S08.E02: Bitch Perfect

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The queens are challenged to perform in a collegiate, all-queen drag-appella sing-off. With guest judges Ester Dean (Pitch Perfect, Pitch Perfect 2), choreographer Jamal Sims and RuPaul's music producer Lucian Piane.

[zulualpha]

Here's a preview.  Emphasis on bitch.  Yikes. Lots of strong personalities this season.

[Primetimer]

You wouldn't think that was possible, and then you see the a cappella battle.

Read the story

[rustyspigot]

A well deserved double elimination. Just don't bring Shangela back again.

 

"You won a four day trip to New England!"

"I get to go over seas?"

"No."

 

HAHAHAHAHA!

Edited March 15, 2016 by rustyspigot

[Cosmic Muffin]

And yet I have to think the double elimination was totally planned, not spontaneous. Was the song "I will survive" a joke then? Seems like an awfully iconic song to waste on a so bad they both went home dance.

 

So now the queens can do their own dirty talking heads in the shade room? Way to make them do the staff's job. I love that the first and only queen we saw to use it, Kim Chi, was in there just fretting about not being able to dance, and she praised the rest of her team as being supportive. Which they were. Which was nice to see. Everyone was pretty nice about Kim Chi's revelation that she's a virgin, too, unless that will be gone over in Untucked. Even Acid Betty was nice.

 

Dax sounds like Violet, but was a lot more boring. I feel bad when drag mothers go home much sooner than their drag daughters. I'd say that Dax showed us the expressions Violet would have given Ru if she'd had to lip sync, but in their season 8 episode one commentary, Violet told Raja that she came prepared to lip sync every time, completely costumed, and taped and under garbed. So maybe she would have just slayed the lip sync. Or, given Ru the stink eye and then slayed. I think Pearl and Miss Fame deserved the double elimination as much as these two.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Cosmic Muffin

[Rai]

I kept yelling at the TV, "Send 'em both home!"  I love it when the universe aligns with my demands.

[Chelsea girl]

I died when Dax forgot Laila's name lol. I forgot she was even in the episode!

[Stardancer Supreme]

At least Laila got put out of her misery.

Those Cha-Chas ...  Lawd hammercy.  Poor rhythmless queens! 

Acid Betty is the bitch of the season already.

I wonder who's coming back?

[Cosmic Muffin]

Oh, and Chi Chi is a gang boy turned drag queen.

 

Actually,  a lot happened this episode...

 

PS, over at Reddit a poster wrote,"Sorry Honey Mahogany and Vivienne Pinay, you just lost the one statistic that made you both memorable." I had forgotten about their previous double elimination, so I was thinking they were both prior virgins on RPDR. Whoops.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Cosmic Muffin

[snakenax]

So who are your bets for returning queen? My best guesses would be someone most likely from last season and who would be a shock to see return, so i'm guessing it will be Katya or Max. Maybe Jaidynn to fill the big girl void.

[SteveAC10]

I was watching that lip sync thinking Dax is turning a justly revered piece of disco trash into a faux intellectual exercise in navel gazing, and Laila is pulling a Pearl and showing us all she's a one note lip sync artist. What's Ru going to do? Planned or not, exactly what she should have done. Dax had been radiating a too cool for this shit attitude from the minute she walked in the door, and Laila was the only one this season with "filler queen" stamped on her forehead. All is right with the world. Now the phone call, on the other hand...............................

Edited March 15, 2016 by SteveAC10

[Cosmic Muffin]

Porkchop, COME THROUGH!

[RobertBestBarbie]

I hope they aren't bringing back a queen to compete. I feel like there are so many strong queens in this bunch that almost anyone they brought back would feel wrong to me. If I previously loved them (Katya, Alaska, Detox, etc.), I'm going to have a hard time wanting them to do better than Bob, who I also love...and who hasn't had her turn to compete yet. But I'm also going to want them to nail it. If I previously disliked them (sorry 'bout it, Willam, Trixie) I'll be really pissed if they go far. So I really don't want them to bring someone from a previous season back...save that for All Stars.

