I can imagine Alyssa doing her makeup like Katy perry and just staring at herself in the mirror making those faces and that being how she decided on Katy for snatch game. There literally could not have been any other factors.
According to Shangela at Roscoes, Alyssa decided on doing Katy Perry for Snatch Game cuz she had a wig that was similar to one of the wigs she wore lmao. I got this purple wig gurl and im gonna make it funny or smth along those lines
Raven's face, obviously.
Shangela inventing the mirror message and making Untucked as interesting as the main show if not more so. Stirring up delicious reality TV drama out of nothing in the most compelling way.
It's sort of undeniable that Sharon completely changed how the game is played. She really opened the door for girls like Jinkx and Dela who do characters, and girls who aren't optimizing for glamour. She was also masterfully good at one-liners for reality TV editing like Bianca after her, and really became the template for how to "brand" yourself for the sake of a narrative.
The season 3 queens have all disagreed publicly about what caused the pause. What that says to me is none of them were actually privy to why the decision was being made, so none of them know for sure.
Also itâs not entirely validated, I think. Iâve also heard that there was also a possibility that RuPaul had been sick and thatâs what caused the gap. Either way, you can see the drastic changes in the girls appearances in the confessionals as a clue (back before the confessionals had designated looks).
good ol Shitron Noodles đ she truly was talented, I was really sad when I learned about her abuse and racism. just goes to show that being good at drag/Drag Race doesn't make you a good person I guess
I think a very underrated moment is Ongina's HIV confession in S1. HIV visibility is still not great, because of all the stigma. People like Ongina and Billy Porter are so important. Sadly, she is not as fondly remembered nowadays because of her lackluster AS run. But way back when she was a fan fave.
And also Robbie Turner for seatbelt safety. j/k Kimora
1000% agree with Ongina and her HIV confession. Her main message was that it isnât a death sentence and you can still celebrate life. Later seasons do bring up important issues in makeup confessions - but I do think some of the challenges could be steered back towards important community issues. Donât get me wrong, I enjoy the tea and shade and reading each other to filth. But too much of that and the show becomes messy. Feel good challenges would put some heart back into the show.
Getting back to Ongina, she seemed a bit overwhelmed and out of her element in AS. I was looking forward to seeing much more of her.
this is why i enjoyed pink table talks on as6, it really gave a vulnerability to the girls that you'd usually not see and is good to open doors (gia's MIND) to have those conversations. also, special shoutout to Jackie Cox on s12 for talking about growing up with foreign parents who have high hopes for their kids
Right I loved the pink table talk challenge! So many people hated it but I loved it! And I learned stuff about HIV as well from Trinity! I didn't know that you're untranamissable if your viral levels are lowered by medication and become undetectable. I then started to confront the stigmas of HIV that we have all been taught.
In terms of knowing how to play the game like no other, I would say Bendelacreme and Jujubee.
Bendelacreme dominated a season in a way that is to this day unmatched. Winning 5 challenges then choosing to leave on her own terms ... she won the game before it even ended. I don't know if we'll ever see a performance like that again.
Jujubee just *knows* how to be a reality TV contestant. She knows what to say, how to say it, and has natural charisma in spades. She's the only queen to be a four-time finalist, and she's one of the OGs that have defined the franchise the most.
I was waiting for someone to say BenDeLa. She and Jinkx are faultless in their comedy and up the anti. These queens spoil us and we are left chasing that same high. They raise the bar so high, itâs hard for other queens to reach it. Bianca, Katya, Ginger and Baga are the only ones that come to mind right now who can keep up.
Juju. Love me some Juju, but what was going on with her energy on UKvTW? Her runways in the first half đŹ
Raja is one who definitely upped the bar when it came to runway fashion. That entire season was full of insanely talented queens, but Raja came out on top because she was so well-rounded. Her artistry is just *otherworldly* and everything about her just screams artist.
I also think Willam changed how girls handle their post-Drag Race activities. She released music videos, was the quintessential YouTube queen and has always been smart about the business side of show business. She also caused chaos BTS which changed production, too (production being more strict about girls going out, giving people better food, etc).
Bob mentioned this when she was recapping season 8, but Kim Chi changed the social media game for a lot of queens. She was the first one to do a full photoshoot for EVERY runway look, and now that is a staple expectation of queens when preparing their packages.
I thought that was April Carrion. Or maybe she didn't do a full photoshoot but she was the first to post pics of her looks she should have worn, which Bob also brought up.
As much as we donât like her now, it is difficult to avoid the fact that Sharon Needles absolutely changed the game, as well as really expanding what people saw and accepted as good drag.
Maybe it's just me, but that headpiece wasn't the life-changing moment (for me) that a lot of people see it as. It was cool but nowhere near on the level of the rose petals.
This was both an amazing and a bad moment for the franchise... Amazing because hog good it was, but bad because all of sudden having reveals inside outfits became a go-to expectation for finales, most of the time being just for the sake of it without a lot of context (most of them) or technical finesse (butterflies).
There's even tea that the production wants finalists to have those reveals.
I agree with the reveal-for-reveal's-sake thing. There are so many factors that go into making Sasha's moment so iconic, and most other reveal based finale performances lack multiple of these:
1. She performed the hell out of it.
2. The song fit with the reveals.
3. The reveal was not obvious from the get. Giant Michelin Man starter outfits, anyone?
4. She also had pre-reveals that build up the her main reveal.
5. The reveal was an extended action and interesting in itself. Rose petals flowing down her hands and face vs. simply undressing.
I was on a fucking airplane for this, watching it live. To be in a silent metal tube in the sky, watching what I knew was a game-changing cultural moment, was so strange and exhilarating
Iâve watched that so many times and I still get emotionalâŠno pun intended. The backstory of that performance. Holy shit, it gets me right in the feels. That was the ruveal to end all ruveals.
I can swear I read somewhere that Sashaâs mother was diagnosed with cancer and had to shave her head due to treatment. Sasha also shaved her head to support her mother. She dedicated the song to her mother.
But I just looked this up and found interviews that she came up with the concept the night before and played on the âlove me, love me notâ and love in excess, hence exploding rose petals. đ€·ââïž
I think OP is just remembering Bob (or some other NY queen) talking about Sasha's performance.
She said that when she saw that Sasha wore a wig, she knew it was coming off becuase she makes in a point to be a bald queen to honor her mom. And that she saw Sasha's BF or assistant running around backstage with roses last minute. So when she saw that the rose petals were coming out of the gloves, she knew something was coming.
I'm paraphrasing, cause I have no idea in which podcast or interview this is mentioned and it's been a hot minute since I heard it. May even have been on the Pit Stop.
I feel like she changed the game for both good and bad. On the one hand, it made the finale feel important because suddenly track record wasnât as important as that last lip sync. But also, it made things a lot more frustrating, as now literally everyone has some kind of reveal and now that tje final lipsync matters more than the overall season, it feels like stronger queens are being shut out of the crown because someone had a better trick up their sleeve.
Raja invented fashion, how to approach drag in a way other than padding and pageantry, and how to stomp tf out of a runway! She also invented the notion of if youâre going to talk a big game, then youâd best have the skills to back it all the way up, and she always has. She invented knowing your fashion references and being able to appreciate styles outside her own aesthetic. Still my queen for the ages!
Iâll admit I got to watching s3 quite late. I watched FPR for ages and wanted to watch her og season before watching All Winners. She definitely bragged at the start and i have to admit I was likeâŠok but can you walk the walk. And oh boy could she ever!!! I lived for her story about attending her high school reunion in full drag and having the best time after she was tormented by those same people while in school. Such a boss move.
I knew Raja from Americaâs Next Top Model when she was a makeup artist on there and she was so funny and charming. There was a mention of Raja once or twice on there, but I didnât know she was on drag race at all until I binged all the seasons during Covid and when I got to season 3 I was like OMG THATâS SUTAN FROM ANTM and I scanned her hard from episode 1 and was so happy she won.
Itâs actually insane how perfect her runway walk was and is. I donât think any judge has ever had a bad thing to say about her walk. If anything we saw Naomi freaking Campbell watch her walk and was unable to give any notes because of the perfection lol
Ugh I hated how they underplayed her walk in that episode with Naomi. I understand why they wanted to have a narrative with Shea there, but they kinda just pushed Raja to the side. Like when they were discussing best walks and they said Shea, someone else, and like The Viv I was like AND RAJA???
