S07.E03: The Realness of Fortune Ball

[Keywestclubkid]

 new design challenge. The queens must do 3 looks in the wheel of fortune/ Vanna White inspired runway 

Edited May 27, 2022 by Keywestclubkid

[funnygirl]

I loved their reactions to Vanna White on the runway. So pure. 

I'm really enjoying this season. It's fun, the queens are fierce, and this is like a breath of fresh air from the tediousness that was season 14. 

[Glade]

It was so heartwarming that Vanna came and surprised the girls. I think it's wrong that Raja wasn't in the top 2 when her final look was by far the best and her Vanna look was stunning af too. 

[CraftyHazel]

Jaida. Is. STUNNING.  I seriously think she is one of the most beautiful queens this show has ever seen.

Jinkx is everything.

Possibly an unpopular opinion, but I’ve never really been a huge fan of Monet’s.  I don’t know why, exactly, because there’s nothing to dislike about her, unlike say, Sharon Needles or Alaska or Tyra Sanchez.  But I really hope she isn’t final four.

The Vivienne and Raja seem to be criminally overlooked thus far, but I guess since we’re just three episodes in that could change.  But Trinity being in the top 2/3 of the episodes thus far, and over Raja this week and last week feels wrong.

I love Yvie Oddly.

Edited May 28, 2022 by CraftyHazel

[davidcalgary29]

10 hours ago, Glade said:

It was so heartwarming that Vanna came and surprised the girls. I think it's wrong that Raja wasn't in the top 2 when her final look was by far the best and her Vanna look was stunning af too. 

I didn't even hate her Olivia Newton-John Waters look, because Raja was clearly living her Sandy fantasy. And, really, who hasn't? But her Extravaganza look was the best thing on the entire runway and she should have won the night on that look alone.

Quote

I love Yvie Oddly.

And I'm loving Yvie Oddly loving Yvie Oddly. It was nice to see her shush her "I'm edgy!" inner voice this week and just have fun.

Edited May 28, 2022 by davidcalgary29

[davidcalgary29]

15 hours ago, funnygirl said:

I loved their reactions to Vanna White on the runway. So pure. 

I'm really enjoying this season. It's fun, the queens are fierce, and this is like a breath of fresh air from the tediousness that was season 14. 

I think that this is because All Stars has finally found its purpose, and that is a celebration of drag, and not just another version of a semi-scripted competitive reality show. It's a heavily censored, desexualized, and family (and sponsorship) friendly celebration of drag, but still. The idea of eliminating the eliminations has been brilliant.

[30 Helens]

I am loving everything about this season. Everyone is bringing their A game, everyone is having fun, and nobody has to leave. Even the blocking is done with good humor and no bitterness. I guess this is what happens nobody has anything to prove.

I find it hilarious that no one is falling for Monet’s alliance invitation. I think even Trinity is having second thoughts.

I could listen to Yvie’s laugh all day.

[SemiCharmedLife]

I was very impressed with the design/sewing skills of the queens this episode.  Jaida's and Raja's looks were my favorites.  I had no idea that Raja's golden fantasy would turn out so great.  The elaborate sleeves were everything!  Jaida's look was perfection.  I loved Trinity's Vanna look and she is obviously immensely skilled to create her red gown so effortlessly, even though it wasn't my cup of tea.  It was so sweet of her to help Jinkx with her design (and I'm glad Jinkx acknowledged her for it- many queens don't seem to.) And, I love  the dress Viv created- she looked gorgeous!!

Another great episode (but still waiting for Raja to receive a star!)

[MsJamieDornan]

On 5/27/2022 at 10:41 PM, funnygirl said:

I loved their reactions to Vanna White on the runway. So pure. 

Best part of the whole episode.

[Keywestclubkid]

That’s not something vanna white would wear…. And boom don’t question Jinkxx on her points of reference lol 

[theatremouse]

Jinx with the sewing machine was me. I even have that model and the first time I tried to use it, it kept coming unthreaded and I had no idea how. 

Raja's reaction to seeing Vanna made me laugh so loud I woke up my kid.

[Christine]

I love the camaraderie feeling for both Yvie and Jinkx; they certainly did not have that feeling during their seasons.

[7-Zark-7]

Trinity has taken Raja's place in the top two twice this season and I am not here for it.

[Kaboom 2.0]

I rewinded to see the queens' reactions to fellow icon Vanna White. Adorable! 

I'm getting annoyed that Raja, Viv, Jaida and Yvie are getting overlooked for a star. WTH. I know we've got more episodes but still. 

Jinkx thanking Trinity on the main stage was so classy and heartfelt. LOVE.

[CraftyHazel]

24 minutes ago, Kaboom 2.0 said:

I rewinded to see the queens' reactions to fellow icon Vanna White. Adorable! 

I'm getting annoyed that Raja, Viv, Jaida and Yvie are getting overlooked for a star. WTH. I know we've got more episodes but still. 

Jinkx thanking Trinity on the main stage was so classy and heartfelt. LOVE.

Jaida has her star.