Michelle looks amazing tonight! And that was the worst,..the absolute bottom of the barrel worst...LSFYL ever. Wow, that was just every damned level of suck.

[JohnnyGilda]

Dax snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Cause as soon as Laila came out of that gown...oof. It should've been easy to put her down. Bye, y'all.

 

Chi Chi deserved the win, for her performance and for staying fierce despite the Acid rain.

 

I needed more AB Soto. I always need more AB Soto.

[JakeyJokes]

Willam is persona non grata with this show, so my money is on Naysha (although Katya's Tumblr wassssssss strangely dormant for a while).

[Aerobicidal]

Although the premiere was a positive move (Cf. Angela Lansbury), I was hesitant to get on board with the optimists about this season redeeming the hot plate of shit that was its predecessor.

 

And this episode convinced me I was right. The writing was awful, the endless Up with People is gratuitous at this point, and even the double elimination didn't seem satisfying.

 

I still like Kim, Bob, and Thorgy, but it's going to take a lot more than a lame and manipulative edit of tolerable contestants to make me an advocate for this shit again.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Aerobicidal

[Sew Sumi]

Hey Aerobicidal, do I know you from another forum where your avatar has something to do with a girl and  meldonium? :D

 

I have a better read on Acid Betty this week, and I think I will enjoy that bitch. I want Kim Chi to come paint me every day, but girl needs to learn how to walk in heels! 

[ElegantHomeFurn]

The first three queens they've sent home are really similar to several of the queens who got really far last season (a gorgeous fishy glamour queen with great make-up, a cute young queen with some cool ideas but who's too inexperienced, and Violet's drag mom). I wonder how intentional that was.

Also: I wasn't Darienne's biggest fan, but I kind of wish they'd bring her back just so she and Betty can direct their mega-bitch energy at one another instead of at the other queens. It'd be like when they first brought Andy on The Office to be Dwight's perfect rival.

[snakenax]

 

The first three queens they've sent home are really similar to several of the queens who got really far last season (a gorgeous fishy glamour queen with great make-up, a cute young queen with some cool ideas but who's too inexperienced, and Violet's drag mom). I wonder how intentional that was.

I doubt it was too intentional given that Naysha, Laila and Dax would have gone early in any season except 7(well maybe 1 and 2, which had really different formats for judging), season 7 is the outlier and having some people with good looks but not a lot of performance strength go first is really the norm, and newbies like Laila are almost always among the first to go.

[JakeyJokes]

Almost everyone was so strong in the musical number that it wasn't a case of who fucked up the worst (Katya v. Sasha, Milk v. Trinity) as it was a case of who was the least memorable.

Betty had moments that humanized her in this episode. I still find her rude -- and love that Thorgy has no issues calling out her reputation (and if you go down the Reddit rabbit hole, Bianca del Rio allegedly hates her) -- but when she said she was a team player, I begrudgingly agreed with her. She doesn't know or care that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar, but I do think she genuinely wanted her team to succeed. Also, I am not here for Michelle's "because you're so good NOW, we're gonna be really hard on you the first time you're not perfect" critique.

[Zuleikha]

I'd say that Dax showed us the expressions Violet would have given Ru if she'd had to lip sync, but in their season 8 episode one commentary, Violet told Raja that she came prepared to lip sync every time, completely costumed, and taped and under garbed. So maybe she would have just slayed the lip sync.

I feel Violet was always underrated as a performer because her looks were so good that she never had to lip sync. She's not a camp queen, but camp isn't the only kind of performance. Her YouTubes show that she's a sexy, charismatic performance, and she's developing into a very solid aerialist.

I want Kim Chi to come paint me every day, but girl needs to learn how to walk in heels!

