S07.E05: The DESPY Awards

[snakenax]

 

At the very least, as a group they don't have the spark and drive the contestants had in seasons past. It is only the fifth episodes and they are all complaining how exhausted they all are and how much they miss home.

This is part of the bad editing. Plenty of after interviews make it clear how rapidly most people get sick of the sequestration, constant work, stress and other queens. But the show doesn't usually edit that in(Season 3 where the final stretch of episodes was clearly made up of tired, cranky queens who were sick of making outfits was the only one I can think of). Though the bad editing just seems part of the whole 'more raw' style they wanted to do, which mostly seems to mean being really downbeat and cutting down on the humor heavily.

 

Is anyone else just kind of dreading the LSFYL at this point? Most seasons they were a highlight of the episode, but they have all just been so terrible this season. Like the best was still just a little over Honey Mahogany vs Vivienne Pinay. And the songs are so boring. Where are my recognizable pop party songs or weird off beat music etc?

[Mattipoo]

The fashion queens are BORING this season, so I am rooting for a big girl final 3: Ginger Minj, Jaidyn Dior Fierce, and Kennedy Davenport, with Ginger Minj winning it all.

[roamyn]

Is anyone else just kind of dreading the LSFYL at this point? Most seasons they were a highlight of the episode, but they have all just been so terrible this season. Like the best was still just a little over Honey Mahogany vs Vivienne Pinay. And the songs are so boring. Where are my recognizable pop party songs or weird off beat music etc?

IMHO no one has come close to LSFYL like Latrice MF*g Royale in her Aretha moment, or Dida Ritz in her Natalie Cole moment.

[WhineandCheez]

Initially I felt that sashing-awaying MKD was an age discrimination. The more I thought about it, even though she was charming in the LFYL, and had more energy than CandyHo, since she is a comedy queen she should have taken that emcee ball and ran with it.  Her opening was just okay, and she should have slayed.  I am sure Kandy will be gone in the next 2 weeks anyway.

 

Max and Pearl winning was shadier than sitting in the California Redwood Forest. It was only done because Pearl 100% would have landed in the bottom if she wasn't the winner, and would have done another "subdued" LFYL, which would have been the end of her.

 

Fame looks exactly like my great-niece who, if she wasn't due to deliver a baby TODAY APRIL 1, I would link her to the show and tell her to watch.  I, of course, would watch Drag Race in the delivery room but not all folks are like me. FAME + CHICKENS = LOVE.

 

Katya, whom I love, was wearing a wig from the Adore Delano Spring Line.

 

Max is NOT going to win unless she loses the grey wigs.  When you are doing Louis !V, fine, but otherwise, yuch.  Grey hair will never be edgy for someone who does not have natural grey hair.  Never!

[cpansy]

"This season has definitely has the U, N and T, but I think it needs a severe injection of C."

Ne'er a truer word was spoken. There are some individually charming moments - I did find the scenes with Violet, Miss Fame and the chickens pretty adorable, and I thought both Ginger Minj and Katya had some funny bits, but overall, no one has grabbed me. I'm still team Max, but more for her innate kindness and gentleness as opposed to anything else.

I thought MKD would probably have killed it in Snatch Game, and I did disagree about the lip synch; I would have kept her and sent Kandy home simply based on overall performance up to that date. And if I had been Ru, I would have responded to Pearl when asked, "Is there something on my face?" with "Only your vapidity." Pearl had better break out of that chrysalis pretty soon; RPDR is not a home for wayward girls!

Yours in the continued hope that next Monday's episode will be better.

[goodbyeglittergirl]

I think this was the first Drag Race episode that I just genuinely slogged through, not enjoying it. That sucks. 

[editorgrrl]

Max is NOT going to win unless she loses the grey wigs.  When you are doing Louis !V, fine, but otherwise, yuch.  Grey hair will never be edgy for someone who does not have natural grey hair.  Never!

 

I'm guessing you never saw this in the Max thread:

Apparently gray hair is a new trend now? Max was serving us the future!