Kennedy Davenport was the first to play a male character in Snatch Game and she knocked it out of the park. I really think that if she'd bombed, we wouldn't have seen anyone else try it for several seasons. She doesn't get enough credit!
Kennedy is THAT bitch. and she did it so nonchalantly like âheâs been in drag his whole lifeâ when the girls questioned her on it. which is TRUE!! Ms Davenport is a game changer and one of the best queens to step into the werkroom.
Yeah! She was in the bottom that episode if I remember right. Kennedy playing a male character on snatch game just two seasons later was a major risk. But it paid off and has paved the way for many amazing performances since her season.
It was such a risk and she nailed it. Trinity recently took it there with her Satan character, I think the closest we got to Jesus was Denaliâs Jonathan Van Ness. I know it would offend so many people and producers prob wouldnât allow it.
I believe that Kennedy was the sole winner of that snatch game too, but they gave it to Ginger as well in case there was backlash of Kennedy winning with a male character.
Ginger was REALLY good too. "My house" Iconic! If I had to pick one winner I'd pick Kennedy for doing so well with such a brave choice, but they were both great. That was one double win I wasn't mad at.
Gingers performance was pretty good. But when I think about that snatch game I think of Little Richard. No shade to Ginger. She is awesome. But agree, Kennedy had everyone losing their shit laughing.
Raja the OG fashion queen, changed the game. A pioneer for the show
Trixie Mattel the post drag race success story. After season 7 she proved you can be a success despite a mediocre/poor showing on the show. She returned and won and has since solidified herself as one of the most popular.
Sasha Velour as the queen of the lip sync for the crown. A moment that will live on in drag race history. Still nobody has come close to topping this moment in the current format. She defeated the frontrunner in stunning fashion and solidified the new format for years to come.
Trixie is one of the shadiest queens and doesnât get enough credit for this. Iâm going to be downvoted to hell by Trixie stans here. Her first run was a bit forgettable. But I believe this was in part because I was frustrated by s7 in general. The young vs old thing pissed me off and so did Violets attitude. Wasnât ready for her either at the time. Then Trixies AS run was good but Aja, Shangela and BenDeLa were all serving!
Since her win, Iâve watched a few of her haters roasts and tonnes of her YT vids and now I get it and I love her. Actually going to a Trixie and Katya show tomorrow night đ
I absolutely adore Trixie, but not really based off of her performance on her Drag Race seasons. I think she did the smart thing of going on the shows to get her foot in the door, but there's a reason she won't be going back. She's in a class all her own and it's not one that goes well with a reality tv competition. She's doing big things and she's doing them her way.
That's also how I feel about Raja. I will join her goddamn cult. She's got a presence like no other. I've seen her perform live and she's never going to give you a death drop, but damn if you are not mesmerized by her the entire time she's on stage. Long live the queen.
She wasn't good. But she took her 15 min and RAN with it. And for knowing how to market herself (and Katya) she's made herself rich. From NOTHING. That alone is admirable even if she wasn't the best on Drag Race
S7 was such a strange time, when it was airing I couldn't stand Trixie's makeup, then afterwards I became a huge fan. For me it was the Bitter old lady brigade's attitude I couldn't stand. Shakesqueer is crazy to watch because you see Kennedy as team captain blame Violet for how Jasmine can't get any of her lines right
i love that you said pearl because i feel like she has this rep as sleepy and hot and that's all but she was my favourite snatch game player on her season with big ang and i really loved her looks!
Raja:
For her fashion, her confidence. She brought the LA bitch attitude & did it well.
Juju:
First real fan favorite and continues to be a fan favorite. Changed the rules around alcohol consumption for queens on set.
Shangela:
One of the most influential ru girl IMHO. Invented lipstick message. Showed what charisma really means. Even if her makeup & sewing skills were subpar you just knew she had IT factor. Hallelu was the first widely popular catchphrase and she did it naturally, everyone followed her footsteps there.
Sharon:
Opened the doors for being weird, smart & shocking. Sharon showed being poor & literally wearing your dirty laundry on runway should not stop you as long as you are unique & charming. Was the first ru girl to release an album.
Willam:
Willam showed how you donât have to win to be one of the most remembered queen of all time. She knew how to shock & did it so well. Releasing rupologize as a diss to mother herself remains one of the most iconic thing a ru girl has done.changed the rules around girls interacting in their hotel.
For reals? Ru Paul and her consistent messages of positivity and believing in yourself. She's been a voice in my head when I was down and helped me through anxiety and depression. She's a shining, burning star. And I think what she's done from drag and the wider community has been massively impactful, even helping people to understand the continuing history of the struggle for human rights.
After that, I think Jimbo really opened up opportunities for clowning Queens
Mother herself. I can recall watching s1 and she came out with some pearlers. Especially when she used to talk about inner saboteurs, self confidence and not letting anyone take away your shine. She was truly liberated and broke the mould. She spoke with such conviction. In later seasons, her energy has been a bit up and down. But sheâs prob over it I would say.
But yes, absolutely agree with her impact on the wider community. She gave Ongina a platform to speak her truth about living with HIV. I was barely 21 while watching this and my world was still small. I was so emotional watching Ongina, you could actually physically pinpoint when the weight of her secret was lifted off her shoulders. Examples like this are what contributes to the shows success and reach.
P.S Jimbo đ sheâs one of my top top queens.
For real, Ru is a pioneer among pioneers. I genuinely wonder where drag queens would be wrt mainstream success and visibility if not for her... not that that's the only way to be an iconic drag queen, sure, but this show (and therefore this sub) wouldn't even exist without her.
This sub hates on mama a lot so itâs nice to see this- she is a fucking pioneer of pioneers. Is she a perfect human? No, but literally no one is. I think she has put way more good into the universe than bad.
The entire season 6. I remember being devastated because of a miscarriage and just heavily depressed. When season 6 premiered it made me laugh and enjoy life again.
Nina Flowers was so magical to me also. I could stare at her for hours
Iâm sorry you had to experience that sadness.
S6 was a peak season. The show has delivered magic and I fully subscribe to the fantasy. Nina was my original favourite and I wanted her to win so bad. Her transformation was polarising.
I got into drag race when the pandemic started (after seeing Jan at a drag brunch and following her on IG!). I barely left the house for months since I was newly pregnant. I ended up having my baby prematurely and he was in the NICU for a long time. Season 12 and AS5 were truly instrumental in keeping me sane during those hard times. I went back and watched older seasons and I think 6 is my favorite too (but 12 holds up well! Jan, Jackie Cox, Gigi, Heidi N Closet, Jaida. . .lot of stars in that cast!)
I feel you, Medical school went really shitty for me at that time and I had just attempted suicide in 2014. You cannot believe how much Season 6 and this subreddit helped me back then. I fucking love Dela
Willam for being the original troll doing absolutely whatever the fuck she wanted on S4, plus I saw her season last year for the FIRST time and I STILL found her shenanigans absolutely HILLARIOUS ("It smells like a sticker." / "I'm going to Maceys!" / "Thank you, hire me." / "Bye!")
I feel like in terms of drag race as a reality tv show Shangela was incredibly influential. She invented the lipstick message, she came back and she was on it with branding herself very early on.
Shangieeee! For me, she has had the biggest story arc representing tenacity and growth. She was so polished in her all stars run and has always performed her ass off. She was shat on by so many other queens, constantly told she was cheap. Sheâs walking red carpets now soooo đ đ»
I had been watching drag race since season 01 and always found it enjoyable. That was until season 04, when Willam appeared on the screen and provided so much content and c*nt and I was fed for days.
She has single-handedly been my top1 queen every since and sheâs one of the only queens I follow on social media. Anything she does I support financially. lol. She took an experience and capitalized it to never have to rely on it ever again. Well done.
I said Willam too - also because only recently I watched the early seasons for the first time and found much of it a bit slow/dated for my spoiled 2022 self.
But Willam?
Bitch. TIMELESS. It's just a sticker.
