S08.E10: Grand Finale

[Tara Ariano]

Quote

The queens discuss the season's highs and lows; and America's Next Drag Superstar and Miss Congeniality are crowned.

[kieyra]

I'm having one of those 'brain fog' weeks, but I can't remember a single S8 contestant at this exact second.

Be sad for me, but also for the show, I think. 

[pookymama]

I'm just hoping I don't see my sweaty bangs on TV. It was hella hot in there during the taping. As a whole, I enjoyed S8 more than S7 but no one captured my cold black heart like Katya. 

[NowVoyager]

Just about 30 minutes into watching the finale. Soo excited we get to see all the contestants lipsync for their lives.  Bob was great & turned up the glam-more, but Kimchee literally made my jaw drop. She didn't move much (not her strong suit),  but made it work by giving you face-Face-FACE! Awww... I'm sad this season's about to be over, it was soo good!

[Cosmic Muffin]

When they pan the audience I'm not seeing as many past drag queens as usual. I'm seeing a lot of guys not in drag, which is weird. I wonder what changed this year?

Good show so far. Not sure how the reunion will go, there weren't really any big conflicts this season.

[pookymama]

You are not wrong cosmic muffin, there were a lot of queens that you would expect to be in attendance but were not. 

[DasFlavorPup]

Congrats Bob on a deserved, albeit thoroughly expected win!

Two thoughts went through my head when the previous winners came out one by one at the end:

1.  Not much of a fan of anything season 7-related besides Katya, but HOLY SHIT Violet Chachki didn't just bring it, she brought it, set it on the table, unwrapped it, and dished it the fuck out.

2.  In the presence of the other winning queens, Tyra Sanchez's mediocrity knows no bounds.

[Cosmic Muffin]

I thought I'd been spoiled that Kim Chi was going to win, and I really liked all three finalists, but when Bob was crowned I was just a bit disappointed, so I think I had wanted Kim Chi to win. But, Bob is wonderful, so I'm really happy for her too.

[KenyaJ]

Even though I’ve expected it all season long, I’m so thrilled at Bob winning the crown. He’s so talented and I think that really shone through in his performance tonight. Putting it next to Kim and Naomi’s there was no comparison. Purse First! Purse First!

Loved the shade Kim threw at the Pit Crew. Hee! And the Gay for Play dancers dancing in the kimonos cracked me up. Also loved Thorgy playing the violin. I love talented queens!

Also, forever cracking up at Derek Berry. “I’m doing drag right now.” Yes, dear. Britney drag.

I’m so excited that the RuVealed for this season starts immediately. I’m excited both to watch this season again and to get the BTS scoop.

[Princess Sparkle]

7 minutes ago, Cosmic Muffin said:

I thought I'd been spoiled that Kim Chi was going to win, and I really liked all three finalists, but when Bob was crowned I was just a bit disappointed, so I think I had wanted Kim Chi to win. But, Bob is wonderful, so I'm really happy for her too.

Ha, and I was the reverse - when I saw the speculation last week that Kim Chi was the winner, my heart sank and I realized that I really wanted Bob to win, so I was thrilled when Bob won.  So well deserved.  However, this was my favorite final 3 in a LONG time, and Bob might be up there in my top three favorite winners (with Sharon and Bianca). 

[pookymama]

I've never been so happy to be so wrong. 

[Glade]

I was shocked at the results; Kimchi brought us everything (including Margaret Cho!) but was robbed.  I love Kimchi, she has so much talent and heart, every look of hers is a masterpiece.  Bob is funny, and from what I've seen I do prefer his comedy over Bianca's, but her drag is more on Shangela's level, and her lipsync in the finale sucked.  I also found Cynthia annoying as hell, and was glad when she finally went home.  I was very surprised that people liked her more then ChiChi or Thorgy!  Thorgy looked amazing in the finale, so did Violet, but not Bob IMO.  I think I spotted Willam with her face painted blue in the audience.

I was really hoping for a ruveal about All Stars 2! 

[DearEvette]

Very, very pleased by the outcome.  Bob deserved it.  It looked like Rumer Williis was #TeamBob.

