At long long long last, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars plays (and slays) the game-within-a-game
The assignment was to lip-sync. One queen was motherfucking ready, she was ready to do so.
TV Reviews the Olympics
She tried to tell us. She let us know well in advance. Facts are facts. Silky told us already.
This “Rudemption Lip-Sync Smackdown” may end on a cliffhanger, but no matter who wins, we all know who won.
The much-teased, long-anticipated game-within-a-game has arrived, and it almost makes it possible to forget the endless, repetitive reminders of its future existence. There are nits to pick here (and believe me, they’ll be picked) but it’s hard to do anything but enjoy the ride. At long last, we’ve all experienced what it would be like if a Ms. Mojo video were also the Olympics.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the results are so exhilarating. In a mothership Drag Race season, the lip-sync is essentially the equivalent of the last two minutes in a tight basketball game, the bottom of the ninth inning in baseball, or other sports things I am ill-equipped to describe. An entire episode of lip-syncs? That’s nuts. If I asked any of you to name one iconic Drag Race moment, one of two things would come out of your mouth: “back rolls,” or a lip-sync. Probably the latter.
And possibly even from this episode.
So congratulations to the Reverend Doctor Silky Nutmeg Ganache who, no matter what happens next week*, will walk away a winner this season. And her victories are as different as the lip-syncs themselves. But as good as they are (and they are, perhaps with one exception, excellent), the thing that makes this episode so thrilling is the sports movie hiding within it. It’s as if before making her entrance, week after week, Silky raised her hand and tapped the BELIEVE sign hanging above the werkroom door.
Don’t misunderstand me: there are no inspirational speeches lurking within this episode, unless you consider Silky’s pre-lip-sync banter to be inspirational. (If so, you’re not wrong.) It might be just a little bit moving, but the emotional stuff isn’t the point. Turning the motherfucking party is the point. And all the queens do, but Silky really, really does.
Let’s briefly address the quibbles, then return to preparing our petition to have this day, August 19, be forevermore known as Silky Nutmeg Ganache Day the good stuff.
The single biggest issue with this otherwise excellent episode doesn’t actually even occur within the episode. It’s the build-up. I find myself jealous of the experience the final-four-for-now queens are having. Imagine how marvelous this reveal would have been had we also been given the chance to forget it was coming. Imagine getting the chance to watch the exiting queens say their goodbyes, then see them return**. But the shift wouldn’t have to be that extreme; even something slightly less repetitive would have left more room for anticipation.
Luckily, we get to experience that just a bit through Ginger, Trinity, Kylie, and Ra’Jah’s eyes. Other than the Unsinkable Silky Ganache, the episode’s best storyline has to be Trinity’s begrudging —and then not-so-begrudging — enjoyment of a situation that has rightly pissed her the hell off. Watching her gradually begin to enjoy watching the good drag (and it’s good drag!) is a delight.
There’s also the props issue. To my eyes, all of Silky’s props look to be things she MacGyvered together herself, like she had to strip her hotel room for parts to put on a show. But because we’re not given any insight into Silky’s off-screen experience, it’s possible to read their presence as rigga morris. (More on that in the strays.) That makes the closer calls, particularly Jan vs. Silky, feel more suspect than they might otherwise (and gives buttholes a chance to dismiss Silky’s leave-it-all-on-the-floor performances as “just props,” a la those who dismiss the Sasha Velour lip-sync as “just rose petals.”)
Silky obviously takes this process very seriously (while never taking herself seriously) and it’s a shame that the show doesn’t match her in that. Give us real play-by-play, Carson! Tell us the rules!
Still, it’s hard to get too worked up about any of that, because it’s all just such goddamn fun. The Jan lip-sync is the most competitive (until the guitar, Silky was toast), the Eureka lip-sync the most fraught, the Pandora one the most pleasantly surprising, and so on and so on. But there’s only one best lip-sync, and it’s somehow the one in which the stakes were lowest. Your favorite sports movie could never.***
Silky’s “Barbie Girl” lip-sync is destined to wind up on Ms. Mojo lists for years to come. It’s the most that Drag Race has ever felt like the experience of actually going to see drag live. It’s messy and stupid and audacious and so, so joyful. Everyone, everyone is having a motherfucking excellent time, the person on stage most of all, and that’s what makes it so magical. I can count the lip-syncs like that in Drag Race herstory on one hand.