 

[marsha]

I just don't know anymore with this season.

 

After actually seeing a 'spark' of something with Pearl last episode during 'Dreaming' I'm officially done with this fool after her "Is there something on my face?" backtalk. You entitled, fucking, little bitch. You don't speak to anyone like this much less RuPaul, the person who chose/invited you to be on his show. I find it hard to believe that Ru didn't just 'sashay' her on the spot. "Is there something on my face?" Yeah Pearl, there is: bullshit; because your so full of it, it's oozing out of your pores. You're dead to me, Pearl. ::Miranda Priestly voice and double hand wave:: That's all.

 

Oh, I know I'll probably stick it out for the rest of the season to see what happens but my heart is no where near in it. The only queen I like without reservation is Max but I honestly can't see her winning. It's probably going to be Ginger Ming ::shurgs::

 

As my darling Bianca Del Rio would say "it bears repeating": Ru, PLEASE have a full season of All Stars next year with the crème de la crème of your queens and NO PAIRS! Merci beaucoup!

[goodbyeglittergirl]

After actually seeing a 'spark' of something with Pearl last episode during 'Dreaming' I'm officially done with this fool after her "Is there something on my face?" backtalk. You entitled, fucking, little bitch. You don't speak to anyone like this much less RuPaul, the person who chose/invited you to be on his show. I find it hard to believe that Ru didn't just 'sashay' her on the spot. "Is there something on my face?" Yeah Pearl, there is: bullshit; because your so full of it, it's oozing out of your pores. You're dead to me, Pearl. ::Miranda Priestly voice and double hand wave:: That's all.

 

Pearl's behavior during that chat with Ru was really appalling. If you don't want to be there, reaping the benefit of this person's influence and knowledge, then don't go on the freaking show. If you do go on the show, have some respect. 

[marsha]

Pearl's behavior during that chat with Ru was really appalling. If you don't want to be there, reaping the benefit of this person's influence and knowledge, then don't go on the freaking show. If you do go on the show, have some respect. 

Thanks goodbyeglittergirl! Those were precisely the words I was searching for but couldn't quite get: appalling and (dis)respect. It astounds me the complete and utter lack of insight (not to mention prideful ignorance) some of these queens display. 

[editorgrrl]

Katya: I believe it was the great American painter Bob Ross who said, “The key to a swollen vagina is courage.”

 

Ginger Minj: I used to think I was funny until I met Kathy Griffin. I’m gonna have to call my mama and have her tell me how good I am.

 

Miss Fame: You basically flip them [chickens] upside down, show the asshole to the judge, and then they say, “Your bird is healthy.”

 

Pearl: Back home, everybody loves me. When I came here, I thought I was going to be so sickening and everyone was gonna be obsessed with me but that’s not the case.

 

RuPaul: Can you imagine if I did a death drop right now? I don’t know if the AARP covers death drops.

 

Michelle Visage: Get out your rattail and start teasin’ it. Give us some kind of volume.

RuPaul: Thank you, New Jersey’s Michelle Visage.

 

Katya: I’m not actually that young. I’m just ignorant.

 

Kathy Griffin: Gay it up. More gay!

 

Miss Fame: I don't know how to turn off my thinker.

[SteveAC10]

 

Pearl's behavior during that chat with Ru was really appalling.

I know...talk about biting the hand that feeds you. Shockingly, elsewhere on the internets there are many who feel the reverse - that Ru was way out of line to "twist Pearl's tits" (as Ru put it). I have to fall in the former camp. It's Ru's show, and the production company is paying these queens to have a shot at making real coin (as Bianca says, she can now send her dogs to Harvard). Ungrateful is the word that immediately comes to mind.

[BloggerAloud]

I thought Kathy Griffin was an odd choice since her comedy is not really a set-up/punchline type of deal that works best for an award show. They should've gotten Bruce Vilanch to coach them.