I will say, though. that Naomi had the best segment.  Her family was adorable (I love how Ru called them the Von Trapp Singers) and they got Queen -mother-fucking Cersei to give her a shout out.  Cersei that walk, indeed.

Violet shut it down, holy cow!  I think she kinda upstaged Ru.

Also Chi Chi looked fierce!  So glad she's doing well.

And I knew Cynthia would get Miss Congeniality.  Also well deserved.  She is so sweet and her impression of Acid Betty was hysterical.

[rustyspigot]

Derrick delusional until the end. I appreciated the thighs of the gay for play dancers. And Kim Chi shading the Pit Crew.

[Sew Sumi]

West coast hasn't aired yet. Who won Miss Congeniality? I'm hoping it was Thorgy or KimChi?

[Watermelon]

Kimchi robbed? Coming off a season (7) where so many had such negative things to say about Looks queens, I've seen Kim get ALL the passes. She was terrible at choreography, bad at acting, and exemplary at looks only (plus shade. She's great at shade). The same things that Fame, Violet and Pearl got shitted on (and rightfully so).  But Kim is different! For REASONS!  

Nah. Top 3 is more than earned but she didn't earn the win, for me.

[okerry]

Miss Con was Cynthia (CuCu)

[SteveAC10]

Quote

Kimchi brought us everything (including Margaret Cho!) but was robbed. 

Had Ginger won last season I think Kim would have had a much better chance to win this year this year - but the reality is, while the Instagram queens generate shit tons of buzz, They don't pay the bills for WOW, PEG and the others who make the bucks off of booking the queens. They were not going to do two in a row. Violet might be capable of jaw dropping looks - but she was a bust as a headliner post win. Her tour first got bolstered with past contestants, then cancelled. WOW and PEG were not going to let that happen again.

Edited May 17, 2016 by SteveAC10

[Cosmic Muffin]

2 minutes ago, SteveAC10 said:

Had Ginger won last season I think Kim would have had a much better chance to win this year this year - but the reality is, while the Instagram queens generate shit tons of buzz, They don't pay the bills for WOW, PEG and the other who make the bucks off of booking the queens. They were not going to do two in a row. Violet might be capable of jaw dropping looks - but she was a bust as a headliner post win. Her tour first got bolstered with past contestants, then cancelled. WOW and PEG were not going to let that happen again.

Huh, I didn't know that about Violet's post win career so far. Interesting. Thanks, SteveAC10.

[Sew Sumi]

3 hours ago, okerry said:

Miss Con was Cynthia (CuCu)

Thanks! The post above mine wasn't showing when I asked. 

eta: I hadn't heard about her beating cancer, and I'm sure that helped influence the fan vote. A nice win for her! 

Edited May 17, 2016 by Sew Sumi

[hoosier80]

Glad Bob won.  I wasn't a fan to begin with, but she's enormously talented.  Had Kim Chi had more confidence, I think she would've won hands down.  She's getting there, but I don't think she's got the confidence or experience 100%.  All of the top 3 will do well.  

Miss CuCu won congeniality?  I'd thought maybe Thorgy or Chi Chi would win, but they did have major blowouts or griped a lot about the other queens.  Had Naomi not been in the top 3, she would've been my Miss Congeniality by far.  She went to help Derrick after her little spat and was truly sorry about what she'd said.  

I can see where they'd pick Bob also because of the touring after the fact.  Not sure either Kim Chi or Naomi could maintain a tour, just with their fabulous looks. Don't get me wrong, both of their looks are incredible.  Kim Chi is truly an artist, and Naomi does look like a super model.

[CraftyHazel]

As much as I really liked the cast this season, and was mostly "meh" on last season's cast, there was no one in this year's cast that I loved like I did Katya.  So for me, although the season as a whole was really good, it was never a "can't miss" event, and that makes me sad.  Bob is hilarious, but I never think he looks good...sorry.  KimChi was great for looks, but I didn't think the performance skills were there.  Naomi was fine...just never thought she'd win.