I liked Kim Chi's cowardly lion inspired Hair Ball look, but the more I see her, the more I don't get her makeup, especially the way she does her eyes. She said in her introduction that she drew her inspiration from anime, but her eye makeup is not anime.

[pookymama]

There is still something about Laila that I find endearing, but the talent and seasoning are strong this year. <br /><br />Also, I thought that I would hate Cynthia but she cracks my cu cu up!

[zxy556575]

I watched the Bitch Perfect battle four times, oh yes I did. Definite highlight of the entire run so far.

 

Ru's breasts are jacked so far up her chest she's going to be able to use them as eye masks pretty soon. Speaking of jacked, a few of the queens need to look into cosmetic dental surgery.

Edited March 15, 2016 by lordonia

[AntManBee]

I watched the Bitch Perfect battle four times, oh yes I did. Definite highlight of the entire run so far.

 

Ru's breasts are jacked so far up her chest she's going to be able to use them as eye masks pretty soon. Speaking of jacked, a few of the queens need to look into cosmetic dental surgery.

I'm gonna have to defend a queen here for a second.  Not everybody has been fortuitous enough to have the exposure to proper dental care and orthodontia, especially a drag queen who may not be making good money or receive good dental plans from her place of full time employment.  There is nobody this season who is as jacked as season 4, and nobody deserves to have their BBQ cancelled.  While there are some queens whose smiles may not be their most stunning attribute, I think condemning them for what is essentially a first world luxury is bit harsh. 

[Rai]

I admit, I'd sort of written off Thorgy after the first episode, just thinking she'd be good for the occasional sound bite, but middle of the pack otherwise.  But she turned it out in the performance tonight AND accepted Michelle's challenge gracefully.  She might have something going for her after all.  If Betty gets eliminated before Thorgy does, Betty will probably have an aneurysm.

 

I also have mad respect for Thorgy for getting wigs on over her dreads, but it was pretty cool she just went natural for the performance.

 

Me and a friend who actually is kinda pals with Betty were discussing her recently, and he said he was pretty sure her bitch was going to come out soon.  And it did, but then she was being all supportive of Kim Chi in a weird way, so it's hard to tell how much of her is hardcore bitch and how much is her putting on a hardcore bitch act.  She's going to be memorable though, regardless.

 

Derrick can't stop acting like Britney, but in this type of challenge, I can see why she'd get a pass on that.  I'm bummed that Laila couldn't make the connection that she should turn the role up into a comedic thing where she keeps trying to copy Derrick's moves but fails.  She had the perfect opportunity to shine, and she did not.

 

Naomi's legs are amazing and should be registered as a national treasure.  Robbie was surprisingly funny in his background bits.  I didn't think he'd be much of a comedian, but that's the kind of effort Laila should've been making, so that she at least ended up safe.  Kim seems beloved by all, which is pretty endearing.  He's endearing.  Miss Congeniality contender here.

 

I'm pleased to note that I thought both Laila and Dax were pretty weak in their intro videos.  OTOH, I thought Kim Chi and Chi Chi were too, so what do I know?  Double elimination was totally the right call!

[AntManBee]

I state this only as anecdotal evidence: I watched this episode with a 30 year old white, married, woman who loves Britney Spears and has never seen Drag Race.  She knew of Derrick Barry only because she really, really, loves Britney Spears... his presence this season was a big instigator for getting her to watch (that and knowing RuPaul from the 90s and her work on the Good Work/Botched after show). 

 

Anyways, she continues to love Derrick, and said she was giving strong Britney Snow realness... so I guess the Britney recreation is not limited to spears. .  She also loved Naomi Smalls and her loooooooong legs.  She also immediately picked up that Kim Chi cannot walk in heels, even if she liked her personality. 

[kissedbyarose]

The lighting on this show (especially on the runway) is out of control.

I don't have most of the queens names or looks straight yet so I can't provide any commentary but I will say that I loved this challenge (and last week's too). Although I didn't dislike season 7, it was definitely one of the weakest challenge/writing wise so I hope this trend continues.

