S07.E06: Ru Hollywood Stories

[micat]

I thought it was weird that Katya (on Untucked) couldn't figure out how Kandy Ho died. A person becomes a vampire by having their blood sucked out by another vampire, until they die. I feel like pop culture has gone to great lengths teaching us this.

[heckkitty]

I just assumed that Katya couldn't tell that Kandy was supposed to be a vampire.  Unless you saw the teeth, it wasn't that clear.

 

Did anybody see Whatcha Packin?  Kandy pulled out the tired Laganja "I don't know what she did but she did something to me and I felt attacked" bit when talking about why she was bitchy to Tempest about her age.  Bitch made no sense.

[planetofapes]

Like so many others on this forum, I am wondering what the hell is going on with this season.

The best part of every episode for me is Raven and Raja's fashion Ruview. I'm sure most of you watch it but if you don't - do IT. Better than Untucked or anything else. They NAIL IT every time. Last week Raja said Kennedy's outfit looked like she shoplifted it at Michaels (re the tacky ass feathers) and I SCREAMED with laughter. God, I love these two. And listening to this former winner (and runner up) made me realise how lacking in the talent department season 7 is overall.

As I suspected all along, Violet is someone I really like. Yes, she is a bitch. Yes, she doesn't like group work. Yes, she ain't that funny an actress but have you ever seen this bitch flunk out on the runway?? She is so consistent. Fuck this, Violet for the win - I hope at the very least she gets in the top 3.

Ginger Minj - I am going off you in a hurry. You did not do any better than Katya, get real sweetie. The bear outfit was tired. I hope you listen to Fashion Ruview and listen to what those 2 smart queens have to say about your outfits - they are not gagging on your originality dear!!

Kandy Ho - why you were still around for 2 episodes more than Trixie - I will never understand. Always remember, one day you too will be OLD and some young queen will call you out for being a tired old dinosaur. OUCHIES. At least Tempest was FUNNY and she didn't wear a yellow can of sprite when she SHOULD have been wearing green as per the runway requirement. (Thanks Raven!)

I look forward to Snatch Game. I predict some epic fails which should be entertaining.

[Dirtybubble]

I think the runways have been far superior overall. I also think it's refreshing that we have no idea who's going to win.

 

I will give this season that, the runway ideas are KILLER!  How will your drag character die--BRILLIANT!  I love these runways and I gotta give it to most of the qweens they are very creative & clever on their interpretation of the theme. I loved Max, Katya, and yes even Violet's runway looks.  And I don't know who is going to win either which is nice in a way BUT I kinda think it's because I really don't care. I like this crop of queens and I have my heart felt moments for some of them, like JDF, but it's all forgotten about by the next day.  I'm not following any of them on FB, Instagram, or anything like that to see what they are up to like I've done with every flippin' queen so far. 

 

Someone pointed out that there isn't enough time being spent in the werkroom.  I agree with that.  This episode seemed so rushed, very little interaction is being shown with the qweens getting ready for a challenge or runway and too much time is spent watching them screw up, yet another, acting/performance challenge.  Jeez they are showing us the worst sides of the qweens and not the best, fun, sweet sides.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Dirtybubble

[xingcat]

 

Someone pointed out that there isn't enough time being spent in the werkroom.  I agree with that.  This episode seemed so rushed, very little interaction is being shown with the qweens getting ready for a challenge or runway and too much time is spent watching them screw up, yet another, acting/performance challenge.  Jeez they are showing us the worst sides of the qweens and not the best, fun, sweet sides.

 

I agree 100%. I like the zaniness of the mini-challenges, and putting them in groups is fine, but let's see the prep work and not pay attention to the folks in the "directors" chairs, because they're only stealing air time from the queens out of drag and in each others' company, which adds such a depth to the whole show. I like it when they're just beating their faces and talking off the cuff, whether that's prompted (which I think we all know it must be) by prodution or not. I think Untucked gets to it a little bit, but they're in performance mode then. We haven't had anything like Tyra hot gluing lace to her legs or Jinkx napping in a chair yet, and that's a shame.

[Blakeston]

I thought it was weird that Katya (on Untucked) couldn't figure out how Kandy Ho died. A person becomes a vampire by having their blood sucked out by another vampire, until they die. I feel like pop culture has gone to great lengths teaching us this.

