S07.E14: Grand Finale

[Tara Ariano]

In the Season 7 finale, both "America's Next Drag Superstar" and "Miss Congeniality" are crowned. The contestants also discuss the drama of the season.

[editorgrrl]

Katya better get Miss Congeniality.

As for who wins the "ten thousand dollahs"? Meh. (In other words, I'm flahzédah.)

[Janimo]

Holy f**k!!! I did not see that coming, but I am a very happy camper with the outcome!!

[DasFlavorPup]

Oh, Bianca Del Rio.  You walked out, and I suddenly remembered just how thoroughly mediocre this season was.  And I have a feeling that's exactly what you wanted, you stinking (fabulous) bitch.

[CraftyHazel]

Bianca looked A-MA-ZING!! And I adored Ru's **wink wink** to the fans crying out how Katya was robbed, LOL. Thoroughly pleased with the winner, but surprised, too. I expected a different outcome.

[divaTy]

Did they film all 3 outcomes again this year?

[Aerobicidal]

This episode was a contrast in highs and lows. The highs: Realizing what a 22-year-old Elaine Benes soaked in bleach would look like; Katya winning Miss Congeniality.

 

The lows: pretty much everything else.

 

Now I'm off to release an EP and get some ribs removed. . . .

[kieyra]

Ugh. They got me with that Katya thing. I wasn't paying full attention, RuPaul said Katya, the crowd screamed, and I started frantically texting a friend. Only realized it was a joke after the fact. 

 

Well, godspeed and good riddance to this season.

[Rai]

...Well, huh.

 

Glad Katya won something at least. 

 

But frankly, when Bianca Del Rio walked out in that outfit, I yelled loud enough to scare the cat I'm hosting off the couch, and decided we should just crown Bianca again.

[ashotta hemlock]

Delta Work hosted our finale screening. It was amazing! Best outcome and the right written won!

[rustyspigot]

Enough with the parents and the crying. I'd rather they just show the warm up show with Bianca and Latrice MOTHERFUCKING Royale.

 

Congrats Violet.

[Morrigan]

Violet's cinched waist made me feel uneasy - is that healthy? And she didn't look happy to me, there at the end, and I kept thinking she was ill from the hyper compression. There was a model in 1900 or so who died from corsetting her waist too much.  Basically ruined the whole thing for me :(

Edited June 2, 2015 by Morrigan

[snakenax]

So I guess we officially have Tyra Sanchez 2.0 as the winner.

[Janie1130]

I don't think I've ever been this pissed at the chosen winner. This season was THE worst ever.

[dolphincorn]

I liked it. I was surprised and happy with the outcome.

[briochetwist]

I completely agree with the other poster who said that seeing Bianca and the other queens made me realize how truly shitty this season was.

 

I wasn't in love with any of the queens like I have been in past seasons, but the only one who deserved to be in the top 3 was Ginger. She was absolutely robbed tonight.  She can actually do that thing that drag performers are supposed to do....entertain.  I can't say that for the others. I can't even fathom how dull a drag show with Violet or Pearl would be, fashion isn't a talent that translates to a good show and it doesn't make you a performer.  I'll take Ginger, Katya, Mrs. Kasha Davis and even Kennedy over Violet or Pearl anyday.  

 

Really disappointed in this season.

Edited June 2, 2015 by briochetwist

[Zuleikha]

I'm not surprised at the outcome because I read that Violet was killing the fan vote, but I am sad. I do like Violet and think she's both very talented and charming, but I felt Ginger outperformed her in the competition. I also think Ginger is readier to do something interesting with the moment. It sucks that Ginger probably cost herself the win with her stupid final runway speech.

 

Like everyone else, I love Katya, but I'm glad she got Miss Congeniality instead of the full win. Given that her sobriety is relatively recent, it seems like it's better for her to get the fan outrage and attention without the pressure of the formal title. She's going to do just fine for herself without it.

[blaase]

Out of this final three Violet is the rightful winner, Ginger has no fashion sense or much star power.

