S06.E10: Rudemption Lip-Sync Smackdown

[Ms.Lulu]

One of the eliminated queens will reenter the queen by winning a Lip-Sync smackdown.

[Ms.Lulu]

That went exactly how I expected it to go.

Spoiler

Jan was robbed, and Silky rocked until the last lip sync where Eureka crushed it.  If she doesn't come back I will be more disappointed than when Jan lost to Silky.

 

 

[Keywestclubkid]

I lived that A'Keria str8 up noped the whole thing… that was everything. 

[Madding crowd]

So I guess standing around holding props makes a good lip synch. Jan beat Silky any way you look at it. On top of that, the editing was weird with Carson stopping and starting as if there were commercials in between each lip synch. I can only hope Eureka comes back; eating potato chips and getting stuck in your outfit is not a winning number.

[amass]

The first few Silky definitely won but then Jan should have won and also honestly Pandora was better too! So at least two times Silky should have sashayed away….and for sure Eureka was better….

[Fake Jan Brady]

In the words of Trinity K Bonet: That was some bullshit.

Pretty much my Drag Race nightmare. As soon as Ru's favourite bested Yara I figured it was going to be a looooong episode.

The only upside was watching the Top 4 watching [especially Trinity's less enthusiastic reactions].

[Ms.Lulu]

Other than her weight is there a reason no one expects Silky to wear heels?

[phoenix780]

53 minutes ago, PDXlulu said:

Other than her weight is there a reason no one expects Silky to wear heels?

Thank you!

I smell shenanigans. This is the best story, giving Silky redemption (although she was promoting a club during quarantine right, so...), and probably giving the last queen out the ticket back in (with a win, finally). But, I feel like she had so much more prep time it's absurd. She had a guitar on the floor for gosh sakes. Waving flags around is not the same as performing well. And someone probably inflated that costume for her. Whatever. It's a game show where the sole criteria for success is impressing Ru, and we're almost done. 

At least this style of episode has minimal filler. 

[violet and green]

I thought Jiggly actually lost the first lipsync, so that threw me. Really surprised by how impressive and innovative Silky was - had only ever seen her flail about before - and came to really enjoy this episode. It certainly was a great redemption for her. (Also, for Jan.) It got to the point where I was hoping for Silky to come back over Eureka - Silky! - but I think the costume fail and Eureka's emotional energy and passionate rendition will mean Eureka comes back. But I would be really pleased if both of them returned. Otherwise, it's a bit, you're out! and you're back!

[jade.black]

I can't deal with every commenter on Reddit salivating over Silky, so here I am. Glad to see this forum is still sane. The bitch killed a few of those lip syncs for sure (I did cheer in the bar with everyone else after Barbie Girl) but Jan SLAYED her. Picking up a prop from the stage floor after doing nothing 3/4 of the lip sync does not a win make, especially not when Jan was delivering the emotion and performance she did. I should have known when Ru eliminated her insufferable fave early on she'd find a way to bring her back (and I 100% knew she'd never bring back Jan out of pure spite). Jan won and so did Eureka. Period. 

For the record, I speak as a Yara Sofia ultimate fan girl who thought that lip sync was a pretty close one, and I also begrudgingly loved Silky's titty wet bar against Jiggly. While we're at it, Serena ChaCha was the rightful winner first round winner. God dammit, All Stars never fails to piss me off.

[Iguana]

So much Silky, so much FF button.  Finished this ep in about 20 minutes. Jan won, Pandora won, Eureka won. But Ru loves Silky so…..  I just can’t with her. 

[vibeology]

I think Silky did redeem herself from her shitty reputation, but I also think that ultimately, Eureka should come back as she was clearly stronger in that last lip sync. Stunts are well and good but they're not the be all end all. Sometimes you get rose petals out your wig and sometimes nearly dead butterflies limping on the stage.

That Barbie Girl lip sync will go down as the stuff of legends. I know that half man/half woman drag isn't new but it was well executed and came with Silky asking to lip sync when she didn't have to because she took the assignment seriously and wanted to show her work. That attitude is wonderful.

Overall, I think Jan probably should have won her lip sync but it was close and like I said, the misses in Silky's stunts should be disqualifying in the final lipsync but otherwise, I think she commanded the stage. I don't want her back in the main competition but she's booked work as a future lip sync assassin in the next All Star season for sure and I'll be happy to see her.