[CorgiNarnia]

Not a good episode, but at least we will always have that classic staredown between Pearl and Ru...

 

You know that will be parodied in a future season.

 

I just don't know with this season. It's not that I disagreed with MKD going home, I was expecting her to slay all the comedy bits, and I do think she wasn't as side-splitting as she could have been, but I don't know if she was really the worst. But, what is Ru thinking getting rid of Trixie

(Rupaul)

AND MKD

(Liza Minelli)

before Snatch Game (that's still happening, right?), and I did kinda want to see Jasmine Masters'

Nene Leakes

.

[Cosmic Muffin]

When is the Snatch Game? I think it will just be Miss Fame and Pearl by the time the dust settles, they're making such weird choices this season. Starting with the casting...just a weird, lackluster season. And I like some of them!

[Mybrainhurts]

Still a bit pissed a couple of days later at the Pearl/Max win.  I  know that this is a reality show and that the storylines are created by the editors but you really saw the puppet strings on that one.  I don't think they deserved to be in the bottom, but they certainly didn't win either.  

 

I guess it's an age thing on whether you think Pearl is acting like an entitled snot or is the bestest contestant ever (I'm in the entitled snot camp myself) because a lot of the younger fans think she's totally amazing, which I really don't see in anything she's done so far.

 

Still loving Ginger (I hate those Untucked videos but her husband was really sweet!), Katya, Max and for the chicken stories alone, Miss Fame.

[Kostgard]

I saw that some people were on Pearl's side in the confrontation, and...really? Anyone who watches the show knows that Ru tough-loves her girls, and Pearl was just being arrogant and rude. When she asked if there was something on her face, I wanted Ru to be all "just the arrogant look of an asshole. But don't worry - I'm about to smack it clean off for you."

[kieyra]

If it's an ageist thing, I dont understand how the kids who loved Adore can also love Pearl.

I've gotten many people in my office into RPDR since S2. For the first time ever, these exchanges are occurring:

Coworker: did you see RPDR yet this week?

Me: no, meh. busted-ass season. Did anything happen?

Coworker: no.

Me: who won?

Coworker. I don't remember. I think it was Pearl?

Me: shocker.

This time last year, a coworker and I watched every episode at my house, often live, screaming and laughing and rewinding. Then in June we drove six hours to see the top four perform. I met BDR and I was insanely starstruck. Can't think of a worse season to follow up S6 with. Whoever they fired behind the scenes needs to be rehired stat.

Edited April 2, 2015 by kieyra

[snakenax]

I wonder if the problem of this season is the push for having more attractive-out-of-drag queens. You could see that push last season, but luckily they still got a stellar group of big personalities out of it. But look back at earlier seasons, you tend to have only a few queens who are notable attractive out of drag in them and being attractive out of drag really isn't considered a big issue(and the butt ugly out of drag tends to waaay outnumber the pretty out of drag).

 

But this season is really heavily loaded with pretty out of drag guys and instead of being drag queens who happen to be attractive, like Willam or PhiPhi or Manilla, most of them kind of are the very worst image of what you get of 'pretty people' drag: people who disdain personality and performance and only want to be told how pretty they are. As my brother put it 'These people make me think of those drag queens who's "performance" is walking up and down a bar to a song with their hands held out for tips like the worst stripper ever'.

[Dirtybubble]

When is the Snatch Game?

Umm it's not this Monday coming up--I think it's either the following Monday or the one after that.  They are having it a little later in the season for some reason...honestly this is the first time in herstory that I am not looking forward to the Snatch Game.

 

I've been thinking about this season as well & why it's not as good as previous ones.  Everyone here makes good points and that's probably part of the reason but also I think RPDR has reached a point where it has become really, really popular with well everybody and the issue is now that young people are becoming drag queens simply to be on RPDR/a reality tv show and they aren't really considering the art of drag just the final result of fame.  IDK, it's just a guess but I've seen it on other shows like Project Runway where the viewing audience sees how quickly contestants become famous so maybe that's whats happening on this show.  Didn't Pearl say in an earlier episode of Untucked that she only started doing drag a couple of years ago and she got on RPDR with her first try?  *shrug*

Edited April 2, 2015 by Dirtybubble

[snakenax]

 

the issue is now that young people are becoming drag queens simply to be on RPDR/a reality tv show and they aren't really considering the art of drag just the final result of fame.

