharon, I'd say, though you really can start to sense a 'wait I'm always safe or in the bottom?' vibe emerging.

Surprised myself by being so excited for the pop group challenge next week! This seems like something the UK crew can own even more than the US ones after last year.

So is the contract for RPDR UK season 4 not in the bag or is there another reason Victoria didn't get a definite comeback offer, I think she might be a queen that is isn't suited to a competitive drag show, they never seemed to get over nerves. Do people think the 'size' joke was unfair and a low blow?. It's seems such standard drag banter that it did surprise me they struggled with it. The usual response from queen's is more defient and hopefully a sassy retort, no?

I got the impression that everyone was fine with it in the room, but the producers decided to use it as a teachable moment, hence the incredibly staged apology and convo, which also served to create some personality for Victoria right before she left.

there are a bunch of undercooked queen's in this season and it might be a direct result of the show seeking youthful queen's who are more than likely free and able to join some live endless tour thing Ru has planned for them after the show.

the double save was delayed by exactly one episode

and Big Drag Energy is nowhere near as big as UK Hun was

Meantime Canada is under way — thought the first episode was solid, including the revelation that Eve is QUITE the drama queen.

DRUK episode 4 : the Scarlett episode *spoilers* charity looked the image of needles to me again in the daft doggie mini challenge. Chorizo May mixes daftness with steely ambition, in an interesting way, I want to see where it gets her. Scarlett, Scarlett, Scarlett, all the drama, moving personal insights, assassination by her fellow queen's, performs a wonderful lipsink tour denforce that she wins on the first 10 secs and romps home. I don't allows enjoy lipsinks bit this was a great one, Scarlett gives good face. Kitty dear, I'll send you a rupeter badge, you deserve it

it was pretty brutal

kinda lol’d at the fact that many challenges (particularly making an ad) make for awful results but that’s usually ignored but in this ep the judges decided to, as michelle put it, “get real for a couple of seconds”

the song suited scarlett’s runway much better but agreed, she killed it

Yeah, the runway look gave Scarlett an edge, for sure, but boy did she run with it. The hand in the face dismissel near the end was a perfect retort to the charity's snub in the mini challenge, an editor's dream episode. I kinda enjoyed the acting challenge and was a little surprised how much Ru and Michelle went in on it, the history of acting scripts, particularly from the early phase of the American ones were often worse than this. It was painful but I laughed in a couple of places, whereas I've sat through acting challenges on the show wondering 'wtf' is this unfunny, senseless thing before me.

Almost like they went meta juuuust enough. (If they went too far they'd have to acknowledge just how shitty a lot of those things are!)

As I was rather fond of Charity I am sad to see her go but you'd think someone who looks that good would also be comfortable in figuring out ways to showcase that more.

Canada's newest episode, not bad, but they really haven't figured out a proper hosting dynamic still. Having Brooke Lynn essentially try to BE Ru is weird.

yeah, exactly, they hammed it up and deliver bad lines with commitment and some fun performances, lol at chorizo may particularly but even River and Ella were pretty good, I thought. Krystal showed she has personality and acting ability to match the bwodyoddyoddy with her choices in both challenges. Charity has a stunning vision for her detailed costumes, I'm not surprised she went, I think Ru and Michelle were questioning her choices from the start.

I wanted to say charity played her part in the great lipsync, unfortunately for her as the quirky supporting performer to the main act that was Scarlett...the harlot

some really strong queens in canada's drag race emerging
but yeah the judges are trying a bit too hard to be like the real thing
at least they don't ask the guest judge to do the signature lines anymore

the fact they got ru to say "shoppers drug mart" is just so funny to me,
i wonder how many non canadian viewers think it's "shoppers drag mart"

and perhaps the most magnificently cringy line ever
"the oceans are rising, and so is your star"

Yeah good lord. Improve that!

Okay, Ella's Nigella ruled easy.

As for the end results...fault of the performers or fault of the song? (Because having never realized Lulu did that I was all "Wait, WHAT?")