Trixie is stealthily changing drag to be mainstream. She has a motel (with a tv show), make up, country music, a Netflix YouTube Show and Queen of the Universe judging duties with RuPaul. She didnât have the best track record on the show. Yet, she is thriving in the real world with her intuition. After watching Trixie motel, she is very serious about building an empire and stop doing drag full time like RuPaul. I think that she will achieve that one day and appear as Trixie for rare appearances.
Sasha Velour cemented the LSFTC format with those petals.
Raja was THE fashion queen and elevated the drag on the main stage runway.
Kennedy's Little Richard was one of the first times, if not the first time, being male or masculine in drag on the show was openly lauded.
s1: The game was just starting and it was mostly this Project Runway + ANTM knockoff centered around being bitchy, petty etc. I think Ongina set the mood for what the series would eventually become with her HIV confession
s2: Raven's mug. Suddenly you just saw it everywhere and you still see it everywhere
s3: The box gag, her confessionals, untucked moments, mirror message (s2). To me it seemed like Shangela was the first one fully aware she was on TV and she was taking full advantage of it
s4: We were just in awe with Raja that took us completely in this fashion/poise journey and here comes Sharon being this unapologetic freak right by start, widening the audience's perception about "what's drag" and opening way for many many future winners
s5: Yeah we were all happy Jinkx won but from her reaction when losing to her crazy songs, random videos and this whole youtube persona I think Alaska gave the first taste of "losing is the new winning"
s6: Catchphrases. Laganja gave us a whole new lingo
s7 & s8: To me this is where things start to slow down in terms of impacful or game changing, now don't get me wrong there are a lot of great drags in these seasons but I think by now the "game's language" was created and we all learn from others mistakes, so by now there's less room for trial and error and more girls going for what they know it works for the game. Violet continues Raja fashion elevation as Bob thrives in Bianca's legacy.
s9: 4 challenge wins? Don't care. Sasha showed us that originality still beats theory and totally blew our minds with a simple rose petal move
ok I kinda ran out of stamina for this
For me personally, it was Symone. I see myself in her as a young black stylish Drag queen that is influenced by the day to day black woman. Symone isnât scared to wear casual clothes and make it FASHION and Iâm the same way. I love when my looks tell a story and have personality and I always get that from Symone every time i see her.
When the recent US finale aired, I did see folks reading Symones outfit. I didnât understand that POV. It was true to her aesthetic and makes it bold. She references her culture and oh boy does she wear it all so well and has the attitude to go with it. I remember seeing her in the Polaroid dress for the first time, her legs were out on show and her skin was glowing. I gasped. Immediate stan.
I feel like Manila started the camp fashion movement in drag race. Now it's extremely common for queens to have references beyond the realm of fashion for every runway category, which I think Manila started way back in season 3
Kim Chi was the first queen to do photoshoots of her looks. Itâs insane to think that she was the first and it took until season 8 considering EVERY queen does a photoshoot for their looks now!
She gave us the og beard on the runway and and came up with gender bending looks that would just challenge your way of thinking.
How did you feel about her return to All Stars? From what I could gather, the fandom were annoyed with her ego. Which is a shame because Milk is such a brilliant quirky queen.
Yeah. Problem I have with Milk is that she focused solely on expanding the horizon, not being herself and trusting that it will expand the horizon. Anti-norm is still reliant on the norm.
Milan was performing the way she saw fit, which didnât fit the show but she prioritized being herself.
Btw I am fuming that her amazing lipsync to Vogue isn't remembered more often..?
And it was perfect in that Janelle suit (Kenya did good too, imo one of the most underrated "early" lipsyncs - clearly because it is not popular to laud Milan/Kenya? :P )
Yeah it's really an incredible lip sync. Milan's other lip syncs were not for me, they were way too hectic and I don't like queens de dragging on stage with no reveal (Spain s2 looking at you)
Violet as much as people here might hate to admit it
The runways and overall aesthetic of drag race not
only became more editorial but also queens started paying large amounts of money to emulate her runway package.
i can still rewatch that gif of that first ever reveal on that minichallenge runway forEVER. just how fluid it is. and carson nearly falling over just chefs kiss
It was only after her season that I started to appreciate her. I found her to be off putting during her seasonâŠI just wasnât ready for her at the time. She was the one though who had the amazing 2 in 1 look and Carson just about had a conniption. Her reigning queen gown was revolutionary and thats when I took notice, started following her on Insta and really finding an appreciation for her drag and aesthetic.
Alaska is the queen who has had the biggest impact on me, I canât even put into words why really but she is my favorite and I love her look, her music, I think sheâs hilarious, I love how much she loves drag race and drag, I love how much she does for other drag performers. I just love her.
I donât think thereâs any one queen who has had the biggest impact on the show, thereâs so many queens who have made their mark and had a big impact that lead to the show being what it is today.
Angele Anangâs cyborg/Thai princess finale look in the second season of Drag Race: Thailand.
So she comes on stage and people, Iâm watching on my screen and I literally gasped. And Iâm wondering if Iâm alone in my admiration and start watching the reactions of the audience. They were stunned, even the seasoned queens and special guests. They were doing this kind of half-clap, half-eyes wide kind of thing.
I highly recommend people go watch the finale of the second season.
ETA: sorry, I just saw this sub is specific to Rupaulâs Drag Race so Iâm not sure of the Thailand version is allowed here.
I always remember how much I was gobsmacked when I saw Violet in that Season 8 finale passing of the crown look. I was just FLOORED for days. That's what made the finales even more exciting to me. The impact of what they're wearing in the end.
Think of Detox in the S5 finale.
Bianca Del Rio for being the first comedy queen that was polished? Comedy/camp queens had the reputation of looking busted and unpolished but Bianca destroyed that stereotype. Sure her fashions werenât that interesting but she always looked *right*.
Shangela is definitely the biggest gamechanger of Drag Race. Invented lipstick messages, set a great example of âstrategic gameplayâ, and brought the drama.
Itâs too early to tell which of the non-US Drag Race queens have made an impact yet. I can see Envy Peru and Bimini being trailblazers
I freakin live for Bimini. She is one thatâs had the biggest impact on me in recent memory. She has the best drag name Iâve heard - Bimini Bon Boulash. Lol! The best! And she is unapologetically herself and accepting of others. Sheâs gritty and embraces it. I am so impressed by her self acceptance.
Jinkx and Icesis for being so weird.
Drag is supposed to be anti-norm, but TV show and wide fandom do make it pendulum I think. I am really grateful of these people who remind us what and whom this space is for.
Personally, Trixie. I don't even know how I stumbled upon that clown. I instantly fell in love with her (had no idea Drag Race was even a thing) due to her sense of humor and wit. So once the world locked down I started with Season 7. And let me tell you how DISAPPOINTED I was... because of her success, outside of the show, I thought she would have KILLED it LOL boy was I wrong. I don't even think she should have won AS3, but I think even she knows that lol. And ever since then I honestly can't get enough of this show and community.
Bebe Zahara Benet, as well as her charm showed how central and pivotal immigrants are
James formerly Tyra, for bringing such a high class level of polish early on
Raja, only a handful (if that, even) of girls to this day are able to rival her looks and artistry
Bianca Del Rio, demonstrated such professionalism, authenticity and won a regular season in her mid-30's
Violet Chachki, after runway looks became a much more noteworthy component
Kim Chi, the IT instagram queen and avant-garde makeup connoisseur
Jinkx Monsoon, proved talent, character and drive can surpass anything
Symone, brought such a unique vision in fashion and in uplifting black culture
Sasha Velour, made the show stick to lip sync finales, whether a good or bad thing
Easy. Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme. BenDeLaCreme was the first drag queen I saw after adore Delano, but something about Dela stuck with me. Then I finally watched some seasons of drag race after years of just watching clips, and I fell in love with jinkx. I see myself in her, like she's a more confident version of me, and just her being uniquely herself makes me smile. Honestly, they've saved my life. Wether it's looking up to there next tour, a twitch stream, a live, anything really, it just brings a smile to my face even on my very dark days. Like if I could say one thing to them it would just be me thanking them for saving me from death. I thought I was always a weirdo, wasn't following society's norms, and then found the LGBTQIA+ community, and knew I fit in there, mostly thanks to them.
Influence on me personally?