Pearl was just a waste of space in the final three though.

Edited June 2, 2015 by blaase

[butterbody]

What was the pattern on Violet's first dress? I thought I saw boobs or eyeballs, and horizontal bones, and I need someone to explain it to me.

[Kostgard]

I'm...totally okay with this. I was basically just hoping it wasn't Pearl and Ru wouldn't take the show's boner for her all the way to the end, so this is acceptable.

But that's just it. It's acceptable. I realized tonight I was looking forward more to seeing past queens rather than who would win. And Bianca did not disappoint. I am totally on Team "Let Bianca Keep the Crown for Another Year."

Violet grew on me and wasn't bad, but she never really set the world on fire for me. Not the worst winner (that's still Tyra), but no where near the top of the list either.

Either in an interview or at DragCon, Ru said they specifically designed this season to appeal to a younger audience, and I think that's why it was such a dud. Instead of trying to pick girls based on who you want to attract, just pick the best queens. I can't imagine that the 20-something fans want nothing to do with queens like Bianca or Latrice or Katya because they are over 30. I'm sure they love them too, because they are awesome.

Bring out awesome queens, and the audience will follow.

Edited June 2, 2015 by Kostgard

[Pallida]

I can see a market for Violet's burlesque style.  Of the three lip synchs, that's the only one I actually liked.  I do think Ginger is talented, but I wasn't enthused by that performance.  She needs to be doing comedic musicals like the John Waters skit.

 

I hope that Jaidynn's family truly does accept her.  As a larger person, I was always inspired that she seemed so damn confidant with her body.  I wish we had seen more of her and Mrs. Kasha Davis.

 

Katya.  All the time.

[Fake Jan Brady]

I'd like to be at Ginger's next show just to hear her words coming "from a place of love" on the outcome. Guurrll...

 

That Katya fakeout was genius and the very definition of the idiom "many a true word spoken in jest". She'll always be the winner of Season 7 in my [admittedly faulty] memory.

[SteveAC10]

 

Either in an interview or at DragCon, Ru said they specifically designed this season to appeal to a younger audience, and I think that's why it was such a dud. Instead of trying to pick girls based on who you want to attract, just pick the best queens. I can't imagine that the 20-something fans want nothing to do with queens like Bianca or Latrice or Katya because they are over 30. I'm sure they love them too, because they are awesome.

It wasn't just they cast it to set up the age divide, they also eliminated queens in a way that kept it going right down to the bitter old lady brigade vs. Aryan Airlines final 4 (which is why Katya had to go at final 5) - and the younger fans bought it hook, line and sinker. I knew the outcome was set during the final four episode where they jumped through hoops editing the dancing and acting challenges to minimize Ginger's success and gloss over Violet's shortcomings. We saw almost none of Ginger's highly praised work in the skit - and everyone's worst moments were shown in the dancing segment. The fact is, between the three of them, you could barely spell the magic word. Ginger is anything but unique, Violet is charisma free, and Pearl's level of talent is somewhere south of community theater. Hopefully next season we'll be back to finding a well rounded and engaging entertainer, instead of an Instagram Idol. The sad thing is - they had drag gold in Katya (who has charisma and uniqueness in spades). Unfortunately Ru didn't figure that out until it was far too late (and he as much as acknowledged that last night). I'd bet good money there were meetings at WOW this spring where they tried to cook up a way to reshoot the final 4 and 5 episodes before they aired.

Edited June 2, 2015 by SteveAC10

[editorgrrl]

The fact is, between the three of them, you could barely spell the magic word. Ginger is anything but unique, Violet is charisma free, and Pearl's level of talent is somewhere south of community theater. Hopefully next season we'll be back to finding a well rounded and engaging entertainer, instead of an Instagram Idol. The sad thing is - they had drag gold in Katya (who has charisma and uniqueness in spades). Unfortunately Ru didn't figure that out until it was far too late (and he as much as acknowledged that last night).

