Hello, RuPaul’s Drag Race fans! As we all endure yet another week of quarantine, the queens have been hard at work, delivering content to keep us entertained and put a smile on our faces while we remain cooped up (thanks to Miss ‘Rona).
As always, some of the series’ fiercest alums are here to discuss last week’s election-themed episode of Drag Race and rate the stars and stripes fashions on the runway. We’ve also got the latest from our eliminated season 12 queen and updates from a few still in the game – as well as updates, podcasts and lots to keep your mind off of your worries.
There’s lots to get into this week, so let’s bring it to the runway!
Bob the Drag Queen welcomes Detox to discuss the “Choices 2020” episode on “The Pit Stop.” The two discuss the cat-themed mini-challenge, the debate, Raven’s advice for the queen-testants, and the runway fashions. Bob muses that he should have his own drag competition show because his take on things is the complete opposite of Ru’s, and I am 100% down for this. Let’s make it happen.
Last week’s special guest on Drag Race, the radiant Raven and season three champion Raja don their finest starred and striped fashions as they toot and boot the looks from last week’s runway on the latest “Fashion Photo Ruview.” I am definitely down with their “trend alert” for the week and each week that passes, and I see Raja’s silver hair, I am getting closer to a new post-quarantine look.
What’s better than one episode of “Fashion Photo Ruview”? Two episodes of ‘Fashion Photo Ruview” of course! In this episode, Raja and Raven are “staying the fuck home” and assessing the fashions of Celebrity Drag Race episode one mentors Trixie Mattel, Bob the Drag Queen and Monét X Change.
One of my favorites from season 11, the lovely Honey Davenport, joins Yuhua Hamasaki for another episode of “Bootleg Opinions.” Just because they’re in quarantine doesn’t mean they’re looking amazing. (Hi, Honey!)
The always hilarious Miz Cracker gets a little spooky on the latest “Review with a Jew.” In this episode, she discusses the latest episode and chats with our eliminated queen, the Widow Von’Du about her exit. I am absolutely loving Cracker’s dark hair – is it bad that I wished she had gone full Elvira?
Sometimes she’s spooky, sometimes she’s glam, but she’s always raw, unfiltered and entertaining. Nina Bo’Nina Brown is back with another take on this week’s episode on “Rawview.” Come for the honesty, stay for her amazing Pumyra from ThunderCats look.
Miss Shuga Cain is back with one of her “Shuga in the Raw” podcasts. She’s got a new backdrop, a new cocktail and lots to say about the episode. Good God, I love her so much.
We haven’t checked in with our favorite Drag Race podcasts in a while, so let’s remedy that. I don’t know about you, but I have loved having Willam and Alaska accompany me on my morning walks with their “Hot Goss” and show recaps on “Race Chaser.” And, if that wasn’t enough aural entertainment this week, guest judge and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend star Rachel Bloom joined Mano Agapion and Nicole Byer for a fantastic episode of “Drag Her”. Definitely check it out if you haven’t already.
Did you check out Celebrity Drag Race? The first of four episodes brought us competing in a mini Snatch Game episode. What you didn’t get to see on the episode (and you totally SHOULD have, shame on you, VH1) was an appearance by one of the season one OGs, the fabulous Shannel (who, fun fact, told me she loved my boots when I saw her at Drag Brunch in Las Vegas last year.) She had some special tips for the contestants, especially Nico Tortorella who was portraying Lucille Ball in the game. Check out the advice the Lucy super fan gives Nico and fellow contestants Jordan Connor and Jermaine Fowler in “Just the Tip.”
Widow chats about her experience on Drag Race, from her entrance to the Madonna challenge to her untimely departure with Michelle Visage on “Whatcha Packin’?” She also talks about her watermelon Janet Jackson/Li’l Kim look, her neon, Missy Elliot-inspired look, her and her unseen “battle armor” finale look. She said being on the show was a wonderful experience and had no sour grapes – her sparkling personality shone during the interview. I hope she finds a spot on a future season of All-Stars.
That entrance look though…I, for one, would love to know more about her outfit and wig, but watching Widow recreate her dramatic makeup is just fine with me – which she does in this tutorial.
Lastly, Widow spoke with MTV about her experience on Drag Race and what she’s been up to since the end of the show (spoiler: she’s stuck at home just like the rest of us.) When asked if she took time off after the show taping, she replied, “I took a little bit of time off, maybe three weeks. Then I was like, “All right, bitch. You got to get back into work. You’re bored.”
InTouch has been doing some fantastic interviews with the season 12 queens (and yes, I am totally jealous.) In their latest in the “#No Makeup, #No Filter” series, Crystal Methyd discusses her experience on the show, her regret for not studying up on Ru’s pop cultural references and how she developed her trademark look. In another video, Heidi N Closet talks about her lip sync against Brita, her Leslie Jones impersonation on Snatch Game and Ru’s reaction to her drag name. If Heidi doesn’t win Miss Congeniality, I will be sad.
Rock M Sakura didn’t get to take part in the Michelle Visage tribute on the runway, but she didn’t squander the look. She dons her look for some “unseen footage” from her “Whatcha Packin’” interview.
If you don’t have HBO and didn’t get to see the premiere of We’re Here, you’re in luck, as the first episode is available on YouTube, and it’s definitely worth a watch. Shangela, Bob the Drag Queen and Eureka O’Hara travel to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and coach some locals as they put on a drag show and spread a message of positivity, love, and acceptance. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll want to go out to see a drag show immediately.