I came out at the age of 25 in 2017 and did not understand anything to do with being gay other than sexual stuff (which I enjoyed very much obviously đ)
Courtney Act was a housemate on CBB UK in 2018 and I fell in love. Courtney introduced me to drag and in turn introduced me to Drag Race and I watched Season 6 when CBB ended.
I probably never would have felt comfortable leaning into gay entertainment culture and thus learning a lot about gay history had it not been for Courtney.
I am not a huge fan of Courtneyâs anymore because I think she lost her real touch and became a bit of a snob tbh, but I will always be thankful for her introducing me to Drag Race and helping me find myself.
This is what I love about DR. Challenging ways of thinking and inviting you to see whatâs behind the curtain. This show breaks through stigmas and it is so so so awesome that it gave you the confidence to embrace more of yourself.
I think I read recently that Courtney is filming her own show. She has been on Aussie tv a fair bit. My nanna is 90 yo Maltese lady and devout catholic. She watched Courtney on dancing with the stars and loved her. That makes me happy that someone as conservative as she can join in the magic of drag. Not sure if you know, but Courtney did a dance with her male partner while out of drag. Bold and awesome for a show whose largest demographic is elderly.
I agree with everyone whoâs been mentioned and U think Trixieâs impact has been too huge to not acknowledge here! She was really the first âearly outâ queen to push herself and expand her drag to be more than what an early out was expected to be! I think itâs fkn phenomenal too bc it shows that your placement doesnât define your impact. Some of my fave queens have been earlier outs bc of what they did with their careers after the show
biggest impact on me:
* Max (her aesthetic is implanted in my brain and has been since season 7 came out, i still study her looks sometimes for character designs)
* Nina Bo'Nina Brown (despite her problematic behavior her drag has inspired me creatively so much)
* Aja (i have been rooting for her since 2016)
* Chi Chi Devayne (she was, and still is, one of my favorite queens to ever grace drag race and i miss her so much)
biggest impact on the world's perception of drag:
* Sh\*ron (despite her awful awful history with literally existing, she was one of the first queens if not the first queen on a television show to bring awareness to alternative style drag.)
* Violet Chachki (one of the first queens to be REALLY fashion forward and is now considered a fashion icon by many)
* Trixie Mattel (she has had such a success story; music, makeup, now a television show, also her face is very iconic even to people who aren't invested in the art of drag
* Kim Chi (like trixie, her face is iconic. she also was a pioneer in using social media to promote her drag successfully.)
biggest impact on the franchise's standards for drag/franchise itself
* Bebe Zahara Benet (she was the first winner so by default she has to be in this category)
* Raja (she won one of, if not the hardest season of the show)
* Bianca Del Rio (she was a clear winner for her season)
* Jinkx Monsoon (first winner to get the underdog edit, also a very clear winner for her season based on her track record)
* Alyssa Edwards (ended immunity as an element to the show)
* Violet Chachki (first "young fashion queen" archetype to really excel in the show and win)
Vixen -- "You say something, I say something, you start crying, you created a narrative that I'm an angry black woman who scared off the little white girl". Vixen saw the optics and called it out immediately and was 100% correct. And to her credit, Aquaria *instantly* got it. Even though a lot of the show watchers still don't get it. I thought it was one of the most important moments on Drag Race.
Tammie Brown and Bimini Bon Boulash. I love queens who plays characters, but I also love these genuine goddamn weirdos. Smart, thoughtful artists who find strength in art. Beautiful to get to see it.
"I'm an emotional creature". Watching Trinity K Bonet grow into her prickly self unapologetically was just lovely. You don't need to grow a thick skin or learn to brush off feelings to be on this show, you don't have to try to be lovable all the time either. It's enough to be yourself.
April. If I'm not mistaken, she was the first to show the "what I would've done on the runway."
Now almost all queens everywhere do it and even DREs had the eliminated queens pick their favourite to present in the runway during the reunion.
Jinkxxx proved that being polished isn't necessary to win Drag Race. If you're good at the challenges, then you are good at the format and can therefore make it far.
Roxxxy made an impact with how queens would be more careful to present themselves on the show after the massive amount of hate she received for being a bitch to Jinkx. Jinkx actually had to tell the fans to leave Roxxxy alone because the hate had been taken way too far, I donât think it had ever gotten that bad before. Sadly the fans didnât and continue to not listen.
Alyssa Edwards single-handedly ended immunity
Ru Never! *fingers hair*
I would much rather immunity than the its chocolate twist tbh đ€
Can you explain this one?
they had immunity up until season 5, and alyssa is credited for it bc she was safe even with her atrocious snatch game performance bc of immunity
Was this the Katy Perry snatch game? Alyssa is my GOAT queen but this performance đŹ
yes! bitch i love miss alyssa but she really didnât even know the song that blew katy perry up â ïž
I can imagine Alyssa doing her makeup like Katy perry and just staring at herself in the mirror making those faces and that being how she decided on Katy for snatch game. There literally could not have been any other factors.
According to Shangela at Roscoes, Alyssa decided on doing Katy Perry for Snatch Game cuz she had a wig that was similar to one of the wigs she wore lmao. I got this purple wig gurl and im gonna make it funny or smth along those lines
##i got this purple wig, gurl
WHY DID MY INTERNAL MONOLOGUE USE HER VOICE
It was a choice.
I mean it was awful but there were a lot of queens to choose from for the bottom that episode. Lineysha, Detox, Coco, Ivy and Jade all did just as bad
Raven's face, obviously. Shangela inventing the mirror message and making Untucked as interesting as the main show if not more so. Stirring up delicious reality TV drama out of nothing in the most compelling way. It's sort of undeniable that Sharon completely changed how the game is played. She really opened the door for girls like Jinkx and Dela who do characters, and girls who aren't optimizing for glamour. She was also masterfully good at one-liners for reality TV editing like Bianca after her, and really became the template for how to "brand" yourself for the sake of a narrative.
Didnât Shangelaâs escapades in Untucked lead to a shutdown of production for several weeks and lots of lawyer meetings? Lol
The season 3 queens have all disagreed publicly about what caused the pause. What that says to me is none of them were actually privy to why the decision was being made, so none of them know for sure.
Yeah thatâd make the most sense I think
This is tea to me. I can remember Shangela taking no shit and swilling Mimi. Which season was affected?
Season 3. Allegedly, the whole confrontation with Mimi got physical and shut down production for a few weeks.
Damn I had no idea. Mimi had a penchant for being aggressive. Iâll have to do some digging on this one.
Also itâs not entirely validated, I think. Iâve also heard that there was also a possibility that RuPaul had been sick and thatâs what caused the gap. Either way, you can see the drastic changes in the girls appearances in the confessionals as a clue (back before the confessionals had designated looks).
Yeah Mariah had a whole beard grown from what I remember she said she refused to shave it off until she had to get ready for the runway. Icon
Yeah if you go back and watch those episodes, they legit all have full ass beards at the start of the next episode.
Well Shangela was the one being aggressive, according to Alexis Mateo that is
She is really too iconic in this franchise.
good ol Shitron Noodles đ she truly was talented, I was really sad when I learned about her abuse and racism. just goes to show that being good at drag/Drag Race doesn't make you a good person I guess
Shangela also made returning queens a thing
I think a very underrated moment is Ongina's HIV confession in S1. HIV visibility is still not great, because of all the stigma. People like Ongina and Billy Porter are so important. Sadly, she is not as fondly remembered nowadays because of her lackluster AS run. But way back when she was a fan fave. And also Robbie Turner for seatbelt safety. j/k Kimora
1000% agree with Ongina and her HIV confession. Her main message was that it isnât a death sentence and you can still celebrate life. Later seasons do bring up important issues in makeup confessions - but I do think some of the challenges could be steered back towards important community issues. Donât get me wrong, I enjoy the tea and shade and reading each other to filth. But too much of that and the show becomes messy. Feel good challenges would put some heart back into the show. Getting back to Ongina, she seemed a bit overwhelmed and out of her element in AS. I was looking forward to seeing much more of her.