Katya lacked Nerve—but she said she gained lots of self-confidence from doing the show.

I used to hate this term, but Violet's lip sync gave me life!

Edited June 2, 2015 by editorgrrl

[Kaboom 2.0]

Well at least it wasn't Pearl crowned as the winner. That's something. But did we constantly have to see Miley Cyrus in the audience?? UGH.

 

I would have been fine with either Ginger or Violet as the winner but again, that's saying something since I have not been this NOT excited over who will be crowned since Season 2 and Raven and Tyra as the finalists. I had more fun scanning the audience for beloved queens from past seasons (hi Alyssa!) and Alaska, Latrice, etc asking fans' questions.

 

The second Bianca appeared I felt this pang of regret, she should be re-crowned! Baloney! Also loved that the pit crew seated in the audience were still shirtless, LOL.

 

I'm really hoping Ru and Ruproduction/Logo/WOW/whoever really gets a clue over actively choosing to cater the younger audience. Find GOOD queens, TALENTED queens, not just young, cute ones. Hopefully they've learned their lesson with this mostly mediocre season.

[Ananayel]

I like that Violet won - she had the best record of the three (never in the bottom two,) consistently brought it on the runway, and I think grew as a performer and as a person. It's hard for me to imagine Tyra (same age) taking criticism and learning to present herself better. Violet realized she had to adjust her attitude and approach, and did so successfully. And while she may not have been at Ginger or Katya levels of performance, she acquitted herself very well in that regard. Plus, her confidence can only be an asset going forward.

 

Whether Ginger was managing expectations or genuinely that insecure about everything that wasn't singing or comedy, she was losing me toward the end. She'll be fine - I'm fairly sure John Waters is going to want to work with her, and in that case it is better for her not to be bound by the winner's contract.

 

I wouldn't have wanted Pearl to actually win, but she improved tons between the end of the filming and the finale. And the Katya fakeout was genius - I even allowed myself a tiny bit of hope there for a split second.

[Dirtybubble]

Violet winning enh.  I like her enough I guess but not nearly my fav. season winner.  The list still stands at:

 

Sharon Needles

Bianca Del Rio

Jinx Monsoon

Bebe Zahara

Raja

Violet

Tyra

 

Sooo yeah not as bad as Tyra but not really all that great =/

 

YAY to Katya!  I had read somewhere that during the finale she got the most/loudest cheers and love from the audience.  Kinda sad/funny/eye opening to see the 5th runner up outdo the finale 3.  Speaking of placing is it safe to assume that it goes like this:

 

Violet--WINNER

Ginger--2nd place

Pearl--3rd place

 

I know it's nitpicky but it bugs the living hell out of me to think Pearl might have actually placed higher than Ging.

[ArcticWolfRS]

Violet's cinched waist made me feel uneasy - is that healthy? And she didn't look happy to me, there at the end, and I kept thinking she was ill from the hyper compression. There was a model in 1900 or so who died from corsetting her waist too much.  Basically ruined the whole thing for me :(

It's fine. As someone who is used to cinching, she could probably take it even further than that. The corsetiere that made hers is phenomenal and would never compromise someone's health. If you can stomach looking at a good photo, you can see the shape cups the rib cage, so there is little to no compression on her ribs at all - it's all in the waist, which is fleshy and malleable and poses absolutely no threat. I'd be willing to bet she could still take close to a full breath in it too.

 

There is someone (Cathie Jung) who cinches down to 15 or 16 inches everyday, and she is perfectly healthy. Ethel Granger had a 13 inch waist and lived until nearly 80 (from 1905 until 1982), and was healthy. I can't find your model who died. (If I sound preachy, I apologize, but I tightlace and waist-train, and the misinformation that's out there irritates me to no end).

[Blakeston]

I'm very happy with the winner. Violet was never in the bottom two, and never deserved to be in the bottom two. Ginger was rightfully in the bottom two twice.

