RPDR: Social Media Kings/Queens
Saturday, May 26, 2018 at 11:40AM by Nathaniel R
Let us begin by bowing down to the writers on RuPaul's Drag Race for so many new and witty mini-challenges for Season 10. They knew this season was important and they're clearly reinvigorated. In a tenth season when most writers rooms have given up. This week's "Rough Trade" opener was truly funny as the six remaining queens had to summon their inner neanderthal in straight drag. Naturally Kameron with her muscle body and ripped tee most looked the party but Eureka won with her outlandishly butch slob "BJ" (Being a Jokester). Asia, Aquaria, and Miz Cracker couldn't really leave the femme behind and Monét memorably struggled to stop the swivel in her hips.
On to the maxi-challenge, drag makeovers for "Social Media Kings" all of whom I was personally unfamiliar with save Tyler Oakley and Frankie Grande. Hmmm, I might be gay and not in my *cough* twenties? Shut up!
Eureka assigned the Kings to the Queens and for the most part her assignments worked -- though Kameron at first struggled to connect with his equally reserved partner, a straight YouTuber named Anthony Padilla... who is much much less reserved on his own funny channel. Aquaria didn't really boost her partner Kingsley's confidence or help him with his nerves. Miz Cracker hilariously read Frankie/Eureka when Eureka paired them.
"I think Eureka was only thinking about herself when she chose the one that was already in drag."
You're a winner, baby
Miz Cracker, paired with a straight man, YouTube singer Christopher Chee, who totally went for it as "Miss Cookie," finally took her first win. It's impossible to argue with the decision. Cracker nailed the family resemblance part without resorting to matchy-matchy outfits (as the two runner up queens did) and the acting and enthusiasm and even her personal overanalytic reserve all came together in one funny show about an overenthusiastic drag daughter and her annoyed / nervous dragmother. Asia (paired with Raymond Braun) and Eureka were also top three and the critiques reminded us that the judges love those two queens most of all which is why we're sure that one of the two of them will win in the end. Neither are often clocked for errors and are nearly always praised enormously even when they aren't quite nailing all four chief ingredients simultaneously: Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent. I like all of the remaining queens but I'll admit that my initial big enthusiasm for Asia has waned. I'm just not "wow"ed consistently though she's intermittently a dynamic queen. And obviously a complete professional!
Sashay away
Despite a spirited and funny lipsynch that seemed (to these eyes) like an easy call for a Shantay You Stay, Monét X Change's time on the show has come to an end. It's just a reminder that people rarely survive a third lipsynch even when they're still slaying them. The judges get bored. So Kameron, only on her second lipsynch, gets to stay. Unfortunately that means that we've lost our two very best narrators of the episodes given that Monique and Monét are no longer competing.
Quotable Bitches
"The only vers I am is Versace" - Aquaria
"You're all a bunch of whores." - RuPaul
Name dropping
Guest judges: Singer Lizzo ("Good as Hell") and actor Miles Heizer (13 Reasons Why) who seems even shyer about being there than a couple of the Social Media Kings in the challenge. Did his management make him do this?; Pop culture references this episode: Gypsy, Mamma Mia!, The Judds, Ariana Grande, Big Brother, The Amazing Race, Naomi Campbell, Little House on the Prairie, Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen.
Episode MVP
RuPaul was having the best time ever. Laughing and quipping and generally being a HAPPY goddess.
Rankings
Shifts from last week indicated with arrows...
| PREDICTION | PREFERENCE |
 |
 |
| Subject to change as we get to know them | |
| 1. Asia O'Hara |
1. Eureka |
| 2. 🔺Eureka | 2. 🔻 Monét X Change OUT |
| 3. Aquaria | 3. Monique Heart OUT |
| 4. Miz Cracker | 4. 🔺Miz Cracker |
| 5.🔻 Kameron Michaels | 5. Kameron Michaels |
| 6.🔻 Monét X Change OUT | 6. Aquaria |
| 7. The Vixen OUT | 7. 🔻Asia O'Hara |
| 8. Monique Heart OUT | 8. Dusty Ray Bottoms OUT |
| 9. Blair St Clair OUT | 9. The Vixen OUT |
| 10. Mayhem Miller OUT | 10. Yuhua Hamasaki OUT |
| 11. Dusty Ray Bottoms OUT | 11. Blair St Clair OUT |
| 12. Yuhua Hamasaki OUT | 12. Mayhem Miller OUT |
| 13. Kalorie Karbdashian Williams OUT | 13. Kalorie Karbdashian Williams OUT |
| 14. Vanessa Vanjie Mateo OUT | 14. Vanessa Vanjie Mateo OUT |
gif as episode grade...