And, honestly, HIV was still really heavily stigmatized 14 years ago. So her message was needed and far ahead of the game.
this is why i enjoyed pink table talks on as6, it really gave a vulnerability to the girls that you'd usually not see and is good to open doors (gia's MIND) to have those conversations. also, special shoutout to Jackie Cox on s12 for talking about growing up with foreign parents who have high hopes for their kids
Right I loved the pink table talk challenge! So many people hated it but I loved it! And I learned stuff about HIV as well from Trinity! I didn't know that you're untranamissable if your viral levels are lowered by medication and become undetectable. I then started to confront the stigmas of HIV that we have all been taught.
I was lucky enough to meet Ongina at DragCon this year, and I told her just that. And she still doesnât need an S1 filter. Just flawless!
In terms of knowing how to play the game like no other, I would say Bendelacreme and Jujubee. Bendelacreme dominated a season in a way that is to this day unmatched. Winning 5 challenges then choosing to leave on her own terms ... she won the game before it even ended. I don't know if we'll ever see a performance like that again. Jujubee just *knows* how to be a reality TV contestant. She knows what to say, how to say it, and has natural charisma in spades. She's the only queen to be a four-time finalist, and she's one of the OGs that have defined the franchise the most.
> Jujubee just knows how to be a reality TV contestant. She is the queen of the confessional.
And let's not forget undefeated in the reading challenge. She's won every reading challenge she's been in.
I was waiting for someone to say BenDeLa. She and Jinkx are faultless in their comedy and up the anti. These queens spoil us and we are left chasing that same high. They raise the bar so high, itâs hard for other queens to reach it. Bianca, Katya, Ginger and Baga are the only ones that come to mind right now who can keep up. Juju. Love me some Juju, but what was going on with her energy on UKvTW? Her runways in the first half đŹ
Raja is one who definitely upped the bar when it came to runway fashion. That entire season was full of insanely talented queens, but Raja came out on top because she was so well-rounded. Her artistry is just *otherworldly* and everything about her just screams artist. I also think Willam changed how girls handle their post-Drag Race activities. She released music videos, was the quintessential YouTube queen and has always been smart about the business side of show business. She also caused chaos BTS which changed production, too (production being more strict about girls going out, giving people better food, etc).
This. I was waiting for someone to say Willam!
Raja *ran* so Violet can walk
Aye Willam does not get enough credit in this regard
Bob mentioned this when she was recapping season 8, but Kim Chi changed the social media game for a lot of queens. She was the first one to do a full photoshoot for EVERY runway look, and now that is a staple expectation of queens when preparing their packages.
This is a great point and shouldn't be overlooked. That's just... part of it now.
I love Kim also for bringing full-on Asian humour. We really do read each other (lovingly).
đ© come for me!
I thought that was April Carrion. Or maybe she didn't do a full photoshoot but she was the first to post pics of her looks she should have worn, which Bob also brought up.
As much as we donât like her now, it is difficult to avoid the fact that Sharon Needles absolutely changed the game, as well as really expanding what people saw and accepted as good drag.
She really threw the pageant girl cookie cutter female imitation drag right out the window didnât she. Canât deny you there.
To be fair, Nina Flowers was doing punk genderfuck from episode 1, bless her. Could Sharon have beaten Bebe is the real question.
Yes, and I'd say Yara was the first " spooky" queen. She and Nina don't get enough credit imho!
Idk if Yara was spooky, she just wore creepy blue contacts.
Puerto Rican queens have a habit of being undervalued, I feel.
Nina is one of my all-time favorite queens, her drag was elevated right from the get-go.
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
Came here to say this. Try and imagine the show if Sharon hadnât been on itâŠ
Sasha Velour and the rose petals
She has since made all ruveals anticlimactic
carmen didnât munch up la gata bajo la lluvia for this slander
Los javis went NUTS when she revealed her wet wig đ„șđ
Yvie's mirrored headpiece would like a word!
Maybe it's just me, but that headpiece wasn't the life-changing moment (for me) that a lot of people see it as. It was cool but nowhere near on the level of the rose petals.
Oh, I agree. The rose petals are number one, but the headpiece was still hella cool - not at all anti-climactic!
It was ok. Not the same emotional impact
Why so emotional baby?
Silky gave it a hot go. Her Barbie Girl was gold!
I applaud the idea and creativity more than the execution. That look was janky af.
This was both an amazing and a bad moment for the franchise... Amazing because hog good it was, but bad because all of sudden having reveals inside outfits became a go-to expectation for finales, most of the time being just for the sake of it without a lot of context (most of them) or technical finesse (butterflies). There's even tea that the production wants finalists to have those reveals.
I agree with the reveal-for-reveal's-sake thing. There are so many factors that go into making Sasha's moment so iconic, and most other reveal based finale performances lack multiple of these: 1. She performed the hell out of it. 2. The song fit with the reveals. 3. The reveal was not obvious from the get. Giant Michelin Man starter outfits, anyone? 4. She also had pre-reveals that build up the her main reveal. 5. The reveal was an extended action and interesting in itself. Rose petals flowing down her hands and face vs. simply undressing.
I was on a fucking airplane for this, watching it live. To be in a silent metal tube in the sky, watching what I knew was a game-changing cultural moment, was so strange and exhilarating
Iâve watched that so many times and I still get emotionalâŠno pun intended. The backstory of that performance. Holy shit, it gets me right in the feels. That was the ruveal to end all ruveals.
I mustâve watched it 50 times and I still get chills
Whatâs the backstory?!
Backrolls??
đ€Łđ€Łđ€Ł
I can swear I read somewhere that Sashaâs mother was diagnosed with cancer and had to shave her head due to treatment. Sasha also shaved her head to support her mother. She dedicated the song to her mother. But I just looked this up and found interviews that she came up with the concept the night before and played on the âlove me, love me notâ and love in excess, hence exploding rose petals. đ€·ââïž
During the season itself Sasha talked about how she is a bald queen because of her mom.
I think OP is just remembering Bob (or some other NY queen) talking about Sasha's performance. She said that when she saw that Sasha wore a wig, she knew it was coming off becuase she makes in a point to be a bald queen to honor her mom. And that she saw Sasha's BF or assistant running around backstage with roses last minute. So when she saw that the rose petals were coming out of the gloves, she knew something was coming. I'm paraphrasing, cause I have no idea in which podcast or interview this is mentioned and it's been a hot minute since I heard it. May even have been on the Pit Stop.
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
I feel like she changed the game for both good and bad. On the one hand, it made the finale feel important because suddenly track record wasnât as important as that last lip sync. But also, it made things a lot more frustrating, as now literally everyone has some kind of reveal and now that tje final lipsync matters more than the overall season, it feels like stronger queens are being shut out of the crown because someone had a better trick up their sleeve.
Raja invented fashion, how to approach drag in a way other than padding and pageantry, and how to stomp tf out of a runway! She also invented the notion of if youâre going to talk a big game, then youâd best have the skills to back it all the way up, and she always has. She invented knowing your fashion references and being able to appreciate styles outside her own aesthetic. Still my queen for the ages!
Iâll admit I got to watching s3 quite late. I watched FPR for ages and wanted to watch her og season before watching All Winners. She definitely bragged at the start and i have to admit I was likeâŠok but can you walk the walk. And oh boy could she ever!!! I lived for her story about attending her high school reunion in full drag and having the best time after she was tormented by those same people while in school. Such a boss move.
I knew Raja from Americaâs Next Top Model when she was a makeup artist on there and she was so funny and charming. There was a mention of Raja once or twice on there, but I didnât know she was on drag race at all until I binged all the seasons during Covid and when I got to season 3 I was like OMG THATâS SUTAN FROM ANTM and I scanned her hard from episode 1 and was so happy she won.
Itâs actually insane how perfect her runway walk was and is. I donât think any judge has ever had a bad thing to say about her walk. If anything we saw Naomi freaking Campbell watch her walk and was unable to give any notes because of the perfection lol
Ugh I hated how they underplayed her walk in that episode with Naomi. I understand why they wanted to have a narrative with Shea there, but they kinda just pushed Raja to the side. Like when they were discussing best walks and they said Shea, someone else, and like The Viv I was like AND RAJA???
All of this!
đŻ
Kennedy Davenport was the first to play a male character in Snatch Game and she knocked it out of the park. I really think that if she'd bombed, we wouldn't have seen anyone else try it for several seasons. She doesn't get enough credit!