It’s not about polish, or the intellectual or storytelling aspects (though until that last one, Silky gets all As there as well). It’s about lip-syncing for your life as though you are ready to do so, and knowing while you’re doing it that you’re exactly where you belong.
Any queen will tell you that being great at drag doesn’t make you good at Drag Race, and even the reverse is sometimes true. But win or lose, Silky gets her rudemption here, and she does it, sports-movie style, by believing in herself.
* – ::shakes fist at sky and shouts to unfeeling god:: DRAAAAAG RAAAAAAACE!
** – This would also solve the problem with this week’s underwhelming Untucked: they could have included the queens’ reactions to the reveal there.
*** – Unless your favorite sports movie is Rudy.
Stray observations
- Kate’s Corner: “Finally! While it did not benefit from a season’s worth of build-up, the Game Within A Game delivered. I have some quibbles about Silky’s access to props—it smacks of rigga morris—but she performed so well that it’s hard to begrudge her her Rudemption narrative. Jan is the only queen who gave her a run for her money, arguably besting her. The most disappointing lip-sync was the last one, with Silky getting tangled in her reveal and Eureka pivoting to a Trixie mid-way through. I have a feeling Ru will pick Eureka to return, but Silky’s one-episode leap to lip-sync assassin status makes this one for the books.”
- Untucked: This week, Silky makes a lot of small talk and Yara tells her she’s carrying the souls of all the queens she’s eliminated on her shoulders. It’s epic. Last week Trinity, and I cannot stress this enough, WROTE DOWN HER OWN NAME AND THEN FORGOT.
- The Eureka lip-sync, while compelling, feels considerably less important than those that precede it. If Silky wins, she’ll have won for all the lip-syncs that came before. If she loses, it’ll be because she lost, not because Eureka won.
- They really didn’t skimp on the music budget, huh?
48 Comments
Silky’s Barbie Girl lipsync was fantastic, an absolute all-timer. The others were .. Silky slowly but steadily falling behind until she saved her bacon by pulling out a prop and not doing much of interest with it, over and over again. That cocktail gag, where she took like a third of the song to assemble the thing and that was it? Walking to the back and pouring a bottle of water on herself for no reason? Sheesh.
I actually thought that Silky won her lipsyncs pretty fairly up until Jan. And she didn’t really have a prop for her lipsync with Eureka, although some would say that the body bag in which she delivered herself was a propos for that particular debacle. But she had a great run up to that point and was probably just exhausted from that entire enterprise.
Lots of butthurt grays for this particular discussion, I see. I actually thought that Silky won her lipsyncs pretty fairly up until Jan. I’d argue that without all the props and stunts, Silky wouldn’t have been able to win them at all, which is what reeks of RM. Furthermore, I’ve seen the ‘whole bar in the boobs’ gag done before (and done better) right down to the ice in a baggie.Bottom line; it’s not about any “hate” for Silky, who is a good entertainer, just not my personal idea of an ‘All Star.’ (IMO, it requires a much higher level of craftsmanship and polish that she doesn’t seem to possess at this point in her career.)
It’s about love for the art form, and genuine disappointment that massive success seems to have diminished a lot of the originality of the show.It’s gotten to the point that I find myself enjoying the international versions of the show far more than I do the original series or AS; they seem way more organic (as far as a tv show can be, anyway) and way less over-produced.
The entire concept of this challenge was broken — how is it fair on any level that one queen had to have won nine consecutive lipsyncs, and another only one, to advance? — so in some ways the discussion of riggery is moot. Then again, it was far more entertaining than simply dropping Art Simone back into the competition, so I’m not complaining too much. But I don’t think that this was the purpose of this at all. RuPaul has carefully collated these queens’ strengths and given each of them a narrative which showcases their talents. In this case, it was an episode long love letter to Silky. Which they probably owed to her given the way that they hung her out to dry after S11.