 

This makes sense. Honestly, though, even though I've watched plenty of vampire-related entertainment, that didn't even occur to me. After seeing Ginger dressed as the bear that killed her, I assumed Kandy was just dressing as the vampire who killed her (rather than showing that she died and then became a vampire.)

 

Raja always bored me during her season, except for when she walked the runway. For just about everything else, I found her almost impossibly awkward, it's like she could never loosen up and just go for a challenge. Maybe it was because she was such a vet that she couldn't take anything seriously. I remember there was a pin-up challenge and I felt like she was acting as if Ru and had drug her to Cabo and demanded she partake in the nearest white t-shirt contest.

 

There was a pin-up challenge? I recall them having to pose nude, but I don't remember a pin-up challenge.

 

I've seen this criticism of Raja many times, but I thought she was quite good at the performing challenges. She won the singing challenge, and did well in the standup comedy challenge. And she gave us that extremely memorable lip sync with Carmen.

[Dirtybubble]

After seeing Ginger dressed as the bear that killed her, I assumed Kandy was just dressing as the vampire who killed her (rather than showing that she died and then became a vampire.)

 

The thing with Kandy Ho is ugh the Vampire thing has been done so many times!  How unoriginal can you get?  And as much as I like Jaydinn that zombie look has been played out as well.  Now see if I was a drag qween on this show I would have gone really goofy & done death by peas & carrots or broccoli (like how you thought you would die when you were a kid and forced to eat veggies) or done an over-the-top B movie, Troma film death from Toxic Avenger or something fun like that.  

[snakenax]

I haven't actually been that impressed with runway this year. Outside of Katya and sometimes Max, you don't have the wild vision and interesting ideas of the last three seasons of runway. It makes me think a lot of the unimpressive runway of season 2, a lot of basic gowns and a lot of young queens with one look they have mild variations on. Which is too bad, the Winter/Spring runway in the first episode was really good and gave the promise we might see some real animals in the fashion department, but instead it's all just very samey and uninspiring. This season desperately needs a Trinity, who could make anything look good, a Sharon, who could go totally left field of everyone else, or a Coco, who brought out pure unfiltered pageant weirdness. Instead it's a lot of Tyras and Tatianas.

 

Though that might also come down to presentation. No one this season is really stomping the runway and making themselves loud in their presentation other than Katya at times with things like the leg stomp, most of them seem to be doing Alaska slow little waddle down the runway. Which worked totally for Alaska because Alaska is weird and that kind of walk is weird. But if you want to do Fashion Queen and not just be a queen in fashion, stomp that damn runway already.

Edited April 8, 2015 by snakenax

[Mattipoo]

Jaidyn Dior Fierce lip-syncing for her life in her orange jumpsuit to Ariana Grande was EVERYTHING! Glad Kandy Ho went home as she was always filler to me. Miss Fame is not the sharpest tool in the shed, is she? I love all the Michelle Visage impersonations especially Ginger Minj's rendition was a hoot. Kennedy Daveport should have been in the bottom 2 just for her chicken runway outfit, which ranks up there with Jiggly Caliente's baked potato couture as one of the worst in RPDR history.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Mattipoo

[babyslut]

Ugh, what a terrible episode, can we get the snatch game now?

[snowblossom2]

I haven't actually been that impressed with runway this year. Outside of Katya and sometimes Max, you don't have the wild vision and interesting ideas of the last three seasons of runway. It makes me think a lot of the unimpressive runway of season 2, a lot of basic gowns and a lot of young queens with one look they have mild variations on. Which is too bad, the Winter/Spring runway in the first episode was really good and gave the promise we might see some real animals in the fashion department, but instead it's all just very samey and uninspiring. This season desperately needs a Trinity, who could make anything look good, a Sharon, who could go totally left field of everyone else, or a Coco, who brought out pure unfiltered pageant weirdness. Instead it's a lot of Tyras and Tatianas.

 

Though that might also come down to presentation. No one this season is really stomping the runway and making themselves loud in their presentation other than Katya at times with things like the leg stomp, most of them seem to be doing Alaska slow little waddle down the runway. Which worked totally for Alaska because Alaska is weird and that kind of walk is weird. But if you want to do Fashion Queen and not just be a queen in fashion, stomp that damn runway already.