And this was in a season where there were barely any design challenges, and they threw comedic acting challenge after comedic acting challenge at them. Ginger has only herself to blame.

[Primetimer]

Drag Race Season 7 ends as it began: good enough, but not great.

Read the story

[Morrigan]

Thanks ArcticWorfRS - now I'm not so worried. I still wish she'd seemed a little happier at the end but maybe it's in better taste not to go craaazy in front of the other two disappointed girls.

[cpansy]

A million loves to everyone here who wanted Bianca re-crowned for another year. My voting hashtag was simply #notpearl; I couldn't get behind either Ginger or Violet enough to care. And I think Pearl seems fine, I just never saw her actually wake up and do anything great on the show. For me, what differentiates Violet from Tyra Sanchez is that Violet is aware of her references. Her looks are always well-thought out conceptually. I just found Tyra to be a pretty face and nothing more - hate to say this, but I think of her as a mistake that Ru made and learned from. With Violet, I know there's a brain and a thought process as well. I also never found her confidence anything but wonderful. She seems to have a very steely sense of self that neither over- nor under-compensates. Again, she is very self-aware at a very young age. It will be interesting to see her change as she grows older.

I'd love to see an All-Stars season with Miss Katya in the running, she ended up being one of my real favorites. However, Bianca is still everything, and could take any of the Season 7 contestants out with one hand tied behind her back (one wig tied behind her back??).

[Guiaoshi]

I actually enjoyed this season finale alot. Yep, the season was weak (meh challenges, questionable elimination order etc) but I liked the finale format. In other hand it really exposed how this was the wrong top 3 and the fact that producers got it, thats why they saved the eliminated queens reunion for later having the top 3 having their moment right at the beginning of the show. And LOOL at the Katya fakeout, hilarious! As far Violet winning, I saw that comming and I can´t be mad, at the end she became the best choice out of the top 3.. Ginger is very funny and very good performing songs like the one she did at the finale (she was the best out of the three there) but her predictable style and specially her mouth did her and Pearl was didnt delivery the grow arc they wanted to sell us.

[Dirtybubble]

From the blogger:
 

 

PLEASE do a second All Stars season, I'd be tickled to spend more time with Katya, Fame, Kennedy, and Ginger.

I agree with everything you said but sweet Jesus on a cracker please NO MORE Miss Fame!  That chicken thing was so stupid and her in All Stars--no.

 

I must say I wanted Ginger to win but as someone else pointed out we've already had 3 performance based queens win already (Sharon, Jinx, and Bianca) well 4 if you include Chad Michaels so I can see giving the win to a fashion queen though Raja was 10 times the high fashion/runway queen Violet is.  Violet is pretty and she wore pretty clothes but nothing (that I can remember) was as jaw dropping as what Raja would send down the runway.  Enh maybe I belong in the Bitter Old Queen Brigade....

Edited June 2, 2015 by Dirtybubble

[Cosmic Muffin]

Well, NotPearl won, so I'm as content as I can be. Bring on season !

 

Who was that in the audience with the mammoth tusk breast thing?

 

I fell for the Katya fakeout and then I was so mad. Plus, I have the Born Naked song stuck in my head. They planned the arc of the season well enough to end with a video for that song (starting with the nude illusion challenge) but the season still sucked. I hope they figure stuff out for the next season.

 

Also, I think the only RuPaul catch phrase left to turn into a song is She Already Done Had Herses, so I guess we might see that as the over arching them next season?

 

I did enjoy how this group gets along and there are no real feuds.

[Dirtybubble]

Who was that in the audience with the mammoth tusk breast thing?

 

I think that was Manila Luzon

[Ananayel]

That was Manila in the tusk bra. I love Manila.

 

The first three winners were primarily look winners, the next three were comedy/performance. By the end, I was beginning to feel that even though it's "time" for a big girl win, Ginger was just too similar to the previous three, like if you somehow combined Jinkx and Bianca (I think that was what she was going for, actually.) I think Violet may surprise us in that regard - she just needs a little work.