Edited March 15, 2016 by kissedbyarose

[ElectricBoogaloo]

As someone who has watched many competitive reality shows and often bemoaned, "Can't we eliminate more than one person this week?" I LOVED that Laila and Dax were both cut after that LSFYL. Describing it as lackluster would be kind. They both have their go-to dance moves and unfortunately for both of them, those go-to moves suck. And even worse, because it was sort of a dance challenge this week, we just saw their dance moves so we weren't even given enough time to forget their forgettable dance moves. Heh, but I loved that after they were eliminated, Dax said she was looking forward to vodka and a nap.

 

I don't know what happened this week, but Michelle looked gorgeous. Usually there is at least one thing (if not multiple things) during judging that is too much for me but this time around she looked flawless: hair, makeup, dress, accessories, everything.

 

I get bored watching the power dynamics of group challenges, but I do agree that however bossy Acid Betty was coming off, it seemed like her genuine intention was for her group to do well rather than to just lord it over the whole group. She was trying to keep them focused so they could get as much choreography worked out as possible instead of wasting time talking about stuff.

 

Maybe I relate to her too much because I have been in similar situations (both in performance situations as well as academic group projects) where I got frustrated that there was too much discussion and not enough doing. When you have limited time, the most important thing is to start creating a structure and putting together what is going to happen because then you have time to try it out and make changes if necessary. If you waste time talking about nothing, then you can get really stuck - especially if you have someone in your group like Kim or Laila who is barely able to do step touch in high heels.

 

Kim Chi had me in tears, y'all. When she was talking about how she used to be the weird fat kid with a lisp and an accent and how she still felt like that fat kid and she hopes that one day someone will see the beauty in her, she just broke my heart. I admit that I was already feeling very kindly towards her after watching her struggle through rehearsal but refusing to give up, but man. The things she said so matter of factly, like that when you're fat people don't treat you like you're human and that people don't sit next to you on public transit, were things that she has just learned to accept. She obviously wasn't crying about it or trying to get sympathy. These were just facts in her life. I loved that Dax and Betty said they used to be overweight too so they were able to bond over that.

 

I love Bob because she is honest and funny, but she obviously still has a heart. I loved when she said that Kim Chi doesn't realize how attractive she is. And I also liked that when Kim said she was a virgin, Bob asked if it was possible that people have been hitting on her but she just wasn't aware of it. It was even more adorable when Betty said that she totally hit on Kim when they met and Kim said she thought Betty was just being friendly.

 

I seriously just want to give Kim hugs and then snuggle on the couch while I tell her how pretty she is. I do wish she would lay off the anime makeup a little bit because when she just had her eyes outlined in pink as they were all talking, she looked so gorgeous. But when I saw the finished product on the runway, I felt like the makeup ended up making her look kind of cross eyed or hiding some of that beauty.

 

I also cracked up when Bob said her eyebrows were uneven and vowed never to read another queen on tv again. I know it's easy to criticize someone's makeup when you're at home, but when you're the one putting on all that makeup (which is different from just slapping on a coat of mascara before you run out the door), sometimes you have awesome days and sometimes you have "well, I hope no one gets too close to my face" days and you don't have time to start over.

 

I enjoyed watching everyone interact while they got ready so much more than the rehearsal drama.

[RCharter]

I wasn't sure what to think.  I don't think the LSFYL was as awful as the last one that resulted in a double elimination. But it really wasn't great.  I think both queens went in just thinking "okay, all I have to do is be better than the other girl,"  but I think Ru has been clear that she thinks "safe" is really a four -letter word this season.  So if you can't absolutely bring it, its going to be an issue.  And with a song like that, I would have expected a little more passion.