Trixie Mattel checks in from quarantine to talk to Entertainment Tonight. She shares that she “misses being famous” but is keeping insanely busy with her cosmetics line, YouTube videos and creating new music.
Trixie is a judge on James Charles’ new YouTube series “Instant Influencer.” In this video, she discusses the advantages of being a judge over being a competitor and shows us how she created her “judging face” for the show using (what else?) Trixie Cosmetics.
Have you been enjoying Trixie’s “Decades of Dolls” videos as much as I have? This time we return to the 80s, where Barbie wears a “clown version of clothes.” Join us as we return to the days when Barbie and Ken went “Urban Cowboy”, donned their neon workout gear and went into space.
Monét X Change and Bob the Drag Queen talk social distancing, gay subcultures and lots of other topics in the latest episode of their podcast “Sibling Rivalry.”
Honey Davenport is back to discuss more random topics on “Da Fuq” with guest Sutton Lee Seymour (what a great drag name.) Among this week’s topics are expensive and unusual vending machine items, stealing celebrity memorabilia, things getting stuck in places they shouldn’t and more.
And now, it’s time for “This Week in Willam.” The “big” news this week is that Willam’s line of cosmetics (the glitter and lashes are everything) has had to get a bit of a rebrand, after a dispute with the well-known brand with a name very similar to Willam’s original name. Of course, Willam took it in style with a formal announcement and a repackaged ad. You can now find your lip varnishes, glitter, lashes and more at https://sucklessfaceandbody.com.
Also this week, Willam shared three new videos. In her “Unboxting” video, she showed off her haul from some other cosmetics lines including Sugarpill, Kim Chi Beauty and Trixie Cosmetics. And, if you wanted to know what life on tour is like for a queen, Willlam shared some adventures from the road (with appearances by Courtney Act, Shea Coulee and Alaska) in “Tour Life.”
Of course, my favorite Willam videos are her “Beatdowns.” This week, the theme is “Quarantine Queens” and WIllam takes on some of the streaming shows the dolls have been serving since lockdown. The infamous sleeping queen is here, along with Rhea Litre and Laganja Estranja. There’s allegedly a pert two coming and I can’t wait to see it.
Silky Nutmeg Ganache has been treating us with some culinary adventures during the quarantine, but now she’s cooked up something new and gets a makeover from her season 11 sister, Miss Vanjie.
Kameron Michaels, who recently checked in with us, shares her tips and tricks for surviving quarantine and I was able to relate way too much to her evolution. Anyone else?
Miss Coco Peru has been sharing stories about things around her home in her fantastic Coco Thoughts While in Solitude series and now she’s engaging her fellow entertainers to do the same in her “I’ll Show You Mine” series for Logo. This time around, she chats with the iconic Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who shares a special memento from her childhood and a “Simpsonized” version of herself. I love sitting in on these kikis and I can’t wait for more.
Personal trainer to the stars Jason Wimberley is here to help you stay in shape during the lockdown, and he’s recruited some Drag Race alums to get you motivated. On the new series “Working Out is a Drag”, which premieres on WOW Presents Plus on May 6th, Jason presents workouts that appeal to people of every fitness level. Jason’s guests include Raja, Monique Heart, Laganja Estranja, Sonique, and Kameron Michaels. Tune in and get into fierce shape.
Season 11’s Miss Congeniality, the wonderful Nina West, loves the theater and is dedicating her podcast, “Dragcast”, to stars from some of Broadway’s biggest hits. On Friday, she chatted with Jeanna De Waal, who had the lead role in Diana the Musical and today she talks to Michael J. Scott, the Genie from Aladdin.
On Tuesday, she sits down with Caissie Levy, who originated the role of Elsa in Frozen and on Friday, her guest is the legendary Glenn Close. Nina says, “My imagination was fueled by the musical theater, and since I was introduced to a nun singing in the hills of Austria when I was just a kid, I knew it was where I belonged.” She goes on to say, “I knew I was a theater kid. And my love for the art and for Broadway has only grown. I am so thrilled and grateful to have these conversations with people who have inspired so many “With One Look”, by letting it all go, seeing the magic of a wish come to life on stage, or becoming the People’s Princess. These are great stories and I am grateful to talk to the people who bring them to life.” Listen to these episodes and more at www.dragcast.net or on SPOTIFY.
Jaymes Mansfield gets back to what she does best and gives us another of her fantastic wig makeovers. This time she transforms a Dora the Explorer wig into a fun bouffant – a look she describes as a “tardy housewife in Essex.”
Love Connie is back to whip the Pit Crew into shape on “Oh Pit Crew.” This week, the boys, in a homage to the Drag Race reading challenge, have to don heels while stacking books on their heads – all while avoiding flying balls. Sometimes the jokes just kind of write themselves, don’t they?
Drag Race UK’s Sum Ting Wong has a new web series called “Just ‘SUM’ Singing”, where she performs cover versions of some of her favorite songs. This week, she takes on the song “Starring Role” by Marina and the Diamonds. Sum Ting has a lovely voice and I’m looking forward to hearing more original music from her.
Well, that’s all for this week – and we can’t wait for more from our favorite queens. Until we meet again, stay safe, stay healthy and everybody say LOVE!
