Hello, hello, hello! Welcome to our last weekly wrap-up on all things drag (more info on that at the end of this post.)
This week, we met the final seven queens competing to snatch the crown on the sweet sixteenth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and discover who had the charisma, uniqueness, nerve, talent, and fashion to win over Ru’s heart (and gain immunity).
The new season also brought us new Ru-caps and reviews from Trixie, Jimbo, Raja, Raven, Yuhua and Rock – which we have missed greatly. In addition, we get some backstage dish from Trixie, go to sleep with Bob and Monét and get Mean Girls makeover tips from Symone and Gigi. There’s lots here for you this week, so let’s bring it to the runway!
This week, we met the final seven queens competing for the crown on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16. Hershii LiqCour Jeté (drag sister of Kornbread) is the first to enter the werk room, followed by Plasma, Geneva Karr, Plane Jane (given the villain edit from the moment she walked in), Megami, Mhi’ya Iman Le’Paige and our first queen from Taiwan, Nymphia Wind.
For this week’s mini-challenge photo shoot, Ru manages to put these queens in front of the most unflattering camera in the world and sends them to the “She-MV”. Love Connie is back for another (far too brief) cameo as a civil servant alongside the always delightful Madison TS. All of the queens delivered photos I would love to have on my driver’s license and the only queens who stood out to me this time around was Mhi’ya, who fell asleep while waiting for her turn. In the end, Ru deemed the queen who went completely bananas, Nymphia Wind, as the winner.
Just like last week, the main challenge is the talent show (dubbed the Queens Choice Awards for no discernable reason, except maybe to get Derrick Barry back as the host..?). And, just like last week, there were a lot of original songs and lip syncs. Maybe I am spoiled by America’s Got Talent, but I would love to see these queens think more outside of the box for these performances.
That said, this group did keep me entertained. Geneva represented her Mexican heritage by coming on stage in a lovely traditional gown for a bit of dancing before revealing a bodysuit and launching into her original song. Hershii also had an original song, “Whiplash,” and performed it dressed like a tour guide at the San Diego Zoo. Good performance, but I don’t get the theme. Plasma (the theater kid, who I can really identify with) gave a very on-brand performance, singing a song you might hear from Sinatra or Garland and then treated us to impressions of Jennifer Coolidge, Joan Rivers, Marilyn Monroe and Harvey Fierstein (she was really the only queen who – IMHO – understood the assignment this week.)
Nymphia also gave us something a little different and performed a graceful, effortless traditional Taiwanese dance. Megami did a lip sync to “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes and tried to convey a powerful message about LGBTQ+ rights (which she brought in a little too late.) Mhi’ya proves she was the queen of flips and served a lip sync packed with high kicks, jumps, splits and even a headstand. Jane came on stage dressed as a hamburger to sing her original song “Burger Finger” (a title that aroused Ru’s curiosity). She also had a reveal uncovering a breastplate that would make Jimbo proud. She kept the Jimbo references going as she squirted ketchup and mustard all over her chest. If I had to judge, it would be Plasma, Jane and Nymphia as my top three but it’s up to the queens to decide this week.
The runway theme is “Made You Look” (side note: Mama Ru looks stunning in her blue gown.) Nymphia, who established herself as the “Banana Buddha” from the moment when walked into the werk room, presented the life of a banana in FASHION. She came onstage as a green unripe banana and went to yellow, fully ripe and then a brown banana. I dug this theme, and every layer was kind of cool. Hershii came out in a beautiful, ruffled coat to reveal a milk chocolate-colored dress (the fabric looked like buttery leather and the hue looked great on her.) Plasma channeled a tomato pincushion, complete with a reveal. Geneva donned a sparkly mariachi outfit that she transformed into a festive Mexican dress. Mhi’ya paid tribute to her hometown of Miami with a very quick reveal from a long tropical print jacket into an equally festive swimsuit. Megami brought her cosplay prowess to the stage with a winged headpiece, wings and a Pan’s Labryinth-esque reveal of eyes embedded into her palms. Lastly, Jane showed both sides of her persona off in a Romanoff inspired robe which hid a “Boston Bimbo” underneath (and yet another comically huge breastplate.)
After the judges (including guest judge Becky G…I wonder if this set of queens were disappointed. Last week, it was Oscar winner Charlize Theron coming into the werk room for a pep talk and this week, its Becky G (I didn’t know who she was, but I’m not as up on the music scene these days). The judges gave their critiques, it was up to the contestants to Rate-A-Queen. The top two of the week were Plane Jane (not really a surprise) and Geneva Karr (kind of a surprise). The two faced off in a lip sync for the win to Becky G’s “Shower” and, just like last week, there were boobs a bouncing and a definite winner – Plane Jane. So, we have met all 14 contestants and next week, the competition truly begins.
A new season of Drag Race means a new season of “The Pit Stop.” Watch and delight as Trixie Mattel and Jimbo recap the season 16 premiere.
Last week’s Ru-veal Yourself runway looks were fierce. Raven and Raja toot and boot the queens’ first efforts on the return of “Fashion Photo Ruview” (and I agree with their shoot.)
Yuhua Hamasaki and Rock M Sakura give us their two cents on the runway reveals and the queens’ red carpet looks on “Bootleg Opinions.”
Want to get to know more about the queens? EW’s Joey Nolfi talks to the season 16 cast, and they prove why they made the cut.
Is Q the look queen of Season 16? Joey Nolfi talks to the talented queen (and amazing designer) in this entertaining interview.
Trixie spills some behind-the-scenes tea about Drag Race (if you’re a Willam fan, you’ve probably heard most of this, but I just love to hear Trixie talk.)
Symone and Gigi Goode create the “wet look” from the new, musical Mean Girls movie. I know these two can pull this look off, but it’s too intense for mere mortals like myself.
Mistress Isabelle Brooks enters her catfish era and creates a new persona courtesy of AI and drag. Does she serve nasty auntie realness? Watch and meet Eleanor Charles.
The stunning Mariah Paris Balenciaga talks about her experience in Atlanta’s ball scene with Joseph Shepherd in this clip from “Exposed.”
Youth is the topic of this week’s episode of “UNHhhh.” Trixie and Katya discuss getting old, Larry King and the differences between younger and more established queens.
With Trixie on Pit Stop, former PS host Bob the Drag Queen subs for her and kikis with Katya on “The Bald and the Beautiful.”
Having trouble sleeping? Forget about the Advil PM and counting sheep, Bob and Monét are here to put you to sleep on the latest “Sibling Rivalry.”
Jaymes Mansfield does another “trash to treasure” wig makeover, taking a straight hairpiece and making it glam with victory rolls and curls.
Gottmik and Violet talk about their pet peeves (which are really kind of all of ours) on “No Gorge.”
And that’s a wrap for this week. Next week, we will bring daily drag highlights and the RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16 recap on Sundays. Change is good! This week, we leave you with one of our new favorite queens, Sapphira Cristál, serving diva realness with her performance of “O mio babbino caro.” Until we meet again, stay safe, stay healthy, support the queens and say LOVE!