Reader Comments (24)
I usually love make-over episode, but I also hate internet personalities - so I was apprehensive going into this, and the episode never succeeded at winning me over. Let's just say: I went from not even knowing Ariana Grande had a brother to hating his guts within split-seconds.
Miz Cracker's excitement after Miz Cookie put her wig on was terrific to see, though. Glad to see her finally snatch a win.
I think Aquaria and Kameron belonged in the bottom two this week. Monet should have been safe. Aquaria was EASILY the worst. My sense is that the judge's love Aquaria, want her in the top three, and are perhaps aware that she might not have survived lip-synching.
Monet was off in her lip-synching and clearly lost steam towards the end (especially after she slid to the front of the stage and seemed to bang into something). Kameron killed with his lip-synch this week and deserved to stay. That said, I'm sad to see Monet leave. She was one of my favorites and has an infectious personality.
I don't think he should make the top three, but I find Kameron endearing. I like that there is a quieter, more subdued personality in the mix, he seems sweet, and he's risen to more challenges than not. I admire him for not getting caught up in the catty drama in the workroom, and he never disses the other queens in his "confessional" interviews on the show. I also thought he did better in last week's Breastworld challenge than the judges gave him credit for.
Also--I agree that Ru was on fire this week! It was a kick to see him so engaged and cracking so many jokes throughout the episode.
Frankie reminds me of Cynthia Lee Fontaine for some reason.... This episode and this season (so far) is refreshing in a way. It got its mojo back...
@MrW: ha ha ha, great post. I didn't HATE Frankie Grande but yeah, he was a bit much. I'd probably hate him B4 too long.
Ru was practically manic this episode. He clearly *loves* the makeover challenges.
So sorry to see Monet XChange go. Loved her. I can't quite get behind Eureka or Asia !00% but it's clear that Kameron skating on thin ice at this point.
I know some people have issues with this season, but I’ve been loving it. This episode was so fun for me. RuPaul was having such a blast this episode and I loved watching that so much. I loved some of the conversations between the Queens and the guys they were making over particularly when it came to Asia and Miz Cracker. I actually loved Asia this episode for the way she responded to Aquaria’s issue of the double save.
I felt bad for Kameron this week. Her confessional out right told you she is usually uncomfortable around straight men due to bullying in the past. Also, she is an introvert and I could tell she was just trying to put in the work. Unfortunately she played it too safe.
I wished that Monét wasn’t sent home. I loved her and Tyler together. They were funny and she helped him channel his inner diva. I could see so much love between the two.
I love Aquaria, but she should have been in the bottom two. I thought the looks weren’t that good and I felt she could have helped Kingsley by bringing his confidence up.
I said it last week this show got to the point where I don’t want to see anyone go home because I love them all for different reasons.
When they showed the preview of a Michelle saying that there was “no family resemblance” between one of the contestants and her partner, I was certain they were clocking Aquaria. I was shocked to learn it was Monet. Not only was Short Change the fishiest (maybe tied with Miz Cookie), but they were giving off the same vibe. Meanwhile, Aquaria looked like a modern day queen and Capricia Corn like a Long Island prom queen.
Maybe Michelle just hates green that much!
Aquaria should have been in the bottom 2. She didn't transfer any of her confidence into Kingsley--at least Short Change was having fun on the runway!
I feel like any time a judge on the panel critiques Aquaria, RuPaul has defended her (not so much this episode, but in episodes prior).
RuPaul single handedly proving why he has won 2 emmys and will win again this year.
Flawless effortless banter
Glad to see I wasn't the only one who thought Aquaria was the worst this challenge and should've been in the bottom. With Kameron. While not amazing, I was worried for Monet since looks aren't her strong suit so I was sad to see her go in a challenge where she finally brought it on the runway.
While Eureka's look was...good, it was a rehash of stuff we've seen before. How did she get a free pass for that. Was so worried she'd win, but Cracker deservedly so.
I think we all assume Aquaria is not a great lip-syncer but rumour is that she is!
I also don't know those people other than Frankie and Tyler. These freaking stupid "influencers" can go off really.