Oh that is definitely part of it. Having seen a lot of drag pre and post RPDR it's a bit amazing the difference you see in both number of new queens and what kind of people are doing it now.

[memorae]

Umm it's not this Monday coming up--I think it's either the following Monday or the one after that.  They are having it a little later in the season for some reason...honestly this is the first time in herstory that I am not looking forward to the Snatch Game.

 

I've been thinking about this season as well & why it's not as good as previous ones.  Everyone here makes good points and that's probably part of the reason but also I think RPDR has reached a point where it has become really, really popular with well everybody and the issue is now that young people are becoming drag queens simply to be on RPDR/a reality tv show and they aren't really considering the art of drag just the final result of fame.  IDK, it's just a guess but I've seen it on other shows like Project Runway where the viewing audience sees how quickly contestants become famous so maybe that's whats happening on this show.  Didn't Pearl say in an earlier episode of Untucked that she only started doing drag a couple of years ago and she got on RPDR with her first try?  *shrug*

It's frustrating on one end, but it's the course of life on the other. Let's celebrate the fact that this happened to drag culture and that so many more people are doing it. The "it was better before" argument never really has validity to me. I mean, the world changes all the time and there will always be people younger than you or me who consider their experiences like "the good old times".

Now it is true that there's a loss of authenticity in the process but didn't queens in season 1 participate to be famous? That's the whole point of the show! I think it's unfair to hold it against younger queens.

What do you think?

[SteveAC10]

Snatch Game is appparently episode 7, based on episode titles on various cable networks (thanks to the Nancy Drews on Reddit for that info, they miss nothing). I fear for it's content, since Ru was apparently determined to eliminate all of the queens who might have aced it before it filmed.

Although rumor has it either Fame or Pearl sashay next week.

[AdorkableWitch]

I really feel like this season deserved the "Most Busted" award. It feels budget. I do really wonder about the loss of the Absolute sponsorship, and the lack of a major sponsorship this go round. It seems like the sponsors/prizes we have are very drag-centric rather than more broadly appealing to viewers. 

[Dirtybubble]

Now it is true that there's a loss of authenticity in the process but didn't queens in season 1 participate to be famous? That's the whole point of the show! I think it's unfair to hold it against younger queens

 

Yeah you're right almost everyone on RPDR is in it for fame/advancing their careers, etc.  And I don't have a problem with a drag queen (no matter what their age) wanting more gigs, more publicity, more fame my concern is someone just wanting fame & not wanting to either better themselves or add anything to the art of drag.

 

Everything changes and evolves but I kinda see both sides, keeping drag in it's original art form & staying true to it's original idea is fun but doing that prevents it from growing.  But when it becomes bigger and a broader audience gets into it then drag becomes almost kitchy, a pop culture thing where everyone and their grandma is reading & throwing shade.   IDK, just weird how things go around....

Although rumor has it either Fame or Pearl sashay next week.

I heard it will be Fame and that Pearl is in it til the final 3

Edited April 2, 2015 by Dirtybubble

[Blakeston]

It's frustrating on one end, but it's the course of life on the other. Let's celebrate the fact that this happened to drag culture and that so many more people are doing it. The "it was better before" argument never really has validity to me. I mean, the world changes all the time and there will always be people younger than you or me who consider their experiences like "the good old times".

Now it is true that there's a loss of authenticity in the process but didn't queens in season 1 participate to be famous? That's the whole point of the show! I think it's unfair to hold it against younger queens.

 

I think the difference is that when the season 1 queens started doing drag, they had reason to believe that only a tiny handful of drag queens would become celebrities. If someone's goal was just to become a TV star, drag would be one of the last ways they'd go about accomplishing that.