 

I'm so glad Kim Chi was safe, the second she has to LSFYL she is going to be out.  But man do I ever feel for her.  I have a hard, hard time walking in heels, and the idea of dancing in them?  Yikes.  I know people will say you shouldn't be on Drag Race if you can't walk in heels, but she brings so many other things to the race...her looks, her sense of humor.  I just don't know how she is going to fix that walk....and if she learns how, I hope she does some YouTube videos so she can teach me.  I have a closet full of stilettos that I can only stand in.

 

Either way, I thought the performances tonight were great.  I thought Robbie's dress was absolutely stunning and I'm surprised it didn't land her in the top.  And I'm totally on board with Thorgy Thor now too.  I think Acid Betty is going to be a great villain.

[RCharter]

Or, given Ru the stink eye and then slayed. I think Pearl and Miss Fame deserved the double elimination as much as these two.

Pearl and Fame was the WORST LSFYL in my book.  And Ru looked as mad as I was.  I was never more pleased that she sent two queens home that night.  It was just terrible.  I half expected her to just send everyone home after that LSFYL between Pearl and Fame.

 

 

I wonder who's coming back?

 

Latrice Royale!!!!!!!  It won't be, but I wish it was Latrice Royale!!!!

Dax snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Cause as soon as Laila came out of that gown...oof. It should've been easy to put her down. Bye, y'all.

 

What in the sweet hell was that all about?  It was so random, normally clothing or hair is flung off in the middle of a spirited, out of this world performance....she just sorta....took her dress off?  I guess it was desperation, but it was pretty bad.

 

I watched the Bitch Perfect battle four times, oh yes I did. Definite highlight of the entire run so far.

 

Ru's breasts are jacked so far up her chest she's going to be able to use them as eye masks pretty soon. Speaking of jacked, a few of the queens need to look into cosmetic dental surgery.

I have to agree with you.  I understand that they may not have the best dental care, especially Chi Chi who seems to have come from a rough place.....but man maybe some clip on teeth or something to hold them over until they get the money for something better.  But every once in a while its almost distracting.

[buttercupia]

Loved this ep. Loved. Though I hated to see Dax go, the double elim was deserved. They both sucked the life out of that song.

Betty is a sharp one.  A genuine team player. She made good suggestions but never really tried to wrest control from ChiChi. I think the bitch act is at least partially producer driven, partially her stage persona/reputation, and she's just really a complete professional. I can respect that.

ChiChi deserved that win.  She turned it out.

 

This season is really great so far!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I was impressed that the Bitch Perfect performance was so long. That was a lot of material for them to learn!

 

I'm so glad Kim Chi was safe, the second she has to LSFYL she is going to be out.

I was thinking the same thing. She is going to have to up her game to make sure she is never put in the position to LSFYL. I can't think of any way to level the playing field in that arena. I mean, unless Ru did a special LSFYL where both queens have to sit down, I can't see Kim Chi being able to win. Maybe if she takes off her shoes?

[DearEvette]

Bitch Perfect was probably one of the best group performance/challenges on the is show ever.  I kept waiting for someone to egregiously mess up but the closest anyone came was Cynthia kicking off her shoe.  But she keep going on one heel without missing a beat!

 

I liked that Kim Chi, knowing she couldn't dance, instead channeled her performance into a comic one. 

 

But Chi Chi was perfect!  I love how Ru pointed out that she was still giving attitude (neck movements and all) and a perfect lip sync while upside down.  She had my attention the entire time between her on point look, her performance (yeah, I saw a little Bounce in there) and her attitude I know why she got the win.

 

Speaking of, I enjoyed the judging panel.  Even though Michelle called Chi Chi's look 'Basic' I liked how the other non-regular judges disagreed with her.  The category was supposed to be Award show Realness and in that vein, I think Chi Chi came the closest with real Realness, and not necessarily Drag Fabulous realness.  I liked Acid Betty's look from the waist up.  I loved her body art and the head piece, but let's face it that isn't  a look that would blend in at an award show.  I also liked how Ester Dean pulled no punches with her criticism.  She called Thorgy's shoes out-right ugly and she hated the color and the bottom part of Betty's dress (I agree with this 100%).