Miz Cracker may hav won the Challenge but its her drag daughter, Miz Cookie who STEALS the show!! Previous line when Cookie first get a glimpse o her reflection : Mother, I'm Beautiful!!
The irony is not lost on me that the sluttiest, gaiest, bawdy n most gorgeous enthusiastic transformation on stage came fr a "ahem" st8 male!! His gf muz felt super threatened by him now, who's now the prettier one in the rship??!!! 😂
I guess I am in the minority but I thought Monet's being in the bottom two was fair. She has been serving sloppy runway looks most of the season and this was no exception. It was simple, it looked cheap and it was not well executed. A big fuss was made about the wig's being full but it looked poorly coiffed, so what's the point?
I do agree that she should have been in the bottom two with Aquaria, who failed the most at the concept of the challenge. Usually she turns great conceptual looks, but this week she was clearly off. I think she was saved by two things: the judges' preference for her over Kameron, based on her overall body of work over the season, and Eureka's singling her out as the queen she had decided to screw over with the pairing.
And as much as I understand the desire to win the competition, what Eureka did was quite a d*ck move when you think the challenge is not only for the queens, but there are six fish out of water, who have never done drag, and are probably anxious about not looking like fools. Compare it to last week, when Aquaria let everyone pick their parts and still delivered a top tier performance.
Still about Eureka, I actually liked her dress. Kitsch is an aesthetic that goes well with her giant loud persona, loaf and all, so I did not get what that gurls were babbling about in Untucked. Also the whole thing about having drag mother and daughter being a different sized version of each other was silly and cartoonish (again, Eureka's strength) and she and Frankie really sold it on the runway.
All that said, Miz Cracker really deserved her win. The top 3 was solidly Cracker, Eureka and Asia (in that order). The queens were all serving it and the tie breaker really came down to the pairing. Cracker's partner really went for it and his being straight surely helped push her over the finish line. The fact that both Eureka and Asia have two wins and Cracker, a judges' fave, had none probably helped too.
Kameron was bottom 3, but not 2, but she's apparently regarded by the show as an expendable queen, so she was sent to slaughter again for the second week in a row. Turns out she's a pretty dynamic lip-syncer. Last week she outperformed Eureka by a hair and we got a double shantay. This week she outperformed Monet and sent her home.
As such I lose my three favorite contestants consecutively (Monique, The Vixen, Monet), as the season progressively loses its main sources of comedy and drama. To my own surprise I find myself now pulling for Aquaria, though Asia would be a fair winner and as much as she annoys me, so would Eureka.
Kameron, God bless her, and Miz Cracker need to step their pussies up.
I am really sick and tired of the LSFYLs as they stand. Every week its just displays of hyperactive calisthenics regardless of the song. C'mon Ru, mix it up! Try some jazz, or blues, or pre rock pop, for instance. Or the Queen of the Night's aria from The Magic Flute, Shirley Temple's On the Good Ship Lollipop, Helen Reddy's I Am Woman, the gossip song from The Music Man, Madeline Kahn's I'm Tired, I Enjoy Being a Girl, something by the Carpenters or Patti Page or Patti Smith or Etta James or Ella Fitzgerald (or France Gall's Ella Elle L'a for that matter) or Billie Holliday. Anyway, anything that would discourage death drops, cartwheels and costume ripping, and encourage some elegance and soulfulness. There needs to be more of a mix.
i agree with ken s about the mix in the LSFYL
Ken & jo69e -- so do I actually. Which might be why I thought Monet X Change's "psyche - not going there" when she didn't complete the splits in her firs lipsync was so hilarious. But regardless I love this season.
i agree with ken too! think of jinkx and detox lip syncing to "malambo no.1". such an oddball number and SUCH a memorable showdown.
Can we talk about the most important thing about the episode?? Kameron's package in the mini challenge?? While it could have been a sock just to add to his persona, it looked quite natural to me. Meatiest tuck goes to..... ;-)
Why does it always seem like you have to latch onto a black queen to hate on? Shangela, The Vixen, now Asia...
bey -- I do not hate Asia... ohmygod. all I said was "my enthusiasm waned". I'm just saying she doesn't excite me like she did in the first few episodes.
I wish there was more from Lizzo — she’s funny as hell!! Apparently Eureka gave Lizzo ber corset from the runway afterward, too.
Great recap. I enjoyed this episode so much! I only wanted to add that you missed a Pop culture reference. Rupaul saying that famous Auntie Mame quote, life’s a banquet and all suckers are starving to death.
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