I wouls say Violet consistently brings it

[blaase]

I think the runway this year have been great. I like that they are all themed so it's easier to judge them, and IMO Violet is killing it every week, Max too. Katya was great at the start,  but the past two "sequins" gowns have been Meh.

In prior seasons the runways seemed so random, One girl would have on a Kaftan dress  and another a  business style blazer.

[snakenax]

 

I wouls say Violet consistently brings it

I've been consistently bored with Violet's looks, with the exception of her killer Spring/Fall collection looks(which are, besides maybe Max's Fall look, probably the best looks we'll get all season with the way things have been going). Maybe because that was the one time she really went all the way fashion and drag and wasn't entirely focused on the utter boringness of 'look how skinny I am!'(At least Willam was doing weird interesting looks while being all 'look how skinny I am!'). And the really bad painted on boobs totally take me out of it, moreso than Fame's bad fleshtone cloth to cover where cleavage should be. She'd be lucky to hit a top 20 for look queens on the show to me. But hey, maybe she'll start showing something different than OMG waistline at some point and i'll care about her looks again.

Edited April 8, 2015 by snakenax

[SteveAC10]

 

Ugh, what a terrible episode, can we get the snatch game now?

Let's hope it reverses course. I'm not hopeful. I also worry that the final outcome will be overly influenced by, as Bianca would describe it, "14 year olds living in huts in Guatemala". They have already co-opted Reddit. Even most of the queens who got verified logins there have disappeared in the last week. At the risk of going off topic, what's happening to the fan base of RPDR this season feels very much like the invasion of bachelorette parties at gay bars in the 90's. Since season 3, RPDR has been really adept at promoting queens that can bring it in a live venue. I fear this season is about selecting the Queen of social media, regardless of their actual performing skill.

[snakenax]

 

Since season 3, RPDR has been really adept at promoting queens that can bring it in a live venue. I fear this season is about selecting the Queen of social media, regardless of their actual performing skill.

I'd say  if we look at how Drag Race usually edits things, we're just hitting the mid-season where you still have a fair number of filler(it just happens this time some of the bigger personality queens left before the filler, but that happens sometimes). Pearl's edit means she's probably here to stay, but just about every season has a darling who gets a pass into or near the finales by the judges and at least Pearl isn't as utterly risible as PhiPhi. But Fame? Almost certainly leaving soon with how her edit is. Jaidynn most likely won't make it out of the next three episodes. Max unfortunately has a bit of the 'slouching to a loss' edit many of the more interesting artsy queens get. Katya and Ginger are just about locks for final three, the show has been very heavy on praising them and giving them a lot of time to shine. Kennedy and Violet are a bit of wild cards, but i'd say still likely to exit before the final four since Ginger is shadey enough to be the villain of the final three and Violet doesn't seem to be the chosen drag baby of the season.

[SteveAC10]

 

Katya and Ginger are just about locks for final three, the show has been very heavy on praising them and giving them a lot of time to shine.

I'll be shocked if both of them make it that far.

Sources on Reddit claim the final 3 are Pearl, Violet and Ginger.

I would love it - because I think they are the two most entertaining and well rounded queens left. Ginger is a born performer, and Katya has that extra something (like Willam and Alaska) that can't be defined. Unfortunately the social media fanbase is Pearl, Pearl and more Pearl. Challenge them on stating exactly why , and they change the subject or rhapsodise about her giving great GIF.  Her Instagram and Twitter, which have more followers than any other contestant, consist of trite selfies in gauzy black and white ensembles, so I'm perplexed.

[Egg]

Let's hope it reverses course. I'm not hopeful. I also worry that the final outcome will be overly influenced by, as Bianca would describe it, "14 year olds living in huts in Guatemala". They have already co-opted Reddit. Even most of the queens who got verified logins there have disappeared in the last week. At the risk of going off topic, what's happening to the fan base of RPDR this season feels very much like the invasion of bachelorette parties at gay bars in the 90's. Since season 3, RPDR has been really adept at promoting queens that can bring it in a live venue. I fear this season is about selecting the Queen of social media, regardless of their actual performing skill.

 

I, um...wow, did Bianca del Rio actually say that? That's incredibly offensive and not at all accurate. I agree with your latter point, that it feels like what was once a fringe part of gay culture is being overrun by the same kind of people who like to throw bachelorette parties in gay bars. Really everything after the BDR quote is spot-on to me. But I don't understand what that has to do with 12 year-olds in huts in Guatemala. Are they crashing gay bars, too? Or are they the majority viewership of this show?