 

I also thought it was interesting given how earlier we saw how self conscious Kim Chi is, how her runway elicited such overt sexual compliments from the male judges.  Didn't one of them say  "I just want to smell her."?

 

I have no arguments with the double elimination.  I thought Laila was a goner because she made no impression in the performance and her runway look was ten kinds of awful.  And the LSFYL was frenetic and sad.  Dax really could have won, but as another poster upthread mentioned she really was giving off a too cool for this vibe.  She didn't commit.  Like Jamal said, even if you think you are doing bad, you need to commit!  And she just wasn't.  So Yeah, neither one of them were good and both going is fine with me. 

[Febgirl]

Thorgy straight up calling Acid Betty an asshole was great.  I loved her Frida Kahlo "quick makeup" in the mini challenge.

2 episodes in, and this season is better than all of season 7 already.

[Febgirl]

.

 

I don't know what happened this week, but Michelle looked gorgeous. Usually there is at least one thing (if not multiple things) during judging that is too much for me but this time around she looked flawless: hair, makeup, dress, accessories, everything.

 

.

      I think Michelle has lost a lot of weight.  I follow her on Instagram, and she's posting about her GF Vegan diet.  She looks amazing this season.

[DearEvette]

Thorgy straight up calling Acid Betty an asshole was great.  I loved her Frida Kahlo "quick makeup" in the mini challenge.

2 episodes in, and this season is better than all of season 7 already.

 

I just finished watching Untucked and I also loved Bob's characterization of Acid Betty.  It is just the safe queens for awhile and Naomi Smalls (or maybe it was Cynthia) asks if Bob and Betty are friends or frenemies.  Everybody kinda leans forward in a "ooh, girl, let's dish!' way.  Bob is rather hysterical in her response but you get the impression she likes Betty but that Betty is ... volatile.. and can turn on a dime.  What is even more interesting, when they all come back in Chi Chi tells Betty that during their group challenge that Betty hurt her feelings and Betty looks like she is really shocked by that.  It was odd because of course during the show Betty does come off a looking bitchy but in  Untucked she seemed warmer and seemed to have more camaraderie.

 

Also, I liked Derrick better in this Untucked.  And her boyfriends (they are a committed Throuple!) are cute.

[buttercupia]

I had to stop listening to the podcast because of michelle's nonstop yammering about her latest vegan gluten free manuto honey avocado wolf milk quackery. every bandwagon that comes along she jumps on it.  and just like in real life, listening to someone talk about their diet is interesting for about .0021 seconds.  

[oakLeaf]

I was completely blown away by "Bitch Perfect." To be able to that much much work in one day is amazing (especially since some major cat herding has to happen). I thought it looked like it had been rehearsed for a couple of weeks. It was probably my favorite ever group challenge. And they still had to do their costumes, too.

 

I think the double elim was planned, but Ru was lucky that neither girl stood out during the lip sync. Had a good performance sashayed away, I would have been pissed off to do that just for drama (especially if Ru brings back someone I don't like), but seriously, "I Will Survive" is about as iconic as "It's Raining Men." There is no excuse for not Turning It Out. I (female and not a performer) have lip-synced "I Will Survive" in the privacy of my home as if I were a drag queen (more than once), and even I worked it harder than the girls did.

[Kostgard]

Double-elim was deserved, whether it was pre-planned or not. You simply cannot limp through "I Will Survive" and call it passable. You tear the house down on that song.

 

So far it seems they've clearly shelled out some money for the music this season (Gaga followed by "I Will Survive") unlike last season, so the queens need to make sure it was money well-spent, and so far they haven't done that.

