This week on RuPaul's Drag Race, the queens get into a little “yes and” test their improv muscle in a wild and wacky challenge. We open with Kandy admitting she felt guilty about sending Tamisha home but there’s not much time to ponder this, as Ru busts into the werk room and announces that the library is open. Yes, it’s time for the fan-favorite reading mini-challenge.
Some of the queens knock it out of the park and some flounder – as is the case every season. Denali and Gottmik were standouts and poor Elliott got crickets, and ultimately Ru deemed Mik as the head librarian.
After the library is officially closed, Ru introduces us to this week’s maxi challenge. Ross Matthews is back with another trashy talk show, “Bossy Rossy After Dark: The Ru-boot.” The queens are teamed up for an unscripted performance as they act out scenarios that aren’t unlike what you’ve seen on Maury and Jerry Springer. Rosé, Denali and LaLa Ri are the players in “I’m Pregnant with My Imaginary Boyfriend’s Baby.”
Gottmik, Utica and Olivia Lux star in a segment titled “Breaking My Silence: My Escape from the Cult of Mime-ology” (who comes up with these?) Symone and Kandy Muse are “Former Teen Queens: Where Are They Now?” and Tina Burner and Elliott take on the topic “My Best Friend’s 600-pound Ass is Killing Our Friendship.”
The late-night show delivers all of the catfights, drama, and humor you can find on any trash TV talk show – and more. Rose and Denali, clad in leopard and sporting huge pregnant bellies work well with their imaginary co-star and LaLa, who earlier in the episode said she was inspired by Martin Lawrence’s Sheneneh, unfortunately, was lacking in Nene’s signature sass (although she was far from the worst of the week.)
Gottmik played former mime-turned author “Gloria Allpink” and discussed her book while counseling escaped mime Cheryl (Olivia) and her over-caffeinated mother, played by Utica, who had earlier said she was going to be the “scene stealer” of the segment. Olivia gave a fabulous, wordless performance and played fantastically with Gottmik.
Kandy and Symone played “Tiffany Gibson” and “Lil Deb Deb” more understated than the previous acts, but, discussing their former TV show “The Complicated Life” and giving us an impromptu duet of their hit “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”, they delivered (bonus for Symone saying she no longer goes by “Lil Deb Deb” but by “DeBORah.”)
Lastly, Tina and Elliott gave us (literal) tits and ass, a tickle fight and a make-out session as former rocket scientists and BFFs who overinflated their physiques.
On the runway, the theme was “Bead It” and the fashions were fierce. Denali was a living chandelier, Rosé was a “Tinkerbell made of plastic”, LaLa, Tina and Elliot took us to Mardi Gras, Symone stunned with a look created from hair beads that served “Glamazonian African princess” and Gottmik cheekily gave us a red latex mod dress with an “anal bead” headpiece. Utica was a bloody, beaded bride, Kandy was dripping with diamonds and Olivia took us back to the playground with a graffiti accented dress and beaded pigtails.
Ru’s top three were Olivia, Kandy and Symone; and Olivia walked away with her second victory in a row. In the bottom were Utica, LaLa and Elliott. Utica was spared, which left the remaining queens to lip-sync for their lives to “Whole Lotta Woman by Kelly Clarkson. Both queens turned it out, and I am glad I didn’t have to pick a winner, but ultimately Elliott prevailed, sending our last Atlanta queen, LaLa Ri, home.
This Week’s MVP: Tina Burner
I will admit, I’ve been sleeping on Tina Burner. I did love her little black dress look from last week, and she got in a few good jabs in the reading challenge. She definitely outshone Elliott in the maxi challenge, but in the werk room, she had a touching heart-to-heart with Elliott, who admitted she felt like the season’s underdog.
Elliott confessed to Tina that she suffered from clinical depression and Tina said she could relate because her mother suffered from the same thing. Tina said it was hard growing up with his mother because “I don’t know what’s going on in her head.” She told Elliott that she should be “real and honest” with her fellow queens, assuring her that once they got to know the real her, they would change their tune.
Tina admitted she has done a 180 with Elliott and says she is ashamed that she harshly judged her before really getting to know her. I love that she had the Ru-demption moment and that’s why she’s tops in my book this week.
Honorable Mention: Symone
If this week’s winner was based on the runway alone, Symone would have emerged victorious. Her beaded outfit was declared by Ru as “one of the greatest outfits we’ve had on this stage.” She even had beads spelling her name out woven into her braids. It was truly unforgettable. Symone shared this week that her brother is in jail for armed robbery and that his arrest killed his mother. She said she never wanted to disappoint her mother and that was one of the reasons she turned to drag. Symone is almost guaranteed to be in the top three this season and she completely deserves it.
Had to Mention: Gottmik
It’s been a while since a queen knocked it out of the park in the reading challenge, but Gottmik did just that. I can never not see Kandy as a pug ever again and the thought of RuPaul in cargo shorts would definitely be a confusing sight.
Also, while she was merely deemed safe this week, her red latex look on the runway was fun, fashion and just everything. Anyone who wears an outfit paying tribute to anal beads is a winner in my book. Also, I just love Gottmik.
Well, that’s it for this week. Join us again to see who has the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent to sashay away with the crown. Until then, remember that if you can’t love yourself h0w in the hell are you gonna love somebody else? Can I get an “amen”?