The entire concept of this challenge was broken Excellent point, as usual.I guess I’m just frustrated because it seems that RU & Co will resort to this sort of weak, unimaginative ‘stunt-ery’ in an effort to try to keep the show “fresh and interesting” while it seems like they never consider any real changes that would actually achieve that goal. simply dropping Art Simone back into the competitionWhile I agree that the way it was done was was tactless and slightly jarring, I still enjoyed having Art back; and you have to give her credit for being the first queen ever to come back who didn’t end up sashaying again on the next ep or two.it was an episode long love letter to Silky. Which they probably owed to her given the way that they hung her out to dry after S11.How’s that,now?
I know that Silky received a lot of undue hatred and harassment from the toxic fangirls, but I hadn’t heard about any additional fuckery from Ru & Co…
How’s that,now?I know that Silky received a lot of undue hatred and harassment from the toxic fangirls, but I hadn’t heard about any additional fuckery from Ru & Co…They didn’t need any additional fuckery; they well and truly fucked her over the get-go on S11. Silky didn’t do well on S11 (or on AS6, for that matter)…but she was still carried through to the finale, earning her the ire of a LOT of the viewing audience. That final placement wasn’t her fault, but almost all of the criticism (or invective) was directed toward her, and not production, where it squarely belonged. And when the hate began, the only thing we heard from Ru & co. about it was… deafening silence. That’s their M.O.: create a television “villain”, and then leave the queen to deal with the fallout by themselves. It’s shameful.It’s obvious — what with calling that “game within a game” a “Rudemption” — that this season was devised as a very belated (and somewhat half-assed) corrective measure. Yes, it’s too little, too late, but this has worked out better for the viewers than I thought it would. It featured of cast of queens done wrong by production, and gave them all an opportunity to shine, and most of them did just that. I don’t think that production accurately gauged audience reaction to Silky’s run, but the drama will likely settle down, and soon be forgotten, if Eureka returns instead. I just don’t see them not having Eureka re-enter the competition after the solid (if not spectacular) season that she’s had. This way, the show can offer Silky a pat on the back, a probable minor award, and credit for correcting a wrong that they made themselves. Of course, if Silky comes back to the main competition, all bets are off.
“Lots of butthurt grays for this particular discussion, I see.”What the fuck does this mean? Davidcalgary29 has been given way better content in each week than you or I. And “butthurt”? Are you going to use homophobic insults?
What the fuck does this mean?Damn… calm down, and maybe stop making assumptions before I can even reply.
I wasn’t talking about David, whom I really like, or you; nor was I referring to anyone’s sexuality or sexual preferences.I was talking about all the unapproved pending “greyed out” comments whining at me about how I’m “just hating on Silky.” They are all up in their feels over some stranger’s opinion and that amused me. Are you going to use homophobic insults?Hopefully my posting history reflects upon what kind of person I am.
“Slays,” my ass. “Exhilarating?”
Gurl… what are you drinking or smoking when you watch this show, and can I please get some?
This ‘game within a game’ was some bullshit; a contrived vehicle to give a favorite queen of Ru’s more exposure.Basically it seems like this was just a ploy to stir up the drama that has been nonexistent on this season, because the queens want to avoid the toxic part of the fandom that DR has developed.Silky didn’t know all the words to a few of her lip syncs, and she got stuck in her costume during her last reveal.If Ru brings her back again to be in the top five after that, I will be livid.
Damn, this episode was just fun. Do you regularly enjoy this show anymore? This episode was some of the most exciting performances I’ve seen in years and Allison was right on about it feels like seeing the best drag out at the bar, versus contrived challenges and produced drama. Your complaints are all about the fact that this reality show is being produced in a way you disagree with and it’s boring hater behavior.
If Ru brings her back again to be in the top five after that, I will be livid.I can see Ru bringing back both Eureka and Silky. Notwithstanding questions of riggery (I’ll need to hear more about the guitar prop before passing judgment on that one), Silky made this episode. But if Ru lets Silky stay — and Silky goes on to replace one of the top four, or even win it all — then the howls of outrage from the viewing audience will derail the show. After all, all of the remaining queens have been through their own version of a drag marathon, and what’s the point of watching this show if queens who have been through the grinder can be supplanted by someone who was eliminated at the beginning of the season? The fallout from this isn’t going to be pretty, and I hope that viewers don’t take it out on Silky.