I still love Thorgy and I am absolutely mad about Acid Betty (my brother met her at DragCon and said she couldn't have been nicer), but neither will ever reach Katya levels of adoration.  They're Detox/Alaska/DeLa level for me...not bad company, to be sure, but most years I have been mad for at least one or two queens, and this year I kind of wasn't. 

[Arwen Evenstar]

Happy that Bob won.  Bob was my favorite.  Though Naomi and Kim Chi were lovely, I felt Bob both statistically and all around deserved to win.  Naomi is gorgeous and a force to be reckoned with.  She'll go far. Kim Chi's makeup skills are amazing but not being able to dance or walk really hurt her.

Was happy that Cynthia won Miss Congeniality and even happier to learn she beat her cancer.  Was not expecting to hear she'd been sick and glad she was given support from the other queens. Since my hubs is Puerto Rican, I always find the PR queens hilarious!  The shtick about her "cucu" cracks me up!

[phoenix780]

Can I be both happy and disappointed?

Bob was who I predicted to win from the intros episode 1.  She's good, I love some of her YouTube stuff, and I think she's a deserving winner.  And yet...I wanted it to be Kim Chi or Naomi.  This season was fantastic, imho, especially after the first couple eliminations, and they would have added that final surprise to make it stick that way in my head.    

So it's predictable, which is disappointing, yet I'd have been happy with any of the top 5 or 6 winning (except Chi Chi- I like her but I wouldn't recognize her, she didn't seem quite there yet to me).  It's a weird feeling.

I was shocked at Miss Congeniality.  She went home really early to pull off a win.  Good for her!

[Xazeal]

Bob is very talented and a deserving winner, but brings nothing I haven't seen before. She doesn't excite me nearly as much as most past winners have - including Violet, who at least set the house on fire with unique looks.

It's also hard to get excited about this result when it's exactly what I predicted before the cast was even announced - Bob as the winner, Kim and Naomi as runner-ups. But RuPaul has gone with the predictable outcome every single season, so I guess it was foolish to get my hopes up for anything else.

I'm at least incredibly happy that Cynthia won Miss Congeniality.

[Skylark]

I really feel that the race was down to Bob and Kim Chi, but that Kim Chi lost it when said that she hadn't come out to her mother yet. I don't think Ru's brand would tolerate a queen who (for all her fierceness) was still hiding from her family. The social media support for her is amazing and I think that continuing to do her incredible visuals is really where she should focus her energies. Bob's out and proud personality is definitely a better tonal fit with the brand.

On the subject of mothers, I have been so impressed by Naomi's maturity and poise for being such a baby queen. I realized that it probably has a lot to do with her wonderfully supportive family. When so many LGBT youth are still estranged from their families, it's so wonderful that Naomi had the support of hers to follow her passion. Naomi's interest in drag was treated as a legitimate choice with her mom saying "Ok, I'll go buy you some wigs and makeup".  Contrast that with Derrick, who had his relationship with his mother fractured by coming out. I think that is the root of his insecurities and need for adoration/positive feedback and thin skin.

I loved that Bob won! Didn't the returning queens all look incredible last night! This was a season to remember for sheer quality.

[Kaboom 2.0]

Purse First! Bob won! YES! Now I heart Kim Chi and Naomi but I knew it was Bob, she was everything and when she did falter, she fought back to reclaim her place in the competition. Loved seeing so many of our queens again both onstage and in the audience, ok maybe not Shangela so much. Last season Violet did not annoy me, still think she is beautiful and talented but whoa, when she appeared as the reigning winner my jaw dropped. That waist! That dress! That face face face! She actually tore my gaze away from Ru and that rarely happens. And I know I've said this before but I really hate when Logo/WOW/whoever decides to constantly show us one celeb in the audience over and over again, last night it was Rumer Willis. I don't even care about her but by the end I was sick and tired of seeing her. UGH.