[EmZeeGee]

Since season 3, RPDR has been really adept at promoting queens that can bring it in a live venue. I fear this season is about selecting the Queen of social media, regardless of their actual performing skill.

 

 

I mentioned this earlier in passing, but I suppose I'll delve on into it. I think Ru said it on one talk show or another, but this is the first season where kids who watched Drag Race as teens are now auditioning for Drag Race. This is in great contrast to before when you had someone doing drag for the love of drag and not doing it because it was a way to gain notoriety. I don't think there would be as many aspiring singers if it weren't for Idol and The Voice, and I think the same holds true for drag queens and RPDR. I think this becomes especially jarring coming off of last season where we had BenDeLa, Darienne, Courtney and Bianca in the final five. They'd been at the craft for ages, and Bianca was engaging in mentorship even as she competed. I guess I arrived at this season understanding these girls were green (I'd never heard of most of them when normally feel like I've heard of at least 5 or 6 of them) and accepting that.

 

I'm not even excited for the Snatch Game after all these performance challenges. I want a photo shoot or design challenge. It will allow us to see more workroom and see the aesthetic girls at their best (or worst, who knows).

[snakenax]

 

I guess I arrived at this season understanding these girls were green

Really green, i'd heard of, and seen perform except for Mariah, every Atlanta contestant on RPDR before they showed up on the show as a contestant. Violet i'd never heard anything about, becoming a contestant was how most Atlanta queens I know heard of her. And apparently Miss Fame hasn't even performed, which is one of the few cases where I would actually question whether the contestant is a drag queen or just a transvestite.

[SteveAC10]

 

But I don't understand what that has to do with 12 year-olds in huts in Guatemala.

Well - Bianca offends. It's her schtick. One of her bits refers to being harshly critiqued online about her make-up skills by a "know it all" who turned out to be a tween in a hut in Guatemala. It's just Bianca's less than politically correct way of saying opinions are like a**holes. Everbody has one - and some of them come from a place of zero knowledge. She'd have a field day with the current crop of fans. There a many oracles of the art out there these days who have never even been to a drag show (or seen Drag Race for that matter) and cannot for the life of them see how that makes their opinions about the show just a wee bit uninformed.

 

 

I guess I arrived at this season understanding these girls were green (I'd never heard of most of them when normally feel like I've heard of at least 5 or 6 of them) and accepting that.

The sad thing is the green ones have shown zero respect for the more seasoned girls. And frankly it's worked the other way around as well. Nobody seems to think they can learn anything from anyone. They all know it all - except for perhaps Katya. The entitlement is rampant this season.

Edited April 9, 2015 by SteveAC10

[snakenax]

 

The sad thing is the green ones have shown zero respect for the more seasoned girls. And frankly it's worked the other way around as well. Nobody seems to think they can learn anything from anyone.

It is a surprising turn around from season 6, where as soon as Laganja went everyone seemed to really like each other and work together very well(even the Darienne-Ben thing seemed to mostly be Darienne having a bitchy sense of humor and the editing monkeys turning that into a full on thing with Ben, probably because they shared two lipsyncs making it a obvious narrative). Even in season 5 if you ignore Roxxxy and Serene Chacha everyone got along pretty well, even if that was one shady group of queens. Season 4 everyone liked each other, except for PhiPhi who was a bit psycho. I guess it's more in keeping with season 3, where two cliques formed and went to war almost immediately, and season 2, where the people were just really, really incredible nasty to each other(watching the behind the scenes stuff on season 2 is possible the most uncomfortable i've ever been watching the show). Though because so many of them are extremely introverted or haven't learned the art of backtalk, drag shop talk or shade it mostly amounts to a lot of side eye and people complaining in their talking heads.

