Category: RuPaul

The old saying used to go, the sun never sets on the British empire. Between regular seasons, all star seasons, spin-offs, and licensing for global iterations, today it can be said that the sun never sets on RuPaul’s Drag Race empire. Things have improved. Barely have we had time to catch our breath since Nymphia Wind edged out Sapphira Cristál for the season 16 crown, and now the premiere of All Stars season 9 is upon us! And there are twists! (Because there always are; at least it’s not the return of the golden chocolate bar.) Echoing back to All Stars season 7, season 9 will have a cast of eight and no eliminations until the finale. Furthermore, each queen is playing for the $200K grand prize that will be awarded to a charity of their choice. Entertainment Weekly got the tea straight from the grateful eight:

The queens of All Stars season 9: Representing one of the smallest casts of queens to ever sashay into the Werk Room, the stakes still couldn’t be bigger for Angeria Paris VanMichaels (season 14), Gottmik (season 13), Jorgeous (season 14), Nina West (season 11), Plastique Tiara (season 11), Roxxxy Andrews (season 5, All Stars 2), Shannel (season 1, All Stars 1), and Vanessa Vanjie Mateo (season 10, season 11). Not only are the queens competing for a spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame, they’re also vying for a $200,000 investment in one queen’s charity of choice.

Gottmik got good vibes this time: “This one was really happy and chill. It was just different,” Gottmik recalls of the dynamic of the season, which includes no eliminations, similar to the All Stars 7 edition that featured a cast of all prior winners. “Literally we’d be in Untucked and [we’d] get heated up, and they’d be like, ‘Time for a game!’ And I’d be like, ‘Can I say one mean thing?’”

RuPaul’s Best Friends Race: Season 1 OG Shannel also confirms “there really isn’t a lot of drama” this season — and it’s all for the better in a season that’s all about using drag superpowers for good, not evil. “In fact, at one point in time throughout the season, we had said this is the very first season of RuPaul’s Best Friends Race,” Shannel continues. “Granted, there has to be pieces of drama, and of course there is, but for the most part, everybody got along kind of well.”

The inimitable Miss Vanjie: One thing Vanjie certainly isn’t giving any attention on All Stars 9 is romance, after she let herself fall wig-over-heels during her playful on-set romance with season 11’s Brooke Lynn Hytes: “I feel like I should’ve won one or two [challenges]. That’s why I came back; I need to win some,” she says. “The first time, I was trying to be all cute and find some d-ck and, you know, have fun. This time, I said I’m not going to get no d-ck. I’ll get the d-ck later.”

Drag Race launched a dream career for Nina West: I have lived the most amazing life since my time on Drag Race. I’ve performed with Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and the entire Muppets. I’ve worked for Disney, proudly. I’ve worked with Weird Al Yankovic. But, all these things have come from my time on the show and having the opportunity to meet people and people seeing me in my most vulnerable [state].”

[From Entertainment Weekly]

I am so glad they’re bringing back the eight queen, no elimination format. For anyone who hasn’t treated themselves yet, All Stars season 7 was sensational. It was the all stars all winners year, and those ladies really were the cream of the crop. Jinkx Monsoon killing at Snatch Game with her Judy Garland will go down in herstory as the greatest snatch ever to play the game. And having a small group who are all there for the whole competition fostered a genuinely supportive atmosphere.

As for this cast in particular, I’m calling it now: Gottmik and Vanjie for the top two. Gottmik was runner up in her season, and she was fantastic. Versatile, always willing to make a fool of herself, and won Snatch Game doing a hilarious take on Paris Hilton. And Miss Vanjie, well… She’s Vanjie! How many of us can make the act of walking backwards while repeating our name into an epic meme-worthy moment?! And though obvious, it must be said: she delivered the best quote of the article. “The first time, I was trying to be all cute and find some d-ck and, you know, have fun. This time, I said I’m not going to get no d-ck. I’ll get the d-ck later.” That’s a queen who knows herself, has ambition, and discipline! It’s the gay Godfather equivalent of “Leave the gun, take the cannoli,” right? “Leave the d-ck, take the crown.” Words to live by.

Nymphia Wind checked off a lot of firsts when she was crowned the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16. She’s the first East Asian queen to win the top prize (season 3 winner Raja is of South Asian descent), the first international queen to win the show in America (she was born in LA but raised in Taiwan), and of course, is the first banana queen in Drag Race herstory. The significance is not lost on Nymphia, who meticulously crafted looks and performances for the finale that represented her culture — in the campiest ways possible, as she told Entertainment Weekly shortly after her win:

On being the first East Asian queen to take the crown: As an Asian kid brought up in Asia, we’re not taught to be vocal or voice ourselves. We’re taught to be subtle, quiet, and keep to ourselves. I’m not one to boast about being good at this or that. I’m a wallflower. Self-confidence has always been a thing throughout my life. Even after winning, you wake up some days and you’re not feeling yourself, and other days you wake up super confident. You have to remember to acknowledge the good and the bad and see it as a whole. When you have those bad days, remember the good days are going to come. The bad days aren’t forever. Be graceful, and know that people are out there just like you, even if they may seem confident in themselves. There are things in them you have to find time to see. Winning and this validation is beyond. I always wanted to be the first East Asian queen to win and now I’ve achieved that.

The tea on her boba tea costume: I obviously came here to represent my country, and I’m not going to do it by putting a flag on my dress. Boba tea is the national drink of Taiwan. We invented boba tea. Put that in your brain! That was my way of being camp and still representing my country and finding a fun way to do this lip-sync, because I knew I was going up against Sapphira and Plane. I knew I had to be a pride float and bring something because this is my first time lip-syncing.