[zxy556575]

The Orpheum Theatre seats 1,976 (thank you, Internet) and my guess is that it was the largest venue most of the queens had played to thus far. I hope they weren't too nervous to appreciate all the applause and audience fervor. I enjoyed it myself even though I thought there were a few too many shots of the crowd. I wouldn't have minded a red carpet pre-show; I spent some time today looking at photo galleries in order to get a better look at the details of the costumes.

It was especially nice to see Derrick's partners there looking so thrilled and proud. All the family members were, but Derrick had such crises of confidence throughout the season (and I thought got the least help from the judges due to their conflicting comments) that I was happy to see such heartfelt support for him.

Edited May 17, 2016 by lordonia

[Primetimer]

For the last time, the ladies of Season 8 come throoooough.

View the full article

[xingcat]

That was an entirely predictable finale, which is fine; they were all deserving, and I would have been okay with any of the Final 4 winning, but it was definitely the Bianca Del Rio edit all over again. "This queen is the best, perfect in every way, other queens are threatened, oh, she slipped (not really), now we're back on top, helped another queen, and wins!" I mean...yay? I love Kim Chi, but I honestly don't know how she could headline a tour, because you'd just kind of gasp at her looks, then suffer through her performances. Yes, the "Fat, Fem, and Asian" song was cool and they did what they could with her limitations, but I would have LOVED if she could have really rehearsed her ass off for the time between filming and the finale and just pulled out something that would have made us all fall out of our chairs. I've seen people learn choreography who can't even walk without falling over, so I don't know why, with the amount of time she had, they didn't go in that direction?

Naomi is a sweet, sweet kid, but her entire game is genetics, I think. Long legs, gorgeous face, and she's....decent at lip-syncing. I love her family showing up onstage, though!

I always am sad about the finale, because it looks like an amazing party if you're there, but it's also about as edgy and fun as a 70s variety show on TV. I'd love to see interviews that aren't set up in 20-second sound bites and backstage stuff and red carpet stuff. I guess that's all for YouTube, though.

[dpesick]

No need to wait until Labor Day...Bob released a "Purse First" single yesterday! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuogbfF6VR8

[Dirtybubble]

7 minutes ago, dpesick said:

No need to wait until Labor Day...Bob released a "Purse First" single yesterday! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuogbfF6VR8

Love purse purse!  Aaaand Acid Betty release her single Full Fantasy yesterday as well.  Visually stunning but she's not the best singer in the world.  I recommend watching it with the volume turned off. 

Yay to BOB for winning and Cynthia for M.C.!!

[Dirtybubble]

Yay to BOB for winning and to Miss Cucu for M.C.

 

So did the finale seemed rushed to anyone else.  IDK I guess most of my favorite queens didn't win and I just wanted more time with them.  Also I wish someone would put names with faces for people in the audience.  Everytime the camera panned out to a specific person in the audience I had no idea who the hell I was looking at.  Except for maybe Alaska or Alyssa who have specific looks everyone else was who the F is that....

[okerry]

25 minutes ago, dpesick said:

No need to wait until Labor Day...Bob released a "Purse First" single yesterday! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuogbfF6VR8

Loved this video! They chose the right winner for RPDR. I did *not* recognize Derek until the very end of the video. Now, if he'd looked like that during the competition - !

[cpcathy]

I agree the finale seems rushed, but I thought the entire season was rushed. Puppet challenge in, what episode five? Whaaaa????

A poster on another board suggested Logo do a whole "Oscars" type thing, with pre show, commentary, etc. We seem to get that on Youtube, but if RPDR is Logo's big show, why not pump it up more? The fans are not tired of it!

[JakeyJokes]

I'm gonna miss this show already! Every week I watched it at an insanely crowded bar and I think they had 400 people for the finale. If any of you live in a big city, I highly recommend finding a gay bar that hosts viewing parties. It's a great experience. I joke that it's like NFL season for gays. Bebe ZaHara Benet co-hosted the event I was at, so it was great to see her on the screen, as well as the other former winners. Loved Bianca's little bit with the clown.

The Top 5 but not are already booked for a summer tour: Bob, Kim, Naomi, Chi Chi and Thorgy are doing a Season 8 Summer Tour, with Katya as host.

