RuPaul's Drag Race

RuPaul’s Drag Race, S7E05 Recap: The DESPY Awards

April 2, 2015 by krisis

RPDRS7 Last week on Drag Race, Trixie’s team and runway were both a mess, and despite her kind of rightfully being sent home we were all pretty sad about it.

After The Elimination

Pearl needs assistance (seemingly both physical and emotional) to walk into the room, while Katya interviews, “I am in complete shock, Trixie should be here, this is a fucking travesty.” Even Violet looks a little upset, but Katya has claws out immediately, asking Pearl if the judge’s critiques were fair.

Pearl informs us via interview that everyone loved her back home. This is one of the many reasons I think a college-attending queen has an edge in this competition – they know what it’s like to hop into a bigger pond and get your entire ego checked. They also know what a privilege it is if you do turn out to big a big fish in the new pond, as Violet doesn’t.

Katya continues her gnashing of teeth to Ginger and Kasha as they disrobe. “I gagged,” she insists, “I truly gagged.” Kasha is pissed off that after seven years of auditioning she’s seeing other girls willing to wilt and quit. She is also coming for Pearl, interviewing, “Buck up, buttercup – be grateful for the opportunity you have. Otherwise? Leave.” [Read more…] about RuPaul’s Drag Race, S7E05 Recap: The DESPY Awards

RuPaul’s Drag Race Power Rankings, S7E04

March 27, 2015 by krisis

After four weeks our order is seriously settling in, with the queens delivering no major surprises (other than the sad one from Trixie).

#1 Violet Chachki (avg 1, was #1, 1, 1)
Violet masters yet another challenge even while backtalking her way through it. In Untucked, Jaidynn tried to explain the issue to Violet as nicely as possible and she just couldn’t hear it. Part of the problem is that her drag is just so damn good, yet she apparently gets no props in her home town of Atlanta. I would have a major attitude too if I went from being a small fish in a big pond to being the hands-down best competitor on Drag Race. Yet, she’s got to soften up to be a winner. I would have dropped her to #2 this week after relying on that body-ody-ody again on the runway, except the judges finally caught on to how strategically she plays things. This will be interesting.

#2 Ginger Minj (avg 3, was #2, 3, 4)
There is no way in heaven or hell that Ginger doesn’t make the top three based on her output so far in this competition, and she is clearly going to be beloved by fans. She’s just a hair out of number one for her slightly average fashion and self-defeating cattiness – she loves to dish to Kennedy, but then dished equally to Max about writing all of Kennedy’s lines. That could hurt her with the queens or the audience if she keeps it up, and it’s just a pity that she’s not a nice girl under all that obvious talent. Yet, she’s by far the smartest strategist here – which is saying a lot in a competition with Violet and Max it.

#3 Max (avg 5, was #3, 4, 9)
Max is holding steady but any number of elements could catapult her into the top spot or drop her from contention for the crown. She’s been a consistent performer, even tonight as the worst in her group. She is an incredible team player and supporter of other queens. She takes direction well. And, despite her messy fashion this week, her editorial sense is unmatched this season by anyone save for Violet (Raja and Raven can’t help but squeal over her fashions on their Fashion Photo RuView). Oh, and she’s mega-likable with obvious star power – even as a boy. Elements leading to her downfall? She overthinks things, and that can lead to a major miss on an important challenge. Plus, can Ru bring herself to re-crown a sweeter, more-professional Sharon Needles? It’ll depend on what Max does with this week’s comment from Michelle to get out of the gray hair. [Read more…] about RuPaul’s Drag Race Power Rankings, S7E04

RuPaul’s Drag Race, S7E4 Recap: Spoof!

March 26, 2015 by krisis

RPDRS7 Gentlemen, start your engines! If you want to play along at home, grab a season pass!

Previously on RuPaul’s Drag Race: Jasmine hated everything but could not put her talent where her mouth was and Kennedy just barely sent her home.