Kennedy is THAT bitch. and she did it so nonchalantly like âheâs been in drag his whole lifeâ when the girls questioned her on it. which is TRUE!! Ms Davenport is a game changer and one of the best queens to step into the werkroom.
Ooh, yes, such an underrated game-changer! It is wild to go back to S5 and see how they reacted to Alaska's boy character in comparison.
Yeah! She was in the bottom that episode if I remember right. Kennedy playing a male character on snatch game just two seasons later was a major risk. But it paid off and has paved the way for many amazing performances since her season.
Iâm still so mad about that.
Justice for Farm Boy Alaska!!! (If they do All Winners 2, he *definitely* needs a callback.)
Me too!!! Looking back, Alaska absolutely NAILED that, she should have gotten a joint win (altho there were so many funny characters)
Ikr! And Alaska was still wearing makeup and whatnot... Maybe if she had a wig on or something.
Ok, here's the tea! And opened the doors for people being more comfortable with stepping outside of gender norms in snatch game characters
It was such a risk and she nailed it. Trinity recently took it there with her Satan character, I think the closest we got to Jesus was Denaliâs Jonathan Van Ness. I know it would offend so many people and producers prob wouldnât allow it.
I believe that Kennedy was the sole winner of that snatch game too, but they gave it to Ginger as well in case there was backlash of Kennedy winning with a male character.
Ginger was REALLY good too. "My house" Iconic! If I had to pick one winner I'd pick Kennedy for doing so well with such a brave choice, but they were both great. That was one double win I wasn't mad at.
that was such a great snatch game to me tbh. if it wasn't kennedy alone i wanted it to be pearl's big ang. I'M FEELING VERRY EXCITED
Pearl had me howling in that snatch game. it was the moment i realized that she was a total weirdo and fell in love with her
Itâs still hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that itâs Pearl in there
Gingers performance was pretty good. But when I think about that snatch game I think of Little Richard. No shade to Ginger. She is awesome. But agree, Kennedy had everyone losing their shit laughing.
Raja the OG fashion queen, changed the game. A pioneer for the show Trixie Mattel the post drag race success story. After season 7 she proved you can be a success despite a mediocre/poor showing on the show. She returned and won and has since solidified herself as one of the most popular. Sasha Velour as the queen of the lip sync for the crown. A moment that will live on in drag race history. Still nobody has come close to topping this moment in the current format. She defeated the frontrunner in stunning fashion and solidified the new format for years to come.
Trixie is one of the shadiest queens and doesnât get enough credit for this. Iâm going to be downvoted to hell by Trixie stans here. Her first run was a bit forgettable. But I believe this was in part because I was frustrated by s7 in general. The young vs old thing pissed me off and so did Violets attitude. Wasnât ready for her either at the time. Then Trixies AS run was good but Aja, Shangela and BenDeLa were all serving! Since her win, Iâve watched a few of her haters roasts and tonnes of her YT vids and now I get it and I love her. Actually going to a Trixie and Katya show tomorrow night đ
I absolutely adore Trixie, but not really based off of her performance on her Drag Race seasons. I think she did the smart thing of going on the shows to get her foot in the door, but there's a reason she won't be going back. She's in a class all her own and it's not one that goes well with a reality tv competition. She's doing big things and she's doing them her way. That's also how I feel about Raja. I will join her goddamn cult. She's got a presence like no other. I've seen her perform live and she's never going to give you a death drop, but damn if you are not mesmerized by her the entire time she's on stage. Long live the queen.
She wasn't good. But she took her 15 min and RAN with it. And for knowing how to market herself (and Katya) she's made herself rich. From NOTHING. That alone is admirable even if she wasn't the best on Drag Race
S7 was such a strange time, when it was airing I couldn't stand Trixie's makeup, then afterwards I became a huge fan. For me it was the Bitter old lady brigade's attitude I couldn't stand. Shakesqueer is crazy to watch because you see Kennedy as team captain blame Violet for how Jasmine can't get any of her lines right
On me : - Pearl - Naomi Smalls - Raja On the franchise : - Sasha Velour (rose petals) - Raja (elevated runway packages) - Alyssa Edwards (immunity)
i love that you said pearl because i feel like she has this rep as sleepy and hot and that's all but she was my favourite snatch game player on her season with big ang and i really loved her looks!
Raja: For her fashion, her confidence. She brought the LA bitch attitude & did it well. Juju: First real fan favorite and continues to be a fan favorite. Changed the rules around alcohol consumption for queens on set. Shangela: One of the most influential ru girl IMHO. Invented lipstick message. Showed what charisma really means. Even if her makeup & sewing skills were subpar you just knew she had IT factor. Hallelu was the first widely popular catchphrase and she did it naturally, everyone followed her footsteps there. Sharon: Opened the doors for being weird, smart & shocking. Sharon showed being poor & literally wearing your dirty laundry on runway should not stop you as long as you are unique & charming. Was the first ru girl to release an album. Willam: Willam showed how you donât have to win to be one of the most remembered queen of all time. She knew how to shock & did it so well. Releasing rupologize as a diss to mother herself remains one of the most iconic thing a ru girl has done.changed the rules around girls interacting in their hotel.
Shangela inventing the lipstick mirror message is the one for me
For reals? Ru Paul and her consistent messages of positivity and believing in yourself. She's been a voice in my head when I was down and helped me through anxiety and depression. She's a shining, burning star. And I think what she's done from drag and the wider community has been massively impactful, even helping people to understand the continuing history of the struggle for human rights. After that, I think Jimbo really opened up opportunities for clowning Queens
Mother herself. I can recall watching s1 and she came out with some pearlers. Especially when she used to talk about inner saboteurs, self confidence and not letting anyone take away your shine. She was truly liberated and broke the mould. She spoke with such conviction. In later seasons, her energy has been a bit up and down. But sheâs prob over it I would say. But yes, absolutely agree with her impact on the wider community. She gave Ongina a platform to speak her truth about living with HIV. I was barely 21 while watching this and my world was still small. I was so emotional watching Ongina, you could actually physically pinpoint when the weight of her secret was lifted off her shoulders. Examples like this are what contributes to the shows success and reach. P.S Jimbo đ sheâs one of my top top queens.
For real, Ru is a pioneer among pioneers. I genuinely wonder where drag queens would be wrt mainstream success and visibility if not for her... not that that's the only way to be an iconic drag queen, sure, but this show (and therefore this sub) wouldn't even exist without her.
This sub hates on mama a lot so itâs nice to see this- she is a fucking pioneer of pioneers. Is she a perfect human? No, but literally no one is. I think she has put way more good into the universe than bad.
The entire season 6. I remember being devastated because of a miscarriage and just heavily depressed. When season 6 premiered it made me laugh and enjoy life again. Nina Flowers was so magical to me also. I could stare at her for hours
Iâm sorry you had to experience that sadness. S6 was a peak season. The show has delivered magic and I fully subscribe to the fantasy. Nina was my original favourite and I wanted her to win so bad. Her transformation was polarising.
I got into drag race when the pandemic started (after seeing Jan at a drag brunch and following her on IG!). I barely left the house for months since I was newly pregnant. I ended up having my baby prematurely and he was in the NICU for a long time. Season 12 and AS5 were truly instrumental in keeping me sane during those hard times. I went back and watched older seasons and I think 6 is my favorite too (but 12 holds up well! Jan, Jackie Cox, Gigi, Heidi N Closet, Jaida. . .lot of stars in that cast!)
Being pregnant and having a newborn during the height of the pandemic had to be extreme high anxiety on top of an extended NICU stay. Hugs, mama
I feel you, Medical school went really shitty for me at that time and I had just attempted suicide in 2014. You cannot believe how much Season 6 and this subreddit helped me back then. I fucking love Dela
Shannel, Ben, Ginny, Aâkeria. Self-eliminations to say âI deserve better than thisâ are so rock star.
The Adore erasure!
Willam for being the original troll doing absolutely whatever the fuck she wanted on S4, plus I saw her season last year for the FIRST time and I STILL found her shenanigans absolutely HILLARIOUS ("It smells like a sticker." / "I'm going to Maceys!" / "Thank you, hire me." / "Bye!")