 

My jaw dropped at Bianca's crowning look - she wasn't just silver all over, it was all sparkly! Every bit!

[SteveAC10]

 

She seems to have a very steely sense of self that neither over- nor under-compensates. Again, she is very self-aware at a very young age. It will be interesting to see her change as she grows older.

Hopefully she develops some charm. Neither she nor Pearl have the breezy and effortless public speaking skills all of the winners (and most of the runners up) from Raja onward possess. Folks that attended the taping are now providing more detail on the event - and while all three finalists had extended interviews with Ru, only Ginger nailed it - but most of her best moments were left on the cutting room floor. Apparently Violet and Pearl were quite dull.

 

I'm starting to see Ru and the producers are even more cynical than I thought. This season appears to have been artfully constructed to throw the younger end of the fan base a bone. Watching the Katya/Ginger "live" untucked from Drag Con is interesting. This was one DragCon event not posted to YouTube by WOW - but uploaded today by an attendee. They're both pretty blunt about some of the production shenanigans during filming. Those sour Untucked moments of Ginger's when she whines she won challenges for her teammates - Katya pretty much agrees with her. 

 

Edited June 2, 2015 by SteveAC10

[ChelseaNH]

Well, that happened.

 

I had a feeling Violet would win after her lip sync performance.  She's not the best performer, but she sure doesn't suck.  Man, the judges' comments after Pearl's performance were an exercise in how to sound positive without actually saying anything.

 

Well, Ginger is a born performer, so I think she'll be okay.  Likewise Katya.

[editorgrrl]

Did we constantly have to see Miley Cyrus in the audience?? UGH.

 

According to Violet's Q&A with Entertainment Weekly:

What would you like to do as the reigning winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race?

 

I really would like to be an advocate for LGBT youth or transgender youth, or transgender people in general. I really feel a connection more so to the trans community than the gay community as a really young person. Miley Cyrus just started her organization called Happy Hippy, which has been really amazing. She was actually at the finale taping. She seems really cool. I love questions like that. I get asked really dumb questions. I would love to talk more with people about issues.

 

According to Google, it's actually the Happy Hippie Foundation: http://www.happyhippies.org. "Rallying young people to fight injustice facing homeless youth, LGBT youth and other vulnerable populations." Facebook.

[Cosmic Muffin]

Thanks, DirtyBubble and Ananayel, I adore Manila but couldn't look at her face quickly enough. I was distracted by the tusks!

 

My favorite bit, I think, paraphrased:

 

Katya (to RuPaul): "I want to tackle you to the ground."

RuPaul: "Uh-huh..."

Katya: "And then I want to stuff as much of your hair as possible in my mouth. And then I want you to pee on me..."

(I don't remember Ru's response.)

Katya: "I was convinced you were going to kill me..."

 

Perhaps someone who has this episode on DVR can get the entire wording and put this in the quotes thread?

 

It was just so funny and bizarre. And very Katya, I think. I wonder if she really speaks Russian? I had 2 years of Russian in high school and then started over with Russian 1 in college, and I can understand her and read what she writes. Anyway, the Russian part is cool. Russian women who were prostitutes had "yellow tickets", or passports which never got updated, so even today whenever they have to show i.d., which is frequently, they have to share their sordid past. I wonder if Katya the character has a yellow passport?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_ticket

[goodbyeglittergirl]

Well, at least that's over! 

 

I guess we can still clamor for a big queen. I'm fine with that, b/c I don't think Ginger was the best big queen we've seen. 

 

Watching the preshow stuff with Latrice, Bianca, Alyssa - oh gosh, I miss that level of fun and interest! I just didn't like this season. Glad to see it end. I hope to see a lot more of Katya and loved the fakeout at the end - a nice, fun way to acknowledge that maybe this season sucked. Hopefully it will inform future seasons and we will not see such weird casting.