Yea I think the best case scenario for Silky in this case is to have Eureka be the one to come back. It seems she’s gotten a lot of good will by winning all of these lip syncs (fairly or unfairly = Jan got robbed) so leaving on a high note is best.
I can see Ru bringing back both Eureka and Silky.Unfortunately, so can I; it’s her idea of ‘a twist.’
“I have made my decision. The winner of All Stars Season 6 is the entire cast of All Stars Season 6.Except Jan.”
Except Jan.*lolzShe really does NOT like Jan…
Too many lip sync, maybe it was supposed to be like a drag bar, so I didn’t feel guilty that sometimes I had to sneak off to the washroom (without hitting pause).
This show should lay off the lip syncs. It’s not really a requirement in being a great drag queen.
Honestly, I never liked them and always barely pay attention. Much rather I see the queens performing with their own stuff.Sure, there’s a rich drag history to the lip-sync but to me it always feels a bit outdated and for the few that have stood out over the years many more really aren’t that exciting.And, as you said, it focuses so much on one aspect of what drag can be but it’s all important within the show. Unfairly so.
The ones I tend to like are the ones where the queen is really feeling it. Eureka’s one on this episode is a good example. Don’t care for the ones where it’s just dancing where they really aren’t lip singing. If I want to see gymnastics I just watch gymnastics on YouTube.
But for most fans (including me) it’s funnest part, and the most important part, of RPDR
Silly’s execution may have lacked at points, but this was undeniably entertaining!
I don’t like Silky and I quibble with some of the choices and obviously the whole structure of the season but this episode, an episode of only lip sync battles all good to great, to well chosen songs, was a really fun, entertaining episode in and of itself. Honestly, for me it was probably one of the maybe top 5 eps of any iteration of RPDR ever. I can’t imagine not liking it.Again this isn’t taking into account how boring the endless buildup to this was, the possible rigga morris etc., speculation of who will Ru will chose etc. I’m just talking about the entertainment value of the episode itself
If you enjoyed the ep, then I’m glad for you. I wasn’t “thrilled by the plot device” I just like lip sync battlesAgain, good for you, sis.
The top 4 had fun watching Silky slay the house down, so did the judges and several fans. But the hateful fan needs to be hateful and spill hate. It’s such a pathetic behavior that the rudeness is also directed towards the reviewer.Get over yourself, dude. You think the queens want to avoid the toxic part of the fandom? Well, read your own comment, you are that part of the fandom.
I’m sorry but no. After Silky’s performance in this episode, she has cemented herself as a legendary queen. You can’t say she only got here on Ru’s favoritism. Her performances were creative, entertaining, and amazing. She does not deserve the hate.
You got it all right!
Jan won her lip-sync.
I had fun with the episode, and Silky was, at least, entertaining. The “Barbie Girl” lip sync was probably a bit forced (the girl sings during a longer time than the boy, so she had to stay sideways looking at the same spot leaving the lip sync without much to do) and I had quite a few dissapointments to be honest:- “Free your mind” calls for a sexy trashy lip sync and it was surprisingly subdued. I really used to dance this one way way harder when I was a pre teen and got the En Vogue album and danced alone in my room, and that was at least the level I was expecting. – Yara Sofia and the crab guitar was something memorable, unnecessary and gross. – It was another lost opportunity for a Vroom Vroom lip sync. It is pretty clear that the producers went to the club last time in 2008 the latest.Carlson was incredibly funny across the whole episode. I love that guy so much. But yeah, I expect Eureka to come back kicking. Anyway, another sample of the show super narrative, now having a Silky redemption story with her fans. And I kind of agree with David Shadows of Gray: Jan won that lip sync. That was emotion.
The late great Hunter of LA’s Showgirls (and Chad Michaels drag mother) did a Barbie Girl routine that makes what Silky did look like bar night amateur hour. oh wait, Silky entire schtick is being the big girl at local queer bar amateur hour.
Do you have a link to that performance?