 

I am absolutely loving this season so far. And I think a big part of it is that while some of the queens can be a bit spiky, no one is a total garbage person like some people on past seasons. Acid Betty comes by her name honestly, but she was sweet to Kim Chi when she talked about her struggles with her weight and when she confessed that she was still carrying her V-card around. And she did seem honestly surprised when Chi Chi told her that she hurt her feelings. And I love Chi Chi for having the maturity to say "You hurt my feelings" instead of just yelling and screaming at her. And then they made my heart grow three sizes again on Untucked when Bob was trying to give Laila lessons on how to use her dress to full effect during the LSFYL (which unfortunately she didn't use and stripped down instead). They are still throwing around shade, but they are balancing it nicely by generally being kind and supportive of each other. Cynthia's team could have just kicked Kim Chi right under the bus and concentrated on themselves since she so clearly cannot dance (or move in general), but they all tried to help her as best they could.

 

It's so weird that this early in the season, I feel like any future eliminations will be at least a little bit painful. The queens I found dull are already gone, and the ones remaining all have at least a little something I love and I will miss them when they are gone.

[heckkitty]

 

I don't think the LSFYL was as awful as the last one that resulted in a double elimination. But it really wasn't great

 

To that song though.  I could have done a better lip sync, and I'm straight, old, and a woman.

 

 

ETA:  And I dance like Kim Chi.

Edited March 15, 2016 by heckkitty

[DollEyes]

  The double elimination of Laila & Dax didn't surprise me. Everything about them was bland, whether it was their group performances, their runway looks or their LSFYL to one of the biggest female/gay male anthems  of all time, but instead of treating it with the respect it deserves, they did one of the worst LSFYL performances since Vivian Pinay Vs. Honey Mahogany. Their performance was a disgrace to RuPaul, the song, the show and to drag queens everywhere.  Laila's naming herself after the late, great fashion designer Alexander McQueen without having the Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve & Talent to back it up is a cruel joke. As for Dax, putting an exclamation point after his name and being a complete bore is lame, to say the least. He doesn't even deserve a period after his name, let alone an exclamation point. Dax is the Jeb Bush of drag queens.

 

  Acid Betty wanted to help the group, but her attitude re the challenge temporarily rubbed me the wrong way, especially her throwing shade at Chi-Chi. Betty was good, but Chi-Chi was better in both her performance and her runway look. IMO, Chi-Chi's runway look wasn't basic; it was classic. Chi-Chi gave me Dreamgirls realness and her performance gave me life! Chi-Chi stepped up her game big-time and she deserved to win.

 

  Poor Kim Chi. Her runway look was fierce, but she needs her walks to match. Maybe Naomi Smalls can give Kim Chi lessons. Re the performance, Kim Chi turned her weakness (her inability to dance) into a strength. Kim Chi's confession that she's a virgin only makes me heart her more. Betty's compassion towards Kim Chi redeemed Betty, for now, anyway.

 

About the returning queen, as long as it's not Shangela, I'm good.

Edited March 15, 2016 by DollEyes

[xingcat]

I am a bit mad at Ru, because I completely believe this double elimination was planned (because everything on a show like this is planned to the letter, especially in Season 8), so why give these queens the hope that they can move forward when they were obviously there as filler? I don't think Laila or Dax could do anything to save themselves from the moment they walked in, and that just pisses me off.

 

Really, don't put in twists just because you think they rile up the viewers. It's incredibly disrespectful to people who respect the hell out of your show and thought they were there to try to compete.

[Rai]

It's interesting to compare the performance of "It's Raining Men" by Phi Phi and Sharon to last night's "I Will Survive."  In retrospect, it makes Phi Phi's performance look brilliant against Laila's and Dax's attempt.

[Dandesun]

My sister and I were guessing who was top three and bottom three... we knew Kim was going to be bottom but we were both certain that she wasn't going home so she was 'safe bottom.' And even though we thought Chi Chi's team did great (we actually really liked the whole production) Dax didn't stand out too much. She did fine, though.