After The Elimination

Kennedy saunters into the room looking wiped out with the rest of the girls following. Ginger interviews about Jasmine giving “all that energy,” which makes me immediately distrust her opinion since 2/3 of everyone hated Jasmine. Fame has it right when she interviews, “Jasmine was just the bad seed in the bunch,”

Kandy asked Kennedy how she felt from off-camera so we can maintain our complete ignorance of her as a person. Kennedy interviews that sending Jasmine home was “bittersweet, cuz me and Jasmine are so close.” I don’t believe that for a second. Jasmine was the weird girl who was fawning all over Kennedy three weeks ago, which in production schedule time is just a few days.

Trixie (still looking drop-dead gorgeous in her bearded runway look) asks Pearl if her life flashed before her eyes just before she escaped the bottom two. As she answers “usually I have a blast when I’m in drag,” you can see a certain light in her eyes that has yet to appear. Maybe Ru’s message got through? “It was all about me walking with my eyes half closed – I thought I had bedroom eyes!” Or, at least as close to an explanation point as Pearl can muster. They do this lame bit in the interview where they throw water in her face, as if she really fell asleep interview. She’s not Seattle’s Premiere Jewish Narcoleptic Drag Queen, y’all. [Read more…] about RuPaul’s Drag Race, S7E4 Recap: Spoof!

RuPaul’s Drag Race Power Rankings, S7E3 – “ShakesQueer”

March 20, 2015 by krisis

With three weeks of drag behind us, how are the ladies of RuPaul’s School For Girls stacking up? Not too differently, as it turns out – just one big drop and one minor rise. We’ve now seen dancing and acting – will we see a more fashionable challenge next, or an intellectual one?

#1 Violet Chachki (avg 1, was #1, 1)
Yes, I still have Violet in the top spot. Why not? I don’t agree with the judge’s tepid reaction to her acting, nor do I blame her for it after Kennedy’s failed leadership. Her fashion is still impeccable (even when I’m not loving her prints), she can dance, she’s not afraid to learn lines, but nobody likes her. That combo worked fine for Jinx, but she was also a very different queen who was well-liked by the audience – which makes a difference once you arrive in the final three.

#2 Ginger Minj (avg 3, was #3, 4)
Though this runway fashion was not her best ever, Ginger is emerging as the funniest cast member and one of the most solid performers. What matters most is how self-aware she is. It is going to take a lot for her to go wrong in a challenge – it will have the be the case of the judges just not loving her concept, rather than her failing in some way. I don’t love some of her cattiness in this episode, but that just means if Violet missteps for a second Ginger will be on her.

#3 Max (avg 5, was #4, 9)
Max continues to shatter the old lady mold each week while still being an old lady, if that makes any sense. And, she turns out to be a professional-caliber performer. I get the sense she has a college degree from her well-trained response to the theatre challenge, which is going to bode well in the intellectual hurdles. I worry slightly about her runways, which so far have been composed of disparate pieces. At some point she will need to deliver straight-up glam. [Read more…] about RuPaul’s Drag Race Power Rankings, S7E3 – “ShakesQueer”

RuPaul’s Drag Race, S7E3 Recap: ShakesQueer

March 19, 2015 by krisis

RPDRS7 Gentlemen, start your engines! If you want to play along at home, grab a season pass!

Last time on RuPaul’s Drag Race: Lots of lip-syncing, with the entertaining Katya defeating Sasha Belle in lip sync.

After the elimination

The ladies return to the workroom to see that Sasha’s message to them is “Love you, mean it” and then “Ging for the win.” The other queens are NOT pleased with this overt show of support, especially Kennedy. It’s been a long day, and everyone is looking pretty mannish at this point with their five-o’clock shadow. Violet’s cinching via corset is terrifying, she looks like Jessica Rabbit. I don’t understand where she keeps her kidneys and intestines.

I might have to transcribe all further Katya comments because she is so entertaining. “This week I survived by the skin of my fucking fingernails. It was the most stressful thing I’ve ever done in my life. I’m gonna fucking murder that next challenge, whatever it is.”