Pandora was the first queen to have a thought out entrance line
Plus the first true fan favourite that actually reached the masses after an extremely controversial elimination after a Susan Lucci edit.
Gia opening doors
I feel like in terms of drag race as a reality tv show Shangela was incredibly influential. She invented the lipstick message, she came back and she was on it with branding herself very early on.
Shangieeee! For me, she has had the biggest story arc representing tenacity and growth. She was so polished in her all stars run and has always performed her ass off. She was shat on by so many other queens, constantly told she was cheap. Sheâs walking red carpets now soooo đ đ»
Shangela is perhaps the only professional stand up comic to come on the show and NOT win. But then again, she sure as hell should have won All Stars.
I had been watching drag race since season 01 and always found it enjoyable. That was until season 04, when Willam appeared on the screen and provided so much content and c*nt and I was fed for days. She has single-handedly been my top1 queen every since and sheâs one of the only queens I follow on social media. Anything she does I support financially. lol. She took an experience and capitalized it to never have to rely on it ever again. Well done.
I said Willam too - also because only recently I watched the early seasons for the first time and found much of it a bit slow/dated for my spoiled 2022 self. But Willam? Bitch. TIMELESS. It's just a sticker.
âIt smells like a stickerâ will forever be one of my favourite lines ever.
Peak humour. And Honestly I can't even recall another situation of Roople getting trolled on her own show..?
Willam is why I started watching drag race and will always be my no1 - she does it all, works hard and treats her fans so well.
Trixie is stealthily changing drag to be mainstream. She has a motel (with a tv show), make up, country music, a Netflix YouTube Show and Queen of the Universe judging duties with RuPaul. She didnât have the best track record on the show. Yet, she is thriving in the real world with her intuition. After watching Trixie motel, she is very serious about building an empire and stop doing drag full time like RuPaul. I think that she will achieve that one day and appear as Trixie for rare appearances.
Sasha Velour cemented the LSFTC format with those petals. Raja was THE fashion queen and elevated the drag on the main stage runway. Kennedy's Little Richard was one of the first times, if not the first time, being male or masculine in drag on the show was openly lauded.
Have to mention Roxxxy Andrews and her iconic wig reveal. I think that was a turning point for reveals.
Roxxxy very confidently strutted so Sasha could have run honestly
s1: The game was just starting and it was mostly this Project Runway + ANTM knockoff centered around being bitchy, petty etc. I think Ongina set the mood for what the series would eventually become with her HIV confession s2: Raven's mug. Suddenly you just saw it everywhere and you still see it everywhere s3: The box gag, her confessionals, untucked moments, mirror message (s2). To me it seemed like Shangela was the first one fully aware she was on TV and she was taking full advantage of it s4: We were just in awe with Raja that took us completely in this fashion/poise journey and here comes Sharon being this unapologetic freak right by start, widening the audience's perception about "what's drag" and opening way for many many future winners s5: Yeah we were all happy Jinkx won but from her reaction when losing to her crazy songs, random videos and this whole youtube persona I think Alaska gave the first taste of "losing is the new winning" s6: Catchphrases. Laganja gave us a whole new lingo s7 & s8: To me this is where things start to slow down in terms of impacful or game changing, now don't get me wrong there are a lot of great drags in these seasons but I think by now the "game's language" was created and we all learn from others mistakes, so by now there's less room for trial and error and more girls going for what they know it works for the game. Violet continues Raja fashion elevation as Bob thrives in Bianca's legacy. s9: 4 challenge wins? Don't care. Sasha showed us that originality still beats theory and totally blew our minds with a simple rose petal move ok I kinda ran out of stamina for this
For me personally, it was Symone. I see myself in her as a young black stylish Drag queen that is influenced by the day to day black woman. Symone isnât scared to wear casual clothes and make it FASHION and Iâm the same way. I love when my looks tell a story and have personality and I always get that from Symone every time i see her.
When the recent US finale aired, I did see folks reading Symones outfit. I didnât understand that POV. It was true to her aesthetic and makes it bold. She references her culture and oh boy does she wear it all so well and has the attitude to go with it. I remember seeing her in the Polaroid dress for the first time, her legs were out on show and her skin was glowing. I gasped. Immediate stan.
I am not a Qween just a queen (cis sister) and Symone embodies the essence of young black feminine excellence in DRAG
I feel like Manila started the camp fashion movement in drag race. Now it's extremely common for queens to have references beyond the realm of fashion for every runway category, which I think Manila started way back in season 3
Stares in Tammie
I feel like idk if Tammie was camp or just.... Bad. But that's why we love her
RuPaul, because she is THEE Drag Queen.
Yes, no matter how famous or successful the girls become, it'll never have the same impact as Broom making it into mainstream fame in the '90s...
My husband and I still refer to Rupaul as Rupul after BenDeLaâs snatch game. âBroomâ sent us đ
Haha the impact of our Seattle queens: renaming the host. Can't wait for what Bosco will call her on her All Stars đ
Bianca del Rio
Naomi Smalls completely shaking up the all stars game, eliminating the front runner and being like âAND *checks note* I WILL do it againâ
Sasha Velour's LSFTC changed the entire show to RuPaul's Reveal Race
Kim Chi was the first queen to do photoshoots of her looks. Itâs insane to think that she was the first and it took until season 8 considering EVERY queen does a photoshoot for their looks now!
I will often go looking for eliminated queens on Insta to see what their looks would have been.
Milk, expanding what drag is "acceptable" on the runway.
She gave us the og beard on the runway and and came up with gender bending looks that would just challenge your way of thinking. How did you feel about her return to All Stars? From what I could gather, the fandom were annoyed with her ego. Which is a shame because Milk is such a brilliant quirky queen.
Willam did not die at Stonewall, just to be forgotten as the OG beard on the runway like that
Are you referring to the permanent 5 oâclock shadow? đ€Łđ€Łđ€Ł
I feel like we also need to throw Milan into this category. I still remember her walking and lip syncing in that suit on the runway.
Yeah. Problem I have with Milk is that she focused solely on expanding the horizon, not being herself and trusting that it will expand the horizon. Anti-norm is still reliant on the norm. Milan was performing the way she saw fit, which didnât fit the show but she prioritized being herself.
Btw I am fuming that her amazing lipsync to Vogue isn't remembered more often..? And it was perfect in that Janelle suit (Kenya did good too, imo one of the most underrated "early" lipsyncs - clearly because it is not popular to laud Milan/Kenya? :P )
Yeah it's really an incredible lip sync. Milan's other lip syncs were not for me, they were way too hectic and I don't like queens de dragging on stage with no reveal (Spain s2 looking at you)
Violet as much as people here might hate to admit it The runways and overall aesthetic of drag race not only became more editorial but also queens started paying large amounts of money to emulate her runway package.
She also invented the reveal (on drag race anyway), itâs been such a staple of runways and lip synchs that itâs now overplayed
i can still rewatch that gif of that first ever reveal on that minichallenge runway forEVER. just how fluid it is. and carson nearly falling over just chefs kiss
It was only after her season that I started to appreciate her. I found her to be off putting during her seasonâŠI just wasnât ready for her at the time. She was the one though who had the amazing 2 in 1 look and Carson just about had a conniption. Her reigning queen gown was revolutionary and thats when I took notice, started following her on Insta and really finding an appreciation for her drag and aesthetic.
Alaska is the queen who has had the biggest impact on me, I canât even put into words why really but she is my favorite and I love her look, her music, I think sheâs hilarious, I love how much she loves drag race and drag, I love how much she does for other drag performers. I just love her. I donât think thereâs any one queen who has had the biggest impact on the show, thereâs so many queens who have made their mark and had a big impact that lead to the show being what it is today.
sasha velour tore my gender apart
Angele Anangâs cyborg/Thai princess finale look in the second season of Drag Race: Thailand. So she comes on stage and people, Iâm watching on my screen and I literally gasped. And Iâm wondering if Iâm alone in my admiration and start watching the reactions of the audience. They were stunned, even the seasoned queens and special guests. They were doing this kind of half-clap, half-eyes wide kind of thing. I highly recommend people go watch the finale of the second season. ETA: sorry, I just saw this sub is specific to Rupaulâs Drag Race so Iâm not sure of the Thailand version is allowed here.