Terrible song choice, but they could have done some good comedy bits with it and neither of them did.

this week
was bad. the blankety blank thing was far worse than the allegedly disastrous draglexa ads, only Ella's Nigella, Choriza's Margarita Pracatan and Kitty's Gemma Collins were any good at all. Scarlet's Macaulay Culkin was fine the first time she did the face, but terrible after that, she had no idea at all where to go with it, and her runway costume was easily the worst, no idea why she survived. Choriza's Carmen Miranda costume was the best and it's ridiculous she was sent home, in two weeks now we have lost the three most original contestants.

*spoilers* I read some spoilers before seeing this episode and people were going in on Ru and Michelle for their obvious favouring of Scarlett and Krystal and the snatch game pre-discussions with ru where Ru was pressuring corny character swops. As mentioned earlier, Cher, Ru, really!! You can fake laugh all you like but, girl pls... It seemed a pretty fair analysis after watching it. The double sashay was harsh, neither performed that bad, neither did perform a showstopper either, I guess. The fact that Ella and vanity are there longer than charity and chorizo highlights the narrowing vision of drag in this show. There are a lot of campy older queens I've seen live in the UK that seem to represent a type of UK drag that this show is obviously uninterested in investing in. I'd love to see an over 40's dragrace of acerbic, club veterans.

Michelle Visage is like kryptonite for crude campy humour, since she made that sour milk face at Kitty for doing a toilet gag, it feels like everyone is doing this weird family friendly + occasional dick jokes routine, this is maybe why we are left with such a dull bunch now.

I'd love to see an over 40's dragrace of acerbic, club veterans.

I wonder if such queens would have a whole language of their own that Ru and Michelle and the production as a whole wouldn't understand -- a wealth of references they just might not get, and they'd be worried that the show might end up the butt of a joke without realizing it. That's my feeling, anyway.

It's already there with a lot of the audience.

xpost In regards to a veterans dragrace thing, I'd love the show to get past older queens as supporting cast and not capable of the crown. Initially, i fully expected UK dragrace to be less about glamour and polished 'look' queen's and be more like early seasons of the original show, diverse queen's, lots of seasoned performers...with the insta generation, brought up with the show, it's become about expensive, prepared looks and it changed the work room and the show. Ru and michelle seem to be hindering the girls this season with their choices too, something's getting lost in translation between the judges and the cast?!?

omg she’s filming all stars pic.twitter.com/5aB0S5syju

— Lex (@glitterstrands) November 17, 2021

lol

I switched my allegiances during the UK final, and did a little fist-pump when the winner was announced.

I think it's was well telegraphed that Ru and Michelle liked the big boobed sexy Krystal brought every week, if the judges think you are fuckable, you are made!!
Kinda think, given the prize was a web series, that Kitty or Ella would have been a more watchable winner.

Italy was interesting enough with its own vibe but kinda feel this was a 'get everyone used to it' thing first, we'll see if/when a 2nd season starts to gel.

And then a couple of weeks break and it all began all over again! Sarah's tweet here speaks for me.

this season premiere fuckin rocks #kornbreadforpresident

— Sarah Hennies (@hhhhhennies) January 9, 2022

Yeah, I really enjoyed it. The casting team did a great job with those seven. Although it's funny that there's a queen called Bosco, because this is Bosco to Irish people:
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQQCp5GX2gxSTEExRwrghoCoARmLr5iAHboAU9O9hR3IwBDo54XIqag92ehegJacHuwbgg&usqp=CAU

even after consciously deciding to stop (or not start) watching canada, holland, italy, spain i'm still feeling burnt out, miss the old days when enough of a gap between seasons to get excited - so though seeing excitement about the queens just felt ehh when watching it

some random thoughts after ep 3

42 looks in one episode is way too much. i couldn't keep track who wore what

i'm trying to like maddy but there were straight people who participated in makeover episodes who did better drag

the coffee enema jokes were jaw droppingly over the top
but i love the fact the show is still bringing this level of silliness

i'm really rooting for kornbread, but she needs to drop the crazy eyes schtick

It's a schtick but she wears it well.

The Whatcha Packin was good I thought

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVymlg71R8c

But the summary of the season so far EASILY was Violet Chachki back again for a slew of reads

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

i'm trying to like maddy but there were straight people who participated in makeover episodes who did better drag

Firmly agree. Stop standing like a bloke. Look around you at what the others are doing.

They seem like a fun bunch this year. I'm really enjoying it so far. I even forgive them for the fake elimination.