It was that time again: to gather the world’s best queens under one roof, parade all of the participants in this season’s Drag Race across an LA stage and hope to God that RuPaul saw what you did over the course of the season.
But first, three more lip syncs from the finalists. Ginger Minj rocked a gospel-inspired number (including an anti-conversion therapy message); Pearl slam-danced and barely lip-synced an 80s-inspired Bonnie Tyler by way of Blond Ambition number; and Violet Chachki Betty Booped her way through a burlesque performance about “too many daddies”, while channeling Betty Page.
Little wonder, then, that Violet took home the crown. But let’s not lie to one another: when RuPaul called Katya back to the stage just as she was announcing the queen, you were sort of hoping that it wasn’t just a gag. (It was just a gag.)
Did you gag? Or did you hurl?
Dom: Oh boy. I’m not feeling it. My heart stopped when she called back Katya. That was a clear nod to who Ru thought should have been this year’s winner. If the night’s performances had anything to do with it, then Violet deserved the prize. Pearl stank on her lip sync and Ginger ran out of gas – insert your own joke. Violet was amazing by comparison. She looked like a millennial Joey Arias – minus the talent or the wit. But who cares? I wouldn’t cross the road to see her in person. Unless she was with Joey Arias, in which case I’d run. Seeing Bianca again made me remember what a real winner she is.
Megan: Did you see that hug that Bianca Del Rio gave Ginger when Pearl started walking? I smell a roadshow. Bianca’s the one who I feel like really made the most of her year, in terms of of publicity, and shared her success on the road as widely as possible. When was the last time you saw anything with Raja as a headliner (or Jinkx or even Sharon Needles)? Joan Rivers (RIP) didn’t invite those bitches to bed with her before she passed. And Bianca made the most of the opportunity because she can do more than be pretty and lip sync. Violet should team up with Christian Siriano and design corsets for a down-market chain. Waist training is super in right now.
I would’ve cheered a Katya come-back, #TeamGlamourToad be damned.
Brian: I agree with you that Violet really won the finale with her amazing Betty Page-inspired looks throughout, and just barely edged out Ginger in the lip sync portion. But I don’t think she’s going to be as good a reigning queen as Bianca. I recently went to see Ginger’s one-woman cabaret show here in New York and she killed. I didn’t know that she has an amazing singing voice and an encyclopedic knowledge of show tunes to go with that clever wit. But I feel like she didn’t live up to her full potential on the show, including her looks in the finale.
Now, as a TV critic I must say that this was probably the best finale episode we’ve seen in a long time. The addition of the final lip sync numbers at the top of the show, accompanied by little packages about who the queens were and are in real life made for gripping television. I never liked the canned catch-up with the queens, and I’m glad that got shuttled to the back half of the program. Next year I think we should forego it altogether, give all the losers one big number, and just focus on the final three. And have Bianca read everyone. It’s not a show without Bianca.
Dom: I’m feeling sulky about the whole thing. I didn’t even like the Nasty Pig ad this week. All that stuff about how the founders met 20 years ago, blah blah blah. Shut up and sell me a jockstrap already. Next we’ll be getting the backstory of Boy Butter. Too many huggable moments. Although I was glad Patti LaBelle gave Jasmine Masters a shout out after she was monstered on Twitter. She deserved that.
Megan: Look, Miss Fame bringing a chicken on stage should never be the funniest moment at a drag show, though I’m a former chicken-keeper myself. (And the Nasty Pig, from-leather-daddy-to-grown-up-business-owners-who-look-but-don’t-touch ad was the worst upshot of all those naughty boy commercials all season. They didn’t make out with any of them!) I liked the Sharon-Jinkx-Bianca run because they weren’t gorgeous and perfect, but they were weird and a little fucked-up and vulnerable. I wanted Ginger because I wanted her to believe in herself!
Don’t tell anyone I’m a big softie.
Brian: I think they filmed this week’s Nasty Pig commercial in my old Fire Island house, so I was down with it. And I could tell you the backstory of Boy Butter and it would certainly be more exciting than anything Violet has to say, but we don’t love Violet for what she has to say, we love her for how she looks. I actually think it’s good that she won, because for the last several years it was the funny girl that took the crown, and this is a reminder that drag is as much a visual medium as it is a comedic one. That said, I think that Miss Fame’s chicken has a better sense of humour than Violet.
Megan: Miss Fame’s chicken is probably a better date than Violet, too.
Dom: The chicken will also probably last longer. Ginger could have been an OK successor to Bianca. I agree that maybe it wasn’t time for another funny girl, but Pearl is far prettier and much funnier than Violet. Ru was right - as always - that Katya should have won. Oh well. There’s always next season.
Best lines
RuPaul: “Like my momma said, unless them bitches is paying your bills, you don’t pay them bitches no mind.”
Jaidynn Dior Fierce: “I was sitting in my hotel room, beating myself up and eating Doritos.”
RuPaul: “And that’s different from your normal life?”
RuPaul: “Katya, you are a freak, and I freaking love you.”
Latrice Royale: “Ella Cution? Is she from Inglewood? I went to high school with her.”
Mimi Imfurst: “If you can’t hate yourself, how the hell are you gonna hate somebody else?”