[Taeolas]

We're only 3 eps in, and 1 star was nullified. Really, it is way too soon to be counting your stars before the finals. That we're 3 eps in, with 8 contestants and only 3 of them DON'T have a star yet shows how balanced and strong the competition is IMO. 

I do wonder how long the "True power of the plunger" strategy will go on. I love how Shea came up with that bluff on the fly and how Trinity just ran with it. It certainly seems to have the other queens a bit paranoid about it now. 

[Ms.Lulu]

Jaida and Raja were my top two.  I think that Raja has unfairly been denied two legends stars.  Still, a great week for all.

I really love this format.  I know, in part, it is because there are no 'filler queens' so everyone is great. But it is also the fact that Yvie feels accepted by the other queens, and all (well, except Monet) are helping each other.

RuPaul has stumbled on to a winning formula.  Hopefully, they won't f**k it up!

[davidcalgary29]

5 hours ago, Ms.Lulu said:

I really love this format.  I know, in part, it is because there are no 'filler queens' so everyone is great.

There are no filler queens -- just filler challenges. 

[gorgy]

Good enough little episode after the high the was Snatch Game.

The Vanna White challenge was kinda meh, to be honest. She was arguably the Pamela Anderson of her day, like some sort of 80s Hawaiian Tropic girl-next-door vibe, so I was expecting big shoulders and bigger blonder hair, I guess. None of the looks were bad, but none of them blew my hair back either. If I didn't know it was Vanna White, I might have guessed Miss Piggy was the influence or I don't know Kathleen Turner or Dallas/Dynasty, if I was stretching. Oddly enough, if someone told me that after seeing Yvie Oddly, I would've been, yeah I can totally see it now, so I guess she did the best at matching her aesthetic to the challenge, oddly enough.

The second challenge had a lot of room for creativity, and a few of them really rose to the occasion. Jinx's Baby Jane Fonda was really good, Jaida's was gorgeous, but Shea's was confusing to look at, and Raja's look was 99.7% Olivia Newton John and 0.3% John Waters, which is the reason she was kept out of the top 2. To be fair, Trinity's look wasn't all that much more inventive. She was basically a drag 'queen'

I'm shocked to say I like Monet's Irish Dancing Queen (not a fan of hers), but it was well constructed and clean. I have even less experience sewing than Jinx, so Jaida's, Raja's, and Trinity's looks were all so impressive in the amount of time they had to create. 

[RoxiP]

On 5/28/2022 at 1:56 PM, davidcalgary29 said:

It's a heavily censored, desexualized, and family (and sponsorship) friendly celebration of drag, but still. The idea of eliminating the eliminations has been brilliant.

LOL...if you think this is a family friendly celebration of drag you have a different interpretation of that term than me...I commented to my daughter that I feel like it is one of the most explicit seasons of Drag Race...Monet's entire Mike Tyson was all about F*'ing somebody in the ass.  Yvie discussed a few episodes ago how she gave good head, and I'm still not sure what top/bottom is (and really don't want to know) but it is discussed in great detail.  We all know that Yvie is incredibly well endowed...LOL!

I'm a grownup, I know what I am watching when I watch Drag Race, but it is far from family friendly.  If I had a teenager they would not be watching this.  

I do agree, however, that this is a wonderful season.  I love that none of the queens get eliminated.  I am enjoying the cutthroat camaraderie they are all showing.  They are clear in why they are making their choices but so far it has been accepted without major drama.  The queens are all on their "A" game, the clothes are gorgeous, and it is clear how far some of these queens have advanced since they won their crowns.

[davidcalgary29]

8 hours ago, RoxiP said:

LOL...if you think this is a family friendly celebration of drag you have a different interpretation of that term than me...I commented to my daughter that I feel like it is one of the most explicit seasons of Drag Race...Monet's entire Mike Tyson was all about F*'ing somebody in the ass.  Yvie discussed a few episodes ago how she gave good head, and I'm still not sure what top/bottom is (and really don't want to know) but it is discussed in great detail.  We all know that Yvie is incredibly well endowed...LOL!

I'm a grownup, I know what I am watching when I watch Drag Race, but it is far from family friendly.  If I had a teenager they would not be watching this.  

I do agree, however, that this is a wonderful season.  I love that none of the queens get eliminated.  I am enjoying the cutthroat camaraderie they are all showing.  They are clear in why they are making their choices but so far it has been accepted without major drama.  The queens are all on their "A" game, the clothes are gorgeous, and it is clear how far some of these queens have advanced since they won their crowns.

I hear you, but this is to club and stage drag what Pee Wee's Playhouse was to to Paul Reubens' live show: a largely bowdlerized affair, with a few token nods to sexuality without any real celebration or overt display of it. Endless (and dated, and pointless) references to fisting and golden showers aside, RuPaul's sexual point of reference is much more Marilyn Monroe than Marilyn Chambers. RuPaul/Standards and Practices have repeatedly axed edgier talent material and runway outfits:  Manila's "Period Piece" was a notorious example of this trend. This is supposed to be a show for mature (queer) audiences, but much of the content is actually quite demure, and the only nudity audiences are likely to see is the occasional breastplate -- and always in a comic, not sexualized, context.