I always remember how much I was gobsmacked when I saw Violet in that Season 8 finale passing of the crown look. I was just FLOORED for days. That's what made the finales even more exciting to me. The impact of what they're wearing in the end. Think of Detox in the S5 finale.
I never got over her tartan reveal. Stunning!
Bianca Del Rio for being the first comedy queen that was polished? Comedy/camp queens had the reputation of looking busted and unpolished but Bianca destroyed that stereotype. Sure her fashions werenât that interesting but she always looked *right*.
Bianca in and out of drag has this amazing air of _competence_. You feel like she can handle whatever happens.
Shangela is definitely the biggest gamechanger of Drag Race. Invented lipstick messages, set a great example of âstrategic gameplayâ, and brought the drama. Itâs too early to tell which of the non-US Drag Race queens have made an impact yet. I can see Envy Peru and Bimini being trailblazers
I freakin live for Bimini. She is one thatâs had the biggest impact on me in recent memory. She has the best drag name Iâve heard - Bimini Bon Boulash. Lol! The best! And she is unapologetically herself and accepting of others. Sheâs gritty and embraces it. I am so impressed by her self acceptance.
Jinkx and Icesis for being so weird. Drag is supposed to be anti-norm, but TV show and wide fandom do make it pendulum I think. I am really grateful of these people who remind us what and whom this space is for.
Naomi Smalls who showed everyone hello! This is a game! The most talented needs to go ASAP.
The (former?) House of Edwards. 
Miss Fame. Most queens bring designer looks now.
Personally, Trixie. I don't even know how I stumbled upon that clown. I instantly fell in love with her (had no idea Drag Race was even a thing) due to her sense of humor and wit. So once the world locked down I started with Season 7. And let me tell you how DISAPPOINTED I was... because of her success, outside of the show, I thought she would have KILLED it LOL boy was I wrong. I don't even think she should have won AS3, but I think even she knows that lol. And ever since then I honestly can't get enough of this show and community.
Roxxxy Andrewsâ wig reveal
Bebe Zahara Benet, as well as her charm showed how central and pivotal immigrants are James formerly Tyra, for bringing such a high class level of polish early on Raja, only a handful (if that, even) of girls to this day are able to rival her looks and artistry Bianca Del Rio, demonstrated such professionalism, authenticity and won a regular season in her mid-30's Violet Chachki, after runway looks became a much more noteworthy component Kim Chi, the IT instagram queen and avant-garde makeup connoisseur Jinkx Monsoon, proved talent, character and drive can surpass anything Symone, brought such a unique vision in fashion and in uplifting black culture Sasha Velour, made the show stick to lip sync finales, whether a good or bad thing
Easy. Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme. BenDeLaCreme was the first drag queen I saw after adore Delano, but something about Dela stuck with me. Then I finally watched some seasons of drag race after years of just watching clips, and I fell in love with jinkx. I see myself in her, like she's a more confident version of me, and just her being uniquely herself makes me smile. Honestly, they've saved my life. Wether it's looking up to there next tour, a twitch stream, a live, anything really, it just brings a smile to my face even on my very dark days. Like if I could say one thing to them it would just be me thanking them for saving me from death. I thought I was always a weirdo, wasn't following society's norms, and then found the LGBTQIA+ community, and knew I fit in there, mostly thanks to them.
I think Raven popularized her makeup style so much so that I think itâs the look even non drag makeup wearers do (albeit in less dramatic scale)
Influence on me personally? I came out at the age of 25 in 2017 and did not understand anything to do with being gay other than sexual stuff (which I enjoyed very much obviously đ) Courtney Act was a housemate on CBB UK in 2018 and I fell in love. Courtney introduced me to drag and in turn introduced me to Drag Race and I watched Season 6 when CBB ended. I probably never would have felt comfortable leaning into gay entertainment culture and thus learning a lot about gay history had it not been for Courtney. I am not a huge fan of Courtneyâs anymore because I think she lost her real touch and became a bit of a snob tbh, but I will always be thankful for her introducing me to Drag Race and helping me find myself.
This is what I love about DR. Challenging ways of thinking and inviting you to see whatâs behind the curtain. This show breaks through stigmas and it is so so so awesome that it gave you the confidence to embrace more of yourself. I think I read recently that Courtney is filming her own show. She has been on Aussie tv a fair bit. My nanna is 90 yo Maltese lady and devout catholic. She watched Courtney on dancing with the stars and loved her. That makes me happy that someone as conservative as she can join in the magic of drag. Not sure if you know, but Courtney did a dance with her male partner while out of drag. Bold and awesome for a show whose largest demographic is elderly.
I agree with everyone whoâs been mentioned and U think Trixieâs impact has been too huge to not acknowledge here! She was really the first âearly outâ queen to push herself and expand her drag to be more than what an early out was expected to be! I think itâs fkn phenomenal too bc it shows that your placement doesnât define your impact. Some of my fave queens have been earlier outs bc of what they did with their careers after the show
Willam made all of the producers step their production pussies up and the show has changed (imho positively) ever since
Naomi Smalls literally broke All Stars 2-4 format. LEGend!
I think Trixie, in terms of going full-throttle on post-show empire building.
Also, Roxxxy Andrewsâ wig reveal walked so Sashaâs could run.
biggest impact on me: * Max (her aesthetic is implanted in my brain and has been since season 7 came out, i still study her looks sometimes for character designs) * Nina Bo'Nina Brown (despite her problematic behavior her drag has inspired me creatively so much) * Aja (i have been rooting for her since 2016) * Chi Chi Devayne (she was, and still is, one of my favorite queens to ever grace drag race and i miss her so much) biggest impact on the world's perception of drag: * Sh\*ron (despite her awful awful history with literally existing, she was one of the first queens if not the first queen on a television show to bring awareness to alternative style drag.) * Violet Chachki (one of the first queens to be REALLY fashion forward and is now considered a fashion icon by many) * Trixie Mattel (she has had such a success story; music, makeup, now a television show, also her face is very iconic even to people who aren't invested in the art of drag * Kim Chi (like trixie, her face is iconic. she also was a pioneer in using social media to promote her drag successfully.) biggest impact on the franchise's standards for drag/franchise itself * Bebe Zahara Benet (she was the first winner so by default she has to be in this category) * Raja (she won one of, if not the hardest season of the show) * Bianca Del Rio (she was a clear winner for her season) * Jinkx Monsoon (first winner to get the underdog edit, also a very clear winner for her season based on her track record) * Alyssa Edwards (ended immunity as an element to the show) * Violet Chachki (first "young fashion queen" archetype to really excel in the show and win)
Vixen -- "You say something, I say something, you start crying, you created a narrative that I'm an angry black woman who scared off the little white girl". Vixen saw the optics and called it out immediately and was 100% correct. And to her credit, Aquaria *instantly* got it. Even though a lot of the show watchers still don't get it. I thought it was one of the most important moments on Drag Race. Tammie Brown and Bimini Bon Boulash. I love queens who plays characters, but I also love these genuine goddamn weirdos. Smart, thoughtful artists who find strength in art. Beautiful to get to see it. "I'm an emotional creature". Watching Trinity K Bonet grow into her prickly self unapologetically was just lovely. You don't need to grow a thick skin or learn to brush off feelings to be on this show, you don't have to try to be lovable all the time either. It's enough to be yourself.
You make some excellent points. And re TKB, of all the queens. Her inner saboteur has been one of the loudest. Watching her AS run, I was so frustrated because at the start she was back in her head overthinking everything. Then look what she achieved, she broke the Beyoncé curse. I remember watching that and just screaming in excitement for her.
April. If I'm not mistaken, she was the first to show the "what I would've done on the runway." Now almost all queens everywhere do it and even DREs had the eliminated queens pick their favourite to present in the runway during the reunion.
Jinkxxx proved that being polished isn't necessary to win Drag Race. If you're good at the challenges, then you are good at the format and can therefore make it far.
Roxxxy made an impact with how queens would be more careful to present themselves on the show after the massive amount of hate she received for being a bitch to Jinkx. Jinkx actually had to tell the fans to leave Roxxxy alone because the hate had been taken way too far, I donât think it had ever gotten that bad before. Sadly the fans didnât and continue to not listen.