[7-Zark-7]

I thoroughly enjoyed the Silky Nutmeg Ganache hour (and I strongly disliked her on her original season). She relyed heavily on props, but they worked for me. Pull out a flag, a guitar, gender switching outfits - okay girl. It was all in fun and fine by me. And seeing the Queens' response to the lipsyncs put it over the top.  I don't see how the hell she can beat Eureka to get back into the competition, but I don't think she needs to. She did enough to change the trajectory her career in this one episode. Good for her.  

[phoenix780]

It's hard for me to think of Silky as redeemed because of this story. 

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/01/06/drag-race-miss-vanjie-sily-nutmeg-canache-partying-face-mask-coronavirus/

I definitely think she's a better performer than I did before the season started, but part of me is like...she should have done well. It was literally the only thing she had to do. It's hard for me to be that impressed- not just because it's her, but because the whole thing feels tilted.

I mean, I've seen Yara live. Given a day to rest and prep a performance for one song...wouldn't have been a contest. 

It's not that serious. I just can't see this format as really proving what it suggests it does (that Silky out performed half of the cast). 

Edited August 21, 2021 by phoenix780

[RoxiP]

19 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

So I guess standing around holding props makes a good lip synch. Jan beat Silky any way you look at it. On top of that, the editing was weird with Carson stopping and starting as if there were commercials in between each lip synch. I can only hope Eureka comes back; eating potato chips and getting stuck in your outfit is not a winning number.

I agree. Jan got robbed. Being able to pull out props does not a great lip sync make. 

[zenithwit]

I never like the All Lip Sync battle episodes and this one did not change my mind.  At least they tried to make it a bit more engaging with the commentary from the girls.  But I guess I should have seen it from a mile away that Ru's favorite would take up the majority of the episode.  I'm hoping that it will be Eureka coming back but knowing Ru, she may call it a tie and bring back both.

That being said, I will give Silky props for the wet bar gag and the gender-bending performance.  I really enjoyed both of those performances and thought Silky did a good job switching between her two characters in Barbie Girl.  But after awhile, the prop thing became predictable and not as effective.

I really felt Eureka's emotions in that last sync.  You could almost see the moment when Eureka switched from giving her regular lip sync performance to having a complete emotional catharsis on stage.

Also, I thought the final words Ru said to Pandora were very sweet.

[violet and green]

It's not a serious competition, it's a tv show with Ru's rules, that are partially whim and also will twist and turn based on what makes what he and the ptb presumably deem good tv. I am glad that I finally saw more than a whiff of what Ru ever saw in Silky. She was such fun! 

I am glad also that Jan shone so fiercely, finally, and that she finally won some real praise and appreciation from Ru. I am glad that Pandora was given some kudos after the disappointing edit of the season - hardly makes up for it, but it was something.

I would rather Eureka won over the Glamour Toad but, at this point, the final four's trajectory looks pretty stale. Chances are Eureka will come in and be sent straight back out. Silky returning alongside would shake things up.

Regardless of how imperfect Silky's moral character is, the level of hate the poor cow received after her unpleasant behaviour and her edit dominated her season would have sent most people well over the edge, and I am glad she has had the opportunity to show off what she does bring to the table as a drag performer and not just her lesser qualities as a human being.

It's not like All Stars is ever fair, and every year it becomes just that bit more of a travesty, and still I watch! But finally, there was some fun and some genuine joy on Ru's face, and that has wiped the memory of what a grind this AS has been for me.

[Kaboom 2.0]

As much as I respect Akeria's decision to not return to the competition via the game within a game, damn, I really wanted to see her on the stage again. Silky's props for me got old after the titties wet bar. I am hoping Eureka returns to the competition. If Ru loves Silky that much just give Silky her own show already, I don't have to watch it.

Jan, as usual on this show, was robbed. 

Trinity's attitude change throughout the episode from not having it to mildly interested to actually interested in who might be returning made me lol. I also loved the top four's commentary during all the battles.Actually can't wait to see the next episode! 

[xander874]

Agree with what others are saying. I was worried for Eureka since it seems she had no time to prepare her lip sync since it was right after she was eliminated but maybe she did because she pulled it out.

I worry also that it makes a better story to send Silky back into the game even though Eureka won that last one hands down. Of course I also thought Jan and Pandora should win. Guess we’ll see. 

Even though I enjoyed the performances I wish they had done the showdown each week instead of all at once  I think it would’ve help the impact of them to spread it out  

And I was annoyed at Trinity being offended about the return. This happens every season and they should expect it. 

[zenithwit]

2 hours ago, violet and green said:

It's not a serious competition, it's a tv show with Ru's rules, that are partially whim and also will twist and turn based on what makes what he and the ptb presumably deem good tv.