[SteveAC10]

 

I guess it's more in keeping with season 3, where two cliques formed and went to war almost immediately

But that war was largely fought on both sides by seasoned queens with widely differing and iron clad views on what drag is. Shangela excepted of course - which is ironic because she was largely responsible for starting the "war". This season seems comprised of more traditional queens who resent the relative success of upstarts with minimal performance skills (even if some of them have limited skills themselves beyond a fierce lipsync), and queens who think look is everything and are SHOCKED that Ru and her judges might want more than that. The two exceptions I see are Max, who just stikes me as an oddball actor and not really a drag queen (sweetheart that he appears to be notwithstanding), and Katya, who I adore not because of her performance on the show, but because of her completely out there you tube channel and her jawdroppingly bizarre tweets. It was not until this week she finally let her innner freak fly, and she finally won. Some vintage Katya which captures why I love her:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnaPE0WtvpI

[snakenax]

The cliques this season are really even more complicated than that given it seems to break down into Violet and Fame(Pure look), Ginger, Kennedy and Katya(Older performance queens) and then Pearl, Kandy, Max and Jaidynn as the outsiders. Which itself is different from just two episodes ago when Trixie was the leader of a younger clique, Ginger was the leader of a older clique(plus Kandy because apparently Kandy, Kennedy and Jasmine are besties despite us never having been shown that on the show, great job editors) and then Max, Jaidynn and Violet were the outsiders to the cliques no one wanted. I do wonder if part of the reason Jaidynn and Max seem increasingly unhappy on the show is that they're being frozen out.

 

Oh and Max is much less weird-arty-actor outside the show, a fair number of her performances on Youtube are quite dragnificient and lean more towards a rock aesthetic(which I admit, I wouldn't have minded seeing on the show since we already have three other queens entirely specialized in the old Hollywood glam/pin up style. If she'd run with the attitude and look she brought in the Fall runway in the first episode I think she'd be a stronger contender to the judges).

Edited April 9, 2015 by snakenax

[EmZeeGee]

This is why I wish we had more workroom footage, because I'm still trying to figure out how these cliques align. I agree with your perception of the cliques snakenax, but with this week's Untucked, I was thinking though she may not want to be on the same team as her for a challenge, MAX was starting to become friendly with Violet. The knowing looks they exchanged when Ginger was trying to stir the pot at the couches, and the conversation afterward when Ginger was outside and they were in the mirrors fixing their makeup made my ears perk up. I saw a glimpse of the shady MAX in those moments-- which I was happy to see-- and am interested in how it will play out. We need more workroom!

[Pallida]

Oh how the editing monkeys toy with the emotions.  I've had a relatively negative reaction to Violet along the way because the show has focused on her being superficial and catty, yet when I think back on things like the Old Lady mini-challenge, she can ugly it up.  I appreciate how she was trying to be comforting to Jaidynn tonight as well.  

[Zuleikha]

I think Ru said it on one talk show or another, but this is the first season where kids who watched Drag Race as teens are now auditioning for Drag Race. This is in great contrast to before when you had someone doing drag for the love of drag and not doing it because it was a way to gain notoriety.

 

I honestly don't see it in any of the young queens. They all seem like they really love drag and that drag means something to them.

 

I'm a performer and I love performance, but I just can't with the nothing-but-group-performance challenges that this season seems to be. Drag Race works best when it's a nice balance between aesthetic challenges and performance challenges. This idea that the young queens are somehow deficient because they're not great at performing bad Shakespeare skits or writing song parodies does not work for me. Most drag queens don't make their name doing that. I can't blame Violet at all for rolling her eyes at doing yet another group performance challenge (and I adored her death by tightlacing and use of her oxygen tank). I, too, want the balance back and more solo challenges!

 

I'm intrigued by Miss Fame. I looked at her webiste and IMHO, her modeling portfolio is spectacular. But how did she go from 4-H chicken competitor to amazing drag model?

[Corgi-ears]

I agree with your latter point, that it feels like what was once a fringe part of gay culture is being overrun by the same kind of people who like to throw bachelorette parties in gay bars.

 

 

Maybe this is why Untucked has gone to this grittier look (even if the move was also motivated by the loss of sponsorship)*, or why Ru has been picking supposedly more obscure songs for lip synchs.** I would like to think Ru is trying to "return" Drag Race to the underground, though this is probably impossible.

 

* Which I enjoy, though I always laugh when the stagehand claps his hands together to cue the transition from black-and-white to color. The show is now so impoverished that they can't even afford a clapboard!

 

** "Supposedly," because as far as I'm concerned something like "Lovergirl" or "Dreaming" really should be known by the subcultural producers or consumers of drag, even if others complain that they prefer to see more "Rihanna songs or Kylie-songs-that-are-not-"I Was Gonna Cancel."