 

Whereas I suspect that some of the young queens (but certainly not all of them) started doing drag specifically because they really thought it would get them on TV - and that they wouldn't have even bothered with drag if they knew the show wasn't an option for them.

 

Of course, there are also undoubtedly young queens who got into drag because of the show, not because of famewhoring, but because it showed them that drag could be an art.

[ChelseaNH]

To me, it's the difference between wanting to be a famous drag queen and wanting to be famous.

[memorae]

To me, it's the difference between wanting to be a famous drag queen and wanting to be famous.

 

Well put! It's a double edge sword, this whole "drag phenomenon". 10 years ago it was still pretty much socially unacceptable to be a drag queen, when it's now a very cool thing to do. It's a progress to me but by definition, it having such a broad appeal means a lot more people are doing it for questionable reasons. I still believe a man choosing to wear dresses (which is still a "fuck you") to entertain is amazing.

[MrHufflepuff]

I view Pearl as basically a print model (and based on her runways, I'm not sure she'd even qualify for runway model).  Which is fine and everything, but I'm not watching RPDR for print models.  Although, an all-drag version of ANTM would probably be something I'd watch.

 

Pearl:  Is there something on my face?

 

Me:  NO!  That's the fucking problem.  Put an expression on it!

Edited April 2, 2015 by MrHufflepuff

[Nena]

To me, it's the difference between wanting to be a famous drag queen and wanting to be famous.

 

I can think of a very easy solution there.  Next year, week one:  mini challenge - 15 minutes to create (something) inspired by your favorite drag icon, 2 most accurate/well explained looks get to choose the teams. main challenge: Drag Family Feud - two teams, they have to compete round robin on drag history specific categories, everyone who gets a strike goes on the lsfyl short list, with a stern warning from Ru at critiques that they're all starting out on thin ice and need to step up their games.  Runway challenge: nerd chic

[micat]

It's weird, this disconnect Pearl has between her emotions and her affect. What I saw during the Ru/Pearl staredown was that Pearl was *extremely* upset. You can see her whole face and neck flush. Seeing that flush, I could feel that feeling that you get when you are truly upset - I'm sure her heart was beating in her ears and everything. Yet she showed almost none of this on her face - in terms of expression. Being a person who cannot keep my emotions off my face, I envy her a bit. At the same time, though, her reaction was not good for this venue. It would have been better if she'd been able to express herself another way.

[dolphincorn]

I'm exactly the same way. I go blank when I'm angry or upset. I get it.

[Dandesun]

I still like Pearl but I'm not going to defend or decry the 'showdown' or anything. I think it is difficult to come back with anything when someone goes 'you don't have a big personality... what are you going to do about that?' I mean, we've seen Ru talk to people about their dress designs and question things there... if she's questioning an outfit, or questioning jokes someone is writing out, which she has done, that's something tangible to work on. Pearl took the 'you have a small personality' comment to mean 'you have no personality' and whether that was correct or not, the point remains in how does one respond to that?

 

I suppose I relate in some way because when I'm in a new situation, among new people, I am very withdrawn and quiet and it takes some time for my comfort level to rise to the point where my personality comes out. There have been numerous instances in my past where someone who knows me talks to someone who just met me and the conversation tends to be something like 'Oh, you know Dande? Cool!' 'Yes... she's so quiet.' 'Wait... what?' I think Pearl's talking heads have been funny, I think there has got to be something there or she wouldn't have been chosen to be on the show and she doesn't have the bravado to push push push until she's more comfortable in a new situation. I don't consider it to be a generational thing, I'm 20 years older than her but I relate to a lot of what she seems to be going through. My uncle is also really low key and quiet but says the funniest things under his breath until he warms up to a situation. Some people are just like that.

