Hello, hello, hello and welcome tour weekly recap of drag news from around the world. In our latest The Week in Drag, we take a closer look at the sea-themed runway fashions from the queens of Drag Race Down Under with the help of Raven, Raja, Yuhua Hamasaki and Scarlet Bobo and check in with the debut season’s first two eliminated queens.
There are also treats from our favorite UK queens, including Veronica Green, The Vivienne, Lawrence Chaney, Vinegar Strokes and Tia Kofi. Of course, our stateside queens have put together videos to keep you entertained – from Jaymes Mansfield trying questionable snack food (so you don’t have to) to Willam putting the beatdown on some more YouTube videos. With all of these clips, let’s get right to it and bring it to the runway!
This week brought us 2 new web series from WOW Presents Plus. On “Gay Sex Ed”, which debuted on Tuesday, Vanessa Vanjie Mateo and Kameron Michaels discuss all things sex with certified sex therapist Dr. Chris Donaghue. If game shows are more your thing, join Canada’s Drag Race winner Priyanka on “What’s My Game?” with episodes dropping each Thursday. If these shows aren’t enough to make you subscribe, WOW Presents Plus is also home to Drag Race Down Under, the upcoming Drag Race España and other original programs, including
“How’s Your Head, Queen” with Michelle Visage, and Drag Race Down Under editions of “Losing Is The New Winning” and “Fashion Photo Ruview”. WOW Presents Plus includes a free trial subscription for 7 days upon signup. To learn more and subscribe, visit wowpresentsplus.com.
Drag Race Down Under has already eliminated its first two queens (and in two episodes even!) The first eliminated Aussie queen, Jojo Zaho, discussed her all-too-brief time on the show on “Drag Race Down Under Yearbook.”
Episode two of DRDU gave us a surprisingly early Snatch Game and the shocking elimination of predicted frontrunner Art Simone. Art talks about her Bindi Irwin Snatch Game performance and doles out superlatives to her fellow queens on the “Yearbook”.
Our down under queens brought their “Sea Sickening” looks to the runway on last week’s episode, and Raja and Raven are here to toot and boot the ocean-inspired looks on “Fashion Photo Ruview.”
Yuhua Hamasaki and Canada’s Scarlett Bobo had a lot to say about the runway looks and give us their “Bootleg Opinions.”
Drag Race UK’s second eliminated queen, Vinegar Strokes, shares a message to her Drag Race Down Under counterpart (and can no longer be called a “hodge podge” queen because she looks fabulous) on “Losing is the New Winning.”
Engines are revving across the Atlantic as Drag Race España prepares for its May 30th debut on WOW Presents Plus. The new first look for the latest international iteration of the Emmy-award winning series from World of Wonder features the ten Spanish queens vying for the title of Spain’s first drag superstar — snatching wigs at the club and sashaying to the beat. Hosted by Supremme de Luxe and joined by Javier Calvo, Javier Ambrossi and fashion designer Ana Locking as judges, with a new guest judge every week; the ten fierce Spanish queens competing for the coveted title of Spain’s First Drag Superstar include: Hugaceo Crujiente, Pupi Poisson, Inti, Dovima Nurmi, Sagittaria, Carmen Farala, Killer Queen, Vulcano, Arantxa Castilla La Mancha and The Macarena.
While the Academy Awards were a little different this year, the stars still served up their finest red carpet looks and Laganja Estranja and Yuhua Hamasaki give us their “Bootleg Opinions” on the fashions the celebs sported during the ceremony.
Season 12’s Miss Congeniality, Heidi N Closet, comes “Out of the Closet” and takes us on a tour of her “Drag Lab.”
Is there anything Trixie Mattel can’t do? In her latest video, she makes iconic cocktails at her hometown bar in Milwaukee, This is It! Wearing an outfit she describes as “Dusty Springfield Hooters from hell” (her words, not mine.) Watch as she crafts a Manhattan, a Brandy Old Fashioned (of which Trixie hilariously says, “If you’re 20 years old and drinking these, you want people to know about it.”), a Long Island Iced Tea and a delicious-looking Blue Moon shot.
Trixie and Katya answer the most Googled question about drag queens as only they can. If you’ve ever wanted to know where drag queens shop for clothes, why queens use purple glue sticks on their brows and more, these two are here to answer these burning questions.
Need some more laughs? Willam is here to save the day with another “Beatdown”. This time, she takes on a toothless crystal (not the queen) enthusiast, a dog breeding video remixed, the Drag Race season 14 contract exposed
Willam gives us another glamorous transformation as she undergoes “The Heathering” with Suck Less lashes and glitter, Haus Labs lipliner and blue mascara. I own all of these and I never looked this good.
Willam and Latrice Royale are currently across the pond, starring in the murder mystery comedy Death Drop in London (along with the wonderful Myra DuBois from Britain’s Got Talent.) In an interview with the UK’s Gay Times, Willam said the play is “really fun, it reminds me of Clue but with drag queens and more everything.” Latrice said of the opportunity, “It’s been a dream of mine to start using my theatre chops more, I have left the club life and the club scene, we have elevated out of that and this is a wonderful new venture coming out of the pandemic. It’s a great time to do it, like if I ever had a bucket list then this is on it.” Performances begin at the Garrick Theater on May 19 and tickets are now available on the show’s website.
Jaymes Mansfield is back with another video! Her dreams have come true and a fan has sent her a beautiful human hair wig, which she transforms into a mountain oof 60s-inspired curls.
Performing wig and makeup magic makes a queen hungry and Jaymes is no different. Here she taste tests the latest flavors of Cheetos brand Mac ‘n’ Cheese. Who is the victor? Flaming Hot, Bold ‘n’ Cheesy or Cheesy Jalapeno? Watch and find out.
Sometimes, change can be good, as evidenced by this video of Rock M Sakura updating her signature look from season 12.
Drag Race UK season 2 queen Veronica Green show how she gets a luxe look with this video from Cosmo Queens. I really hope she gets to come back and compete on season three.
Our two UK champions, The Vivienne and Lawrence Cheney watch and react to the Netflix comedy series Special on “I Like to Watch.”
Aiden Zhane is back, answering fan questions. She discusses her favorite shows and movies and whether or not she’d return to the werk room for a Ru-demption.
The spooky and fierce Biqtch Puddin’, who was the winner of Dragula season 2 chats with Jonny McGovern on “Hey Qween!”
Drag Legends Coco Peru and Varla Jean Merman are coming to a streaming service near you, as their 2003 cult classic Girls Will Be Girls is restored and in high-definition. The remastered movie will be available June 1 for purchase on various digital platforms. The hilarious movie also stars Jack Plotnick and a pre-Modern Family Eric Stonestreet. While we eagerly await the sequel, there’s no better time to meet or reacquaint yourself with this terrific trio.
And that wraps up another week of drag fabulousness. We’ll leave you this week with the latest video from Drag Race UK’s Tia Kofi x Cahill. Enjoy “Look what You’ve Done” and, until next week, stay safe, stay healthy, get vaccinated and say LOVE!