Sure, it's Ru's show so she can follow whatever rules she wants (and she clearly poked fun at that this episode).  But Ru and this show have made Drag a mainstream form of entertainment.  The queens that do well and/or have a good edit on this show can go on to quite lucrative careers (Shangela is a great example).  So it's understandable when Jan fans or Scarlet Envy fans or other fans get frustrated when they feel the show is short changing their queen.  

1 hour ago, xander874 said:

Even though I enjoyed the performances I wish they had done the showdown each week instead of all at once  I think it would’ve help the impact of them to spread it out  

100% agree!  Also, I kinda wonder how long Trinity, Rajah, Ginger and Kylie had to sit there watching all of the battles.

[akr]

21 minutes ago, zenithwit said:

The queens that do well and/or have a good edit on this show can go on to quite lucrative careers (Shangela is a great example).  So it's understandable when Jan fans or Scarlet Envy fans or other fans get frustrated when they feel the show is short changing their queen.    

I didn't think I'd appreciate an all lip synch battle episode, but I did - because ALL of them got a good edit, and a timely reminder that they were all stars, too, and why. Everyone got to go out on a high note, even if they didn't win, and even if they were out in one of the first episodes, we were reminded that we should want to see more of them, too.

Aside from Silky, I think Jan benefited the most from this. I thought that one was a tossup but probably would have given it to Silky, too (Jan ahead for most of it, and then Silky slowly caught up and then passed her with the guitar antics (if she hadn't done so many things with it, it wouldn't have been enough, and I can see why others may have tired of the props by then, but "robbed," as some see it, seems pretty hyperbolic. Both did a great job.)  Seeing one superb performance from Jan might even have been better for her than seeing her twice - no chance of diluting that excellent last impression. I was happy for her, even though of course she would have preferred to win.  

Quote

100% agree!  Also, I kinda wonder how long Trinity, Rajah, Ginger and Kylie had to sit there watching all of the battles.

They didn't film them all at once, just showed them all at once, so it probably didn't take much longer to watch for them than it did for us. They would have had the whole thing edited in advance aside from the one with Eureka.

Edited August 21, 2021 by akr
pronouns

[violet and green]

2 hours ago, zenithwit said:

So it's understandable when Jan fans or Scarlet Envy fans or other fans get frustrated when they feel the show is short changing their queen.  

Oh, don't get me wrong.  I wanted more than anything for Scarlet or Pandora or Yara to be the one who rose above each round magnificently and triumphantly returned. So it is disappointing. But it was for me a helluva fun episode.

[Glade]

I started fast forwarding through the episode when the terrible acting between Serena and Jiggly began on-stage and when silty kept being given the wins did it even harder.  I noticed how Yara barely got any screen time because the camera couldn't get enough of silty's effing pants, and her stupid props were so over-praised.  I can't believe I actually ended the episode hoping beyond hope for Eureka to come back into the competition.  This was pure filler, and a waste.  It might have raised actual stakes if they split the eliminated queens into four lipsyncs, and then the winners faced off against the top 4 who had to defend their placement. 

[Wonderlad71]

I guess I will echo what many of you have said. Thought this was mildly entertaining - could perhaps have been better if it was drawn out over the weeks - perhaps with one Rudemption lipsync at the end of every Untucked (which has been a snoozefest).

Silky was entertaining in parts but still messy - some of those wins were indeed questionable (including the first one where I thought Serena won hands down). And yes it's not fair that Silky had a week to prepare for the next lipsync while the freshly eliminated opponent is caught off guard. You could see some of them seemed emotionally drained (Jan and Eureka brought out the fire though). Hope Eureka gets her deserved win next week.

[RoxiP]

I think it is even odds that Ru will bring both of them back.

 

[Keywestclubkid]

1 hour ago, RoxiP said:

I think it is even odds that Ru will bring both of them back.

 

That last lip sync was a disaster for her. She couldn’t get out of the outfit fell while trying to kick it off. No way in hell that was a tie performance so they both would advance. 

[cpcathy]

That was horrible. I can’t stand Silky, she is a mess. Serena won that first lip sync. Ru likes Silky for whatever reason and the narrative of the show is Silky now. It was never a true competition show, we know that, but now it’s a fully fictional narrative. Ugh. Gross.

[7-Zark-7]

6 hours ago, cpcathy said:

That was horrible. I can’t stand Silky, she is a mess. Serena won that first lip sync. Ru likes Silky

 

13 hours ago, Wonderlad71 said:

Silky was entertaining in parts but still messy - some of those wins were indeed questionable (including the first one where I thought Serena won hands down). And yes it's not fair that Silky

Silky didn't lipsync against Serena. That was Jiggly.