 

I still like her and I'm still rooting for her is what I'm trying to say. I don't think she was unbelievably rude and I don't think Ru was a monster in 'twisting her tits' -- ultimately, I think it was an awkward situation that remained awkward the whole time. Obviously, Pearl was affected by it... hence the need to pull herself together and I hope she continues on an upward trajectory from here but if she doesn't, it would fit the narrative they've put out there so far as well.

 

The other 'look queens' have more than that going on... although neither Fame nor Violet have a lot going on in performance chops. Still, Fame's got that Central Coast California weirdness going for her... as well as her farm kid, 4-H feather fancier (seriously, that's the name of the group - Central Coast Feather Fanciers - welcome to my California!) You can move to New York but California just doesn't disappear from your DNA so I get a continuous kick out of Fame's weirdness. And Violet... well, when that first shot was lobbed at her in the DESPYs and there was this silence and she just guffawed in that pregnant silence. Good for her. I still don't know what she's about other than 'designated young, pretty bitch' though. They haven't delved too deep as far as the narrative for her from what I'm seeing. Although my favorite bit with her is still after Fame talked about her grandfather getting murdered and her talking head was 'It must be hard to go through so much.' One of the recappers was all 'Yes, Violet. Difficulty is difficult. Thanks for that.'

 

Oh, it made me laugh.

 

And Ginger's call from her man and her speech afterwards made me cry. And then Fame lost it and I went back to laughing.

 

Oh, this show.

[girlplease]

The thing is, as a performer, you don't get the opportunity to "warm up" to your audience. Pearl looks great but her stage personality has been comatose. I think that's what Ru was critiquing (and rightfully so IMO).

[zulualpha]

It's weird, this disconnect Pearl has between her emotions and her affect. What I saw during the Ru/Pearl staredown was that Pearl was *extremely* upset. You can see her whole face and neck flush. Seeing that flush, I could feel that feeling that you get when you are truly upset - I'm sure her heart was beating in her ears and everything. Yet she showed almost none of this on her face - in terms of expression. Being a person who cannot keep my emotions off my face, I envy her a bit. At the same time, though, her reaction was not good for this venue. It would have been better if she'd been able to express herself another way.

ICAM micat.  I don't think for a minute Pearl wasn't shocked and horrified by the whole confrontation with Ru.  Pearl has said in her THs that she was picked on and has abandonment issues.  For some people, "never let 'em see you sweat"  is a defense mechanism that's hard to just switch off.  That said, at the time I thought the whole thing was funny as hell. 

 

The reason this episode in particular was a little lacking imo is that they tried to do too much in too little time.  They had a great guest judge, Isaac Mizrahi, who's lots of fun on camera, they wanted to do an awards show with an opening act, individual awards and acceptance speeches liberally sprinkled with reaction shots of Ru, the normal workroom, pre challenge challenge, lip synch etc.  Too much!  Then on top of everything they had the lengthy (for this show) confrontation Pearl/Ru and fallout.  As a result I think a lot of good stuff from the main challenge may have had to be cut. 

 

I think a three panel judge is sufficient.  Four people is one too many especially if one of them is Ross.

 

Anyway, Pearl issued a statement on FB:

Hey ya'll, just want to address this trending topic right quick: when Rupaul first walked up during Max and I's Despy award conversation, the first words out of her mouth were "Max, you have a great personality, and you Pearl, you have NO personality, so tell me how you're going to be successful in this challenge." Later, she reiterated for the camera. They aren't going to show our queen in that kind of light. I sat for about 20 minutes bent over taking it up my ass followed by a nonsensical stare-down. Anyone with a spine would have retaliated and I don't think it was that harsh. We all know Drag Race edits everything as they see fit. I would never be so disrespectful to someone I have loved and admired from afar for essentially my whole gay life. Rupaul would have sent me packing if she did not recognize this. Enjoy season 7!

[girlplease]

Go on and blame the edit, Pearl...

[briochetwist]

Didn't think I could like Pearl any less, but that FB statement makes me cringe.  What an entitled little bitch.  