 

I don't dislike Violet, and I think she's stunning - but there's no draw for me there. Hearing Violet is coming somewhere nearby is not an excuse for me to find a babysitter. Hearing Pandora, Bianca, Katya, Latrice - THAT is an excuse to find a babysitter. 

[editorgrrl]

I wonder if [Katya] really speaks Russian? I had 2 years of Russian in high school and then started over with Russian 1 in college, and I can understand her and read what she writes.

 

Nope. Katya told Entertainment Weekly:

I got this cassette tape called “Pronounce It Perfectly.” It teaches you just how to pronounce stuff. It doesn’t teach you the grammar or anything. I listened to that over and over until the cassette tape just melted.

 

So you have no personal connection to Russia?

No, I just [censored] to a lot of Russian porn.

 

Apparently, Miss Congeniality receives $5,000.

[Ananayel]

 

This was one DragCon event not posted to YouTube by WOW - but uploaded today by an attendee. They're both pretty blunt about some of the production shenanigans during filming.

Ginger unwittingly summed up the season during this video - apparently they had to shoot her first entrance into the workroom twice. The first time, she came in and said "C'mon, Season 7, let's get . . . this over with." HA!

Edited June 2, 2015 by Ananayel

[vrocotamy]

It was just so funny and bizarre. And very Katya, I think. I wonder if she really speaks Russian? I had 2 years of Russian in high school and then started over with Russian 1 in college, and I can understand her and read what she writes.

 

I'm pretty sure she was joking in the Entertainment Weekly review editorgrrl cited by saying she can't actually speak Russian (even if she may have learned have learned her excellent pronunciation through a cassette tape.) It's very hard to tell with Katya when she's pulling the interviewer's leg and when she's being serious. In other interviews (like her very extensive "Feast of Fun" podcast with Fausto Fernos and Marc Felion), she said she's fluent in Russian and was fluent (but is now rusty) in French. She exclusively listened to Russian pop music for five years, and is a dedicated "Russophile" who's very well-read in Russian literature and history - even if she is, by her own admission, delinquent in Russian slang due to having never traveled there. Katya actually intended to go on to graduate school to become a high school foreign language teacher, until one of her professors saw her "Katya" gig at her senior show at art school (she majored in video and performance art) and told her that she should be a character queen. In any case, she's hoping to travel to St. Petersburg soon to perform at a club there; she said she has a connection through a Russian emigre magazine in Chicago.

 

I have more to say about this season - and the outcome of the show - but I was at the "live crowning" party in New York last night and thought I'd provide a few details. I'll start by saying I'm 5'3" on a good day and I had to illicitly stand on top of a sofa on the balcony to see the coronation and the performances at the end, and that I had to leave to see a trick (not literally in the Katya way) before the night ended, so I missed Ginger, Violet, and Pearl. Bianca and Shangela (a surprise) hosted, with Lady Bunny as the DJ (all three of them read each other through the night.) It was much more spontaneous and unfiltered than the filmed reunion in LA, so I'm glad I had the chance to attend. Bianca mostly did her schtick on the other queens (and a little on the audience and the staff at the club - she started speaking in Spanish to the sound guy during one of the many unfortunate AV accidents), but had some earnest moments of speaking as Roy and not Bianca. I suspected this might happen, since she's in town for The Vaudevillians, but Jinkx made a surprise appearance on stage with Bianca after the show ended and before Violet appeared and the audience gagged. She and Bianca started reading each other (Jinkx for Bianca's age and Bianca for Jinkx's recent mediocre review in The New York Times) and Jinkx started singing "I Wanna Be Popular" from Wicked, doing a good witch-bad witch act.  Jinx also made reference to meeting Violet after wrestling practice (i.e. to her porno), which cracked everyone up and showed a saucier side of Jinkx than that on S5.