Edited April 9, 2015 by Corgi-ears

[jellywager]

Oh how the editing monkeys toy with the emotions.  I've had a relatively negative reaction to Violet along the way because the show has focused on her being superficial and catty, yet when I think back on things like the Old Lady mini-challenge, she can ugly it up.  I appreciate how she was trying to be comforting to Jaidynn tonight as well.

I noticed in the clips they showed for what happened in the previous episode they showed Violet being pissed that she was being made fun of at the award show. When in reality she was the one laughing the hardest at her jabs. The was also another deceiving edit but I forgot what it was. Is this turning into another manipulated reality show?

[bourbon]

I particularly disliked Michelle this episode. She seemed visibly uncomfortable during the judging panel segment. For someone who spends most of her professional life reading other people, she seems remarkably thin-skinned.

 

I especially disagreed with her comment (and loved Ross' comeback) about Max changing it up. The mark of creativity is not so much being able to change your look each time, but to make your style work in the context of any given challenge. Max does that -- she takes her old Hollywood glamour vibe and makes it work in any challenge. Anyone can slap a different colored wig on, but NOT doing that takes  a smart queen who knows her brand. 

 

I am fascinated with Pearl, and not in a good way. I'm often struck by how some of the most mannish and even homely men make the most beautiful queens on this show. With Pearl, it's the opposite. She's a beautiful man -- and a terrible looking woman. I don't know if it's her awful makeup or awful affect or what. 

 

 

[WhineandCheez]

even homely men make the most beautiful queens on this show

 

Alyssa Edwards and Jinxx Monsoon.  Case rests.

 

I refuse to hear anyone talk about this show ending or petering out (oops awful phrase for this show).  This is my favorite show in the Universe and I cannot live without it. I do have a question though--do you think anyone became a drag queen just because of this show, meaning to become famous via this show and only for that reason?  I thought perhaps Willam, Adore and Shangela were in that category, only because they were actors (and Adore a pro singer) and this was a way to distinguish themselves in the entertainment industry. But do you see any of the new young queens getting into it only because of RPDR and the chance of be onTV?

 

Also I am waiting for the first straight contender on this show.  I hope it's coming soon.  They are out there, right??

[Dirtybubble]

do you think anyone became a drag queen just because of this show, meaning to become famous via this show and only for that reason?

I actually brought this idea up a few weeks ago.  It seems to be happening on Project Runway & Top Chef so why not here.  Fans see how fame can be instant with reality tv stars so people who have very little or no talent apply for whatever show and all they need is a big personality and poof--famous.  If you win or not doesn't even really seem to be a major factor.  Lots of queens that didn't win have become super popular and have lots of high paying gigs.  Now I'm not saying those queens don't deserve it but I fear is happening is it sets an example of future contestants to say well look I don't even have to win this thing so talent flies right out the window.

 

fear this season is about selecting the Queen of social media, regardless of their actual performing skill.

Oh no--which qween has the largest FB/Instagram following and give her the win?!  Oof.  I noticed that when Logo does any type of special on past season qweens one of the things mentioned is the number of FB likes.  It's a good way of judging how popular a queen is with fans but dang please Ru please don't let that be the only factor.

Edited April 9, 2015 by Dirtybubble

[Blakeston]

It is a surprising turn around from season 6, where as soon as Laganja went everyone seemed to really like each other and work together very well(even the Darienne-Ben thing seemed to mostly be Darienne having a bitchy sense of humor and the editing monkeys turning that into a full on thing with Ben, probably because they shared two lipsyncs making it a obvious narrative)..

 

I got a strong impression from Ben that he was quite bothered, at the time, by Darienne's sniping. I'm not going to deny that there was something contrived there - but I think the contrived part was that the powers that be encouraged Darienne to be mean to Ben, and she went with it.

 

When the other queens confronted Darienne about being a shady elephant, you could see that Ben was trying to hold back the urge to yell "You all have no idea what she's been like with me."

Alyssa Edwards and Jinxx Monsoon.  Case rests.

 

Are you saying they're attractive as men, as women, as both, or as neither?

 

Oh no--which qween has the largest FB/Instagram following and give her the win?!  Oof.  I noticed that when Logo does any type of special on past season qweens one of the things mentioned is the number of FB likes.  It's a good way of judging how popular a queen is with fans but dang please Ru please don't let that be the only factor.