[editorgrrl]

I still like Pearl but I'm not going to defend or decry the 'showdown' or anything. I think it is difficult to come back with anything when someone goes 'you don't have a big personality... what are you going to do about that?'

Pearl took the 'you have a small personality' comment to mean 'you have no personality' and whether that was correct or not, the point remains in how does one respond to that?

Didn't Ru ask Trinity K. Bonet the same thing last season, when she had to work with Bianca on a commercial for Glamour by Colorevolution cosmetics? It's a perfectly valid question: When you're partnered with a character queen, how do you keep from being upstaged?

Pearl can blame the edit all she likes, but Violet came off way worse for telling Ru, "The internet happened—I don't know if you've heard of it?" The shade of it all!

Edited April 3, 2015 by editorgrrl

[ChelseaNH]

the point remains in how does one respond to that?

 

"So I need to project more."

 

No doubt it's a stereotype, but what's the point of a shy, retiring drag queen?

[memorae]

Pearl can blame the edit all she likes

 

You know, everyone is so easy to jump on the "don't blame it on the edit" wagon but editing for a reality TV show DOES create situations that never existed. Hey, even Michelle Visage, who was always the first one to say "Those words came out of your mouth, don't blame it on the edit" came out of celebrity Big Brother saying "Oh my god the editing made me look bad".

Remember how Sharon Needles told people who were still holding a grudge against Phiphi because of a reality TV show to grow up, because a lot of it was editing?

Pearl is young and entitled, sure, but that doesn't make her a bitch. The viewers should be a little more aware of the fact that they usually feel a certain way about a contestant because the producers decided that in advance...

[editorgrrl]

You took my quote out of context—I said Violet got a way worse edit this episode than did Pearl.

In fact, I think Pearl's getting a "redemption arc" storyline.

[memorae]

Oh I didn't mean to misquote you, I meant to respond to the editing debate in general, I could have used someone else's post :-) (me misquoting you is actually a good example of the point I'm trying to make =.=)

Edited April 4, 2015 by memorae

[MrHufflepuff]

For me, Pearl's FB statement seems incoherent.  She blames the editing for the confrontation, but then credits Rupaul with recognizing her respectfulness as the reason for staying.  If she's gonna die by the "show manipulation" sword then maybe she should live by the "show manipulation" sword.  If the show manipulated her edit, then the show could have easily manipulated her stay.  Although, to be fair, very few people are going come out and say that the only reason they stayed was because of shenanigans, so I suppose I can't really fault her for taking that route.

 

As for her criticism of the edit itself, I don't really see a big difference between telling someone that they have "no personality" or "little personality" or that Rupaul said it once off camera and said it again on camera.  When I watched the show, I felt Ru was pointedly criticizing Pearl in an extremely blunt manner, so I didn't see Pearl's behavior as being a response to some sweet lullaby from Ru.  And I don't even think Ru came off looking that well in the exchange.   I don't think Pearl's editing defense really amounts to much of defense, because I don't really feel her defense adds any new information.

 

YMMV, of course.

[Blakeston]

You know, everyone is so easy to jump on the "don't blame it on the edit" wagon but editing for a reality TV show DOES create situations that never existed.

 

Pearl isn't claiming that the editing created a situation that never existed, though. She's claiming that Ru's wording was a little different from what we were shown - as if that's supposed to invalidate the criticisms of her behavior. (And then throwing some shade at Ru, and then trying to come across as grateful.)

 

If anyone ever had reason to blame the editing, it was Joselyn last season. They made it look like she was too stupid to realize that a black person might need different makeup than she uses for herself - and they edited out the part where the contestants were only given makeup for caucasian skin tones.

 

That only came out, though, because Ben de la Creme told audiences about it. So far as I know, Joselyn was a class act on social media. 

 

I also have to question whether Ru actually said that Pearl has "no" personality. I wouldn't be at all surprised if that's just the way Pearl remembers it.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Blakeston

[kieyra]

Didn't think I could like Pearl any less, but that FB statement makes me cringe.  What an entitled little bitch.  