[Scarlet1815]

Quote

Naomi's lip sync number repeats the phrase "all legs, no dairy," which makes no sense and is therefore indispensable.

Ugh, someone doesn't know her Drag Race herstory... that's a play off of Jujubee's classic library read from Season 2:

LEGENDARY? Looks like leg and dairy!

[gryphon]

Quote

The Top 5 but not are already booked for a summer tour: Bob, Kim, Naomi, Chi Chi and Thorgy are doing a Season 8 Summer Tour, with Katya as host

Oooh, I may have to check this out when it comes to town! But if I go, what to wear???

 I really loved Kim Chi and wanted her to take the crown, but Bob is good, too, the purse should have gotten a runner up prize.  

Good for Cynthia!  And Acid Betty's wardrobe was awesome. And Thorgy still rocks. 

[cpcathy]

Thorgy does rock. I'm just taken with her and want to see her more often.

[Julie Firestone]

Quote

On the subject of mothers, I have been so impressed by Naomi's maturity and poise for being such a baby queen. I realized that it probably has a lot to do with her wonderfully supportive family. When so many LGBT youth are still estranged from their families, it's so wonderful that Naomi had the support of hers to follow her passion. Naomi's interest in drag was treated as a legitimate choice with her mom saying "Ok, I'll go buy you some wigs and makeup". Contrast that with Derrick, who had his relationship with his mother fractured by coming out. I think that is the root of his insecurities and need for adoration/positive feedback and thin skin.
 

This is very interesting and insightful and also important.

Good season, good finale. I was rooting for Bob. for me, she led wire to wire. However, because she came in so strong, she didn't seem to grow much, so I was worried Kim Chi or Naomi would overtake her in the end. I was relieved that didn't happen.

I assume they did the thing where they taped three different versions of the end with each of the three queens winning? If so, does anyone have the video of Bob learning that she actually won?

Edited May 17, 2016 by Julie Firestone
quoting format

[luckyroll3]

16 hours ago, DasFlavorPup said:

1.  Not much of a fan of anything season 7-related besides Katya, but HOLY SHIT Violet Chachki didn't just bring it, she brought it, set it on the table, unwrapped it, and dished it the fuck out.

2.  In the presence of the other winning queens, Tyra Sanchez's mediocrity knows no bounds.

1.  Violet looked absolutely fucking amazing.  However, I couldn't remember who actually won season 7 until she walked out on stage. 

2.  Still can't stand Tyra.  Did she get plastic surgery?  Something about her face looked very different.  I assume that she's gotten veneers like all the other formerly-snaggle toothed queens, but her face just looked off.

16 hours ago, KenyaJ said:

Also, forever cracking up at Derek Berry. “I’m doing drag right now.” Yes, dear. Britney drag.

Derek still thinks doing drag means blocking his eye brows.  He just doesn't get it.  I was fully prepared to go, wow, Derek is actually doing drag and he looks great....until he walked looking exactly like Britney.  Again.

[butterbody]

violet won again last night. 

[DasFlavorPup]

28 minutes ago, luckyroll3 said:

2.  Still can't stand Tyra.  Did she get plastic surgery?  Something about her face looked very different.  I assume that she's gotten veneers like all the other formerly-snaggle toothed queens, but her face just looked off.

She's had work done, and I want to say I heard somewhere (possibly the comments on Tom and Lorenzo) that she had a nose job that hadn't been done very well.  It's really a shame - even though I can't stand her I thought she looked amazing (and better) before.

[DearEvette]

8 hours ago, Skylark said:

On the subject of mothers, I have been so impressed by Naomi's maturity and poise for being such a baby queen. I realized that it probably has a lot to do with her wonderfully supportive family. When so many LGBT youth are still estranged from their families, it's so wonderful that Naomi had the support of hers to follow her passion. Naomi's interest in drag was treated as a legitimate choice with her mom saying "Ok, I'll go buy you some wigs and makeup".  Contrast that with Derrick, who had his relationship with his mother fractured by coming out. I think that is the root of his insecurities and need for adoration/positive feedback and thin skin.