 

That lip sync was boring, though. Especially to 'I Will Survive.' We both groaned when Laila took her dress off because... no, that just reeked of desperation and took every bit of drag right out of her performance (what little there was.) Dax using the skirt as a cape was cool but too little, too late. Still, we were shocked that there was a double elimination this early and then the phone call? WHAAAAT?

 

Chi Chi continues to be adorable and, Odin's Ravens, that girl has got a back story! Gangbanger kid? Trying to fit in with guns? Getting the crap beat out of her when her Dad found out? Even the pictures of young Chi Chi were full on #ThugLife and I'm just... so happy she found her place and how to be herself. I am certain that no matter where she lands as far as finishing, she is going to go places on the Ru tours.

 

Meanwhile, Kim Chi (the Chis really have it this season) and her struggle with weight and weirdness and all of that. Acid Betty saying that she was hitting on her HARD (wherever that happened) and Kim was all 'I thought you were just being nice!' That is good stuff, too. Kim Chi is just... sweet. (Ironic, considering what she's named after.)

 

Oh, and on Untucked we find out that Derrick is part of a... tripod relationship? (I don't know if it has a name.) Basically, three of them together. Not an open relationship, not a 'sister wives' thing, the three of them, together. I have to be honest, the only reason I know this kind of relationship even exists is because of 'Guys and Balls' a German gay soccer comedy (I'll let that sink in) that is rather delightful and sweet. There are three leathermen that are in that relationship together (although I do think there's a bit more openness considering one of them tried to get on the main character pretty quickly.)

 

(The movie is on Netflix if anyone's interested.)

 

Also, as antagonistic as Betty was during the challenge, I enjoyed her with Kim and the stuff about Kim dealing with her weight and her virginity and also when she was asking Derrick if any of the three of them got jealous. "Are you being truthful? Because you're boys... and boys lie about that."

 

This is a nice bunch of girls, really. They are supportive of each other (Bob giving both Kim and Laila tips for example...) and even though Betty is gunning for the villain role, she also isn't a complete monster.

 

Not yet anyway.

[kieyra]

I had to stop listening to the podcast because of michelle's nonstop yammering about her latest vegan gluten free manuto honey avocado wolf milk quackery. every bandwagon that comes along she jumps on it.  and just like in real life, listening to someone talk about their diet is interesting for about .0021 seconds.  

 

I'm on and off with the podcast; I do find some of it inspirational and sometimes their guests are good (I really liked Henry Rollins), but yeah, Michelle's forays into diet and pseudo-sciencey stuff make me fast-forward. The one where she mentioned that she was basically ignoring her own doctor's advice to eat more protein had me shaking my head.

 

And it would be okay if they don't explain on every podcast how long they've known each other. 

 

Sorry, on topic: Uh, Thorgy is my current favorite. 

[cpcathy]

I am officially rooting for Thorgy. OFFICIALLY!

[Rai]

Derrick is probably in what's known as a "triad."  Some of those are closed, some of those are still open for more casual encounters.  All depends on what everyone agrees upon!

[JakeyJokes]

I have heard triad and throuple before. I have seen some work and I have also seen some that start as a duo, a third person comes in, things are fun for a while, and then Person #1 or #2 gets kicked to the curb.

[ClareWalks]

Thorgy and Cynthia are my anti-drug. Add me to the folks who are really enjoying this whole cast. Now that the dead weight is gone, nobody is a disaster, and nobody is impossibly bitchy (PHI PHI).

[Blakeston]

And yet I have to think the double elimination was totally planned, not spontaneous. Was the song "I will survive" a joke then? Seems like an awfully iconic song to waste on a so bad they both went home dance.

I think Ru chose it specifically because it was iconic. it's not an easy song to lip sync in a memorable way, and setting it up beforehand as the ultimate lip sync song made it easier to justify eliminating them both.

 

There's considerable evidence that the new queen will be

Skarlet Startlet. She was absent from social media during the filming of Drag Race, and left hints that she was on it. And she uploaded a brief video of herself answering a phone. I'm thinking it's her.