 

This is actually kind of a relief for me, because no way are those the words of someone who made it all the way to the end. 

Edited April 4, 2015 by kieyra

[Dirtybubble]

I also have to question whether Ru actually said that Pearl has "no" personality. I wouldn't be at all surprised if that's just the way Pearl remembers it.

according to what was shown on tv Ru didn't say she had no personality she said Max had a large personality and pearl didn't. Pearl hears but she doesn't listen.

[Zuleikha]

I'm late on this one, but it was a shame the queens were judged on the pairs. I thought Ginger Minj was the clear individual winner. I also thought it was smart of them to set Kandy Ho up as the straight man because it worked for the pairing and I'm disappointed in the judges for penalizing Kandy for that dynamic. I would have given them the win over Pearl/Max because I thought Ginger/Kandy were really funny whereas I thought Pearl/Max was just weird.

 

I think Kasha went home for the same reason Trixie did; if you're a comedy queen, you can't botch a comedy challenge. It's always worse to blow the challenges that should be gimmes. I thought Kasha and Kandy were comparable in the lipsync, and on lip sync alone, I probably would have kept Kasha.

 

Violet and Fame have both grown on me. I prefer their style of polish to someone like Adore, who seems committed to a busted aesthetic. Neither has stood out in a performance challenge but IMHO, neither has flopped. I'm interested to see how they'll do when their time comes to lipsync. Fame and the chickens cracked me up.

 

Max intrigues me because she seems like a genuinely wonderful person. I'm not the hugest fan of her aesthetic and she hasn't wowed me with her performances either, especially given that she is supposed to have a strong theater background. But she handled Jaidynn perfectly during the Shakesqueer breakdown and was clearly a supportive partner for Pearl during a rough time. I hope she's going to be around for a while because I'd like to see more of her.

[snakenax]

 

I also thought it was smart of them to set Kandy Ho up as the straight man because it worked for the pairing and I'm disappointed in the judges for penalizing Kandy for that dynamic.

I think it's understandable because if all the jokes had been Ginger Sets Up>Kandy Reacts>Ginger Punchlines it would have been fine(though Kandy's lack of animation still makes her a weak straight man, as a good straight man enhances the joke), but the challenge required for everyone to drop some jokes and Kandy's flatlined. I think Kennedy/Jaidynn are a good comparison, Jaidynn was a good straight man because her reactions enhanced the jokes and when she was called on, she was fine with her own jokes. IMO, Kennedy/Jaidynn should have won as the overall strongest team(even if Ginger was by far the funniest of the night) since they worked well off each other and both held up their end.

 

Pearl/Max was.. weird. I didn't think it was bad, it just was kinda weird material that didn't really fit too much to a challenge of doing a faux awards show banter.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Didn't think I could like Pearl any less, but that FB statement makes me cringe. What an entitled little bitch.

Ha, you know what else made me cringe and like her less? "Max and I's conversation."

Edited April 5, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[interesting]

Man, the camp queens are getting chopped down faster than Red Woods in the park.  I would have loved the three eliminated camp queens to make it to at least the Snatch Game, it's sad.  So here's to Ginger, Katya, and so far Jaidynn makes it to the Snatch Game, otherwise, there is going to be a pretty poor and sad showing. 

 

I also find the main challenges have been so lackluster (starting with the boring and ridiculous runway), the queen's performance no doubt didn't do much to enhance it, but the premises were poor and dull, and most of the time awkward.  Add to that, the poor songs use for the LSFYL, and the queens' performances during them.  This season is just dragging on (pun intended).  Also, absolutely HATE HATE the continuous group challenges, even if they're being judged alone, their performance still somewhat depends on their partners.  Ru apparently had learned nothing about All-Stars 1 with the group thing!!

 

The only really fun thing the whole episode is the mini challenges, those have thank goodness still hilarious.  Ha lil Kim looks soo weird for Ginger. 

Edited April 5, 2015 by interesting