 

Violet, Ginger, Pearl, and Shangela then appeared for Violet's coronation, and Violet seemed genuinely cowed by her win. She said Ginger and Pearl were just as deserving, if not moreso, and that she was flabbergasted by her victory. Her speech (and the glittering crown on her head) were actually quite beautiful - she dedicated it to all queer, bisexual, lesbian, gay, and transgender people, and then there were a series of photos with the other finalists and with her, Jinx, and Bianca. All the queens looked gorgeous, even moreso with the stage lighting than on TV.

Edited June 3, 2015 by vrocotamy

[Glade]

Katya's look was just stunning!  She blew the rest of them out of the water, and I would have been happy if she did take both the crown and miss congeniality; it would have been a worthy stunt to bypass the other three and go for it.   Maxx looked amazing too.  Pearl was not impressive; her look was forgettable and she seemed to be actually rolling her eyes on that first walk down the runway?  I wasn't impressed by her lipsync either.  I just ff'd through Ginger and some of the other queens who I can't tell apart (Skasha Belvis?) because I don't care.  I don't know what happened to Trixie's face, if it's slicon/botox or she just gained a lot of weight, but especially with the makeup, it just wasn't flattering at all. 

 

It was funny but I felt bad for Ben being sewn onto Michelle for her entire appearance.  I gasped when Bianca came out in her trophy look, that was out of this world. And I loved Violet's last outfit that she was crowned in!  An o.k. ending to a terrible season. Why did the camera keep picking up miley cyrus?  Who cares, she shouldn't have been invited.  It's too bad to hear Ru's response to all stars season 2.  I guess they haven't found the $$ yet.  I really think Ru's song '..and the rest is drag' is under-written and annoyingly repetitive.

[Chelsea girl]

I defiantly think violet winning is also due to Anastasia Beverly Hills cosmetics. They're extremely popular, and violet can paint the house.down. If anything,they'd want to give a year supply of their products to someone who is "beautiful" and creative to post pictures of her looks on their instagram,ect.

[snakenax]

It will be interesting to see the trajectory of Violet's career. Tyra was a lame duck look winner too.. but IME she's still extraordinarily popular among black gay men(and if you look at the show, the more pageanty/look queens are often latino/black and Southern because those are where that is really popular). Violet.. i'm just not sure if she has the same built in audience and unless she learns how to speak to people i'm not sure she can grow very much, because difficulty speaking without sounding rude, insensitive or dismissive(even in written interviews) is IMO her biggest hurdle to get over if she wants to expand her skills to hosting and other things that actually bring in money.

[Zuleikha]

I defiantly think violet winning is also due to Anastasia Beverly Hills cosmetics.

I can't remember which site I found that was keeping stats on the #teamviolet, #teampearl, #teamginger stuff, but per that site, Violet was smashing the competition. So I think her win was legit. I'm sure Anastasia Beverly Hills is ecstatic about it, though. 

 

I thought Violet's lip sync was a nice opportunity for her to give us a glimpse into her actual performance style, which she didn't really get to showcase during drag race. I think between Ginger and Violet is really just personal preference. They're such different types of performers. But I don't think people who like Violet's look will be disappointed by seeing her live. She's a sexy, gothy, stripteasing drag artist. That is exactly what I think Violet's fans expect and want. :) 

 

I expect if Violet does some kind of crossover out of her regular drag circuit, it will be into the burlesque, fetish, and neo-circus worlds. I could be reading her wrong, but I just don't see her as interested in the types of things Katya and Bianca do. But I don't think that's the only route forward.

 

ETA: I do hope that if Violet does more burlesque/fetish work, she masters tassel twirling. One of my pet peeves is when performers use pasties with tassels and don't twirl them. It feels like a taunt.

Edited June 3, 2015 by Zuleikha

[phoenix780]

Way too much touchy-feely stuff for my taste.  RuPaul fixes families, I get it. 

 

I do appreciate, though, the way this subverted reality show cliche's.  Violet had no sob story to speak of, she wasn't exactly pleasant or an underdog, and she won.  Good on her.  

 

I can't help but think, though, that she won in part because Ginger vs. Pearl got a little nasty online.  Violet's fans seemed outside of that whole discussion.