This is a great comment.  I was rooting for Bob to win -- It is like when, say Jay McCarroll or Christian Siriano won on Project Runway.  I feel like it was really earned.  But I have to admit, I loved Naomi's whole family and for a brief few seconds would not have minded if she won.  But then I would have been mad if she actually won.  But her mother  was adorable.

 

50 minutes ago, DasFlavorPup said:

She's had work done, and I want to say I heard somewhere (possibly the comments on Tom and Lorenzo) that she had a nose job that hadn't been done very well.  It's really a shame - even though I can't stand her I thought she looked amazing (and better) before.

I didn't think Tyra looked bad.  She looked like she put on a bit of weight, which looked good on her actually.  Her wig looked a little aging.  In fact I think her whole look was kinda like she was going for a  First Lady Realness thing.

[Dirtybubble]

4 hours ago, cpcathy said:

A poster on another board suggested Logo do a whole "Oscars" type thing, with pre show, commentary, etc. We seem to get that on Youtube, but if RPDR is Logo's big show, why not pump it up more? The fans are not tired of it!

ITA!  A pre show on Logo with red carpet interviews, behind the scenes, and maybe even a best and worst dress show the next day a'la Wendy Williams!  I would EAT IT!

Forgot to mention how nice it was to see Robbie's little lady from the Oz challenge there rooting her on.  Very sweet indeed!  I know Kim Chi's girl is pregnant and probably couldn't make it but it would have been nice to see the other ladies there.

1 hour ago, Julie Firestone said:

I assume they did the thing where they taped three different versions of the end with each of the three queens winning? If so, does anyone have the video of Bob learning that she actually won?

Try this...

[Nerdlove]

It's a little off topic, but I watched the Hey Queen video interview with Tyra....

(This is it if you want to watch it.)

... and I went from hating on Tyra like everyone else to understanding where she was coming from and why she acted the way she did on the season she was on. It doesn't 100% excuse everything, but it explains a LOT and I have a 100x more compassion and sympathy for her now. I'd really recommend it. It's not as much fun when you don't hate her, but it also feels good to release some of the bitterness.

Edited May 17, 2016 by Nerdlove

[twinkietwin94]

1 hour ago, Dirtybubble said:

ITA!  A pre show on Logo with red carpet interviews, behind the scenes, and maybe even a best and worst dress show the next day a'la Wendy Williams!  I would EAT IT!

Forgot to mention how nice it was to see Robbie's little lady from the Oz challenge there rooting her on.  Very sweet indeed!  I know Kim Chi's girl is pregnant and probably couldn't make it but it would have been nice to see the other ladies there.

Try this...

 

 

Thanks for sharing this, this was part of what I came looking for, though I still want to see the video they've done the past few years of the top three backstage watching the show and seeing who wins, hopefully Logo or WOW will post that soon.

[Watermelon]

1 hour ago, twinkietwin94 said:

 

 

Thanks for sharing this, this was part of what I came looking for, though I still want to see the video they've done the past few years of the top three backstage watching the show and seeing who wins, hopefully Logo or WOW will post that soon.

http://www.logotv.com/video-clips/ea5xwi/rupauls-drag-race-top-three-queens-watch-the-finale-live

 

There you go. If that doesn't work, it's up on FB, so I'm sure it's on logo.

[Julie Firestone]

That's the video I was looking for, thanks. I love watching the winner's real reaction. It kinda bums me out that there are probably lots of viewers who don't know about the three endings thing and think Bob's muted reaction is the real thing. Heck, there's probably at least a person or two who thinks that Bob is kind of conceited based on the taped reaction. But I probably shouldn't be worrying about hypothetical people and their imagined feelings anyway...

[twinkietwin94]

Yep that's the one I've been waiting all day to see! This has been my favorite top 3, I liked all three of these girls and while Bob is my fave I would have been fine with any of the three being crowned. I've never felt that way any other season, well with the exception of All Stars 1, there's always been one queen in the top 3 I didn't care for. These three are so sweet and they obviously love each other so much. This brought tears to my eyes.