[theatremouse]

Put another way: while this show is not intentionally aimed at 12-14 year olds, it absolutely has a huge following among them. And I think that's swell. I would not necessarily recommend those same kids go to a club drag show.

[davidcalgary29]

45 minutes ago, theatremouse said:

Put another way: while this show is not intentionally aimed at 12-14 year olds, it absolutely has a huge following among them. And I think that's swell. I would not necessarily recommend those same kids go to a club drag show.

I find some tie-ins, such as the "RuPaul's Drag Race SuperStar" game (available on iTunes!) to be far more problematic than the show itself for this demographic. That app is clearly marketed at a juvenile demographic, with its annoying, repetitive grinding, cartoony graphics, and emphasis on fashion. It also contains some eyebrow-raising content, such as the "Leather Daddy" in full regalia (including a bulging codpiece), that you "win" as a "prize" in the early stages of the game. 

In any case, I'm not discounting these valid points. I'm just stating that Drag Race is a far different exprience you'd get at many actual shows.

[RoxiP]

Since I've never been to a club or show I will take your word on it (not opposed - just never had the opportunity).  I just wait patiently for Friday nights (although last night I binge watched the three Pit Stops for this season) and sit back and enjoy all the wonderful-ness that stomps down the runway.

My favorite parts are when they are putting on makeup and just talking...

[The Mighty Peanut]

15 hours ago, RoxiP said:

Since I've never been to a club or show I will take your word on it (not opposed - just never had the opportunity).  I just wait patiently for Friday nights (although last night I binge watched the three Pit Stops for this season) and sit back and enjoy all the wonderful-ness that stomps down the runway.

My favorite parts are when they are putting on makeup and just talking...

My favorite Drag Race moment is when someone asks Latrice to take them to church and everyone in the werk room started dancing.

Edited June 2, 2022 by The Mighty Peanut

[Mahfouz]

I find Yvie's whole deal to just be really off-putting. I realize that is probably the point but, to me, it veers away from being authentically eccentric to doing weird things for the sake of being weird. Also, give the sticking-out-the-tongue every 1.5 seconds a rest for a bit. 

I do like the format. It's nice the queens get to stick around (although there are some I'd prefer to shantay away) but I am afraid this will lead to a more positive, heart-warming season rather than the nails-out, read-fest I yearn for. 

Also, I would pay to watch Jinkx Monsoon do anything for 90 minutes. 

[davidcalgary29]

9 hours ago, Mahfouz said:

I find Yvie's whole deal to just be really off-putting.

I have to admit to myself that, while I found her refreshing on S11, we've already seen Yvie's shtick, and she isn't bringing anything new or fresh to the competition this time around -- and that includes the confessionals. I think I'd be liking her a lot more if they just eliminated most of them, since they're essentially there to showcase her laugh and are otherwise content-free.

[Penman61]

What are the defining features of a "ball," and what were they in this episode?

[CraftyHazel]

On 6/3/2022 at 3:01 PM, Mahfouz said:

I find Yvie's whole deal to just be really off-putting. I realize that is probably the point but, to me, it veers away from being authentically eccentric to doing weird things for the sake of being weird. Also, give the sticking-out-the-tongue every 1.5 seconds a rest for a bit. 

I do like the format. It's nice the queens get to stick around (although there are some I'd prefer to shantay away) but I am afraid this will lead to a more positive, heart-warming season rather than the nails-out, read-fest I yearn for. 

Also, I would pay to watch Jinkx Monsoon do anything for 90 minutes. 

WRT Yvie, I have to confess that I loved Yvie on her season, was tickled pink with her win, and was excited to see her in this cast.  But for some reason, she’s not doing it for me this season.  The laugh and the tongue thing are kinda cringey and that seems to be a huge part of her “oddball” persona.  Maybe I only adored her in her season because she wasn’t “Dr. Silky Nutmeg Ganache”?  

I think Raja is really getting the short end of the stick here. She has been just edged out of the top nearly every week, and it’s surprising.  But I guess now she knows what it feels like to be a “booger” rather than a “Heather”…sort of.

I still don’t understand the love for Monét.  I don’t find her funny, don’t like her style, I think her makeup skills fall short (in the sketch her prosthetic nose/snout was oh-so obvious, while Jinkx and Jaida blended the edges of theirs in to utter perfection), and she just reads “dude” when she walks the runway.  She’s my least favorite in this cast, and one of my least favorite winners in the history of the show.  Sorry to those who love her, YMMV and all, but I am not a fan.

Jinkx, on the other hand…I love her more and more.  She’s just so intensely funny!!  And after how horribly she was treated in Season 5, to see Jaida pick her first and see her getting nothing but love and support from this group makes me so happy for her.  

[threebluestars]

I loved Monet hosting the Pit Stop, I think that's where her strengths really lie.

I am wondering if Raja is sort of being "punished" for being a quieter personality. She isn't loud or melodramatic, but is bringing top notch drag, and I'm getting ticked off seeing her glossed over every week.