I hope Ru realizes that the teenyboppers going nuts on social media make up only a small percentage of the show's audience, and that she'd be alienating a much bigger chunk of the show's audience by giving the win to someone like Pearl. God, do I hope that.

[SteveAC10]

 

Oh no--which qween has the largest FB/Instagram following and give her the win?!

Fame has by far the largest Facebook and YouTube followings - but then again she was the only known entity in this bunch going into the season (except for perhaps Kasha). Pearl, as her fans on Reddit revel in informing everyone, is the Instagram champ by a healthy margin. What's odd is that both Katya and Ginger are much more engaging and interesting on social media. For some reason nearly 100,000 people are addicted to Pearl posting selfies in black and ivory lingerie. Her "cute" faces are getting giffed and becoming memes among a certain portion of the fanbase. Performing skills are irrelevant to much of her base - and are sometimes actively derided (because introverts should not be expected to be great performers don't you know). It will be a sad day if the winner is decided based on who is the most socially akward and makes the most meme-able faces.

 

 

I hope Ru realizes that the teenyboppers going nuts on social media make up only a small percentage of the show's audience, and that she'd be alienating a much bigger chunk of the show's audience by giving the win to someone like Pearl. God, do I hope that.

Unfortunately, that base is very vocal and adept at using online media. They are also frequently ruthless and intolerant of opinions other than their own. On the flip side - the producers and promoters have to know that base will not translate into ticket sales at the venues RPDR winners and finalists tend to appear. Since WOW is rumored to get a cut of initial bookings, that has to influence their decision. The queens that pack them in at BOTS events are the performers, not the lookers.

Edited April 9, 2015 by SteveAC10

[snakenax]

 

But do you see any of the new young queens getting into it only because of RPDR and the chance of be onTV?

Only? Probably not. But have RPDR as their primary reference and getting on RPDR as their primary professional aspiration? Hells yeah. Heck, Sasha Belle pretty much stated as much.

Edited April 9, 2015 by snakenax

[WhineandCheez]

even homely men make the most beautiful queens on this show

Alyssa Edwards and Jinxx Monsoon.  Case rests.

 

I mean that I think Alyssa and Jinx are homely men, but beautiful queens--yes.  But YMMV.

 

Finally got to watch it last night.  Something about Jaidynn tugs at my heart.  First I love her talking heads, but in addition she tries so hard.  I like her alot.

 

Kennedy has the most lovely eyes for a man.  She has those beautiful large eyelids (like Susan Sarandon, Isabella Rosselini).

 

Violet is really starting to turn me around.  I like her personality better and better. She has the most gorgeous hair as a boy!

 

What is it with Max-- raised Mormon or something? She is getting boring to me.

 

I wonder if Fame has tried medication.  What she describes sounds like ADHD or some sort of anxiety.  Could really help her.

 

(I watched Raven and Rajas fashion report for the first time and it wasn't all that)

[Blakeston]

Speaking of queens who only got into drag to be on Drag Race - more than any other contestant, I have those suspicions about Shangela.

 

IIRC, the guy who plays Shangela tried for years to make it as an actor/comedian in LA, and it went badly. And then he just happened to start doing drag right after the first season of RPDR aired.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Blakeston

[LetItStop]

I didn't like Fame at first, but now she's my favorite. Pretty sure Ru wants to crown a big girl (Ginger) or a black girl (Kennedy) this season. We've had 3 seasons of skinny white queens winning (Bianca looks white in drag). Guarantee diversity will win season 7, deserving or not.

[marsha]

I enjoyed this episode fine but, still, to quote Michelle Visage “Meh”.

 

The funniest line all night (being Canadian we see ‘Untucked’ on tv right after the show the way God intended it to be!) was when Katya said :“Who knew my Myrtle Gainsberg was really going to steal the show?”. I really laughed at that line. Katya has really risen high on my very short list of favourites this season. I’d be absolutely fine if she ended up winning. She’s smart, naturally funny and knows who she is as a drag queen.