[sugarbaker design]

I am so grateful for the FFW button!  I started FFing at the one minute mark and didn't stop until 59:59 only to find out nothing happened.  What a shitshow!

[phoenix780]

Didn't the last comeback special end with a non elimination? Would they really repeat that? 

If Twitter is to be believed this was the best episode ever. I'm so out of sync, but man am I glad this forum exists. Thanks for a place to dislike something without being dismissed as a hater. 

[cpcathy]

2 hours ago, phoenix780 said:

Didn't the last comeback special end with a non elimination? Would they really repeat that? 

If Twitter is to be believed this was the best episode ever. I'm so out of sync, but man am I glad this forum exists. Thanks for a place to dislike something without being dismissed as a hater. 

So true, I was reading Instagram and thinking I had a screw loose in my dislike for Silky.

And yes, I did goof on Serena vs. Jiggly. Too much Silky clouded my vision.

[MsJamieDornan]

On 8/20/2021 at 6:15 PM, zenithwit said:

But I guess I should have seen it from a mile away that Ru's favorite would take up the majority of the episode.

I hope Ru is happy.  She shoved Silky in front of us for almost an hour trying to make us like her. Poor, poor Silky, fans didnt like her on her season so now we all have to deal with Ru shoving her down our throats. As Trinity would say "that's some bullshit."

Silky had more time to prep her lip-syncs than the others and dragging around props got old fast. She also looked messy.

[RoxiP]

Last season it was Kandi.  This season it is Silky.  WTH?

[belligerent]

I feel like there's an inherent advantage to whoever won the previous lip sync because she knows what's about to happen and is already mentally prepared, whereas the newly eliminated queen basically hears about the Game Within A Game (GWAG? is this acronym a word or did they miss a chance to make a pun?) and has to instantly be ready. That's a lot of emotional whiplash to navigate.

I'm still not a Silky fan but I was entertained by this episode at least.

[phoenix780]

On the bright side if this is received well maybe we'll get away from skits or madlibs to promote weird cartoons, and we'll get more showcases. All stars arguably should just be them let loose with a budget- like they all do for a living. That could be awesome. 

Plus, this has to be cheaper for them, aside from licensing songs.

[violet and green]

On 8/24/2021 at 9:44 AM, belligerent said:

I feel like there's an inherent advantage to whoever won the previous lip sync because she knows what's about to happen and is already mentally prepared, whereas the newly eliminated queen basically hears about the Game Within A Game (GWAG? is this acronym a word or did they miss a chance to make a pun?) and has to instantly be ready. That's a lot of emotional whiplash to navigate.

I think, from what I've read, the only queen who had to turn around and do a lip sync was Eureka - the others had a week (or whatever a Drag Race 'week' is) to prepare to their round.

[phoenix780]

How would that time off work with guest stars? Were they just spliced back in like they were there for lip syncs after they'd appeared? 

They'd totally do that. 

[RoxiP]

I was thinking the lip syncs took place before or after the regular runway...were the guest judges who appeared on the rudemption episode the same ones who were there the person got eliminated, or were they the ones who were on the next show (for instance, was the guest judge on the serena/jiggly lip sync the ones who appeared on jiggly's episode or the ones who appeared on Silk's episode?).  I didn't pay that much attention other than noticing there were guest judges on the panel.  It didn't matter anyway because it seems only Ru had a vote.

[zenithwit]

51 minutes ago, RoxiP said:

I was thinking the lip syncs took place before or after the regular runway...were the guest judges who appeared on the rudemption episode the same ones who were there the person got eliminated, or were they the ones who were on the next show (for instance, was the guest judge on the serena/jiggly lip sync the ones who appeared on jiggly's episode or the ones who appeared on Silk's episode?).  I didn't pay that much attention other than noticing there were guest judges on the panel.  It didn't matter anyway because it seems only Ru had a vote.

I'm pretty sure that Tia Mowry was the guest judge present for the first Rudemption lip sync (Jiggly vs Serena ChaCha).  According to Wikipedia, she was the guest judge for the third episode when Silky got eliminated.  So it looks like both eliminated queens were given at least a week to prepare (except for Eureka).

On a side note: I went back to the Pandora vs Silky and Silky vs Eureka lip syncs and Charlie XCX was present for both of them.  So that panel saw two Rudemption lip syncs which means that Silky had to flip her costume and makeup the same day (same with Eureka).  Maybe that partially explains why Silky was off her game for the last lip sync?  Though Silky still would have had an advantage over Eureka since she knew what would happen if she won another lip sync.