I don’t know, I don’t want to begrudge Silky in any way; she’s not my particular flavor of queen, but she is undoubtedly talented at what she does and has never deserved the fandom’s vitriol. BUTI guess whether these are “good” lip syncs depends on what makes a lip sync thrilling for you? I didn’t have a particularly good time (nor a bad one – just a “meh” one) because some of the things I enjoy most about lip sync performance weren’t really part of Silky’s approach. I really enjoy when a queen has spent time with a song, they’ve thought about what it’s saying (even and ESPECIALLY when what it says is something stupid and shallow that can potentially be mined for something deeper, like “Barbie Girl”) and their work involves channeling emotion more than stunt. A good stunt is fun and not every song requires a deep connection to be enjoyable (i.e., Ginger and Mayhem’s “Phone” is, I think, a good example of this) but I felt like Silky favored a style of lip sync that put the emphasis on the prop or the stunt to provide response. Sometimes, little moments are enough to make a lip sync fun – I don’t really think Kylie’s flips and splits made “Dirrrty”, it was the joyful cheeky look on her face to the line “I bet you somebody’s gonna call the cops.” I also don’t always think that connection needs to be uber-genuine, but you need to be able to match your drag persona to the song somehow. It’s obviously, especially good when that’s creative – when a queen that doesn’t seem like they’ll connect to the song finds the place where it works weirdly well is one of my favorite things. I didn’t get this from Silky, for the most part. In most cases, her opponents didn’t do it either / weren’t better at it, so that’s fine (i.e., I think she did better than expected, but it’s not like Pandora found a perfect place in “Focus,” for her type of drag to shine, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) .
To paraphrase Bob the Drag Queen, the systematic breakdown of Jan’s psyche is now complete. Silkys stunt wasn’t enough to make her the winner but it’s obvious Rupaul loves her and Jan… Not so much That said, it’s obvious Eureka will come back. So after all the mystery and build up its kind of a predictable ending. Almost like Eureka is a production plant and they’re building this up for extra drama. Wouldn’t surprise me if she is made the winner of the next challenge and one of the final 4 is booted (guessing it’ll be TKB) I know reality shows are manufactured but this is so manufactured you can see the expiration date from miles away
The Silky Nutmeg Ganache variety hour!! The lipsyncs weren’t all clean but there was clear effort and intention in each of them and the ‘Barbie Girl’ is going to become an all time great, if only because it was so unique – a true solo performance showcase – and because of how genuinely amused Ru was at everything surrounding it.That said, she definitely lost the last lipsync but will her prior wins carry her through? Who can say.
Best. Twist. Ever. Seriously entertaining show. Silky really brought it (though polished is not something I would ever call Silky, BUT entertaining as hell). Barbie Girl was a riot. However I seriously disagree with your assessment of Eureka’s lip sync. Eureka connected with that song on an emotional level that Silky wasn’t able to. It wasn’t just that Silky flew too close to the sun on that last LSFYL, but she flew right into the Elephant Queen. Eureka has that special mix of professionalism, dance skill, stunts, acting skills and emotional vulnerability. I FELT what Eureka was feeling and Silky was low energy and the story she was telling just wasn’t as compelling as the one Eureka was.
It seems like they missed out on an opportunity to bake more drama and tension into the last 8-9 weeks by putting all these lip syncs into one episode. Maybe it’s the issue of where in the episode would you put the lip sync (imo put it in the beginning, after the remaining girls clean the mirror and count the lipsticks), but watching Silky cut through the competition was a bit underwhelming.
I can’t stand Jan. I really, really cannot. But there is no way in hell she lost that lip sync. Silky’s personality irks me in a number of ways, but her imagination, dedication, and energy are admirable. HOWEVUH, the execution is just so sloppy. Costumes falling off and falling apart, makeup frequently a mess, and the actual lip sync portion of the lip syncs were universally atrocious.
Thank you!Silky gets a pass on all that because Ru is so enamored of her, where other queens have been ripped to shreds for far lesser flaws.That’s my main issue; it really has become the ‘RuPaul’s best friend race’ – Ru constantly promotes less talented, less capable queens based on whether she likes their personality… and while it’s her show, it gets really tedious to watch as a viewer.Good for everyone else who was so thrilled with this banal plot device; I remain underwhelmed and concerned for the franchise in general.