I still love Max like the dickens but I see her passing through drag to a more theatrical career (which I may be completely wrong about, of course) whereas I believe drag is Katya’s career and artistic expression (oh, and I could be completely wrong about that too!). Also, I wonder if this ‘these other queens are vulgar!’ attitude from Max is real or a pose or is he just being all ‘Meryl Streep Method Actress’ about his ‘character’. I mean, c’mon. If you’re not into ‘that kind of talk’ then, fine, don’t participate but do you have to make a whole thing about turning your back on the group or putting up your hands and clutching all 500 of your pearls in a shocked/dismissive way? I don’t know. Again, I still like Max but, … it makes me wonder.

I enjoyed Merle Ginsberg as a judge on the first two seasons and it was really nice having her back. I loved Ross too when he said to Michelle “that’s exactly what change is!”. Good on him. I like Michelle fine but sometimes, to quote my darling Bianca, I feel like saying to her: “Calm down, Beyoncé!”

I’m looking forward to Snatch Game. I’ve seen the sneak preview and

the ‘Battle of the Donnatellas’ between Violet and Fame looks fun and I love that Max is doing ‘Sharon Needles’! Is this the first time a queen has impersonated another queen on ‘Snatch Game’? I know they’ve done it before (Season 5’s lip-synch challenge) but not on ‘Snatch Game’. Also, Kennedy wants to do …. Little Richard? Ok and bye, girl, bye!

Edited April 10, 2015 by marsha

[blaase]

In alot of other forums, a majority of the people posting are actually teenagers from like the Phillipines/Asia and South America, and they post photos of themselves in drag , etc.  So it is true in a way.

I, um...wow, did Bianca del Rio actually say that? That's incredibly offensive and not at all accurate. I agree with your latter point, that it feels like what was once a fringe part of gay culture is being overrun by the same kind of people who like to throw bachelorette parties in gay bars. Really everything after the BDR quote is spot-on to me. But I don't understand what that has to do with 12 year-olds in huts in Guatemala. Are they crashing gay bars, too? Or are they the majority viewership of this show?

[SteveAC10]

 

In alot of other forums, a majority of the people posting are actually teenagers from like the Phillipines/Asia and South America, and they post photos of themselves in drag , etc.  So it is true in a way.

Half of the threads on some sites on Monday evening and Tuesday morning are posters looking for live streams, illegal uploads and proxie servers where they can watch the episodes because the Logo site and the WOW YouTube channel are blocked in their countries. Brazil and the Phillipines seem to have huge numbers of posters.

 

The Battle of the Seasons actually has a European leg this spring - and even Trixie, Max and Katya have either done or are announced for overseas gigs (I'm sure others are too).

[Nena]

This makes sense. Honestly, though, even though I've watched plenty of vampire-related entertainment, that didn't even occur to me. After seeing Ginger dressed as the bear that killed her, I assumed Kandy was just dressing as the vampire who killed her (rather than showing that she died and then became a vampire.)

 

 

There was a pin-up challenge? I recall them having to pose nude, but I don't remember a pin-up challenge.

 

I've seen this criticism of Raja many times, but I thought she was quite good at the performing challenges. She won the singing challenge, and did well in the standup comedy challenge. And she gave us that extremely memorable lip sync with Carmen.

 

Her entire outfit was just weak, and she basically admitted it was because she didn't care.  She said she knew she was going to lip sync, so her only goal was to make sure she had Arianna's hairstyle to do that song.  In other words, it was her usual drag - try to look pretty and bs her way through the theme.

 

I particularly disliked Michelle this episode. She seemed visibly uncomfortable during the judging panel segment. For someone who spends most of her professional life reading other people, she seems remarkably thin-skinned.

 

I especially disagreed with her comment (and loved Ross' comeback) about Max changing it up. The mark of creativity is not so much being able to change your look each time, but to make your style work in the context of any given challenge. Max does that -- she takes her old Hollywood glamour vibe and makes it work in any challenge. Anyone can slap a different colored wig on, but NOT doing that takes  a smart queen who knows her brand. 

 

I am fascinated with Pearl, and not in a good way. I'm often struck by how some of the most mannish and even homely men make the most beautiful queens on this show. With Pearl, it's the opposite. She's a beautiful man -- and a terrible looking woman. I don't know if it's her awful makeup or awful affect or what. 

 

I think she's been a little more toned down overall, and I do wonder if Santino wasn't the only one they'd been considering replacing?

[kellinatorjones]

If Snatch Game doesn't bring it, I say we call off the rest of the season and replace it with Bianca, Latrice, Alaska, and Jujubee fighting crime.