Those “tapioca pearl” balloons were tricky: Mama, did you see the waddle? [Laughs] I had helium in there, so they didn’t fall from the bottom, like they were floating. I had to blow them up twice before the lip-sync. It was stressful. The cape was heavy enough to hold everything up. Inside, my hands were shutting it tight so it didn’t leak, and there were f–king stairs behind that stage, so that was a hurdle.

Her solo number was inspired by Peking opera: For that song, “Queen of Wind,” I was thinking of being weighed down by weights, and eventually unburdened and inspired to be free like the wind. The tiger mask and costume is traditional Peking opera general outfit, and that mask is a fantasy character inspired by rich Peking opera [in] Asian culture. It was a tiger general, she was shot by a lot of arrows and worn down, battling, tearing away to become the Queen of Wind. It’s a metaphor for shedding your self-doubt.

What does the future hold? More yellow and bananas: I just want to be Jane Goodall’s friend. I’m going to make this world more yellow and bananas. I really want to venture out into performance art. Maybe an FKA Twigs collaboration, maybe a Marina Abramovic collaboration. This is such a good platform for me to collaborate. I’m going to be on a call with her [Goodall] tomorrow, after Good Morning America. No tea, no shade, I was excited for that. She knows my existence. I’m gagged!

[From Entertainment Weekly]

For those who didn’t watch this season and are like, “Wait, how did Jane Goodall walk into this story?” Nymphia played Dr. Jane Goodall during the Snatch Game and bombed. Hard. All the energy and rhythm and banter just fell flat whenever Ru turned to Nymphia. So it was very good-natured of Jane to agree to meet Nymphia — which really did happen! They filmed a video call timed for Earth Day, with Nymphia dressed in her Jane Goodall drag and introducing herself as “Dr. Jane Not-Good-At-All.” Jane was gracious and playful throughout the conversation, while still at times seeming utterly perplexed by Ms. Wind. I came away loving Jane even more than I thought I could.

And of course I continue to love Nymphia! I’d say the sky’s the limit for her right now. A performance art piece with either FKA Twigs or Marina Abramovic would each be fantastic, but I’m gunning for Marina. Can you imagine it? Super serious ARTISTE Marina emoting theatrically… with Nymphia in a banana costume right there next to her?! I’m gagging for it!

Many people thought Sapphira Cristál was going to take the crown for RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16. Judging from this post-finale interview with Entertainment Weekly, Sapphira herself was chief among them! No shade, I loved Sapphira’s poise, presence, talent — she’s a freakin’ opera singer! — and intelligent sense of humor. She tied with fellow finalist Plane Jane for the most number of maxi challenge wins this season at four each. (Although if we’re really spilling the tea here, her win for the DragCon 1980 episode was totally down to Ru loving her runway look, and not how she did in the challenge.) After all these months I feel I know Sapphira a little bit. So the uber-confident, boastful comments she makes to EW are tempered by the personality I’ve come to admire. But yeah, she’s unshakably certain that it was the final lip-sync, and only that performance, that kept her from the ultimate win:

She would’ve won, but for the final lip-sync: If it didn’t come down to that final lip-sync, I won the whole thing. It definitely came down to that final lip-sync, and that final lip-sync only. I could not have done any better on my solo number. It was chef’s kiss, no notes, 100 percent A , honey. The energy from the room while performing it was an energy I’ve never felt in my life. Everyone was on the tips of their seats… I won three things in a row. I guess the one thing I would do differently is the makeover challenge. It landed me in the bottom, and until then I hadn’t even been in the bottom at all. I was just top or safe.

On how she played the game: I did what I did because I knew it was right, I knew that it was important to be myself and not anyone else. I’m generous and genuine. I lead with compassion, love, and kindness. Especially now, it was important to do that. But, there’s another side. I’m a Libra. I could’ve played the game completely differently and still done well. I tried to help people be their best so that when I beat them, I felt that much better, because I don’t want to beat you when you’re struggling. I want to beat you at your best.

How on earth did she pack up her looks for the show? If you want to know how I packed, follow me on Patreon. Everyone wants to know. We will be putting out a full video on how it was packed and how to pack for life, honestly. I’m the new Marie Kondo of 2024, so don’t you worry. You will learn to pack great big things. Drag ingenuity is what I’d say. We had the best engineers, physicists, we had to make sure it happened. I think there was a 16-person team just figuring out how to pack.

She’s booked and busy: I have a lot coming up. My own tour and The Cristál Ball EP are coming out as well. Also, Monét X Change and I will be singing at Lincoln Center with an orchestra and Soundcake. It’s aural confessions, opera, pop, drag; it’s everything you want. We have a little bit of Thorgy Thor in there as well. All the classical girls are doing the thing. I’m living my absolute best life, and I encourage everyone else to take the bull by the horns and buck it. Ride the river of abundance and keep going toward your dreams. Remember to truly love and accept yourself, because that’s the only way you’ll be able to spread the love that you have inside, out.

[From Entertainment Weekly]

“I’m generous and genuine. I lead with compassion, love, and kindness.” Here’s the thing, I saw all of those traits in Sapphira when watching this season. I don’t think she has a delusional sense of herself here. (Inflated perhaps, but not completely delusional.) But it’s still absolutely hilarious to lay that as a foundation… before getting into how she’s gonna defeat you on your best day. “I’m gonna slay you in the maxi challenge, feel THAT compassion and kindness!!” I’d like to think that Sapphira is a big enough person to be able to laugh at herself; but in case she’s not, I’ll be laughing for her. I’ll also be hot-footing it over to Lincoln Center in June to see Sapphira and Monét X Change at their (free!) presentation of “Aural Confections.” It’s sure to be the best opera-meets-drag show since Bugs Bunny descended a mountain astride a voluptuous pink-haired horse.

PS — I NEED to see this packing video; her comments cracked me up!