I wasn’t “thrilled by the plot device” I just like lip sync battles
Ultimately, the game-within-a-game was very fun, but not worth all of the build up. And probably not worth a full episode. I think I’d like for it to be a feature of future All Stars seasons, but Last Chance Kitchen style where the home audience gets to see what’s happening behind the scenes from week to week.
If I had to guess, it seemed like they intended the game-within-a-game to run every week like you describe, then chickened out. Maybe they thought Silky’s winning streak would play better that way, though I found it underwhelming.
“If she loses, it’ll be because she lost, not because Eureka won.”That’s some straight up BS. Even if Silky’s stunt hadn’t tried to pull her back into the grave, Eureka performed the hell out of Since U Been Gone and put 1000x more emotion into it than Silky did.
But that’s the point. Do you prefer raw emotional connection or performance, dance, stunts etc.? Eureka certainly forced some emotion onto “Since U Been Gone” but it had absolutely nothing to do with the song which is meant to be a 2000s style girls’ empowerment anthem leaving a shitty boyfriend “since you been gone/I can breathe for the first time”. Eureka decided to make it about her grief over losing her mother and half the lyrics don’t work for that. I preferred Silky’s antics to that
“Do you prefer raw emotional connection or performance, dance, stunts etc.?”How about both? And in this case, Eureka wins on both.Sure, Eureka’s interpretation of the song was about losing her mother, but Silky’s was about losing weight. Both not reflective of what the song was about.So it comes down to what was delivered to us – Eureka performing emotionally about the loss of her mother, or Silky tripping around on stage over yet another reveal acting out losing 90lbs.I think Eureka had the better performance (conceptually and emotionslly).Im glad Silky is getting her redemption, though.
I fully agree that I wish we spent some more time with the final four queens to see their reactions and less time with Carson’s lame play-by-play. Aside from Silky’s dominance (it was close between her and Jan, but I’m fully here for the psychological torture hunty) the best part was watching the final four get their lives as they all eventually went from pissed at the stunt to just being stunned.I get why Untucked was the way it was, giving the queens one more chance to say goodbye, but it got VERY repetitive due to Silky’s winning streak and I was internally begging for just one scene in the workroom with more final 4 reactions.
Based on some of the comments here, it is clear that some of you have not checked out the spoilers for AS6 on Youtube (and there are MANY). Silky—annoying though she can be—put up a herculean effort, but…the callback goes to Eureka. Rupaul has always had a strange fondness for the Round Mound of Loud Sound, and does anyone think Rupaul is NOT going to have Eureka in the final? The finale is most likely Rajah, K-S, Eureka, and Ginger…and if Ginger is Final Four, Ginger is the winner.
Please place any spoilers in a spoiler tag. I choose not to spoil myself for these shows, and I know that this true for many other viewers, as well. A Herculean task given the fact that everyone wants to spoil everything, but possible. And I’ve inadvertetly spoiled things for UK viewers, so I know where you’re coming from.
Silky repeatedly screwed up the synching part of the lip-synchs and except for the one with Eureka the editing favored her in all lip-synch smack downs. The one with Yara was especially suspect. I also really don’t know how picking up a guitar that was already laying down on the floor while Jan was doing air guitar could ever be considered kosher. Having said that, she gave a valiant effort, really fought for it and entertained while doing so. Unfortunately, whereas Eureka’s lip-synch was emotionally committed and intense, Silky’s depiction of her mother’s weight loss didn’t quite connect with the song. Since it’s a smackdown, Silky’s previous performances can’t be put into consideration and Eureka will probably advance. I honestly want her to comeback with a vengeance and win the whole thing.
You know I kinda wanted them to bring Silky back just for the shits and giggles, but that’s probably not the response she would’ve gotten from the audience if they did. Silky genuinely annoyed me sometimes on S11 (I do acknowledge what the editing can do, though) but this season I’ve grown to really love her. Not the most polished queen, but she doesn’t have to be. She’s entertaining as all hell. Perhaps the most disappointing part of the game within a game is the fact that all of it was just for Eureka, the last queen out, to return and replace TKB. Oh well, at least we got the The Silky Variety Hour so maybe it was worth it after all.